Cowboy Roundup: Defensive incompetence must be fixed, Rookies need to step up

Happy Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys Nation. The team will be back in action later on in the day as preparations ramp up for the highly anticipated showdown with the Green Bay Packers in Week 4 of the NFL season.

While Cowboys fans will be witnessing the return of Micah Parsons to AT&T Stadium, they will also get to see the Dallas debut of new defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who will hopefully provide a much-needed boost to the defensive line.

MORE: Former Cowboys star Micah Parsons says sacking Dak Prescott will be 'painful'

There is also some hope that All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland could be returning to the field after recovering from his foot injury, so we'll have to see how he progresses throughout the week of practice.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While we wait to see what the week holds for the Cowboys ahead of Week 4, let's check out some of the news and headlines making waves online and around social media. Indulge.

Defensive incompetence must be fixed

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus looks on during a game against the Baltimore Ravens | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys have a Matt Eberflus problem, and it needs to be addressed if anything this season is going to get better. The Athletic addressed the issues.

"Dallas has allowed 9.1 passing yards per play thus far. Not only is that the highest in the league, but it’s more than a full yard more than the next closest team. They are 15th in pressure rate, 27th in sack rate, and 31st in EPA per pass. For context, the Miami Dolphins have the worst EPA/Pass in the league at +0.40. The Cowboys are right behind them at +0.34. The next closest team is New Orleans, at +0.17."

Rookies need to step up

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku rushes the line against the Baltimore Ravens | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Cowboys put together what appeared to be a promising draft class on paper, but it has yet to pay off on the field for Dallas. With first-round pick Tyler Booker now injured with a high-ankle sprain, it leaves Donovan Ezeiruaku as the lone rookie contributor, so the draft class will need to step up to help the team.

From InsideTheStar.com: "Only one of them started, and he won’t be starting again until late October at the earliest. The other two merely got in some snaps but failed to make any significant impact on the game. Three rookies remained healthy scratches for the third-straight week, while another was a healthy scratch for the first time this year. Two rookies remain on injured reserve with an eye on landing on the active roster after the fourth week of the season."

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