Cowboys' Matt Eberflus slighted in NFL defensive coordinator rankings

One of the primary reasons Dallas Cowboys Nation began to buy into new head coach Brian Schottenheimer was the staff he assembled. Sure, they all love his positive approach, but it's been easier to believe they can find success thanks to an All-Star collection of talent surrounding the first-time head coach.

While many of the hires were home runs, the top name on Schottenheimer's staff is Matt Eberflus, their new defensive coordinator.

Eberflus rose to prominence as a linebacker coach in Dallas, then proved to be a great defensive mind while serving as the defensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts.

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He turned his success in Indy into a head coaching job with the Chicago Bears, where he was just 14-32 in three years. Now back in a coordinator role, he believes he can take the Cowboys' defense to new heights.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While Dallas fans and players have bought in, Pro Football Sports Network's Jacob Infante doesn't give Eberflus much love. In his latest NFL defensive coordinator rankings, he has Eberflus ranked 18th overall.

"Coming off a disastrous run as the head coach in Chicago, Matt Eberflus finds himself returning to the defensive coordinator ranks. While his teams disappointed, his defenses were just fine. Eberflus’ Bears defense finished 13th in Defense+ last season. Just two years ago, his defense led the NFL with the lowest rushing yards allowed and was first with 22 interceptions. With the Dallas Cowboys, he could resurrect his NFL reputation working with the likes of Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland." -- Infante, Pro Football Sports Network

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This feels like a slight considering Eberflus' resume. While in Indianapolis, he finished with a top 10 defense in three out of four seasons. The one exception was in 2019, when they were 18th.

Even with the Bears, where he inherited an awful roster, he improved from 32nd in points in 2022 to 20th in 2023. During his final season with Chicago, Eberflus' defense was 13th in points surrendered.

All that makes it hard to see how 17 coordinators are considered superior. Perhaps he's simply being judged too harshly for his tenure in Chicago.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus looks at the scoreboard during their game against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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