Matt Eberflus on why Cowboys defense finally made scheme change after cries for help

The Dallas Cowboys dominated the division rival Washington Commanders in Week 7, taking over control of second place in the NFC East. The most prolific offense in the NFL struck again, but it was the defense that helped lift the team to victory.

Dallas' defense was becoming the laughing stock of the league, but last weekend's effort reminded everyone that the team has some standout playmakers, like the NFL's all-time single-season pick-six leader, DaRon Bland.

The Cowboys' defense played its best all-around game of the season in Week 7, and a large part was due to a scheme change from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

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Eberflus is known for his love of a zone-heavy scheme, but against the Commanders he rolled out man coverage more than 40 percent of the time.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland returns an interception for a touchdown against the Washington Commanders | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The man coverage led to longer-developing plays for Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, and the Commanders' offense, which led to more quarterback pressures and sacks for the Cowboys' defense, including standout rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku getting the first sack of his career.

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Eberflus spoke to the media as the team returned to practice this week and explained why Dallas played more man against Washington.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku sacks Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"Every week is different. Last week we played more man-to-man because it was the right thing to do," Eberflus said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. "It’s important as we go forward that we have multiple things in our package that we can do, pressures, man-pressures, zone pressures, and all the like. But the guys did a good job executing"

Considering the talent and playerse on the Cowboys' roster, playing more man is always the right thing to do. Early in the season, the Cowboys were playing zone coverage more than 90 percent of the time, which led to confusions in coverage and opponents flying down the field wide open.

Let's hope Eberflus learned that the Week 7 approach is the right approach for this team.

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Dallas Cowboys defensive ranks

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the sideline during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

While the Cowboys' defense had a strong showing against the Commanders, there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Through seven weeks, the Cowboys rank dead last in total defense, allowing 401.6 yards per game and 24 touchdowns. Dallas' run defense ranks No. 30, giving up 141.3 yards per game and eight touchdowns.

The Cowboys also rank last in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert 51.6 percent of the time.

Despite the brutal performances early in the season and the concerning stats, the Cowboys did show improvement and reinforcements are on the way. Let's hope Eberflus and company can put it all together when games matter the most.

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