Former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Disappointed By How Bad Defense Is

To be fair, the Dallas Cowboys had everyone fooled headed into the 2026 season.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks to the media before the game at AT&T Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Cowboys became the laughing stock of the young NFL season on Thursday night in Arlington with a 24-16 loss in primetime to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who entered the contest with an 0-4 record.

With the amount of talent Dallas has on both sides of the ball, a loss at home to an undrafted rookie quarterback in Jalon Daniels is simply inexcusable and embarrassing. The Bucs deserve credit for exposing all of the Cowboys' issues but it should never have come to that.

While the offense no doubt needs to shoulder some of the blame, the problems once again point back to the defense.

For at least the first half, one former Cowboys head coach admitted he thought the defense had improved. Unfortunately for everyone involved, he was wrong.

Former Cowboys HC Wade Phillips Speaks Out on Dallas' Defense

Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips on the sidelines during the second half against the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Former Cowboys head Wade Phillips doesn't often speak publicy on Dallas' performance but he made sure to do so after watching the team on Thursday Night Football.

Unsurprisingly, he pointed to the defensive shortcomings.

"I thought maybe the Cowboys Defense was better after seeing the first half but I was mistaken," Phillips wrote on X.

Cowboys Had One of NFL's Best Defenses in 2009 Under Phillips

Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips walks off the field following the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Cowboys 45-7. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Considered by many to be one of the best defensive coordinators in the league during his coaching career, Phillips won the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award as DC of the Denver Broncos.

He knows a good defense when he sees one, and the Cowboys certainly don't fall into that category, which is an understatement for the history books.

Of course, even a blind person could see how bad the Dallas defense is, but that's beside the point.

Though Phillips' Cowboys career ended with a midseason firing in 2010, things hardly appeared to be trending that way based on what the defense did a year prior. Dallas finished the 2009 season with an 11-5 record and an NFC East title thanks in large part to the league's No. 2 offense (based on yardage) led by Tony Romo, but also due to one of the NFL's best overall defenses.

The Cowboys finished that season allowing the second-fewest points per game in the NFL (15.6) and the fourth-fewest rushing yards per contest (90.5).

Perhaps Jerry Jones can convince Phillips to come out of retirement at 79 but he's better off enjoying life instead of trying to save a sinking ship.

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