Jerry Jones delivers harsh assessment of Cowboys' struggling defense

There's a water leak in Dallas and it comes in the form of the Cowboys' defense.

In 14 games, the Cowboys have surrendered fewer than 20 points just one time. They have given up 30 or more points in seven outings, including in back-to-back losses to the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.

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Dallas sits at the bottom of the league in multiple defensive statistics. The franchise ranks fourth-worst in total defense (374.9 yards allowed per game), second-worst in scoring defense (30.0 points allowed per game), and dead last in passing defense (254.8 passing yards allowed per game).

The consistent issues have led to frustration across the building, including from Jerry Jones, who is always honest with his public comments.

Poor Play On Defense Has Changed The Direction Of The Cowboys' Season

Jul 22, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In the latest damning datapoint, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy lit up the Cowboys in a 34-26 loss.

McCarthy completed 15/24 passes for a career-high 250 yards with three touchdowns to one interception. The pick came on a deflected pass on Minnesota's first possession. Dallas wasn't able to consistently pressure the young signal-caller, recording just one quarterback hit and zero sacks.

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It's not like McCarthy was dominating the league coming into the matchup. He had only thrown for 200+ yards in one other game, and it took 18 more passing attempts than what Dallas allowed on Sunday night.

McCarthy has thrown two or more touchdowns in four games, the same number of contests where he's been picked off at least twice.

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus looks on during warmups before the game against the New York Giants | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

“We let their quarterback have a big day on us. That wasn’t the plan. We could have used more pressure, without question, at different times," Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. "The result was that we let him make some pretty significant plays out there. Plus, he played pretty well."

"It seems like we’re always saying that about these quarterbacks [on the other team]. Some of them hadn’t played as well, but when they play us, they play better," Jones added. "I think that’s telling, too."

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Jones believes the Cowboys wouldn't be fighting for their playoff lives if the defense had found its footing earlier in the year.

Dallas ranks top-5 in total offense (396.9 yards per game) and scoring offense (29.1 points per game), but the failures on the other side have proven to be too much to overcome.

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

"Candidly, just to be very up front about it, I think if we could have gotten this defense in better shape earlier that we could be sitting here with the kind of wins that would've not had us in this tight spot," Jones said on the show.

Dallas returns to action against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.

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