NFL Media Turning On Cowboys Despite Week 2 Win & Preseason Super Bowl Hype

The Dallas Cowboys generated a lot of hype during the offseason and throughout training camp, thanks to an unusually aggressive approach that focused on rebuilding the team's putrid defense and bringing in some young talent for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker to mold.

It was nothing but praise coming out of the team's offseason program about Parker's immediate impact and the direction the defense was headed, but everything fell flat in the season-opening loss to the New York Giants.

Dallas looked flat, and the defense was giving flashbacks to the dreadful Matt Eberflus era, and now the NFL media is overreacting to the slow start.

After hyping the Cowboys as legitimate contenders leading up to the season, with some Super Bowl buzz hitting the airwaves, a lot of analysts are now bailing on the team. Among those is ESPN's Dan Orlovsky, who sounded off during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday afternoon.

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky Jumping Off Cowboys Bandwagon

“I don’t think Dallas is good enough to win a Super Bowl right now.”

—@danorlovsky7 on the Cowboys after their win against the Commanders 🫢

(via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/wq6AhLt6y2
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 22, 2026

Orlovsky gave Dak Prescott his props for breaking the franchise passing-touchdown record, but couldn't help but look past the ailing defense, which has been hit by a flurry of injuries through the first two weeks of the regular season.

Because of the defensive concerns, Orlovsky believes the Cowboys just don't have the talent to go all the way.

"I don't think Dallas is good enough to win a Super Bowl right now. They're not. Their defense isn't good enough," Orlovsky said before sounding off on the team's defensive woes and shortcomings on offense. "The defense has forced two punts. They've played against, for the most part, Marcus Mariota, who is the backup, while awesome career backup quarterback in Washington, and Jaxson Dart, a second year quarterback. They forced two punts.

"They're giving up more yards per drive than they did last year when everyone's saying it was this historically bad defense. And so I like the pass game for the Dallas offense, but the run game still is not there. They're still missing Tyler Smith, Smith in that regard. But the defense that was supposed to be this defense that got fixed, and here we go: Week 2, less missed assignments, but still way less production.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels leaps to avoid a tackle by Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs at AT&T Stadium | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That's a fair criticism, but it's also important to remember that the Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator, new scheme, and 8 new starters on defense. It's going to take time for the unit to find its groove.

You also have multiple rookies -- Caleb Downs, Jaishawn Barham, and Malachi Lawrence -- who have been seeing significant playing time. There is a learning curve, so while the Cowboys defense may be off to a slow start, don't bail on the team yet. Because, after all, there's a reason there was hype during the offseason. Perhaps we'll see the results before we know it.

Parker and the Cowboys' defense will face its toughest test of the season so far on Sunday afternoon when the team takes on former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in the league's first-ever game in Rio de Janeiro.

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