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The Dallas Cowboys had a really disappointing offseason. Fans were expecting big changes after losing in the Wild Card Round last year, but not much happened.
Dan Quinn, their defensive coordinator, left to coach the Washington Commanders. This was a big deal because Quinn played a huge role in the team’s recent success. The defense was crucial for their regular-season wins.
New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer started strong with a win against the Cleveland Browns, holding them to just 17 points. However, some think this might say more about the Browns than the Cowboys’ defense.
In Week 2, things went south quickly. The New Orleans Saints scored 44 points against the Cowboys at home. By Week 3, fans were already frustrated and calling for Zimmer’s removal after a tough game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Cowboys fans want Mike Zimmer fired in record time following frustrating loss vs. Ravens.
RIP to the years of great defense, Mike Zimmer is a massive downgrade from Dan Quinn
— America’s Team (@RoadToSix) September 22, 2024
Despite past playoff struggles, the Cowboys’ defense was top-notch under Quinn. They ranked fifth in points allowed last season and consistently performed well over three years.
But this season? Not so much. They’ve already given up a lot of points: 44 to the Saints and 21 in just one half to the Ravens. Even though they improved in the second half against Baltimore, they still lost 28-25 and now sit at 1-2.
250 rush yards allowed
14 missed tackles
Inability to respond to toughness or adversity
92% open target rate, highest in NFL since 2016
0 pressureI was dead wrong about Mike Zimmer’s impact and change so far.
— Shan Shariff (@1053SS) September 22, 2024
The Cowboys did manage to contain Lamar Jackson’s passing game but couldn’t stop Baltimore’s rushing attack. Derrick Henry ran wild with 151 yards and two touchdowns; Jackson added another 87 yards on the ground.
Some fans weren’t surprised by this decline under Zimmer. They remembered Cooper Rush throwing for over 300 yards against his Vikings back in 2021 and feared other teams could do even worse damage.
Cooper Rush once hung 325 yards on Mike Zimmer’s Vikings on Halloween 2021
— America’s Team (@RoadToSix) September 22, 2024
The defense looks incredibly vulnerable right now, struggling with Zimmer’s new system. The Giants moved the ball well against Cleveland recently, giving hope they might challenge Dallas next week if they can neutralize Micah Parsons.
The Cowboys defense looks INCREDIBLY vulnerable right now. New system with Mike Zimmer growing pains. The #Giants moved the ball (in the first half at least) vs. a tough CLE scheme. If they can neutralize Micah Parsons, there is newfound hope for Malik’s offense on TNF in Week 4
— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) September 22, 2024
It’s only been three weeks under Zimmer, so there’s still time for improvement as players adjust to his system. But there’s also a chance it won’t work out at all. Up next is a game against the New York Giants—a crucial test for Zimmer and his defense to figure things out before it’s too late.
