Latest news with #Eberflus
USA Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN: Cowboys-Bears tilt named one of NFL's 9 key schedule features
ESPN: Cowboys-Bears tilt named one of NFL's 9 key schedule features The Dallas Cowboys have one of the league's most difficult schedules in 2025; at least based off of 2024 results. With a strength of schedule of .557, Dallas has the fifth-toughest slate. But it's not their Thanksgiving matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs that drew the attention of Benjamin Solak, nor the two matchups against Super Bowl champion Philadelphia. Rather, it was their Week 3 tilt against the Chicago Bears that was identified as one of nine key schedule features among Solak's 100 Things to Know countdown to the regular season. Another good Bears game comes against the Cowboys in Week 3. Former Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus is the new Cowboys defensive coordinator, and expunged coaches often produce strong performances when revenge is on the table. The Cowboys hired Eberflus, their former linebacker coach, after he was fired from the Bears midseason 2024. Their former linebacker coach went to Indianapolis for several years as their defensive coordinator before taking the lead chair in the Windy City. Eberflus, 55, had a 14-32 career record with the Bears, who struggled at the QB position before drafting Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in 2024. Now Williams will have a chance to prove his comments about why he never wanted to be drafted by the Bears and Eberflus will look to take his inside intel and use it to his new team's advantage. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
04-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys systematically rebuilt this position group around 2 star players who needed help
Cowboys systematically rebuilt this position group around 2 star players who needed help Have the Cowboys used free agency and the draft this offseason to improve the defensive line compared to the 2024 team? After just one year of Mike Zimmer, the Dallas Cowboys have once again shifted defensive coordinators as they embark on the 2025 journey. The club lost Dan Quinn as their defensive coordinator following the 2023 season, and asked Zimmer to put together a defense that could play better against more modern offenses, the likes of which masterminds Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur deploy. Like almost all things football, the work in the trenches was the most important factor. Now they look to Matt Eberflus, another familiar face, to continue the transition. Changing to a new defensive coordinator typically means adjusting talent to fit the new scheme, and the Cowboys allowed some veterans to leave in free agency while bringing in five new players for Eberflus to work with. Are they a better unit than they were in 2024? Three of the unit's four starters remain the same, as does the edict Eberflus has with their direction. He needs to continue to improve the game of Mazi Smith, continue Micah Parsons' evolution into a team leader, and help Osa Odighizuwa further ascend into a difference-making, game-changer of a pass-rushing defensive tackle. The loss of Demarcus Lawrence is significant in theory. For many seasons, he was the Cowboys' best run defender and pressured the opposing quarterback at an impactful level. He was also the most clutch defender on the team, often making big fourth-down run stops. Comparatively to 2024 though, losing Lawrence isn't a big hit as he only played four games last season; less than a quarter of the season. Marshawn Kneeland, a second-round pick from 2024, was selected with Lawrence leaving a clear possibility. He is the edge-setting replacement now with a year of seasoning, while veteran Dante Fowler Jr. was brought back via free agency to further the pass rush to see if he can continue his late-career resurgence. The team also brought in another former first-round pick in Payton Turner, who dealt with injuries through his first three seasons in New Orleans to finally play 16 games in 2024. 2025's edge unit will also see 2022 second rounder Sam Williams return from injury; a wild-card after an ACL injury robbed him of the all-important third season. Looking to be non-dependent on that, the Cowboys drafted one of the best pass rushers in this year's class, Donovan Ezeiruaku. He led the FBS in pressures, was second in tackles for a loss, and had 16.5 sacks in 2024. Odighizuwa didn't have a true backup three-technique last year, but new defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton brought along Solomon Thomas from the New York Jets, and his presence will allow Odighizuwa to play fewer snaps and be more efficient. The team also got younger at defensive tackle. They didn't bring back Linval Joseph and drafted Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote. Akingbesote could need a year to develop, but Toia will get snaps immediately as the run-stuffing nose tackle. Adding a 10-sack defensive end and a rookie the caliber of Ezeiruaku bolsters the unit. with the caveat that rookies don't always shoot out the gate. Adding depth to the defensive tackle position was an enormous plus as well. On paper, it appears the defensive line is in a much improved place heading into the 2025 season. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys Coach Ripped By 'Annoyed' Locker Room
FRISCO - Some of the criticism of the Dallas Cowboys' hiring of new head coach Brian Schottenheimer has come from inside the family. While the arrival of Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator didn't spark the same outcries, his former players are now painting of grim picture of his past tenure. Eberflus was fired by the Chicago Bears - the first head coach sacked during the season in the franchise's 104-year history - last Thanksgiving after bungled clock management cost them a chance to upset the Detroit Lions. But it was a colossal collapse a couple weeks before that apparently sent the Bears' locker room into a tailspin that put Eberflus' authority in limbo. Advertisement The Bears were on the verge of going 5-2 in late October. They led the Washington Commanders 15-12 until giving up Jayden Daniels' Hail Mary touchdown on the final play. A month later, they trailed Detroit by only three points but failed to call a timeout on their final drive until having time to run only one last play that failed. In a new interview with Esquire magazine, Bears' quarterback Caleb Williams admits that Eberflus' game management and handling of the loss to Washington negatively affected the team. "How [Eberflus] handled it at that time, for that game, was, I think, one of the things that throughout the locker room people talked about and were annoyed by," Williams said. After the Hail Mary, the Bears lost their next nine games and finished the season 5-12. Advertisement Eberflus won't be in charge of calling timeouts for the Cowboys' offense, but he just might be positioning the defense to defend a final Hail Mary pass. Related: Worms! Cowboys' Dak and Micah Star in Hilarious Video Going Viral Related: Cowboys' Micah Parsons Explains Major Move Amid Holdout Rumors
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys mock draft: Dallas selects former Longhorn, new No. 1 RB, D-linemen in latest mock
Cowboys mock draft: Dallas selects former Longhorn, new No. 1 RB, D-linemen in latest mock Show Caption Hide Caption Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parker talks football, youth Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parson hosted a youth football camp in Corpus Christi, Texas on Saturday, March 15, 2025. The Dallas Cowboys cleaned house after a disappointing 7-10 season. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer takes over as head coach with former Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus in as defensive coordinator. Key pieces are back in Dallas for 2025 as quarterback Dak Prescott should be fully recovered from injury. The team lost franchise icon Zack Martin to retirement but the offense still has star wideout CeeDee Lamb and solid starters on the offensive line in center Cooper Beebe and guard Tyler Smith. On defense, Dante Fowler Jr. comes to town to help off the edge opposite star pass rusher Micah Parsons. The team signed multiple low-cost veteran defenders with high draft pedigree in free agency, as well, including Solomon Thomas, Payton Turner, Kenneth Murray and Kaiir Elam. Dallas still has needs to address in the NFL draft but it is armed with 10 selections over seven rounds, tied for second-most in the league. Here's how the Cowboys could use those picks: Dallas Cowboys seven-round mock draft Round 1, No. 12 overall: WR Matthew Golden, Texas Dallas surveys the options here and opts for the next-best wide receiver over a running back or tight end because both are deep positions. Golden came on strong to close the season for Texas and can line up at multiple spots if needed. No matter where he is, he'll provide a great No. 2 wide receiver skill set that should take some pressure off Lamb. Round 2, No. 44 overall: RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State In a deep running back class, the Cowboys bide their time and get a top-five prospect at the position. Henderson's long speed is among the best in the class, he's a proven receiver out of the backfield and is far from a liability in pass protection. He did miss time with injuries in 2022 and 2023, though, which may cause some concern. Round 3, No. 76 overall: CB Quincy Riley, Louisville The Cowboys have a hole at nickel cornerback after Jourdan Lewis left in free agency. Riley is slightly undersized to stick at outside cornerback but should thrive in the slot. His ball production is unmatched in the class and he plays with disciplined aggression (no flags in 2024). Round 5, No. 149 overall: Edge Elijah Roberts, SMU The Cowboys signed Fowler in free agency and drafted Marshawn Kneeland in the second round last season, but the team could still use more reinforcements at edge. Roberts fits the longer edge rusher archetype that Eberflus, the new DC, likes for his defenses. Round 5, No. 174 overall: DT Ty Robinson, Nebraska Robinson is a tweener at 6-foot-5 and 288 pounds but has solid burst off the line and good agility. He should be able to rotate in as a rookie in the edge rush group and give Eberflus some options to take some of the pass rush load off Parsons. Round 6, No. 204 overall: TE Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse Dallas opted to wait for a tight end and finds another Day 3 option at the position. Gadsden offers great athleticism in a 6-foot-5, 241-pound frame with an impressive wingspan (83⅛ inches). He's not much of an after-catch threat at this time but can be another possession pass-catcher and succession plan in case the Cowboys opt against retaining Jake Ferguson next offseason. Round 6, No. 211 overall: DT Rylie Mills, Notre Dame Mills likely would've gone higher in the draft if not for an injury during the College Football Playoff. He plays with a high motor and great quickness at 6-foot-5 and 296 pounds. Like Robinson, he offers a tweener-type of skill set and, when fully recovered, should compete for snaps as a rookie. Round 7, No. 217 overall: WR Bru McCoy, Tennessee The Cowboys offense gets some speed at wide receiver in Round 1 and doubles down with a big-bodied possession target in the final round. McCoy has intriguing speed and tools at 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds. He struggled with consistency, though, and will need time to put it all together. Round 7, No. 239 overall: OT Jack Nelson, Wisconsin Dallas could use more offensive line depth in 2025 with a new starter at right guard. Nelson played tackle at Wisconsin and may struggle to stay at that spot in the NFL given his lack of elite athleticism. His instincts and run blocking prowess is solid, so he should at least be a good depth piece as a rookie. Round 7, No. 247 overall: RB Phil Mafah, Clemson The Cowboys get their speedy running back in Round 2 and get a power back to split carries with him with their final pick. In a normal year, Mafah is likely off the board in Round 5, but the depth of this class means he could be available this late. Mafah started one season for the Tigers and put up good numbers as a physical, powerful back at 6-foot and 239 pounds. He should compliment Henderson's skill set.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caleb Williams admits Bears were 'annoyed by' Matt Eberflus' handling of Hail Mary game
The Chicago Bears going into a tailspin following their Hail Mary failure vs. the Washington Commanders made for a convenient narrative last season. Turns out, there may have been some truth to that story. Caleb Williams — in an interview with Esquire — admitted the team was "annoyed by" the way former Bears coach Matt Eberflus handled the situation, per the Chicago Sun-Times. "How [Eberflus] handled it at that time, for that game, was, I think, one of the things that throughout the locker room people talked about and were annoyed by," Williams told the magazine. Advertisement The Bears appeared to be on the verge of improving to 5-2 before disaster struck. With Chicago leading 15-12, Jayden Daniels and the Commanders needed a miracle to pull off a comeback. With six seconds left, Daniels completed a 13-yard pass to Terry McLaurin to put the Commanders in Hail Mary territory. On the play's final game, Daniels completed his pass to Noah Brown after it was tipped by Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. The Bears lost the contest 18-15, and then lost their next nine games. Eberflus faced a myriad of questions after the loss. Why did the Bears sit back and allow McLaurin to pick up an easy catch? Why did the team allow Daniels to scramble around on the final play? What happened with Stevenson? Eberflus defended the team's actions, saying that particular play was practiced "100 times." Video later emerged showing Stevenson taunting Commanders fans at the beginning of the play, which caused him to be out of position when he tipped the Hail Mary into Brown's arms. Stevenson apologized for his actions. The cornerback did not start the following week as part of his punishment. Bears players had plenty more to be annoyed about as the season went on, including a botched end of game sequence on Thanksgiving. With the Bears in field-goal range down three points, the team failed to get a final play off before the clock expired. Some Bears questioned that decision publicly. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson was reportedly furious after the game and let Eberflus hear about it in the locker room. Advertisement Eberflus defended how things played out on the field and preached resiliency to the players after the game. He was fired the next day. Caleb Williams shed tears after rookie season ended Williams also admitted he cried after a tough rookie season, per Esquire. Williams said he was drained "mentally, physically [and] spiritually" after the team's struggles. When he got home after the year was over, Williams got into his bed and "dropped a few tears." It was a mixed bag for Williams during his rookie season. While his numbers — 20 touchdowns to 6 interceptions — look solid, he struggled to make quick decisions. Williams was sacked a league-leading 68 times. While the offensive line was responsible for some of those plays, Williams came under fire for holding the ball too long. Advertisement Things could be better in Year 2. Williams said he experienced plenty of "growth" as a result of the team's struggles. To ensure that growth is realized, the Bears hired offensive guru Ben Johnson to replace Eberflus. Johnson might be a first-year coach, but he comes with immense expectations. While he may not live up to all of those immediately, if he's even marginally better at late-game management, Bears players and fans should have a lot less to be annoyed about.
