Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus, CB Trevon Diggs still working to find right defensive mix on and off the field

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1) put together their best defensive performance of the 2025 season under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus in their 37-22 Week 5 victory at the New York Jets. 

There are a number of things one could point to as to why that was. The Cowboys faced the winless New York Jets, who are now 0-5, and New York quarterback Justin Fields has always scared defenses more with his legs than his right arm. Eberfus' Dallas defense leads the NFL in zone coverage rate (86.6%) and ranks last in the league in man coverage rate (7.9%) this season, according to TruMedia. This style of play is a stark juxtaposition to how the Cowboys played under Eberflus' predecessors Dan Quinn (2021-2023) and Mike Zimmer (2024). However, Dallas ran man coverage on a season-high 14.1% of their defensive snaps in the Week 5 victory at the Jets, which coincided with the Cowboys posting season-bests in points allowed (22), sacks (5.0), quarterback pressures (25), quarterback pressure rate (47.2%) and takeaways (one). 

"I just think that the guys are getting used to the scheme," Eberflus said on Thursday of Dallas' man coverage success in Week 5 at the Jets. "Getting used to it. We want to play some man. Obviously, you have to do that sometimes. Having the two corners [DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs] back certainly helps in doing that because you feel great about your matchups in that regard. It's going to come down to technique and fundamentals. Having the guys back was a big, big part of that."

Diggs, whose 20 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2020 stand as the second-most in the league in the span of his career, and Bland, whose 14 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2022 are tied for the second-most in the league in the span of his career, racked up standout interception numbers and scored top dollar contracts while primarily being man coverage corners. Obviously, that means the 2025 season under Eberflus has been a bit of an adjustment. Diggs was benched for the start of Week 4 vs. the Green Bay Packers as a disciplinary measure after a rough week of practice and challenging the coaching staff to play more man coverage amid a bumpy start to the new season. He was back in the starting lineup in Week 5, and he played a season-high 73 defensive snaps. Diggs credited the Cowboys' uptick in man coverage as a key component in helping increase Dallas' quarterback pressure rate in their best defensive effort of the year thus far.

"When we have pressure like that, we can call whatever. We can call prevent [defense] and it would've won," Diggs said postgame in Week 5, via The Athletic. ... "I definitely felt like it [playing more man coverage] worked. We got off the field. The D-line was getting back there so fast. We say when they get back there fast it's called Instant Grits. You know how you make the Instant Grits in the packet? You don't want oatmeal. Oatmeal takes too long. You want Instant Grits. We had Instant Grits [on Sunday]."

Despite Diggs perhaps feeling validated by his vocal push for more man coverage after Sunday's on-field results, Eberflus made it clear the Cowboys' defensive scheme decisions are determined by himself week to week. Not because of Diggs' desires or exclusively what happened in Week 5 against the winless Jets. 

"We're going to make the decisions based on what we feel is best. Based on the matchups, based on what we have. I don't like grits either," Eberflus said with a wry gin. 

* Weeks 1-5, 2025 season

The Cowboys have another strong opportunity to improve their overall production in 2025 at the 2-3 Carolina Panthers in Week 6. Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has thrown for under 200 yards in four of five games this season. Although, Eberflus and Co. will have to "buckle up" to face former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle fresh off winning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. The new Panthers running back erupted for a career-high 206 yards rushing in his first start with Carolina in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins. 

"We took a step. We took a step in the right direction," Eberflus said. "We got to take another step."