Matt Eberflus: We Are Working | Dallas Cowboys 2025

Matt Eberflus: We Are Working | Dallas Cowboys 2025

All right. How’s everybody doing? All right. So, uh just, you know, looking at this week, you know, super excited about this week and the challenge it it, uh, you know, certainly, uh, creates and provides for us. You know, we have a, uh, great opportunity this week, you know, to really, uh, you know, I thought a couple weeks ago we put a step forward, you know, versus the the Jets. And then last week, obviously, disappointed in that performance. And uh you know we we’re finding answers and and looking for solutions and you know it’s really about the solutions you know is a wei solution. You know us doing it together and uh we had some good meetings this week. Um some good conversations and obviously we’re disappointed and it’s not to our standard what we how we played last week and we got to do a better job there. Um but there’s in every film when you look at it there’s also good in there right? You know so you have to you know you know focus on on that and also focus on improvement. you know, there were some good things in there. We caused a takeaway. You had some good third down stops. You know, we did some good things and you got to build upon that. And uh the guys are working diligently to get that done. We know the solutions in the room. Um there’s not not a magic pill there. You know, we just got to make sure that we do a great job of working together, you know, and then um being together, right? And then making sure the plan is tight and and effective. And again, that’s uh that’s all of us working together um you know, in getting that done. So, I understand, you know, the disappointment in the players and all that, but hey, we we’ve moved on. This is now this is now a couple games, a couple days away from the game and uh excited, like I said, about the challenge here this week. Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News. Any changes you make, can they be big changes or subtle to kind of find a solution? Yeah, I think that uh you know, when you’re working through this, it’s it’s has to be, you know, subtle. you know, you you put a percentage on it, you know, whatever. But I think that it’s got to be subtle. It’s got to be in the package already, you know, and it’s got to be something that you’ve practiced um and you’ve worked on and you make your tweaks and adjustments from there. But, uh, again, it’s got to be subtle. Do you believe you have an identity as a defense? I still think we’re working, you know, we’re working. I I do think that, you know, up front we have an identity. I think that’s good. You know, the guys are really, you know, coming off the ball and and doing that. and we got to do a really good job of building, you know, that throughout the whole defense. Um, you know, so it’s important that we just keep working, you know, keep finding solutions what works what works best for the guys that we have back there. And again, I’ve said it before is that, you know, we’ve had guys in and out. Um, and that that’s a big piece of it. You know, what you can do and can’t do. Um, so it’s important that we find the best solution there. Um, Matt Todd Archer with ESPN. How much is some of the solutions maybe doing things that you aren’t comfortable or haven’t done a lot of in the past uh with with your defense as far as man or bringing more pressures, things like that? Yeah, I mean, you look at everything, right? You look at everything. Um when your performance has been, you know, inconsistent or not to the standard, you certainly look at everything. You know, you’re trying to find solutions. That’s the coach’s job to get that done. And uh nothing’s off the table. Um and it’s important that we do a great job of uh finding the right mix and right balance. Um you know in terms of keeping the plan tight as well. So that’s important to do that too. Yeah. Is that you mentioned keeping the plan tight. Is there a tendency when it it doesn’t like this you do more and it makes it worse or or or things kind of get out of whack? Yeah. I think that’s uh you always want to keep the plan tight, you know, tight and effective and that’s that’s where you want to be so the guys can execute. Tommy, Tommy Y, Dallas Cowboys.com. A lot of talk recently about parody in the NFL and when it’s so week to week and things can change so quickly, how do you find consistency so that you can go on the field and produce similarly week in week out? Yeah, to me that’s about it comes back to fundamentals, you know, it comes back to fundamentals, comes back to basics. That’s that’s the way you know the one thing that doesn’t change is, you know, is playing hard, right? using great fundamentals, you know, great technique, you know, and executing, you know, and that’s that’s everybody in the room, right? So, that that to me is is is what it is, you know, it’s there’s no, you know, magic call and all those things. You got to do those three things. You got to make sure that you’re fundamentally sound. Make sure you’re doing a great great job playing with violence, you know, and then and then executing. And then in the past defense with some of the big plays that came last week, was it some of the same issues you saw earlier on in terms of communication or what was kind of the message to guys this week? Yeah, it’s just everybody being on the same page. You know, it’s it’s uh it’s not uh anything that’s uh you know, glaring. We just got to make sure that we understand that being on the same page is so important. You know, making sure that you know the calls are communicated across and the guys do a good job of doing that. And when we do that, we’ve executed. Joe Hoy, Dallas Morning News. Talk about being on the same page. How do you go about getting your guys on the same page? Is it a simple fix? Yeah, it’s it’s just, you know, just keep working. That’s all we know how to do. Just keep grinding, right? And again, I I said it before, the solutions are in the room, you know, and just keep working. And uh we had a good practice yesterday. I was really excited about yesterday’s practice um across the board. And uh you know, we’re looking for a good one today, too. You talk about getting all 11 guys together on the same page. Is part of maybe the disappointing performance so far maybe due to some freelancing or or guys not collectively being all 11 together? Yeah, I you know it’s uh I wouldn’t say that you know I would just say that uh you know guys understanding right and guys doing a good job of you know you know executing the call you know and that to me is uh important you know there’s been some mistakes obviously we’ve seen those you know and that and uh I own that right that you know I’m the defensive coordinator and I take accountability for that but uh you know being on the same page is everything right and uh that the understanding of the defense is everything too you know so we got to make sure that we’re we’re doing that day day in and day out. Nick Harris, what we’re starting, you mentioned a good practice yesterday. Who have been some of the guys on that defensive side of the ball that have really been vocal because I’m sure it’s frustrating with those guys week after week. Yeah, those guys have always been positive. You know, they’re they’re positive, upbeat, they go to work and uh those guys are are are true pros and they’ve done that day in and day out. Um you know, Kenny’s uh you know, Salah Sally’s done wonderful. Uh Don Bland had a great practice yesterday. So, you know, those guys are working their tails off and uh yeah, but as a group it was a good day. Where did you see the issue stem from in run defense on Sunday? Yeah, run defense is simple, right? It’s about it’s about being where you’re supposed to be right in your in your gaps, right? And and doing it with violence and good great technique and that’s important that you do that, you know. So, um you know, we just got to keep working that way and again we got our challenge ahead of us this week. Yeah. Got to CBS Sports. Jerry Jones was out here on Tuesday talking about maybe you guys playing more man. Um what are your thoughts on his comment and kind of the GN or owner injecting himself in that way? Yeah, you know, it’s uh to me it’s we’re working to uh find solutions. Is that one of the solutions? Uh you know, we’re working to it. you know, we’re working to it in terms of like playing zone, playing man, playing, you know, we’ve played man in the past, you know, we’ve played zone in the past, you know, we’ve played match zone, you know, so it’s important that we just have a good mix there. That’s right. Brian Seanimer said he thinks like the changes, it could be 10, 15%, what have your meetings been like with him and do you kind of agree on how much could change in terms Yeah, he’s he and I have been just solution oriented. you know, just finding solutions and uh you know, meeting with him, meeting with the defense. You know, it’s important that we just find solutions. You know, it’s been positive and uh we’re just working to get it done. Ed Warner, WFAA, what’s been the value of having Shotti more involved with the defense? Just offensive perspective, you know, offense what he sees offensively. I think that’s always important. And this is not the first time. this this has been going on since, you know, day one, you know, when we got together in the spring, you know, just offensive perspective, how he sees it, you know, his his opinions on it. I think it’s important that you always take that in. And you with a number of different franchises and and had success and done first year installs of your defense. Have you ever been in a situation where it’s performing like this six weeks into a season that they’re fundamental? Oh, the numbers would not say that. Yeah, the numbers wouldn’t say that. But hey, we are where we are, you know, so this is we got to be where our feet are and it’s important that you know we do that. You know, you can’t look at the past. This is where we are right now. And uh you know, we’re working to get take a step this week. You know, like I said a couple weeks ago, we took a step. Now we got to take another step. So, it’s important that we do that. Uh coach Ali Jawad as Cowboys. Uh you’ve had matchups in the past with Cliff Kingsbury. uh what about from the past that you’ve taken away that you got to be, you know, ready for as you go into this week’s matchup? Yeah, it’s a it’s an explosive offense, right? It’s a it’s a wide openen offense. You know, obviously they’re doing a heck of a job running the football. Um it’s important that you have, you know, your pieces in place. You know, it’s important that you mix your calls. You know, you got to be able to do that. And uh he’s done a really good job there with the young quarterback and it’s going to be a big challenge, but you got to really mix it up on him. Todd, uh, Ezrau still looking for his first sack. Here’s a guy led the nation in sacks a year ago. Do you see a guy pressing to try and get one or or how do you think he’s done so far? No, he’s had some good performances. He’s had pressures. Um, obviously that he had a huge cause fumble, you know, that that we needed to recover last week and uh that was a big time play. Um, he’s keeps improving every single week. He really does and and uh it’s it’s going to come. it’s gonna come because he’s really bringing it, you know, in practice and he’s done a great job in the games and he’ll get home. Um, that’s coming. So, uh, love the way he’s working. Love the guy and, uh, yeah, he’s done well. Christie Christy Scales, Cowboys radio 1053, the fan. You mentioned the Commanders run game. Jaden Daniels has nearly 200 of those running yards yet he missed a couple of games in the past couple games that he’s come back. They doing anything differently or pulling back a little bit? Yeah, I don’t I don’t see anything differently um you know with him. Um I think they’re running their offense. Uh you know, and I think they’re doing the same thing way it looks to me. Joe, um obviously with the performances are like they’ve been disappointment and potentially, you know, frustration can be with the players too. How do you kind of as the leader in that room go about doing a temperature check and just seeing how everyone’s doing? You know, just visit with guys, you know, visit with the leaders. It’s important that you always do that. you know, see where they are, you know, you know, and I understand their frustration from last week, you know, the week before we took a step, but I do think that uh, you know, we have to consistently take steps, you know, and I understand the frustration from those guys and, you know, and I’m frustrated, too, you know, so it’s important that we move that aside, right, and then focus on the solutions, you know, at hand. So, it’s important that we do that and those guys are all in on that. Thank you. Okay.

Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus speaks with media before Thursday’s practice to discuss the Week 7 divisional matchup against the Washington Commanders and more.

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