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Why did the Cowboys struggle so much in zone coverage? Is it a matter of recognition, keys and quick mental adjustments? Is it tough to know what to do when you drop into zone and you have receivers coming and going every which way? In man-to-man coverage, you just stick to your man as best you can. It may be more difficult physically, but mentally can you play faster? – Paul Irwin/Leander, TX
Patrik: They struggled with it because that's not the personnel that exists in Dallas. Dan Quinn built a unit designed to take the ball away, predicated largely on large amounts of pressure in the pass rush, and with cornerbacks who excel in man and/or press man coverage. None of those things were schemed for by Matt Eberflus in 2025. Man-centric personnel, but run zone 98 percent of the time? Bad call. Operate in zone most of the time with a consistently failing pass rush, save for a game or two? Bad call. In said zone, continually play the man-centric corners eight yards off of the line of scrimmage, and with a failing pass rush? Bad call. Seriously, it was an absolute mess and made little to no sense, and it got Eberflus fired after just one season.
Tommy: First of all, I don't think the communication across the secondary was all that active. Numerous times, you would see lapses and holes in the defensive backfield because players weren't on the same page. If they were, then maybe some of the zone mishaps we saw don't happen. That's something that needs to be repped over and over again in practice, and with so many different faces in the secondary with injury, that was hard to find. Still, it was jarring the amount of coverage breaks that Dallas had. Additionally, I do think they have some personnel that is better suited for man-to-man coverage that's physical at the point of attack and carries down the field. That personnel also wasn't healthy, however, so there really was no good answer for the Cowboys.
Mailbag
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