Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith torches DC Matt Eberflus as team’s defense “looks completely lost”

Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith didn’t mince words when discussing the current state of the team. While the offense performs adequately, the defense leaves much to be desired. Fans, analysts, and former players alike have grown frustrated with the lack of stops from the defense, with many pointing fingers at defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus for the underwhelming performances.

During a conversation with Cowboys Wire, Smith was strikingly critical of his former team. Speaking about the defense, the three-time Super Bowl champion noted that it hasn’t been the same over the past couple of years—dating back to when Dan Quinn and Mike Zimmer were in charge of the unit.

“Our defense does not look anything like our previous two- or three-years-ago defense,” Smith said. “Completely different.”

Emmitt Smith went further to break down what he’s seeing from the defense, directly pointing at Eberflus for failing to properly prepare his players.

“Man, do we look like we are completely lost,” the Hall of Famer added. “I am befuddled at all of the things that are going wrong on the defensive side of the ball. We look very basic and very fundamental. And very amateurish, if you will. Nothing sexy about it. And still the mistakes are being made, which to me is a sign of poor coaching, defensively.”

The numbers support Smith’s observations. The Cowboys are currently second-to-last in both yards and points allowed per game this season. Only five teams have fewer interceptions (four), and just four have fewer takeaways (seven) than Dallas this campaign.

Following Dan Quinn’s three-year tenure as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys’ defense just hasn’t been the same. The departures of key players like Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Jourdan Lewis have contributed to the decline, but the current defensive coordinator has also struggled to bring out the best in his unit.

### Troy Aikman Has Different Opinion on Matt Eberflus’ Work

Contrary to Emmitt Smith’s critique, former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman offered a more supportive view of Matt Eberflus. On November 3rd, Aikman attributed the team’s defensive woes more to execution rather than coaching.

“He [Eberflus] is a good defensive coordinator,” Aikman said on 105.3 The Fan. “He’s proven that over the years. The frustrating thing, I think, for him and for the organization in general is that he’s called things to keep from giving up certain plays and yet they’ve given up those exact plays.”

“So it hasn’t been from lack of calling the right scheme, it’s just been really more than anything a lack of execution.”

If the Cowboys can fix their defensive issues, they have the potential to be a legitimate threat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the coming games.

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**Dallas Cowboys Fans!**
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*Edited by Orlando Silva.*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-cowboys-legend-emmitt-smith-torches-dc-matt-eberflus-team-s-defense-looks-completely-lost

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