Sunday might be the most important day yet for Mike Zimmer as the Cowboys defensive coordinator and here's why
There's been a very intriguing conversation surging around the Dallas Cowboys' coaching staff heading into the final three-game stretch of the season. This, of course, was always bound to happen with a group of coaches on expiring contracts. We knew Mike McCarthy's seat was already warm entering the season and in all likelihood, Mike Zimmer's stay […]
There's been a very intriguing conversation surging around the Dallas Cowboys' coaching staff heading into the final three-game stretch of the season. This, of course, was always bound to happen with a group of coaches on expiring contracts.
We knew Mike McCarthy's seat was already warm entering the season and in all likelihood, Mike Zimmer's stay with the team would largely hinge on the head coach's performance. After all, Zimmer was hired on a one-year deal, something uncommon at coordinator positions.
As we head into Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers though, there are reasons to ask ourselves if Zimmer should stick around regardless of what McCarthy's future looks like.
The Cowboys defense has been better in the second half of the season, in large part because of Micah Parsons' return from injury. There are still some major issues (more on that later) but now that they've played more favorable game scripts, the Dallas defense looks different than the one that gave up all of those rushing yards in the first few weeks of the year.
This improvement has led to many fans and media members speculating on if Zimmer deserves a second year with the team, making the argument that early struggles could be attributed to players adapting to a new scheme.
Personally, I'm still on the fence about it. But I think this weekend's matchup against a high-powered Bucs offense is the perfect game for Zimmer to prove if he's earned his job security being separated from that of McCarthy's.
This is a great chance to prove the Cowboys can stop the run
It's been made clear by now that whenever the opposing quarterback is dropping back to pass, the Cowboys have a legit chance of making a play. They still boast once of the best pass rush units in the league, mostly thanks to the elite caliber of Parsons. Additionally, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa is playing some of his best football yet and defensive end depth is looking much better than earlier in the year.
However, even in this 3-1 run they find themselves in, the Cowboys haven't been great at stopping the run. In the last four weeks, they rank 26th in EPA/play allowed against the run, per RBSDM. Going back to Week 10 when Parsons returned, they rank 30th in EPA/play.
Now, to be fair, they've been much more consistent on a down to down basis, ranking 14th in success rate since Week 10 and they even crack the Top 10 in the last four games. That means the Cowboys have been getting more stops but they're still giving up killer plays.
The Bucs offense is dangerous
On Sunday, the Cowboys will arguably be facing the best rushing offense they've faced since Week 10 when they took on the Saquon Barkley-led Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bucs hired offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who spent three years on Sean McVay's staff before a brief stint on college football, and he's paid off big-time for Baker Mayfield and Co. The Bucs know how to run the football and will do so in many ways. While they can run zone, they're also using plenty of gap scheme stuff, including a healthy dose of power and counter.
Misdirection is constantly taking place with pulling linemen going to the frontside and backside of plays, keeping defenses on their toes every week.
And they can pass!
Additionally, Mayfield can sling it. Watching the Bucs offense on film, there's something that keeps standing out: These wide receivers and tight ends are oftentimes wide open. Coen has done a great job scheming open receivers and coming up with the right gameplan.
For example, the Chargers, who play middle of the field open defenses at a high rate, faced plenty of shots over the middle of the field. Every week, it seems Coen has the right gameplan.
Without Trevon Diggs and with the worries about stopping the run, Zimmer will have to come up with the perfect gameplan to slow this offense down and it won't be easy.
If the Cowboys defense stops this, a top five offense in EPA/play in the league right now, it might go down as one of the most important statements Zimmer can make with his job on the line ahead of the 2025 offseason.
Let's see if he can pull it off.
