‘We talked’ – Trevon Diggs suggests he’s had discussions with Cowboys coach, but it doesn’t sound like any big changes will happen
The Dallas Cowboys defense has struggled through four weeks of the season. Will DC Matt Eberflus make changes?
It’s clear Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus made a choice before the 2025 NFL season began: His defense plays zone coverage. Period.
Heading into Week 5, the Cowboys defense ranks 32nd in man coverage rate and third in zone coverage, per Sports Info Solutions. The problem? The results haven’t been there in zone. The Cowboys rank dead last in defensive EPA/play and rank 31st in success rate when using zone coverage.
With no quarterback pressure, missed assignments in coverage, and mediocre linebacker play, the Cowboys have struggled to make Eberflus’ scheme work. And while defenses using new schemes tend to get better over the course of the season, Dallas is already running out of time at 1-2-1. Are changes on the way?
Trevon Diggs says he’s ‘talked’ to Eberflus about playing man coverage
Trevon Digg’s rise in the NFL happened as a man-to-man specialist under Dan Quinn’s defenses but the former All-Pro corner hasn’t looked as comfortable in Eberflus’ scheme. On Wednesday, he was asked by reporters about potentially talking to the defensive coordinator about playing more man.
“Yeah, we talked,” Diggs told reporters but added a caveat. “At the end of the day, it’s not about what I want or what other people want. It’s about what the whole defense wants, what the coach thinks is best for us to win. If he feels like this gives us the best chance, then we’ve got to play it and play it to the best of our ability. It’s not about pointing fingers or blaming anyone. We just have to execute.”
Coaching in the NFL is about making the best out of the talent on your roster. There have been glimpses of more man in recent weeks, with the Cowboys running man six snaps versus the Green Bay Packers, though the results haven’t been much better. Dallas had a worse success rate running man than zone in that game.
Realistically, Eberflus will likely keep running a zone defense. But Diggs expects the Cowboys’ zone defense to keep improving with repetition.
“I wouldn’t say it’s more complex, but when you’re playing man, you’re right there with the person,” Diggs said. “If he goes across the field, you go across the field too. In zone, you’re covering an area, so you have to be in position to make the play. That just comes with repetition and getting a feel for it. As the weeks have gone on, it’s been getting way easier. I feel like we’re on our way to getting the ball and making plays.”
Diggs was benched at the beginning of the Cowboys’ last game. Both he and head coach Brian Schottenheimer described it as a way of holding him accountable. Diggs said he’s starting Sunday when Dallas takes on the desperate 0-4 New York Jets.
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