After a 20-17 win vs. Pittsburgh in Week 5, the Cowboys were 3-2 and had a chance to compete for first place in the division. Dallas knew they had a tough matchup in Week 6 vs. Jared Goff and the Lions. At the end of the first quarter in Week 6, Dallas was down 7-3 to the Lions.
They went on to lose the game 47-9 and did not score an offensive touchdown vs. Detroit. Dak Prescott finished under 200 yards passing and had two interceptions. While the offense was a no-show in Week 6, Dallas’ defense has been disappointing in 2024. Through their first six games, the team is giving up an average of (28.0) points. In the Cowboys’ last four home games including the postseason, their defense has given up 167 points. That is the third-most ever in a four-game span at home in league history.
Dallas has been struggling on defense at home in the last four games
Stat on state of Cowboys: https://t.co/ub55QUp6Yo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 14, 2024
In Week 6 against the Cowboys’ defense, the Detroit Lions had 492 yards of offense and scored 47 points. Jared Goff had 300+ passing yards and three touchdowns. David Montgomery had 80 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns for the Lions. Dallas’ defense was no match for the Lions. Injuries are a massive factor right now for Dallas. Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland, Eric Kendricks, and DaRon Bland are all missing time for the Cowboys. However, there’s no excuse for how the team has been playing as a whole defensively.
This past offseason, former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn left to take the head coaching job with the Commanders. To replace Quinn, the Cowboys hired former Vikings head coach and defensive play-caller, Mike Zimmer. His defense is allowing (28.0) points per game this season. That is the third-worst in the NFL this season only behind the Jaguars and Panthers who each have one win. As a team, the Cowboys are allowing (143.2) rushing yards per game. That is 25th out of 32 teams. Running backs like Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry had massive games vs. the Cowboys’ defense in 2024. With how that unit has been playing, they won’t be the last.
