Jerry Jones’ uncharacteristic postgame silence following the Dallas Cowboys’ 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers on October 12, 2025, has sent a clear signal across the league: the owner and general manager is extremely disappointed. 

Veteran Cowboys beat writer Clarence Hill Jr. captured the moment with a brief but telling post. “Jerry Jones is not talking today after the game.”

For someone known to speak candidly after nearly every game, Jones’ quiet was striking, a sign of mounting frustration with the team’s 2-3-1 start and ongoing defensive breakdowns. And why wouldn’t he be?

The Cowboys’ defense has been under fire for weeks, and Sunday’s collapse only intensified the scrutiny. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, hired midseason in 2024, is facing mounting pressure after the unit surrendered 30 points to a Panthers team led by former Cowboy Rico Dowdle, who racked up 239 total yards.

If you remember the pre-game media conference, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had a laugh at the expense of Panthers running back Dowdle, who had warned his former team to “buckle up” ahead of Sunday’s matchup. Jones mocked the Panthers with a quip.

“I can’t even get our guys to come to the field, they’re shaking so bad.”

Well, if you caught the final minutes of the Cowboys’ loss to the Panthers, one thing stood out, the defense looked rattled. And if anyone was shaking, it wasn’t Carolina. Let’s break down the play call.

The entire game came down to a single, high-leverage snap: 4th-and-4 from the Dallas 40-yard line with 2:31 on the clock and the score knotted at 27. Get a stop here, and you put the ball back in Dak Prescott’s hands with the game on the line. Instead, Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus committed defensive malpractice.

He called a coverage that saw star cornerback DaRon Bland give slot receiver Hunter Renfrow a truly outrageous amount of cushion. Bland lined up a full eight yards off the line of scrimmage and was in a backpedal the moment the ball was snapped.

This wasn’t aggressive defense; it was a gift. Renfrow simply ran a soft curl route and was wide open; nobody was within the easy seven-yard gain. This allowed Carolina to effectively run out the clock, setting up the chip-shot field goal to seal victory.

Matt Eberflus under fire after Week 6 loss

Week 6’s performance by the Cowboys has put defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus squarely in the crosshairs. The criticism has been relentless, with fans and media alike demanding his immediate firing, a fate he experienced mid-season last year with the Chicago Bears.

The pressure on Eberflus is at a fever pitch. However, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is not yet ready to pull the plug. When asked about Eberflus’s job security following the crushing loss, Schottenheimer delivered a firm vote of confidence.

“Matt’s a great coach,” Schottenheimer said about why he believes Eberflus can fix the defense. “Everywhere he’s ever been, he’s had good defenses. It’s not just Matt by himself. Matt’s trying. The players are trying. This is not a lack of effort.”  

Eberflus is expected to get at least one more week to stabilize the defense, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. Another breakdown, especially in the upcoming matchup against the division-rival Commanders, could prove decisive. It may be the moment that compels Schottenheimer and the Jones family to act.

For now, the defensive coordinator’s future remains uncertain. The clearest signal may come not from the sideline, but from the owner’s box, once Jerry Jones decides to break his silence and address the state of the Cowboys’ defense.