When a team like the Dallas Cowboys has a season like this one, it can be easy to pile on. Everything from the run of 12-win seasons to the playoff catastrophe against the Green Bay Packers in January to the all-in comments to the offseason approach and missing the playoffs altogether are ammunition for fans, pundits and haters alike.
There will be plenty of time to analyze and that will lead to plenty of criticism because the analysis won’t turn up pretty results. But for a moment, let’s pause and give some credit to a person deserving of it.
Mike Zimmer walked into some difficult circumstances. Dan Quinn’s defenses had been great — not flawless — for three years in Dallas. So great, in fact, that it landed Quinn another NFL head coaching job. Zimmer was to come in, uphold all of the good, improve the bad and do it very quickly. McCarthy and Zimmer were on expiring deals. There was little margin for error and no time for learning curves.
Zimmer lost Sam Williams, a projected key contributor on the defensive line, in training camp. He lost All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland at the end of training camp for a few months. The rest of the defense was there, though, and it got gashed in Week 2 by the New Orleans Saints and again in Week 3 by the Baltimore Ravens.
Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer joked that “it’s been a blast” when asked if he has enjoyed this year being back in coaching. Dallas got off to a rough start, but Zimmer does not regret coaching this season.
“I’ve had fun. … But it’s been hard. I’m not gonna lie about that. It’s been… pic.twitter.com/QjVtEkxyaX
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 23, 2024
Then, the injury bug really bit.
DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons went down in Week 4. Marshawn Kneeland went out in Week 5. Bland had a setback. Trevon Diggs played hurt, before being shut down. Josh Butler stepped up, but then his season ended, too. Eric Kendricks has been dealing with something for most of the season. DeMarvion Overshown’s season ended with another knee injury.
The defense was a hot mess through Week 11. Dead last in red zone defense. Second-to-last in run defense. Bottom 10 in total yards per game allowed and turnovers forced.
But a few weeks after Parsons returned from injury and got in his groove, the defense has turned. In the past five weeks, no team has forced more turnovers. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, they were timely turnovers. The run defense that was 31st in the league through 11 weeks is suddenly top half of the league. The Cowboys have more sacks than any team over the past five weeks. Dallas is tied for third in that span with seven interceptions.
It’s not like the Cowboys magically got healthier. In fact, aside from Parsons’ return, they arguably got hit with more injuries. The seasons for Diggs, Overshown and Butler all ended during this recent stretch. Kendricks missed the win Sunday. The opponents haven’t all been bad, either. A pretty respectable Washington Commanders offense, led by rookie phenom Jayden Daniels. A lethal Cincinnati Bengals offense led by Joe Burrow. An improved Bryce Young and Carolina Panthers operation. The Bucs led by Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans.
Parsons makes a huge difference, obviously. But Zimmer has dealt with personnel issues at every level of his defense. Not only has he gotten his guys to buy in, but he’s also getting them in spots to produce. That’s worthy of a hat tip during an overall rough season.
GO DEEPER
Six Cowboys who delivered Sunday and are or should be part of the team’s future
Does Zimmer want to return?
So much of the dialogue regarding coaching staff decisions after this season revolves around if Jerry Jones will bring back Mike McCarthy and his staff. There’s a general consensus that McCarthy wants to keep coaching. Based on Zimmer’s comments Monday, there may be less clarity with the defensive coordinator.
“We’ll see,” Zimmer said when he was asked if he enjoyed coming back enough to keep coaching beyond 2024. “Let’s wait until the end of the year and see where we’re at.”
Zimmer will be 69 by the time training camp rolls around in July. If he would prefer to leave the day-to-day grind of NFL coaching, it would be hard to blame him. If the Cowboys make a change at head coach, the new one may have his own idea of a defensive coordinator. But if the Cowboys extend McCarthy, there’s no guarantee that there may be staff changes required.
Marist Liufau, the Cowboys’ rookie linebacker, was a hot topic among the Cowboys’ coordinators on Monday. With Kendricks out on Sunday, Liufau took on the communication responsibility and the green dot.
“There wasn’t any hesitation,” Zimmer said in giving a rookie that responsibility. “He’s been doing it for a while. … Things that he’s done as a rookie has been really impressive. Good communicator. Loves to play football. Physical. Very rarely makes a mistake. When he does, you can tell him and he can correct it. I just love the kid. He’s going to be a really good football player.”
Cowboys coverage
What we’re saying: Looking back at the win vs. the Bucs and McCarthy’s future on our “One Star Cowboys Podcast” today.
What we’re writing: Ready to start thinking about the NFL Draft? Jon Machota chats with The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler and Dane looks at five potential candidates for the Cowboys, who currently would have the No. 15 pick.
• Cooper Rush played arguably his best game vs. Tampa Bay. Where does he sit in Jeff Howe’s QB stock report this week?
• Dallas isn’t going to the playoffs, but after putting a dent in the Bucs’ playoff plans, they get another chance to ding a team when they travel to Philly to take on their rival Eagles on Sunday. How far did the Cowboys move up in this week’s Power Rankings?
(Top photo of Mike Zimmer: Matthew Pearce / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
