🚨🚨🚨COWBOYS CRACKS?: Dallas’ defensive struggles are suddenly the talk of the NFL, with fans and insiders flooding feeds with hot takes, memes, and panic over a unit once hyped as elite. Every missed tackle and blown coverage is fueling debates on whether the Cowboys’ Super Bowl dreams are already leaking air. The drama isn’t just about stats — it’s about whether “America’s Team” can fix its biggest weakness before it’s too late.

Cowboys' process to hire Brian Schottenheimer as flawed as their results |  FOX Sports

CHICAGO — Brian Schottenheimer celebrated with his wife and kids over pizza and drinks after picking up his first victory as a head coach.

He hopes to make it two in a row when the Dallas Cowboys visit Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Cowboys went from dealing with spit and a weather delay in a tight season-opening loss to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to pulling out a 40-37 overtime win over the New York Giants last week. Brandon Aubrey kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired in OT after nailing a 64-yarder on the final play of regulation to cap a fourth quarter that included five consecutive lead-changing touchdowns.

Schottenheimer wasn’t exactly breathing easy this week — not after the Cowboys let Russell Wilson throw for 450 yards. With Micah Parsons now in Green Bay following a trade before the opener, they weren’t able to generate much pressure of front. And the secondary wasn’t exactly locking things down, either.

“It was not the standard,” Schottenheimer said. “I think there are a lot of things we can clean up. I think that’s what I’m excited about. This is not a multiple week thing. This is something that we think we can correct. I felt like it was a lot of different pieces, a lot of different parts.”

Chicago has issues, too.

The Bears got embarrassed at Detroit 52-21 after blowing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter of their season-opening loss to Minnesota. It’s not the sort of start they were looking for under new Coach Ben Johnson.

Quarterback Caleb Williams looked good early in both games, only to fade after that. The defense nearly set a franchise record for points allowed while giving up more than 500 yards against Detroit, and star cornerback Jaylon Johnson might miss the rest of the season because of a groin injury after leaving the game.

EBERFLUS MEETS BEARS

Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus goes against the Bears for the first time since they fired him as head coach last November. He was 14-32 in two-plus seasons.

Eberflus said he “cherished” his time in Chicago. He said it didn’t take long to realize he wanted to get back into coaching quickly rather than take a year off.

“I love coaching players,” he said. “I love working with the players. And that’s something that I’ve always loved to do and I wanted to get back in.”

The Bears let him go the day after a Thanksgiving loss at Detroit, when he froze in the final seconds rather than call a timeout. The founding NFL franchise had never fired a head coach during a season before that.

“No. 1, he’s a terrific football coach,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s an incredible man. Strong Christian, just a good person. He and I have competed a lot, but I’ve loved getting to know his wife and his daughters. I think that’s important. But in terms of this week, it’s no different. He’s put together a hell of a plan with his defensive staff.”

TIGHT END INVOLVEMENT

The Bears expect to get big production from their tight ends. It hasn’t happened yet.

Veteran Cole Kmet has been targeted just six times and has three receptions for 60 yards. Colston Loveland, the No. 10 overall draft pick, has caught two of the three passes thrown his way for 12 yards.

Johnson said some of that has to do with his play calling. But Williams also blamed himself.

“Also, it’s me when I’m out there on the field being able to drop back, see the coverage and maybe pop the ball down to one of those guys,” he said. “Even when it’s one of those situations where we’re trying to fight back, get back into the game, it’s still just one play at a time and how you come back in games is taking it one play at a time.”

Defensive issues vexing Cowboys | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks a game-winning field goal in overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Defensive issues vexing Cowboys | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Defensive issues vexing Cowboys | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Related Posts

🚨 REPORT: Patriots SHOCKINGLY RELEASE $8 Million Veteran – Raiders, Packers, Dolphins, and Jets on High Alert! The move has the entire league buzzing, with top teams eyeing the veteran as a potential game-changer. Will this spark a bidding war? ll 👇👇👇

Patriots Release Josh Dobbs: What This Means for the QB Market and Potential Landing Spots In a move that was expected for some time, the New England…

🚨BREAKING: Just 6 hours after Lions release, Baltimore Ravens sign 145-game veteran & former First-Round anchor to a multi-year deal to secure the O-line! This major veteran addition is what Baltimore believes will stabilize the blind side, protect the quarterback, and bring instant leadership to the trenches. Could this be the missing piece in the Ravens’ Super Bowl push? 👀👇👇

Baltimore has Đżo room to hesitate. After too maĐży momeĐżts where pressĎ…re disrĎ…pted the offeĐżse aĐżd too maĐży plays where the pocket became Ď…Đżstable, the RaveĐżs Ď…Đżderstood…

🚨BREAKING NEWS: Kаnѕаѕ Cіty Chіefѕ owner Clаrk Hunt рublіcly crіtіcіzeѕ the NFL for forcіng fаnѕ to раy аn іncreаѕіngly exрenѕіve lіѕt of ѕtreаmіng feeѕ juѕt to wаtch аll NFL рlаyoff gаmeѕ. The growіng рreѕѕure – fueled by reрortѕ thаt mаny Chіefѕ fаnѕ аcroѕѕ the country cаn no longer аfford to wаtch theіr teаm untіl Jаnuаry – hаѕ led the NFL to conѕіder lаunchіng іtѕ own dedіcаted ѕtreаmіng chаnnel аnd broаdcаѕtіng рlаyoff gаmeѕ for free. Could thіѕ gаme-chаngіng move reѕhарe how fаnѕ engаge wіth Amerіcаn footbаll? 👀👇👇

а Ń€ublŃ–c CrŃ–tŃ–cŃ–Ń•m Thаt Cаught the Leаgue Off Guаrd Kаnѕаѕ CŃ–ty ChŃ–efŃ• owner Clаrk Hunt rаrely ѕрeаkŃ• out Ń€ublŃ–cly аgаіnŃ•t the leаgue, whŃ–ch mаde hŃ–Ń• lаteŃ•t crŃ–tŃ–cŃ–Ń•m…

🚨BREAKING: All or Nothing in Detroit – Dan Campbell could walk away from the Detroit Lions if their Super Bowl dream falls short in 2026! The pressure is mounting as the Lions aim for the ultimate glory, but will Campbell’s leadership be enough to carry them to the big game? Could this be his final season in Detroit? 👀👇👇

The energy in Detroit has never been higher — but neither has the pressure. According to growing reports, head coach Dan Campbell could consider stepping away from…

🚨BREAKING: Congratulations to Travis Kelce and his family! NO MORE RUMORS – NFL star Travis Kelce said “I do” last night at a wedding that thrilled fans and the elite. With congratulations from Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce, the couple, whose relationship has been in the spotlight since 2023, exchanged vows in a lavish ceremony attended by some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. Could this be the start of their fairytale life together? 👀👇👇

The story of a star athlete marryiĐżg Ď…Đżder a blaze of media fasciĐżatioĐż has aĐż almost ciĐżematic pĎ…ll, especially wheĐż the figĎ…re at the ceĐżter is someoĐże…

🚨BREAKING: JuŃ•t 3 hourŃ• аfter leаrnŃ–ng he could be trаded lŃ–ke SаіntŃ• Ń–con AlvŃ–n Kаmаrа, Ń•uŃ€erŃ•tаr SŃ€encer Rаttler delŃ–verŃ• а Ń•hockŃ–ng cаreer-defŃ–nŃ–ng Ń•tаtement thаt leаveŃ• the SаіntŃ• communŃ–ty Ń–n teаrŃ•! ThŃ–Ń• unexŃ€ected move hаѕ fаnŃ• reelŃ–ng. WŃ–ll Rаttler’Ń• bold meѕѕаge chаnge the courŃ•e of hŃ–Ń• cаreer аnd hŃ–Ń• future wŃ–th the teаm? 👀👇👇

New OrleаnŃ•, Louіѕіаnа – JuŃ•t three hourŃ• аfter leаrnŃ–ng he could be Ń€lаced on the trаde block аlongѕіde аlvŃ–n Kаmаrа, ѕрencer Rаttler delŃ–vered а truly Ń•hockŃ–ng moment. NewŃ• of а…