sportingnews
The Dallas Cowboys have been dealing with defensive problems for quite some time, and those issues show no signs of improvement. That was evident once again last weekend when the team suffered a 24-16 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The loss was particularly painful because it was the Buccaneers' first victory of the season.
Losing to a team that had not won a game a month into the NFL season is never a good feeling. However, the core problem remains the defense. While quarterback Dak Prescott and the offense are capable of putting points on the board, it becomes difficult when the defense not only allows too many points but also fails to control the clock.
Key Analysis
On Tuesday, ESPN released its NFL power rankings after Week 5, and the Cowboys were placed at No. 15, a drop of three spots from No. 12. When asked about the team's biggest issue on defense, ESPN's Todd Archer responded, "Everything?" This indicates that the defense is still viewed as a major weakness.
Archer elaborated, "How do you pick just one issue when it comes to the Cowboys? They are giving up 27.2 points per game, which ranks 26th in the NFL. They are giving up 168.4 rushing yards per game, which is last in the league." He also noted that the team has recorded only five sacks and has yet to register an interception. As a result, opposing quarterbacks are completing 72.3% of their passes.
"Through five games, new coordinator Christian Parker's defense might not be worse than it was under Matt Eberflus last season," Archer added. "But it is at least the same and a big reason why Dallas is 2-3."
More NFL news: - Eagles' Jalen Hurts shouldn't be blamed for loss to Jaguars - Green Bay Packers get great news after win over Bears - Steelers' Mike McCarthy has a huge offensive decision to make.
Originally reported by sportingnews.