Joey Porter Jr. trade wasn't nearly enough to fix what's broken with Cowboys defense

It took C.J. Stroud just one drive to show Dallas Cowboys fans that the addition of Joey Porter Jr. to this crippling defense was no different than putting a bandaid on a broken arm. Sure, Porter Jr. gives Dallas much-needed help in the secondary, but the ultimate problem with Dallas’ defense is less about the personnel. This defense simply can’t execute. DaRon Bland got targeted the entire first half and he had no response. 

Dallas’ defense as a whole let C.J. Stroud carve them up the entire first half. The defensive line finally generated pressure in the second half to force Stroud into an uncomfortable pocket, but Sunday was yet another example of how far this defense has to go if the Cowboys want to be playoff contenders this year. 

Why Cowboys’ defensive problems aren’t solved with Joey Porter Jr. trade

Sunday felt like deja vu for Cowboys fans at first. Dallas held a 27-23 lead late in the fourth quarter against Houston. In a matter of minutes, the Texans found a way to get their first lead since the third quarter. The Cowboys defense did enough this week to seal the win, but it was more of the same problems. The Cowboys can’t generate consistent pressure on the quarterback, and it’s hurting their defense. 

When they did get to Stroud, that’s when they were able to get back into the game. But it’s few and far between. The Texans have struggled on offense this season, particularly at protecting the quarterback. Going into Sunday’s game, the Cowboys’ defense was ranked 30th in success rate and 32nd in EPA per play. Porter was never going to fix this Cowboys’ defense by himself. The defense absolved last week’s disaster-class against Baltimore after not allowing the Texans to win the game. They still have a ways to go. 

Christian Parker is to blame for Dallas’s struggles early on

It’s hard to be over-critical of a defensive coordinator in their first season as the head coach. That said, Parker has the talent on defense to be better than the Cowboys are. Adding Porter should improve on an already good defense, not be the reason the defense is good. Parker’s scheme isn’t working right now and he has to figure out how to get it to work. Whether that’s switching up personnel or the playcalling, something has to change. This defense has a lot of talent, which is why national reporters were high on Dallas this year. 

Dak Prescott is once again doing everything he can to amplify this team and make them contenders. It’s the defense holding them back. Parker already came out and took credit for the loss to Baltimore in the final seconds. He said he overthought the moment, allowing the 27-yard play that set up the game-winning field goal. Those are rookie mistakes that are allowed, but they’re also mistakes that can cost you playoff positioning. 

Injuries are certainly contributing to Dallas’ struggles, but that can’t be a reason why they were ranked 30th in points allowed this season going into Week 4. Parker could very well end up being a good defensive coach for Dallas but right now, he’s struggling to get the most out of this team. 

This defense isn’t much better right now than it was with Matt Eberflus. That doesn’t mean it can't get better, though. Dallas turned to Parker because they saw potential. Now he has to show everyone why he has potential. Dallas’s struggles on defense are more than just one player. If they want to be a serious playoff contender, Parker has to figure out what the problem is and what he needs to do to fix it.

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