I dug into Raheem Morris’s defenses from 2020 to 2023, and this is what I found. Turnovers popped, but efficiency and drive stops consistently lagged.
Here’s my breakdown of one of the Cowboys defensive coordinator candidates.
This will give you all a conversation piece to be had around the cooler.
Why I Went Digging in the First Place
When the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator conversation started heating up, Raheem Morris was one of the first names people gravitated toward.
Look, I get it, he’s coached a long time, he’s been in big games, and he has a resume full of recognizable stops.
But the thing is, name value doesn’t stop 3rd downs or make quarterbacks uncomfortable. So, I bypassed all the talk and went straight to what mattered: What did his defenses actually do when the ball was snapped?
Raheem Morris’ First DC Gig in Atlanta
Morris got his first defensive coordinator opportunity in 2020 with the Atlanta Falcons. That season was not good for that defense.
Opposing offenses rolled up 6,374 yards and ran 1,034 plays against them.
That meant his defense was giving up 6.2 yards every time the ball was snapped. They finished 29th in total defense, 30th in passing yards allowed, and 32nd in passing touchdowns allowed.
Quarterbacks carved up his defense for 4,697 yards and 34 touchdowns.
The Falcons did force 21 turnovers, including 12 interceptions, but when you’re near the bottom of the NFL in just about every core yardage category, it tells me offenses were playing comfortable football against them far too often.
Then came the LA Rams era from 2021 to 2023, which is honestly the stretch I was most curious about.
Not because Morris was different, but because the roster sure was.
LA’s defense was filled with perennial Pro Bowlers and All-Pros. This was a unit I think should have dominated efficiency metrics, not just highlights.
2021 Rams: Talent—Rich, Efficiency—Poor
I found that in 2021, Rams opponents generated 5,863 yards on 1,118 plays, averaging 5.2 yards per play.
LA finished 17th in total defense, 22nd in passing yards, 2nd in passing touchdowns, and 15th in yards per pass.
Even more glaring, offenses produced 111 rushing 1st downs against them, which is a little over 25% of the time, while also surrendering 18 touchdowns, which was 23rd in the NFL.
2022 Rams: The Same Cracks Widen
If you liked 2021, you will love 2022. It was like Déjà vu.
The Rams allowed 5,798 yards on 1,049 plays (5.5 yards per snap). They were 19th in total defense, 21st in passing yards allowed, 14th in passing touchdowns, and 24th in yards per attempt.
The rushing defense was better, ranking 13th in rushing yards allowed, 10th in rushing touchdowns, and 13th in yards per rush.
I found they did force 22 turnovers, ranking 17th in the NFL.
The overall down-to-down defense seemed like it leaned more to a bend, but hope we don’t break to me.
2023 Rams: Middle-Tier with Splash, Again
The 2023 season, guess what, the same type of defense as the previous two years.
The Rams allowed 5,744 yards (20th in the league) on 1,078 plays.
The passing defense gave up 3,938 yards (20th), 24 touchdowns (22nd), and only 10 interceptions (23rd). On the ground, the defense gave up1,816 yards (12th),14 touchdowns (11th), and 4.2 yards per carry (17th).
So… What’s the Real Takeaway?
Here’s where I landed after stacking all of this: Raheem Morris’ defenses can produce disruption in spurts, turnovers, flashy plays, and moments fans remember.
The thing is, the defenses never stabilized into a unit that consistently makes offenses inefficient snap after snap, drive after drive, or week after week. And that is the real job of a defensive coordinator.
I don’t believe Dallas needs “a high-floor, hope the talent covers it” defense anymore.
The Cowboys need someone who brings a schematic edge, a modern pressure plan, and a defense that feels miserable to play against every Sunday.
Morris has been good in seasons, but I’m just not convinced he’s been great at anything defensively.
That’s not me taking a shot at the man. These are just the results speaking for themselves.
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