The Dallas Cowboys have wrapped up their first two preseason games of 2025, and while much of the conversation has focused on the offense and roster battles, the rush defense has been under the microscope.
Through two games, Dallas has surrendered 329 rushing yards on 77 attempts—an average of 4.2 yards per carry.
At first glance, some Cowboys fans might see that number and raise concerns about whether the team is still vulnerable against the run, a problem that has surfaced in past seasons.
When we put those numbers into context, the picture looks far less alarming.
Cowboys vs. League Average
Last season, the NFL average was 4.4 yards per carry.
If the Cowboys had finished 2024 with the exact 4.2 YPC they’re currently allowing, they would have been ranked 8th to 10th in the league.
In other words, what might seem like a shaky start actually places Dallas slightly above league average compared to the rest of the NFL.
It’s also important to note that most Cowboys starters haven’t played in the preseason, meaning these numbers are largely a reflection of second and third string defenders still battling for roster spots.
On top of that, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has kept his play-calling basic, saving more complex looks for the regular season.
The Workload Factor: 77 Attempts vs. NFL Average
The raw yardage—329 yards allowed—sounds concerning until you consider the colum of rushing attempts.
Opponents have run the ball 77 times in just two games, an average of 38.5 attempts per game.
Compare that to the 2024 league average of 27.3 attempts per game, and it’s clear that Dallas has simply faced a heavier rushing workload than a normal defense would in a regular-season setting.
Preseason coaches often lean heavily on the run game to evaluate offensive linemen and running backs. That inflates attempts and yardage totals, making the Cowboys’ rush defense look worse than it actually is.
Defensive Line Depth in Focus
The real takeaway from these preseason performances isn’t that the Cowboys can’t stop the run, but rather that the depth along the defensive line is still developing.
While Mazi Smith has taken on a key role in the middle, younger players such as rookie Jay Toia have been getting extended opportunities to prove themselves.
Eberflus and his staff are testing different rotations and evaluating which players can step in behind the starters.
Some inconsistency is expected when fringe roster players are logging heavy snaps, but that’s the entire purpose of the preseason.
Why Fans Shouldn’t Panic
The Cowboys are currently giving up 4.2 yards per carry, which is already better than last year’s league average.
Add in the fact that most starters aren’t playing, and that opponents have been running the ball at a far higher rate than normal, and the picture looks much more encouraging than the box score suggests.
Once Eberflus installs his full scheme and starters are logging full-time snaps, Dallas should see immediate improvement. Cleaning up tackling angles and gap discipline will be key, but the foundation is solid.
The Defensive Line Looks Shaky on Paper
The Dallas Cowboys’ rush defense may look shaky on paper after giving up 328 yards in two preseason games, but the reality is much different.
Allowing 4.2 yards per carry would have ranked 12th in the NFL last season, and the inflated attempt totals skew the raw numbers.
With most starters resting and backups gaining experience, these preseason reps are more about evaluation than dominance.
When the regular season kicks off under Matt Eberflus, expect a sharper, more disciplined unit ready to hold its own in the trenches.
a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s as a Cowboys fan it doesn’t surprise me that the Cowboys run defense is a joke and garbage with everybody leaving through free agency and it will take time to use the N.F.L. draft to replace that talent 2nd in 2024 the Cowboys had a tough schedule now in 2025 the Cowboys schedule isn’t that hard but not easy
You seriously have no idea what your talking about!! First of all, you apparently can’t read, or you can’t comprehend what is being said in this column…. This column is saying our defense is good!! It is saying that it’s average with just our backups and 3rd string players on the field, and will be even better when the regular season starts and we have our starters on the field and Eberflus is calling better plays!! There is nothing in this column that says our defense is a joke or is even remotely bad, so I don’t know where you came up with that stupid comment!!
Secondly, we didn’t lose everybody in free agency…. You’ve said this crap before and I’ll say the same thing I said before…. We didn’t lose anybody in free agency that we’ll miss, except MAYBE Jourdan Lewis, and that’s it!! Everybody else that left wasn’t anybody that was helping us!! DeMarcus Lawrence left us, but he was getting old and slowing down, and he couldn’t stay healthy lately either!! Plus, we drafted Marshawn Kneeland to replace him anyways, and we have other edge rushers that can take his place too, so we won’t miss Lawrence at all!! So like I said, the only player that left in free agency that we mite miss is Jourdan Lewis and that’s it, so I don’t know what makes you think everybody left in free agency, but it’s not even close to being accurate!!
And the last thing I wanna bring up is that you said our schedule was tough in 2024, but now in 2025 the schedule isn’t that hard, but it’s not easy…. And that’s completely wrong too!! Our schedule this year is one of the hardest schedules in the NFL this year, and it’s definitely harder than the schedule we had last year…. At least compared to how good the teams were last year!! But just because it shows we have that hard of a schedule, it doesn’t mean it’s really gonna be that hard!! They’re going off of the teams records from last year!! No team is the same every year, there’s always gonna be changes, and half the teams that made the playoffs last year won’t make it to the playoffs this year, so that strength of schedule crap don’t matter because we’re not playing the teams that were playing last year, we’re playing the teams that are gonna be playing this year, and like I said, they won’t be the same teams they were last year, and probably half of them won’t be as good as they were last year!! So our schedule really won’t be as hard as it’s made out to be!! But it will be harder than the schedule we had last year!!
I’ve replied to your comments more times than I can count, and every time I say the same thing…. You don’t know what your talking about!! You don’t know anything about football, and there’s no way your a Cowboys fan!! And you definitely haven’t been a Cowboys fan since the 70s!! There’s no way anybody can be a fan since the 70s and not know anything about football or the team!! So if your really any kind of fan, then learn more about the team and the sport in general before you come back on here making these ridiculous comments!!
our run defense us awful! Period! Teams are running the ball because we can’t stop it, and we have a large hole at the 1-technique. Also, our schedule is softer because we play a third place schedule, not a first place schedule. It is going to be a long season. Record 6-11.