Stephen A. Smith Calls Out Jerry Jones’ Delusional Take on Cowboys’ Playoff Hopes
An infuriated Stephen A. Smith called out Jerry Jones for sticking by Matt Eberflus’ side despite the Dallas Cowboys’ constant struggles on defense. Smith believes that the Cowboys’ owner and general manager is “off his rocker.”
Following the disappointing 2024 season, Jones embarked on a summer cleaning spree. Mike McCarthy and his coaching crew were cut from the frame to make way for Brian Schottenheimer and his bandwagon.
The Cowboys appointed ex-Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams as the offensive coordinator and former Cowboys linebacker coach Matt Eberflus as the new defensive coordinator.
It signaled that the Cowboys were in full rebuild mode. Not only did Jones hand the head coaching job to a complete rookie, but he also trusted the offensive play-calling to a first-timer as well.
However, the presence of Eberflus in the coaching carousel created the biggest buzz. Jones handed the defense to a guy who was fired by the Chicago Bears midway through 2024 after posting just 14 wins as compared to 32 losses in three years.
Six weeks into the 2025 season, the Cowboys are 2-3-1 after losing to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The offense looks fine even though it’s functioning without CeeDee Lamb. Dallas has consistently ranked in the top three in terms of passes completed (27.8), attempted (39.0), percentage (71.3%), and average yards per game.
Quarterback Dak Prescott leads the league in pass completions (164) and attempts (229), is second in average passing yards (1617), and is second in passing touchdowns (13).
It’s a different story in the defense. The Cowboys are giving up an average of 29.7 points per game and are at the rock bottom of the league in terms of average yards conceded (411.7).
It can be viewed as a result of losing Micah Parsons in the offseason, but the Cowboys’ defense, in general, has regressed compared to the past. Naturally, everyone pointed fingers at Eberflus for failing to make a positive impact on his players. Jerry Jones, on the other hand, appeared as the savior of his DC.
I think you will see adjustments. When we have adjustments, they have been successful. The good news is that Flus (Matt Eberflus) had a lot of experience. He’s had some good days, he’s had some bad days… I got a lot of confidence in him.
Jones said recently
Stephen A. Smith shared a different opinion. He found Jones’ statement asinine.
Stephen A. Smith called out Jerry Jones for defending Matt Eberflus
It’s a well-established fact that Smith is a Cowboys hater. He enjoys every Dallas loss as if it’s the best thing to happen to man since the creation of bread.
During a recent segment of ESPN’s First Take, Smith and his colleagues discussed the reasons behind the Cowboys’ lackluster start to the season. The defense under Matt Eberflus’s tutelage stuck out like a sore thumb, with Jones’ statement adding even more fuel to the raging dumpster fire.
Smith wished Jones a ‘Happy Birthday’ and then proceeded to post-mortem his views on Eberflus.
You’re gonna go out on a vine for Matt Eberflus? Are you kidding me? That’s what you’re going to do if you’re Jerry Jones? ‘ There’s nobody I’d rather be in the foxhole with.’ What? Then obviously you ain’t trying to get out. I think Jerry Jones is off his rocker… You’re trying to stay right in that purgatory you’re in because you can’t tell me with a straight face that you’re cool with what you’re seeing.
Stephen A. Smith said
The Cowboys’ schedule is only going to get tougher from here on out. Within the next few weeks, Eberflus’ defense has to contain some of the best offenses in the league, including the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Detroit Lions. They must sort out the run game quickly, or else they risk repeating the
Effort and execution leading to early success for Bruins
The Bruins have looked like a different team under head coach Marco Sturm. The Bruins are off to a hot start with a 3-1 record. And it looks like the Bruins are executing on Marco Sturm’s plan of being difficult to play against. Through the first couple of games, it's obvious that this team is not a high-scoring offense that will dazzle with flashy goals. Instead, this team can win games by treating every game like it’s a game 7 in the playoffs. By playing a strong defensive game that wears down opponents, this team can win many one or two-goal games.
This approach fits what Cam Neely said about how the Bruins needed more 'piss and vinegar' when constructing the team this year. "I thought our guys did a really good job of putting a roster together that is going to give us that piss and vinegar, and it’s going to be hard to play against, and teams aren’t going to enjoy it,” That is the message that was sent to the players and has really resonated so far this season.
There is a noticeable difference in how this team is playing now when compared to the uninspired play at the end of last season. The effort has been there from start to finish in almost every game. Even in the loss against Tampa on October 13th, the Bruins did not give up. This was obvious in the effort shown by David Pastrnak when he had an incredible save in front of the Bruins’ empty net to preserve the team’s chances of tying the game. Pastrnak also threw a huge hit on Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov in the same shift as he was going for the empty net.
Another positive for the Bruins and Marco Sturm's system has been the effectiveness of the depth forwards. The Bruins are not just seeing offense from Pastrnak, who has been great to start the season with 5 points in the first four games. In fact, there are only three players on Boston’s roster without at least a point through the first four games.
This includes Mason Lohrei, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Hampus Lindholm, who have been injured since the first period of game 2 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Lindholm's injury also led to Haverill, Massachusetts native Jordan Harris stepping up and recording two points in his first two games this season. This next man up mentality really speaks volumes about how solid the team system has been so far.
Sturm has also not been afraid of using his depth to his advantage. Sturm has often deployed his fourth line against his opponent’s top lines and has been able to shut them down effectively. This creates better line matchups that favor the Bruins and allows them to play their top line, with Pastrnak, against other teams’ second and third lines. Having veterans like Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic, who are responsible defensively, allows them to match up against tougher offensive opponents and shut them down.
There is no doubt that the Bruins are buying into Sturm’s system, and it appears that the players that make up this roster are fitting in perfectly. Although still a very small sample size through just the first couple of games, if the team can maintain this effort for the season they may see a lot of success going forward.
