Why is the Cowboys’ defense so bad? It’s complicated.

The Cowboys’ defense has gone from pretty good to epically bad in 2020. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan is on the clock to fix it.

In this 43-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Tyler Lockett in Seattle’s 38-31 win… well, let’s just say that Dallas’ reaction to Lockett’s deep over from the right seam to the left seam is less than optimal. This looks like Quarters coverage in that the outside cornerbacks are creating outside leverage, the outside linebacker and nickel defender work to the flats, and the safeties are responsible for playing any vertical release.

What happened instead was this:

Of Wilson’s five touchdown passes, three came from Dallas’ one-yard line, and this Lockett touchdown is a good study in how to not play man coverage in the red zone. Receiver Freddie Swain gives Wilson a man indicator with his right-to-left motion, and as Swain and D.K. Metcalf flood Dallas’ right-side defensive coverage to the middle of the end zone, and the Cowboys’ linebackers hang out in the middle, Lockett runs all the way through the formation alone and wide open.

The conflict defender here seems to be safety Darien Thompson, who could follow Lockett, but decides instead to double Metcalf over the middle with cornerback Daryl Worley, the aforementioned motion defender. Why nobody sees Lockett as a problem is an interesting question.

Perhaps the most embarrassing thing that has happened to Dallas’ defense this season — to date, at least — is this 37-yard first-quarter touchdown pass from receiver Jarvis Landry to receiver Odell Beckham Jr. This opened the scoring for the Browns, which never really stopped.

It’s hard to say. What is easy to say is that the Cowboys have enough talent on defense to play better than they’re playing. And when that happens, the blame should rest on the head of one person — the guy calling the shots.

That’s Nolan, and Nolan is on the clock in a way he hasn’t been before.

This Sunday, the 1-3 Cowboys face an 0-4 Giants team with an offense that has scored a grand total of three touchdowns all season. It would be bad enough if Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was able to light this defense up as every other quarterback has this season. That it would be at the hand of Giants offensive coordinator and former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett might be too much for Jerry Jones to stand.

At that point, Nolan and his staff might have to simplify the situation, or stand aside for others who will. Jerry Jones has already established that in his mind, pretty good isn’t good enough. And this defense will have to rise several floors to get back to pretty good.

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