The Dallas Cowboys set franchise records last season for defensive ineptitude that included allowing 415 yards per game to opposing offenses.
They lost DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and Sean Lee off of that defense a year ago and the struggles have continued this preseason.
Dallas has allowed 29 points per game this August - with Kansas City’s 32.8 points per game being the only team allowing more points this preseason. They are allowing a league-worst 158.2 rushing yards per game and a league-worst eight rushing touchdowns in four games. No other team has allowed more than six. Their 13 touchdowns allowed overall is third-worst.
Somehow those performances have led Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to believe his defense is on the upswing.
“I think the defense is much improved, much improved,” Jones said, via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "...This is a better defense. We know our limitations. We know our scheme better and we got players that can execute. We’ve got better players, healthier players to execute the scheme. Even the ones who aren’t healthy, including them, we’ve got healthier players that can do it.”
If you say so, Jerry.
Now, the Cowboys were so bad on defense last year that it will be tough for the team to go anywhere but up this season, but expecting them to be “much improved” without much evidence to support it probably a bit overly optimistic.