The Cowboys are making strides on multiple fronts as they try to improve a defense that has underperformed through the first five games of the season.
Longtime NFL defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is joining the staff and the defensive coordinator will be Christian Parker moving into the cockpit after training from the sidelines during the team’s 2-3 start. The team’s players also had what linebacker DeMarvion Overshown called a “heart-to-heart” meeting about what they need to do to improve on the field.
“Looking yourself in the mirror“said Overshown, via the team’s website. “Setting what we wanted our standard to be, we put it on the board. We went point by point. Are we keeping this? Is this us? As a unit, how can we get closer? What is it? Just hearing from all of us. It wasn’t really like a fire drill conversation, but more like, ‘What can I do to help you? What do I expect from you on Sundays, or every Monday walk?’ We have to talk to each other like this because the ship will only go as far as the weakest person in the boat. As long as we’re all together, I think we’ll be great. I know we’ll be there.”
Overshown has missed four games with a hamstring injury, and getting him back to health could be another piece of the puzzle as the Cowboys look for the right mix of planning and execution that can turn things around on the defensive side of the ball.