Christian Parker is a first-time defensive coordinator who was charged with fixing a unit that allowed the most points in the NFL last season. The Cowboys currently rank 30th in yards allowed and 25th in points.
It’s better but not much better.
Parker has taken some heat for his decision to play man defense with seven seconds left against Lamar Jackson, who completed a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers that set up Tyler Loop’s game-winning, 56-yard field goal.
Parker admitted this week he erred with the play call.
“Oh, for sure,” Parker said, via Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “You know, I had an original call in mind, but overthought the situation, relative to what their mindset was going to be going to overtime, trying to get something quick, Hail Mary, all those things. So, I definitely would make a different call if that the situation came up again.”
Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, now an analyst for NBC Sports, called Parker’s decision to play man coverage “somewhat negligent” during a halftime segment on Sunday Night Football. Tomlin said Parker should have called for zone coverage in that situation to protect against what happened.
Parker said he does not listen to “outside noise.”
“To be honest with you, I don’t pay it any mind,” he said. “We have more than enough on our plate in here to worry about what the outside noise is, whether it’s good or bad. I think that regardless of how that outside noise creeps in the building, it can affect you in multiple ways. So we’ve just been focusing on trying to get this next one.”