Jerry Jones is not happy with the Dallas Cowboys' form on the defensive side of the ball five games into the 2026 NFL season.
Jones has been the Cowboys' owner for decades, having achieved considerable success in the 1990s with Super Bowl wins. However, those peaks have been hard to come by in present day as Dallas has been absent from the playoffs for the last two seasons.
Dallas looks to be a fierce contender this season, boasting an explosive attack while retooling the defense. However, they fell to a 2-3 record after losing to a Tampa Bay side that missed star quarterback Baker Mayfield due to injury.
Jones spoke with reporters after the game, per reporter Jon Machota. There, he expressed shock towards the team's poor defense.
“Surprising isn't even a big enough word. It's mind boggling looking at the stats of our last five games,” Jones said.
A reporter also asked him about the notion that he might have given contract extensions to the wrong players. Jones quickly shut down that idea. “No. No. I do not. Absolutely not,” he said.
How Jerry Jones' Cowboys performed against Buccaneers
The Cowboys are underperforming on both sides of the ball, with major weaknesses inside the spotlight as their Buccaneers loss puts them at serious risk.
Article Continues BelowDak Prescott struggled as he couldn't put big passes past the Tampa Bay defense. He completed 24 out of 42 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions. Javonte Williams led the run game with 12 rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, George Pickens had his best performance of the season with nine catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Dallas' defense isn't faring well this season. They conceded 136 total points five games into the campaign, an average of 27.2 points per contest. They must figure out their issue immediately before it takes a turn for the worst.
The Cowboys hope to bounce back in their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Green Bay Packers in Week 6 as kickoff commences on Oct. 18 at 8:20 p.m. ET.