Mailbag: Reason behind defense's success?

(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)

The defense is seemingly playing better and better every week. What's been the reason for such success with a patchwork unit missing multiple starters and key reserves? I think it would be a mistake to let Mike Zimmer go after his coaching job in the second half of this season.– Robbie Golding/Palm Coast, FL**

Patrik: I think it's several things working in tandem. The biggest one, to me, is time. There's now been plenty of time for Zimmer to work out the kinks between how he wants his scheme run versus the personnel that exists to run it, e.g., Dan Quinn's defensive roster (minus Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong).

What I'm seeing is more adaptation by Zimmer, as in he's beginning, more and more, to flex the scheme to allow for guys to be in positions to succeed more readily based upon their skill sets, and it's paying off like gangbusters along with the return of Micah Parsons who, in this new adaptation, is back to wreaking havoc. And because Zimmer is willing to flex in such a way, you're seeing backups and the backups to the backups making plays, because it's less about the X's and O's and more about the Jimmies and Joes over the back half of the season.

Makes you wonder what it might look like if he's awarded a second chance at making a first impression with his full complement of starters, or at least most of them, to begin 2025.

Tommy: It's a combination of two things in my mind: The first piece is the players are finally familiarized enough with the system to be able to play fast and not have to overcomplicate things.

In the first half of the season, you could tell that sometimes guys would be thinking too much about if they were making the right reads or if they were in the right spot. Now, you can tell everyone is on the same page and it allows them to move in rhythm. The other component is the return of Micah Parsons, because it's rejuvenated the pass rush.

When you have an elite pass rush like the Cowboys have had with Parsons back healthy, it makes things easier on your second and third level and slowly but surely, you'll see the run defense get better, turnovers begin to be generated, and offenses will struggle at points to move downfield against you.