Cowboys defense struggling under former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer

Dallas is allowing the third-most points per game in the entire NFL.

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer during training camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, Calif., on July 30, 2024. / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Sometimes it’s just the right time to move on. 

It's becoming more and more clear it was the right time for the Vikings to move on from former coach Mike Zimmer, who's returned to the NFL this season as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, his first NFL coaching job since his firing from Minnesota after the 2021-22 NFL campaign. It's not because Zimmer wasn't — and isn't now — a good coach.

Zimmer is unquestionably a great defensive mind, and there were a lot of memorable moments from his tenure with the Vikings. He posted a 72-56-1 record over eight seasons in Minnesota, won two NFC North Division titles over that span and made three postseason runs overall, including an NFC Championship Game appearance in the 2017 season.

But after back-to-back losing seasons in 2020 and 2021, the Vikings decided it was time to move on.

Kevin O'Connell has come in and established himself as a very good NFL head coach, and if the Vikings needed any more reassurance that they made the right call, they can simply take a look over at how this season has gone for the Cowboys.

Through six games, Zimmer's defense is struggling. They're allowing 28.0 points per game, the third-worst mark in the league, and are allowing the ninth-most yards per game at 356.5. They're middle of the pack in passing yards allowed per game at 213.3, 17th most in the league, but have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game at 143.2 per game.

And Zimmer's Cowboys are coming off their worst defensive performance of the season — a 47-9 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions at home at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It's the most points they've allowed all season, and the Lions racked up 492 yards of total offense, the most the Cowboys have allowed in a given game all season, too.

If that wasn't bad enough, it's the second time this season the Cowboys have given up 40+ points in a game. On Sept. 15, they were blown out 44-19 at home by the New Orleans Saints, who recorded 432 yards of total offense in that one.

The Vikings under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, meanwhile, have been on a different trajectory. They're top 15 in yards allowed per game, allowing the 14th fewest in the league at 330.2. While they are allowing the third-most passing yards per game at 263.0, they're holding opponents to just 67.2 rushing yards per game, the second fewest in the NFL. They're also allowing the third-fewest points per game in the league, with opponents scoring just 15.2 points per contest.

And while they are giving up significant yardage through the air, they also have intercepted opposing quarterbacks 11 times, the most in the league even after the bye week. Their 20 sacks are also the third most in the NFL this season.

There's no question Zimmer is an excellent defensive coach, and it certainly wouldn't be surprising if he figures things out and gets the Cowboys defense playing at a high level at some point this season. Nevertheless, it's still clear the Vikings made the right decision to move on from Zimmer, and the results so far this season are proving it was the right call.