What happened: Christian Parker's tenure as the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator opened with a 28-20 loss to the Giants in Week 1. The unit surrendered 394 total yards and allowed nine conversions on 11 third-down attempts.
Why it matters: The performance drew immediate scrutiny, registering as the worst defensive showing by any team in Week 1 based on expected points added per drive. The effort was worse than all but one of the Cowboys' defensive games last year, underscoring early struggles under the new coordinator.
By the numbers: The Dallas defense yielded 394 yards of offense and an 81.8% third-down conversion rate in the opening week. The unit's EPA per drive ranked lowest in the league for Week 1.
What to watch: Dallas must recalibrate its defensive scheme and improve its situational adjustments ahead of Week 2.