The Dallas Cowboys‘ defense is in the same place where they left it last season. Of course, we’ll not talk about the latest Joey Porter Jr. trade, considering the 26-year-old cornerback has yet to start his 2026 season. However, the defense still has some questions unanswered after the first three weeks of the 2026 season, with the Cowboys sitting at 1-2.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, however, doesn’t think that the defense is the only issue in Dallas. According to him, the blame will fall on Dak Prescott and the offense if their season goes downhill from here. But at the same time, ESPN’s Mina Kimes believes that it’s the defense that could ultimately derail Dallas’ chances of making the playoffs.

“I’ve seen you, with my own two eyes and ears, make the opposite case for Joe Burrow,” said Kimes on First Take, targeting Smith’s stance on the Cowboys’ offense. “‘Oh, that awful defense in Cincinnati is the only reason why Joseph Burrow isn’t in the playoffs and making Super Bowl runs.’ I feel this is a double standard for this quarterback compared to others who are saddled with awful defenses.

“…If the Cowboys falter, who deserves the most blame? So we’re speaking holistically about this football team. It is so obviously going to be the defense. If this team doesn’t make it to the playoffs, they don’t make a run, I don’t think anyone on earth is going to suspect anything other than the defense.”

The Cowboys’ defensive struggles are evident through the first three weeks of the season. Dallas is 1-2 and has allowed 82 points. They currently rank 25th in the league, allowing 27.3 points per game.

The unit has allowed 28 points against the New York Giants, 20 against the Washington Commanders, and 34 against the Baltimore Ravens. At the same time, the defense has failed to record an interception in three games amid major injuries in the secondary.

And while Smith acknowledged that the defense has been poor, he argued that the highly paid offensive players are expected to compensate for the defensive weakness.

“My question to you is this,” Smith asked Kimes, “If there are a litany of instances where Dallas gives up 25, or they give up 30, and the Dallas Cowboys’ offense is in the same position that they were in against Baltimore, and they don’t close the deal on numerous occasions, you’re telling me all anybody is going to think about is the fact that the defense was trashed and gave up 25 or 30 points.

“Nobody is going to think about, ‘Wait a minute, I got this high-powered offense. I got this prolific offense. It was Dak Prescott that called them…The point is that there’s an expectation that comes with this defense having to make up for a deficiency, a glaring deficiency that they know they have.”

The offense has been efficient in the first three weeks of the season, unlike the defense. The Cowboys have scored 88 points, or 29.3 per game, which ranks seventh. Dak Prescott, meanwhile, has completed 73-of-105 passes for 730 yards, seven touchdowns, and just 1 interception.

Dallas has actually had opportunities to close out games. Against the Ravens, the Cowboys had a first down at the Baltimore 2-yard line while trailing 31-28 with just 23 seconds remaining. However, Prescott threw an incomplete pass, and the Cowboys ultimately settled for a Brandon Aubrey field goal to tie the game.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who is also the offensive play-caller, took accountability for the loss, adding,

“I didn’t do very good in the last 28 seconds. I’ll take accountability for it. … I hurt our chance to win that game. I’ll be better, and I’m better than that. I’m better than I performed in the last 28 seconds.”

Eventually, with just 7 seconds left, Lamar Jackson led the Ravens into field-goal range before Tyler Loop sealed the matchup with a game-winning field goal. This is exactly why, after Smith’s comments gained traction, Mina Kimes once again came in support of the Cowboys’ offense.

“Defense is 32nd in success rate and 30th in EPA/play, and we’re talking about Dak?” Kimes wrote on X, resharing the First Take post.

Dallas will now face the Houston Texans on the road in Week 4. While they have bolstered their secondary with the Joey Porter Jr. trade, the overall defensive performance currently remains a major concern.