Jerry Jones didn’t hide his frustration after the Dallas Cowboys lost 24-16 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night. But the owner and general manager still expressed confidence in defensive coordinator Christian Parker, even as Dallas’ problems against the run returned in a big way.

The Cowboys fell to 2-3 at AT&T Stadium against a Tampa Bay team that arrived without a win. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels was making his second NFL start, yet the visitors controlled the game for long stretches.

“Extraordinarily, extraordinarily disappointed,” Jones said afterward. “You really do need to get it done when it’s there to take.”

Run Defense Remains The Problem

Jones pointed specifically to Tampa Bay’s success running between the tackles. He’d expected Dallas to make the Buccaneers lean more heavily on their young quarterback. Instead, the Cowboys couldn’t consistently force that adjustment.

Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards on 21 carries, and Tampa Bay finished with 241 rushing yards and 419 total yards. Irving’s 72-yard run immediately after halftime helped turn a 10-7 Dallas lead into a deficit the Cowboys never erased.

The damage wasn’t limited to the defense. Dallas committed three turnovers and produced none, leaving little room to recover from those long Tampa Bay possessions.

Even with those results, Jones said he believes Parker is capable of turning the unit around. That support doesn’t make the tackling or interior run fits any less urgent. It puts the focus on getting better results from the work already underway.

A Reset Before Green Bay

Dallas had reasons to expect an offensive lift following Tyler Smith’s return to the lineup. Javonte Williams finished the opening drive with a touchdown, but the early momentum didn’t last.

Dak Prescott later connected with George Pickens for an 18-yard touchdown that brought Dallas within eight points. The comeback ended with another tipped-pass interception on the Cowboys’ final possession.

The next game is October 18 at Green Bay, giving Dallas time to review what went wrong. Jones also left the door open to personnel opportunities that fit the team’s future. For now, though, his backing of Parker comes with a clear challenge: Dallas has to stop letting opponents dictate the game on the ground.