***Blame defense thread***

[WoodysGirl]

Bob Sturm ‏@SportsSturm
The opposing RB and each WR had 100 yards, while the QB threw for 342 and 0 turnovers so we played great defense - things nobody ever says.

Anyway, I will write about this mess in the morning. I am strongly considering a vote for change (and then hope) at Valley Ranch.

Carlos A. Mendez ‏@calexmendez
Defense played 'well' debate? Maybe, maybe not. For me, 19 points at Falcons fits comfortably under that big 'well enough' umbrella.

[jimmy40]

Originally Posted by Joshmil53

Someone did an analysis before and I think almost 50% of his sacks were on third down and a lot were in the 4th.

well third down is when you'd expect a pass rusher to get alot of his sacks.

[Blackspider214]

Originally Posted by Everlastingxxx

Held the Falcons to their lowest point totals of the season.

Made no plays when it mattered and let the Falcons eat up 6 minutes to end the game. They let the Falcons march the ball down their throat on many drives. And them missing 2 FGs and on the last drive they weren't trying to score but just waste time.

This defense has the biggest bunch of nothing once again.

[Gaede]

Anyone blaming the defense was simply not watching the game.

There is nothing you can do when you routinely stop an offense only to see your offense go and give them the ball right back.

The defense ALWAYS plays well at the start of the game but are frequently made to spend more time on the field because the offense is completley incompetent. It's no surprise they give up points in the second half. They're tired. They can't force 3 and outs and shut down the offense the whole game. Why? Because teams do that against us.

For far too long, the defense has been getting the blame because the offense can't score. Someone needs to realize that the offense is putting the defense in position to fail

[Nation]

Originally Posted by Everlastingxxx

Held the Falcons to their lowest point totals of the season.

Very true, but football is not played in a vacuum and the defense also didn't really do anything to help the Cowboys score points. They let up a lot of long drives resulting in poor starting field position and two of their best four drives were a result of a missed field goal as opposed to anything they did to stop Atlanta.

[17yearsandcounting]

Fat boys defense doesnt get turnovers, and doesnt make big plays. They were slightly less pathetic than the mess that Garrett put on the field.

[Everlastingxxx]

Originally Posted by Blackspider214

Made no plays when it mattered and let the Falcons eat up 6 minutes to end the game. They let the Falcons march the ball down their throat on many drives. And them missing 2 FGs and on the last drive they weren't trying to score but just waste time.

This defense has the biggest bunch of nothing once again.

They made a number of plays throughout the game. Mo had the INT at the end but the refs missed the PI by White.

If someone told you before the game that the Cowboys defense would hold Atlanta to 19 points, would you have taken it? I would have. 13 points by the Cowboys offense was a joke.

[nake]

The defense was missing Lee, Ratliff, Conner, and worse of all, had to play with McCray at safety. Still, they only gave up 19 points, and that should be good enough to win.

[Gaede]

Originally Posted by nake

The defense was missing Lee, Ratliff, Conner, and worse of all, had to play with McCray at safety. Still, they only gave up 19 points, and that should be good enough to win.

No one makes excuses for the defense.

Instead, all we hear about it is how bad the OL is or how Dez, Witten, Jones etc...were injured and couldn't play to their full capability.

And yet, the D missing their starting S, DT, MLB (literally the middle of the defense) can hold the best team in the league to 19 points and that's not good enough?

And an offense with Romo, Austin, Bryant, Witten can't get over 13 and that's OK?

[FiveRings]

Originally Posted by nake

The defense was missing Lee, Ratliff, Conner, and worse of all, had to play with McCray at safety. Still, they only gave up 19 points, and that should be good enough to win.

Missing Connor was actually probably a positive, with his slow @$$ in coverage over Sims who knows how many times we get burnt

[coogrfan]

Good defenses don't allow the opposition to gain 60 yards or more on 6 of 9 possessions. Good defenses get stops at the end of games. Good defenses take the ball away more than 8 times in 8 games.

[The Natural]

Scandrick and McCray need to take a train home

[Blackspider214]

Originally Posted by Everlastingxxx

They made a number of plays throughout the game. Mo had the INT at the end but the refs missed the PI by White.

If someone told you before the game that the Cowboys defense would hold Atlanta to 19 points, would you have taken it? I would have. 13 points by the Cowboys offense was a joke.

Like someone said, sports isn't played in a vacuum. I can't know for sure how those 19 points came about. Like I mentioned, there was 2 missed FGs that Bryant very rarely misses. Then on the last drive, they weren't trying to score a TD but just waste time.

This defense never ever gives our offense a short field to work with. This offense continues to have to march 75 or more yards to score. Pretty much every single time out.

It's the same crap every year. There are no playmakers on this defense.

[Gaede]

Originally Posted by coogrfan

Good defenses don't allow the opposition to gain 60 yards or more on 6 of 9 possessions. Good defenses get stops at the end of games. Good defenses take the ball away more than 8 times in 8 games.

Good teams don't rely on their defense to be on the field the whole game because the offense can't score

The D puts this team in position to compete and the offense fails to. This is a football team. Not an offense or a defense or special teams. The D is doing their fair share and the other units aren't.

[CowboysYanksLakers]

I'm sorry but I refuse to blame the defense, they held ATL to 19 freakin' points.