FWST: Cowboys lost 'the physical presence we wanted' when Barry Church went down

[WoodysGirl]

Secondary coach Jerome Henderson said the Cowboys lost some of their physicalness when they lost safety Barry Church last year.

“He was physical. He was hitting people. He was the physical presence we wanted,” Henderson said Thursday as the Cowboys assistant coaches met with reporters.

“He only played 2 ½ games, but in those games he played really well,” Henderson said.

Henderson said Church showed the deep range that the Cowboys asked themselves if he had.

“I got here and studied the tape – you didn’t see him make plays on the back end,” Henderson said. “The first play of the game against the Giants, they take a shot and he knocks the ball down in the deep part of the field.

“I was excited for him and was disappointed for him and for us when he went down.”

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[big dog cowboy]

I'm anxious to see Church return (that goes for all our hurt defenive players) but we still need another good safety this off season. Let's hope they are all ready by week 1.

[CowboysYanksLakers]

Church music baby! I can't wait to get him back...

[Future]

I assume he's talking about the secondary only? A physical presence for a whole defense should be established by the front 7, not the secondary.

Although I like Church, I have a problem with leaving it up to one guy to establish the physicality of a unit, let alone an entire defense.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Maybe it is just me and maybe I am reading wrong but I find it kind of scary that the physical presence on the defense (or even just the secondary) was lost when an undrafted and untested safety went down to injury. The guy just played a little as starter and we relegated him as "the" physical presence?

I hope they were just paying lip service to Barry...OR...if they are being honest I hope he really comes out this year and plays lights out and shocks the world.

[CowboysYanksLakers]

Originally Posted by Future

I assume he's talking about the secondary only? A physical presence for a whole defense should be established by the front 7, not the secondary.

Although I like Church, I have a problem with leaving it up to one guy to establish the physicality of a unit, let alone an entire defense.

Yes that's exactly what coach Henderson was referring to...

[lostar2009]

Originally Posted by CowboysYanksLakers

Church music baby! I can't wait to get him back...

how can you loose something you never had ? I like the Church argument everyone is lobbying but lets be real Church never put in enough time to counted on or really establish himself as a contributor for this team.

[silver]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

Maybe it is just me and maybe I am reading wrong but I find it kind of scary that the physical presence on the defense (or even just the secondary) was lost when an undrafted and untested safety went down to injury. The guy just played a little as starter and we relegated him as "the" physical presence?

I hope they were just paying lip service to Barry...OR...if they are being honest I hope he really comes out this year and plays lights out and shocks the world.

the real issue is the depth behind the starters. A starter goes down, in this case an undrafted free agent starting for the first time in the pros, and what do you have behind him? another undrafted guy who didn't even start in college. It's the whole bargain basement approach to personnel that is the achilles heel to this team success (pun intended). The same issue arose with the OL. You have an undrafted guy at C, he goes down and who do you have to replace him? somebody who just joined the team days before. Who does this other than the Cowboys?

[ravidubey]

His body can't cash the checks his instincts are writing. Watching him and Sensabaugh getting beaten into the ground in Seattle was not fun, especially considering it was only the season's second week.

We've got too many players like this. Church, Sensabaugh, Lee, Carter, and Ratliff-- all defending the middle of the field. The combination weakens the team greatly vs. some matchups.

Dallas must get stout in the middle and in a hurry. They must upgrade the 1-technique position on the DL. They need a 325 man who is very talented, strong and durable.

Everything else will improve around that one special building block.

[blackbull]

Originally Posted by ravidubey

His body can't cash the checks his instincts are writing. Watching him and Sensabaugh getting beaten into the ground in Seattle was not fun, especially considering it was only the season's second week.

We've got too many players like this. Church, Sensabaugh, Lee, Carter, and Ratliff-- all defending the middle of the field. The combination weakens the team greatly vs. some matchups.

Dallas must get stout in the middle and in a hurry. They must upgrade the 1-technique position on the DL. They need a 325 man who is very talented, strong and durable.

Everything else will improve around that one special building block.

I don't recall church having any bad plays vs Seattle. I have the game on tape. Refresh our memories though.

[Wood]

in those 2 games he did look as good as I have ever seen him play. But did that injury slow him down? He was not fast guy to begin with.

[ravidubey]

Originally Posted by blackbull

I don't recall church having any bad plays vs Seattle. I have the game on tape. Refresh our memories though.

Not bad plays, he got physically beat up. Both safeties did. That happens when they have to do too much and a beast like Marshawn Lynch is running hard. It's a chain reaction from the interior LB's being stretched too thin because they also have too much on their plates.

It's no coincidence that both ILB's and a starting safety got hurt last year when the NT situation was broken from the very start. Even before the start everyone and their cousin has known for years now that Jay Ratliff was undersized and at times overwhelmed by the two gap system. Ratliff's backup was even moreso.

Basic defensive philosophy: The DL keeps the offense off the LB's and in turn they reduce load from the safeties.

The same kinds of things will happen in 2013 without greater strength and power from the 4-3 DT's.

[DFWJC]

Originally Posted by blackbull

I don't recall church having any bad plays vs Seattle. I have the game on tape. Refresh our memories though.

Neither did I.

But I think he was not pointing the blame at him, but at the Dline being weak and forcing him (and others) make all theplays.

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Originally Posted by Wood

in those 2 games he did look as good as I have ever seen him play. But did that injury slow him down? He was not fast guy to begin with.

I think they'll play Church as a SS this season, where his coverage is less of an issue.

And I think they'll draft the starting FS for 2013 and beyond either in rounds 1 or 2 of the draft.

They will most likely retian Sensabeau as a backup and insurance to both S positions. In fact, he may be the starting FS in week 1 until the rookie works his way into the lineup.

[jjktkk]

Originally Posted by Future

I assume he's talking about the secondary only? A physical presence for a whole defense should be established by the front 7, not the secondary.

Although I like Church, I have a problem with leaving it up to one guy to establish the physicality of a unit, let alone an entire defense.

Your nitpicking imo. Darren Woodson filled this role well. I see what your saying, but I'll take a physical, intimidating player any chance I get. One player, such as Church, can also set the tone for the entire defense.