buybuydandavis
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“Both Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe received much higher grades than the 2019 Cowboys’ starters, according to PFF. McCoy beat out Maliek Collins with 72.0 versus Collins’ 65.7. Poe’s 71.2 overall grade blew Antwaun Woods’ 56.9 out of the water. The real difference was in run defense where the duo of Collins-Woods averaged a 61.2, while McCoy-Poe averaged 73.6. The Cowboys new coaching staff has committed to fixing the run defense, which is line one in Defensive Football 101. Without question, the Cowboys have improved their defensive tackle situation with the signings of McCoy and Poe.”
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McCoy and Poe old and getting worse, Collins and Woods young and getting better. Also, Woods is cheap.
PFF's overall score doesn't fit how Woods is used. He's avoided on passing downs because he has no rush. I expect his run defense score, how he is actually used, is significantly higher than 57.
In looking at how we've improved, or not, you have to factor in Bennett at 65.7.
We're better against the run and worse against the pass. As the article suggests, we're focusing on beefing up the run defense.
I'm not ready to count on Crawford doing anything for us this year. If you think he is, you can pencil him in as replacing Bennett, and giving us *one more* DT than we had last year, thereby improving the rotation.
Even considering McCoy and Collins as a wash, the real improvement is Poe for *Covington*. That's the difference. We're not losing Woods, we're losing Covington (presumably).