The Defense is not a Hot Mess

[TwoCentPlain]

Or in defense of the defense.
I did not watch the game yet. I only saw the 8 minutes of highlights and read about the game online and here so take it with a grain of salt.

1) The defense did at least force the Falcons to kick 4 FGs and not allow more TDs.
2) What can a defense do when the offense fumbles 4 times in the 1st quarter, losing 3. Seattle would have likely lost to Atlanta last week if they lost 3 fumbles in the 1st quarter in my opinion.
3) The Atlanta offense is a juggernaut. I am not sure anyone is stopping that offense.
4) Is the Seattle defense good? Compare the passing yard totals (granted Atlanta had some short fields which skewers the data a little).
Matt Ryan put up 450 yards on Seattle last week. Julio Jones had 157 yards, Ridley had 130 yards, and Gage had 114 yards, and Hurst had 38 yards.

Matt Ryan put up 273 yards on the Cowboys this week. Julio Jones had 24 yards, Ridley had 109 yards, Gage had 46 yards, and Hurst had 72 yards.

Seattle had two sacks and one INT against Atlanta. Dallas had one sack and a near miss INT (Worley) against Atlanta.

Seattle defense held Atlanta to 72 yards rushing. The Dallas defense held Atlanta to 113 yards rushing.

Maybe the Atlanta offense is just really good and hard to stop.

5) Do the Eagles have a good defense? The Eagles are supposed to have a good DL. Look what the Eagle defense at home did against the Rams.
Goff put up 37 points against the Eagles, 267 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 sack, and 0 INTs. Rams rushed for 192 yards vs Eagles.
Goff put up 20 points against the Cowboys, 275 yards passing, 0 TDs, 1 sack, and 1 INT. Rams rushed for 153 yards vs Cowboys.

The Cowboy defense did a lot better against Goff in LA than the Eagles did playing Goff at Philly.

I think the more important question is how does the Dallas defense stand with Seattle and Philly right now with common opponents.

 

[ultron]

Yea this defense is terrible, especially on the backend - they really need to make some moves and I would start by calling Earl Thomas tonight, that would give us a top 5 safety in the universe and I’d trade a #1 this year if a top tier CB becomes available because we can’t have Diggs guarding the #1 receiver on the opponents team, he’s just not ready (or that talented; we’ll see).

 

[America's Cowboy]

If you have not watched the game yet, why are you creating a thread defending the defense?


You should watch the game first. Trust me, you will soon realize how much the defense IS A HOT MESS at this point.

 

[ultron]

Also, the reason Matt Ryan, Julio and them didn’t have monster stats is because they got the ball on our side of the field like 5 times (3 fumbles and 2 failed fake punts).

 

[BigTx66]

The defense is another collection of overhyped/underperforming players that are not anywhere near good enough to be playoff caliber. The poster child is Demarcus Lawrence who hasn't done anything in 2019 or 2020...what a joke! PT Barnum (J. Jones) has sold us another bill of goods on these little league level players...great job, yet again!

 

[CATCH17]

I think the defense has upside to get better but we’re going to have to hold on for a wild ride for about another month at least.

 

[Sydla]

LOL.

They gave up 39 points and were lucky it wasn't 46 as Jones dropped an easy TD.

They gave up nearly 50% of 3rd downs. They didn't stop the Falcons on two key fourth downs. They had one sack. They forced no turnovers. Were they put in some bad positions? Yep. Is that an excuse to just let the Falcons move the ball at will against them the first 20 minutes? Nope.

Yes, the defense is not good. It's downright mindnumbing the mental gymnastics some will go through in order to convince themselves something about the Cowboys isn't all that good.

 

[cowboyec]

i liked the nolan hiring so i'll go down on that shipp.
i still think the problems are directly related to what we were talking about all off-season...the shortened off-season put us behind on the learning curve.
i like the talent at some spots...others need draft attention...but i think theres enuff there to get our footing.
this defense doesnt need to be great...just good enuff.
i think it'll get there.
gonna be a fun ride tho.

 

[Sydla]

i liked the nolan hiring so i'll go down on that shipp.
i still think the problems are directly related to what we were talking about all off-season...the shortened off-season put us behind on the learning curve.
i like the talent at some spots...others need draft attention...but i think theres enuff there to get our footing.
this defense doesnt need to be great...just good enuff.
i think it'll get there.
gonna be a fun ride tho.

Honest question, what do you like about Nolan? What about him was impressive to you or made you think he was a really good hire?

 

[TwoCentPlain]

If you have not watched the game yet, why are you creating a thread defending the defense?


You should watch the game first. Trust me, you will soon realize how much the defense IS A HOT MESS at this point.

Care to comment on the Eagle defense statistically against the Cowboy defense vs a common opponent (Rams)?
Also, this is a big picture statistical defense of a defense using common data.
Also, losing 3 fumbles in the 1st quarter is a huge mountain to climb for any defense. Offense can't even give the defense time to catch their breath and forces the defense to the point of desperation.

Yes, the defense has to improve. Bigger question is how does he defense compare to other defenses in the league.

 

[Sydla]

Care to comment on the Eagle defense statistically against the Cowboy defense vs a common opponent (Rams)?
Also, this is a big picture statistical defense of a defense using common data.
Also, losing 3 fumbles in the 1st quarter is a huge mountain to climb for any defense. Offense can't even give the defense time to catch their breath and forces the defense to the point of desperation.

Yes, the defense has to improve. Bigger question is how does he defense compare to other defenses in the league.

The Eagles defense might not be all that good either. They gave up 27 points to a bad Commanders team that could only muster 15 points against the Cards today.

They have worse LB play than we do and their secondary, outside of Slay, is pretty poor it appears. So I am not sure I would use the Rams scoring 39 on them as some sort of proof that our defense is actually pretty good or decent.

 

[cowboyec]

Honest question, what do you like about Nolan? What about him was impressive to you or made you think he was a really good hire?

i've just always have liked him....i think he's just a good man worth rooting for.
nothing specific interms of x's and o's...i've just always been impressed with his make-up.
stand up guy.
i like what he's trying to do here with a defense that is versatile with multiple fronts/looks as opposed to just trying to line-up and out perform whats in front of you.
im gonna give Nolan more than a few games...(especially since i hitched my wagon to the hire.)

 

[ChronicCowboy]

The line can’t get pressure, the LB’s miss tackles and the secondary gets torched.

Hot mess

 

[cowboyec]

lets not act like a shortened off-season isn't a big deal.
for a team that changed staffs and a style of defense...it is.

 

[Sydla]

i've just always have liked him....i think he's just a good man worth rooting for.
nothing specific interms of x's and o's...i've just always been impressed with his make-up.
stand up guy.
i like what he's trying to do here with a defense that is versatile with multiple fronts/looks as opposed to just trying to line-up and out perform whats in front of you.
im gonna give Nolan more than a few games.

I mean I get liking him because you think he's a good guy but there have been a lot of "good guys" that just weren't good coaches.

But his track record, especially recently, isn't all that good. And his multiple fronts/versatile looks might actually be a negative. Some of the criticisms of his previous stops is that his defenses were too complicated in a desire to be versatile.

 

[CATCH17]

lets not act like a shortened off-season isn't a big deal.
for a team that changed staffs and a style of defense...it is.

No excuses..

They must figure it out.

 

[Sydla]

No excuses..

They must figure it out.

Rams have a new DC.

Held us to 17 and Eagles to 19.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

The Eagles defense might not be all that good either. They gave up 27 points to a bad Commanders team that could only muster 15 points against the Cards today.

They have worse LB play than we do and their secondary, outside of Slay, is pretty poor it appears. So I am not sure I would use the Rams scoring 39 on them as some sort of proof that our defense is actually pretty good or decent.

How about the Seattle defense? How does the Dallas defense compare using Atlanta as a common data point?

 

[cowboyec]

I mean I get liking him because you think he's a good guy but there have been a lot of "good guys" that just weren't good coaches.

But his track record, especially recently, isn't all that good. And his multiple fronts/versatile looks might actually be a negative. Some of the criticisms of his previous stops is that his defenses were too complicated in a desire to be versatile.

i see that...and it may not work here.
we've got to be better on 3rd down and im disappointed so far in the lack of pressure...particularly early in the games.
i personaly think some of the issues are from having virtually no off-season.
this defense just needs to be good enough.
i think it'll get there.

 

[cowboyec]

No excuses..

They must figure it out.

i think they are.

not an excuse tho...it is the reality every team is dealing with.