Here is a good write-up on Seattle's Cover 3

[Cowboyny]

A Seattle Cover 3 must – and I mean must – have an all-world athlete, and all-world football player, honestly, at the free safety position. The engine that makes Seattle’s aggressive defense go is safety Earl Thomas. Without Thomas on the back end being able to cover the range he does, that defense doesn’t work. We saw how fast the wheels fell off Seattle’s defense late in the year when he was hurt. Next, there has to be at least one elite lockdown outside cornerback. That’s Richard Sherman. After that you want to have another corner who is comfortable playing a man-to-man style on one side of the field. Finally, you have to have a strong safety who hits, wraps up, has the size to at least take on lead blockers, and can chase like a linebacker. That’s Kam Chancellor.

An aggressive Cover 3 is all about buying time for a good pass rush. When you have the kind of aggressive players in the secondary that Seattle does, they’re able to lock down their receivers for three to four seconds on a regular basis, which is a long time for an offensive line to block a team like Seattle.

Seattle’s defensive series end in the extremes. There aren’t all these bend-but-don’t-break drives that are long and sustained that only end in three points. More than any other style of defense, Seattle’s Cover 3 either ends in a touchdown, a turnover or a limited drive that could be as short as a three-and-out.

 

[Future]

What's this from, 2015?

In 2020, Cover-3 is the epitome of bend but don't break, because it allows a lot of easy completions in the short-intermediate areas of the field.

 

[Cowboyny]

What's this from, 2015?

In 2020, Cover-3 is the epitome of bend but don't break, because it allows a lot of easy completions in the short-intermediate areas of the field.

I believe the article was from 2017 in regards to the Seattle defense which Quinn came from.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

What's this from, 2015?

In 2020, Cover-3 is the epitome of bend but don't break, because it allows a lot of easy completions in the short-intermediate areas of the field.

then I guess it relies on hoping the offense makes mistakes along the way and doesn't convert 3rd downs. for years the problem with our defense has been not having ability to get off the field, in allowing high rate of 1st down conversions and not getting turnovers....

 

[Future]

then I guess it relies on hoping the offense makes mistakes along the way and doesn't convert 3rd downs. for years the problem with our defense has been not having ability to get off the field, in allowing high rate of 1st down conversions and not getting turnovers....

The Cowboys were third in 3rd down conversion percentage allowed last year...

 

[Cowboyny]

What's this from, 2015?

In 2020, Cover-3 is the epitome of bend but don't break, because it allows a lot of easy completions in the short-intermediate areas of the field.

Yes, the Cover 3 is exploitable underneath, as well just past the MLB down the field.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

A Seattle Cover 3 must – and I mean must – have an all-world athlete, and all-world football player, honestly, at the free safety position. The engine that makes Seattle’s aggressive defense go is safety Earl Thomas. Without Thomas on the back end being able to cover the range he does, that defense doesn’t work. We saw how fast the wheels fell off Seattle’s defense late in the year when he was hurt. Next, there has to be at least one elite lockdown outside cornerback. That’s Richard Sherman. After that you want to have another corner who is comfortable playing a man-to-man style on one side of the field. Finally, you have to have a strong safety who hits, wraps up, has the size to at least take on lead blockers, and can chase like a linebacker. That’s Kam Chancellor.

An aggressive Cover 3 is all about buying time for a good pass rush. When you have the kind of aggressive players in the secondary that Seattle does, they’re able to lock down their receivers for three to four seconds on a regular basis, which is a long time for an offensive line to block a team like Seattle.

Seattle’s defensive series end in the extremes. There aren’t all these bend-but-don’t-break drives that are long and sustained that only end in three points. More than any other style of defense, Seattle’s Cover 3 either ends in a touchdown, a turnover or a limited drive that could be as short as a three-and-out.

Good post!
Based on this, my guess;

• We'll sign/consider FS Earl Thomas OR a mid-level free agent.
• We will target CB with our 1st round pick ( it's not hard to see MM is making this unit a priority )
• Wilson will be our 2021 SS
• Would not surprise to see 2nd or 3rd round LBer

 

[stilltheguru]

Good post!
Based on this, my guess;

• We'll sign/consider FS Earl Thomas OR a mid-level free agent.
• We will target CB with our 1st round pick ( it's not hard to see MM is making this unit a priority )
• Wilson will be our 2021 SS
• Would not surprise to see 2nd or 3rd round LBer

If you bolded that why do you think earl thomas will be the pick? Hes not a good athlete anymore as far as speed and agility.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The Cowboys were third in 3rd down conversion percentage allowed last year...

last year....this year we are at around 48%, which is 27th in the league. that's bad. 2018 we were 24th, 29th in 17 and 18th in 16.

the 2019 defense was a mixed bag, both offensively and defensively....based on stats we should have won more games, which points to one item I argued in the past, in game coaching decisions at critical times cost cowboys at least 3 games last year.......I was hoping MM would fix that, but he made a few questionable calls this year, but maybe he felt desperate.

 

[Cowboyny]

Good post!
Based on this, my guess;

• We'll sign/consider FS Earl Thomas OR a mid-level free agent.
• We will target CB with our 1st round pick ( it's not hard to see MM is making this unit a priority )
• Wilson will be our 2021 SS
• Would not surprise to see 2nd or 3rd round LBer

-Definitely going to need a rangy free safety, as they will be playing a lot of single high.
-High Corner is still very much in play
-I wonder if Wilson is big enough to play that hybrid LB/SS role?
-Quinn uses the SOLB more like an edge rusher, Bruce Irvin was good at that role while with Seattle. This might be a good spot for Zaven Collins.

 

[Future]

last year....this year we are at around 48%, which is 27th in the league. that's bad.

We weren't running anything similar to what Quinn has historically done this year...

 

[Hawkeye0202]

-Definitely going to need a rangy free safety, as they will be playing a lot of single high.
-High Corner is still very much in play
-I wonder if Wilson is big enough to play that hybrid LB/SS role?
-Quinn uses the SOLB more like an edge rusher, Bruce Irvin was good at that role while with Seattle. This might be a good spot for Zaven Collins.

or Jaylon Smith ???????

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

We weren't running anything similar to what Quinn has historically done this year...

I know. hopefully he can fix that.....I edited my post before you responded. but over the past 5 years this defense has been generally bad in sacks, pressures, 1st down conversion rates except for 2019....

 

[Whyjerry]

Kam and ET made everything easier.

 

[JonesBoys]

A Seattle Cover 3 must – and I mean must – have an all-world athlete, and all-world football player, honestly, at the free safety position. The engine that makes Seattle’s aggressive defense go is safety Earl Thomas. Without Thomas on the back end being able to cover the range he does, that defense doesn’t work. We saw how fast the wheels fell off Seattle’s defense late in the year when he was hurt. Next, there has to be at least one elite lockdown outside cornerback. That’s Richard Sherman. After that you want to have another corner who is comfortable playing a man-to-man style on one side of the field. Finally, you have to have a strong safety who hits, wraps up, has the size to at least take on lead blockers, and can chase like a linebacker. That’s Kam Chancellor.

An aggressive Cover 3 is all about buying time for a good pass rush. When you have the kind of aggressive players in the secondary that Seattle does, they’re able to lock down their receivers for three to four seconds on a regular basis, which is a long time for an offensive line to block a team like Seattle.

Seattle’s defensive series end in the extremes. There aren’t all these bend-but-don’t-break drives that are long and sustained that only end in three points. More than any other style of defense, Seattle’s Cover 3 either ends in a touchdown, a turnover or a limited drive that could be as short as a three-and-out.

So basically Dallas needs to find a lot of all pro players this offseason to run this defense. That has a high chance of happening.

 

[JBS]

I think linebacker is probably the most underrated piece to this defense..and I say that bc I think it's very important..you need linebackers that have very good play recognition..we don't have those..we have the opposite of that

 

[Bigdog]

-Definitely going to need a rangy free safety, as they will be playing a lot of single high.
-High Corner is still very much in play
-I wonder if Wilson is big enough to play that hybrid LB/SS role?
-Quinn uses the SOLB more like an edge rusher, Bruce Irvin was good at that role while with Seattle. This might be a good spot for Zaven Collins.

Unfortunately I don't think Zaven Collins will make it to us in the 2nd round.

 

[foofighters]

Those players on any defensive scheme is going to make it look like the greatest...

 

[Loso86]

Improve the pass rush and that becomes less of an issue

 

[Denim Chicken]

I'll agree that you are going to want a FS that is really good since he'll be playing a true deep center field position (Woods aint it). This and the IDL should be our main point of focus to make this D work.

I'm sure every defense would love to have an elite lock-down corner, but really for CB's you need those who excel in zone. Diggs is good here & will match with WR1. I don't know how much man coverage Quinn will employ when he's disguising coverage, but CBs should be primarily conformable in off-coverage zone (which I believe will play to Awuzie's skill set if we want to keep him around).

I like what I was from Wilson in the SS spot, spot I'm not too worried there.

This coverage's advantage is against the running game, so we should at least see some improvement there solely from scheme.