The problems with the defense, exclusive to the Cowboys?

[CouchCoach]

I've been noticing this trend for the last 10 years or so but there seems to be this growing chasm between defensive and offensive players.

When you think of the stars in the NFL, in the top 10, how many are on the D side?

There just aren't enough strong D players to go around.

Look at this draft and the D players, even the CB's. Horn, Surtain and Farley all get picked in the 1st but isn't that by default? Pick of a homely litter?

The picking is slim so if a team finds one, they've got to hold onto him and when they let him walk, does that really make a real difference on either team?

Look at Byron Jones. He isn't great but I was concerned about losing him because of what they didn't have to replace him. His absence and presence on either team went unnoticed.

Aren't most of the teams composed of JAG's on defense? Some player will show up one week and then what? There's the exception of Aaron Donald and who else? The inconsistent play is the most consistent element.

I think building a defense in the NFL is the toughest challenge and if they build it, keeping it together poses the next problem. Let's watch the WFT try and do that without sacrificing a real QB.

I am in no way excusing the poor job of building Cowboys defenses for so long but the margin for error is ever so thin when they pick just two wrong players.

The other side of the ball is just better. The OL's are better than the DL's and the receivers are better than the secondary's and we've got a lot of QB's making it look easy because it is.

The WFT has built a nice defense, now lets see them keep it together because this isn't 2000 or 2003 where a team can take a shut down D to a ring, one ring. If a team doesn't have the offense, the QB, they're not winning a ring. And the majority of talent is on the O side because that's where the money is.

I do not see this changing, only getting more inequitable to the D side because the growth in money has been going to the O side and it's not even close.

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

 

[McKDaddy]

Offensive players get more media coverage \ publicity in general but I think you are overstating the talent gap. Lot of good\great defensive players in the league. The rule changes have made it more difficult for them to be sure.

 

[JoeKing]

The way the rules are now, the league obviously wants to see offenses be more successful. Fans like that better. The Cowboys follow this model today but it's been to their detriment as their defense has suffered to the point the team can not hold a lead their more than capable offense gives them. They don't need a great defense at this point, just an average one that can keep a good lead once the offense gets it.

 

[ShortRound]

By the time the Cowboys figure out the defense, the offense will need help.
Which is why I think we get serious on coaching. Jerry seems convinced it's plug and play with coaching.

 

[conner01]

I think there are lots of good defensive players in the league
Jag to me is a bit over used
Some think you are elite or a jag
The majority of players are neither
The rules give great advantage to the offense and with more passing in college more receivers are coming out well developed and they have a real advantage over coverage
If you can stop the run and pressure the QB you can still be a good defense but the advantage is gonna go to the offense and they are gonna make more plays
Just have to make them earn everything they get
Force the QB to make quick decisions

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

The state of the QB position isn't great right now anyway. So if a team can find a quality QB, they should focus on building a defense to compliment him. I'd like a more defensive oriented team anyway.

 

[john van brocklin]

I've been noticing this trend for the last 10 years or so but there seems to be this growing chasm between defensive and offensive players.

When you think of the stars in the NFL, in the top 10, how many are on the D side?

There just aren't enough strong D players to go around.

Look at this draft and the D players, even the CB's. Horn, Surtain and Farley all get picked in the 1st but isn't that by default? Pick of a homely litter?

The picking is slim so if a team finds one, they've got to hold onto him and when they let him walk, does that really make a real difference on either team?

Look at Byron Jones. He isn't great but I was concerned about losing him because of what they didn't have to replace him. His absence and presence on either team went unnoticed.

Aren't most of the teams composed of JAG's on defense? Some player will show up one week and then what? There's the exception of Aaron Donald and who else? The inconsistent play is the most consistent element.

I think building a defense in the NFL is the toughest challenge and if they build it, keeping it together poses the next problem. Let's watch the WFT try and do that without sacrificing a real QB.

I am in no way excusing the poor job of building Cowboys defenses for so long but the margin for error is ever so thin when they pick just two wrong players.

The other side of the ball is just better. The OL's are better than the DL's and the receivers are better than the secondary's and we've got a lot of QB's making it look easy because it is.

The WFT has built a nice defense, now lets see them keep it together because this isn't 2000 or 2003 where a team can take a shut down D to a ring, one ring. If a team doesn't have the offense, the QB, they're not winning a ring. And the majority of talent is on the O side because that's where the money is.

I do not see this changing, only getting more inequitable to the D side because the growth in money has been going to the O side and it's not even close.

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

Don't know, but don't see us winning
With that dumpster fire defense we had last year.
Hopefully it has improved

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I've been noticing this trend for the last 10 years or so but there seems to be this growing chasm between defensive and offensive players.

When you think of the stars in the NFL, in the top 10, how many are on the D side?

There just aren't enough strong D players to go around.

Look at this draft and the D players, even the CB's. Horn, Surtain and Farley all get picked in the 1st but isn't that by default? Pick of a homely litter?

The picking is slim so if a team finds one, they've got to hold onto him and when they let him walk, does that really make a real difference on either team?

Look at Byron Jones. He isn't great but I was concerned about losing him because of what they didn't have to replace him. His absence and presence on either team went unnoticed.

Aren't most of the teams composed of JAG's on defense? Some player will show up one week and then what? There's the exception of Aaron Donald and who else? The inconsistent play is the most consistent element.

I think building a defense in the NFL is the toughest challenge and if they build it, keeping it together poses the next problem. Let's watch the WFT try and do that without sacrificing a real QB.

I am in no way excusing the poor job of building Cowboys defenses for so long but the margin for error is ever so thin when they pick just two wrong players.

The other side of the ball is just better. The OL's are better than the DL's and the receivers are better than the secondary's and we've got a lot of QB's making it look easy because it is.

The WFT has built a nice defense, now lets see them keep it together because this isn't 2000 or 2003 where a team can take a shut down D to a ring, one ring. If a team doesn't have the offense, the QB, they're not winning a ring. And the majority of talent is on the O side because that's where the money is.

I do not see this changing, only getting more inequitable to the D side because the growth in money has been going to the O side and it's not even close.

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

this is pretty spot on in terms of talent. I know many here talk about Dak's contract (no this isn't about Dak and what he does and doesn't) and it handicapping the team from signing FAs, but the fact of the matter is that no team will let their cornerstone Defensive (or offensive) players walk. those who hit the market are older, injured, head cases, etc....so it becomes a matter of where you think your team is, can this FA fill the gap for a year or two and most importantly being able to evaluate properly, which is something the cowboys have been very bad at for a very long time. excluding 2020 draft, the prior 15 years we drafted 1 player of impact, namely Lawrence. the rest were bad and now mostly gone....it remains to be seen how Diggs and Galimore turn out, but we have to discuss the defensive evaluation process, which has been atrocious.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

 

[CouchCoach]

Don't know, but don't see us winning
With that dumpster fire defense we had last year.
Hopefully it has improved

I wouldn't insult defenses to call that a defense.

I like what they did in the draft and FA and with the coaching change.

I wanted them to move up for Barmore and/or Moehrig but won't know about either of those for awhile.

As a fan, I really have no complaint about this off season. The defense was awful, they changed out the DC and drafted 8 D players and all I am looking for is some progress and I don't care about the yards, points and turnovers is where it's at. I really do think we are going to be pleasantly surprised with this defense.

I am actually more concerned with the health of the OL than the D.

 

[Jake]

Rules today make it difficult to stop the pass without a strong, consistent pass rush. But you can't let teams just run it down your throats on top of it.

Make a team HAVE to pass, and get in the face of the QB, and even the Chiefs can struggle. We saw that in the SB.

It still starts with stopping the run.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I've been noticing this trend for the last 10 years or so but there seems to be this growing chasm between defensive and offensive players.

When you think of the stars in the NFL, in the top 10, how many are on the D side?

There just aren't enough strong D players to go around.

Look at this draft and the D players, even the CB's. Horn, Surtain and Farley all get picked in the 1st but isn't that by default? Pick of a homely litter?

The picking is slim so if a team finds one, they've got to hold onto him and when they let him walk, does that really make a real difference on either team?

Look at Byron Jones. He isn't great but I was concerned about losing him because of what they didn't have to replace him. His absence and presence on either team went unnoticed.

Aren't most of the teams composed of JAG's on defense? Some player will show up one week and then what? There's the exception of Aaron Donald and who else? The inconsistent play is the most consistent element.

I think building a defense in the NFL is the toughest challenge and if they build it, keeping it together poses the next problem. Let's watch the WFT try and do that without sacrificing a real QB.

I am in no way excusing the poor job of building Cowboys defenses for so long but the margin for error is ever so thin when they pick just two wrong players.

The other side of the ball is just better. The OL's are better than the DL's and the receivers are better than the secondary's and we've got a lot of QB's making it look easy because it is.

The WFT has built a nice defense, now lets see them keep it together because this isn't 2000 or 2003 where a team can take a shut down D to a ring, one ring. If a team doesn't have the offense, the QB, they're not winning a ring. And the majority of talent is on the O side because that's where the money is.

I do not see this changing, only getting more inequitable to the D side because the growth in money has been going to the O side and it's not even close.

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

The NFL has tilted the game toward passing and scoring. Makes the offense win. Doesn't give the defense a chance. Points per game hit the highest ever last year, at 24.8, over a point higher than the second highest year.

Can't hit WRs. Can't even brush by QBs outside the strike zone. They've just made it very hard to make plays on defense.

They had the right idea with Byron. Fast, long, leaping ability. If you can't hit anyone anymore, you have to be able to challenge the ball. Too bad Byron just didn't have the knack for it. Quinn's stress on length probably makes sense for the new NFL too.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Rules today make it difficult to stop the pass without a strong, consistent pass rush. But you can't let teams just run it down your throats on top of it.

Make a team HAVE to pass, and get in the face of the QB, and even the Chiefs can struggle. We saw that in the SB.

KC's oline was a mess for the SB. Much easier to get in the face of a QB when that happens.
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/super-bowl-kansas-city-chiefs-offensive-line-patrick-mahomes

 

[Typhus]

Rules today make it difficult to stop the pass without a strong, consistent pass rush. But you can't let teams just run it down your throats on top of it.

Make a team HAVE to pass, and get in the face of the QB, and even the Chiefs can struggle. We saw that in the SB.

It still starts with stopping the run.

As long as RBs still get drafted, that should always be the top objective.

 

[john van brocklin]

I wouldn't insult defenses to call that a defense.

I like what they did in the draft and FA and with the coaching change.

I wanted them to move up for Barmore and/or Moehrig but won't know about either of those for awhile.

As a fan, I really have no complaint about this off season. The defense was awful, they changed out the DC and drafted 8 D players and all I am looking for is some progress and I don't care about the yards, points and turnovers is where it's at. I really do think we are going to be pleasantly surprised with this defense.

I am actually more concerned with the health of the OL than the D.

I concur with the off season moves u noted

 

[plasticman]

I've been noticing this trend for the last 10 years or so but there seems to be this growing chasm between defensive and offensive players.

When you think of the stars in the NFL, in the top 10, how many are on the D side?

There just aren't enough strong D players to go around.

Look at this draft and the D players, even the CB's. Horn, Surtain and Farley all get picked in the 1st but isn't that by default? Pick of a homely litter?

The picking is slim so if a team finds one, they've got to hold onto him and when they let him walk, does that really make a real difference on either team?

Look at Byron Jones. He isn't great but I was concerned about losing him because of what they didn't have to replace him. His absence and presence on either team went unnoticed.

Aren't most of the teams composed of JAG's on defense? Some player will show up one week and then what? There's the exception of Aaron Donald and who else? The inconsistent play is the most consistent element.

I think building a defense in the NFL is the toughest challenge and if they build it, keeping it together poses the next problem. Let's watch the WFT try and do that without sacrificing a real QB.

I am in no way excusing the poor job of building Cowboys defenses for so long but the margin for error is ever so thin when they pick just two wrong players.

The other side of the ball is just better. The OL's are better than the DL's and the receivers are better than the secondary's and we've got a lot of QB's making it look easy because it is.

The WFT has built a nice defense, now lets see them keep it together because this isn't 2000 or 2003 where a team can take a shut down D to a ring, one ring. If a team doesn't have the offense, the QB, they're not winning a ring. And the majority of talent is on the O side because that's where the money is.

I do not see this changing, only getting more inequitable to the D side because the growth in money has been going to the O side and it's not even close.

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

Your last statement says it all. Playing defense in the NFL has to be frustrating with all the limitations as a result of the rule changes deliberately designed to help the offense and create more scoring.

The first large group of changes occurred in 1979. Before they installed the "in the grasp" rule, the play wasn't over until the QB was on the ground and defenders used some pretty interesting methods to make that happen. When we look at the difference in passer rating between now and then, fans need to understand that the greatest reason for that was the rule changes.

Many fans believe that most players in 1970 would have a real tough time playing now. I submit that there are many QB's now that would be extremely uncomfortable playing in Roger Staubach's time.

 

[Future]

It's not that there are fewer talented defensive players - there's probably more athleticism and pure talent on defense now than ever before. But the rules mitigate that, and offensive coaches have gotten smart to the point that they can compensate for that having less talent.

A good WR beats a great CB more often than not.

 

[OmerV]

At the end of the day, even if things are tilted toward the offense, and offenses are scoring more than ever, a defense that gives up fewer points than another defense helps its team win.

The Bills, for example, were 16th in the NFL giving up 23.4 ppg, and the Cowboys gave up almost 29.6 ppg last year, so even a middle of the road defense would mean 6.2 fewer ppg the offense would need to score to win

 

[cowboyec]

we will win the super bowl.
and soon...micah parsons will crash everybody's top 10 lists.

 

[xwalker]

I've been noticing this trend for the last 10 years or so but there seems to be this growing chasm between defensive and offensive players.

When you think of the stars in the NFL, in the top 10, how many are on the D side?

There just aren't enough strong D players to go around.

Look at this draft and the D players, even the CB's. Horn, Surtain and Farley all get picked in the 1st but isn't that by default? Pick of a homely litter?

The picking is slim so if a team finds one, they've got to hold onto him and when they let him walk, does that really make a real difference on either team?

Look at Byron Jones. He isn't great but I was concerned about losing him because of what they didn't have to replace him. His absence and presence on either team went unnoticed.

Aren't most of the teams composed of JAG's on defense? Some player will show up one week and then what? There's the exception of Aaron Donald and who else? The inconsistent play is the most consistent element.

I think building a defense in the NFL is the toughest challenge and if they build it, keeping it together poses the next problem. Let's watch the WFT try and do that without sacrificing a real QB.

I am in no way excusing the poor job of building Cowboys defenses for so long but the margin for error is ever so thin when they pick just two wrong players.

The other side of the ball is just better. The OL's are better than the DL's and the receivers are better than the secondary's and we've got a lot of QB's making it look easy because it is.

The WFT has built a nice defense, now lets see them keep it together because this isn't 2000 or 2003 where a team can take a shut down D to a ring, one ring. If a team doesn't have the offense, the QB, they're not winning a ring. And the majority of talent is on the O side because that's where the money is.

I do not see this changing, only getting more inequitable to the D side because the growth in money has been going to the O side and it's not even close.

The rules changed to favor the offense and the money followed and players follow the money.

Why does it matter? All teams have the same issue.

If offenses start averaging 100 points per game and the Cowboys defense averages giving up 80 per game then they're a good defense.