Fixing the run defense is more that just upgrading Mazi Smith!

[Pass2Run]

You want responsibility? Are the 5 other veterans going to get paid and renegotiated this off season...beyond Parsons? Let's here more than shoving insult around. Explain where this today is actually going and more than blaming someone a fan as validly and ethically at blame for fan changes. Response to your accusations and not my topic chosen. You be honest. This defense is walking well beyond just being a dream in the sky. This staff is doing some real work.

That does include Jerry Jones and staff with a strong direction in player acquisitions. YOU get real and quit looking for your own whipping boys. YOUR focus, and not sharing team respect with myself. You have small hands?

You're doing good, CCBoy. Doing good. I actually appreciate your posts, my friend. Forgive me, my humor sucks sometimes.

 

[stilltheguru]

Prescott has been competitive at that level of real production since he entered. That is Air Force One levels, not looking for free gifts instead.

That's my point. Only Dallas does it. And we see what it got us with Dak. Thanks

 

[CCBoy]

You're doing good, CCBoy. Doing good. I actually appreciate your posts, my friend. Forgive me, my humor sucks sometimes.

Thank you Sir. I don't give up on another real fan. We share the game and this team!

 

[AyeAtey]

Is that your white car?

 

[AyeAtey]

Eazy, revel, and toia will make a big difference against the run game. Mark my words.

Hope you're right.

Is that your car?

Gomen, Cowboyny.

 

[CCBoy]

Is that your white car?

Myself, I just finish my purchase contract on my Ford Ecosport this next August.

 

[CCBoy]

Have the Dallas Cowboys done enough to make a real playoff run?​

Throw in the first 10 game schedule as to team developments.

 

[CCBoy]

Position group after position group the Eagles look like the superior team on paper with the Cowboys only arguably looking stronger at the quarterback, special teams and defensive end spots. The 2024 Eagles offense ranked No. 6 overall, posting the eighth-ranked EPA passing offense and the top-ranked EPA rushing offense. Operating behind the top-rated offensive line in football, the Eagles were a dominant attack in 2024 and appear to be geared up for much of the same in 2025.

The Cowboys' defense has gone through yet another realignment. Matt Eberflus replaces Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator and hopes to turn around the 28th-ranked defense in a single offseason. The Cowboys’ inability to stop opponent's rushing attacks was especially problematic last season.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/st...them&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

This is a new opening window now...

The key to winning in Philadelphia will be about keeping the score close and putting the pressure on the two passers late. Quarterbacking isn’t done in a vacuum, but recent data indicates the Cowboys have the advantage when playing from behind.

Based on EPA/dropback when trailing in the final five minutes, Dak Prescott ranks No. 6 in the NFL since 2020. Only Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes rank ahead of him. That’s pretty good company to keep.

Jalen Hurts is a much different story. Aided enormously by his All-Star cast, Hurts rarely has to do much heavy lifting as a passer late in games. When he does, the results are rather paltry. Trailing in the final five minutes, Hurts ranks 37th in the NFL, behind names like Bryce Young, Daniel Jones and Mac Jones.

 

[Rayman70]

This is a great thread Topic btw . I concur 1000% about the premise. Really what it is that we will need is having the right mentality, a belief, a conviction,mindset. Yes, we need the right players. Not sure we are done adding to the DT room but let's say we are, that's the red line in the sand. It begins and ends in the front 4. For example, we need Big defensive ends that understand contain and how to funnel runners back inside so a teammate can make a tackle if they can't make the play themselves. That's team ball. I'm confident the staff will engrain this into the guys. Too often we had hero ball going on with our defensive ends. Yes Micah too. He's kinda light to be at edge on running downs. Gets washed out, beat up, wore down. I think now that we have Kneeland, a bigger more physical end, he will help containing the run due to his understanding of how to use his size and power to leverage his man. It's all about not letting a RB get around the edge. That's where our dts must do there jobs. Mazi and others better make another leap this year. If we have a good year, we can look first at the ability to slow down the run. Time will tell. I think we had a great off-season and we have the pieces. Now it's a matter of fitting it all together. I'm ready for camp. I'm excited for the first time in years.

 

[Whyjerry]

I did a deep dive in our run defense after the Lions blowout loss last season. Not only did I look at the Cowboys but also around the league:

-I discovered that bigger personnel teams were more effective against the run. Also, the top run defenses employed a 3-4 front. Wanted a 3-4 defensive HC or DC and to re-shape the front with bigger players within the front 7. Cowboys management decided to not make the switch and would rather keep continuity playing a similar 4-3 scheme.

-When I researched the Cowboys specifically, they averaged 4.8 yards per rush (third worst), gave up 25 rushing TD's (worst) and were dead last in red zone defense. They actually were 9th in 3rd down defense, which tells us, they are getting killed on the run downs.

Outside runs gave this team fits: Early on both Parsons/DLaw struggled to set the edge, Golston was far better when he replaced DLaw as the starter. Parsons got better as the season progressed. Diggs who was the last line of the outside defense struggled filling his gap. Zimmer started to use more down lineman to force runs inside to was effective.

Especially early on, our defensive tackles were getting completely pushed down the field. Signing out of shape, late street fa's was apart of the problem. Phillips looked better with the Bills, Joseph played much better later in the season. Mazi had some real good stretches, but struggled with consistency. He played far better in year 2 under Zimmer. The interior was awful early on, but their play did improve.

Our linebackers really struggled to get off of blocks, Wilson was awful early on taking several bad angles and not maintaining his gap responsibilities. Maintaining gap responsibilities was a common theme, many were playing hero football and not maintaining their run fits, this opened up huge cut back lanes.

Lastly, Cowboys were a terrible tackling team early on in the season, but got much better under Zimmer as the season progressed, became the 2nd best after week 7.

Fixing the run defense, isn't just about upgrading Mazi Smith, he is the easy target but it is the whole front:

-Defensive Ends have to effectively set the edge and force all the runs inside where there are more players to make the tackle.
-Defensive Tackles have to hold their ground, cannot be 3 yards down the field, have to get some tackles for loss.
-Linebackers have to make quicker reads and do a better job getting off of blocks
-Cannot play hero ball and run out of their gap responsibilities
-Must continue to be a strong tackling team
-Consider using bigger fronts on the obvious run downs.

They are strong at DE. Even though I think most of those guys are OLBs. The DTs though…

I suggest everyone take a gander at that current roster. The current DT group is awful.

 

[Blackrain]

All true Mazi can't fix the run game by himself.
The scheme has to be altered to make stopping the run a priority.

The guys playing hero ball have to change their mindset.
Hopefully we have acquired some new players that have a physical mindset and understand the importance of stopping the run.

This isn't rocket science have to start getting guys to stop making business decisions and start sticking their nose in there and doing the dirty work of stopping the run instead of caring about nothing but sacking the quarterback and inflating those numbers.
And somehow figuring out how to get DJ reader from the Lions and on our roster wouldn't be a bad move either. Just saying

 

[charron]

This DL is small, focused mostly on getting sacks, breaks contain way too often on the edges. I would have preferred they get bigger on the DL then move the rushers around to create the pass rush/ confusion they want. They have the LB's who can chase a d make plays but I still think they are a bit weak at MLB. Hopefully they can figure some things out in camp and maybe 1 of those late round DT's can be surprisingly effective vs the run.

 

[kskboys]

Just have to play much better on offense. The defense needs a couple guys to really step up if our D is gonna be improved any at all

Not in the playoffs. To beat playoff quality QBs, you need a good D. The list is very very short(quite possibly non-existent) of the teams who made it to the super bowl w/o a good D. Or made it to the championship game.