Our defense in the 5 playoff losses in last decade

[CCBoy]

5 sacks? Could that be, in part, because Parsons fades down the stretch? Plays too many snaps early on and wears down.

I want to see him more at LB this year. We have all kinds of edge players. Plus, we need help against the run.

This element can still be in the works.

The defense did not force it's will against opponent offenses.

Mix this with an offense that believed in a gamed gamble that did not force an offensive element against an opposing offense based upon defineable strengths.

No, Parsons was at no point a Lawrence Taylor or even a dominant force in an aggressive and game changer group.

This group better not become Holywood Stars but a group that a team doesn't want released upon it's team. *They better not become Olympic flag football heroes.

 

[75boyz]

A strong counter point to this OP would be a simple What was the average output of the offense in the playoffs based on their offensive opportunities?

3 and outs and turnovers and the impact on those losses?

It cuts both ways.
Is there some unwritten law that I'm unaware of that says the team is not allowed to win a shootout playoff contest?
And for the offense to do their part in order for that to happen?

If the defense is always gonna be held to a higher standard to do their job while totally relieving the offense of ANY responsibility then these defensive fault discussions will always remain biased.

I'm just asking for the offense to pull it's weight.
And by that I don't mean to generate fake comebacks against prevent defense after you sucked for a whole half or 3 quarters.

jmo

 

[CCBoy]

Sorry Bob, but Dak has been just as bad if not worse than the defense. Especially in the last 3 losses

Not at all. Gambling meeting up against challenge. Don't wait for Sodom and Gomorrow to change things around.

Don't kid although, it won't take Sodom parties to show threads of cloth. Dak has the talent but the focus and discipline can not lose leadership and over riding direction in team.

Dak doesn't have to be given opportunity to get lucky. He has to forge game changers by over coming, himself.

These Cowboys need to be lead by Prescott and Parson....not 'cool.'

 

[Jarntt]

In the last decade, the Cowboys have played in 7 playoff games, winning 2 and losing 5. The two wins in the last decade were a 2018 wild card win vs Seattle and a 2021 wild card win vs Tampa.

The five playoff losses in the last decade are what I want to focus on here because the similarities in what caused those losses are glaring. Those losses aren’t all on the defense. Yes, Dak has some blame for sure. But it’s not all on him either.

Here are the 5 playoff losses in the last decade:

• 2016 L 34-31 vs packers in divisional round at home.
• 2018 L 30-22 vs rams in divisional round on the road.
• 2021 L 23-17 vs niners in wild card round at home.
• 2022 L 19-12 vs niners in divisional round on the road.
• 2023 L 48-32 vs packers in wild card round at home.

I want to look at our common problems in these playoff losses and whether they have been addressed. Here are some stats that show patterns in the 5 playoff losses:

• Cowboys defense in the 5 playoff losses:
  • Avg giving up 31 points per game. (Take out the GB loss and still avg giving up 27 ppg)
  • Avg giving up 157 yards per game on the ground. (Take out the 273 in the 2018 rams L and we still avg giving up nearly 130 yds per game on the ground)
  • 3rd down conversions. In the 5 playoff losses of the last decade, our defense allowed 30 of 58 3rd downs to be converted. 52%!! Horrible.
  • Despite being one of the best sack teams in the league, the Cowboys only had 4 total sacks in all 5 playoff losses. Less than 1 per game.
  • Despite being one of the better defenses to create TOs, our D only had 3 TOs created in the 5 playoff losses.

These 5 losses weren’t all on the defense. Yes, Dak has played poorly at times, especially the last two playoff losses. But if we are being objective, he’s not been as bad as our defense.

Because if you avg giving up 30 points in a playoff game, avg giving up 157 yards rushing in the playoffs, and allow the opponents a 52% third down conversion rate, can’t sack the QB or get TOs, it’s pretty hard to win.

Does the FO understand this yet?

While I don't disagree, I also kind of feel like that's more than a little misleading because offense and defense affect each other greatly in football and in particular from a field position perspective. I'll stick with the last 3 losses just to stay with this past group of players and coaches to show what I am trying to say:

2021 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, punt, TD, punt, punt, Interception, punt...
2022 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, interception, TD, interception, punt, FG, punt...
2023 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, interception, punt interception for TD: 27-0 game basically over

Of course the defense is going to struggle when the offense does this and even a good run defense is going to give up yards just from trialing so early and by so much. Now, that of course doesn't excuse our run defense which was putrid, it just shows that the offense had a hand in the "defensive struggles" you correctly pointed out

 

[Chasing6]

Losing in the playoffs has been the issue for 30 years. Not the defense overall.
Some of those playoffs losses the offense didn’t help any.

When we start giving up less than 20 points a game, I will agree with you.

 

[CCBoy]

When we start giving up less than 20 points a game, I will agree with you.

The team's core is subject to game changers and doesn't force them their selves with all on the line. That reflects the Head Coach and leadership strength.

 

[shabazz]

Just these 3 stats are mind blowing!

Giving up 31 ppg, 157 yds rushing and allowing 52% 3rd down conversion rate! You can’t beat anybody with that kind of defense!

Solid points taken and yes the defense blows chunks, just as it did with Romo, but when you look at 4 of those 5 losses you mentioned, the Cowboys offense never scored more than 7 point in the ENTIRE FIRST HALF!!

That's an offense that got deballed 4 out of 5 first halfs when it counted most......and that speaks for itself

 

[RonWashington]

Just these 3 stats are mind blowing!

Giving up 31 ppg, 157 yds rushing and allowing 52% 3rd down conversion rate! You can’t beat anybody with that kind of defense!

And yet WR 2 and rebuilding the OL seemed the mission in the off-season . I said before the draft it should be a defensive dominated draft and no it wasn’t .

Look at the Commanders & Lions and both of them were done in by poor D after making strong regular season showings .

 

[Chasing6]

Solid points taken and yes the defense blows chunks, just as it did with Romo, but when you look at 4 of the 5 the Cowboys offense never scored more than 7 point in the ENTIRE FIRST HALF!!

That's an offense that got deballed 4 out of 5 first halfs when it counted most......and that speaks for itself

Pretty sure Mahomes did not score a TD in the first half against the Niners. Only scored 3 points right before the half.

In fact, the only TD the Mountian Mahomes had was after a muffed punt inside the 20.

 

[75boyz]

While I don't disagree, I also kind of feel like that's more than a little misleading because offense and defense affect each other greatly in football and in particular from a field position perspective. I'll stick with the last 3 losses just to stay with this past group of players and coaches to show what I am trying to say:

2021 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, punt, TD, punt, punt, Interception, punt...
2022 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, interception, TD, interception, punt, FG, punt...
2023 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, interception, punt interception for TD: 27-0 game basically over

Of course the defense is going to struggle when the offense does this and even a good run defense is going to give up yards just from trialing so early and by so much. Now, that of course doesn't excuse our run defense which was putrid, it just shows that the offense had a hand in the "defensive struggles" you correctly pointed out

Yep, exactly.

Your specific description here ties directly into my stance on what was done with the offensive opportunities.

 

[shabazz]

Pretty sure Mahomes did not score a TD in the first half against the Niners. Only scored 3 points right before the half.

In fact, the only TD the Mountian Mahomes had was after a muffed punt inside the 20.

4 out of 5 times is not an anomaly......its a pattern.

I'm a Cowboys fan, not a Chiefs fan so you can take it up with them and their 5 Super Bowl appearances in the last 6 years.

As a matter of fact, they have as many SB appearances as Dakota has playoff losses and as many SB losses as Rayne Dakota has playoff wins.......now there's a fact that's fun for the whole family!

 

[rambo2]

4 out of 5 times is not an anomaly......its a pattern.

I'm a Cowboys fan, not a Chiefs fan so you can take it up with them and their 5 Super Bowl appearances in the last 6 years.

As a matter of fact, they have as many SB appearances as Dakota has playoff losses and as many SB losses as Rayne Dakota has playoff wins.......now there's a fact that's fun for the whole family!

It took the Chiefs around 50 years to get their 2nd Super Bowl win.

 

[75boyz]

While I don't disagree, I also kind of feel like that's more than a little misleading because offense and defense affect each other greatly in football and in particular from a field position perspective. I'll stick with the last 3 losses just to stay with this past group of players and coaches to show what I am trying to say:

2021 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, punt, TD, punt, punt, Interception, punt...
2022 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, interception, TD, interception, punt, FG, punt...
2023 first offensive possessions of the game: punt, interception, punt interception for TD: 27-0 game basically over

Of course the defense is going to struggle when the offense does this and even a good run defense is going to give up yards just from trialing so early and by so much. Now, that of course doesn't excuse our run defense which was putrid, it just shows that the offense had a hand in the "defensive struggles" you correctly pointed out

Bingo.
Winner, winner chicken dinner.

 

[shabazz]

It took the Chiefs around 50 years to get their 2nd Super Bowl win.

Thank God we've got our history because the last 30 years has been a drought......thank-you Herschel Walker and Jimmie Johnson because the FO cant put together a Championship level roster without the 2 of yous.

 

[Havic]

• Despite being one of the best sack teams in the league, the Cowboys only had 4 total sacks in all 5 playoff losses. Less than 1 per game.

Cowboys are great at generating sacks when they have the lead and force teams to pass, not so much when they are playing from behind, especially if you cant stop the run

 

[Valkyr]

Arguing about the playoff versions of the offense or the defense is like arguing about constipation vs. diarrhea.

 

[jazzcat22]

When we start giving up less than 20 points a game, I will agree with you.

So you are saying the offense can’t score over 21 points a game.
Sounds like they are part of the problem.

 

[Jarntt]

So you are saying the offense can’t score over 21 points a game.
Sounds like they are part of the problem.

I wish it wasn't both because it would have been a much easier problem to solve if it was just one group that was lacking, but it has of course been both sides of the ball that have played a role...

 

[GINeric]

In the last decade, the Cowboys have played in 7 playoff games, winning 2 and losing 5. The two wins in the last decade were a 2018 wild card win vs Seattle and a 2021 wild card win vs Tampa.

The five playoff losses in the last decade are what I want to focus on here because the similarities in what caused those losses are glaring. Those losses aren’t all on the defense. Yes, Dak has some blame for sure. But it’s not all on him either.

Here are the 5 playoff losses in the last decade:

• 2016 L 34-31 vs packers in divisional round at home.
• 2018 L 30-22 vs rams in divisional round on the road.
• 2021 L 23-17 vs niners in wild card round at home.
• 2022 L 19-12 vs niners in divisional round on the road.
• 2023 L 48-32 vs packers in wild card round at home.

I want to look at our common problems in these playoff losses and whether they have been addressed. Here are some stats that show patterns in the 5 playoff losses:

• Cowboys defense in the 5 playoff losses:
  • Avg giving up 31 points per game. (Take out the GB loss and still avg giving up 27 ppg)
  • Avg giving up 157 yards per game on the ground. (Take out the 273 in the 2018 rams L and we still avg giving up nearly 130 yds per game on the ground)
  • 3rd down conversions. In the 5 playoff losses of the last decade, our defense allowed 30 of 58 3rd downs to be converted. 52%!! Horrible.
  • Despite being one of the best sack teams in the league, the Cowboys only had 4 total sacks in all 5 playoff losses. Less than 1 per game.
  • Despite being one of the better defenses to create TOs, our D only had 3 TOs created in the 5 playoff losses.

These 5 losses weren’t all on the defense. Yes, Dak has played poorly at times, especially the last two playoff losses. But if we are being objective, he’s not been as bad as our defense.

Because if you avg giving up 30 points in a playoff game, avg giving up 157 yards rushing in the playoffs, and allow the opponents a 52% third down conversion rate, can’t sack the QB or get TOs, it’s pretty hard to win.

Does the FO understand this yet?

I wish you would have added in the team penalties in those playoff losses as well. The weak low football IQ crowd will be angry at you for displaying real life facts that illuminates the lies and exaggerations they use to place blame at certain players. Killing their narratives with facts always make these weaklings mad and triggered.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

This is what I have been saying for years; but have been accused of being a Dak fan boy.

We can compare Dak's regular season numbers to the playoffs and see they do not match up, and that's fair.

But it's time to hold the rest of the team to the same standard we hold the quarterback to. Teams win championships; not any one player and not even just one position group. And in the playoffs, where the margin for error is even narrower, it's about time the defense rises to the occasion too.