Our defense in the 5 playoff losses in last decade

[kskboys]

Ok, so you expect something different from this group of DT's. Hope is not a strategy.

Yup.

And even moreso, why even enter this thread which is most obviously about evaluating what one thinks?

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

Lol, no disrespect here but here’s a link to Cowboys playoff history if you want to do that research.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/playoffs.htm

Theres a link to every box score for every playoff game if you want to do the research.

Hmmmm, thanks....but unfortunately I can't do that because my internets is stopped up.

All I ask is one small favor: go thru all the game logs, compile Dak's INTs, where on the field they occurred, the average INT return yardage, the average score from opponent after each INT on ensuing drive, then comp %, avg yds per completion, and avg time in pocket.

It should only take a few hours.....

I'll do my part too, by posting a picture of a deer in the headlights at the bottom of your statistics. Thanks pal. My Internets should be un-clogged and flowing freely again soon.

 

[McKDaddy]

Mac, I can only agree the D kept the score down. But….

• In the 23-17 loss, they gave up 169 yards rushing and had 5 lining up offsides penalties, and zero sacks. And it was 7-0 SF before our offense got on the field. Offense was bad too.
• In the 19-12 gameat SF, our defense played its best of the 5 playoff losses. But they gave up 7 of 14 third down conversions, including 3 in the 4th qtr when we needed the ball. Dak and the offense played worse.

Again, I’m not blaming this all on the defense. Dak and the offense share a lot of blame. But we have not had a defense that was playoff level.

All playoff teams need a balanced performance from all facets of their teams. Our lack of interior D talent has long been an achiles heel. No disagreement.

However, I can't say those weren't playoff level defensive performances. I mean that is keeping the opponent to less than average scoring when going against a team that was loaded. In 2022, we gave them a TD off turnover. In 2023, we turned the ball over twice & held them to two FG's. Gotta find a way to squeeze out more than 1 TD.

 

[SquidwardTentacles]

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?

Bend but don't break defenses are predicated on Offensive ball control. They are designed to give up lots of yardage but make just enough critical stops to win. When there is no consistent offensive ball control, they implode.

Whoever thought a bend but don't break defense was the complimentary counterpart to a Dak led offense, needs their head examined. And they purposely built it that way. Crazy!

When Dak starts humming along with his 3 and outs, and going to sleep for 2/3 of the game, the defense has no prayer of ever making a big stop.
Ownership and coaching malpractice on both sides of the ball. .

 

[morat1959]

Hard to imagine how McCarthy had 3 straight 12 win seasons under that premise. Maybe he should be in the HOF.

Where did those 12-5 seasons get us?

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The Eagles Defense won them the Superbowl and they used their first five picks in the Draft on Defense.

Cowboys might take note.

They will still absolutely suck against the Run next season which will ultimately be the downfall

been saying this in 20 other comments. their defense got them there. and they added to it.

 

[Rockport]

Ok, so you expect something different from this group of DT's. Hope is not a strategy.

Absolutely I expect something different. New coaches tend to do that as well as new players. Mazi could be a completely different player this year. For whatever reason, you refuse to acknowledge that.

 

[Bobhaze]

For balance, I just posted a thread on the offense’s performance in the 5 playoff losses this past decade.

 

[75boyz]

Jarntt's post #84 sums it up for me.
I personally can't blame the defense with that many failed offensive possessions every time they had the ball.

He gives the defense its due blame while pointing out the absolute futility of the offense.

The defense can't be expected to pull it's weight IF getting absolutely nothing in return from the offense.

Do a possession by possession breakdown as Jarntt did on both teams comparing what happened and again you can't fully fault the defense imo.

2 way street.

 

[GINeric]

D did their job in these games. They needed some help from the rest of the team.

In one of those games we had 14 penalties. No offense can help that.

 

[Bobhaze]

Jarntt's post #84 sums it up for me.
I personally can't blame the defense with that many failed offensive possessions every time they had the ball.

He gives the defense its due blame while pointing out the absolute futility of the offense.

The defense can't be expected to pull it's weight IF getting absolutely nothing in return from the offense.

Do a possession by possession breakdown as Jarntt did on both teams comparing what happened and again you can't fully fault the defense imo.

2 way street.

I agree. It’s the offense too.

 

[75boyz]

I agree. It’s the offense too.

Fair enough.
You're at 60-40 defense.
I'm at 50-50.

No worries.

Cowboys!

 

[ArtClink]

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?

Great write up and damning evidence on this defense. Bledsoe, Romo, & Dak were all good enough to get us to a conf championship game but the defense cannot make the critical stops in playoff games.

 

[Brax]

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?

The real problem is that the FO looks at the season and those weren’t bad D statically, problem is that like the O they aren’t the same D or O when playing top teams. The O totally disappearing for 2-3 quarters and leaving the D out to dry doesn’t help, Setting up the other team with picks and turnovers doesn’t help either. Not going to waste my time but how many points does the O gift as the wheels fall off and the the end of the game soft D allows the games to look respectable. The D wasn’t good but the O was terrible including the QB who couldn’t do anything for most of the games. Explain how you are going to pay for a great D when the Jones spend a lot more on offense and it appears they consider D just an after thought. I guess 1-2 high paid D players are supposed to carry the team while the highest paid QB needs 10 all world O players to help him.

 

[Chasing6]

Absolutely I expect something different. New coaches tend to do that as well as new players. Mazi could be a completely different player this year. For whatever reason, you refuse to acknowledge that.

Yes, Mazi is going to become a defensive player of the year.

 

[5Stars]

Here you go insults to more than half the board. Typical you have nothing just insult everyone, grow up.

There are a few that you just need to consider the source and move on. Remember, this forum is for the kids also, so try and abide by the rules, but some were never taught how to do that.

 

[Shannon1]

Cant have a bad defense when you have a bad performing QB in the playoffs. Simple as that.

I seen Roger throw for 120 and 3 into and they would still win

 

[Brax]

There are a few that you just need to consider the source and move on. Remember, this forum is for the kids also, so try and abide by the rules, but some were never taught how to do that.

That’s it kids, thanks

 

[Brax]

Great write up and damning evidence on this defense. Bledsoe, Romo, & Dak were all good enough to get us to a conf championship game but the defense cannot make the critical stops in playoff games.

So holding the 49ers to 19 points mostly FGs while the QB throws 2 interceptions and produced 12 points it’s the D’s fault.
23 points it’s the Ds fault they lost to SF the year before, So everyone wants the 85 bears and Ravens D so that it’s 14 points or with pick 6 Dak it’s 7 points, it’s not happening paying dumpster fire vets and spending high dollar on the O side. The D jones like is the kind that plays from a large lead and can Rush the QB unfortunately they can’t do that when the O craps the bed

 

[Chasing6]

Cowboys SB Wins - Defensive statements with average if 15 points per game.

1996 - 27 to 17 defense 4 sacks and 3 Int's & TD

1994 - 30 to 13 defense 3 sacks, 2 Int's, fumble, & TD.

1993 - 52 to 17 defense 1 sacks, 4 Int's, 5 fumble recoveries.

1978 - 27 to 10 defense 4 sacks, 4 Int's, 4 fumble recoveries.

1972 - 24 to 3 defense 1 sack, 1 Int, 1 fumble and we had 252 yards rushing.