The Worst Defenses the Top 10 QBs Have Had

[DallasEast]

Threads like these pop up multiple times every day.

Fixed.

 

[jterrell]

Here's some of the other defenses Dak has had:

2016: Ranked 5th in Team Defense (Ezekiel Elliott was also the NFL Rushing Leader)
2018: Ranked 6th in Team Defense (Ezekiel Elliott was also the NFL Rushing Leader)
2021: Ranked 7th in Team Defense, and Ranked 1st in Takeaways
2022: Ranked 6th in Team Defense, and Ranked 1st in Takeaways
2023: Ranked 5th in Team Defense

Poor Dak has never had any help at all. </sarcasm>

oh goodie the dummies have come out to play.

2016: Rookie Dak throws for over 300 yards with 3 TDs and scores 31 points in a loss.
2018: Wins playoff game in year 3. next game defense gives up 273 yards rushing.
2021: Very mid Dak performance but allowed 169 yards rushing and lost TOP by 8 minutes to SF.
2023: Beats the brakes of Brady to end his career. Has stinker in San Fran where we again lose rushing battle by over 40 yards.

Dak has had 7 playoff games and has passed for less than 250 yards all of twice.
Playoff Defense Performance: In the actual playoff games, those defenses allowed 27.1 PPG (which would usually rank near the bottom of the league in any given regular season)

Dak looked bad versus San Fran twice. Outside those 2 games he either got no help from the defense AT ALL or he won games.

 

[75boyz]

Other than their lone Super Bowl year, most all of Rodgers's GB playoff defenses were extremely poor or worse.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

And several TOs early in the game as the D bailed him out. Gotta give the D most of the credit.

1 TO in each

Fumble 6 in the first one and a first quarter arm punt in the second one

 

[StarBoyz83]

oh goodie the dummies have come out to play.

2016: Rookie Dak throws for over 300 yards with 3 TDs and scores 31 points in a loss.
2018: Wins playoff game in year 3. next game defense gives up 273 yards rushing.
2021: Very mid Dak performance but allowed 169 yards rushing and lost TOP by 8 minutes to SF.
2023: Beats the brakes of Brady to end his career. Has stinker in San Fran where we again lose rushing battle by over 40 yards.

Dak has had 7 playoff games and has passed for less than 250 yards all of twice.
Playoff Defense Performance: In the actual playoff games, those defenses allowed 27.1 PPG (which would usually rank near the bottom of the league in any given regular season)

Dak looked bad versus San Fran twice. Outside those 2 games he either got no help from the defense AT ALL or he won games.

The offense lost 2 playoff games the defense lost 2 playoff games they both were the reason for the last loss mainly the defense though.

 

[Kwyn]

There are certainly more variables. This list acts like it's all on the quarterback to overcome the scoring defense. Running game is a factor. Turnovers are a factor. Offensive line is a factor. Receivers are a factor. Special teams is a factor. Coaching is a factor.

Dude, check the logo

It says CowboysZone

Everything is the QBs fault, even our defense.

 

[kskboys]

oh goodie the dummies have come out to play.

2016: Rookie Dak throws for over 300 yards with 3 TDs and scores 31 points in a loss.
2018: Wins playoff game in year 3. next game defense gives up 273 yards rushing.
2021: Very mid Dak performance but allowed 169 yards rushing and lost TOP by 8 minutes to SF.
2023: Beats the brakes of Brady to end his career. Has stinker in San Fran where we again lose rushing battle by over 40 yards.

Dak has had 7 playoff games and has passed for less than 250 yards all of twice.
Playoff Defense Performance: In the actual playoff games, those defenses allowed 27.1 PPG (which would usually rank near the bottom of the league in any given regular season)

Dak looked bad versus San Fran twice. Outside those 2 games he either got no help from the defense AT ALL or he won games.

True, but he was terrible vs GB.

 

[kskboys]

The offense lost 2 playoff games the defense lost 2 playoff games they both were the reason for the last loss mainly the defense though.

Yeah, as bad as the D was, Dak was worse. They actually got a couple of stops early, but Dak turned the ball over.

 

[kskboys]

1 TO in each

Fumble 6 in the first one and a first quarter arm punt in the second one

You would know better than I!!!!

However, Hurts was just OK in the 2nd one.

 

[gimmesix]

Dude, check the logo

It says CowboysZone

Everything is the QBs fault, even our defense.

I guess I'm taking exception to "worst defense they (the QBs) took to the playoffs," like it was the defense's fault for being the worst but the QB's credit that he took them to the playoffs anyway. No one else on offense was the reason the team overcame its defense, just the QB.

 

[DarkVader33]

Here's some of the other defenses Dak has had:

2016: Ranked 5th in Team Defense (Ezekiel Elliott was also the NFL Rushing Leader)
2018: Ranked 6th in Team Defense (Ezekiel Elliott was also the NFL Rushing Leader)
2021: Ranked 7th in Team Defense, and Ranked 1st in Takeaways
2022: Ranked 6th in Team Defense, and Ranked 1st in Takeaways
2023: Ranked 5th in Team Defense

Poor Dak has never had any help at all. </sarcasm>

You lose all credibility bringing up Quinn’s porous Ds. You know, the same ones that disappeared in big games / playoffs and couldn’t stop the run

 

[plasticman]

How many of us actually remember the events that led to this poor defensive showing in 2024?

I remember being very excited about that season. We had two young All-Pro CB's, Diggs and Bland. Each led the NFL in INTs over the past three seasons.

They played together in one game. We kept getting medical reports from Jerry Jones saying Diggs was expected to play any week. That lasted over half the season. When he finally came in he didn't look right and then Bland got hurt.

We had legendary depth at the EDGE position. We had Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence. Sam Young had a productive first two seasons and we were looking for an upward trajectory The Cowboys drafted Marshawn Kneeland in the 2nd round.

By the 5th game of the season all four were down. The starters for the 6th game were Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston.

Overshown lost his entire rookie season the year before. When he came back he looked like a budding star, dominant. He was injured again in the 12th game.

In their previous season, 2023, the Cowboys were ranked 5th in both points allowed and yards allowed.

In 2024, their defense was ranked 31st in points allowed and 28th in yards allowed.

Many blame Zimmer for 2024 in the same way they blame Eberflus for 2025. However, there wasn't much Zimmer could do with a 3rd team defense. the plyers were dropping like flies throughout teh season.

There were 22 players on the Cowboys defense that started at least 1 game including household names like Troy Pride Jr, Nick Vigil, Andrew Boothe and Amani Oruwarive.

I think that the 2025 defense was self-inflicted. In 2024 it was more like the song "Born Under a Bad Sign"

If it wasn't for bad luck, they wouldn't have any luck at all.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

You would know better than I!!!!

However, Hurts was just OK in the 2nd one.

I’ll split the difference and say most of Hurts’ performance was unimpactful based on what the defense was doing. But 300 yards and 3 TDs for anybody in a SB is pretty stout

 

[diamonddelts]

I remember being very excited about that season.

We had legendary depth at the EDGE position.

You must have watched an alternate reality in Bizarro world.

 

[Whirlwin]

True, but he was terrible vs GB.

I remember it was Byron Jones, they couldn’t knock the ball down after Aaron Rodgers got loose, we didn’t have the ball last they did

 

[kskboys]

How many points did the D score….

Several, as they completely shut down Mahomes. Keeping the other team from scoring is the same as scoring.

For example, the previous super bowl that Philly lost was lost due to the D not being able to stop the opposing O.

 

[kskboys]

I remember it was Byron Jones, they couldn’t knock the ball down after Aaron Rodgers got loose, we didn’t have the ball last they did

The last one.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Several, as they completely shut down Mahomes. Keeping the other team from scoring is the same as scoring.

For example, the previous super bowl that Philly lost was lost due to the D not being able to stop the opposing O.

You can’t win 0-0 though. You have to score and control clock. Saquon had 57 yards rushing Chiefs limited him.

 

[zrinkill]

Dak played good his first few playoff games where he had a 1-2 record with 4 Td's and 2 int's

Since the first game vs the 49'rs (WHERE I THINK HIS HEAD GOT MESSED UP)

He has a 1-3 record and scored 9 td's and had 5 int's

4 of those 9 Td's came from the 8-9 bucs team where he also had 0 int's

In his 2 wins he had 5 TD's and 1 Int

In his 5 loses he has 9 TD's and 6 Int's

The defense has been just as bad in the playoffs ....... giving up an average of 27.1 points per game.

Greenbay has scored 82 points against us in 2 playoff games.

San Fran has only scored 42 points against us but we only scored 29 in 2 games.

 

[shabazz]

Here's some of the other defenses Dak has had:

2016: Ranked 5th in Team Defense (Ezekiel Elliott was also the NFL Rushing Leader)
2018: Ranked 6th in Team Defense (Ezekiel Elliott was also the NFL Rushing Leader)
2021: Ranked 7th in Team Defense, and Ranked 1st in Takeaways
2022: Ranked 6th in Team Defense, and Ranked 1st in Takeaways
2023: Ranked 5th in Team Defense

Poor Dak has never had any help at all. </sarcasm>

Holding the vaunted Niners offense to just 1 TD in the 2023 Divisional playoff game and still losing is the most painful one of all.......it doesn't get more de-balling than that.