We Had the Worst Defense in the NFL Last Year and we haven't improved it

Risen Star

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Being the worst and being 5th from the worst is like splitting hairs though, bossman. I'm too lazy to look into it more, but if dallas' offense was atrocious as the Raiders, we would have been bottom of the barrel on defense, even moreso than we were. A decent offense can mask/protect a horrid defense.

Be that as it may, I'm hopeful and casually optimistic about this year.

Our defense was the worst in team history and a lot of that was a direct result of the idiot owner forcing a schematic change when he scapegoated Rob Ryan.

I don't see a radically different defense today. The talent they brought in was marginal. They lost Ware, Hatcher and Lee.

You pretty much have to be forcefully optimistic simply because it's training camp time. There is nothing on paper that says this defense should be anything other than awful this year.
 

silver

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Would rather give up more yards or more points?

Points of course, but It doesn't really matter. You said it in another reply, we're splitting hairs here. We don’t need stats to know we were terrible on defense last year. We couldn’t stop second string QB’s towards the end of the season. Matt Flynn looked like the second coming of Brett Favre against us.
 

Idgit

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The defense was awful. We lost Hatcher and Lee and a declining Ware, and added Melton. That's a net loss in talent.

I don't agree that we haven't done anything defensively. We moved the deck chairs around quite a lot. We're getting promising players back from injury. We changed coordinators--whether Marinelli is a Kiffin disciple or not, he's a very different guy. We've added talent through the draft--though not enough. And a couple mid-tier FA DLs. My sense is that we've probably improved marginally, at best. And that's with Lawrence in the lineup. The offense is going to have to try to carry us again. And other teams in the NFCE are improving, too.

On a related note, did anybody happen to see Michael Irvin criticize the defensive intensity on NFL AM yesterday morning? He was at Bears camp, commenting on Dallas camp, and saying we needed to play like a pack of crazed dogs on defense, and we weren't displaying that tenacity so far. When I heard it, I was sure it was going to be a thread on it's own, but it fits in here, so I thought I'd mention it. I'm concerned about the level of improvement we could possibly see from this defense. We've got one or two guys even capable of being difference makers, and then a whole lot of hopefuls and haven't-done-it-yets.
 

65fastback2plus2

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The defense was awful. We lost Hatcher and Lee and a declining Ware, and added Melton. That's a net loss in talent.

I really disagree with this for a couple of reasons.

1) Someone is going to get the sacks. Hatcher was the one who benefited. Had he ever performed like that prior? No.
2) Where did hatchers sacks come from? Ware. Ware was just a name last year. Not a dominant force. You cant just think of the "average ware over the years" when discussing last year.
3) Lee...injured and out every year. Guess what? Injured and out this year. Thats net even really.
 

erod

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The defense was awful. We lost Hatcher and Lee and a declining Ware, and added Melton. That's a net loss in talent.

I don't agree that we haven't done anything defensively. We moved the deck chairs around quite a lot. We're getting promising players back from injury. We changed coordinators--whether Marinelli is a Kiffin disciple or not, he's a very different guy. We've added talent through the draft--though not enough. And a couple mid-tier FA DLs. My sense is that we've probably improved marginally, at best. And that's with Lawrence in the lineup. The offense is going to have to try to carry us again. And other teams in the NFCE are improving, too.

On a related note, did anybody happen to see Michael Irvin criticize the defensive intensity on NFL AM yesterday morning? He was at Bears camp, commenting on Dallas camp, and saying we needed to play like a pack of crazed dogs on defense, and we weren't displaying that tenacity so far. When I heard it, I was sure it was going to be a thread on it's own, but it fits in here, so I thought I'd mention it. I'm concerned about the level of improvement we could possibly see from this defense. We've got one or two guys even capable of being difference makers, and then a whole lot of hopefuls and haven't-done-it-yets.

I agree with that for the most part, but here's where I think there's more hope than you do.

A defense is not really based on its top players, it's based on the bottom ones. A good offensive team will just wear you out at one position if you're exposed. Last year, there was complete lack of pass rush and deep safety play. Dallas couldn't get off the field because the other team new exactly where the free money was.

That collection of spares that McClay had to go dig up out of a landfill was useless. Couldn't stand up against the run or pass. Ware was a traffic cone, and Hatcher was undisciplined. The rest were role players from Appalachian State. Add to that the exploits of three rookies - Heath, Hamilton, and Wilcox - playing their first season in the NFL as wide-eyed as can be without a hint of pass rush, and it was a recipe for disaster.

My hope is:
1. McClain replaces Lee and there's little to no drop off. Not as good in coverage as Lee, but better against the run.
2. The safeties grow up. I think Wilcox and Hamilton will be vastly improved.
3. Mo finally arrives as an above average corner to go with Scandrick and Carr.
4. Spencer returns fairly early in the season to fortify the defensive line and lead this thing.
5. This team has eight legitimate NFL defensive linemen to work into the rotation. This will at least be a real line, as opposed to those wannabes at the end of last year.

The best part is, we don't need it to be even above average. AVERAGE will do just fine for now with this high-powered offense.

I see far more hope with this group than the last couple of years.
 

Rockport

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Dallas allowed 432 points last year. I keep hearing how this is the worst.

The Falcons (4-12) allowed 443 points.
The Jaguars (4-12) allowed 449 points.
The Raiders (4-12) allowed 453 points.
The Commanders (3-13) and the Bears (8-8) both allowed 478 points.
The Vikings (5-10-1) allowed 480 points.

Not defending the Cowboys awful Defense, but aren't those worse?

Doesn't dismiss the fact that the defense was awful last year. All you had to do to determine that was watch the games. I disagree totally with the OP. I think Dallas has done much to improve the defense. Starting with Marinelli as the defensive coordinator.
 

Hostile

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Doesn't dismiss the fact that the defense was awful last year. All you had to do to determine that was watch the games. I disagree totally with the OP. I think Dallas has done much to improve the defense. Starting with Marinelli as the defensive coordinator.
See the last line of my post again and the word awful. Thanks.
 

Rockport

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See the last line of my post again and the word awful. Thanks.

It's like a player saying "It's not about the money" when it's always about the money. Your post inferred that the Cowboys defense isn't as bad as people thought. Can't have it both ways.
 

Idgit

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I really disagree with this for a couple of reasons.

1) Someone is going to get the sacks. Hatcher was the one who benefited. Had he ever performed like that prior? No.
2) Where did hatchers sacks come from? Ware. Ware was just a name last year. Not a dominant force. You cant just think of the "average ware over the years" when discussing last year.
3) Lee...injured and out every year. Guess what? Injured and out this year. Thats net even really.

I actually think there's a lot to be said about how easily we should be able to upgrade the worst of our DL snaps from last season. And there were a ton of low-end snaps we were relying on. I'm not saying improvement is out of the question, and even dramatic improvement would not shock me. I'm just not expecting it. Especially now that Lawrence is out for a bit.
 

65fastback2plus2

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I actually think there's a lot to be said about how easily we should be able to upgrade the worst of our DL snaps from last season. And there were a ton of low-end snaps we were relying on. I'm not saying improvement is out of the question, and even dramatic improvement would not shock me. I'm just not expecting it. Especially now that Lawrence is out for a bit.

i'll give ya that
 

Hostile

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It's like a player saying "It's not about the money" when it's always about the money. Your post inferred that the Cowboys defense isn't as bad as people thought. Can't have it both ways.
No, my post inferred we wren't the "worst" defense in the NFL. I never said they were good, and that is crystal clear.
 

Rockport

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No, my post inferred we wren't the "worst" defense in the NFL. I never said they were good, and that is crystal clear.

No you never said they were good. You were just talking out both sides of your mouth. Like I said, you can't have it both ways.
 

Hostile

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No you never said they were good. You were just talking out both sides of your mouth. Like I said, you can't have it both ways.
I didn't try to have anything both ways. Not my fault if you can't read it and grasp it.
 

Risen Star

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Doesn't dismiss the fact that the defense was awful last year. All you had to do to determine that was watch the games. I disagree totally with the OP. I think Dallas has done much to improve the defense. Starting with Marinelli as the defensive coordinator.

You don't think Marinelli had a lot of input into last year's defense?

Seriously, can one of you guys sit me down sometime and explain this Rod Marinelli thing?
 

Rockport

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You don't think Marinelli had a lot of input into last year's defense?

Seriously, can one of you guys sit me down sometime and explain this Rod Marinelli thing?

He's a good coach. Players love him and play hard for him.
 
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