Cowboys have no splash players on defense

[CowboyRoy]

Gregory is an elite athlete who would have been a Top 5 pick if his head was screwed on right. And Gregory hasn't demonstrated he can stop the run either, Dallas didn't think Watt could hold up against the run and Watt hasn't proven that in a 4-3.

Watt's position in this defense was where DLaw plays and no one thinks Watt would do it better.

Gregory was certainly better than Quiinn against the run and Watt could play either side DE.

 

[MysteryIceGuro]

It’s the scheme more than anything. I bet if any of these players were on another team, majority of them would make bigger splash plays. Hasn’t Kris Richard specifically said he doesn’t want his players turning their heads for interceptions? To keep and lock themselves on the receiver/target and the target only? Darnold himself figured out our defense and that in itself proves it’s not the “players” (usually) rather than the predictable, old scheme.

Also, the coaches should tell you all you need to know. I know Lewis gets “burned” sometimes by a receiver, but he’s better than Anthony Brown is as of right now. He’s one of the only “ball hawks” we have. However, Richard has Brown starting over Lewis simply because he’s taller and has longer arms. How ridiculous is that? That’s a very stupid and stubborn way of thinking and coaching and a very bad way to judge players unless you’re into basketball.

 

[jaythecowboy]

Gregory is an elite athlete who would have been a Top 5 pick if his head was screwed on right. And Gregory hasn't demonstrated he can stop the run either, Dallas didn't think Watt could hold up against the run and Watt hasn't proven that in a 4-3.

Watt's position in this defense was where DLaw plays and no one thinks Watt would do it better.

Watt would be a right end, not left end where D Law plays. If anything, Taco is the player that should have been a left end. I still think Taco was meant to replace D Law but then he had that great season.

 

[Number1]

He doesn't want to pour more resources into this but also doesn't want to get more resources for next year and a new coach.

care to explain what that means?

 

[Zordon]

I sometimes wonder if this message board is filled with out of work teachers the way everyone grades every aspect of the team, coaches, players, GM, water boy, cheerleaders et al.

TD, you've mellowed over the years. I remember when you were a very critical poster.

 

[Number1]

However, Richard has Brown starting over Lewis simply because he’s taller and has longer arms. How ridiculous is that? That’s a very stupid and stubborn way of thinking and coaching and a very bad way to judge players unless you’re into basketball.

lol, it's called speed, 4.5 CBs can only be used in zone with deep help, and the Boys play a ton of man

 

[Runwildboys]

Are there any players that you would put in the top 50 nfl defenders?

Signing Lawrence was a mistake. He has been a peaky player his whole career and paying players generally don't get them to improve or become more consistent. That they've continued to pay Crawford for years after they paid Brandon Carr for years, just shows how ridiculous this front office is.

But this defense lacks catalytic players. Byron Jones is a good player, but he isn't a catalyst. We have some good linebackers, but they aren't catalysts. Sean Lee used to be when he was healthy, but he isn't anymore.

The defense isn't good enough to win consistently with this offense against good teams. I think this team makes the playoffs edging out the Eagles, but that is due to the weakness of this division, rather than the strength of the Cowboys. This is not a 12 win team or even an 11 win team. At best they go 10-6, but more likely 9-7. Yet nothing was done at the trade deadline to either push this team to 11-5/12-4 or to put us in a better position to do so next year.

Jerry Jones is hedging, which is hilarious for a businessman like him. He doesn't want to pour more resources into this but also doesn't want to get more resources for next year and a new coach. That is how invested and determined he is into Dak and Garrett. We'll see if Dak gets his 30+ million dollar contract.

The defensive scheme also limits players ability to be catalytic.

The scheme is passive by design and more
Worried about limiting big plays and hoping for the opposing offense to make a mistake.

Rather than playing aggressively and trying to force the issue.

The scheme and overall philosophy is a major reason for the lack of “catalytic” plays. IMO.

So now if they get a turnover, do we have to call them "The Catalytic Converters"?

 

[HungryLion]

So now if they get a turnover, do we have to call them "The Catalytic Converters"?

If we lose a bunch more games. We will call it a cataclysm.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Are there any players that you would put in the top 50 nfl defenders?

Signing Lawrence was a mistake.

I seriously didn't read any more than that.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Are there any players that you would put in the top 50 nfl defenders?

Signing Lawrence was a mistake. He has been a peaky player his whole career and paying players generally don't get them to improve or become more consistent. That they've continued to pay Crawford for years after they paid Brandon Carr for years, just shows how ridiculous this front office is.

But this defense lacks catalytic players. Byron Jones is a good player, but he isn't a catalyst. We have some good linebackers, but they aren't catalysts. Sean Lee used to be when he was healthy, but he isn't anymore.

The defense isn't good enough to win consistently with this offense against good teams. I think this team makes the playoffs edging out the Eagles, but that is due to the weakness of this division, rather than the strength of the Cowboys. This is not a 12 win team or even an 11 win team. At best they go 10-6, but more likely 9-7. Yet nothing was done at the trade deadline to either push this team to 11-5/12-4 or to put us in a better position to do so next year.

Jerry Jones is hedging, which is hilarious for a businessman like him. He doesn't want to pour more resources into this but also doesn't want to get more resources for next year and a new coach. That is how invested and determined he is into Dak and Garrett. We'll see if Dak gets his 30+ million dollar contract.

Defense is fine top ten is good enough and adding Bennett is a major plus as I feel he has the gusto along with D-Law and Quinn to make a major difference for our pass rush.
Our problems are our offense that has major scoring issues esp early and finds ways of only producing when the game is out of reach score-wise.
If you're looking for Blame look on the other side of the ball.....

 

[jnday]

Quinn, Jaylon, LVE, Lawrence.......I count four.

I don’t know if Lawrence should be included in any way. He was overpaid and won’t live up to the contract. I have never trusted him to produce.

 

[ghst187]

[QUOTE="CowboyRoy, post: 9630267, member: 34847And we have a scheme that is old, predictable, and stale.[/QUOTE]

This is far more the problem than talent. Plenty of teams do more with less via scheme and strategy, we do less with more...

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I think Lewis can be if the coaches let him play.

Me too.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I don’t know if Lawrence should be included in any way. He was overpaid and won’t live up to the contract. I have never trusted him to produce.

He’s been one of the best ends in the league for the past 3 years. Just because he’s coming off a injury and looks rusty....I can’t say he’s not. Teams treat him like he’s still one of the best.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

In terms of pure talent, maybe. But let's get real. Only Quinn is a splash player in this scheme.

I will not argue that we have talent. But that does not matter if the scheme and things they are asked to do are not set up for success.

I’m not sure what you mean by this scheme. These guys have made splash plays last season and this year. Not as many as last year but they’ve made splash plays.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Are there any players that you would put in the top 50 nfl defenders?

Signing Lawrence was a mistake. He has been a peaky player his whole career and paying players generally don't get them to improve or become more consistent. That they've continued to pay Crawford for years after they paid Brandon Carr for years, just shows how ridiculous this front office is.

But this defense lacks catalytic players. Byron Jones is a good player, but he isn't a catalyst. We have some good linebackers, but they aren't catalysts. Sean Lee used to be when he was healthy, but he isn't anymore.

The defense isn't good enough to win consistently with this offense against good teams. I think this team makes the playoffs edging out the Eagles, but that is due to the weakness of this division, rather than the strength of the Cowboys. This is not a 12 win team or even an 11 win team. At best they go 10-6, but more likely 9-7. Yet nothing was done at the trade deadline to either push this team to 11-5/12-4 or to put us in a better position to do so next year.

Jerry Jones is hedging, which is hilarious for a businessman like him. He doesn't want to pour more resources into this but also doesn't want to get more resources for next year and a new coach. That is how invested and determined he is into Dak and Garrett. We'll see if Dak gets his 30+ million dollar contract.

I think we do, just not in the secondary. Lawrence was recovering from off season surgery, so we shouldn’t be surprised by the slow start. But with that being said he still has one of the highest double team and win rates at DE. And Quinn through 5 games has been better.

I’m not sure what the deal with LVE and Jaylon are, but they both showed capable of that last year. Yes there is more film on how to attack them, but I suspect the lack of solid play at DT, specifically run downs, is effecting them.

Where we lack difference makers is the secondary. The secondary, minus Heath are all solid players, and would start for several teams. But not all 3 on the same team. And I think the coaching style differences between Marenelli and Richard factor in as well. Look at what Richard used in Seattle...big beefy DTs and long DBs. Now compare that to Marenelli in Tampa. Smaller quicker DTs and Smaller DBs who have great ball skills (I know Richard and Thomas has great ball skills, but it wasn’t really the calling card for the rest of the DBs). The compromise seems to be Marenelli gets the Dlinemen he wants and Richard gets the DBs he wants and that may just not work.

 

[ItzKelz]

It's not the players its the scheme that Kris has no flexibility on. Some weeks we will look great and others we will not. No doubt in my mind we will end up in the top 10 by seasons end but coaches have to adjust when the time calls for it and Kris has never done that.

 

[Silly]

Quinn, Jaylon, LVE, Lawrence.......I count four.

how often do they create turnovers and defensive TDs. Somebody get primetime on the Jerry yacht phone. Dallas needs some splash plays.

 

[JoeKing]

I don't care about "splash" players(whatever that is). I care about players that do their job and do it well. We have a bunch of good players on defensive that aren't doing their job. It's not asking for much to fix this, just do your damn job!

 

[Runwildboys]

I don’t know if Lawrence should be included in any way. He was overpaid and won’t live up to the contract. I have never trusted him to produce.

His teammates seem to look up to him, and in interviews with them they talk about him like he's the best one, so maybe they're seeing more than stats.