Random Thoughts Cowboys Defense

[xwalker]

Coverage was much better in 2018 than in 2017. It was fundamentally sound in 2018. CB Brown said the 2017 coaches never coached him to play inside or outside leverage, etc.. That all got corrected to look like a legit NFL back 7 with Richard.

The problem is the overall scheme was susceptible to getting gashed by the run, especially by Zone Blocking offenses like the Rams, Vikings, 2019 Packers, etc.. The 49ers are masters of the ZBS.

The Rams game was reviewed by Cowboys opponents during the off-season and the Cowboys just don't have an answer for it in their basic defensive scheme.

Richard has tried to implement work-arounds to solve the run defense issues while keeping the Marinelli DL scheme but that has been at the expense of coverage.

It is impossible to know what Richard could do if he had been the legit D-Coordinator since the beginning of the off-season.

Jimmy often referenced the difficultly to implement anything new during the season and said it was the one thing that surprised him when coming to the NFL. The rules about practice time and tacking make it even more difficult now.

Regardless it's time to replace the coaching staff.

I think Kris Richard will eventually be a top D-Coordinator somewhere but it will need to be with a strong Head Coach.

 

[glimmerman]

Coverage was much better in 2018 than in 2017. It was fundamentally sound in 2018. CB Brown said the 2017 coaches never coached him to play inside or outside leverage, etc.. That all got corrected to look like a legit NFL back 7 with Richard.

The problem is the overall scheme was susceptible to getting gashed by the run, especially by Zone Blocking offenses like the Rams, Vikings, 2019 Packers, etc.. The 49ers are masters of the ZBS.

The Rams game was reviewed by Cowboys opponents during the off-season and the Cowboys just don't have an answer for it in their basic defensive scheme.

Richard has tried to implement work-arounds to solve the run defense issues while keeping the Marinelli DL scheme but that has been at the expense of coverage.

It is impossible to know what Richard could do if he had been the legit D-Coordinator since the beginning of the off-season.

Jimmy often referenced the difficultly to implement anything new during the season and said it was the one thing that surprised him when coming to the NFL. The rules about practice time and tacking make it even more difficult now.

Regardless it's time to replace the coaching staff.

I think Kris Richard will eventually be a top D-Coordinator somewhere but it will need to be with a strong Head Coach.

This Sunday they need to do no stunting. 4 man front and let the LB and safety come up on run plays. Bring blitzes on pass plays. We have to get pressure or they will eat up the soft zone he has to run. Pressure is key. At this point I would gamble and go man coverage.

 

[Kaiser]

What NFL defensive coordinators does Urban Meyer have coaching ties to?

 

[slick325]

They need to do more two gapping down the stretch. They don't have the DTs to really cause problems for offenses using the 1 gap stuff they have been doing so...

 

[big dog cowboy]

Regardless it's time to replace the coaching staff.

Hopefully the new HC will be strong enough to tell Jerry he wants his own staff. I'm ok if one or two of the current assistant coaches returns if the new HC wants to retain them.

 

[NEODOG]

What NFL defensive coordinators does Urban Meyer have coaching ties to?

Todd Grantham just not nfl

 

[MysteryIceGuro]

Random Thoughts Cowboys defense: It sucks. That is all.

 

[glimmerman]

Random Thoughts Cowboys defense: It sucks. That is all.

We need to come out with different things on Defense this week, NO STUNTS.. Run the ball with Elliot and ride out.

 

[Wolfpack]

You have a piecemeal defense that was created because someone thought that would be a great idea. I’m sure Richards would want to change the whole defense but you have a series of fiefdoms that answer to the king rather that work with each other.

 

[IheartRomo]

This has been my feeling as well. The complete inability to stop the run at all has imploded the entire defense this season. You would have thought that the Rams rushing for 300 yards would have led to the defensive coaches shoring it up as their main focus of the offseason. They either haven't or haven't been able to - either of which is deeply concerning.

 

[CouchCoach]

Coverage was much better in 2018 than in 2017. It was fundamentally sound in 2018. CB Brown said the 2017 coaches never coached him to play inside or outside leverage, etc.. That all got corrected to look like a legit NFL back 7 with Richard.

The problem is the overall scheme was susceptible to getting gashed by the run, especially by Zone Blocking offenses like the Rams, Vikings, 2019 Packers, etc.. The 49ers are masters of the ZBS.

The Rams game was reviewed by Cowboys opponents during the off-season and the Cowboys just don't have an answer for it in their basic defensive scheme.

Richard has tried to implement work-arounds to solve the run defense issues while keeping the Marinelli DL scheme but that has been at the expense of coverage.

It is impossible to know what Richard could do if he had been the legit D-Coordinator since the beginning of the off-season.

Jimmy often referenced the difficultly to implement anything new during the season and said it was the one thing that surprised him when coming to the NFL. The rules about practice time and tacking make it even more difficult now.

Regardless it's time to replace the coaching staff.

I think Kris Richard will eventually be a top D-Coordinator somewhere but it will need to be with a strong Head Coach.

Richard had a strong HC in SEA that didn't want him any longer.

I agree with replacing all of the D coaching staff, let the HC hire the DC and let him have a say in the position coaches.

Also hire the best STC money can buy and listen to him. Stop playing backups on ST. It is not an afterthought.

 

[Haimerej]

They need to do more two gapping down the stretch. They don't have the DTs to really cause problems for offenses using the 1 gap stuff they have been doing so...

If they can't cover 1 gap they're not covering 2 either.

 

[MikeB80]

Todd Grantham just not nfl

he already coached here once.

 

[Zman5]

Problem is we play this kind of coverage where it's easy for the opposing team to convert. Look at this vid. The Gints only need 1 yard for the first down, yet Awuzie is playing 9 yards away from the receiver.
It's an easy pitch and catch for the offense that will convert almost 100% of the time.

""

 

[quickccc]

With Kris Richard:

1) Was Kris limited to what he could fully do because he forced to work with Marinelli’s way of working with the rush, rotation and gap schemes, he could have been handicapped and
limited to what he wanted to do, so long as Marinelli is here.
And you know how this management and HC was so woo woo infatuated with Marinelli, it was just going to be.

2) Another element that could have played a big part in the limitations of Richard Is management pulling weight to deny him a chance of replacing incumbent LB coach Ben Bloom and
bringing in his own preferred LB coach in Darren Barrow (as whispering rumors had it at the time)

3) There’s no question coverage changed and improve- to some degree- with Richard immediately changing Byron jones from an average FS to a solid CB, but we still had a
severe lack of INTs and turnovers from the DB unit.
There’s still a lack of ball hawks, the current DBs were placed here before Richard came on board. And with the Earl Thomas acquisition falling thru, and passing over Juan Thornhill in the draft,
and a lack of trade interest in Minka Fitzpatrick (per Steelers)
And failing to acquire Jamal Adams, (which I dont blame per way too much wit Jets) this club still has not placed any formidable impact players for Richard in the secondary and only one
added in the LB corp in LVE which I’m hearing Kris pulled for.

- Question: what happened with LVE from 2018 vs 2019 ? Jaylon emerged in his full starting year n 2018, but fell off substantially this year in 2019- both made pro bowl in 2018 but both fell off in 2019- … so what happened ?

- Some here continue still think this defense is still led by Rod Marinelli as he still holds the job title as DC.(defensive coordinator)
And Richard is merely his assistant carrying out Marinelli’s game plan, signal plays what Marinelli wants to put into play.
Continuing the confusion is the club maintaining Richard’s job title of passing game coordinator and DB coach.

- What they don’t understand is Marinelli handles the front 4 (DL) and the run defense gap scheme -while Rich handles the back 7 (LBs/DBs) ; since Richard handles the LB he has to work
to what Marinelli leads and puts out schematically In his run gaps.

- You don’t see Marinelli on the sideline pulling the entire unit and trying to scream some fire and motivation down their throats- that’s what your seeing with Kris Richard instead.

- Me frankly, there’s always been questionable holes and flaws in Marinelli schemes and handling, and over times its’ becoming more and more exposed and crippling the team even more
. the total problems are not just Marinelli but imo, it starts with what Rod does upfront first and eventually ripples to the rest of the team.

 

[quickccc]

Richard had a strong HC in SEA that didn't want him any longer.

I agree with replacing all of the D coaching staff, let the HC hire the DC and let him have a say in the position coaches.

Also hire the best STC money can buy and listen to him. Stop playing backups on ST. It is not an afterthought.

from what I heard, Richard and Carroll had " philosophical differences" when it came down blitzing and certain sub packages .
Richard wanted to blitz more, and take more chances, but his blitzes didn't always work and when it doesn't get home, it placed vulnerable openings elsewhere
and allowed teams to rally.

 

[quickccc]

They need to do more two gapping down the stretch. They don't have the DTs to really cause problems for offenses using the 1 gap stuff they have been doing so...

and because of Marinelli's preference and schematics, we have never highly invested in those kind of bigger run stuffing DTs, vs what 4-3 teams like Vikes, Saints, etc. are doing.
Not draft, not major free agency, trade,... nada, ..nada.

we continue to invest in very cheap, low bargain based street FA vets like Antwuann Woods, Chris Covington, Terrell McClain, Richard Ash, Stephen Paea Only exception might have been failure
bust Cedric Thorton who struggled in 4-3, despite being very serviceable and we've had JAGs upon JAGs

He prefers movement over bulk and brawn. And that's helped ( and continue to play) a huge part in opposing teams continuing to " Out-Physical " us as Jerry terms it.

 

[quickccc]

Hopefully the new HC will be strong enough to tell Jerry he wants his own staff. I'm ok if one or two of the current assistant coaches returns if the new HC wants to retain them.

that's going to interesting.

- Jerry has already denied Richard a chance to bring in his own LB coach.

- and reports were the reason why Norv Turner did not get the HC job over Wade Phillips was because the Cowboys denied Norv's insistent request
to bring in his own preferred DC in Ted Cottrell (who continued to be among the worst DC's in NFL with Norv and the Chargers)

- and it's my ever frightened paranoia that Jerry may insist on the new HC keeping Rod Marinelli on board here as DL coach.

 

[Creeper]

My thoughts, the Cowboys are not an aggressive defense and it looks like they are on their heals all the time. There is nothing fancy to it and they don't disguise anything. Lately they have been running those safety blitzes, maybe 2 or 3 times a game which is a big change for them. They have also run the occasional CB blitz. More frequently they blitz a LB, sometimes two, but rarely two. Their LBs play well off the line of scrimmage most of the time and I am guessing when they are going to blitz they play a few yards closer tipping off what they are about to do. Jaylon Smith rushing more than you might think but he rarely finds a gap to blitz through. In most cases he runs into an offensive linemen and his play is over.

I'd like to see them play closer to the LOS, get more physical with receivers and stop allowing QBs to get rid of it quickly. bump receivers off their routes and hold them up at the line to the QB can't make a quick throw.

I would also love to see them tackle with more force but I'd settle for stopping those arm tackles at the shoulders. In general, the defense is not swarming to the football like they did last year. I have no idea why not. That little pass to Patterson last week where he ran around about 5 guys to gain 20 yards is an example. Someone just hit him and hold him up so everyone else can get there to make the tackle!

As I have been saying all year, when two guys are in charge of something, no one is in charge. Imagine in the military of two lieutenants were given command of one platoon, the chaos that would ensue. Its probably too late to do anything about it now, but at the end of this season, if both coaches aren't fired, it would probably be best if Marinelli retires so Richard can be the guy.

 

[charron]

We need to come out with different things on Defense this week, NO STUNTS.. Run the ball with Elliot and ride out.

Agreed. It needs to change. Maybe put 1-2 LB on the line, maybe back 1 or both off at the snap, use more man coverage for sure. Our DE can get to the QB if given half second more. Tell out DT to NOT rush, maintain gap integrity and keep the OL bottled up in front of them.