Jaylon Smith is a major key in turning around this defense

Cowboyny said:

Playing clean is the most important thing when it comes to Jaylon. I seen almost every time he's block, he never makes the play.

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CouchCoach said:

If he is the major key, the D is in trouble. He's as healthy as he's going to get and if you've watched him closely you can see him read but he can't react quickly enough.

I think they should try Vander Esch at MLB, if his neck is completely healed and he gives them the advantage of a 6'4" rangy player in the middle of the field. Smith could be used in the blitz package more because his forward movement seems to be a lot easier than his lateral.

The major key to this D is going to be that DL. They've got to bring it to keep the stress off that secondary.

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rocyaice said:

People talk about how bad our good this defense was......but if Leighton and Jaylon had played like they did the year prior....?This defense would've been top 5 in the league.

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Cowboyny said:

There are very important to the success of this defense. I think Lve actually helped cover up some of Jaylon's weaknesses. It is kind of like when we had Roy paired with Woodson at Safety, Roy was excellent when he had a teammate who could cover up his weakness against the pass. Woodson left, Roy was exposed, to the point he couldn't be much of a factor any longer.

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CowboyRoy said:

This was his weakness is college. He would get washed out by the lineman. Not best suited for MLB.

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rocyaice said:

I don't disagree but LVE was bad too. Something was just off with them both. LVE's neck could've been a issue. I don't know but that was not the player we saw his rookie year. I hope its just a sophomore slump that happens.

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rocyaice said:

I don't disagree but LVE was bad too. Something was just off with them both. LVE's neck could've been a issue. I don't know but that was not the player we saw his rookie year. I hope its just a sophomore slump that happens.

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Cowboyny said:

Many will argue that Jaylon Smith production took a major hit last season. The novice fans who watched the games would see:

-Jaylon struggling against the run. Had a very difficult time disengaging from blocks.
-Was exposed somewhat in pass coverage
-Probably his best attribute was as an inside blitzer.
-Certainly didn't help losing LVE, along with assistant coaches fighting over how to use him.
-Clearly still has some physical limitations
-Doesn't possess elite instincts at the position
-Possesses elite athletic attributes, tremendous short area burst and straightline speed.

In my opinion, Jaylon Smith has been miscast playing the Middle Linebacker position. He clearly is a run and hit type of linebacker, not the type who can consistently take on oncoming blockers in the run game. The new staff needs to put him into better positions to succeed, need to have him play more to his strengths. Mike Nolan last stop was as a LB Coach, it's up to him to figure out how to best use Jaylon. If Jaylon can return to 2019 form, it will be a major key in turning around this defense.

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Cowboyny said:

Many will argue that Jaylon Smith production took a major hit last season. The novice fans who watched the games would see:

-Jaylon struggling against the run. Had a very difficult time disengaging from blocks.
-Was exposed somewhat in pass coverage
-Probably his best attribute was as an inside blitzer.
-Certainly didn't help losing LVE, along with assistant coaches fighting over how to use him.
-Clearly still has some physical limitations
-Doesn't possess elite instincts at the position
-Possesses elite athletic attributes, tremendous short area burst and straightline speed.

In my opinion, Jaylon Smith has been miscast playing the Middle Linebacker position. He clearly is a run and hit type of linebacker, not the type who can consistently take on oncoming blockers in the run game. The new staff needs to put him into better positions to succeed, need to have him play more to his strengths. Mike Nolan last stop was as a LB Coach, it's up to him to figure out how to best use Jaylon. If Jaylon can return to 2019 form, it will be a major key in turning around this defense.

Click to expand...

Cowboyny said:

Many will argue that Jaylon Smith production took a major hit last season. The novice fans who watched the games would see:

-Jaylon struggling against the run. Had a very difficult time disengaging from blocks.
-Was exposed somewhat in pass coverage
-Probably his best attribute was as an inside blitzer.
-Certainly didn't help losing LVE, along with assistant coaches fighting over how to use him.
-Clearly still has some physical limitations
-Doesn't possess elite instincts at the position
-Possesses elite athletic attributes, tremendous short area burst and straightline speed.

In my opinion, Jaylon Smith has been miscast playing the Middle Linebacker position. He clearly is a run and hit type of linebacker, not the type who can consistently take on oncoming blockers in the run game. The new staff needs to put him into better positions to succeed, need to have him play more to his strengths. Mike Nolan last stop was as a LB Coach, it's up to him to figure out how to best use Jaylon. If Jaylon can return to 2019 form, it will be a major key in turning around this defense.

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xwalker said:

It would not have mattered if the Cowboys had prime years Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly and Khalil Mack at LB in 2019. The scheme/coaching made it impossible for the LBs.

A LB moving sideways with an un-impeded OLineman out in his path on all running plays is not going to have much success.

It would have eventually worked out because Ray Lewis would have killed the coaches...literally...

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Cowboyny said:

I believe Lve needs to improve in this area as well. Coming out, many thought he needed to get stronger. However, you see Lve makes plays using his strong instincts before a blocker can get a hat on him. Remember, that play against Sproles, just one example of this.

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rocyaice said:

I don't disagree but LVE was bad too. Something was just off with them both. LVE's neck could've been a issue. I don't know but that was not the player we saw his rookie year. I hope its just a sophomore slump that happens.

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xwalker said:

Both are good in 2018 and then magically become bad players in 2019...I have some Ocean Front property in Kansas that I'll sell at a good price...

It is unfortunate that fans can't spend a few minutes actually reviewing game footage. Instead fans/media just make up things in their mind that seem plausible to them but often have no basis in reality.

The scheme was bad. The Rams exposed the scheme in the 2018 playoff game and other teams just copied that approach.

A 250 pound LB moving sideways is generally going to lose when a 320 pound OL that is unimpeded by any Defensive Linemen is out in space between the LB and the RB.

Either the DL scheme/assignments have to change or the LBs have to start guessing trying to avoid getting boxed out by OLinemen.

Marinelli would not change the DL.

The sad part is that Belichick ran a similar 4-3 in 2018 and tweaked it for the Super Bowl vs the Rams and shut down their running game that had gashed the Cowboys. The blueprint was right there on film but Marinelli refused to budge.

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rocyaice said:

What do you believe fans are making up in their heads?

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• The Rams exposed Marinelli's scheme and other offenses copied the Rams in 2019. Marinelli refused to change his DL.
• No LB is great when moving sideways and an unimpeded OLineman is standing in the path between them and the RB.
• Traditionally stack-and-shed referred to OLinemen coming downfield to clear LBs out of the way and the LB playing off the block after the RB committed to one side of the blocker.
• With zone run blocking, offenses have forced LBs to constantly move sideways. DL have to impede the blockers from constantly getting a free shot at the LBs.
• Marinelli's DL assignments allowed offenses to consistently have 2 OL out blocking LBs.
• The OL didn't have to clear the LBs out of the way for the RB, they just had to keep the LBs from getting outside or keep them outside and the RB would cut back inside. Almost like pass blocking.
• It didn't help that Quinn was a limited run defender at RDE. Far below both Crawford and Gregory in 2018 with regards to run defense.
• It didn't help that 1tech DT Woods was often injured in 2019 and in the Rams playoff game.
• It didn't help that normally well above average run defender DLaw had surgery late in the off-season and was guaranteed to be limited for all of 2019.

• The Cowboys defense was in Nickel over 70% of the snaps.
• There is not a big difference in the 2 LB positions in the 4-2-5 Nickel defense that Marinelli ran.
• There was a huge different in the 2 LBs in the 4-2-5 that Belichick used in the Super Bowl vs the Rams.
  • The MLB was truly a Middle LB. The OLB was truly on the outside.

• Jaylon can't play MLB. Should only play WLB.
• Jaylon has physical issues that caused him to suck in 2019 (He magically regressed from 2018 to 2019).
• Jaylon can't take on blocks.
• Jaylon avoided contact.
• Jaylon just loafed around.

• All of those types of fan comments are generic.
• Most fans that comment about MLB/WLB don't know anything about the assignments other than they envision that the MLB takes on blocks and the WLB doesn't.
• It is extremely unlikely that Jaylon's nerve damage issue regressed from 2018 to 2019. That's just not how it works with regards to the history of that type of injury.
• Anybody that has paid attention knows that the one thing Marinelli won't tolerate is players loafing around.
• Marinelli has started players like Nick Golden Cock Hayden over players that had better physical ability because Golden Cock never graded out with a "loaf".

• The only fan comments that really apply is that Jaylon does over-celebrate and he likely did free lance to some extent in 2019.
• Freelancing or guessing was the only chance the LBs had in many situations in 2019.
• The scheme often put them in a no-win situation if they just strictly played their assignments.
• Offensive coaches like the Rams coaches in the playoff game knew the Cowboys defensive assignments.
• The Rams scheme depended on the Cowboys playing to their assignments (The Rams lost too much OL talent in 2019 to be effective).
• Most fans/media that make these comments can't even describe the 3rd down or passing downs defense that the Cowboys often used in 2019.
• People like to express their opinions and modern society has enabled everyone to express themselves with no minimum level of knowledge required.

xwalker said:

Two in their prime LBs don't just magically go from good to bad from 1 year to the next.

• The Rams exposed Marinelli's scheme and other offenses copied the Rams in 2019. Marinelli refused to change his DL.
• No LB is great when moving sideways and an unimpeded OLineman is standing in the path between them and the RB.
• Traditionally stack-and-shed referred to OLinemen coming downfield to clear LBs out of the way and the LB playing off the block after the RB committed to one side of the blocker.
• With zone run blocking, offenses have forced LBs to constantly move sideways. DL have to impede the blockers from constantly getting a free shot at the LBs.
• Marinelli's DL assignments allowed offenses to consistently have 2 OL out blocking LBs.
• The OL didn't have to clear the LBs out of the way for the RB, they just had to keep the LBs from getting outside or keep them outside and the RB would cut back inside. Almost like pass blocking.
• It didn't help that Quinn was a limited run defender at RDE. Far below both Crawford and Gregory in 2018 with regards to run defense.
• It didn't help that 1tech DT Woods was often injured in 2019 and in the Rams playoff game.
• It didn't help that normally well above average run defender DLaw had surgery late in the off-season and was guaranteed to be limited for all of 2019.

MLB vs WLB

• The Cowboys defense was in Nickel over 70% of the snaps.
• There is not a big difference in the 2 LB positions in the 4-2-5 Nickel defense that Marinelli ran.
• There was a huge different in the 2 LBs in the 4-2-5 that Belichick used in the Super Bowl vs the Rams.
  • The MLB was truly a Middle LB. The OLB was truly on the outside.

Fan comments:

• Jaylon can't play MLB. Should only play WLB.
• Jaylon has physical issues that caused him to suck in 2019 (He magically regressed from 2018 to 2019).
• Jaylon can't take on blocks.
• Jaylon avoided contact.
• Jaylon just loafed around.

Generic Fan Comments.

• All of those types of fan comments are generic.
• Most fans that comment about MLB/WLB don't know anything about the assignments other than they envision that the MLB takes on blocks and the WLB doesn't.
• It is extremely unlikely that Jaylon's nerve damage issue regressed from 2018 to 2019. That's just not how it works with regards to the history of that type of injury.
• Anybody that has paid attention knows that the one thing Marinelli won't tolerate is players loafing around.
• Marinelli has started players like Nick Golden Cock Hayden over players that had better physical ability because Golden Cock never graded out with a "loaf".

Reality

• The only fan comments that really apply is that Jaylon does over-celebrate and he likely did free lance to some extent in 2019.
• Freelancing or guessing was the only chance the LBs had in many situations in 2019.
• The scheme often put them in a no-win situation if they just strictly played their assignments.
• Offensive coaches like the Rams coaches in the playoff game knew the Cowboys defensive assignments.
• The Rams scheme depended on the Cowboys playing to their assignments (The Rams lost too much OL talent in 2019 to be effective).
• Most fans/media that make these comments can't even describe the 3rd down or passing downs defense that the Cowboys often used in 2019.
• People like to express their opinions and modern society has enabled everyone to express themselves with no minimum level of knowledge required.

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CowboyRoy said:

I have been saying this for a couple years now. he is an outside backer, not a middle backer.

But...…………...the big reason he will have a good season is those two big DT's we signed in FA. Linebackers will be free to roam.

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