Cowboys-Steelers: Review of Defensive Players

• DLaw: Something is physically wrong with him. He can't cut/change directions very well.
• 
  
• Aldon Smith: He is consistent but does not have the same quickness as earlier in the season.
• 
  
• Randy Gregory:
  • The most physically talented player on defense.
  • Aldon Smith might have been more of a physical freak when he was younger, but not now.
  • He even lined up at 3tech DT on at least 1 snap with Aldon Smith standing up next to him.
• 
  
• CB Brown:
  • The most underrated player by fans.
  • His style is not always pretty and he is not a #1 type CB, but he is a solid player.
• 
  
• Jourdan Lewis:
  • Much better the past 2 games.
  • He was terrible for much of the season but has been better than last season the past 2 games.
• 
  
• X. Woods:
  • He is very good in short area coverage but he really needs to be more consistent as a tackler.
  • I think some coaches/teams might use him as a Nickel CB instead of Safety.
  • Nolan's defense should be the best fit for him because the 2-deep requires Nickel CB-ish type ability
• 
  
• D. Thompson: He is now a LB. He plays LB in Dime. He does not play Safety per se.
• 
  
• Safety Parker:
  • He has been playing in mid 20 percent range of snaps.
  • He shows some decent physical ability.
  • Lined up as a CB a few times.
• 
  
• Safety Wilson:
  • Appears to have all the required physical ability to be a solid NFL Safety.
  • It all depends on how well he develops mentally.
• 
  
• Diggs: The defense is definitely much better when he is on the field.
• 
  
• CB Smith: Inexperienced. Hard to know beyond that.
• 
  
• LVE: Played 55%. Looks very good.
• 
  
• Lee: Played 19%. There were some snaps with only Lee and LVE.
• 
  
• Jaylon:
  • Played 90% instead of his normal 100% of snaps.
  • Let's talk about him in another thread and not bog down here...
• 
  
• Gallimore:
  • Had a good game.
  • This type of game where they were always in Nickel or Dime is the best situation for him.
  • His weakness is playing against double-teams but he didn't face many in this game.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Woods:
  • Decent game. He has good quickness for a 1tech type DT.
  • He fights though double teams, more with effort than natural ability.
  • His stubby build limits him to being just an ok run defender.
  • As a 1tech/0tech type he has better than average pass rush ability.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Ankou:
  • Only played 16%. Can hold up to double teams or bull rush single blocker.
  • No pass rush ability.
  • Will be needed/testing more against offenses that are more run focused.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Hamilton:
  • Only played 14%.
  • Big but not as strong as Ankou.
• 
  
• DT Crawford: He can rush the passer as a DT.
• 
  
• DE Armstrong: They like to play him on run downs.

xwalker said:

• DLaw: Something is physically wrong with him. He can't cut/change directions very well.
• 
  
• Aldon Smith: He is consistent but does not have the same quickness as earlier in the season.
• 
  
• Randy Gregory:
  • The most physically talented player on defense.
  • Aldon Smith might have been more of a physical freak when he was younger, but not now.
  • He even lined up at 3tech DT on at least 1 snap with Aldon Smith standing up next to him.
• 
  
• CB Brown:
  • The most underrated player by fans.
  • His style is not always pretty and he is not a #1 type CB, but he is a solid player.
• 
  
• Jourdan Lewis:
  • Much better the past 2 games.
  • He was terrible for much of the season but has been better than last season the past 2 games.
• 
  
• X. Woods:
  • He is very good in short area coverage but he really needs to be more consistent as a tackler.
  • I think some coaches/teams might use him as a Nickel CB instead of Safety.
  • Nolan's defense should be the best fit for him because the 2-deep requires Nickel CB-ish type ability
• 
  
• D. Thompson: He is now a LB. He plays LB in Dime. He does not play Safety per se.
• 
  
• Safety Parker:
  • He has been playing in mid 20 percent range of snaps.
  • He shows some decent physical ability.
  • Lined up as a CB a few times.
• 
  
• Safety Wilson:
  • Appears to have all the required physical ability to be a solid NFL Safety.
  • It all depends on how well he develops mentally.
• 
  
• Diggs: The defense is definitely much better when he is on the field.
• 
  
• CB Smith: Inexperienced. Hard to know beyond that.
• 
  
• LVE: Played 55%. Looks very good.
• 
  
• Lee: Played 19%. There were some snaps with only Lee and LVE.
• 
  
• Jaylon:
  • Played 90% instead of his normal 100% of snaps.
  • Let's talk about him in another thread and not bog down here...
• 
  
• Gallimore:
  • Had a good game.
  • This type of game where they were always in Nickel or Dime is the best situation for him.
  • His weakness is playing against double-teams but he didn't face many in this game.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Woods:
  • Decent game. He has good quickness for a 1tech type DT.
  • He fights though double teams, more with effort than natural ability.
  • His stubby build limits him to being just an ok run defender.
  • As a 1tech/0tech type he has better than average pass rush ability.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Ankou:
  • Only played 16%. Can hold up to double teams or bull rush single blocker.
  • No pass rush ability.
  • Will be needed/testing more against offenses that are more run focused.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Hamilton:
  • Only played 14%.
  • Big but not as strong as Ankou.
• 
  
• DT Crawford: He can rush the passer as a DT.
• 
  
• DE Armstrong: They like to play him on run downs.

Click to expand...

xwalker said:

• Safety Wilson:
  • Appears to have all the required physical ability to be a solid NFL Safety.
  • It all depends on how well he develops mentally.

Click to expand...

xwalker said:

• DLaw: Something is physically wrong with him. He can't cut/change directions very well.
• 
  
• Aldon Smith: He is consistent but does not have the same quickness as earlier in the season.
• 
  
• Randy Gregory:
  • The most physically talented player on defense.
  • Aldon Smith might have been more of a physical freak when he was younger, but not now.
  • He even lined up at 3tech DT on at least 1 snap with Aldon Smith standing up next to him.
• 
  
• CB Brown:
  • The most underrated player by fans.
  • His style is not always pretty and he is not a #1 type CB, but he is a solid player.
• 
  
• Jourdan Lewis:
  • Much better the past 2 games.
  • He was terrible for much of the season but has been better than last season the past 2 games.
• 
  
• X. Woods:
  • He is very good in short area coverage but he really needs to be more consistent as a tackler.
  • I think some coaches/teams might use him as a Nickel CB instead of Safety.
  • Nolan's defense should be the best fit for him because the 2-deep requires Nickel CB-ish type ability
• 
  
• D. Thompson: He is now a LB. He plays LB in Dime. He does not play Safety per se.
• 
  
• Safety Parker:
  • He has been playing in mid 20 percent range of snaps.
  • He shows some decent physical ability.
  • Lined up as a CB a few times.
• 
  
• Safety Wilson:
  • Appears to have all the required physical ability to be a solid NFL Safety.
  • It all depends on how well he develops mentally.
• 
  
• Diggs: The defense is definitely much better when he is on the field.
• 
  
• CB Smith: Inexperienced. Hard to know beyond that.
• 
  
• LVE: Played 55%. Looks very good.
• 
  
• Lee: Played 19%. There were some snaps with only Lee and LVE.
• 
  
• Jaylon:
  • Played 90% instead of his normal 100% of snaps.
  • Let's talk about him in another thread and not bog down here...
• 
  
• Gallimore:
  • Had a good game.
  • This type of game where they were always in Nickel or Dime is the best situation for him.
  • His weakness is playing against double-teams but he didn't face many in this game.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Woods:
  • Decent game. He has good quickness for a 1tech type DT.
  • He fights though double teams, more with effort than natural ability.
  • His stubby build limits him to being just an ok run defender.
  • As a 1tech/0tech type he has better than average pass rush ability.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Ankou:
  • Only played 16%. Can hold up to double teams or bull rush single blocker.
  • No pass rush ability.
  • Will be needed/testing more against offenses that are more run focused.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Hamilton:
  • Only played 14%.
  • Big but not as strong as Ankou.
• 
  
• DT Crawford: He can rush the passer as a DT.
• 
  
• DE Armstrong: They like to play him on run downs.

Click to expand...

fivetwos said:

I still say that Lawrence isnt fully comfortable standing up. Either that or the scheme as a whole....maybe both?

At any rate at first watch I thought he made some plays early yesterday.

It's not a question of effort at all. That I see.

Click to expand...

Kaiser said:

Totally agree, I think our safeties next year are a Free Agent and a high draft pick, but Donovan Wilson could improve to the point that he starts and reduces the need for the FA signing. At the very least he will be a good backup next year.

Click to expand...

xwalker said:

• DLaw: Something is physically wrong with him. He can't cut/change directions very well.
• 
  
• Aldon Smith: He is consistent but does not have the same quickness as earlier in the season.
• 
  
• Randy Gregory:
  • The most physically talented player on defense.
  • Aldon Smith might have been more of a physical freak when he was younger, but not now.
  • He even lined up at 3tech DT on at least 1 snap with Aldon Smith standing up next to him.
• 
  
• CB Brown:
  • The most underrated player by fans.
  • His style is not always pretty and he is not a #1 type CB, but he is a solid player.
• 
  
• Jourdan Lewis:
  • Much better the past 2 games.
  • He was terrible for much of the season but has been better than last season the past 2 games.
• 
  
• X. Woods:
  • He is very good in short area coverage but he really needs to be more consistent as a tackler.
  • I think some coaches/teams might use him as a Nickel CB instead of Safety.
  • Nolan's defense should be the best fit for him because the 2-deep requires Nickel CB-ish type ability
• 
  
• D. Thompson: He is now a LB. He plays LB in Dime. He does not play Safety per se.
• 
  
• Safety Parker:
  • He has been playing in mid 20 percent range of snaps.
  • He shows some decent physical ability.
  • Lined up as a CB a few times.
• 
  
• Safety Wilson:
  • Appears to have all the required physical ability to be a solid NFL Safety.
  • It all depends on how well he develops mentally.
• 
  
• Diggs: The defense is definitely much better when he is on the field.
• 
  
• CB Smith: Inexperienced. Hard to know beyond that.
• 
  
• LVE: Played 55%. Looks very good.
• 
  
• Lee: Played 19%. There were some snaps with only Lee and LVE.
• 
  
• Jaylon:
  • Played 90% instead of his normal 100% of snaps.
  • Let's talk about him in another thread and not bog down here...
• 
  
• Gallimore:
  • Had a good game.
  • This type of game where they were always in Nickel or Dime is the best situation for him.
  • His weakness is playing against double-teams but he didn't face many in this game.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Woods:
  • Decent game. He has good quickness for a 1tech type DT.
  • He fights though double teams, more with effort than natural ability.
  • His stubby build limits him to being just an ok run defender.
  • As a 1tech/0tech type he has better than average pass rush ability.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Ankou:
  • Only played 16%. Can hold up to double teams or bull rush single blocker.
  • No pass rush ability.
  • Will be needed/testing more against offenses that are more run focused.
• 
  
• 1tech DT Hamilton:
  • Only played 14%.
  • Big but not as strong as Ankou.
• 
  
• DT Crawford: He can rush the passer as a DT.
• 
  
• DE Armstrong: They like to play him on run downs.

Click to expand...

fivetwos said:

I still say that Lawrence isnt fully comfortable standing up. Either that or the scheme as a whole....maybe both?

At any rate at first watch I thought he made some plays early yesterday.

It's not a question of effort at all. That I see.

Click to expand...

quickccc said:

I would wonder if he is still having lingering knee issues, but then why is he struggling with injuries seemingly every year ?
the Cowboys are flipping him from one to another, but he is not getting home as a pass rusher.
Lately he's been back to the hand in the ground, 3 point stance.

Just as they've given Gallimore some long looks opportunities now, ..I'd love to see the same for Bradlee Anae

- these Armstrongs & Crawfords we know what they can do,, lets get another look in a different direction elsewhere …and get new guys some looks,..

Click to expand...

quickccc said:

- Wilson has been a mass much better player than Darion Thompson … DT just doesn't the instincts or coverage skills for safety position.
Dunno why it took so long for coaches to change up with Wilson over Thompson.
This is the developing game experience needed that he could not get his rookie year last year.
Having his familiar ex-college coach as the safety

- Xavier is just not a playmaker,imo - somehow/someway he tends to get out of position
how much of it is him ...how much of it is scheme confusion, I dunno.but he had another sure INT drops just roll right off his chest vs Steelers.
And he's underwhelmed and light weight when it comes to tackling.
He doesn't look like he's listed as 200 pounds,.. and certainly does not tackle for one listed as 200 pounds. I'm still seeing players roll right thru him and he got spun in coverage vs Steelers.

- We don't have a player that could capably replace him in mid-season at this point, so he's gonna have to do until he departs in FA.
Even cheap, I would not consider re-signing him back as a starter.

- I like Brown so long as he's limited as a slot nickel guy- but the more he has to cover downfield,.. the more he has to go further outside in the flanks,... the more he is place in a
length position where he has to turn his head to locate and play on the ball, he'll won't turn his head to make the play -either it's a flag or surrendered big play ala TD vs Steelers
and he's even worse at no turn back than Awuzie. But clearly i'd much prefer Brown playing slot than Jourdan Lewis.

Click to expand...

fivetwos said:

Wilson seems like he is getting more comfortable every week.

Amazing how it takes some experience in this league to become much better.

Yet Anae and Robinson remain in sweats in a three win season.

Click to expand...

AmariChill said:

relax he’s been in for like 3 weeks. We said the same thing about Jourdan Lewis for a bit when he was in his (2nd year I think?). Give him time before y’all start yelling at him for making boneheaded mistakes.

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