How our Pass Rush can improve

get ole yellow hair back and pay him. Pay the man.

buybuydandavis said:

Guys with the knack for deflections don't get enough credit. A stopped play is a stopped play. Tips can bring INTs too.

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We need a guy like Ed “Too Talll” Jones again. A 6’9” DE that made passing lanes much more difficult for opponents QBs for years.

Bobhaze said:

In the last 3-5 years, sack numbers are down all across the NFL. Even the best pass rushing teams are finding it more difficult to sack the QB. Why?

• QBs and the offenses they run are schemed to get the ball out much quicker. The 7 step drop with a deep pass is now a rarity in the NFL.
• Offenses with an empty 5 wide formation are designed for lightening quick passes when there is minimal protection.

So how can defenses adjust? If it’s harder to get sacks, what can the defense do to make it harder on the QB?

• Getting pass deflections at the LOS. Teach defensive lineman to block passing lanes and get more deflections. Getting a deflection at the LOS is also a way to get more TOs.
• Use more disguised and nuanced blitz packages. You don’t always have to get a sack to disrupt a pass play. Making the QB uncomfortable or disrupted in rhythm is also very effective. The last 5 years, the Cowboys blitz less than 2/3 of the league. Hopefully that changes.
• Utilize more Press coverage on occasion. The additions of Diggs last year and Joseph this year should help with this. Our defenses the last few years have tended to give way too much room to receivers.
  
• Having a disruptive force in the middle-this may be the hardest for us to come up with since we don’t seem to have a dominant DT. Hopefully that improves.

Here’s hoping Dan Quinn can find ways to get us more sacks, or at the very least, more deflections at the line and more overall pressure and hurries. Sacks are great, but as the league evolves, they are harder to get. Finding other disruptive measures will be one big key to our D improving.

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Mostly I think our LBers need improvement. How they are used and using different blitzes would make a difference. Quinn bringing in DBs who will split assignments in different alinements would help disguise what we are doing. It's going to take awhile to get the LBers contributing. They must be not just runstuffers.

calicowboy54 said:

i was thinking about this the other day:

why can you not have a 3 or 4 man line doing the batting of the balls while attacking the line to get to the QB + 1 Or 2 DPR guys coming at different times. You then CBs with play press man to zone at the top of the route (IE. press at line stay in man until you get 5 or some designated yards off and drop in to a quarters zone.) your other 2 LB's/DB backers play quarter zones underneath. You can then play a Cover 3 in the backend with Safeties (SS coming down to pick up other zone underneath, the FS playing back covering middle of the field) your CBs again will play quarters after dropping in to zone.

i was trying to figure out how to post a pic of a Defense i was designing for Madden (yes i know life is not madden). once i figure out how to get that off my PS5 and on to my macbook and upload here ill create a post.

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Because that many guys batting balls would equal a leverage nightmare. Gotta have some hosses who can't be moved up front. And on a side note, that's what Jerry's been trying, a bunch of lanky pass batters. Which is why we can't stop the run.

Big Bo and Parsons will put pressure on the QB this year.

J-man said:

To me the single most biggest factor to not getting sacks is the quick drops/passes by the offenses/QB's.

IMO, The best way to disrupt this is for the DT's to get instant push inside, causing distraction/concern right in the face of the QBs gets them rattled faster than anything else. While simultaneously the DE's must either burst, rip and dip wide; or run stunts w/ the LB's on the edge. This can create distraction/stress on the QB as well.
And at the same time as all of that, to take away the hot reads, the CB's need to play tight press coverage for the first 5 seconds of the route, with the LB's and S's running zone help underneath and over the top.
We have not yet evolved, or have had the personnel to accomplish this. With the new additions, hopefully that changes now.

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Any QB will tell you that the worst pressure by far is pressure up the middle. Which is a huge reason I've been pulling my hair out at the lack of attention to the DT position. Filling the interior DLine positions w/ castoffs and late rounders is not the path to playoff success.

kskboys said:

Any QB will tell you that the worst pressure by far is pressure up the middle. Which is a huge reason I've been pulling my hair out at the lack of attention to the DT position. Filling the interior DLine positions w/ castoffs and late rounders is not the path to playoff success.

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I find it interesting that the first ever draft pick in the storied history of the Dallas Cowboys was the great HOFer…DT Bob Lily. And ironically our current leadership sees little value in the DT position.

One of the most famous plays in SB history was Bob Lily’s sack of Miami QB Bob Griese for a 29 yd loss. Lily could immediately collapse the pocket or stuff the run. He was double teamed on every play basically his whole career which opened things up for the rest of the pass rush.

Then in 1975, we drafted HOF DT Randy White, another great DT who could collapse the pocket and/or stuff the run. Those great 90s teams had Russell Maryland, Leon Lett, Tony Casillas…none HOFers but all effective DTs.

It baffles me to no end why this FO does not value hogs in the middle of a defense. Our history shows having at least an effective DT rotation is a common denominator in winning championships around here. Right?

Risen Star said:

It should be noted that Dan Quinn is not a guy who has used a lot of blitzes in the past.

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This is true even though he’s talked about as someone who likes to blitz.

As defensive coordinator in Seattle, Quinn’s teams ranking #1 in defense but it didn’t show on the stat line through interceptions or sacks. His teams just play physical and have great fundamentals.

I don’t know if the defense will be very good this year but they will be better. And before you say that he had a ton of talent in Seattle, remember that Richard Sherman was a 5th-round draft pick. K.J. Wright was a 4th-round draft pick. Byron Maxwell was a 6th-rounder and Brandon Browner went undrafted.

Assuming that he had a part in that draft and this one, the way this team gets better is indoctrinating his guys with his style of defense.

Last thing, he’s known as a defensive line coach who can develop linemen. We’ve got a few kids here who could use some development.

Bobhaze said:

I find it interesting that the first ever draft pick in the storied history of the Dallas Cowboys was the great HOFer…DT Bob Lily. And ironically our current leadership sees little value in the DT position.

One of the most famous plays in SB history was Bob Lily’s sack of Miami QB Bob Griese for a 29 yd loss. Lily could immediately collapse the pocket or stuff the run. He was double teamed on every play basically his whole career which opened things up for the rest of the pass rush.

Then in 1975, we drafted HOF DT Randy White, another great DT who could collapse the pocket and/or stuff the run. Those great 90s teams had Russell Maryland, Leon Lett, Tony Casillas…none HOFers but all effective DTs.

It baffles me to no end why this FO does not value hogs in the middle of a defense. Our history shows having at least an effective DT rotation is a common denominator in winning championships around here. Right?

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Only thing I can figure out is that Jerry is determined to not do it like Jimmy.

And don't forget Jimmy Jones's major plays as a backup DT. Gotta have a deep DLine rotation so the big guys are fresh in the 4th.

Personally I think run defense goes hand in hand with pass defense. If teams are able to run the ball successfully they accomplish setting themselves up in a down and distance situation that highly favors them and keeps defense off balance and slows down pass rushers. It is when you are winning early downs and putting teams into clear cut passing situations that a defense can really attack and go after that QB.

ninja said:

Don’t remember for sure but I thought holding calls were down last year a lot. Maybe the NFL is letting OL get away with more holding to protect their moneymakers, the QBs.

I would expect to see a statistical relationship between # of holding calls and # of sacks.

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Remember the year our opponents saw an eight game stretch of ZERO holding calls? Are we trendsetters?

Sacks are an offense stat. The best way to improve your passrush numbers is to simply play worse teams.

The other thing you have to do is make a team one-dimensional and get a lead. The passrush will look a lot better next year if the offense is healthy. You're never going to get sacks when you're trailing.

ESisback said:

Remember the year our opponents saw an eight game stretch of ZERO holding calls? Are we trendsetters?

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The NFL has many ways to fix an outcome. The holding call is their ace in the hole. There every play if you want to call it, or not call it like they did for that ridiculous 8-game stretch. Has to be a record. No coincidence.

Seahawks drive against Stealers, and out comes a holding penalty, and Bettis gets his ring.

Bobhaze said:

In the last 3-5 years, sack numbers are down all across the NFL. Even the best pass rushing teams are finding it more difficult to sack the QB. Why?

• QBs and the offenses they run are schemed to get the ball out much quicker. The 7 step drop with a deep pass is now a rarity in the NFL.
• Offenses with an empty 5 wide formation are designed for lightening quick passes when there is minimal protection.

So how can defenses adjust? If it’s harder to get sacks, what can the defense do to make it harder on the QB?

• Getting pass deflections at the LOS. Teach defensive lineman to block passing lanes and get more deflections. Getting a deflection at the LOS is also a way to get more TOs.
• Use more disguised and nuanced blitz packages. You don’t always have to get a sack to disrupt a pass play. Making the QB uncomfortable or disrupted in rhythm is also very effective. The last 5 years, the Cowboys blitz less than 2/3 of the league. Hopefully that changes.
• Utilize more Press coverage on occasion. The additions of Diggs last year and Joseph this year should help with this. Our defenses the last few years have tended to give way too much room to receivers.
  
• Having a disruptive force in the middle-this may be the hardest for us to come up with since we don’t seem to have a dominant DT. Hopefully that improves.

Here’s hoping Dan Quinn can find ways to get us more sacks, or at the very least, more deflections at the line and more overall pressure and hurries. Sacks are great, but as the league evolves, they are harder to get. Finding other disruptive measures will be one big key to our D improving.

Click to expand...

I also think the refs let OL get away with a lot more holding than in the past. It just seems to me the amount of legal grabbing, arm bars, and a lot of stuff that was once called gets ignore now. This is just an opinion. I have no facts to back it up. But the effort the NFL has made to protect QBs has to be part of it.

In any case, you nailed it. I never understood why every team does not rush the QB with arms up in the air. I thought everyone was taught that if you can get to the passer, get your arms up to see if you can block the ball or block his vision.

I also think press coverages are not used enough. So many QBs depend on quick reads and timing. If DBs can hold up receivers even for a second they can disrupt these QBs and their timing. But It takes a certain type of player with strength and quickness to be effective as a press cover corner.

And lastly, YES! Having the big powerful guy in the middle to get pressure on the QB is a game changer. It is another way to disrupt the timing and forces the QB to get off his spot. Make a QB get happy feet and you win the game. When is that last time the Cowboys had a guy like that. David Irving? I actually think it might have been Jason Hatcher.

ninja said:

The NFL has many ways to fix an outcome. The holding call is their ace in the hole. There every play if you want to call it, or not call it like they did for that ridiculous 8-game stretch. Has to be a record. No coincidence.

Seahawks drive against Stealers, and out comes a holding penalty, and Bettis gets his ring.

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Yeah, that Seahawks/Steelers SB was such a joke!

ninja said:

The NFL has many ways to fix an outcome. The holding call is their ace in the hole. There every play if you want to call it, or not call it like they did for that ridiculous 8-game stretch. Has to be a record. No coincidence.

Seahawks drive against Stealers, and out comes a holding penalty, and Bettis gets his ring.

Click to expand...

I used to not believe it, but it's just gotten too obvious. The Saints flub was just the icing on the cake. I dare anyone to go back and watch the Pats vs Jax AFC champ game. Until the Saints non-call, that was the most blatant clusterfudge I've ever witnessed. It was sick. Poor Bortles earned his way to a super bowl, and they snatched it away w/ horrible officiating.

Bobhaze said:

In the last 3-5 years, sack numbers are down all across the NFL. Even the best pass rushing teams are finding it more difficult to sack the QB. Why?

• QBs and the offenses they run are schemed to get the ball out much quicker. The 7 step drop with a deep pass is now a rarity in the NFL.
• Offenses with an empty 5 wide formation are designed for lightening quick passes when there is minimal protection.

So how can defenses adjust? If it’s harder to get sacks, what can the defense do to make it harder on the QB?

• Getting pass deflections at the LOS. Teach defensive lineman to block passing lanes and get more deflections. Getting a deflection at the LOS is also a way to get more TOs.
• Use more disguised and nuanced blitz packages. You don’t always have to get a sack to disrupt a pass play. Making the QB uncomfortable or disrupted in rhythm is also very effective. The last 5 years, the Cowboys blitz less than 2/3 of the league. Hopefully that changes.
• Utilize more Press coverage on occasion. The additions of Diggs last year and Joseph this year should help with this. Our defenses the last few years have tended to give way too much room to receivers.
  
• Having a disruptive force in the middle-this may be the hardest for us to come up with since we don’t seem to have a dominant DT. Hopefully that improves.

Here’s hoping Dan Quinn can find ways to get us more sacks, or at the very least, more deflections at the line and more overall pressure and hurries. Sacks are great, but as the league evolves, they are harder to get. Finding other disruptive measures will be one big key to our D improving.

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Everyone line up like normal. Once we target the number of seconds left at which the QB has been hiking the ball - say 2 - we immediately move to punt rush formation at 4 seconds. He'll freeze and hike the ball and we'll swarm him and have 11 guys pound him!! With the NT on top of the pile! !! <------the result of Hurricane Proof (136) Cruzan Rum LOL

It's all about getting the QB to make mistakes. I'm in total agreement that the blitz packages must be more diverse.

When it comes to just rushing 4, the Cowboys must still disguise that 4th pass rusher. If that 4th pass rusher is capable of being any of 4-5 different guys, then that really puts stress on an opponent offensive line. Keep the three main pass rushers in their lane and ambush the QB from a different direction. I assume the Cowboys drafted speed on defense for more than just covering receivers.

Bobhaze said:

I find it interesting that the first ever draft pick in the storied history of the Dallas Cowboys was the great HOFer…DT Bob Lily. And ironically our current leadership sees little value in the DT position.

One of the most famous plays in SB history was Bob Lily’s sack of Miami QB Bob Griese for a 29 yd loss. Lily could immediately collapse the pocket or stuff the run. He was double teamed on every play basically his whole career which opened things up for the rest of the pass rush.

Then in 1975, we drafted HOF DT Randy White, another great DT who could collapse the pocket and/or stuff the run. Those great 90s teams had Russell Maryland, Leon Lett, Tony Casillas…none HOFers but all effective DTs.

It baffles me to no end why this FO does not value hogs in the middle of a defense. Our history shows having at least an effective DT rotation is a common denominator in winning championships around here. Right?

Click to expand...

We have never been to a super bowl w/o a deep talented DLine.

Bobhaze said:

In the last 3-5 years, sack numbers are down all across the NFL. Even the best pass rushing teams are finding it more difficult to sack the QB. Why?

• QBs and the offenses they run are schemed to get the ball out much quicker. The 7 step drop with a deep pass is now a rarity in the NFL.
• Offenses with an empty 5 wide formation are designed for lightening quick passes when there is minimal protection.

So how can defenses adjust? If it’s harder to get sacks, what can the defense do to make it harder on the QB?

• Getting pass deflections at the LOS. Teach defensive lineman to block passing lanes and get more deflections. Getting a deflection at the LOS is also a way to get more TOs.
• Use more disguised and nuanced blitz packages. You don’t always have to get a sack to disrupt a pass play. Making the QB uncomfortable or disrupted in rhythm is also very effective. The last 5 years, the Cowboys blitz less than 2/3 of the league. Hopefully that changes.
• Utilize more Press coverage on occasion. The additions of Diggs last year and Joseph this year should help with this. Our defenses the last few years have tended to give way too much room to receivers.
  
• Having a disruptive force in the middle-this may be the hardest for us to come up with since we don’t seem to have a dominant DT. Hopefully that improves.

Here’s hoping Dan Quinn can find ways to get us more sacks, or at the very least, more deflections at the line and more overall pressure and hurries. Sacks are great, but as the league evolves, they are harder to get. Finding other disruptive measures will be one big key to our D improving.

Click to expand...

We are not getting many sacks, in part because our highest paid pass rusher, Lawrence, has severely underperformed his contract. He is a perpetual underperformer. I saw a stat in another thread here that said a huge number of people had more sacks than him. 50 players or something like that?

When your BEST player is dragging the average down instead of inflating it, you are going to have problems. Tank probably made close to half of what our entire defense made at some point. Good player. Not great player. Waste of cap space.