Did the Dallas Cowboys improve at defensive tackle in 2018?

Captain43Crash

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,297
Reaction score
7,563
Rod is a all time great Dline coach and Kris is a all time great secondary coach. Expectations should be high from Cowboys fans especially coming off of a 8th defensive ranking just a season ago. For me personally defense is the last thing I am worried about regardless of who we have or do not have at DT.
Coaching is extremely important in today’s NFL with the talent level so comparable among so many teams, but you still need some talent. We have a bunch of mediocre tackles that are not play makers. Look what the Ugles did. They have very strong DT’s and still went out and got a couple more D lineman, including Bennett. Marinelli I think, is a good coach, but he’s not a miracle worker. DT is our biggest weakness. It will get us beat vs good teams if we don’t see some huge improvement from the guys we have, or sign someone with talent.
 

1nfljunky

Active Member
Messages
184
Reaction score
130
8th in defense is 8th in defense which is measured the same way for all teams in the NFL. I did stop.
In scoring defense you ranked 19th. There were only 4 teams that gave up a higher percentage of complemented passes than you did TB, Oak.,GB and Cleveland. Not exactly your who’s who of defenses. That 19th in scoring defense is damning though, seeings how scores are how games are won and lost and all. Maybe you shouldn’t have stopped reading.
 

ItzKelz

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,838
Reaction score
9,164
Coaching is extremely important in today’s NFL with the talent level so comparable among so many teams, but you still need some talent. We have a bunch of mediocre tackles that are not play makers. Look what the Ugles did. They have very strong DT’s and still went out and got a couple more D lineman, including Bennett. Marinelli I think, is a good coach, but he’s not a miracle worker. DT is our biggest weakness. It will get us beat vs good teams if we don’t see some huge improvement from the guys we have, or sign someone with talent.
Just because it is the weakest position group on defense doesnt mean it is detrimental to the success of the defense.

Talent and a mixture of Coaching. With similar talent and coaching we were 8th overall in defense. You add Kris into the mix and I have little to no concern about how our defense is going to perform. Rod is a legend and he proves season after season no matter what you give him he will maximize the talent which is why we have gotten better on defense every season Rod has been the DC.
 

ItzKelz

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,838
Reaction score
9,164
In scoring defense you ranked 19th. There were only 4 teams that gave up a higher percentage of complemented passes than you did TB, Oak.,GB and Cleveland. Not exactly your who’s who of defenses. That 19th in scoring defense is damning though, seeings how scores are how games are won and lost and all. Maybe you shouldn’t have stopped reading.
It is either true or not true that we were 8th in total defense a season ago and that every team in the NFL is measure on the same metrics.
 

1nfljunky

Active Member
Messages
184
Reaction score
130
It is either true or not true that we were 8th in total defense a season ago and that every team in the NFL is measure on the same metrics.
In yards, yes. Yards don’t move the score board buddy. Question for you smart guy, you wouldn’t have been happier giving up more yards and less points? Who care that you were 8th in yards when you were 19th in points against???
 

1nfljunky

Active Member
Messages
184
Reaction score
130
It is either true or not true that we were 8th in total defense a season ago and that every team in the NFL is measure on the same metrics.
When they start awarding SBs for yards you’ll be the first guy I’ll call...lol
 

Typhus

Captain Catfish
Messages
19,554
Reaction score
22,442
Major issue when we face a good running team......
And they are coming,, from within our own division quickly.
Its like a chess match in the NFC East, and were defending a queens move with a pawn at this point.
 

ItzKelz

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,838
Reaction score
9,164
In yards, yes. Yards don’t move the score board buddy. Question for you smart guy, you wouldn’t have been happier giving up more yards and less points? Who care that you were 8th in yards when you were 19th in points against???
Yards is used as a mark for the top defenses in the NFL because it most accurately accounts for everything. For example our offense tnot only put us in several bad situations defensively but also gave up points for TD's last season which all count against the defense.
 
Last edited:

Number1

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,690
Reaction score
1,326
I think many are really underestimating the DT situation

"did they improve at DT?" ... don't know yet, it really depends on how good Ward is

these are the guys going to camp the top 4 make this team (contracts)

Brian Price
Maliek Collins
Jihad Ward
David Irving

note, 3 of the 4 are really D3s

DeQuinton Osborne
Daniel Ross
Lewis Neal
Antwaun Woods
Richard Ash

note, 4 of 5 are D1s

with Collins limping and Irving tripping ... IMO, Osborne (D1) and Neal (D3) make this unit on intensity
 

1nfljunky

Active Member
Messages
184
Reaction score
130
When they start awarding superbowls for any stat let me know.
They do. Where have you been? The team that gives up the least points in the last game wins. Don’t believe me? Who had the most yards this past SB? And who gave up the least points? Consider yourself notified...
 

ItzKelz

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,838
Reaction score
9,164
They do. Where have you been? The team that gives up the least points in the last game wins. Don’t believe me? Who had the most yards this past SB? And who gave up the least points? Consider yourself notified...
What about all the other Superbowls? I'll wait for updated notification.
 

Alexander

What's it going to be then, eh?
Messages
62,437
Reaction score
67,220
I think many are really underestimating the DT situation

"did they improve at DT?" ... don't know yet, it really depends on how good Ward is

these are the guys going to camp the top 4 make this team (contracts)

Brian Price
Maliek Collins
Jihad Ward
David Irving

note, 3 of the 4 are really D3s

DeQuinton Osborne
Daniel Ross
Lewis Neal
Antwaun Woods
Richard Ash

note, 4 of 5 are D1s

with Collins limping and Irving tripping ... IMO, Osborne (D1) and Neal (D3) make this unit on intensity
Osbourne is not on the team any more.
 

DiResta

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,590
Reaction score
5,530
its very surprising given that i read a quote recently where Garrett said 'our goal from the beginning was to build a great offense line.'
surely they see the very same need on the other side of the ball? our division rivals all put a premium on it (Commanders are late to the party but they are making up for it)
the teams Zeke struggled to run against?
Giants
Eagles
and coming soon, Commanders

maybe the do care but just chose to allocate to other positions on defense first? but it doesnt seem like it
 

visionary

Well-Known Member
Messages
27,430
Reaction score
31,765
[In this series, we’ll take a look at the additions and subtractions at every position on the Dallas Cowboys roster. We’ll compare where the Cowboys were to where they currently sit and ask the ultimate question. Did the Cowboys improve or not? In other words, do you feel better about the state of the roster going into the 2018 season?]

This season:
Maliek Collins - 16 games played, 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries

David Irving - Eight games played, 22 tackles, seven sacks, six pass deflections, one forced fumble, missed four games due to PED suspension, missed four games with concussion

Stephen Paea - Four games played, seven tackles, one TFL, retired October 13th (chronic knee condition)

Brian Price - Eight games played, eight tackles, one pass deflection, placed on IR November 8th, re-signed two-year deal in free agency

Richard Ash - 10 games played, 12 tackles, one pass deflection

Datone Jones - Signed in November, four games played, nine tackles, one sack

Lewis Neal - Practice squad, promoted in November, seven games played, eight tackles

Daniel Ross - Signed off Chiefs practice squad in November, three games played, five tackles, one sack, one forced fumble

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...s-cowboys-improve-at-defensive-tackle-in-2018

Not one of those guys would start on ANY respectable defense

Not one

We took a weak position and filled it with trash
 

DiResta

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,590
Reaction score
5,530
Not one of those guys would start on ANY respectable defense

Not one

We took a weak position and filled it with trash
on the plus side, the team is very young aside from Lee and next draft is supposed to be loaded with DT
they could completely reshape the dline just like they did corners, receivers and linebackers
in fact it seems the way they are addressing these weak positions
next year could see many new faces
crosses fingers
 

DasSchnitzel

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,140
Reaction score
4,265
The question is not if the DE or DT group is now good. The question of the thread is whether or not they have improved from this time last year. They are better, if only marginally. Not enough to move the needle. Yet.
 

ItzKelz

Well-Known Member
Messages
6,838
Reaction score
9,164
If that was your takeaway your comprehension skills suck. Its no wonder your level of understanding is where it is. I'll try and make it as easy as I can for you, please follow along....L-E-S-S Y-A-R-D-S A-R-E N-O-T A-S I-M-P-O-R-T-A-N-T L-E-S-S P-O-I-N-T-S!!!! I hope this helps
It is the NFL that ranks the best defenses and offenses based on yards. I understand the logic behind why yards are more important in the eyes of those in charge of the NFL. You are allowed to not to agree with them. No need to try to insult because you also see their logic.
 
Top