Defense is the achilles heel at this point

Sydla

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What does he need to do to play better by your standards?

More pressure on the QB, for starters. Once again, this is a middling pass rushing team and criticism for that is going to fall largely on the guy who is the highest paid DE in football. Nowhere have I said he sucks or isn't good or was a mistake to sign long term. I've defended him when guys like Verdict were attacking him for being overpaid, etc.

But I get it though. We can't criticize or critique Cowboys players.
 

catiii

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We have the lowest points allowed per game so far this year since 2009. Going by that stat, our D is better than it has been in 10 years. Perhaps team quality of opponents played in only 2 games gives a skewed impression....
 

G2

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More pressure on the QB, for starters. Once again, this is a middling pass rushing team and criticism for that is going to fall largely on the guy who is the highest paid DE in football. Nowhere have I said he sucks or isn't good or was a mistake to sign long term.

I get it though. We can't criticize or critique Cowboys players.
What are you looking at? He had multiple pressures that rushed throws and nearly had 3 sacks. He was in the backfield all the time, and disruptive.
 

JustChip

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The defense looked fine sunday

There needs to be improvements for sure but the skins got a late garbage time td and had 40 yards rushing....
Correct. IiRC, the defense gave up less than 100 total yards the 1st half and only 250 for the game. They kept the team in the game despite being on the wrong end of field position until the offense started producing. They’re not Doomsday for sure yet, but they’re good enough at this point. The biggest negative to me is their inability to get turnovers - there were 2 pick sixes to be made & they spit the bit on both. Teams like Philly don’t do that.
 

charron

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We should see an uptick in defensive production the next 2 weeks. At times i thought we had a good rush vs wash but they were still getting the ball out quickly. We need to make the QB's hold the ball a tick longer. Would also help if our DB's would catch the ball that's thrown to them.
 

MysteryIceGuro

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I think Dallas has a problem with backup RB's. First it was CJ Anderson, now it was Adrian Peterson. That's the formula to beating the Dallas D. Use your backup RB.
 

Hawkeye0202

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More pressure on the QB, for starters. Once again, this is a middling pass rushing team and criticism for that is going to fall largely on the guy who is the highest paid DE in football. Nowhere have I said he sucks or isn't good or was a mistake to sign long term. I've defended him when guys like Verdict were attacking him for being overpaid, etc.

But I get it though. We can't criticize or critique Cowboys players.

TWO GAMES into seasons........14 games to play. Negative overreaction......

I expected more for a $21MM DE. He's played well enough but when you are making that type of money, you need to dominate and he's not.
 

quickccc

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It's a bend but don't break defense.
Unfortunately, even with Richard here, our back seven hasn't really improved on the turnover part of the game.

IMO Lawrence is still rusty and well the rest of the line is average at best. D-Law will have a favorable matchup this week versus Jesse Davis.

true about the back seven, but the same and even more can be said about the front four, ,,in fact especially the front four, as we still cannot get the necessary pass rush
and sacks needed to create havoc for these passers. especially from the middle interior and right end.

- Crawford, imo always seems to work best when he is in as a nickel inside rusher, even twists and stunts, as was the case with his sack (only sack for Cowboys) vs Skins
I hate it when he has to stock-piled starting time at DE where he is so mediocre as a edge rusher.

- as I've always said about Maliek, he will flash on occasions and have one or two glimpses and moments, but those glimpses and moments are just too far apart and in-between there's
his usual moments of disappearance and not able to make his presence felt.

- Woods is another decent JAG from the Marinelli fav, that doesn't change the run defense dynamics.

- Dlaw, i feel will get better every week coming off his recovery time for entire summer,

- I know staff remains so high on Armstrong but i'm not yet seeing a difference maker, just another decent rotation type
- Covington is a wide body who i'd have to see more of should he get more and more play time .,could he be prove a better player and replace Woods?
- Hill ? with Woods injured, he will be made game active, but judging by his preseason that proved how raw and green he is, i'm not expecting much at this time

- I get the impression that there will be great expectations for Quinn's return, but that's such a wait and see- as we won't know which Quinn version we will get;
it's a reason why we ended up getting a player with such a resume, ..so cheap. Low risk/high reward
 

Sydla

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TWO GAMES into seasons........14 games to play. Negative overreaction......

I expected more for a $21MM DE. He's played well enough but when you are making that type of money, you need to dominate and he's not.

LOL.

You are linking a post where I literally say "he's played well enough" but I'd like to see him step up even more. But yeah, I think he stinks.
 

quickccc

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I think Dallas has a problem with backup RB's. First it was CJ Anderson, now it was Adrian Peterson. That's the formula to beating the Dallas D. Use your backup RB.

how is limiting a backup vet back to 47 yards and a 2.8 ypc, considered a problem ? :huh:
 

John813

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true about the back seven, but the same and even more can be said about the front four, ,,in fact especially the front four, as we still cannot get the necessary pass rush
and sacks needed to create havoc for these passers. especially from the middle interior and right end.

- Crawford, imo always seems to work best when he is in as a nickel inside rusher, even twists and stunts, as was the case with his sack (only sack for Cowboys) vs Skins
I hate it when he has to stock-piled starting time at DE where he is so mediocre as a edge rusher.

- as I've always said about Maliek, he will flash on occasions and have one or two glimpses and moments, but those glimpses and moments are just too far apart and in-between there's
his usual moments of disappearance and not able to make his presence felt.

- Woods is another decent JAG from the Marinelli fav, that doesn't change the run defense dynamics.

- Dlaw, i feel will get better every week coming off his recovery time for entire summer,

- I know staff remains so high on Armstrong but i'm not yet seeing a difference maker, just another decent rotation type
- Covington is a wide body who i'd have to see more of should he get more and more play time .,could he be prove a better player and replace Woods?
- Hill ? with Woods injured, he will be made game active, but judging by his preseason that proved how raw and green he is, i'm not expecting much at this time

- I get the impression that there will be great expectations for Quinn's return, but that's such a wait and see- as we won't know which Quinn version we will get;
it's a reason why we ended up getting a player with such a resume, ..so cheap. Low risk/high reward

I would definitely want Dallas to draft another RDE this draft, first round even. Just make sure Rod is locked out of the draft war room.
 

Sydla

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I would definitely want Dallas to draft another RDE this draft, first round even. Just make sure Rod is locked out of the draft war room.

Is it a talent issue or can we start to wonder if it's a coaching issue? We keep churning DL and yet we sill are always middle of the pack in pass rushing each year, and that's with an upper echelon DE in Lawrence.

Our pass rush problems are probably a bit of both. Quinn should help but it would not surprise me with Quinn back, this pass rush still looking average.
 

MysteryIceGuro

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how is limiting a backup vet back to 47 yards and a 2.8 ypc, considered a problem ? :huh:

It's not a problem unless its in the redzone and/or 4th downs. Every 4th down they had last night seemed to be converted because our defense was lollygagging. Jeff Heath literally blocked a pass with the back of his helmet. Our secondary needs to improve because Patriots, Green Bay, and the Rams will have a field day passing on us.
 

KMY_Amber

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I'm still concerned about the defense, but I feel better that Kris Richard is calling the plays. I'm hoping that he has creative blitz packages that he's not showing until they're needed in a closer game. The Cowboys are the king of the BBDB once they go up 2 scores. Thank goodness Moore still calls aggressive plays even when the Cowboys are up by 2+ scores. But the defense just goes into "protect the lead" mode. I don't love it, but it works (until it doesn't).

I'm OK for now, as I will trust Kris to get more creative as the season moves on, with some deception at the line of scrimmage and creative coverage schemes.

Ultimately, we simply need more pass rush from the front 4, since we basically just bring 4 95% of the time. That area certainly needs improvement.
 

John813

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Is it a talent issue or can we start to wonder if it's a coaching issue? We keep churning DL and yet we sill are always middle of the pack in pass rushing each year, and that's with an upper echelon DE in Lawrence.

Our pass rush problems are probably a bit of both. Quinn should help but it would not surprise me with Quinn back, this pass rush still looking average.

Not sure, but Taco was a LDE from day 1 and well Lawrence became a beast in 2017, ending whatever chance Taco had of getting real playing time here.
I liked the Armstrong pick due to hoping to find a diamond in the rough, but he was a day 3 pick coming off a year where he was in the wrong scheme. Worth the chance but not like he was some stud out of Kansas.

Too early to get a sound opinion on Joe Jackson.

I wouldn't mind seeing a new DL coach(really it's Rod) in here. He's had years to do something here but hasn't really done much. New voice in how the linemen attack the LOS.
 

Blackspider214

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This defense still has no idea how to create turnovers, specifically interceptions. Even when they do get their hands on it, they flat out drop it. Happened this week and last. Or you have an easy pick 6 for Heath but he's not even looking at the ball.

The scheme is junk. Bend but don't break does our offense no favors.
 

reddyuta

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Defense is so passive,they rush 4 every down.Wish we would be aggressive like the Saints game last year/
 

Blackspider214

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The defense is fine. People need to stop overreacting.

Lol no it isn't. We are playing bottom rung teams with terrible QBs and very little weapons. Wait until you play actually talented offenses. They will become even more exposed. The same thing was said about this defense last year.
 

reddyuta

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This defense still has no idea how to create turnovers, specifically interceptions. Even when they do get their hands on it, they flat out drop it. Happened this week and last. Or you have an easy pick 6 for Heath but he's not even looking at the ball.

The scheme is junk. Bend but don't break does our offense no favors.

the same people who defended linehan are doing it again for Marinelli.
 
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