CFZ A closer look at our inability to stop the run last two seasons

[kskboys]

The sad part of what you wrote is that this team had this weakness from the start and the front office did nothing to actually fix the problem. They just sat on their hands and did nothing.

Because they have no idea what to do.

 

[shabazz]

I’m obviously not an expert on how to build a better run defense. But it doesn’t take an NFL roster genius to see that our front 7 are woefully undersized and physically outgunned in the running game.

I saw a quote from one of the Buffalo OL who was quoted they couldn't wait to play us because when they saw those 210 pound LBs on film they knew they could absolutely bully them. And they went out and rushed for 266 yards. A bad Ariz team just manhandled our front 7 while rushing for 222 this year.

The only time our D was imposing its will on teams was when we were ahead two scores and opponents had to pass.

The issue isn't recognizing the problem ; it's believing the FO will know HOW to remedy it.

We'll be posting this same stuff 5 years from now if the status quo doesn't change.

That's why it hardly matters who coaches these neer do wells......

 

[MikeT22]

Apparently they at least recognize that the middle of the defense has been rotten and needed to be addressed, they have just failed miserably in selecting personnel.

If I had to guess it’s about allowing position coaches too much input over scouts, or one or the other just being not all that good at what they do. That happens.

It’s because we don’t have an actual GM. Sometimes he sides with the scouts, sometimes he sides with the coaches. Other times he just drafts the shiny object that fell.

On defense he gave a lot of leeway to the DC, both Marinelli and DQ. But Jerry provides nothing.

It’s also amazing how neither Marinelli or Quinn valued big high end DTs. When they did draft one Marinelli took Trysten and Quinn lobbied for Mazi.


Bottom line, we have no cohesive plan or philosophy.Primarily because we don’t have a real GM.

 

[DuncanIso]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

Good stuff man.

 

[DuncanIso]

yup and this is what it looked like in Seattle and this last playoff loss when teams see you cant stop the run and use extra resources to do so..

https://albums.memento.com/thebill/p/65c4f7f5219f2c86a867f224

That photo is brutal man.

 

[DuncanIso]

I’m obviously not an expert on how to build a better run defense. But it doesn’t take an NFL roster genius to see that our front 7 are woefully undersized and physically outgunned in the running game.

I saw a quote from one of the Buffalo OL who was quoted they couldn't wait to play us because when they saw those 210 pound LBs on film they knew they could absolutely bully them. And they went out and rushed for 266 yards. A bad Ariz team just manhandled our front 7 while rushing for 222 this year.

The only time our D was imposing its will on teams was when we were ahead two scores and opponents had to pass.

Losing LVE didnt help. 8(

 

[MyFairLady]

Losing LVE didnt help. 8(

The fact that LVE was on the team is what didn't help. I love the guy and he has moments of greatness early on but a real team would have long since moved on.

 

[Big_D]

Trysten Hill-2nd rd
Neville Gallimore-3
Quinton Bohanna-6
Osi Whoever-3
Chauncey Golston-3
John Ridgeway-6
Mazi Smith-1

Brent Urban-BBFA
Carlos Watkins-BBFA

Apparently they at least recognize that the middle of the defense has been rotten and needed to be addressed, they have just failed miserably in selecting personnel.

If I had to guess it’s about allowing position coaches too much input over scouts, or one or the other just being not all that good at what they do. That happens.

And if you do the Garrett years it makes this list actually look good. At least they're trying cause they used to just ignore it altogether.

7. Sean Lissemore
7. Ken Bishop
3. Collins
7. Ivie
7. Carrell
2. Hill (desperation pick after the Ram debacle)

That's DTs drafted between 2010 and 2019.

 

[Big D]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

It's been the main weakness of the defense for a while now dating back to the Romo era.

 

[Bobhaze]

Losing LVE didnt help. 8(

I agree. But I can’t understand why our FO thought going into 2023 that we were set at LB with LVE’s injury history and a 5th round draft pick Damone Clark not exactly a great run support LB. Then we rolled with Marquese Bell at 215 trying to fill in for LVE. And the trade deadline came and went with no moves to help.

The fact that LVE was on the team is what didn't help. I love the guy and he has moments of greatness early on but a real team would have long since moved on.

Agreed. I was really sold on trying harder to sign Bobby Wagner. He only cost $500K more than LVE and ended up playing another entire season with over 100 tackles. I just didn’t think LVE was all that great.

 

[Bagman]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

Great post Bob, nice work. You NAILED it. If there's a hole in your defense, the good teams will file it away in their back pocket and use your weakness against you when it matters most ( the playoffs).

 

[Buzzbait]

No question the run defense needs improvement, but there are several issues.
Dallas has made the philosophical choice to have an athletic speed defense that can pressure opposing QB's as opposed to a slower, power, containment defense that is better against the run. This was a strategic decision. Was it correct?
If you had to choose, would you rather have a defense that was good against the run, or good against the pass?

Then there are the qualitative issues. There have been lots of personnel misses on the defensive line, independent of defense roster building strategy.

One also has to consider Dallas's offense. The play of the offense affects the defense (and vice versa). The catastrophic Green Bay loss is the perfect example. Had Dallas's offense performed better in the first half, the game unfolds in a completely different way. Green Bay does not rack up all those rushing yards if it's a close game, or if Dallas actually has the lead.

We would all love to have a nice NT and another good LB, but it's really not that simple.

When we played Green Bay, we were terrible against the run AND terrible against the pass. They were getting receivers WIDE open all day and we couldn't do anything about it, and we were getting gashed by the running game.
I guess we forgot to choose which one we'd rather be good at.

 

[Cowboyny]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

Fixing both stopping and running the football!

 

[kskboys]

So true. The Micah Parsons pick is another great example of us taking the best player over only player of need. We wanted a CB badly in that draft but took Parsons which ended up being a really great pick. It reinforces what the PFF guys said about the Cowboys doing better in the draft when they just select the best player available.

Sometimes the best player is a player at a position of need. But if you chase need FIRST, you tend to miss guys like Lamb and Parsons.

And if you ignore need you end up w/ huge holes on your team!!!

There quite simply is not one little draft strategy to employ. Way too much goes into player evaluation to simply take players you pervieve as BPA. That gets you Kelvin Joseph.

Now even worse is when you take a Schooner type in the 2nd. Not a need, not BPA, what in hades was that all about? Just pure stupidity?

 

[Bobhaze]

Great post Bob, nice work. You NAILED it. If there's a hole in your defense, the good teams will file it away in their back pocket and use your weakness against you when it matters most ( the playoffs).

That is the bottom line. As I said in the OP, if your defense can’t get some stops when you’re behind, you couldn’t win with Mahomes or Brady.

 

[MikeT22]

And if you ignore need you end up w/ huge holes on your team!!!

There quite simply is not one little draft strategy to employ. Way too much goes into player evaluation to simply take players you pervieve as BPA. That gets you Kelvin Joseph.

No, we were looking for CB in round 1, but after the top 3 went ahead of us we went BPA with Parsons. But since we didn't get a CB in the 1st we drafted for need in the 2nd and got Kelvin Joseph.

 

[Doomsday]

Yep, they couldn't stop the run or run the ball effectively against good teams.

That is why you always hear coaches talking about taking away the run in order to make teams one-dimensional. When you can stop the run without committing extra defenders it is a huge advantage for the defense.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Absolutely. The Green Bay coaches knew exactly what our weaknesses and how to exploit them. While Dan Quinn did take an awful defense and make it a lot better, that defense had a massive Achilles heal. As you said, it was stopping the run, especially when the team is behind. I think Quinn looked at how pass happy the league has become, so he designed a defense to stop the pass. However, he did it at the expense of run defense, and then he wasn't very good at adapting.

Yep, that's my biggest criticism of DQ, adapting to offenses that have adapted to his defense. Great having a base defensive scheme, but you need to be able to adapt to teams, especially 'modern' QB's that are just as likely to use their legs than arm.

 

[Hadenough]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

I think the problems with run defense all start with the type of players Jerry likes to draft and coaches he likes to hire. Always looking for DEs and drafting project LBs. He doesn't like big DT with attitude. Jerry won't go out in the FA market or trade for Leonard Williams or Quinnen Williams. Jerry had a chance to draft Chris Jones instead of that LB with a shredded knee.
If they had Patrick Mahomes under center they could play more ball control offense using up the clock.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

Good work, but D-Law summed it up - they were too tired.