A win is a win but this defense can't break like this

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The DL looked worn out once the 3rd quarter got started. Selvie made some plays as did Hatcher but the absence of a rotation hurt us as we got bottled up a lot in the second half. A couple of near misses as well.

Our coverage in the middle of the field was sloppy but a key pick in the fourth and all the other TO makes me unable to criticize too much.

 

[Stinger_Splash]

The turnovers were literally the difference in the game. The defense was terrible imo especially pass defense in the 2nd half. The Giants were scoring TDs very quickly. We still could have just as easily lost that game if the Giants had decent RBs. Good win but going forward, the pass defense has to be better. Giving up 400 plus yards passing is not good. I thought our coverages were soft. No aggression at all.

 

[Idgit]

Give me 18 more weeks of tonight's defense, please.

 

[InmanRoshi]

The turnovers will get all the headlines, as they should, but one of the critical moments in the game was holding Giants to a field goal when they had the ball on the 1 yard line after the Terrence Williams brainfart interception.

I probably counted at least 7 blatant holds by Giants OL that were not called. I'm not talking ticky tack stuff, Im talking about literally tackling defenders from behind after they've defeated you off the block.

 

[Jammer]

They gave up 428 passing yards. I'm sorry, but a turd is a turd and that pass defense was turd worthy. We can't count on turnovers to bail us out of every game. The offense has to do a better job also.

My point exactly. People point to turnovers to show the defense was good. It's very rare to force 6 turnovers, but I don't think it's going to be that rare for this defense to give up that many yards if they don't improve.

 

[InmanRoshi]

The defense can't break like that? Maybe if the O didnt' three and out the whole fourth quarter, this game wouldn't be in winning distance. The D can't hold forever and 6 turnovers, especially when some of them result in touchdowns or us being in the redzone, the offense has to do something.

Yep. The defense carried the offense tonight, which really wasn't clicking for the entire game.

 

[dart]

well I saw a number of holds on our O line also that were not called

 

[kevm3]

You guys remember the point in the game that the Defense created three turnovers and all the offense had to show for it was a FG. The offense wasn't able to take time off the clock either, especially seeing as Romo had thrown 40 times in one half.

Exactly. The defense gets blamed, but when the offense keeps going three and out and failing to get critical first downs, the defense is eventually going to get scored on. If the offense scored a couple of extra touchdowns with the opportunities they were given or got a couple of extra first downs, the game would have been over a long time ago.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Love the turn-overs, however, 450 Yards passing, 4 TDs, and a 100+ QB rating by Eli Manning in this game is way too much. The Cowboys are going to have to face much better QBs than Eli this season.

not very many, he is probably top 5 in the NFL

 

[FLCowboyFan]

I can't believe anyone would call out this defense. Rob Ryan would give away his kids for a game like that and this is our first of the season. I am pumped up after seeing this, finally preseason talk turning into regular season action.

This

 

[tupperware]

The Giants have a good offense as long as they can pass protect. Their OL is bad, just like ours (Though, things seem to be on the up with this OL, especially now with Waters). The problem? Well, we can't generate much pressure on a consistent basis. If you give that team time to throw, they have a stable of WR that can make a bunch of teams look silly. Saying that though, I've been very unimpressed with our secondary. I know some of it is due to a lack of pressure, but not all of it is. Sad to say it, but I'm starting to worry about Claiborne. I'm really starting to doubt the move and I thought it was a good deal for us at the time.

I guess things can change and he could entirely turn it around, I suppose we'll see. He has to learn to stay healthy first.

 

[d_dub88]

They gave up 428 passing yards. I'm sorry, but a turd is a turd and that pass defense was turd worthy. We can't count on turnovers to bail us out of every game. The offense has to do a better job also.

We had the game won early in the fourth but the Offense could not take time off the clock. Yes Eli torched us a bit but a little more of the Hall of Fame type offense and a lot less of the same old same old and the D is not in that position.

 

[kevm3]

I wouldn't worry about Claiborne. He hasn't played all preseason and he got matched up against Nicks, which is not easy at all.

 

[Cowboysfan1975]

The turnovers will get all the headlines, as they should, but one of the critical moments in the game was holding Giants to a field goal when they had the ball on the 1 yard line after the Terrence Williams brainfart interception.

I probably counted at least 7 blatant holds by Giants OL that were not called. I'm not talking ticky tack stuff, Im talking about literally tackling defenders from behind after they've defeated you off the block.

The holds were obvious as well, i could not believe the no calls.

 

[tupperware]

The defense did give up easy drives in the 2nd half. But it shouldn't have come to that. We should've went into halftime with a 30 point lead. The way the Giants started, we should've put the nail in the coffin by halftime.

This is a good point. For as bad as our defense looked at times, our offense was in position to put up touchdowns on multiple occasions. If both the offense and defense were clicking we would have blown them out.

 

[tupperware]

I asked this in the game thread but didn't get a response. Is there any statistics website that tells you how many holding calls a pass rusher draws? I'm positive Ware is at the bottom of that list.

 

[AdamJT13]

The turnovers were literally the difference in the game. The defense was terrible imo especially pass defense in the 2nd half. The Giants were scoring TDs very quickly. We still could have just as easily lost that game if the Giants had decent RBs. Good win but going forward, the pass defense has to be better. Giving up 400 plus yards passing is not good. I thought our coverages were soft. No aggression at all.

Welcome to the Tampa 2. Tonight's game was an exaggerated example of what this defense does -- it gives up yards under and in between zones, but it gives the defensive players opportunities for interceptions. Notice anything about the interceptions by Carr and Allen? They both were facing the offense, not trailing a receiver in man-to-man. All they had to do was see the ball and catch it, instead of needing to turn or dive for it.

The blown coverage on the 70-yard TD catch by Cruz is a concern, but hopefully that will get ironed out.

 

[dstovall5]

For the most part, I was happy with how the defense performed, I honestly don't care how many YARDS they give up. If they create turn overs like they did today then we can beat ANY team in the NFL. If our offense played well, then this game would've been around 30 to 10 ... by half time. They didn't play bad, but they didn't necessarily play good either, especially with the weapons we have. I mean what happened to all this talent at WR ? Hardly anyone could get separation and get open, including our best WR Dez.

It's the first game though so I wont point out all the negatives we had, I mean we pulled out a win, no one should be upset. What more could you ask for? A win is a win, regardless of how you got there. Overall I liked what I saw and if anyone says this is the same team as last year, they're clueless. Enjoy the win everyone, was a nice one to pull out.

 

[Hoofbite]

not very many, he is probably top 5 in the NFL

No he's not.

Brees
Rogers
Peyton
Brady

So there are no other QBs better than Manning? Top 10 but not Top 5.

 

[kirkjrk]

Give me 18 more weeks of tonight's defense, please.

Wow really--31 points., 450 yds. passing, QB rating 100+ with 4 passing TD's. Not me. Probably lose 8 out of 10 games when these numbers show up again. 6 Turnovers were great but can't count on that very often.