Areas for defensive improvement to make a deep playoff run

[Risen Star]

Really the key on defense is just to get Trysten Hill back. Everything else should fall into place.

 

[fivetwos]

I disagree I do think this defense can and will elevate their level of play. This unit has only played together for 6 games and with more parts of the defense sliding into the rotation and more experienced gained by younger players I think this defense can elevate the level of play

I've said all along that they will get better as we go.

I would have thought it would have taken until around now to begin to see results, but they play of Diggs and Parsons have expedited that.

I don't know that we are going to get to where we don't rely on the offense to win games for us though.

 

[DanA]

My personal opinion:

• Safety and Corner play has been pretty good
• Edge players have been really good and will get better with D-law
• Interior D-line sucks except for Odigi, Gallimore will help against the pass, we need a run stuffer
• Linebackers suck except for Parsons

I'd love for us to trade for Fatukasi (Jets) whose in the final year of his rookie contract and we could use a Linebacker as Neal and LVE haven't been great.

 

[Doomsday101]

I've said all along that they will get better as we go.

I would have thought it would have taken until around now to begin to see results, but they play of Diggs and Parsons have expedited that.

I don't know that we are going to get to where we don't rely on the offense to win games for us though.

In todays NFL you will always rely on offense to go out and do their jobs, especially when playing other top offensive teams like Cards, Packers and Rams. NFL rules are setup to create more scoring, so even vs top ranked defense these teams can still go out and put up points. However defense I think can continue to improve to slow those teams down and contribute to winning by making plays.

 

[Bobhaze]

Really the key on defense is just to get Trysten Hill back. Everything else should fall into place.

Where would this team be without Trysten Hill?

 

[CATCH17]

More pressure.

When our offense can get a 10 point lead and teams have to throw that’s when the fun starts with this team.

Last week the offense could never separate and Mac Jones never had to hold the ball and take many risks.

This defense is something else when they can just tee off on the QB.

Getting D Law back will be big and I do think Gallimore and Hill will make us stronger. I’m not as down on Hill as everyone else.

 

[jazzcat22]

Our defense so fat played.
TB, great offense, SD, pretty good offense, Eagles, supposedly a good offense, as we seen they did play some other teams and moved the ball.
Panthers were rolling in a way, but they did not have CMC. Giants, ok, they they did have some big plays against us. NE, which is really not all as bad as their record.

But they all seemed to have moved the ball on us at times. It wasn't like we completely shut them down.

Our defense against the remaining schedule.
Vikings, will be tough, it depends if Kirk is up or down. Broncos and Falcons, we should be fine against them.
Then Chiefs and Raiders, those games will not be easy against their offenses.
Saints, who know what they will be by the time we play them, but it may not be easy.
Cardinals...oh boy, the defense better have gelled really good for this one.

so that leaves 2 games with the WFT, then NYG, and Philly. If the defense has cleaned some thing up, they should be ok.

Overall, there really is not an offense you can say they should be scared of. Vikings depends on Cousins, Chiefs, depends on Mahomes, as he is not having his typical great season so far. But he can still pick us apart. Then Murray is lighting it up, as well as the run game for the Cards.
3 teams of 11. If the defense can get the turnovers and play as they have been for 8 of those 11, we are good.

 

[DRella]

Vet Corner opposite of Diggs
Interior D lineman to help collapse pocket and stop run.

Target Hicks in Chicago and Howard in Miami. If I had to select one it would be Howard in Miami with Gallimore coming back along with Hill to provide more depth at tackle positions.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Like most Cowboys fans, I’m excited about our defense’s improvement this year. Their ability to get TOs (they are 2nd in the league with 14!) is a huge reason we are 5-1. It’s a young aggressive defense that is certainly on the upswing.

But if we are being honest without the fan glasses, our defense still has a very long way to go. If we’re going to have a defense that is playoff ready, we must improve defensively in some key areas, because even though our offense is top shelf, there are often playoff games where a great offense runs into a good or great D.

With that in mind, here are some areas we must improve if we’re going to have a serious playoff run:

• Points per game, giving up 24.3. The most important defensive stat. Not terrible, but that needs to improve because the better teams we may face in the playoffs tend to be able to make your offense score less. We can’t always depend on the offense alone to win games.
• 3rd down conversion rate- we have improved to 9th in the league with a 35% rate. But it’s way better at home (31%) than the road (41%). That’s an important stat in the playoffs, especially if playing on the road.
• Our 6.3 yards per play is 29th in the NFL. (Without the 14 TOs we’ve had, we would all be talking about how we are still getting gashed for big plays)
• We are ranked 28th in yards per passing attempt with 7.4. This represents giving up too many big plays in the passing game. Like the Mac Jones bomb in the last two min vs pats last week.
• We have 11 sacks, which is ok, but that ranks us 23rd. We could really use an improvement there.

Our defense is certainly better and still improving. But I want to see us get better in the above areas and I will feel even better about our playoff chances.

good work.

I think key things are the 3rd down percentage...that means the defense gets off the field and gives the ball back to offense.

so reading through everyone's point, everyone is correct about giving up big chunk plays...the culprit is YAC...we are absolute worst in the league.

so digging into the 6.3 YPP, we give up 6.5 yards per completion in YAC...is 4.3yards per attempt.....that's bad.....and over all devided across all plays so far its 2.7 per play, which again is the worst in the league.....and this also explains the 7.4 per pass completion...mostly as result of YAC.

if we cut the YAC by a 1/3rd. just 300 yards.....about 50 yards per game, that would put us middle of the pack in pass defense. it would improve the YPP to 5.4 and that again puts us in the middle of the pack...

so not sure the reason behind us being so bad at YAC.

 

[conner01]

No doubt we have weaknesses
Hopefully as we get players back that helps
But there is no one guy out there you can go get that is gonna fix it
You best option is just keep getting more efficient on offense

 

[DRella]

No doubt we have weaknesses
Hopefully as we get players back that helps
But there is no one guy out there you can go get that is gonna fix it
You best option is just keep getting more efficient on offense

The one guy that definitely fix everything is Mr Hicks in Chicago. He helps against run better than anyone. He can pressure the QB from inside and collapse pocket for DE's which in turn will cause quick throws for incompletions or INTs. Taking away the run up the middle also helps second level with run (LBs)

 

[GORICO]

Like most Cowboys fans, I’m excited about our defense’s improvement this year. Their ability to get TOs (they are 2nd in the league with 14!) is a huge reason we are 5-1. It’s a young aggressive defense that is certainly on the upswing.

But if we are being honest without the fan glasses, our defense still has a very long way to go. If we’re going to have a defense that is playoff ready, we must improve defensively in some key areas, because even though our offense is top shelf, there are often playoff games where a great offense runs into a good or great D.

With that in mind, here are some areas we must improve if we’re going to have a serious playoff run:

• Points per game, giving up 24.3. The most important defensive stat. Not terrible, but that needs to improve because the better teams we may face in the playoffs tend to be able to make your offense score less. We can’t always depend on the offense alone to win games.
• 3rd down conversion rate- we have improved to 9th in the league with a 35% rate. But it’s way better at home (31%) than the road (41%). That’s an important stat in the playoffs, especially if playing on the road.
• Our 6.3 yards per play is 29th in the NFL. (Without the 14 TOs we’ve had, we would all be talking about how we are still getting gashed for big plays)
• We are ranked 28th in yards per passing attempt with 7.4. This represents giving up too many big plays in the passing game. Like the Mac Jones bomb in the last two min vs pats last week.
• We have 11 sacks, which is ok, but that ranks us 23rd. We could really use an improvement there.

Our defense is certainly better and still improving. But I want to see us get better in the above areas and I will feel even better about our playoff chances.

mr Bob--- thanks for the stats...and sound reasoning...

 

[GORICO]

The shocking thing is Diggs accounts for 50% of the Dallas defensive turnovers. That said, the Dallas d-line needs to be able to get more consistent pressure on the opposing QB while also being more solid against the run (giving up 4.3 YPC so far).
Keeping in mind the injuries and that the younger players are being relied on more, I think this is an adjustment season for the Dallas defense wherein guys like Diggs, Parsons, Osa, and Cox are going to become the faces of the defense and there will be a major change in personnel the next season or two.

mr Army vet ( Navy vet here )---- we also hopefully have vet's coming back on defense to shore up areas....if we can stay relatively healthy they will come into prime at best time during late November

...for once i am just excited Cowboys make sound adjustments during game and we are not the Garrett model of just beat the guy in front of you regardless if he is much better B.S.

 

[GORICO]

The one guy that definitely fix everything is Mr Hicks in Chicago. He helps against run better than anyone. He can pressure the QB from inside and collapse pocket for DE's which in turn will cause quick throws for incompletions or INTs. Taking away the run up the middle also helps second level with run (LBs)

DRella---is Hicks available?

 

[USArmyVet]

mr Army vet ( Navy vet here )---- we also hopefully have vet's coming back on defense to shore up areas....if we can stay relatively healthy they will come into prime at best time during late November

...for once i am just excited Cowboys make sound adjustments during game and we are not the Garrett model of just beat the guy in front of you regardless if he is much better B.S.

Thanks for the fellow service....even if it was the Navy. lol

I have to be honest and say I would rather see these young guys continue to play together and earn reps rather than introduce the vets. These young guys have a chip on their shoulder the likes of which has not been seen in Dallas for a very long time.

 

[GORICO]

Thanks for the fellow service....even if it was the Navy. lol

I have to be honest and say I would rather see these young guys continue to play together and earn reps rather than introduce the vets. These young guys have a chip on their shoulder the likes of which has not been seen in Dallas for a very long time.

I must agree--- that chip we have not seen in a while...but it seems this team made up different...maybe the young guys are OK reinforcements and a defense brotherhood?.....since there will be deference to the Vets bercause he is a Vet?.....like we are a team playing unselfish...maybe too much to hope for?...but winning does cure just about everything?

 

[GORICO]

Thanks for the fellow service....even if it was the Navy. lol

I have to be honest and say I would rather see these young guys continue to play together and earn reps rather than introduce the vets. These young guys have a chip on their shoulder the likes of which has not been seen in Dallas for a very long time.

oh by the way...i love the back and forth "needling"...Squids, Jarheads, Ground-pounders....its all in fun....

 

[USArmyVet]

oh by the way...i love the back and forth "needling"...Squids, Jarheads, Ground-pounders....its all in fun....

Definite respect for fellow vets my friend.

I guess the worry with returning veteran players is they try and play the vet card and it disrupts the young guys playing together. Time will tell but most can see the changing defensive culture in Dallas which excluded J. Smith, soon LVE, and maybe DLaw.

 

[conner01]

The one guy that definitely fix everything is Mr Hicks in Chicago. He helps against run better than anyone. He can pressure the QB from inside and collapse pocket for DE's which in turn will cause quick throws for incompletions or INTs. Taking away the run up the middle also helps second level with run (LBs)

He is very good
He’s also a FA next year so even if you could trade for him you then have to sign him and he’s 31 and making 10 mil a year right now
I don’t know if bears want to trade him or what they would want but he’s certainly not worth a high pick at his age, cost and contract situation

 

[charron]

We need CB help. If Joseph can come in and play that could really boost our pass defense. Diggs, Joseph on the outside and brown can move back to the slot. That is our best line up if Joseph does what he is capable of. Consistant safety play would also help.