Blog: Dallas Cowboys Sack Numbers

[Boyzmamacita]

Dallas Cowboys Sack Numbers

James Joyner | Friday, August 3, 2007

Tim Cowlishaw has come to the startling conclusion that Wade Phillips will likely improve the Dallas Cowboys’ ability to sack the quarterback in the upcoming season. No big news there, right?


But the numbers are interesting:

As San Diego’s defensive coordinator last season, Phillips watched his team sack opposing quarterbacks a league-leading 61 times. And it wasn’t all about having league leader Shawne Merriman on board. Take away his 17 sacks – and that’s a heck of a lot to take away – and the Chargers still would have ranked fourth in sacks. Take away his 17 sacks, and the Chargers still dump the quarterback 10 more times than the Cowboys in 2006.​

That’s pretty scary. But there’s more:

Forget the Chargers’ 61 sacks. The Cowboys haven’t had a 40-sack season since 1994.​

In Dave Wannstedt’s and Dave Campo’s and Mike Zimmer’s schemes, the emphasis was more on preventing the big play than creating havoc. That was true even after defensive guru Bill Parcells came to Dallas.​

And a 40-sack season is really no big deal. Each year close to half the league gets to that figure. In the 12 years since the Cowboys had their last 40-sack season, 25 teams have had at least four of them. [emphasis mine]​

Anyone who followed the Cowboys the last few years knew they weren’t getting to the quarterback. I had no idea, though, they were that bad.

 

[5Stars]

Anyone who followed the Cowboys the last few years knew they weren’t getting to the quarterback. I had no idea, though, they were that bad.

Well, they were bad for along time. But not right now.

It's going to be a different time coming up.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I believe Dallas will have over 55 sacks in 2007!

 

[David276]

our prevent defense is all us "youngins" have known we dont know the ways of sacking the qb

 

[THUMPER]

The Cowboys haven’t had a 40-sack season since 1994.

That, coincidentally, was Butch Davis' last season as DC. Starting in 1995, Dave Campo took over as the DC and after him it was his pupil Mike Zimmer.

Campo and Zimmer had a philosophy that focused on not allowing big plays rather than on creating pressure and forcing turnovers. Their "bend-but-don't-break" or "read-and-react" style works well to a degree and looks good on the stat sheet as it limits what the offense can do.

It is no coincidence that under Campo/Zimmer we haven't produced many sacks or turnovers as that is not what their style is designed to do. Atlanta will find that out this year with Zimmer as their new DC.

Wade Phillips has a different philosophy/style which focuses on putting constant pressure on the QB and forcing mistakes and turnovers. It is aggressive and attacking and although it may allow big plays now and then, it also creates big plays by the defense.

We will have a lot more than 40 sacks this year.

 

[RomoIsBack]

this year its all new with the d cant wait to see how we look on thursday against the colt