BTB: 10 observations in the Cowboys heartbreaking loss to the Packers

[waving monkey]

What a terrible way to end the weekend. For the second straight week, the Dallas Cowboys would take an 8+ point lead into halftime and squander it. This time it would come at the hands of their NFC nemesis, the Green Bay Packers. The offense again would put up 30+ points, but again - the defense just couldn’t make stops. After the Cowboys offense put together a 17-play, 79-yard touchdown drive to jump ahead 31-28 with 1:13, all they needed was the defense to make a stop. But our worst fears came true as Aaron Rodgers would lead his team 75 yards for the game winning score in just 62 seconds. The Cowboys defense struggled all day and the only way to keep the Packers from scoring was to keep them off the field. The Cowboys offense made a valiant effort keeping them off the field as they held the ball over 10 minutes more than Green Bay, but it still wasn’t enough. Which brings me to my first topic for this weeks 10 observations...

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...the-cowboys-heartbreaking-loss-to-the-packers

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

The team has no identity on defense; being "scrappy" ain't gonna do it.

We don't have an alpha type secondary player. I think our d-line is slowly starting to assemble pieces but is not there yet. Our linebacking group is all question marks (e.g. Lee will be 32 next season; Jaylon's prognosis/ability is a mystery; Hitchens is eligible as a UFA; Wilbur is special teams/utility player; Durant is an aging mercenary) that could be a chronic issue for the defense the next couple of seasons.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

The team has no identity on defense; being "scrappy" ain't gonna do it.

We don't have an alpha type secondary player. I think our d-line is slowly starting to assemble pieces but is not there yet. Our linebacking group is all question marks (e.g. Lee will be 32 next season; Jaylon's prognosis/ability is a mystery; Hitchens is eligible as a UFA; Wilbur is special teams/utility player; Durant is an aging mercenary) that could be a chronic issue for the defense the next couple of seasons.

I wouldn't even say they have been scrappy lately

 

[Eddie]

Secondary is learning in the line of fire. They'll get better, but the season is getting away from us.

What was a promising season with playoff thoughts is almost gone.

 

[Sydla]

The team has no identity on defense; being "scrappy" ain't gonna do it.

We don't have an alpha type secondary player. I think our d-line is slowly starting to assemble pieces but is not there yet. Our linebacking group is all question marks (e.g. Lee will be 32 next season; Jaylon's prognosis/ability is a mystery; Hitchens is eligible as a UFA; Wilbur is special teams/utility player; Durant is an aging mercenary) that could be a chronic issue for the defense the next couple of seasons.

We are an ultra passive, read and react defense that simply tries to prevent the big play and hope the opposing offense makes a mistake. That's our crappy identity.

This staff needs to be purged, but at the very least, Marinelli needs to be put out to pasture this offseason. Bring in a young, aggressive coordinator.

LB is a big issue. Who the hell knows with Smith. Lee is old. Hitchens is mediocre. Everyone was losing their lunch yelling at Smith in the game threads but Hitchens was getting smoked out there as well. On at least two of their GB bigger runs, Hitchens was the guy who ran himself out of the play just like Smith had done in the game.

We've been trying to build the defense for a few years now and the results are painfully the same. It's not simply the players. The scheme sucks.

 

[robbieruff]

We are an ultra passive, read and react defense that simply tries to prevent the big play and hope the opposing offense makes a mistake. That's our crappy identity.

This staff needs to be purged, but at the very least, Marinelli needs to be put out to pasture this offseason. Bring in a young, aggressive coordinator.

LB is a big issue. Who the hell knows with Smith. Lee is old. Hitchens is mediocre. Everyone was losing their lunch yelling at Smith in the game threads but Hitchens was getting smoked out there as well. On at least two of their GB bigger runs, Hitchens was the guy who ran himself out of the play just like Smith had done in the game.

We've been trying to build the defense for a few years now and the results are painfully the same. It's not simply the players. The scheme sucks.

Agreed. Hitchens was the spy on AR on his 18 yard scramble but decides to double cover a short route over the middle instead of maintaining his responsibility. He looked like a dude who’d been out and came back with major rust.

 

[Sydla]

Agreed. Hitchens was the spy on AR on his 18 yard scramble but decides to double cover a short route over the middle instead of maintaining his responsibility. He looked like a dude who’d been out and came back with major rust.

Yep. And on that 23 yard run, people were yelling at Smith (who yes overran the play) but Hitchens screwed up even worse as he was the LB on that side of the field and he overran the play and all the OL had to do was stand there and have Hitchens run into him taking himself out of the play.

Hitchens is nothing more than a nice, back up, situational LB. That's it.

Foster instead of Charlton would be looking pretty smart right now (granted, Foster did screw up his ankle earlier this year).