Calling it now

[Cowpolk]

17 points or less. That's what top defenses allow. Yards mean almost nothing.

yards lead to points stopping yards stops points

 

[erod]

yards lead to points stopping yards stops points

This is a red zone and third down league. There are always trash yards at the end of games and halves. Rankings based on yards is pointless.

 

[Cowpolk]

This is a red zone and third down league. There are always trash yards at the end of games and halves. Rankings based on yards is pointless.

But it is the way they do it complain to the NFL since you know how to do it better than they do

 

[plasticman]

The Cowboys have had many opportunities over the past several seasons to be a top 5 defense but injuries and suspensions have been a consistent issue.

The interior of the defense, DT's and MLB, spend 50% of their time watching from the sidelines while the DE's have made a tradition of starting their season with game #5. It has been a rare occurance to actually see all four starting DB's on the field at the same time.

Sometimes I think the only way the Cowboys can have a great defense is for that defense to have the best defense in the league.

 

[Aviano90]

yards lead to points stopping yards stops points

The problem is our defense doesn’t stop teams from getting yards or points. When the defense steps on the field, they allow an average of 32.28 yards per drive (25th in league) and they allowed 1.85 points per drive (17th in league).

What helped the defense get a top 10 ranking is their total number of possessions they had to defend (163 possessions) was significantly lower the league average (179). This is due to the high average time of possession that our offense has, as well as the high amount of time our defense allowed other teams to control the clock and drive the field against them because they had a hard time getting stops.

What people want is a defense that actually plays like a top 10 defense rather than one that is only ranked as a top 10 defense because of a smoke and mirrors stat.

 

[DogFace]

Can any of you guess which of the 32 teams forced the most fumbles in 2017?
Yeah. That would be your Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas forced TWICE the league average and well ahead of the second place team. We had 27. Problem was that we only recovered 11.

We get better bounces on 3 or 4 of those and this team would have made the playoffs again.

Sydia can explain to you how that ranking is flawed.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The rankings I use are posted on NFL.COM that is all I posted and until they change the way they do it that is what I will go by They post stats with their rank of each team always have this is not something new

They post stats with the rank *for that stat*. I see no reason to take that as a ranking for the quality of the defense generally.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The problem is our defense doesn’t stop teams from getting yards or points. When the defense steps on the field, they allow an average of 32.28 yards per drive (25th in league) and they allowed 1.85 points per drive (17th in league).

Yards per drive, points per drive are better indicators of a defense's quality than aggregate points or yards.

They're not perfect either. Our defensive rankings weren't that bad in 2015, but when teams needed a score they got one.

 

[AtlCPA]

8 is enough already!

 

[Sydla]

yards lead to points stopping yards stops points

And there is the flaw in your thinking.

 

[Sydla]

Sydia can explain to you how that ranking is flawed.

Actually I put more stock in turnovers than yards.

T-RO makes an interesting point here.

 

[percyhoward]

Sydia can explain to you how that ranking is flawed.

It doesn't account for the number of opponents' drives. Dallas was 31st in number of drives faced.
https://cowboyszone.com/threads/calling-it-now.410704/page-5#post-8286893

People who quote the total yardage ranking say "that's the way the NFL does it," as if they were making some kind of legitimate point. That argument doesn't work for stats any better than it does for the league's catch rule or discipline policy.

 

[mcmvp]

But it is the way they do it complain to the NFL since you know how to do it better than they do

The simplistic nature of your argument is mind boggling. Yes, everyone knows the NFL has a yardage ranking. There are also ways to sort the columns of other metrics such as points allowed and others.

Do you really think Offensive Coordinators use yardage, above everything else, to judge the opposing defenses they face? Simple yes or no question...

 

[HungryLion]

Turnovers and points allowed.

Those are the two stats I really worry about with the defense.

If they are top 10 in turnovers forced and points allowed. This team is going to be very good overall.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm hoping this defense can get to the next level. To me that is playing solid 4 full qrts no let downs no late game come backs, you have a team down you keep that team down, that means week in and week out you play strong. When I see that from this unit then I will know that they are a championship level defense.

 

[CCBoy]

Our defense is going to be MUCH better than it has been. I am talking top 10 at worst and top 5 in turnovers and sacks.

If that is true, this team will have a 10 win season and a path into the playoffs...

 

[silvrNblue]

Our defense is going to be MUCH better than it has been. I am talking top 10 at worst and top 5 in turnovers and sacks.

Five waving stars for optimism!!! I don't care if we only make it to the in between 5 and 10, THESE types of post are what we should be seeing on here, NOT all the Daks a bum, he sucs get a new QB, ours has no arm, our team sucks, we have no recievers, boo hoo NEGITIVE! Hooyaa blindzebra, for bringing on the optimism.

 

[Jarv]

They were simply number 8 is that simple enough for you eighth

8th in yards per game, yes that is simple enough, not 8th in total defense.

 

[Sydla]

Let's play gp_cowpolk's game.

12 + 1 = 13.................. Dallas' rank in points allowed per game
15 + 2 = 17.................. Dallas' rank in points allowed per drive
12 + 9 = 21.................. Dallas' rank in TDs allowed per drive
10 + 1 = 11.................. Dallas' rank in points allowed per red zone trip
19 + 3 = 22.................. Dallas' rank in TDs allowed per red zone trip
20 + 4 = 24.................. Dallas' rank in interceptions
11 + 4 = 15.................. Dallas' rank in sacks
24 + 2 = 26.................. Dallas' rank in opposing QB passer rating
23 + 3 = 26.................. Dallas' rank in passing TDs allowed
10 + 8 = 18.................. Dallas' rank in yards allowed per carry
11 + 5 = 16.................. Dallas' rank in total takeaways
22 + 7 = 29.................. Dallas' rank in 3rd down conversion rate
23 + 2 = 25.................. Dallas' rank in Football Outsiders' DVOA ranking

They had a few nice stats - total yards, rushing yards allowed per game, rushing TDs allowed per game. But the majority of stats, if one is inclined to look at the bigger picture and not focus on something silly like YPG as the end all be all of defensive prowess, indicate that this was simply a pretty mediocre defense in 2017 and most definitely not one of the ten best defenses in the NFL last year.

 

[Jarv]

Let's play gp_cowpolk's game.

12 + 1 = 13.................. Dallas' rank in points allowed per game
15 + 2 = 17.................. Dallas' rank in points allowed per drive
12 + 9 = 21.................. Dallas' rank in TDs allowed per drive
10 + 1 = 11.................. Dallas' rank in points allowed per red zone trip
19 + 3 = 22.................. Dallas' rank in TDs allowed per red zone trip
20 + 4 = 24.................. Dallas' rank in interceptions
11 + 4 = 15.................. Dallas' rank in sacks
24 + 2 = 26.................. Dallas' rank in opposing QB passer rating
23 + 3 = 26.................. Dallas' rank in passing TDs allowed
10 + 8 = 18.................. Dallas' rank in yards allowed per carry
11 + 5 = 16.................. Dallas' rank in total takeaways
22 + 7 = 29.................. Dallas' rank in 3rd down conversion rate
23 + 2 = 25.................. Dallas' rank in Football Outsiders' DVOA ranking
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
263 / 13 = 20.23
They had a few nice stats - total yards, rushing yards allowed per game, rushing TDs allowed per game. But the majority of stats, if one is inclined to look at the bigger picture and not focus on something silly like YPG as the end all be all of defensive prowess, indicate that this was simply a pretty mediocre defense in 2017 and most definitely not one of the ten best defenses in the NFL last year.

Nice stat sheet. I took your rankings above for all 13 metrics and came up with total of 263, then dived it by 13 for the number of categories and came up with 20.23, so let's round it down to 20.

So an aggregate ranking of all of the categories puts the "D" at 20th.