Cc: Defense Defense Defense

[CrazyCowboy]

Zoners:

At the first of the year, I posted a thread raving about our defense and the opportunity they had to be our BEST ever!

Well, I was wrong.

But, the media recently are calling this defense dominate lately--What? I still do not see it......what am I missing?

I truly believe the dominate defense reference is DIRECTLY related to the great play of our QB ROMO! He keeps the D rested and ready to go after the offense scores.......

What am I missing here? Is this DEFENSE really playing better then I am seeing? I want them to be dominate.....but, we give up to many BIG plays!

Thoughts?

 

[baj1dallas]

You can't be "dominant" when you have an obvious weakness (FS/deep coverage). That's why the Bears are so good, they don't have any one weakness you can exploit.

Also, a little more productivity out of Spears and Canty could go a long way, but they haven't really figured out how to do it while staying disciplined yet.

 

[kTXe]

You can't be "dominant" when you have an obvious weakness (FS/deep coverage). That's why the Bears are so good, they don't have any one weakness you can exploit.

Their secondary really isn't that great.

But their front seven is incredible, and it really helps to mask that obvious weakness.

 

[Future]

Since Romo took over this defense hasn't given up any big plays that I can think of other than the long TD run by Portis. They have been very good.

 

[sago1]

Don't forget the Galloway TD on Thanksgiving Day. Also there was another almost great play to Galloway but Henry got his fingertips on it at absolute last minute to tip it away. We've got to improve our FS position cause it could cost us the division title and trip to the SB.

 

[aikemirv]

In two games of the last 4 we have let the opposing offense go straight down the field and score points. Obviously the Bucs game and also referencing the Washington game where they drove down the field and although we held them at the goal line, that long drive ended up resulting in 5 points when the events played out.

After that The defense seems to get a footing.

We need to do better on opening drives, especially this week at NY!

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

we are a very good defense....but we are FAR from dominant...if we were dominant it would be unfair with the way our offense scores points...I mean a dominant defense is the Ravens....they are just downright NASTY....our mental makeup will not allow us to be nasty.

Case in point...Peyton Manning threw a pick....and as he was getting in position to try and tackle Burnett...one of our DLs just shielded Manning. I was incredulous...now perhaps not every player in the NFL would have take advantage of an opportunity to bury the QB...but it would have been within the rules.

Nastiness is a mindset and we just do NOT have it

 

[ghst187]

With Romo instead of Bledsoe, we keep the ball longer.
Game log Time of Possession in minutes
With Bledsoe...
ToP WE They
Jax 25 34
Wash 31 28
Tenn 32 27
Phil 36 23
Hou 24 35
NYG 32 27 for an average of 30 minutes or 29 minutes if you don't count the NYG game

Romo...
Car 38 21
Was 31 28
Ariz 32 27
Indy 33 26
Tamp 37 22
for an average of 34.2 minutes

the total number of plays run by our offense is higher under Romo also I believe just by eyeballing those numbers. Keeping the ball is VERY important ESPECIALLY when you play teams like Indy that can score so easily. Keeping the ball away from an offense also keeps them from getting into a groove or rhythm and gives them fewer opportunities to find and exploit a weakness they are seeing. Our defense stays rested.

The big deal is that with Bledsoe our 3rd down conversion rate was crummy. 3rd and 8 or more was nearly an automatic sack and subsequent punt.
With Romo, 3rd and even 15 we have a decent chance of picking up the first.

 

[BARRYRAY]

I just wondered if anybody could explain why we had Henry on Galloway anyway, he had him beat on that endzone play but the ball wasn't there. I mean Galloway is a known speed guy why doesn't Newman get him every play is beyond me..

 

[Doomsday101]

Zoners:

At the first of the year, I posted a thread raving about our defense and the opportunity they had to be our BEST ever!

Well, I was wrong.

But, the media recently are calling this defense dominate lately--What? I still do not see it......what am I missing?

I truly believe the dominate defense reference is DIRECTLY related to the great play of our QB ROMO! He keeps the D rested and ready to go after the offense scores.......

What am I missing here? Is this DEFENSE really playing better then I am seeing? I want them to be dominate.....but, we give up to many BIG plays!

Thoughts?

I think this defense is one of the tops. I don't judge a defense by 1 stat alone aka sacks, this defense is forcing turnovers, they are controlling the line of scrimmage and rate as one of the top defenses in stopping the run and even in the passing game QB's are not putting a ton of numbers up aginst us. I think this defense is improving a lot, I mean for goodness sake we hold Manning and the Colts to 14 points? I would say this defense is doing pretty darn well.

 

[DipChit]

Zoners:

At the first of the year, I posted a thread raving about our defense and the opportunity they had to be our BEST ever!

Well, I was wrong.

But, the media recently are calling this defense dominate lately--What? I still do not see it......what am I missing?

I truly believe the dominate defense reference is DIRECTLY related to the great play of our QB ROMO! He keeps the D rested and ready to go after the offense scores.......

I tend to agree with you. The offensive production has gone a long way towards helping the defense.

Plus just as in '03 it's not always how you play, but who you play.

Over the last 5 games we havent exactly been playing prolific or "hot" offenses. Sure you could say the Colts but they had only scored in the teens the week before not to mention that it's well documented that they struggle against a 3-4 anyway.

Panthers and Skins hadnt exactly been lighting up any scoreboards. Then add in the fact that we played 2 true rookie QB's.. AZ and TB.

But regardless it is what it is. And if nothing else it's caused them to gain confidence.. which in and of itself goes a long way.

 

[Doomsday101]

I tend to agree with you. The offensive production has gone a long way towards helping the defense.

Plus just as in '03 it's not always how you play, but who you play.

Over the last 5 games we havent exactly been playing prolific or "hot" offenses. Sure you could say the Colts but they had only scored in the teens the week before not to mention that it's well documented that they struggle against a 3-4 anyway.

Panthers and Skins hadnt exactly been lighting up any scoreboards. Then add in the fact that we played 2 true rookie QB's.. AZ and TB.

But regardless it is what it is. And if nothing else it's caused them to gain confidence.. which in and of itself goes a long way.

How about the other 3 teams ranked ahead of Dallas in defense? They play some easy teams as well to pat their stats. Dallas is the 4th ranked defense because they earned it just like any other team. It is not as if we play all the easy teams and everyone else is playing some outstanding offensive units. Dallas is creating the turnover and helping to set the offense up. Dallas is 3rd in the NFL in take aways behind only Chicago and Baltimore we currently have 25 take aways

 

[DipChit]

How about the other 3 teams ranked ahead of Dallas in defense? They play some easy teams as well to pat their stats. Dallas is the 4th ranked defense because they earned it just like any other team. It is not as if we play all the easy teams and everyone else is playing some outstanding offensive units. Dallas is creating the turnover and helping to set the offense up. Dallas is 3rd in the NFL in take aways behind only Chicago and Baltimore we currently have 25 take aways

Thats all well and good, Dooms. And I'm not talking about rankings or questioning that were playing good.

You play who's on your schedule. But on a game to game basis lets not act like who you play doesnt matter when it comes to how well you stand to do.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Since Romo took over this defense hasn't given up any big plays that I can think of other than the long TD run by Portis. They have been very good.

The Galloway play's been mentioned, but there was also the TD to Wayne (not so many yards because of the field position, but would have been a TD from anywhere on the field).

I don't know what "dominant" means, but our defense really is awfully good. They're not flashy, and those occasional big plays hurt, but I don't know how you can argue with the overall results:

#4 in the NFL in yards.
#3 in the NFL in takeaways.
#7-T in the NFL in scoring defense.

They've given up 30+ points twice. In both games, the offense turned the ball over 4+ times, including a pick-6.
They gave up 24 points to the Jaguars. Three offensive turnovers.
They gave up 22 points to the Commanders. A safety and that ridiculous final play.
Points allowed in the other games: 10, 14, 6, 14, 10, 14, 10.

The only defenses that have clearly been better are Chicago and Baltimore. If you told me in preseason that the Cowboys D would be third in the league behind those two, I'd have been thrilled. I still am.

 

[Doomsday101]

Thats all well and good, Dooms. And I'm not talking about rankings or questioning that were playing good.

You play who's on your schedule. But on a game to game basis lets not act like who you play doesnt matter when it comes to how well you stand to do.

And the same could be said for these other teams ahead of us. You don't think Chiacgo or Balt. have not played some easy teams as well? I would agree that our pass rush is not where I would like it but there is a lot more to defense than just pass rushing.

 

[Doomsday101]

The Galloway play's been mentioned, but there was also the TD to Wayne (not so many yards because of the field position, but would have been a TD from anywhere on the field).

I don't know what "dominant" means, but our defense really is awfully good. They're not flashy, and those occasional big plays hurt, but I don't know how you can argue with the overall results:

#4 in the NFL in yards.
#3 in the NFL in takeaways.
#7-T in the NFL in scoring defense.

They've given up 30+ points twice. In both games, the offense turned the ball over 4+ times, including a pick-6.
They gave up 24 points to the Jaguars. Three offensive turnovers.
They gave up 22 points to the Commanders. A safety and that ridiculous final play.
Points allowed in the other games: 10, 14, 6, 14, 10, 14, 10.

The only defenses that have clearly been better are Chicago and Baltimore. If you told me in preseason that the Cowboys D would be third in the league behind those two, I'd have been thrilled. I still am.

I agree and it could be said that our offense hurt the defense early in the season when they were turning the ball over and putting our defense in bad situations. I do think Chi and Balt have the 2 best defense but other than that I think Dallas holds their own in this league on defense.

 

[DipChit]

And the same could be said for these other teams ahead of us. You don't think Chiacgo or Balt. have not played some easy teams as well? I would agree that our pass rush is not where I would like it but there is a lot more to defense than just pass rushing.

But I already said.. I'm not worried about whatever our ranking is.. 3rd or 30th.

The premise is some are saying that our defense has somehow "come together" over the last number of weeks. My contention is they werent too bad in the first place and if anything has owed to them getting better it's been the offense scoring more consistently and almost being able to move the ball at will. Theres less pressure on our defense that way.. which owes to more confidence... not playing scared that any TD they give up might be 1 too many.

That coupled with the fact that again, aside from the Colts we havent exactly been playing teams that were clicking on all cylinders on their own in the first place.

But if people want to suggest that the Defense itself..as individual players or as a unit, has just totally stepped up regardless of any of those factors, so be it.

 

[baj1dallas]

Their secondary really isn't that great.

But their front seven is incredible, and it really helps to mask that obvious weakness.

You don't have to be great, they are solid though. They can play both man and zone, they can be phsyical, they can create turnovers, they are solid tacklers. So I wouldn't call it a weakness. Only wrt their front 7 perhaps.

 

[Doomsday101]

But I already said.. I'm not worried about whatever our ranking is.. 3rd or 30th.

The premise is some are saying that our defense has somehow "come together" over the last number of weeks. My contention is they werent too bad in the first place and if anything has owed to them getting better it's been the offense scoring more consistently and almost being able to move the ball at will. Theres less pressure on our defense that way.. which owes to more confidence... not playing scared that any TD they give up might be 1 too many.

That coupled with the fact that again, aside from the Colts we havent exactly been playing teams that were clicking on all cylinders on their own in the first place.

But if people want to suggest that the Defense itself..as individual players or as a unit, has just totally stepped up regardless of any of those factors, so be it.

I just want to see the defense get their just reward and not be down played they are the 4th ranked defense because they have earned it and as far as who we played again these other team also have weak teams they are facing. I would also add our offense early in the season was not doing the defense any favors at all by turning the ball over. I have seen Zimmer ripped around here and the simple fact is he has done a good job with this defense and they deserve the credit that some around the league are giving them.