Colts Eberflus has a top 10 D with similar talent

[Cowboyny]

A dominant DT trumps a very good DE every day of the week. And I'm not trying to minimize what Lawrence does in any way. Secondly Leonard is stud LB. All we have is a bunch of disappointing guys at LB we're all trying to replace. It's not close. So with those two guys alone, Indy can control what's going on around the LOS. Conversely, our LBs are routinely making tackles 6-8 yds down the field.

Yes, Eberflus is a good DC for sure. But studs do make a difference.

My point is the talent level isn't that far off from the Colts. It just shows what a good DC can do.

 

[Cowboyny]

The 92-93 Cowboys are a perfect example of a no superstar D with solid talent across the unit. The 2020 Cowboys have a lot of work to do with that roster

I think the issue is poor roster management. A few high end starters with a few street fa types. Without the use of free agency, they don't have many mid-tier types. Usually when 1 of these high-end starters goes down, the defense falls off the map.

 

[Cowboyny]

This is so off base they have an elite player at each level of the defense. PFF grades at their position this year: buckner 4th, leonard 10th, and x rhodes 12th.

We have D law who only likes to be on the field for 60% of the snaps

Let's not forget, just last year Rhodes was the worst corner for the Viking Defense. Do you think Eberflus played a role in his resurgence this season?

 

[kskboys]

My point is the talent level isn't that far off from the Colts. It just shows what a good DC can do.

You have some major bias going on. The Colts have a ton more talent. Get this. They have two starting quality S's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Colts have the 4th ranked DLine in the NFL. We......................don't.

 

[Cowboyny]

You have some major bias going on. The Colts have a ton more talent. Get this. They have two starting quality S's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Colts have the 4th ranked DLine in the NFL. We......................don't.

Their talent level might be better, but really not by much. In my opinion, just shows what a good DC can do.

 

[gimmesix]

This is so off base they have an elite player at each level of the defense. PFF grades at their position this year: buckner 4th, leonard 10th, and x rhodes 12th.

We have D law who only likes to be on the field for 60% of the snaps

Not sure Lawrence is responsible for taking himself off the field. But I agree to some extent about the Colts' talent, and one big difference is that they have an interior playmaker. The 4-3 is predicated on having a disruptive player at 3-tech and a player at NT who can occupy two blockers. If you have that then the linebackers can stay relatively clean to go make plays.

Although I'm not saying either of our linebackers are close to being as good as Leonard, I also don't think they are as bad as they appeared this year. (They are probably closer to what they appeared to be a couple of years ago.) The problem is we have no one at DT to protect them. The 3-tech doesn't consistently get into the backfield to throw the timing of plays off and the NTs can often be handled by one blocker.

 

[kskboys]

Their talent level might be better, but really not by much. In my opinion, just shows what a good DC can do.

By tons upon tons. It's a major major upgrade. Not even close. Go to their roster and go down the list player by player. You'll immediately see that it's not close. It's OK, we all get things wrong at times. I thought Lewis was going to be a really good CB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

The 92-93 Cowboys are a perfect example of a no superstar D with solid talent across the unit. The 2020 Cowboys have a lot of work to do with that roster

That D had superb depth.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1992.htm

 

[kskboys]

Not sure Lawrence is responsible for taking himself off the field. But I agree to some extent about the Colts' talent, and one big difference is that they have an interior playmaker. The 4-3 is predicated on having a disruptive player at 3-tech and a player at NT who can occupy two blockers. If you have that then the linebackers can stay relatively clean to go make plays.

Although I'm not saying either of our linebackers are close to being as good as Leonard, I also don't think they are as bad as they appeared this year. (They are probably closer to what they appeared to be a couple of years ago.) The problem is we have no one at DT to protect them. The 3-tech doesn't consistently get into the backfield to throw the timing of plays off and the NTs can often be handled by one blocker.

Very nicely done. Can you please get this to Jerry?

 

[kskboys]

Let's not forget, just last year Rhodes was the worst corner for the Viking Defense. Do you think Eberflus played a role in his resurgence this season?

Rhodes played hurt in both 18 and 19. He was healthy this year. So, no, Eberflus didn't play a role.

 

[Captain43Crash]

I was listening to a Voch Lombardi podcast this morning and he made a very good point; a good DC can get success out of a talent deficient unit. He used the Colts and Matt Eberflus as a good example. Here is their current depth chart:

DE-Houston
DT-Buckner
DT-Stewart
DE-Autry

Just 1 stud in Buckner who they traded a first rd pick for

WLB-Leonard
MLB-Walker
SLB-Okereke

Once again just 1 stud in Leonard

CB-Ya-Sin
CB-Rhodes
SS-Willis
FS-Blackmon

Average

Eberflus basically has two studs within the entire unit, yet his defense was ranked within the top 10.

A good DC, can be all of difference.

I agree a good coordinator makes a huge difference. They put their players in better position to make plays BUT, they have more talent than what we dragged out at the end of the year. 4-5 of our guys were below average on that last possession.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Cowboy fans have forgotten what "coaching up" a team looks like....... we haven't seen it since 2006.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

@Cowboyny Did Eberflus and the Colts deal with injuries as much as the Cowboys?

Diggs missed about 7 games, Awuzie 8, Brown about 6, Gregory 6 (suspension), A Woods about 4, LVE about 8, and Hill about 12. I don’t think Awuzie, Brown, and Diggs all played in the same game together until week 16 against the Eagles.

 

[Beaker42]

I was listening to a Voch Lombardi podcast this morning and he made a very good point; a good DC can get success out of a talent deficient unit. He used the Colts and Matt Eberflus as a good example. Here is their current depth chart:

DE-Houston
DT-Buckner
DT-Stewart
DE-Autry

Just 1 stud in Buckner who they traded a first rd pick for

WLB-Leonard
MLB-Walker
SLB-Okereke

Once again just 1 stud in Leonard

CB-Ya-Sin
CB-Rhodes
SS-Willis
FS-Blackmon

Average

Eberflus basically has two studs within the entire unit, yet his defense was ranked within the top 10.

A good DC, can be all of difference.

Leonard is 5X better than any D guy we have. We need Parsons or Zaven to be ours.

 

[Beaker42]

That's just two elite players. We can argue we have two in DLaw/Gregory.

DLaw is not elite. He’s a JAG and has been since he put off his surgery to blackmail the Cowboys. Same as #21. Both should’ve been told they were unemployed.

 

[Malhavoc]

You need coaching and talent. We have neither.

 

[Captain43Crash]

That's just two elite players. We can argue we have two in DLaw/Gregory.

DLaw and Gregory are not elite and they to often do stupid things. To often DLaw does not play his responsibility on bootlegs and Gregory needs to clean up the penalties. Gregory may become elite, but he wasn’t this year. The last game, what did he play 40% of the defensive snaps.

 

[jterrell]

I like Eberflus. He's a good coach and likely heading toward a Head Coach spot....
BUT we gotta stop being stupid with this stuff.

Buckner is a top 5 interior DL. His DT partner is AS GOOD versus the run. That's a top 5 run stop DT tandem. Dallas isn't even top 30.
Edge is meh.
The CB duo is very good.
S is better than anyone we have.
So they have good players at all three levels of that defense and far more depth.

They were more talented BEFORE injuries hit Dallas like crazy.
All total it wasn't even close.

ALL that being said, I think Eberflus would of have this defense around 20, not 30th.

 

[jterrell]

That's just two elite players. We can argue we have two in DLaw/Gregory.

Bruh come on man...
DLAW is elite. that's it. Rest aren't close
Gregory wasn't even in the league to start the season and never got heavy snaps til the4 last couple weeks of the season. And Gregory is not elite. He's a legit starting option.

 

[The Natural]

It makes a world of difference having “just” 2 studs in the front 7 of your defense, especially when one of them is right in the middle of the trenches.