Cowboys finish preseason first in total/pass defense?

[Idgit]

I place as much stock in this as I do the overall record and the special teams ranking in the preseason.

From this point forward, I'm interested in seeing how this will turn out. The Giant OL is one that should provide some pass rushing opportunities for the front.

No kidding. Right out of the gate, we're going to get to see a lot. A veteran QB, good WRs (even if Cruz doesn't play), and an OL that ought to have some protection issues. Against our revamped DL and secondary. A big first game could start things rolling for a defense that ought to have a chip on its shoulder because of the last three seasons of futility after struggling to get to 'mediocre' in 2014.

 

[Idgit]

Preseason is not important if the results don't reflect my preconceived notions. (Running game and special teams will be fine)
Preseason is important if the results reflect my preconceived notions. (Defense is much better)

That's the problem, right? (Though I thought the running game was fine in preseason). Either it matters, or it doesn't. And it really doesn't matter. Too many variables are going to be different when we line up v. the Giants.

 

[ShiningStar]

Yeah, I don't want to drag down a nice-tidbit thread. I guess it's better to be first in the category than it is to be last, for the warm-fuzzies alone. But, really, if you don't believe preseason tells you anything definitively, there's really nothing to hang a hat on.

That said, most of our individual CBs did look good in all the games. I do expect we'll have a much improved pass defense this season. But preseason didn't do much to affect that expectation for me, either way.

I agree, but while not a fan of Garretts, i will give credit he handled everything this pre season so much better. He reduced the injuries, moved players around, churned the roster, found out about players, just really did everything he could. Excellent offseason.

 

[Idgit]

I agree, but while not a fan of Garretts, i will give credit he handled everything this pre season so much better. He reduced the injuries, moved players around, churned the roster, found out about players, just really did everything he could. Excellent offseason.

And I'm a big fan of Garretts, but I agree, too, that he's getting a lot better in terms of how he handles this stuff as he does it more. He's pretty dialed in right now in terms of how he handles reps and injuries and how he gets young players reps against better units in preseason. You can see him figuring it out each season as he goes. Which is great because he really did make some significant mistakes early on.

 

[Plankton]

No kidding. Right out of the gate, we're going to get to see a lot. A veteran QB, good WRs (even if Cruz doesn't play), and an OL that ought to have some protection issues. Against our revamped DL and secondary. A big first game could start things rolling for a defense that ought to have a chip on its shoulder because of the last three seasons of futility after struggling to get to 'mediocre' in 2014.

It's true.

I almost expect a game very similar to the one played in New Jersey last year - I can see the Giants getting off to a quick start, but the Cowboys establish superiority on the line of scrimmage, and as the game goes on, they wear the Giants out.

 

[ShiningStar]

And I'm a big fan of Garretts, but I agree, too, that he's getting a lot better in terms of how he handles this stuff as he does it more. He's pretty dialed in right now in terms of how he handles reps and injuries and how he gets young players reps against better units in preseason. You can see him figuring it out each season as he goes. Which is great because he really did make some significant mistakes early on.

i agree, and this year he really nailed it. I wont sit here and try to pinpoint or make silly claims. He nailed the offseason , he did things as right as he could. The big victory less injuries. He got his info, he knows his players better. I think we see what we saw last year from the last preseason game to the regular season game, a cowboys team ready to punch someone in teh face.

 

[AdamJT13]

Preseason is not important if the results don't reflect my preconceived notions. (Running game and special teams will be fine)

For what it's worth, we finished the preseason ranked eighth in yards per rush, seventh in yards per punt return and fourth in yards per kickoff return.

So maybe the results do reflect your preconceived notions after all.

 

[Longboysfan]

Are we 32nd in total offense and points scored??

31st......

But they only played the full team for a quarter and a half.

Where the Eagles played their offensive starters... Lets say a lot more.

Win the Pre Season Chip...

 

[remdak]

For what it's worth, we finished the preseason ranked eighth in yards per rush, seventh in yards per punt return and fourth in yards per kickoff return.

So maybe the results do reflect your preconceived notions after all.

All right!!!!! So why did we go 1-3? It must be Dustin Vaughn's fault and special teams defense.

 

[kevm3]

It's preseason, but we've seen that there was a lot more pressure on qbs from the defense.

 

[bayeslife]

So going by Eagles fan logic, we're going to have a better defense than Seattle this year!

 

[Manster68]

Are we 32nd in total offense and points scored??

I take it you are a glass half empty guy.

 

[Manster68]

Upon checking NFL. com, it looks as though we finished the preseason ranked first in both pass and total defense. I know it's only preseason, but after our struggles there last season, I'll still take it as a great sign of improvement!



http://www.nfl.com/stats/team

What I make of that is the Cowboys will be vastly improved in the area of pass rush.

My goal for the Cowboys defense is to be ranked higher than 15th in the league, with the sack total in the 40s.

I am hoping for much better numbers than that.

 

[Texas_Pete]

Preseason.

 

[sureletsrace]

What I make of that is the Cowboys will be vastly improved in the area of pass rush.

My goal for the Cowboys defense is to be ranked higher than 15th in the league, with the sack total in the 40s.

I am hoping for much better numbers than that.

Agreed. If we end up 11th in total defense and get 25+turnovers and 40+ sacks, I'll call that a very successful defensive performance.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Preseason is not important if the results don't reflect my preconceived notions. (Running game and special teams will be fine)
Preseason is important if the results reflect my preconceived notions. (Defense is much better)

I prefer to look at the preseason as a whole bunch of individual and unit matchups that don't mean anything collectively.

Tony Romo scored TDs on 2 of his 3 drives on the dress rehearsal. I'm not going to sweat it.

 

[VACowboy]

Preseason, preseason, preseason.

Exactly. I'm stoked about the promise shown by the Dallas D, but I don't think what we've seen is a preview of the regular season any more than I do what we've seen from Bradford and the Philadelphia O.

 

[Sarge]

Pre-season stats aren't worth much of anything including wins/losses.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Pre-season stats aren't worth much of anything including wins/losses.

And to think we flew past that and it even warranted a thread.

 

[DogFace]

When Seattle began their run as a top defense they started with being the number 1 D in the preseason. I think it says something. Not that we'll be no. 1 but that we've improved for sure.