Cowboys Passing D Amongst Worst in the League the Past 3 Years
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superpunk
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I've been on this for months/years while everyone's been bellyaching about our oline and running game. This has been Jason Garrett's biggest failure as a HC - an inability to field any sort of pass defense.
http://cowboyszone.com/threads/question-for-the-romo-fans.250627/page-2#post-4941641
http://cowboyszone.com/threads/question-for-the-romo-fans.250627/page-2#post-4941641
Yakuza Rich
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This has been my biggest complaint the past 3 years as well. We can't stop the pass and we can't make picks.
I think that is what separates Romo from being as revered as guys like Roethlisberger or Eli (besides the Super Bowl wins). They are similar QB's in nature because they make big plays and have bouts with turning the ball over. But Romo continually gets put in a position where if he's on his A Game, the defense doesn't shut down the other team. So he keeps having to make plays to score and win the game. Eventually that will lead to a pick and then the fans give him the choke label. The reality is that he's just given more opportunities to turn the ball over in crucial situations because the defense can't put the final nail in the coffin. Somebody like Roethlisberger has such a good defense behind him that he can have crappy games, but continually get chances to make a play to put his team ahead. He finally does it and that's all people remember.
We also can't make turnovers so the offense continually has more yards to go to get into scoring position. That's when things more easily get screwed up because we have more downs to play and we are more likely to see screw ups.
Hopefully, Kiffin and Co will be the answer.
YR
I think that is what separates Romo from being as revered as guys like Roethlisberger or Eli (besides the Super Bowl wins). They are similar QB's in nature because they make big plays and have bouts with turning the ball over. But Romo continually gets put in a position where if he's on his A Game, the defense doesn't shut down the other team. So he keeps having to make plays to score and win the game. Eventually that will lead to a pick and then the fans give him the choke label. The reality is that he's just given more opportunities to turn the ball over in crucial situations because the defense can't put the final nail in the coffin. Somebody like Roethlisberger has such a good defense behind him that he can have crappy games, but continually get chances to make a play to put his team ahead. He finally does it and that's all people remember.
We also can't make turnovers so the offense continually has more yards to go to get into scoring position. That's when things more easily get screwed up because we have more downs to play and we are more likely to see screw ups.
Hopefully, Kiffin and Co will be the answer.
YR
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It's all about the trenches. 
Future
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I mean you could easily make the argument that lack of a consistent pass rush has been just as detrimental to our pass defense as having poor secondary players.It's all about the trenches.
superpunk
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It is detrimental but not "just as". Our sack numbers range from decent to middle of the pack over the same time period. Without a doubt the BIGGEST problem facing this team over Garrett's tenure (and there isn't even a close second) is our inability to get interceptions/keep opposition passer rating down.
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It's all about the trenches.
We'd also have accepted 'CBs don't matter' here, Michael.
Many posters have been broken records on this topic the last several seasons, but it's been hard to have that record heard over the din of play calling complaints and the cries for signing veteran FA OGs to massive long-term contracts.
Obviously, the team knows it's a priority. Last year was a major disappointment in that regard given the resources allocated to the secondary. Its performance was a primary factor in firing RR and bringing in Kiffin. It's also why it's going to be extremely interesting watching how the young Ss perform in camp because we've got a lot of untested options there and a gaping need to fill two positions.
Future
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I think our sack numbers are hugely misleading. This team just constantly fails to get consistent pressure.
A good example, to me, is the 06 playoff game against Seattle. We might not have had an overly explosive offense anyways, but we struggled the entire game, even though they had freaking Pete Hunter, who hadn't played all year, playing. They got a decent pass rush, so routes couldn't develop, and the ineptitude of their secondary was hidden.
pancakeman
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Yup, I'm inclined to say as they go, so go the 2013 Cowboys.
superpunk
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To your first point I'd disagree. We have an average pass rush and I think our sack numbers bear that out. Again it doesn't mean that isn't a problem, but the pass defense is a much bigger problem (we have a terrible pass defense and the numbers bear that out) and the relationship between sacks/pressures and QB rating allowed isn't really a direct correlation.
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I think that the biggest number to look at when it comes to pressures/QB success is completion %. We have played against some awful QBs and made them look really good over the last few years because we allow them to sit comfortably in the pocket.
5Stars
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It's all about the trenches.
Well, if they could fix the trenches, CB's would be irrelevant in the NFL...fix those trenches and a QB will never be able to throw a pass. Fottball 101...please keep up.
superpunk
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Completion pct. is factored into QB rating. There is no bigger indicator for QB success, and no clearer correlation to winning.
Deep_Freeze
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Yeah the problems on D have been really downplayed here, should be obvious but I guess most people just want points and don't care about D anymore. Our safeties have sucked for years, at least now we have a lil hope back there but they are so untested that we will get burnt alot especially early in the season.
What came first, the chicken or the egg.....hence the pass rush vs. coverage argument. Either way, you need both, and while our safeties have pretty much sucked, we have had some pro-bowl pass rushers with 3 former probowlers starting on our DL this coming season. Sure they are getting older, but the ability is there, unlike our safeties of the past.
Our pass D will start and end with the play of those safeties this year, and could very well decide our season............scary ain't it.
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There's just no disabusing people of the notion that 'games are won in the trenches.' As a result, it's not possible to disabuse them of the idea that, if we're losing games, we're losing them because of trench play. It doesn't really matter, though. If the Ss play better, it's be fun to talk about how much our DL has magically improved, too (thanks, Rod Marinelli!). If not, it just means another offseason of lamenting the likes of Ben Grubbs and Shariff Floyd.