Cowboys secondary #1 in NFL per PFF

[Screw The Hall]

I absolutely love the resiliency of the secondary this year. It's been so impressive how Baker and Jackson have coached up this unit. I think it's been one of the most underrated stories about this team all season long.

 

[kramskoi]

Interesting comment about the safeties because the Packers are quite vulnerable in the deep middle part of the secondary. At least according to some charts posted by Percy.

Deep middle and especially deep right (FootballOutsiders), where both Whitehead and Butler burned them in the first match-up. Gunter, specifically, was exposed and exploited back in week 6. FO has Dallas 4th against the deep pass...GB 23rd.

 

[kramskoi]

I have to wonder how many of those were garbage time yards where we allowed them to catch passed over the middle and so on.

Yards alone is a pretty poor way to judge a defense.

 

[VACowboy]

4167 yards allowed isn't all that great considering how little time the defense is on the field relative to other defense.

Ultimately the sum is better than parts and I've been utterly and pleasantly surprised at the Cowboys pass defense performance this season -- stats be damned.

Perfectly said. I would add that that 4167 yards came 6.9 at a time, tied for 5th best in the league. Dallas DBs faced the third most attempts in the league too, partly because the defense was designed to limit explosive plays, partly because they were often playing from ahead and partly because the Dallas run D was pretty good. Until, what, the last six games? the Dallas DBs did their thing with very little help from the pass rush, half the regular season without a starter, no/injured Oscan and a rookie playing huge minutes. Is the Dallas secondary the best in the league? Uh, no, but they are doing a hell of a job. The credit goes to the coaches.

 

[CWR]

Yards alone is a pretty poor way to judge a defense.

I agree but if we are going to judge them by that we should at least take it into context. I feel like weve let a few teams gains chunks of yards when we were nursing a lead.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Lee Smith Wilson lineup next year should keep linebacker from being a priority. But depth to go along with Hitchens & Nzeocha - maybe replace guys like Gachkar, Durant, and Wilber with a mid to late linebacker I could see.

As of right now the only guy I have faith in is Sean Lee and that's hoping he can stay healthy. I don't have the same faith in Smith and Wilson as you do and I don't think this team should as of right now.

 

[speedkilz88]

As of right now the only guy I have faith in is Sean Lee and that's hoping he can stay healthy. I don't have the same faith in Smith and Wilson as you do and I don't think this team should as of right now.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

?????

 

[waving monkey]

t's been a long time since the Dallas Cowboys had a defense worth writing home to mom about, but they do in 2016.

More specifically, it's the secondary that has been playing lights out this season while the defensive front worked to find a consistent pass rusher. As the team now prepares to face the prolific Green Bay Packers passing attack led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the second time this season, they'll do so with a distinct designation.

Per Pro Football Focus, they're the best in the land.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/cowboys-secondary-ranked-no-1-in-the-nfl/

 

[jchap]

PFF is full of crap! Their ratings mean noth.... wait? Number 1? The best? ....

PFF is a vision of truth and honor!

 

[Jinxx13x]

PFF is full of crap! Their ratings mean noth.... wait? Number 1? The best? ....

PFF is a vision of truth and honor!

 

[tyke1doe]

PFF is full of crap! Their ratings mean noth.... wait? Number 1? The best? ....

PFF is a vision of truth and honor!

You the general reaction on this forum.

 

[DogFace]

They are not that good, no offense to PFF.

Football Outsiders has them as a middle of the pack pass defense.

Whatever you think of them, they are about to get an enormous test this weekend.

The first test for the team this season!

 

[gimmesix]

And yet we finished 26th in the league in yards given up via the pass with 4167 yards.

Hmmm...me thinks PFF is full of something.

I think where the secondary has won is in not giving up very many big plays.

According to sportingcharts.com, we're third in big play statistics (defined as rushes of more than 10 yards and passes of more than 25). The measure combines big plays by the offense and the lack of big plays given up by the defense.

 

[ak47kaehu]

Bend don't break will allow yards all day. Teams were just settling for 3 instead of 7 most of the time in the red zone, and then turnovers and sacks came in bunches late

The strategy to allow teams to slowly drive the field (passing)was used to kill clock towards the end of games too which probably skews the results.

 

[DallasDomination]

So who is Claiborne gonna replace? Because if anybody is going to hit the bench it better not be Brown. Put Scandricks a^& on the bench instead.

 

[Crown Royal]

And yet we finished 26th in the league in yards given up via the pass with 4167 yards.

Hmmm...me thinks PFF is full of something.

While I don't think the secondary is the best in the league, passing yardage is not the best metric in their effectiveness. The defensive philosophy allows for yardage.

 

[BoysfanfromCanada]

The strategy to allow teams to slowly drive the field (passing)was used to kill clock towards the end of games too which probably skews the results.

Yeah, that'll happen a lot when the Boys have the lead, and they held the lead for most of the year.

But playing prevent defence vs Rodgers scares me, say if Dak and Co. Have a two score lead late. Rodgers won't make mistakes when he has time to throw in the zone gaps. He'll just march right up. I don't think I'm going feel comfortable at any point in this game....

 

[LocimusPrime]

Wowsers. Never expected this.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-ranking-all-32-nfl-secondaries-this-season



1. Dallas Cowboys (Rank entering Week 7: 4)
Top overall grade: S Barry Church, 86.2 (No. 9 among safeties)

Top coverage grade: CB Morris Claiborne, 85.1 (No. 12 among CBs)

Top run-defense grade: S Barry Church, 86.0 (No. 11)

Most snaps: CB Brandon Carr, 1,013

One of the biggest reasons for the Cowboys’ success this season has been the turnaround of the secondary. After having just one defensive back with an above-average coverage grade last season, all eight players with at least 100 snaps in 2016 earned average or above-average overall and coverage grades. Although they lack an elite-caliber player, this group has played consistently well as a unit. Byron Jones, Barry Church, Morris Claiborne, and J.J. Wilcox have all earned career-high overall and coverage grades this season, while rookie Anthony Brown has played well down the stretch in Claiborne’s absence.

Thank you Jeff Heath!

 

[jday]

And yet we finished 26th in the league in yards given up via the pass with 4167 yards.

Hmmm...me thinks PFF is full of something.

What you are missing is that the Cowboys defense by design surrenders yards. The idea is to force a team to play perfect as they inch their way down the field. Most offenses will eventually make a mistake placing them behind the chains, allowing the Cowboys to flood 3rd and longs with DB's and more often than not force the punt. So on paper, the Cowboys defense looks like a sieve, but in reality, they are a top 10 defense that actually stands to be better than advertised on Sunday due to being the healthiest they have been all year.