Dallas Defense: 7th overall. 8th scoring

[atlantacowboy]

Except that our defense is only allowing 4.2 ypc. The vaunted NE defense that we face on Sunday is allowing 4.6 ypc.

An excellent demonstration of how raw stats out of context are misleading.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Sadly for the NFL, there only 3-4 really strong all-around defenses this year.

As a result, Dallas' defense is actually rated as one the best of the rest.

• 7th in pass defense
• 15th in rush defense
• 7th in overall defense (by yards)
• 8th in scoring defense

Please don't compare theses defenses to those back in 2012, 2013, etc.
This defense is light years better than those were.

We just wish they were better still.
Like what they have in San Francisco, for example.

Those defensive numbers are pretty meaningless. After last week, Dallas was 17th in yards per drive and 12th in points per drive. Amazingly, they were 10th in takeaways per drive (lots of fumbles, very few INTs). Those numbers will be worse after this week. And they're not opponent-adjusted. Football Outsiders had them as the 20th-best defense, opponent adjusted, after last week; again, that will be worse now. I'd say 20th sounds about right.

By the same measure, the 2012 D was 23rd; 2013 was 30th.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Better stats:

Yards allowed per drive- 17th
Points allowed per drive- 12th
Defensive DVOA- 20TH
Turnovers per drive- 10th

Beat me to it.

 

[Playmaker3128]

I think people are a little ridiculous in their expectations of this defense. Our defense isn't perfect i would say its average to above average in most areas. When you have so much money commited to the offense its difficult to have a star at every position on d. The defense has done enough to keep us in games. Especially early in the year. Not there fault the offense starts so slow.

There has also been a few coaching things in my mind.

The jets game - Should have blitzed every play, the jets oline can't stop it. More aggressive.

Vikings game - Needed to key more on cook as noone else was gonna beat us.

 

[Soth]

Sadly for the NFL, there only 3-4 really strong all-around defenses this year.

As a result, Dallas' defense is actually rated as one the best of the rest.

• 7th in pass defense
• 15th in rush defense
• 7th in overall defense (by yards)
• 8th in scoring defense

Please don't compare theses defenses to those back in 2012, 2013, etc.
This defense is light years better than those were.

We just wish they were better still.

I wish they were better given the competition. I don't remember another soft schedule like this since during the salary cap era. Look at who we have played so far, we should be 1st in defense with such a cupcake schedule.

Jets - 32nd ranked offense (QB - Sam Darnold)
Commanders - 31st (QB - Case Keenum)
Dolphins - 29th (QB - Josh Rosen)
Giants x2 - 24th (QBs - Eli and Daniel Jones)
Eagles - 23rd (QB - Wentz)
Detroit is 8th, but they had Driskel at QB for crying out loud

The toughest offense we have played this year has been the Vikings (9th) and they shredded our defense. 6 out of our 10 games have been against the worst offenses in the NFL and of them has been against a backup QB.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

When you are 15th against anything, passing or rushing, you stink! Forget ratings. When you are 15th vs rushing, teams run the ball on you and don’t need to pass as much. We have nothing solid on defense and thus are incapable of making a team one dimensional. Despite complaints about our DTs and safeties, I believe we have enough talent to be able to shut down at least one part of an offense. My knee jerk reaction is to blame the defensive coaches, but I’m not expert enough to really know that....but there has definitely been a problem with our defense recently. They were playing better earlier this season.

so if youa re 15th, your stink....so if you are 16th, you really stink, if you are 17th, you really really stink, and you are 18th, then you really really really stink.

get my point....we are middle of the pack in rush defense....would have preferred to be top 10.....new england is the top defense....but they are 10th in rush defense at 100 ypg, we are at 105 ypg, ....and Jets are #1 in rush defense...and tampa is #2

 

[CWR]

I'm sorry, but there is no way we are ranked this high. These rankings will drop in the following weeks.

It's crazy to see this. It's also unbelievable to see Detroit's numbers after the game. It felt like we offered little resistance the entire game.

I suppose they have less yards because they had terrific field position most the game.

There you have it, our inept special teams is the best defensive player we have lol.

 

[Turkish-Cowboy]

Screw the stats when they don't come in handy.

As are they in this case.

 

[Hennessy_King]

Going by total stats does not tell the story about this defense. You have to go by efficiency which were were ranked 20th last week. TBH this defense is bad.

 

[Turkish-Cowboy]

not sure what it is. all the stats look good, including 3rd down percentage (getting off the field), but this defense has been bad against GB, Jets, Minny, Detroit. It seems like the old bend but don't break defense. the LBs seem out of place most times and instead of attacking like they did last year, they are reading and reacting....

I really wonder why they don't use Jaylon in blitzes. He was very good at it at the beginning of the season.

 

[baltcowboy]

I agree 100%, trust me i'm not a blind fan. I actually broke my remote when those guys let the lions drive all the way down the field and Drieskel was looking like the second coming of Aaron Rodgers. But yes we just WISH they played better, But our defense is top 10, and could be a lot worse. The colts just had to runners rush for 100 plus yards, and thats happen to a lot of teams, so I was pissed because they allowed the game to be close. We have work to do, and talent/help to draft on defense. I think we pick up a DT first round, and a S second round, and a corner 3rd round. But lets just worry about this year right now, GO COWBOYS.

Nobody will say it but Lions have better wide receivers, tight ends , offensive linemen then the Patriots. Brady would kill for those weapons.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I really wonder why they don't use Jaylon in blitzes. He was very good at it at the beginning of the season.

they did. I am more concerned about run defense. last year we seemed to attack the line but this year we are more flat footed. I think part of it is because of the safties. I like woods, but he is too small to consistently attack the line in run defense. Heath wasn't any good at it. he was a bad tackler and took bad angles. Wilson is a rookie.

 

[DFWJC]

I wish they were better given the competition. I don't remember another soft schedule like this since during the salary cap era. Look at who we have played so far, we should be 1st in defense with such a cupcake schedule.

Jets - 32nd ranked offense (QB - Sam Darnold)
Commanders - 31st (QB - Case Keenum)
Dolphins - 29th (QB - Josh Rosen)
Giants x2 - 24th (QBs - Eli and Daniel Jones)
Eagles - 23rd (QB - Wentz)
Detroit is 8th, but they had Driskel at QB for crying out loud

The toughest offense we have played this year has been the Vikings (9th) and they shredded our defense. 6 out of our 10 games have been against the worst offenses in the NFL and of them has been against a backup QB.

Very soft schedule.
Theyll need to improve or we can expect them to drop. Possibly a lot

Btw, also a very soft schedule for the passing offense so far. But in their case, they're holding up their end.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I’m curious to what the stats are for when they need a key stop or a key play. They have to be at the bottom.

 

[JayFord]

Stats dont matter to me

we have the 7th ranked defense and got blasted vs a backup rb and qb duo

 

[Jake]

I’m curious to what the stats are for when they need a key stop or a key play. They have to be at the bottom.

Only the Patriots and 49ers allow a lower percentage of third down conversions, which says a lot (bad) about 3rd down defense in the NFL.

 

[Redline360]

And to think if Awuzie ever turned around to locate the ball where would we be. He could have an easy 3-4 interceptions on majorly under thrown balls thus far

Hell i forget the game but the ball hit him square in the numbers in the back as he was flailing his arms the other way

 

[percyhoward]

Better stats:
Yards allowed per drive- 17th
Points allowed per drive- 12th

And 20th in Drive Success Rate.

 

[percyhoward]

• 7th in overall defense (by yards)
• 8th in scoring defense

There are only five defenses that have faced fewer drives than the Cowboys. The Patriots, for example, have faced 25 more drives than we have.

As was already posted, if every defense faced the same number of drives, Dallas would rank 17th in yards and 12th in points allowed. The combination of our offense ranking 10th in TOP per drive and defense ranking 28th is the reason our defense doesn't face as many drives.

 

[DFWJC]

There are only five defenses that have faced fewer drives than the Cowboys. The Patriots, for example, have faced 25 more drives than we have.

As was already posted, if every defense faced the same number of drives, Dallas would rank 17th in yards and 12th in points allowed. The combination of our offense ranking 10th in TOP per drive and defense ranking 28th is the reason our defense doesn't face as many drives.

great