Defense this and Defense that. What got us somewhere in 14?

[Zekeats]

Our running game is what was the difference maker in 2014. We had a true running back for the first time since 22. Our running game limited Romo to 30 passes or less in most cases. We controlled the clock. It kept a sorry defense off the field for most of the game. It allowed us to control the tempo too.
I laugh when everyone on here says we need a 1tech DT. Or another safety or corner that will touch the ball 2 times a year. Give me the guy that will touch the rock 30+ times a game and set the tone for not only the offense but the whole team. I still say the one guy I want at number 4 even is the RB from Ohio State. I think he is exactly what our team needs.

 

[the_h0wey]

Our running game is what was the difference maker in 2014. We had a true running back for the first time since 22. Our running game limited Romo to 30 passes or less in most cases. We controlled the clock. It kept a sorry defense off the field for most of the game. It allowed us to control the tempo too.
I laugh when everyone on here says we need a 1tech DT. Or another safety or corner that will touch the ball 2 times a year. Give me the guy that will touch the rock 30+ times a game and set the tone for not only the offense but the whole team. I still say the one guy I want at number 4 even is the RB from Ohio State. I think he is exactly what our team needs.

We were 10th in the league in 2014 in turnovers and dead last this year. We didn't have a good defense but we were in the top half of the league in turnovers. Might of had something to do with our success in 14

 

[zack]

Look at the Panthers defense. What did they have 50 turnovers this year...that's what we need. Defense that takes the ball away. Cam has had a great year, his defense has been crazy good. Give Romo the ball that many times and let's see what happens.

 

[Alexander]

Elliott is about as "safe" of a player as there is in this draft. If the idea is to replicate the glory of 2014, he should be a consideration.

 

[gmoney112]

To answer the question in the title,

Tony Romo.

 

[StarBoyz83]

A lot of 2014 was the defense getting turnovers and players playing hungry for a payday. (Murray being one of them)

Also minimal Injuries

 

[Zekeats]

Look at the Panthers defense. What did they have 50 turnovers this year...that's what we need. Defense that takes the ball away. Cam has had a great year, his defense has been crazy good. Give Romo the ball that many times and let's see what happens.

LOL. Panthers=best running team in the NFL=turnovers. As someone pointed out here we finished 10th in turnovers in 2014 with a no name defense basically because we ran the ball, mostly had a lead and got turnovers. Turnovers happen when you have a lead something I am sure the Panthers had most of the year. I would bet anything without looking that they lead the league in point differential.

 

[Alexander]

Those darn turnovers again. Too few of them and too many of those darn injuries.

Our luck is just so horrible.

 

[big dog cowboy]

What got us somewhere in 14?

On offense: A healthy Romo and Dez that offered some passing threat that opened up the running game.

On defense: turnovers

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

People seem to forget how many turnovers the defense got in 2014.......

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Didn't we both lead the league in time of possession and limit Romo's attempts (to 0 per game)? We followed your formula, I must be reading this 12-4 backwards.

 

[Idgit]

People seem to forget how many turnovers the defense got in 2014.......

We had a 28 possession differential between this year and last, and it wasn't luck that did it.

 

[Junglist]

You always need defense. OP is smoking crack. Lol.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Reductio ad absurdum.

Football involves 53+ players, dozens of coaches and execs, opponents, practice, injuries, offseason work, off the field issues, and a whole lot more variables. All of them count to one degree or another.

Trying to reduce it to a single thing one or another is absurd.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Those darn turnovers again. Too few of them and too many of those darn injuries.

Our luck is just so horrible.

Why does it have to be luck? IOW, yours is a strawman.

Personally, I think that the dynamic is because of the new man scheme they tried out. The talent at the two robber positions lacked speed and/or instincts and they had difficulty working in unison as they have for quite some time in the secondary. That combined with QB play that couldn't read the field which led to playing behind and then opponents being able to play conservative most games and you have the lion's share of cause IMO.

When you make claims of people making excuses all that means is you are looking for someone to blame. It is possible to transcend that paradigm and just look at what was and is without the judgment.

Turnover rates matter and it's not random noise.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

We had a 28 possession differential between this year and last, and it wasn't luck that did it.

No you're right it wasn't luck at all.

 

[Idgit]

Why does it have to be luck? IOW, yours is a strawman.

Personally, I think that the dynamic is because of the new man scheme they tried out. The talent at the two robber positions lacked speed and/or instincts and they had difficulty working in unison as they have for quite some time in the secondary. That combined with QB play that couldn't read the field which led to playing behind and then opponents being able to play conservative most games and you have the lion's share of cause IMO.

When you make claims of people making excuses all that means is you are looking for someone to blame. It is possible to transcend that paradigm and just look at what was and is without the judgment.

Turnover rates matter and it's not random noise.

When good teams consistently win the differential battle, it's obviously not random. Getting rid of the ball in the pocket, 5 pointing it in traffic, strips, tomahawks, traps, disguised coverages. There are tons of things teams do to bring pressure, force throws, and cause fumbles. Sure, the ball is oblong and bounces funny, too, but we brought Marinelli in in part to get takeaways. The facts that we didn't and lost a lot of close games in the process last year are probably pretty closely related.

 

[DandyDon52]

LOL. Panthers=best running team in the NFL=turnovers. As someone pointed out here we finished 10th in turnovers in 2014 with a no name defense basically because we ran the ball, mostly had a lead and got turnovers. Turnovers happen when you have a lead something I am sure the Panthers had most of the year. I would bet anything without looking that they lead the league in point differential.

You are correct, the TO differential just shows who the better teams are, it doesnt make them winners, that is up to coaching and players.
go here and look who the leaders were, all the playoff teams are at the top..
http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-turnover-differential-statistics/2015/
All the crap offenses are at the bottom , with the ol JG cowboys being dead last.
A signal of a good team overall are those with positive turnover differential as they are more likely to win the turnover battle.

If tony had played the whole season, even with same # of turnovers, dallas would have won at least 5 more games.
But had he played, dallas would have had better TO differential.

One thing i have noticed is these game announcers will say same things over and over each game, and people start
believing it .People are easily programmed to believe things, and dont try to figure anything out themselves.

It was no Romo, and our coaches did not adapt to the other qbs good at all.
I cant believe all 3 QB's were the problem, and proof was with weeden winning 2 games with houston, essentially
he was unbeaten there !! lol

Obrien should have stayed with weeden, instead he went back to hoyer, the guy who had lost most games he played.
He threw ints in the first game with kc, and guess what he threw some more in the playoff game lol

 

[Beast_from_East]

Brian Broaddus on Talking Cowboys said the same thing..........he would love to see Zeke play behind this offensive line.

Personally, I still go QB.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

When good teams consistently win the differential battle, it's obviously not random. Getting rid of the ball in the pocket, 5 pointing it in traffic, strips, tomahawks, traps, disguised coverages. There are tons of things teams do to bring pressure, force throws, and cause fumbles. Sure, the ball is oblong and bounces funny, too, but we brought Marinelli in in part to get takeaways. The facts that we didn't and lost a lot of close games in the process last year are probably pretty closely related.

I agree. Marinelli makes turnovers his biggest emphasis by his own words. I actually like that he is able to try new things but his inexperience with that man scheme probably contributed to the difficulty as much as the lack of speed and awareness at the robber positions.

Really for the scheme to work and disguise coverage it needs everyone to be able to play man or at the very least jam hard at the los. McClain has the awareness but not the speed. Hitchens is marginal relative to league average in both regards. Wilcox has man skills but struggles with angles. Wilber is a 4.8 guy although he is decent at the jam. Church is a 4.6 guy.

As it was the offense could most times figure who was doing what and if they switched it up, somebody would struggle to cover or play robber respectively. Teams were able to convert third downs and find big plays in the middle of the field consistently