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

[Idgit]

in 2014, this team played with leads or were keeping the pressure on the opposing teams to keep trying to score. That in itself contributed quite a bit to the creation of turnovers. Knowing that Romo was not playing didn't put much pressure on opposing teams to try too hard to keep trying to score, knowing Garrett was playing to punts and field goals. Bring back the high scoring offense and more turnovers will become easier to come by. There was far more talent on defense on defense in 2014 than last year. Marinelli, also didn't forget how to coach turnovers in one year.

All of this is definitely true. That said, it's unfair to blame the offense for both their own turnovers *and* for the defense being last in the entire league in takeaways. There's something to be said for aggressively taking the ball away, even when an offense isn't scoring.

 

[Zekeats]

Did we get somewhere last year? Thought we lost in divisional round cause we couldn't stop Rodgers and the time before that we couldn't stop Favre.........we have had top offenses and can't make it past divisional round. .....all 4 teams in conference championship had great to elite defenses

Let's try something different and not the same thing over and over. You give Romo a top 5 defense and watch us win a championship. ......offense doesn't win titles, defense does

12-4 with a real running back
4-12 without a real running back
I would say we got somewhere

 

[Zekeats]

We didn't build leads in 2014 by running the ball. Here are all the offensive touchdowns by Dallas when not already leading by more than two scores.

2014
35 pass, 11 rush

2015
16 pass, 8 rush


In 2014, when the margin was one score or less in quarters 1-3, we ran the ball 48.1% of the time, averaged 4.8 ypc, scored 4 TD, and converted 76.9% (10 of 13) in short yardage. Our average possession lasted 3:37, which led the league.

In 2015, when the margin was one score or less in quarters 1-3, we ran the ball 48.2% of the time, averaged 4.7 ypc, scored 6 TD, and converted 75.0% (12 of 16) in short yardage. Our average possession lasted 3:13, which ranked 2nd in the league.

In a typical game situation, the performance of the running game the two seasons was almost identical.

In 2014, when the margin was one score or less in quarters 1-3, we passed 51.9% of the time with a passer rating of 117.8, scored 18 TD, and converted on 51.9% of our 3rd-down passes to lead the NFL.

In 2015, when the margin was one score or less in quarters 1-3, we passed 51.8% of the time with a passer rating of 68.3, scored 4 TD, and converted on 30.6% of our 3rd-down passes, which ranked 29th.

You just pulled up situational stats that happened to match. The truth still is that we ran the ball a whole lot better in 2014 and had an identity on offense.

 

[Zekeats]

Interestingly enough, the difference maker as you want to call it in 2014 was a TB drafted in the 3rd round and some around here weren't even sure was going to be able to be an every down back.

Kind of undercuts this whole argument that you need to use the 4th pick to draft a TB to get back to the 2014 type team.

I never said Murray was the difference maker. I for one actually don't even want him back. The way I see it is if I am drafting in the top 5 I want three things:
1. A can't miss prospect
2. The player that can impact this team immediately
3. The player with the fewest question marks

 

[percyhoward]

Teams get an overwhelming majority of their turnovers when the opponent is behind and forced to take risks.

This part is true. When you have a double-digit lead, your chances of a takeaway are 112% higher than when you trail by double digits. With as many 10+ point leads this year as last, that would have projected to 8 more takeaways. Also, last year's opponents averaged 4 more takeaways per season than this year's. That's 12 missing takeaways that have nothing to do with the defense, that would have brought us up to 23, the league average.

The Cowboys got turnovers in 2014 as a direct result of their powerful running game putting pressure on opponent offenses because the running game sucked time off the clock as well as being efficient at scoring...You could key on the running game without consequence.

There is zero correlation between offensive TOP and takeaways. The top 5 offenses in TOP all have defenses that had fewer takeaways than the league average. Besides, since our average 2015 possession was only 2 seconds shorter than 2014's anyway, and the passing game was nowhere near as good at moving the chains, the running game actually took more time off the clock in an average drive than it did in 2014.

"You could key on the running game without consequence," is the opposite of what happened in 2015. If you stopped our run inside the 10-yard line with Weeden or Cassel at QB, you almost always stopped our offense from scoring a touchdown. We had 7 rushing TD and 2 passing TD in their games on plays from inside the opponent's 10-yard line. That's not normal. Most teams score more TD by the pass than by the run when they're inside the 10, as Dallas did in every season that Murray was on the team.

 

[percyhoward]

You just pulled up situational stats that happened to match.

No idea what that's supposed to mean, but we built our leads by scoring touchdowns via the pass.

 

[Zekeats]

No idea what that's supposed to mean, but we built our leads by scoring touchdowns via the pass.

No we didn't. We built our leads with our running game. Thats nothing but stats you pulled up. So we would have a ten play 80 yard drive with Murray having 7 carries for 50 yards but Romo threw the 5 yard touchdown to Dez. Keep sifting through your stats. Bottom line is we ran the ball right down the opposing teams throat and that was what got us to 12-4.

 

[jobberone]

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.

On paper they are the best running team but if you take out Cam's rushing stats they are basically where we are. Even ignoring the fact that your takeaways don't correlate with your offense, the facts here don't even add up.

 

[jobberone]

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

You're partially reading that wrong. Teams with a +2 TO diff in a game win 80% of the time. Teams that win a lot of games are going to be playoff teams. They aren't all going to be the best teams at the top but they will get to the playoffs more often than not.

The point is a team needs to be good at a lot of things which includes giveaways and takeaways.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

12-4 with a real running back
4-12 without a real running back
I would say we got somewhere

Seriously? The running game wasn't the problem this season. .......how did that real running back do compared to not a real running back this season?

 

[percyhoward]

We would have a ten play 80 yard drive with Murray having 7 carries for 50 yards but Romo threw the 5 yard touchdown to Dez.

In 2014, we were nowhere near 70/30 run. Also, on an 80-yard drive, 50 of those yards would have come by the pass. Check our total yardage numbers for that season.

Our touchdown drives in 2014 featured more passes (210) than runs (191), and our highest-scoring quarter (2nd) was also our most pass-heavy. Romo averaged more first-half pass attempts per game in 2014 than he had the previous season. In the 4th quarter, he averaged fewer pass attempts that season than he ever had in his career. Because by that time, we'd built a lead with a balanced attack that leaned toward the pass.

Dallas play selection, leading in 4th qtr
69.4% run
30.6% pass

all other plays
46.2% run
53.8% pass

 

[AdamJT13]

We went 12-4 last year because we passed more effectively than our opponent 12 times -- and went 12-0 in those games. (Or 13 times and 13-0 if you include the playoffs.) There were four games when we didn't pass more effectively than our opponent, and we went 0-4 in those games. (Or five and 0-5 including the playoffs.)

This year, we passed more effectively than our opponent only five times -- and we went 4-1 in those games, losing only on a last-minute TD. We didn't pass more effectively than our opponent 11 times, and we went 0-11 in those games.

In our past 38 games, the team that has passed better is 37-1 (with the only loss coming on a last-minute TD). The team that has rushed better is 19-19.

We didn't win last year because of the running game, and we didn't lose this year because of any lack of a running game. We won last year because we usually passed better than our opponent, and we lost this year because we usually did not.

We rushed for 233 yards against the Giants and lost. We rushed for 171 against the Packers and lost. We rushed for 134 against the Eagles and lost. We rushed for 133 against the Jets and lost. Should I keep going? We averaged anywhere from 4.6 to 8.6 yards per carry in those games and still lost. Drafting a running back at No. 4 will be a complete waste if we aren't MUCH better at passing on offense and stopping the pass on defense.

 

[Zekeats]

Seriously? The running game wasn't the problem this season. .......how did that real running back do compared to not a real running back this season?

Ha, our oline could make even McFadden look good which it did.

 

[rpntex]

In 2014, we were nowhere near 70/30 run. Also, on an 80-yard drive, 50 of those yards would have come by the pass. Check our total yardage numbers for that season.

Our touchdown drives in 2014 featured more passes (210) than runs (191), and our highest-scoring quarter (2nd) was also our most pass-heavy. Romo averaged more first-half pass attempts per game in 2014 than he had the previous season. In the 4th quarter, he averaged fewer pass attempts that season than he ever had in his career. Because by that time, we'd built a lead with a balanced attack that leaned toward the pass.

Dallas play selection, leading in 4th qtr
69.4% run
30.6% pass

all other plays
46.2% run
53.8% pass

I was just about to post a similar stat.

Overall, Dallas ran the ball 52% of the offensive snaps in 2014. Take away the 4th quarter, however, and the percentage flips to 52% pass.

 

[percyhoward]

Ha, our oline could make even McFadden look good which it did.

Not exactly the best way to argue that we should spend the #4 pick on a running back.

 

[Zekeats]

Not exactly the best way to argue that we should spend the #4 pick on a running back.

Yeah it is because he would dominate and we would be a powerhouse but hey I guess you enjoyed the 8-8 years so we might as well ride out McFadden or see if Felix Jones wants to come back.

 

[Nav22]

Hahaha. Panthers-Broncos, a matchup of the 2 best defenses in the league. Funny thread.

 

[AdamJT13]

Hahaha. Panthers-Broncos, a matchup of the 2 best defenses in the league. Funny thread.

And neither team with a 1,000-yard rusher.

 

[waving monkey]

OP is correct
their Panthers and Broncos are had a functioning offense to keep the defense off
the field

 

[big dog cowboy]

We went 12-4 last year because we passed more effectively than our opponent 12 times -- and went 12-0 in those games. (Or 13 times and 13-0 if you include the playoffs.) There were four games when we didn't pass more effectively than our opponent, and we went 0-4 in those games. (Or five and 0-5 including the playoffs.)

This year, we passed more effectively than our opponent only five times -- and we went 4-1 in those games, losing only on a last-minute TD. We didn't pass more effectively than our opponent 11 times, and we went 0-11 in those games.

In our past 38 games, the team that has passed better is 37-1 (with the only loss coming on a last-minute TD). The team that has rushed better is 19-19.

We didn't win last year because of the running game, and we didn't lose this year because of any lack of a running game. We won last year because we usually passed better than our opponent, and we lost this year because we usually did not.

We rushed for 233 yards against the Giants and lost. We rushed for 171 against the Packers and lost. We rushed for 134 against the Eagles and lost. We rushed for 133 against the Jets and lost. Should I keep going? We averaged anywhere from 4.6 to 8.6 yards per carry in those games and still lost. Drafting a running back at No. 4 will be a complete waste if we aren't MUCH better at passing on offense and stopping the pass on defense.

Damn serious knowledge being dropped right there.