jday
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If you have seen my responses in regards to the Cowboys defense, you may have perceived that I rate a snowball's chance of contention in Hades over the defense being formidable in this coming regular season. Just to be clear, that has not been my intent. I am merely assessing the odds; but the trouble with predicting what this defense will do is that nearly every player on this defense has questions they have to answer. There are very few sure things, in terms of knowing we are going to have consistent starter-quality play for a perspective player. Let's review:
Barry Church - He tops my list in terms of knowing what your going to get. The fact that he is moving to SS, I believe is a plus, since he is a very heady player and rarely is out of position, can law the wood, and is ideal for a run-support role.
Orlando Scandrick - After what many would call a sophmore slump, he has been pretty solid in pretty much everything the Cowboys have asked him to do, especially manning the slot.
With the loss of Sean Lee, unfortunately, that is the end of certainty. Now for the host of questionable:
Henry Melton - Where it not for the fact that he is returning from a season ending injury requiring knee surgery, you could likely slide this guy up to the sure-thing column. He's young, athletic, and, while no one I think expects him to improve on or duplicate Hatcher's contribution last year, he still looks to be a better long-term solution in that role.
George Selvie - I really thought long and hard about putting this guy as a sure thing. Trouble is, what he did last year was the first time in his career and furthermore, his play started to fall off in the last 1/3 of last years regular season, which makes me wonder: Was he running out of gas or was the first several games an anomaly, not to be repeated?
Brandon Carr - If he was the #2 corner, I would say he is a sure thing. But I don't beleive the Cowboys can always count on Carr to consistetly hold true #1 receivers to at least modest days. I'm not asking him to be a shutdown corner; I'm not sure there is such thing in this pass-happy era of football. But I think most would agree he struggled throughout the year in the #1 role.
Bruce Carter - In the attacking 43, you really need guys with his type of athleticism. He is another up and down presence on the field. Sometimes he takes good angles and he sifts through traffic with ease and lays the hit you would expect from a physical presence like him. Othertimes, your left scratching your head wondering 'what was he thinking?' Many point to a simple lack of confidence. Still other's point to a lack of desire and passion for the game. Confidence can be fixed, I'm no sure sure about the latter, though.
Morris Claiborne - Questions abound - Can he stay healthy? Can he get his mind right? Is he a bust - was he worth the 1st and 2nd round pick? We have seen flashes from Claiborne that make us beleive he has all the tools you ask for from a corner. But, nevertheless, for every good play you see him get completely burned. I hate to point to intangibles, but I think he may have the same affliction that some people have assigned to Bruce Carter - a lack of confidence. Whatever the reason, he has to show something this year.
Justin Durant - Arguably his best year was in 2012 where he had 103 combined tackles, but considering I never really watched him before Dallas, that stat could be misleading. Nevertheless, his production dropped from 103 tackles to 24 with the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. Part of the separation here is a result of him only starting 10 games last year versus the full 16 in 2012 having suffered the same injury as Sean Lee last year. Nevertheless, clearly something was missing last year. And, of course, though he doesn't seem to have many injury red flags, the Cowboys faithful will still find room to ask: Can he stay heatlhy this year?
Jermey Mincey - This guy was the head-scratcher signing of Free Agency - he started 2 games for a defense that was terrible and only registered 1 tackle. Part of me thinks maybe the Cowboys brought him in to be a veteran presence that has experience in getting to the Championship game for a relatively cheap veteran contract. What ever the reason, questions certainly abound for this guy.
Anthony Spencer - He, too, is shrouded in mystery, so-to-speak. 1. We really didn't get that much of opportunity to seem him in the 43 DE role, having been an OLB in the 34. 2. He is 30. 3. He has a history of injuries. Nuff said.
JJ Wilcox - Physically, he looks the part for FS. He has speed, he can cover, and having spent significant time as a receiver in college, he can catch making him a potential ball hawk. Unfortunately, we must point to intangibles with Wilcox, as well. He lost is mother late in preseason last year and many point to that being a significant reason why he never seemed to get his mind right. He also suffered injury, though, not of the season-ending variety, he was, for some reason, never able to get his job back from Jeff Heath.
Now, in an effort to avoid this thread becoming so long that no one gives it a second glance -
Rookies, Jags, and No-names: Behind the above are a host of players who have to answer the following questions: Can they make the switch from college to the pros? Can they stay healthy? Can they improve on their 2013 with more experience? Do they belong in the NFL?
At this point you may be wondering why rehash the things most of us already know? See the thread title - the point is that there is a difference between having 'questions' and being 'hopeless.' Sprinkle over the defense a little Marinelli magic and who knows, this team could over-acheive this year and prove to be a strength. You simply never know in the NFL. Do I expect it? Not really...nor would I place money on it. However, I would be willing to bet that this defense will at least be in the Top 20 by season end.
Thoughts?
Barry Church - He tops my list in terms of knowing what your going to get. The fact that he is moving to SS, I believe is a plus, since he is a very heady player and rarely is out of position, can law the wood, and is ideal for a run-support role.
Orlando Scandrick - After what many would call a sophmore slump, he has been pretty solid in pretty much everything the Cowboys have asked him to do, especially manning the slot.
With the loss of Sean Lee, unfortunately, that is the end of certainty. Now for the host of questionable:
Henry Melton - Where it not for the fact that he is returning from a season ending injury requiring knee surgery, you could likely slide this guy up to the sure-thing column. He's young, athletic, and, while no one I think expects him to improve on or duplicate Hatcher's contribution last year, he still looks to be a better long-term solution in that role.
George Selvie - I really thought long and hard about putting this guy as a sure thing. Trouble is, what he did last year was the first time in his career and furthermore, his play started to fall off in the last 1/3 of last years regular season, which makes me wonder: Was he running out of gas or was the first several games an anomaly, not to be repeated?
Brandon Carr - If he was the #2 corner, I would say he is a sure thing. But I don't beleive the Cowboys can always count on Carr to consistetly hold true #1 receivers to at least modest days. I'm not asking him to be a shutdown corner; I'm not sure there is such thing in this pass-happy era of football. But I think most would agree he struggled throughout the year in the #1 role.
Bruce Carter - In the attacking 43, you really need guys with his type of athleticism. He is another up and down presence on the field. Sometimes he takes good angles and he sifts through traffic with ease and lays the hit you would expect from a physical presence like him. Othertimes, your left scratching your head wondering 'what was he thinking?' Many point to a simple lack of confidence. Still other's point to a lack of desire and passion for the game. Confidence can be fixed, I'm no sure sure about the latter, though.
Morris Claiborne - Questions abound - Can he stay healthy? Can he get his mind right? Is he a bust - was he worth the 1st and 2nd round pick? We have seen flashes from Claiborne that make us beleive he has all the tools you ask for from a corner. But, nevertheless, for every good play you see him get completely burned. I hate to point to intangibles, but I think he may have the same affliction that some people have assigned to Bruce Carter - a lack of confidence. Whatever the reason, he has to show something this year.
Justin Durant - Arguably his best year was in 2012 where he had 103 combined tackles, but considering I never really watched him before Dallas, that stat could be misleading. Nevertheless, his production dropped from 103 tackles to 24 with the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. Part of the separation here is a result of him only starting 10 games last year versus the full 16 in 2012 having suffered the same injury as Sean Lee last year. Nevertheless, clearly something was missing last year. And, of course, though he doesn't seem to have many injury red flags, the Cowboys faithful will still find room to ask: Can he stay heatlhy this year?
Jermey Mincey - This guy was the head-scratcher signing of Free Agency - he started 2 games for a defense that was terrible and only registered 1 tackle. Part of me thinks maybe the Cowboys brought him in to be a veteran presence that has experience in getting to the Championship game for a relatively cheap veteran contract. What ever the reason, questions certainly abound for this guy.
Anthony Spencer - He, too, is shrouded in mystery, so-to-speak. 1. We really didn't get that much of opportunity to seem him in the 43 DE role, having been an OLB in the 34. 2. He is 30. 3. He has a history of injuries. Nuff said.
JJ Wilcox - Physically, he looks the part for FS. He has speed, he can cover, and having spent significant time as a receiver in college, he can catch making him a potential ball hawk. Unfortunately, we must point to intangibles with Wilcox, as well. He lost is mother late in preseason last year and many point to that being a significant reason why he never seemed to get his mind right. He also suffered injury, though, not of the season-ending variety, he was, for some reason, never able to get his job back from Jeff Heath.
Now, in an effort to avoid this thread becoming so long that no one gives it a second glance -
Rookies, Jags, and No-names: Behind the above are a host of players who have to answer the following questions: Can they make the switch from college to the pros? Can they stay healthy? Can they improve on their 2013 with more experience? Do they belong in the NFL?
At this point you may be wondering why rehash the things most of us already know? See the thread title - the point is that there is a difference between having 'questions' and being 'hopeless.' Sprinkle over the defense a little Marinelli magic and who knows, this team could over-acheive this year and prove to be a strength. You simply never know in the NFL. Do I expect it? Not really...nor would I place money on it. However, I would be willing to bet that this defense will at least be in the Top 20 by season end.
Thoughts?
