Disturbing defensive numbers

[Tusan_Homichi]

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2015/10/26/9613902/cowboys-giants-the-day-after-by-the-numbers

6.4: The average yards per play allowed by the Cowboys' defense in the last three games, the worst figure in the league. The fine gents over as ESPN Stats and Info give us more kindling to add to this fire: Dallas is allowing the NFL's highest opponent completion percentage during that span and are the only defense that has not forced a turnover since Week 3. And this has been the case throughout the Jason Garrett era. Here's a disturbing fact provided by ESPN S&I:

On a per-play basis, the Cowboys' defense has been in the bottom half of the league for the past six seasons. Since 2010, only the Falcons have allowed more yards per play (5.84) than the Cowboys (5.81).

Additionally, the Cowboys are allowing points on 43 percent of opponents’ drives this season, sixth worst in the NFL, and are forcing a turnover on 5 percent of drives, second worst in the league (to the Jaguars, who come in at 4 percent). Both are on pace to be the Cowboys’ worst rates in the past 15 seasons.

During the game, I repeated a comment I have made several times this season: this team is built to play from ahead. Without a lead, when the opposition can continue to be two-dimensional, when failing to limit drives by generating turnovers, this defense is getting exposed; thus far, on a per-play basis. they are no different statistically than they were in 2013 and '14. In short, they are who they are. And that's a scary thought.

Well, that sucks.

 

[Alexander]

In Rod we trust?

 

[RunDMC]

Could care less about yards. The defense allowed 13 points last week. They held New England to 3 for much of the first half until the offense left them out to dry. They were bad against the Saints, but they still got some key stops and they were still playing with a make shift defensive line. They need to create more takeaways, but they aren't anywhere near the worst defense in the league like that stat suggests.

 

[Idgit]

Yeah, kind of what you'd expect from a defense that's either been really not good, or built around limiting points and not necessarily yardage during that time.

 

[TonyRomo17]

season over

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

The lack of turnovers plus the fact that we'll give up some yards puts our already limited offense at even more of a disadvantage. We're constantly staring long fields right in the face.

It's fine to not worry about the yards so much, but you have to get turnovers or you're just having the field flipped on you over and over again even if the other team doesn't come away with anything.

 

[RS12]

Sean Lee, Tyrone Crawford, Demarcus Lawrence and both safties have been below par during that time. Brandon Carr has been awful. Honestly I am surprised they have played as well as they have. The only guy who has been a pleasant surprise is Jack Crawford. Hardy has been a beast.

 

[BlindFaith]

Some have been saying this about our defense for the last few years.

 

[perrykemp]

Sean Lee, Tyrone Crawford, Demarcus Lawrence and both safties have been below par during that time. Brandon Carr has been awful. Honestly I am surprised they have played as well as they have. The only guy who has been a pleasant surprise is Jack Crawford. Hardy has been a beast.

I would absolutely disagree with anybody who says the defense is playing poorly. I think it's already the best defense they've had in at least 3-4 years.

Having said that, I think most of us had high hopes that this could be a Top 5 defense. For various reasons, they just haven't come together as a group in a way I had hoped to make that a reality.

The honest truth it's probably unrealistic for a defense with a secondary as bereft as talent as the Cowboys to realistically be a Top 5 overall defense.