DMN Blog: How rare is this no-sack streak for Wade Phillips?

[cowboyjoe]

How rare is this no-sack streak for Wade Phillips?
9:50 AM Thu, Sep 24, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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As we know, the Cowboys are the only team in the NFL without a sack through two games.

So it got me to thinking, when was the last time a Wade Phillips' coached defense went back-to-back games without a sack?

You have to go all the way back to Oct. 9 and 17, 1994 when he was Denver's head coach.

The Broncos didn't have a sack against Seattle and Kansas City, splitting the two games. In fact, Denver did not record a sack in six games in 1994, which probably contibuted to Phillips' firing.

Since that season (excluding 2001 when he wasn't coaching), the most sack-less games a Phillips' D has had in a season is two (Atlanta, 2003, Buffalo, 1999). These are the first two games without a sack he's had in his two-plus seasons with the Cowboys.

 

[cowboyjoe]

So it got me to thinking, when was the last time a Wade Phillips' coached defense went back-to-back games without a sack?

You have to go all the way back to Oct. 9 and 17, 1994 when he was Denver's head coach.

The Broncos didn't have a sack against Seattle and Kansas City, splitting the two games. In fact, Denver did not record a sack in six games in 1994, which probably contibuted to Phillips' firing.

Since that season (excluding 2001 when he wasn't coaching), the most sack-less games a Phillips' D has had in a season is two (Atlanta, 2003, Buffalo, 1999). These are the first two games without a sack he's had in his two-plus seasons with the Cowboys.

wow i hope it doesnt get that bad,

what would you zoners think would happen if the cowboys dont get any sacks for 6 games?

 

[Zman5]

Big part of getting no sacks if probably due to the sucky performance by our secondary. You can have 4 Reggie Whites on the dline but if the WR can get open at will, you are not going to get many sacks.

 

[Idgit]

Big part of getting no sacks if probably due to the sucky performance by our secondary. You can have 4 Reggie Whites on the dline but if the WR can get open at will, you are not going to get many sacks.

So, is Wade an idiot for not getting more sacks, or is he an idiot for not playing more zone? You might recall, last season he was an idiot for not playing more man:man.

 

[theogt]

Big part of getting no sacks if probably due to the sucky performance by our secondary. You can have 4 Reggie Whites on the dline but if the WR can get open at will, you are not going to get many sacks.

It's been surprising how leaky the secondary has been. Most of us, or at least I, overrated this secondary.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Big part of getting no sacks if probably due to the sucky performance by our secondary. You can have 4 Reggie Whites on the dline but if the WR can get open at will, you are not going to get many sacks.

I disagree.

If you have 2 Rush Ends like Reggie White and 2 Tackles like Randy White, this will make a very below average Secondary look very good.

Defenses will not be able to double all 4 of them, Corners can now play zone and/or Man, with Safeties over the top because now you can just rush the passer with 4 players and still generate pressure. And believe me, you have 4 guys like that, you are going to get unbelievable pressure on the Quarterback.

You fix the pass rush on this team, you fix the Secondary.

Right now, teams are doubling or chipping Demarcus Ware and there is no Greg Ellis to put pressure on the other side and make teams pay for doubling.

 

[theogt]

I disagree.

If you have 2 Rush Ends like Reggie White and 2 Tackles like Randy White, this will make a very below average Secondary look very good.

Defenses will not be able to double all 4 of them, Corners can now play zone and/or Man, with Safeties over the top because now you can just rush the passer with 4 players and still generate pressure. And believe me, you have 4 guys like that, you are going to get unbelievable pressure on the Quarterback.

You fix the pass rush on this team, you fix the Secondary.

Right now, teams are doubling or chipping Demarcus Ware and there is no Greg Ellis to put pressure on the other side and make teams pay for doubling.

Well, yes, if you put the best pass-rushing line every in front of an average secondary, it will make the secondary look better. That much is obvious.

But that doesn't mean that our particular problem is the lack of pass-rush ability instead of a leaky secondary. In the past two games we've been consistently getting the QBs faces, but they've had just that split second of time to get the ball off to a wide open receiver. You tighten up that coverage a bit and the QB hesitates and it's a sack.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Well, yes, if you put the best pass-rushing line every in front of an average secondary, it will make the secondary look better. That much is obvious.

But that doesn't mean that our particular problem is the lack of pass-rush ability instead of a leaky secondary.

He said "4" Reggie Whites, so I had to address him in that context.

The Secondary is struggling but I believe we are having problems putting enough pressure on the Quarterback.

 

[theogt]

The Secondary is struggling but I believe we are having problems putting enough pressure on the Quarterback.

I edited more info in. Getting into the backfield has not been a problem. Ratliff is getting back there. Ware is getting back there. Spencer is getting back there. Our inside blitzes haven't been that effective, but we're getting in the QBs face and knocking QBs down. They've just been getting the ball off a hair too early because receivers are getting open.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Combination of both probably. We're not consistently getting there yet and when we're getting to the QB the secondary is letting a WR open about a step too soon.

 

[Zman5]

I disagree.

If you have 2 Rush Ends like Reggie White and 2 Tackles like Randy White, this will make a very below average Secondary look very good.

Defenses will not be able to double all 4 of them, Corners can now play zone and/or Man, with Safeties over the top because now you can just rush the passer with 4 players and still generate pressure. And believe me, you have 4 guys like that, you are going to get unbelievable pressure on the Quarterback.

You fix the pass rush on this team, you fix the Secondary.

Right now, teams are doubling or chipping Demarcus Ware and there is no Greg Ellis to put pressure on the other side and make teams pay for doubling.

In the long run yes, but the way our secondary has played past two games, I doubt the '85 Bears dline would have gotten a sack in the past two games.

BTW, it's not like our pass rush is not getting to the QB at all. They are getting there and hitting the QB as the QB is releasing the ball. They are just second or two late getting the sack. If the secondary could have covered a just little better past two weeks, we would have had some sacks.

 

[Z mann R2]

So it got me to thinking, when was the last time a Wade Phillips' coached defense went back-to-back games without a sack?

You have to go all the way back to Oct. 9 and 17, 1994 when he was Denver's head coach.

The Broncos didn't have a sack against Seattle and Kansas City, splitting the two games. In fact, Denver did not record a sack in six games in 1994, which probably contibuted to Phillips' firing.

Since that season (excluding 2001 when he wasn't coaching), the most sack-less games a Phillips' D has had in a season is two (Atlanta, 2003, Buffalo, 1999). These are the first two games without a sack he's had in his two-plus seasons with the Cowboys.

wow i hope it doesnt get that bad,

what would you zoners think would happen if the cowboys dont get any sacks for 6 games?

same thing everyone has been thinking for over a year now......fire Wade Phillips

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I edited more info in. Getting into the backfield has not been a problem. Ratliff is getting back there. Ware is getting back there. Spencer is getting back there. Our inside blitzes haven't been that effective, but we're getting in the QBs face and knocking QBs down. They've just been getting the ball off a hair too early because receivers are getting open.

Yes and I believe James can be added to that mix.

However, I don't think the pressure is being applied consitently and we still have no sacks or turnovers.

I would think we could get at least one sack on Byron Leftwhich.

I think the entire defense is struggling but I think more consistent pressure on the QB would do the most good.

 

[Zman5]

I edited more info in. Getting into the backfield has not been a problem. Ratliff is getting back there. Ware is getting back there. Spencer is getting back there. Our inside blitzes haven't been that effective, but we're getting in the QBs face and knocking QBs down. They've just been getting the ball off a hair too early because receivers are getting open.

Exactomundo.

 

[viman96]

It's been surprising how leaky the secondary has been. Most of us, or at least I, overrated this secondary.

Seems to me the last few years everyone has overrated the secondary heading into the season. Last year I did not buy into it. This year I'm more optimistic and think both Jenkins and Scandrick have the ability to be fairly decent CBs.

 

[DallasDomination]

From a team that lead the league in sacks last year to a team that has gone 2 straight games without a sack.


If you ask me this falls on the players shoulders and not so much Wade...

 

[Zman5]

Seems to me the last few years everyone has overrated the secondary heading into the season. Last year I did not buy into it. This year I'm more optimistic and think both Jenkins and Scandrick have the ability to be fairly decent CBs.

Yes. I think they will get better eventually (I'm hoping). But we should not expect to have a great or even very good defense overall until we get better play in the secondary.

 

[Zman5]

From a team that lead the league in sacks last year to a team that has gone 2 straight games without a sack.


If you ask me this falls on the players shoulders and not so much Wade...

As much as physically limited as Anthony Henry was, he knew how to play the position. He would have not made that mistake Jenkins made on that hot route slant when we were blitzing.

 

[Idgit]

Eli's a good QB, the Giants have a good OL, and we're putting a lot of pressure on the secondary by playing too much man. We'll mix our coverages more and the three guys we've got at QB will be better.

Our safeties, especially Hamlin, didn't help us much on Sun. That's surprised me more than the CB play.

 

[cowboyjoe]

I disagree.

If you have 2 Rush Ends like Reggie White and 2 Tackles like Randy White, this will make a very below average Secondary look very good.

Defenses will not be able to double all 4 of them, Corners can now play zone and/or Man, with Safeties over the top because now you can just rush the passer with 4 players and still generate pressure. And believe me, you have 4 guys like that, you are going to get unbelievable pressure on the Quarterback.

You fix the pass rush on this team, you fix the Secondary.

Right now, teams are doubling or chipping Demarcus Ware and there is no Greg Ellis to put pressure on the other side and make teams pay for doubling.

Ditto on that, who among the dallas cowboys defenders do teams fear the most, Ware, then Ratliff;

i think alot of the lack of our pass rush has to do with the releasing of greg ellis and spencer not stepping up to the plate with pass rush moves etc.