DMN Blog: John Madden blames 'Boys woes on defense

[khiladi]

Indeed, our defense has been disappointing but our recent woes are VERY much on the offense. We gave our defense absolutely dreadful field position with all the 3 and outs and turnovers.

Anyone have a number on our opponents average starting field position in the last 3 games?

So when is the defense suppose to step up?Our recent woes are on both the offense and defense now... Before that, it was just on the defense...

 

[Idgit]

Correct me if I am wrong, but according to you, everything is okay because we are not cutting players and don't have cap issues?

The whole issue is about value. Yes, to us, it shouldn't matter. It is not our money.

But honestly, the way Jerry Jones pays his stars, he is not getting much return on his investment. If this is a vicarious way to share in Jones' pain, so be it.

Since we, the fans, are what fuels the franchise, there is some interest. It is very much like a taxpayer.

It's not that everything's ok. It's just that the contracts of our players aren't necessarily contributing to the problem, and I don't understand why that point is a bone of contention with some fans.

I don't think it's sympathy for Jerry Jones. Maybe it is, but if that's the case, they should realize that Jerry keeps the popularity of the franchise up by the moves he makes, and that that has significant value in terms of marketability and merchandizing.

 

[jobberone]

Lots of numbers here but it shows how much turnovers and STs play along with other factors for field position play a huge role in overall team play. You aren't going to win games where you put the ball on the ground six or seven times in a game and lose five of them. Esp with poor STs play and ugly offensive play.

We aren't giving the defense a chance in most of our losses.

OTOH, I freely admit the D is not on a par with last year. I just can't tell how much with the D on the field so much in poor field position with that many injuries and such to the DBs.




Rk Team G Pts/G TotPts Scrm Plys Yds/G Yds/P 1st/G 3rd Md 3rd Att 3rd Pct 4th Md 4th Att 4th Pct Pen Pen Yds ToP/G FUM

1 Pittsburgh Steelers 9 15.6 140 565 240.3 3.8 15.9 48 133 36 5 11 46 60 580 30:09 11 4
2 Baltimore Ravens 9 16.7 150 503 258.4 4.6 13.9 35 114 31 1 9 11 66 447 26:21 7 2
3 New York Giants 9 17.8 160 506 264.8 4.7 14.9 38 111 34 4 11 36 67 509 26:37 12 3
4 Washington Commanders 9 18.7 168 516 272.1 4.7 15.9 43 118 36 4 6 67 50 418 27:51 9 3
5 Tennessee Titans 9 13 117 568 284.6 4.5 16.3 44 127 35 6 15 40 51 392 29:51 12 5
6 Minnesota Vikings 9 23.9 215 525 289.3 5.0 15.4 38 115 33 3 5 60 69 606 28:06 22 8
7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9 16.3 147 535 289.4 4.9 15.0 40 125 32 5 10 50 53 421 28:34 7 4
8 Carolina Panthers 9 14.8 133 558 290.4 4.7 16.3 39 118 33 2 11 18 59 531 30:05 15 7
9 Philadelphia Eagles 9 20 180 560 293.9 4.7 16.2 45 128 35 4 6 67 54 397 29:43 12 8
10 New York Jets 9 21.1 190 552 299.9 4.9 18.6 48 119 40 7 10 70 56 394 29:20 18 9
11 Dallas Cowboys 9 24.3 219 545 300.9 5.0 17.9 49 120 41 3 7 43 66 466 30:23 14 8
12 New England Patriots 9 17.8 160 486 301.0 5.6 15.9 44 106 42 1 4 25 43 339 27:01 6 4
13 Buffalo Bills 9 21 189 550 309.2 5.1 18.1 45 118 38 4 9 44 41 290 30:08 12 7
14 Arizona Cardinals 9 23.1 208 518 311.3 5.4 17.3 48 111 43 5 7 71 55 478 27:28 18 11
15 Indianapolis Colts 9 21.9 197 590 324.8 5.0 20.4 59 124 48 2 5 40 37 297 33:31 15 6
16 Jacksonville Jaguars 9 20.7 186 519 326.4 5.7 18.8 49 112 44 3 6 50 43 409 28:18 9 4
17 Chicago Bears 9 21.6 194 608 326.7 4.8 19.9 42 127 33 3 10 30 57 419 30:43 11 8
18 Miami Dolphins 9 20.2 182 541 328.1 5.5 17.8 48 126 38 6 10 60 51 383 28:40 15 8
19 Houston Texans 9 28.2 254 513 328.8 5.8 18.4 46 106 43 7 7 100 45 361 28:34 9 3
20 Cincinnati Bengals 9 26.2 236 575 331.8 5.2 19.8 60 122 49 2 6 33 60 408 33:10 12 6
21 Green Bay Packers 9 22.9 206 593 333.7 5.1 19.1 49 126 39 8 11 73 58 451 30:04 9 1
22 San Francisco 49ers 9 28.8 259 580 334.6 5.2 19.6 49 123 40 7 9 78 66 531 31:26 9 2
23 Atlanta Falcons 9 19.3 174 558 347.6 5.6 18.6 46 118 39 4 9 44 66 551 28:51 10 4
24 New Orleans Saints 9 25.4 229 555 348.0 5.6 18.8 42 112 38 3 5 60 54 449 29:07 6 5
25 Oakland Raiders 9 24.2 218 600 356.7 5.4 20.7 55 129 43 2 3 67 41 313 33:14 14 5
26 San Diego Chargers 9 24.2 218 602 368.0 5.5 22.2 42 114 37 8 13 62 44 354 31:32 12 4
27 Cleveland Browns 9 21.6 194 565 372.1 5.9 21.0 50 114 44 7 11 64 55 425 31:34 7 4
27 Seattle Seahawks 9 25.7 231 599 372.1 5.6 19.7 57 132 43 4 8 50 43 361 34:24 16 5
29 Denver Broncos 9 27.9 251 582 389.1 6.0 20.8 47 117 40 7 10 70 48 454 32:09 11 6
30 St. Louis Rams 9 31.3 282 575 398.6 6.2 22.3 47 111 42 3 5 60 51 402 33:06 12 5
31 Detroit Lions 9 30.8 277 583 406.1 6.3 22.1 48 115 42 3 5 60 52 470 33:59 13 7
32 Kansas City Chiefs 9 27 243 576 406.2 6.3 20.3 60 118 51 2 3 67 51 350 32:08 16 11

 

[dboyz]

Since Romo went down, we've had 32 offensive drives. Of those 32 drives, 8 were turnovers and 11 were 3 and outs.

That means, 60% of our offensive drives end in either 3 and outs or turnovers.

LOL. Yeah, defense has been our problem. :

Very good point. Our biggest problem the last three games has been Romo. Other than that IMO our three biggest negatives this year have been:

1. Offensive Line
2. Defensive Line
3. Less production from TO for whatever reasons.

 

[alancdc]

Fact is that other teams like NE lose their QB and they move along way better than we have 'cause their D steps up. I would guess that is part coaching and part rest of the team.

 

[FCBarca]

A lot of us here in the zone had been saying this for some time

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

What is truly upsetting is that Wade Phillips has done nothing to create a dominant defense. It is like he counts on the cushion of the offense also. That goes back to his style. He's entirely capable of fielding a solid defense and usually does. But he's never had a truly dominant defense, at least of the Bears/Ravens variety.

This is Phillips' second year with the team. Any HC would be hard pressed to bring in enough players on this team to make it dominant. You play with what you got, and JJ has given Wade a very average "D" line, except for Ratliff. I totally agree with Madden that it is the DEs that have been the achilles heel of the front seven on this defense. We need to draft at least two college DTs next year who have been dominating, penetrating players. We also have to take them at a lighter weight.

If we had a NT at around 315-320 lbs., we could afford DEs at around 280-290. That way, they would be big enough to stop the run, but quick enough to penetrate into the backfield. As of now, we have the bigger DEs of the Parcells' defense trying to play the quicker, penetrating defense of a Phillips' defense. It hasn't worked, and it won't until we bring in the right personnel.

 

[Undisputed]

So when is the defense suppose to step up?Our recent woes are on both the offense and defense now... Before that, it was just on the defense...

Like I said, the defense is disappointing. But an offense putting up a mere 7-14 points a game is asking their defense to be the 85' Bears just to have a chance at winning. And it isn't just the lack of points. When we weren't turning the ball over we were still giving our opponents a short field. Of course, we can all rest assured that Romo's return will bring about some vast improvements.