DMN: Cowboy Blog: How many sacks will Cowboys get?

[Cbz40]

August 3, 2007
How many sacks will Cowboys get?

LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN​

Superstar columnist Tim Cowlishaw writes about Wade Phillips' specialty -- putting pressure on the quarterback.


T-Cow, who recently approved his nickname, points out just how mediocre of a pass-rushing team the Cowboys have been for a while. They haven't had a 40-sack season since 1994.


And a 40-sack season is really no big deal. Each year close to half the league gets to that figure. In the 12 years since the Cowboys had their last 40-sack season, 25 teams have had at least four of them.

Phillips' Chargers led the league with 61 sacks last season. To put that in perspective, the Cowboys' record is 62, set in 1985 when Too Tall Jones, Jim Jeffcoat and Randy White all cracked double figures.


It's expecting way too much to think the Cowboys can get in that neighborhood in Phillips' first year. If they don't get at least 40, it'd be a major disappointment.


I'll give 'em 46 -- a dozen more than last season. Figure Anthony Spencer and Greg Ellis combine for 10 (a vast improvement of that position's production last season), DeMarcus Ware gets a couple more and Chris Canty and Marcus Spears quadruple their puny totals of one apiece.



Posted by Tim MacMahon http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/icons/email.gif at 1:28 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

 

[burmafrd]

Ware at 14. I hope for more but being realistic.
Spencer/Ellis at 10 total.
The D line a total of 10.
Rest of the LBs maybe 6.
DBs and others 4.
44 sounds about right to me.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

dang, i thought more then that.

 

[03EBZ06]

I'd be pleased with 65.

 

[speedkilz88]

I think they'll at least break the 50 mark, because of the nature of Phillip's scheme.

 

[Cbz40]

I would be satisfied with 50.......

 

[jterrell]

Ware at 14. I hope for more but being realistic.
Spencer/Ellis at 10 total.
The D line a total of 10.
Rest of the LBs maybe 6.
DBs and others 4.
44 sounds about right to me.

Ware: 14
Ellis/Spencer: 11 -- should play together a bit
Carpenter: 4
RW: 4
Canty: 3
Hatcher: 4
Akin: 3
TNew 2!!
Spears 2
Ferguson 1
Ratliff 3
et al...


Gimme 59 on the season!

 

[Eddie]

I would expect Ware to get some serious sack totals.

But Spencer has a long and steep learning curve. He'll be lucky to get 5 sacks this year.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I believe Ware will end up with 15 to 20 sacks...

Spencer/Ellis/other ROLB's will combine for at least 20

Canty 3 or 4

Spears 3 or 4

Hatcher 4

Ratliff 3

James 3

Adoyle 4

Carpenter 3

Burnett 3

There is 61 right there!

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm hoping for a lot more than we had but just as important as the sacks itself is be able to bring consistent pressure, that is how you’re going to force the QB into making the major mistakes like throwing off the back foot and trying get rid of it before he wants.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Give me 80

 

[Eddie]

Hey, may as well bring in Adam "the Waterboy" Sandler and his 11 sack/game average.

 

[tomson75]

My guesstimates:

Ware leads the way with 15.5

Spencer 6

Ellis 4

Canty 5.5

Spears 3

Fergie 2

Hatcher 4.5

Ratliff 3

Carpenter 4.5

Ayodele 3.5

Burnett 2

James .5

What's that? Like 54? I'll take it.

In reality, I'd just like to see the Cowboys improve as a pass rush team, and end up with 45-50 sacks...and countless pressures, regardless of who gets them.

 

[coach316]

49 - and I'm not even going to speculate on the breakdown of who gets what, my head hurts. :

I will say I'm not ready to give them the 50 mark just yet. One important factor in getting a sack and blitzing is....timing. And I think that's something we've been horrible at for a long time. Once they get the timing down with the scheme and the talent we have, the sky's the limit.

 

[QT]

Hey, may as well bring in Adam "the Waterboy" Sandler and his 11 sack/game average.

I thought his moma didn't let him play anymore b/c of that giant gorilla that hit him in the eye.

I think Spencer will have more then 5. I'm optimistic on him.

 

[locked&loaded]

i think some of you are underestimating the pressure we can get on the qb, from Ellis/ Spencer. Atleast i hope

This is how im hoping it will go. might be wishfull thinking but what the heck. right?

Ware-17
Spencer-9
Ellis-5
Akin-4
James-3
Canty-5
Spears-4
Hatcher-3
Roy-4

and the rest get a handfull, a big handfull . crosses fingers.

 

[Clove]

To prevent myself from being extra and trying to out-due everyone on here, I'll accept 45 sacks if you give me a ton and I mean a ton of pressures. Those pressures are the one's that will cause interceptions, and those sacks can result in tons of fumbles.

So I want both, sacks and pressures.

 

[BourbonBalz]

127!!!!! I wish. Probably around 46-50.

 

[DallasDomination]

50ish this season...next season with the scheme mastered and the new players developing even more I can go out and say 60ish

 

[flashback]

The biggest difference between this Cowboys defense and last years Chargers defense was the number of times they got to play the Raiders.

That and we had Parcells and Zimmer calling the defense.

I expect an improvement this year. If they get up in the mid-40s, that would be great. If they force a lot of bad throws, INTs and 3-n-outs, that'd be even better.