Enduring the burden of a bad defense

[percyhoward]

Rodgers did the same thing to a really good defense last week.

He did the exact opposite. Instead of scoring TD on their first three drives, the Packers punted on their first five drives. They scored 0 points until the Giants went 3- or 4- and-out for the third time.

The Giants had eight drives of 4 plays or less in that game. Dallas had two the next week.

 

[SoBlue128]

The offense was equally to blame, they have 10x more talent and put us in a hole by not keeping up in the first half. That was the only way we were going to win.

Sometimes the play calling tries to get a little too cute. As has been said, ur a genius when it works but look like a horses arse when it doesn't. To me sometimes Linehan gets cute maybe even greedy. I can understans 3rd and 2 having to pass if ur having hard time running the ball but to put it in the air but when ur controlling the LOS and near the red zone with arguably the best Oline and a top 5 back? You punch that **** up the gut twice if need be. It's a statement being made when U do that "our offense is gonna beat and pound ur arse all day." You know what's coming and we don't' give a **** if u do. That's the mentality I'd love to see in the play calling

 

[percyhoward]

I don't know, perhaps the investment differential might be a starting point?

I mean sustainably.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Thank goodness we got that runningback to help the defense.

We improved from 19th best defense to the 20th best defense.

 

[Doomsay]

I mean sustainably.

Perhaps a new DC that has a voice at the table?

 

[Doomsay]

Thank goodness we got that runningback to help the defense.

We improved from 19th best defense to the 20th best defense.

Actually, we went from 16th to 5th in the only defensive category that matters.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Actually, we went from 16th to 5th in the only defensive category that matters.

We've moved passed simple box score analysis.

This is 2017 not 1995.

 

[Doomsay]

We've moved passed simple box score analysis.

This is 2017 not 1995.

Okays, show me yours.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Okays, show me yours.

Sure.

Read this.

These are the seven teams with at least 8 playoff wins in the past decade, plus the Cowboys. Note that Dallas has a higher offensive passer rating than all but one team -- the only team that's played Dallas twice.

Also note that the Cowboys' defensive passer rating isn't in the same league as these other teams.

2006-16
Passer rating in playoffs
Packers 100.0
Cowboys 94.8
Giants 91.3
Seahawks 90.5
Patriots 87.2
Ravens 86.3
Steelers 82.1
Colts 80.9

2006-16
Opponent's passer rating in playoffs
Ravens 69.0
Giants 79.7
Patriots 80.4
Colts 84.0
Packers 85.6
Seahawks 86.5
Steelers 86.6
Cowboys 100.8

And of course, it isn't just the playoffs we're talking about.

All regular and postseason games since 2006
Cowboys' NFL rank
OFFENSE
comp % 2nd
yards 9th
TD 5th
pass rtg 5th

DEFENSE
comp % 23rd
yards 27th
TD 20th
pass rtg 27th

Averaging the Cowboys' NFL rank in three of the best defensive metrics -- points per drive, defensive passer rating, and drive success rate -- here's how we've ranked the last 7 regular seasons.

2016 20th
2015 19th
2014 18th
2013 29th
2012 27th
2011 22nd
2010 27th

 

[Doomsay]

Sure.

Read this.

I'll still take points, we clearly limited the other team's ability to score with our running game. Maybe if we had stuck to that principle on Sunday, we might have won.

 

[NextGenBoys]

I would take our defense over both of the remaining NFC teams defense.

That's a fair argument to be made. Offense couldn't get it done when you look at it that way in regards to matching point for point and falling down early.

One thing is for sure. Total team not playing good enough

 

[gmoney112]

Yep. That defensive passer rating. Turrible.

With this offense, my plan for this offseason is to keep building with young talent but aiming for, at minimum, a 7 point decrease in opponent passer rating. 10 is probably too much to ask for one offseason.

However we do it, just don't destroy the cap, but that number has to go down. Significantly.

If we can hit a 7 point decrease this year while managing the team intelligently, watch out. A 2 year goal of -10 decrease, minimum, in passer rating.

 

[Hoofbite]

Aaron Rodgers is pretty good.

 

[willia451]

Agree. We need more talent on defense. Especially on the DL.

In fact, we need to build a super-team. A steak on every plate; as Bill Parcells said.

Its the only way to overcome this FAIL of a coaching staff in the playoffs.

 

[Sarge]

Offense needed to be better in the first half, lets not forget that. Sure, we racked up a legitimate score in the end, but as bad as the defense was in the first half, the offense was equally inept.

31 points should win you the game.

 

[IrishAnto]

Agree. We need more talent on defense. Especially on the DL.

In fact, we need to build a super-team. A steak on every plate; as Bill Parcells said.

Its the only way to overcome this FAIL of a coaching staff in the playoffs.

That’s right, let’s get the guy who hired this coaching staff, the previous coaching staff, the one before that and the one before that again, to hire a new coaching staff and watch as they erase the failures of the last 21 years and we become perennial SB contenders again.

 

[Alexander]

I wonder how much better than the defense we have the right to expect the offense to be.

At least twice. All season long we got by and even won a few games we should have lost. We may have had a 13-3 record, but not a 13-3 defense.

 

[Alexander]

That’s right, let’s get the guy who hired this coaching staff, the previous coaching staff, the one before that and the one before that again, to hire a new coaching staff and watch as they erase the failures of the last 21 years and we become perennial SB contenders again.

That is what it always comes back to.

 

[haleyrules]

Sometimes the play calling tries to get a little too cute. As has been said, ur a genius when it works but look like a horses arse when it doesn't. To me sometimes Linehan gets cute maybe even greedy. I can understans 3rd and 2 having to pass if ur having hard time running the ball but to put it in the air but when ur controlling the LOS and near the red zone with arguably the best Oline and a top 5 back? You punch that **** up the gut twice if need be. It's a statement being made when U do that "our offense is gonna beat and pound ur arse all day." You know what's coming and we don't' give a **** if u do. That's the mentality I'd love to see in the play calling

Yep. That is what Jimmy Johnson did with Emmitt. Other clubs simply couldn't stop it. Green Bay couldn't stop Elliott either. Too bad that game was very winnable.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I'll still take points, we clearly limited the other team's ability to score with our running game. Maybe if we had stuck to that principle on Sunday, we might have won.

"Clearly limited the other team's ability to score with our running game."

Please elaborate on this. How exactly did we do that? Dominate time of possession? What was the difference there this year verses last year?