Enough of One Tech, Three Tech, Give Me Two Great DT's!

[SquidwardTentacles]

Apparently so. It's up to the coach to know when to, and when to not have that problem on the LOS.

A good DE has complete game, not half game.
He deserves half the money

 

[Acceptablename]

Back in the glory days of yesteryear, we had Jethro Pugh, 6'7" at LDT, Bob Lilly 6"5" at RDT, both great against the run and as pass-rushers. When Lilly retired, we eventually had Randy White 6'4"at RDT and Jethro Pugh at LDT, then John Dutton, 6'7" at LDT.

The 1992 championship team had Russel Maryland 6'1" at RDT and Tony Casillas 6'3" at LDT. Later on Leon Lett became a starting RDT, with Chad Hennings at LDT for the 95 championship team. Both of these latter two guys were 6'6" and had no gut, they were not fatties.

I want playmakers at DT. Guys who control the line of scrimmage, disrupt running plays, get into the backfield, block the QB views, get sacks. I want playmaking defensive tackles, period.

DT's out there: In Dallas, you must dominate at the point of attack. Make plays, stop being invisible.

I think will be adequate at D1. But it could take a half a season if we're lucky

 

[kskboys]

But if they played with 3 solid LBs they could fill the gaps and make tackles with short gains instead of taking the wrong angle and have a RB bust a 20 yard run.
The Cowboys just don't value the LB position and when they get a good one like Parsons they stick him at DE.

Correct. And on the flip side of that, if your DTs suck it gives the ball carrier a free run at the LB resulting in injuries. Domino effect.

 

[kskboys]

I agree but how many picks do you keep wasting on a position that’s important but has been proven you can find one all over the draft?

Dude, you can find players at all positions all over the draft. Not a great argument point.

 

[kskboys]

The bolded part might interest you. The last team to pull this off with high success is probably Philly during their Super Bowl year of 2017. That defense was 4th out of 32 in points allowed. But this comes with two interesting caveats.

First, Philly had a legitimate eight-man D-line rotation with a nice mix of vets and younger players. But just as important is the second point: they had a legit stud inside creating havoc. Fletcher Cox was in the midst of his six consecutive PB run, with one 1st team AP and three 2nd team AP awards.

And here is where the front office failed us in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Fletcher Cox was sitting there waiting for us to pick in the 2012 draft, but instead we took Mo Clairbourne. You think maybe one of those years would have been different if we have Cox in his prime lining up for us at DT?

Way different.

Yes, enough talent can overcome other weaknesses. However, I will point out that their D got smacked around by NE and only a god-like effort from a backup QB pulled the win out. They also happened to catch NE in one of their very few down years on D(29th). 30th vs the pass.

 

[StarOfGlory]

Way different.

Yes, enough talent can overcome other weaknesses. However, I will point out that their D got smacked around by NE and only a god-like effort from a backup QB pulled the win out. They also happened to catch NE in one of their very few down years on D(29th). 30th vs the pass.

Every defense has a bad game. NE was the #2 scoring offense that year, putting up over 28 ppg. Neither defense was good that game, but Philly’s d-line made the play of the game to stop Brady with a strip sack. Sometimes it only takes one play.

I just rewatched the play. Graham cuts inside for the sack from Brady’s right, and no one from the left side of the line could peel back to help because Cox was eating a double team and had already pushed pass one blocker. That’s what I want to see from our DT’s.

 

[McKDaddy]

Well, yes and no. When the outside contain guys have to consistently collapse in to stop the guys Mazi didn't, those runs are at least partially on Mazi. Man, it just cannot be understated how poor NT play affects the entire D. More LB's have to come in to stop the run, leaving open areas in the middle of the field. Those open areas must be covered by the S's, leaving fewer guys for coverage on the WRs. It's a domino effect.

Amen. When the interior guy is so easily beaten by the O lineman that he is out of the play instantly freeing that guy up to block or at least help block someone else is a huge advantage for the offense.

 

[Flamma]

A good DE has complete game, not half game.
He deserves half the money

He would get half the money if he couldn't go elsewhere next year. A franchise tag is worse than if they just paid him. The only other option is a trade.

 

[kskboys]

I agree but how many picks do you keep wasting on a position that’s important but has been proven you can find one all over the draft?

So, let's dig deeper. Why are those picks being wasted? Easy answer, very poor player evaluations by a very poor GM.

There was nothing about Mazi that said 1st round talent. Why did we take him? Because Jerry is absolutely awful at evaluating players.

 

[kskboys]

Every defense has a bad game. NE was the #2 scoring offense that year, putting up over 28 ppg. Neither defense was good that game, but Philly’s d-line made the play of the game to stop Brady with a strip sack. Sometimes it only takes one play.

I just rewatched the play. Graham cuts inside for the sack from Brady’s right, and no one from the left side of the line could peel back to help because Cox was eating a double team and had already pushed pass one blocker. That’s what I want to see from our DT’s.

Cox was the cog making that D go. A ferocious pass rusher, he also beasted vs the run. A complete DT, that's what we need.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Dude, you can find players at all positions all over the draft. Not a great argument point.

Yess but there’s a battle of success rate especially in that 1st round. And I personally don’t like what the numbers say when it comes to drafting DTs, linebackers and tight ends in the first…in the last 10 years….Donald, Vea, Quinnen Williams…..list seems incredibly small.

 

[blueblood70]

Back in the glory days of yesteryear, we had Jethro Pugh, 6'7" at LDT, Bob Lilly 6"5" at RDT, both great against the run and as pass-rushers. When Lilly retired, we eventually had Randy White 6'4"at RDT and Jethro Pugh at LDT, then John Dutton, 6'7" at LDT.

The 1992 championship team had Russel Maryland 6'1" at RDT and Tony Casillas 6'3" at LDT. Later on Leon Lett became a starting RDT, with Chad Hennings at LDT for the 95 championship team. Both of these latter two guys were 6'6" and had no gut, they were not fatties.

I want playmakers at DT. Guys who control the line of scrimmage, disrupt running plays, get into the backfield, block the QB views, get sacks. I want playmaking defensive tackles, period.

DT's out there: In Dallas, you must dominate at the point of attack. Make plays, stop being invisible.

Actually you're looking at this completely wrong you do realize that defensive tackles the interior defensive tackles are rotated more than any other position on the football field you need them them to be rotated in and out for proper situational football you can't just stick any two guys in there and they stay in there the whole game as much as I love that Osaka nearly has done that he needs to be taken out every now and again and give him a true weighted catch his breath get some energy and then come in and give us his best and I think they're going to do that this year with Solomon Thomas but you need multiple nose tackles as well it is important to differentiate and understand just like there's short yardage running backs just like there's rod receivers who are best in the slot you have to have multiple versions of defensive tackles 1T, 3ts, and hybrids...

This is the new nfl bringing up stuff from the 70s you literally are trying to rotate in and out and get as many defensive tackles rest as you can and keep them fresh all the way through the 4th quarter it's been like that for a very long time and that's why offenses went into hurry up correct I mean you remember they go into hurry up they're trying to keep you from getting your rotations in along your defensive line or even your entire alignment on defense changes they're trying to keep you from bringing in those packages that's a fact it's been going on forever it'd be going on to a point where even the referees now have to get involved to where they know they had to put in a rule that everyone gets to make a change if 1 person changes they make everybody gets a change so they can't hurry up that much...

It's pretty simple you're looking at it in very old terms it's outdated teams like to rotate their interior defensive lineman and even their defensive ends if it needs some that are better at stopping to run or you need a NASCAR package or you need a jumbo package on the goal line or short yardage they're being rotated all the time..

 

[blueblood70]

If settle for 1 great or good DT.

OSA He already is the one great to good defensive tackle I don't know what you're trying to save the man gets doubled a lot and even sometimes tripled if you look at the percentage rate he's one of the most doubled interior D lineman in the whole entire NFL and he played like over 90% of the snaps he's never injured yes that's your one great deal lime in but you need another interior and defense of lineman that can play next to him so you can have a great one and a good one but the original poster can't skip right over the fact that you need a rotation of interior D lineman in today's NFL you're trying to get him in and out and I think Solomon Thomas is going to be that guy they finally give Osa at least a few extra snaps off so he could be better in crunch time we need these guys to not be used so much that they can't give you a hundred percent in the last four minutes of a game.

So I hope this new defensive staff and I trust the new defensive line coach that they'll figure out the right mix and get these groups going.....

But yes it seems like Osa has been alone and needs some help...Whitecotton and MattE will find the best groupings...I have faith, for now...until i see different..

That's a fun part of this camp this is gonna be one of the biggest battles that fans should be paying attention to is all these bodies fighting for very small amounts of space for the interior D line and the running backs maybe even the tight end battles..

Camp should be more fun to watch preseason even more fun there's a lot of wide open spots to take if the best man wins....

I don't think this coaching staff is going to keep any of the normal rotations or the starting lineups that we've had over the last five years I don't think there's any pet cats here that are just being handed a job and that's going to be the fun part..

 

[blueblood70]

Yess but there’s a battle of success rate especially in that 1st round. And I personally don’t like what the numbers say when it comes to drafting DTs, linebackers and tight ends in the first…in the last 10 years….Donald, Vea, Quinnen Williams…..list seems incredibly small.

The Cowboys nearly did it they were on the fence it was a defensive tackle versus who they picked and they decided to go with Olineman but at least it was the trenches..

This is something the fans can't control but they definitely can keep an eye on it we're going to find out if Booker was really the right choice or do we pass up on a future top D lineman. They said Walter Nolen they were struggling and debating amongst the entire draft room on which way to go and they settled on Booker but it was really close they almost took him...

.Walter Nolen, a defensive tackle, transferred from Texas A&M to Ole Miss and was subsequently drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He played for the Ole Miss Rebels in 2024. In his one season at Ole Miss, he was a consensus All-American and an Outland Trophy finalist.

 

[bigE79]

Back in the glory days of yesteryear, we had Jethro Pugh, 6'7" at LDT, Bob Lilly 6"5" at RDT, both great against the run and as pass-rushers. When Lilly retired, we eventually had Randy White 6'4"at RDT and Jethro Pugh at LDT, then John Dutton, 6'7" at LDT.

The 1992 championship team had Russel Maryland 6'1" at RDT and Tony Casillas 6'3" at LDT. Later on Leon Lett became a starting RDT, with Chad Hennings at LDT for the 95 championship team. Both of these latter two guys were 6'6" and had no gut, they were not fatties.

I want playmakers at DT. Guys who control the line of scrimmage, disrupt running plays, get into the backfield, block the QB views, get sacks. I want playmaking defensive tackles, period.

DT's out there: In Dallas, you must dominate at the point of attack. Make plays, stop being invisible.

Exactly.. but you forgot to mention Larry Cole and I also can't stand the position flex term.