ESPN: Cowboys' front seven ranked 32nd in NFL

[noshame]

With more man coverage and Monty not crawling into a cocoon, that alone will take this defense at least up into the 20's, if the offense runs the ball more, maybe top 15.

 

[jnday]

Well stated. This is exactly how I feel. I'm "optimistic -- as you said, it can't be any worse than 2013.

I disagree. With an injury or two, or if some of these young players busts, I can see where this defense could break more records for bad play.i don't think any of us expected the draft to go the way it did. The DL didn't pick up any players other than DLaw , and rookies DL usually take a while to develop. Some low tier vets was signed, but I really don't see a difference maker on the DL that will bring the team off the bottom of the defensive ranking. It looks like they are taking a big gamble that might not pay off. I was not a big fan of Donald, but he sure would have provided some hope as a rookie. With the Lee injury, the LBs are very questionable as well. It is gonna take at least two more drafts to see a big upgrade of talent that can get this defense off of the bottom of the ranking IMO. DLaw is the one player that has to pan out or things are going to be rough.

 

[Sportsbabe]

Ware looked pretty good until the injuries piled up again tbh.

Exactly .... anybody can look decent in training camp. Remember the great AI ... "we talkin praktiss"!! LOL

 

[DallasEast]

Open bet to anyone who thinks well end up 32nd in points allowed.

Name your price

Based on the thread to this point, you should have accumulated a minimum of 15 bets so far. Maybe they're being sent via PM..?

I'm not the betting sort. That tendency was drummed out of my soul in the early 80's. Then again, I don't do fantasy football and play Madden for the fun of it only.

87 days until the season or 87 opportunities for more rankings. Has the punter rankings hit newsstands yet?

 

[DFWJC]

Based on the thread to this point, you should have accumulated a minimum of 15 bets so far. Maybe they're being sent via PM..?

I'm not the betting sort. That tendency was drummed out of my soul in the early 80's. Then again, I don't do fantasy football and play Madden for the fun of it only.

87 days until the season or 87 opportunities for more rankings. Has the punter rankings hit newsstands yet?

So far just a bunch of talkers.
Everyone is so certain they'll the the leagues worst.
No way it happens that way.

Of course, jmo.

 

[Bullflop]

If there's something good to come from the old defense basically being scrapped and trashed, it's possibly that it's got nowhere to go but up. Fresher and younger legs, along with new adjustments will be in the offing. Now, that's not to say the front seven will be ready to challenge the best offenses the NFL has to offer by any means. Rather than that, however, in the best case scenario, it might do well to achieve average status. That would, unquestionably, be a quantum leap from where it languished last season. We'll see.

 

[Redball Express]

We were 32nd in total yards allowed, first downs allowed and passing plays of 20 yards or greater allowed and bottom 5th or 10th in just about every other defensive category.

I understand.

But part of all this goes against the offense

Inability for the offense to sustain drives..

poor play calling..

penalties that killed big plays..

etc.

Its a team sport.

The defense need not be singled out

 

[Vintage]

Seems about right.

Personally, I think we need more jokes about how they are ranked too high. It's quite clever.

 

[Venger]

http://i1089.***BLOCKED***/albums/i352/MEC2DFW/Temp.jpg

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I disagree. With an injury or two, or if some of these young players busts, I can see where this defense could break more records for bad play.i don't think any of us expected the draft to go the way it did. The DL didn't pick up any players other than DLaw , and rookies DL usually take a while to develop. Some low tier vets was signed, but I really don't see a difference maker on the DL that will bring the team off the bottom of the defensive ranking. It looks like they are taking a big gamble that might not pay off. I was not a big fan of Donald, but he sure would have provided some hope as a rookie. With the Lee injury, the LBs are very questionable as well. It is gonna take at least two more drafts to see a big upgrade of talent that can get this defense off of the bottom of the ranking IMO. DLaw is the one player that has to pan out or things are going to be rough.

You do realize Gardner and Bishop were drafted this year, right? So we added three DL through the draft, not one.

 

[burmafrd]

I understand.

But part of all this goes against the offense

Inability for the offense to sustain drives..

poor play calling..

penalties that killed big plays..

etc.

Its a team sport.

The defense need not be singled out

yes the D does need to be singled out. How about UNABLE TO FORCE ONE SINGLE PUNT VS DENVER? And there are plenty of other examples where they were flat out PUTRID. While the O usually scored a good number of points. Trying to say the season bad news was anything other than about 80% because of the D is total complete bovine excrement

 

[Section446]

I see nothing wrong with that ranking, especially without Lee. But like all fan bases, we overrate what we are working with.

 

[jnday]

You do realize Gardner and Bishop were drafted this year, right? So we added three DL through the draft, not one.

I don't consider them much more the UDFA. I was hoping for top tier talent just like many more fans. The odds of them ever being quality starters are slim at best.

 

[Hoofbite]

Open bet to anyone who thinks well end up 32nd in points allowed.

Name your price

That's the most meaningless bet ever.

Dallas' defense could be worse and yet you could still win. They could give up more points than last year and still not hit 32nd simply because Oakland, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Washington, or Minnesota (teams who gave up more than Dallas last year) also give up more than last year.

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

Trolling? or just trying to change the subject?

the fact that the most powerful, enticing, and popular franchise in the world has the worst projected defense for the 2nd season in a row is a joke.

so no I'm not trolling, Jerry has turned this team into a joke.

 

[ShiningStar]

Whos has the 33rd spot?

 

[TellerMorrow34]

The one reason I am some what hopeful about the defense is that I find it really hard to believe that they could be any worse than last year. They were historically bad last year. So I've got to believe it's going to be pretty difficult to be historically bad a second straight year.

 

[DFWJC]

Everything is relative.
32nd is 32nd.

This thread is about rankings. I mean, that IS in the title.

If instead you want to make it a bet that Dallas beats 32nd ranked in total defense (like last year) AND gives up less total yards than last year. I'm fine with that too.

I'm just tired of all this certainty that they'll be worse wen to me, there seems clearly to be more room to improve than to get worse.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

No, there was a point when Cowboys fans thought we'd be one of the best front 7's. We've always had a tendency of overrating our own talent. I remember when (back in the 4-3) our delusional fans were saying they'd take our ILB tandem of Lee and Carter over the 49er's with Willis and Bowman. Haha

I disagree. Spencer, Hatcher, Ratliff, Ware and Lee were Pro Bowl talent who made the Pro Bowl at some point in their prime. Hard to argue that our front 7 didn't have any talent.

well, for all the name recognition of Spears, Hatcher, Ware, Spencer, Ratliff, Bruce and Lee and the laudatory rankings we received in years past, how many playoff did that vaunted D net us? Any championships thrown in there for good measure?

Let's roll with the no names and see if we are any better. Cant be worse and if we are, does it really matter how far the worst defense in the league falls if we fall off at all. I am excited, but cautiously so. I'll watch and see just like last year and the years before. This time if we end up at 8-8 or worse, I wont be disappointed. If we've improved, I can enjoy the ride.

Point is rankings are not part of the game, its whats someone not playing the game thinks. Who cares. Before Babe Ruth set the world on fire, no one had ever heard of him. Gotta start somewhere and 2014 Dallas D is as good a place as any for the next up and comer or the next Bruce Carter! Only time will tell us if this is a good D or not. Time to play football!!!

Well we know why this team didn't have any success. The reasons stem from the Owner all the way down to special teams. Surely wasn't the front 7's sole fault.

Our team underachieved severely.

I agree,it's easy to see guy the media reporters grade us out like this. We have mostly jags and unknowns.
Like you I think we'll play better then the worst defense in the league but I am not expecting a top ten defense.
The offense has to help us out this year. No matter what this will be an interesting season.

Oh I agree with you. If this team does ANYTHING its going to because of the offense. And it needs to be. Its the unit that's been together the longest for the most part.

They have no excuses. Pro Bowl running back, Pro Bowl receiver, Pro Bowl tight end, Pro Bowl left tackle......Pro Bowl level quarterback.....no excuse.

Nah, they were never one of the best front sevens in the league. At best they were respectable

They never played like it because they were never healthy enough to play together. But not too many front 7's can say they had more talent around that time except the 9ers.

 

[Nova]

Just skimmed through and I'm surprised no one has mentioned this...

Bruce Carter, Justin Durant and DeVonte Holloman form the most anonymous linebacker corps in the league, and only Carter has any significant starting experience.
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4729076/cowboys-front-seven-ranked-last

Bruce Carter, Justin Durant and DeVonte Holloman form the most anonymous linebacker corps in the league, and only Carter has any significant starting experience.

Bruce Carter, Justin Durant and DeVonte Holloman form the most anonymous linebacker corps in the league, and only Carter has any significant starting experience.

Doesn't change anything, but certainly makes you wonder just how much knowledge the guy actually has on the subject.