Evaluating all 56 sacks the Cowboys allowed in 2018

[QuincyCarterEra]

let me try it another way...

being weak at the LT can negate talent at other positions. Cneter maight be important, but if you LT sucks, it doesn't matter

that's why LTs are often highest paid players on the OL. that's why the RDE are often highest paid....its all about getting sacks, and protecting the QB's blind side given most NFL QBs are right handed.

you can't spin this one any other way.... every OL is important...but LT is the MOST important... plus Looney played pretty well. better than 75% of other centers in the league....

Your point is correct, but you thought Joe Looney was a top 8 center last year?

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

"Physically, [being in the meeting rooms only] hasn't helped a lot, but mentally in the way that I've approached defensive recognition — I think it's made a big difference," he said. "I see the game a little bit differently than I did before. ...A lot of times during the season you are so focused on your technique and so focused on what it takes physically to get your job done, that you don't get a great chance to advance mentally. You do your best to do that during the offseason, but to get to see real live looks all the time and to see the way defenses are disguising things, and what kind of coverages they're moving to — I think it was really beneficial to me.

"I've seen the benefits of that already in OTAs."

That's a terrifying thought for opposing defensive linemen who know just how elite Frederick was, and must now face the possibility that the bulldozer isn't simply knocking off rust, but might've also located a new gear...


https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-co...tened-grasp-of-how-to-dominate-NFL-132470050/

no kidding. his game may go to another level..... yes, that's a terrifying thought for DL men. specially someone that strong and fairly mobile

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Your point is correct, but you thought Joe Looney was a top 8 center last year?

perhaps top 15...I may have exaggerated a bit

 

[G2]

Ya i broke down all of the sacks at one point last season and evaluated each one of them. My findings were consistent with Sturm's. The peanut gallery here said I was biased and didn't know what I was talking about.

LOL.

Unless you blame ALL the sacks on Prescott, they'll never agree.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Lost in all the good feelings about Connor Williams adding weight and muscle this offseason is an analysis of just how poorly he played in his rookie year.

Bob Sturm is writing another 4-part series in The Athletic, this time a deep dive into all 56 sacks the Cowboys allowed in 2018 - second in the NFL.

For context, teams that are second in the league in sacks allowed do not usually make the playoffs. That’s a testament to just how good the defense played last year.

I have read too often here that these sacks were Dak’s fault because he holds the ball too long. It’s not true. According to Pro Football focus, only 15 of those 56 sacks were on Dak. And, in fact, Dak and the Cowboys were one of the best teams in the league at not allowing sacks in 2016 and 2017.

So, clearly 2018 was the problem.

In the articles, there is video of every sack and commentary. What’s clear is that Conner Williams had no business starting last year. He did much better in the final quarter of the season, and I have no doubt he’ll be better this year, but a great deal of 2018’s sacks were either errors from CWill or him being outright bull rushed into the quarterback.

In one instance against Seattle, Dak was sacked in 2.6 seconds! As Sturm wrote, “At some point, you feel like the player was let down here by the organization. 2.6 seconds from snap to sack is ridiculous from an inside player.”

Here is Sturm’s description of CWill’s first of many sacks to be given up in 2018:

“We may one day get to a point of Connor Williams’ career when NFL Films will do a feature on how he has progressed and all signs will go back to Week 1 of 2018 when he was asked to deal with Kawaan Short in his “Welcome to the NFL” moment. That game was when everyone quickly realized the growth and development for the college tackle-turned-NFL guard was going to be much longer than anyone let on in Oxnard. This is why we should all slow our roll when practice reports and camp reports tell us a kid is fitting right in and everything is great. You truly don’t know until they’re facing live ammunition. Here, Short destroys Williams for a sack that you would hope a guard would not allow all season. But this, unfortunately, was a sign of things to come for the rookie. He was pulled off balance, and any time you end up on your stomach watching your man blindside your quarterback, something went very wrong.”

Those of us who played on the Oline at any level and played it well could see who/what truly was the problem for those sacks. It's lazy but easier for those with either an agenda or not understanding what they are watching to simply blame it on the QB. Glad Sturm and PFF saw differently.

 

[ondaedg]

Don't forget that the great Larry Allen had some rough moments his rookie year. And he turned into the greatest guard to ever play IMHO.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

 

[CowboyRoy]

They had one of the worst pressure %'s in the league fam. And they were responsible for 41 sacks. Dak took 15. But let's look at the flipside. How many did sacks did Dak not take due to his scrambling ability. Or how many more did he bail the o line out of. They o line was one of the worst in pass protection last year.

Dak took 15 and how many did Dak avoid because of his toughness and mobility? Had to be at least 15. Wash

 

[CowboyRoy]

LOL.....Great Oline. Free is much better than Collins.

 

[Keithfansince5]

Don't forget that the great Larry Allen had some rough moments his rookie year. And he turned into the greatest guard to ever play IMHO.

The problems he had were when they put him in at RT. While at LG, he was always solid and great.

 

[birdwells1]

This is why we should all slow our roll when practice reports and camp reports tell us a kid is fitting right in and everything is great. You truly don’t know until they’re facing live ammunition.

This is the truest statement on this site in 2019 and something that I adopted some 7 or 8 seasons ago. I used to buy into all the hype about how a second year player has put on weight and/or muscle and is beasting everyone in OTAs, or some UDFA who's catching everything thrown his direction and is practically uncoverable. I would think just wait until the season starts and these improved players are going to shine and surprise the league but it almost never happened because all the talk is just P.R. I'm a show me fan now, anytime I see a fluff piece I won't even click on it, if they're as good as the reports state then we'll see it when it counts and then I'll get excited.

 

[Ranched]

Yeah I’m sure all 56 sacks were Dak’s fault lol.

Your words not mines. You are so wrong btw. A 2in1 deal

Do an evaluation on how many sacks Dak skipped right into.