News: Five ways to fix the Dallas Cowboys' defense

[CCBoy]

Five ways to fix the Dallas Cowboys' defense

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4749001/5-ways-to-fix-the-dallas-cowboys-defense




IRVING, Texas -- In a lot of games this season, the Dallas Cowboys' defense played well enough to win with just a little more help from their struggling offense.

But Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli vehemently disagrees. That’s because his version of the Tampa 2 defense is designed to generate two things: sacks and turnovers.

The Cowboys' defense produced neither this season, finishing last in the NFL in turnovers (11) and tied for 25th in sacks (31). And unlike the offense, the defense was relatively healthy all season.

Here are five ways to fix the Cowboys’ defense next year:

Problem No. 1: The Cowboys tied the 1982 Colts for the fewest turnovers in NFL history with 11, a year after forcing 32. There aren't many tangible explanations for the precipitous drop, although Marinelli did bemoan the number of strip attempts the Cowboys had in several games. In essence, he said the players weren’t consistent enough trying to get the ball out. And when they did try, there weren’t enough players running to the ball increasing their odds of pouncing on it. The Cowboys played hard, but Marinelli wanted them to play even harder.

How to fix it: The Cowboys need their offense to play better so they can play with a lead. Dallas didn’t have a lead of more than 10 points in the final 10 games of the season. Teams typically get turnovers when their opponent becomes one-dimensional and it’s obvious they have to throw. The pass rush gets better, leading to turnovers because quarterbacks under duress make mistakes. The Cowboys also need more play-makers...

 

[CyberB0b]

Step 1: Get a real offense.

Problem solved.

 

[CCBoy]

Step 1: Get a real offense.

Problem solved.

So, would you be opposed to the first two picks by Dallas being WR and RB?

 

[CCBoy]

Problem No. 3: Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, the Cowboys’ two starting cornerbacks, did not have an interception. Wow. Carr hasn’t had one since 2013, and Claiborne has just three in his four-year career. They’re simply not play-makers, which means the Cowboys must upgrade at the position to get the turnovers Marinelli craves. The return of Orlando Scandrick from a knee injury that forced him to miss the entire season will help, but it’s not enough.

How to fix it: The Cowboys must address the cornerback position with a premium draft choice -- a pick in the first three rounds -- to get a player capable of either starting or being a significant contributor. Perhaps Terrance Mitchell or Deji Olatoye will help, but each seems more equipped for the nickel or dime packages rather than as a starter.


I think that the top quality cornerback in free agency, should be a team goal. I would also target their favorite cornerback candidate, play maker, in the draft. That would change things in the Dallas secondary quite a bit. Even with Church and Jones at safety, that secondary would be a challenge for opponents.

FIX THE SECONDARY

 

[CyberB0b]

So, would you be opposed to the first two picks by Dallas being WR and RB?

I wouldn't love it.

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree offense needed to do more but the defensive and the lack of turnovers is not all on the offense. There are many teams who when trailing in games go out and make the big plays on defense to help their team come from behind.

 

[whateverman]

We need a playmaker on D. Sean Lee is good to great when healthy...but nobody on D really stands out as a catalytic player. Give me Jaylen Ramsey or Myles Jack in the first.

 

[cowboyblue22]

if dallas is ever going to win a championship they have to have a much better defense.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

Get better personnel...
solved.

 

[LocimusPrime]

We need a premier pass rusher. A 12-15 sack guy. Hardy has that potential but everyone whats him gone. If he leaves our d line will be in bad shape. All of the playoff teams had 41-52 sacks this season, we had 32. Whos gonna get you the sacks and pressures.

 

[Silverstar]

I say forget drafting a QB in the first 3 rounds and keep building the defense with some playmakers. None of those QB's impress me enough to pull the trigger early.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Step 1: Get a real offense.

Problem solved.

Step 1.5: Protect Romo at all cost.

 

[ROUSH8692]

Step 1: Get a real offense.

Problem solved.

This didn't work in 2014..... Defense was still horrible

 

[Doomsday101]

I think 2 big things is push up the middle at DT both in rushing the passer and stopping the run and better production at safety especially the FS spot.

 

[ROUSH8692]

We need a premier pass rusher. A 12-15 sack guy. Hardy has that potential but everyone whats him gone. If he leaves our d line will be in bad shape. All of the playoff teams had 41-52 sacks this season, we had 32. Whos gonna get you the sacks and pressures.

They want him gone because he isn't a nice guy.... Most forget that Charles Haley wasn't too nice either... DE are not supposed to be nice.. They should be mean and a little psychotic. Coaches make the big bucks by keeping them focused and somewhat controlled. Crazy, coaches are exactly what we lack.

 

[Doomsday101]

They want him gone because he isn't a nice guy.... Most forget that Charles Haley wasn't too nice either... DE are not supposed to be nice.. They should be mean and a little psychotic. Coaches make the big bucks by keeping them focused and somewhat controlled. Crazy, coaches are exactly what we lack.

Not looking for nice but also not looking for guy getting suspended. he did the Cowboys 0 favors by missing the first 4 games then you find late in the season he is wearing out and not producing. If Dallas keeps him I just hope they do so with a contract that protects the team. You are right Haley was not a nice guy and according to those who played with him and interviewed him by Thursday he was in game mode and ready to play but Haley actions off the field never presented problems and did not miss games.

 

[Floatyworm]

Get better personnel...
solved.

Not only do we need to get better people...we need more bodies. I watch other teams...and it seems like everybody else is so much deeper than us. We need to quit wasting roster spots on guys like Danny McCray (that contributed nothing).....

 

[Yakuza Rich]

We need to get entirely better at tackling. Not one of the playoff teams tackles worse than the Cowboys. Carr and Wilcox may be the two worst tackling starters in the entire league and Claiborne isn't much better. McClain struggled to make tackles in the box when he had a 1-on-1 with the tailback and wasn't good in open space. Church's skills as a tackler in the open field have diminished.

This is fundamental football and should be the #1 priority of the defense. That means that Carr, Claiborne, Wilcox and likely McClain (unless he shows up in shape and ready to play) have to go.

Secondly, while the offense stunk that's not an excuse for such a low turnover rate.

We have no diversity in the defensive scheme. We basically played man-Cover 1 with some occasional zone from linebackers and Church in the box. I'm guessing we played man because of our corners are man style corners who can't tackle and Wilcox is better in man as well. Church can't play much deep zone coverage effectively, too.

We need to switch up the coverages more often and become a better zone team so we can play zone coverage.

We need less 1 dimensional DB's. Church is a 1-dimensional, in the box player. Wilcox is a 1-dimensional man-to-man corner who can't tackle and can't play zone. Carr and Claiborne are 1-dimensional man corners. Thankfully, Bryon Jones has shown to be able to play both man and zone as well as play in the slot and can tackle. The same goes for Scandrick. And thankfully, it's apparent that Marinelli has looked for more multi faceted corners that can tackle. The question becomes if he's willing to finally get some quality safeties in there instead of finding a way to keep Church on the roster and giving Heath too many snaps.





YR

 

[FaSho]

Adding Hardy and Gregory (who was mostly hurt) did not help our pass rush much.

I've always felt like, if we fix the pass rush, we will see turnovers.

On the other hand, we definitely need help in the secondary. QBs were doing 3-step drops and getting the ball out quickly, because their guys were always open!

 

[texbumthelife]

Outside of the fact that this defense was never in a position to pin its ears back, due to the fact they were terrified to allow any points, the biggest issue I saw this season was a lack of swarming to the ball. Too many times a Cowboy would make contact and every other Cowboy would quit running. McClain may be the worst offender in this regard. If he is not first to the ball, he is more likely to already be heading back to the huddle than going after a strip.

Too much standing around and watching all season. I won't call it quitting, but the defense didn't show a lot of fight outside of lining up and running the play.