Getting Back To DL Dominance Requires Height

[SFloridaCowboy]

You may laugh, you may sneer, you may be skeptical, but my viewpoint has been proven by history.

Does everyone forget the super winning Cowboys with taller defensive linemen? We have a lot of shorter Dlinemen now. Three inches in height with long arms helps obscure the opposing QB's better, causing errant throws, causing more INT's.

This modern DL of shorties does not work.

Just go back to the 1995 Super Bowl champs. In that season we had LDE 6'6" Tony Tolbert, 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett and 6'5" and long-armed RDE, Charles Haley. That average is a shade under 6'6"

The 1991 Cowboys had two designated pass rushers in 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett.

Go back to 1977, LDE 6'9" Too Tall Jones, LDT Jethro Pugh at 6'7", RDT Randy White at 6'4" and at RDE 6'5" Harvey Martin. That average is over 6'6". How many INT's and errant throws did Too Tall Jones cause? Tons!! Just ask Everson Walls who feasted on lofted passes made to avoid being tipped/knocked down by LDE Too Tall!!

This year, we have too many shorties, 6'3", 6'2". We have no pass rush; we are a bunch of short ducks allowing opposing QB's to throw like in a practice. We give opposing QB's a turkey shoot every week.

Kenny Clark, Quinen Williams, Dante Fowler at 6'3", Odig, EZE at 6'2", James Houston at 6'1"

Our leader in 2025 in sacks is only 5.5, a joke. In 1989, in a 1-15 season, DE Jim Jeffcoat alone at 6'5" had 11.5 sacks.

We need two like Keldric Faulk, 6-foot-6, 285-pound Auburn DE, built like an NFL defensive end right now. Shorties are not working for the Cowboys. The blueprint for success is in our history books. DL height would be a beautiful sight.

Amen!

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Agree and it seems our DL never bat down passes like I use to remember, back in the day if Too Tall wasn’t doing it, Harvey Martin was or Jeffcoat but today no one does it, heck JJ Watts was doing it all the times he played.

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

As long as it’s proportional to their girth….

 

[lemmekilminster]

Would love to see it, and I would like to see them get there arms up when driving, they rarely do this like other teams, I don't get it?

The Bills alone a couple of weeks ago against the Bengals came back from a 10 point deficit in the fourth with two tipped passes at the line that went for interceptions and touchdowns to win the game.

That's just one example.

 

[maryquality]

Yeah...not sure what our d-line coaches are teaching the players. Seems like I rarely see any of them put them arms up in the air to at least obscure the QB's vision, or bat down passes. Maybe there is something to this height thing.

 

[kskboys]

You may laugh, you may sneer, you may be skeptical, but my viewpoint has been proven by history.

Does everyone forget the super winning Cowboys with taller defensive linemen? We have a lot of shorter Dlinemen now. Three inches in height with long arms helps obscure the opposing QB's better, causing errant throws, causing more INT's.

This modern DL of shorties does not work.

Just go back to the 1995 Super Bowl champs. In that season we had LDE 6'6" Tony Tolbert, 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett and 6'5" and long-armed RDE, Charles Haley. That average is a shade under 6'6"

The 1991 Cowboys had two designated pass rushers in 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett.

Go back to 1977, LDE 6'9" Too Tall Jones, LDT Jethro Pugh at 6'7", RDT Randy White at 6'4" and at RDE 6'5" Harvey Martin. That average is over 6'6". How many INT's and errant throws did Too Tall Jones cause? Tons!! Just ask Everson Walls who feasted on lofted passes made to avoid being tipped/knocked down by LDE Too Tall!!

This year, we have too many shorties, 6'3", 6'2". We have no pass rush; we are a bunch of short ducks allowing opposing QB's to throw like in a practice. We give opposing QB's a turkey shoot every week.

Kenny Clark, Quinen Williams, Dante Fowler at 6'3", Odig, EZE at 6'2", James Houston at 6'1"

Our leader in 2025 in sacks is only 5.5, a joke. In 1989, in a 1-15 season, DE Jim Jeffcoat alone at 6'5" had 11.5 sacks.

We need two like Keldric Faulk, 6-foot-6, 285-pound Auburn DE, built like an NFL defensive end right now. Shorties are not working for the Cowboys. The blueprint for success is in our history books. DL height would be a beautiful sight.

Amen!

No it doesn't. Unfortunately, that's how Jerry thinks, as we pass up talent for height.

Let's start w/ success. Texans. Their starting DTs are 6-2 and 6-3.

Next up, Broncos: 6-0 and 6-4.

Browns: 6-2 and 6-3.

Chargers: 6-2 and 6-3.

Vikings: 6-2 and 6-3.

The exact opposite of what you're saying is true, you want shorter DTs. Why? Leverage. Taller guys are more easily pushed aside due to possible leverage problems.

 

[blueblood70]

You may laugh, you may sneer, you may be skeptical, but my viewpoint has been proven by history.

Does everyone forget the super winning Cowboys with taller defensive linemen? We have a lot of shorter Dlinemen now. Three inches in height with long arms helps obscure the opposing QB's better, causing errant throws, causing more INT's.

This modern DL of shorties does not work.

Just go back to the 1995 Super Bowl champs. In that season we had LDE 6'6" Tony Tolbert, 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett and 6'5" and long-armed RDE, Charles Haley. That average is a shade under 6'6"

The 1991 Cowboys had two designated pass rushers in 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett.

Go back to 1977, LDE 6'9" Too Tall Jones, LDT Jethro Pugh at 6'7", RDT Randy White at 6'4" and at RDE 6'5" Harvey Martin. That average is over 6'6". How many INT's and errant throws did Too Tall Jones cause? Tons!! Just ask Everson Walls who feasted on lofted passes made to avoid being tipped/knocked down by LDE Too Tall!!

This year, we have too many shorties, 6'3", 6'2". We have no pass rush; we are a bunch of short ducks allowing opposing QB's to throw like in a practice. We give opposing QB's a turkey shoot every week.

Kenny Clark, Quinen Williams, Dante Fowler at 6'3", Odig, EZE at 6'2", James Houston at 6'1"

Our leader in 2025 in sacks is only 5.5, a joke. In 1989, in a 1-15 season, DE Jim Jeffcoat alone at 6'5" had 11.5 sacks.

We need two like Keldric Faulk, 6-foot-6, 285-pound Auburn DE, built like an NFL defensive end right now. Shorties are not working for the Cowboys. The blueprint for success is in our history books. DL height would be a beautiful sight.

Amen!

Look I know this makes sense to you but if you're really good you're just good you don't need to have longer arms or height because it makes no sense to me A lot of these guys are not supposed to be standing straight up that is not how you create leverage and strength the lower man always wins...

Forget it sometimes we see lineman standing tall and they happen to get lucky because they can't get penetration so they're standing there and some of the ones really realize 0 I'm not going to be able to move this guy in front of me so maybe I could try to smack the ball down but if they can't do that at 6 foot 3 then they're not doing it right...


Once again I find another post I'm going to have to disagree with and maybe it has a slight hint of truth to it but there are plenty of NFL teams that have the same size defensive tackles we have first we need a defensive tackles now we need taller defensive tackles you guys will never stop dreaming and begging for things you can't have this is who we have in the middle now it is what it is...

Guaranteed the Cowboys defensive tackles are pretty right in the median average of what all defensive tackle heights are right now we got one of the best in the league matter of fact all 3 of our interior defensive lineman are in the top 10 right now ranked so I don't want to hear about a tip pass or blinding the quarterback how about this we get our defense fixed first and foremost how let me tell you how...


FIRE MATTE, Then you hire a new defensive coordinator he figures out how to create a pressure defense where your defensive ends are actually affecting the quarterback and not just pressures but getting sacks and bringing twist zones stunts and bringing glitzes from everywhere you know design something that's not easy to diagnose right now we have no defense so it doesn't matter about long arms and height..

By the way Aaron Donald 6 foot 1 my brother so we should cut him and we should get a guy that's cussing tall we just need a tall guy maybe bring in uh David Irvin and purple drink guys we should just pick guys because of long arms and height instead of talent because right now we've got the talent finally it is not good enough for you overly entitled fan bases....

This is what I'm saying fix a defense you need a new defensive coordinator and a new defensive scheme and we're not talking about this insanity now we finally have some good players inside and they're not good enough for you apparently that's what you think but I guarantee there's not that many too tall Jones types playing in the middle of all defenses you play with strength and leverage and the low man wins I can't say it enough.. If you're standing tall enough the block passes you've already lost you didn't do your job right you got stood up by the man in front of you which is wrong it's bad...

.

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

Yeah...not sure what our d-line coaches are teaching the players. Seems like I rarely see any of them put them arms up in the air to at least obscure the QB's vision, or bat down passes. Maybe there is something to this height thing.

DLaw wasn’t the tallest but he tipped many balls. He actually had techniques. Multiple

 

[blueblood70]

DLaw wasn’t the tallest but he tipped many balls. He actually had techniques. Multiple

Exactly but it's a little easier from a defensive end and he's not talking about defensive ends but I already made my statement that this is a ridiculous post because if your guys are standing tall enough the bat passes down then they weren't doing their job in the middle of the defense those three dudes they're called down lineman for a reason The interior needs to be the lowest man it's called leverage they should be getting penetration when they're not getting penetration that's when they're being stood up and held upright and that's the tip balls come from but that means they already were doing their jobs wrong..

It doesn't matter how long your arms are or how tall you are you're supposed to be winning down low with leverage low man wins if you're already tall that means you lost your technique and you got beat by the offensive lineman in front of you and now you're just trying to make a play which is fine and you're right it doesn't matter how tall you are if you put your hands up right at the right time you can bat balls down..

 

[Bagman]

As long as they're good football players. Big, strong relentless animals. If they have all those qualities, being taller with longer arms will only make them even better. All the tall Cowboy defenders of the past had another quality. They were all good football players.

 

[blueblood70]

As long as they're good football players. Big, strong relentless animals. If they have all those qualities, being taller with longer arms will only make them even better. All the tall Cowboy defenders of the past had another quality. They were all good football players.

I think that's the point we've been wanting a defensive interior line that was good solid and that are good football players we have that and now a guy comes in and says they're not tall enough no not necessarily being taller is not always the best for leverage Maybe as a defensive end yes defensive tackles like Aaron Donald who was only 6 foot 1 does not need to be tall to do his job right I think it can actually have a negative effect on some of these guys truly getting leverage like you're supposed to be moving the pocket you're supposed to be pushing the line of scrimmage into the quarterback and you only can do that from down low not tipping passes if you're tipping passes it means you were stood up you weren't doing your job and now you had to use phase two oh I got my height I need to tip the ball...

 

[Nexx]

Taco Charlton 6'6

 

[blueblood70]

Taco Charlton 6'6

I know that was suppose to be funny but we're talking about the interior defensive lineman right now A lot of defensive ends are 6 foot 4 and up anyway and they should be tipping balls but defensive interior lineman the only way they can tip balls is that means they got stood straight up and didn't move the pocket meaning they were failing and had the desperation move and try to tip a ball you're supposed to be down low the shorter guys get more leverage that's like saying we should give up on guys like Aaron Donald who was only 6 foot 1 It it doesn't make it doesn't make sense his post doesn't make sense like now we finally have three really good interior demons and now they're too short and they don't have long enough arms...

 

[kskboys]

Look I know this makes sense to you but if you're really good you're just good you don't need to have longer arms or height because it makes no sense to me A lot of these guys are not supposed to be standing straight up that is not how you create leverage and strength the lower man always wins...

Forget it sometimes we see lineman standing tall and they happen to get lucky because they can't get penetration so they're standing there and some of the ones really realize 0 I'm not going to be able to move this guy in front of me so maybe I could try to smack the ball down but if they can't do that at 6 foot 3 then they're not doing it right...


Once again I find another post I'm going to have to disagree with and maybe it has a slight hint of truth to it but there are plenty of NFL teams that have the same size defensive tackles we have first we need a defensive tackles now we need taller defensive tackles you guys will never stop dreaming and begging for things you can't have this is who we have in the middle now it is what it is...

Guaranteed the Cowboys defensive tackles are pretty right in the median average of what all defensive tackle heights are right now we got one of the best in the league matter of fact all 3 of our interior defensive lineman are in the top 10 right now ranked so I don't want to hear about a tip pass or blinding the quarterback how about this we get our defense fixed first and foremost how let me tell you how...


FIRE MATTE, Then you hire a new defensive coordinator he figures out how to create a pressure defense where your defensive ends are actually affecting the quarterback and not just pressures but getting sacks and bringing twist zones stunts and bringing glitzes from everywhere you know design something that's not easy to diagnose right now we have no defense so it doesn't matter about long arms and height..

By the way Aaron Donald 6 foot 1 my brother so we should cut him and we should get a guy that's cussing tall we just need a tall guy maybe bring in uh David Irvin and purple drink guys we should just pick guys because of long arms and height instead of talent because right now we've got the talent finally it is not good enough for you overly entitled fan bases....

This is what I'm saying fix a defense you need a new defensive coordinator and a new defensive scheme and we're not talking about this insanity now we finally have some good players inside and they're not good enough for you apparently that's what you think but I guarantee there's not that many too tall Jones types playing in the middle of all defenses you play with strength and leverage and the low man wins I can't say it enough.. If you're standing tall enough the block passes you've already lost you didn't do your job right you got stood up by the man in front of you which is wrong it's bad...

.

Leverage and the ability to beat blocks is the most important. A taller DT must be able to play low or he'll be pushed aside. Many can't do it.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Yeah...not sure what our d-line coaches are teaching the players. Seems like I rarely see any of them put them arms up in the air to at least obscure the QB's vision, or bat down passes. Maybe there is something to this height thing.

Beat me too it, I don’t even see them attempting to put arms up in the air to even make it tougher to make the pass.

 

[kskboys]

Beat me too it, I don’t even see them attempting to put arms up in the air to even make it tougher to make the pass.

Because that's not anywhere near as important as collapsing the pocket. You're referring to something that might happen 10 or so times a season. Not enough to focus on it. Not even close.

 

[beware_d-ware]

It's a tradeoff. Short guys have a lower center of gravity and better leverage, tall guys have longer arms and can disengage more easily.

Short with abnormally long arms is a rare and sneakily effective combo. DLaw and EzE both fit that bill, and both punch way above their weight in the run game.

 

[Whiskey Cowboy]

I think we need to stop worrying so much about measurable and SPARQ scores, and bring in guys that are really good at playing football.

 

[ak47kaehu]

As long as it’s proportional to their girth….

What about the curvature of the players? Does that matter too?

 

[exciter]

You may laugh, you may sneer, you may be skeptical, but my viewpoint has been proven by history.

Does everyone forget the super winning Cowboys with taller defensive linemen? We have a lot of shorter Dlinemen now. Three inches in height with long arms helps obscure the opposing QB's better, causing errant throws, causing more INT's.

This modern DL of shorties does not work.

Just go back to the 1995 Super Bowl champs. In that season we had LDE 6'6" Tony Tolbert, 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett and 6'5" and long-armed RDE, Charles Haley. That average is a shade under 6'6"

The 1991 Cowboys had two designated pass rushers in 6'6" LDT Chad Hennings, 6'6" RDT Leon Lett.

Go back to 1977, LDE 6'9" Too Tall Jones, LDT Jethro Pugh at 6'7", RDT Randy White at 6'4" and at RDE 6'5" Harvey Martin. That average is over 6'6". How many INT's and errant throws did Too Tall Jones cause? Tons!! Just ask Everson Walls who feasted on lofted passes made to avoid being tipped/knocked down by LDE Too Tall!!

This year, we have too many shorties, 6'3", 6'2". We have no pass rush; we are a bunch of short ducks allowing opposing QB's to throw like in a practice. We give opposing QB's a turkey shoot every week.

Kenny Clark, Quinen Williams, Dante Fowler at 6'3", Odig, EZE at 6'2", James Houston at 6'1"

Our leader in 2025 in sacks is only 5.5, a joke. In 1989, in a 1-15 season, DE Jim Jeffcoat alone at 6'5" had 11.5 sacks.

We need two like Keldric Faulk, 6-foot-6, 285-pound Auburn DE, built like an NFL defensive end right now. Shorties are not working for the Cowboys. The blueprint for success is in our history books. DL height would be a beautiful sight.

Amen!

Hmmm... except the starters in 92 and 93 were the 6'1 Russell Maryland and 6'3 Tony Cassilas.
Lett didn't become a starter until 94. Hennings didn't start a game until 95 and didn't become a starter until 96!