Growing pains=Later gains: Defense will be way better in last 6 games

[21Savage]

I know a lot of people are giving up on the thoughts of our defense being very good this season but I actually think we'll pick up steam some time later this season (and actually keep it this time).

We're relying on some players for which starting on this D is a relatively new experience and they'll go through some issues right now but get better later on.

1. Anthony Spencer: He can show all the potential he has in practice as far as rushing the passer goes but he's still getting a good feel for different starting RTs in the league, their strengths and weakness. He's way better against the run and in pass coverage than Ellis was. He gives our 3-4 all it's potential versatility and unpredictability. Ellis was no faster than Spencer in turning the corner yet he still got his last year. Spencer will get there a lot this year.

2. Mike Jenkins and O.Scan: Both of these guys are young and are also relatively new to the starting RCB spot. Both of these guys will start playing way better as the year progresses and even better for us, the better of the 2 will be the steady starter by then. IMO, if Scandrick can focus on the nickle spot, he'll also be way better. I just can't explain why else he'd guard Steve Smith better in 2 games as a rookie than he did on Sunday night.

3. Junior Siavii: For all those who've been complaining about not having a bigger NT or going to get another one, I'll urge you to watch him closely in our last 2 games to see how strong he's been at the point of attack. He'll still have issues from time to time and lose his balance but he'll get better as the year goes on (remember he's been out of football for about 3 years). He only played a handful of snaps in the first game and got more in the second. Towards the end of the year, he'll basically be splitting running downs with Rat, which in turn is would free Rat up to cause more havoc in the backfield.

4. The 3rd OLB in the rotation: Someone like Curtis Johnson would step up and start contributing more in respite of Spencer and Ware. That should give those guys more rest and also the ability to bring pressure throughout the game. Remember, this is Spencer's first season that he's going to be playing full time all season long.

 

[NextGenBoys]

I know a lot of people are giving up on the thoughts of our defense being very good this season but I actually think we'll pick up steam some time later this season (and actually keep it this time).

We're relying on some players for which starting on this D is a relatively new experience and they'll go through some issues right now but get better later on.

1. Anthony Spencer: He can show all the potential he has in practice as far as rushing the passer goes but he's still getting a good feel for different starting RTs in the league, their strengths and weakness. He's way better against the run and in pass coverage than Ellis was. He gives our 3-4 all it's potential versatility and unpredictability. Ellis was no faster than Spencer in turning the corner yet he still got his last year. Spencer will get there a lot this year.

2. Mike Jenkins and O.Scan: Both of these guys are young and are also relatively new to the starting RCB spot. Both of these guys will start playing way better as the year progresses and even better for us, the better of the 2 will be the steady starter by then. IMO, if Scandrick can focus on the nickle spot, he'll also be way better. I just can't explain why else he'd guard Steve Smith better in 2 games as a rookie than he did on Sunday night.

3. Junior Siavii: For all those who've been complaining about not having a bigger NT or going to get another one, I'll urge you to watch him closely in our last 2 games to see how strong he's been at the point of attack. He'll still have issues from time to time and lose his balance but he'll get better as the year goes on (remember he's been out of football for about 3 years). He only played a handful of snaps in the first game and got more in the second. Towards the end of the year, he'll basically be splitting running downs with Rat, which in turn is would free Rat up to cause more havoc in the backfield.

4. The 3rd OLB in the rotation: Someone like Curtis Johnson would step up and start contributing more in respite of Spencer and Ware. That should give those guys more rest and also the ability to bring pressure throughout the game. Remember, this is Spencer's first season that he's going to be playing full time all season long.

Good post and I agree with most of it. There is no way, and I repeat no way that this team is not playing solid defense by at least the Atlanta game after the bye.

Not having a 3rd pass rusher hurts. I will never understand the rational of releasing Greg Ellis, when our defense is built around the pass rush.

It will hurt us, but if Jenkins and Scandrick can step up, I think the difference may be just as good if not better than what we showed at times late last season.

 

[Ren]

Taking half a season to get going shouldn't happen anymore when we've been running this D for 3 years. They'll get better but that's only because they've set the bar so low in weeks 1 and 2 that it's impossible to get any worse

 

[NextGenBoys]

Taking half a season to get going shouldn't happen anymore when we've been running this D for 3 years. They'll get better but that's only because they've set the bar so low in weeks 1 and 2 that it's impossible to get any worse

Point taken.

But do you honestly think they're going to be a bad, even mediocre defense this season?

I dont.

 

[21Savage]

Taking half a season to get going shouldn't happen anymore when we've been running this D for 3 years. They'll get better but that's only because they've set the bar so low in weeks 1 and 2 that it's impossible to get any worse

I'm not talking about relativity when I say better. I'm saying I believe they'll be top 5 D better. Kind of the way they were between the 2nd Commanders game last year up until the two runs in the Baltimore game.

 

[Plumfool]

The pass rush is ok. If you notice in the giants game the were always a tick late getting to Eli. It's the coverage that's the problem. Both the communication of what coverage to be in and the execution of the coverage.

What i wish is that tnew be assigned to the other teams best wr in all games. I think when he is focused on shutting down one guy he plays better.

 

[CowboyMike]

I'm not talking about relativity when I say better. I'm saying I believe they'll be top 5 D better. Kind of the way they were between the 2nd Commanders game last year up until the two runs in the Baltimore game.

The period between Wade taking over the D after the Rams game and the two runs against Baltimore, we were a dominant defense. I think Vela brought up the stats that we were one or two in the league during that time period.

I have no doubt that will happen at some point during this season. It takes an adjustment period and some tweaking. Wade hasn't suddenly forgotten defense. He's proven that he is a defensive genius in the past. He'll figure it out.

 

[21Savage]

The period between Wade taking over the D after the Rams game and the two runs against Baltimore, we were a dominant defense. I think Vela brought up the stats that we were one or two in the league during that time period.

I have no doubt that will happen at some point during this season. It takes an adjustment period and some tweaking. Wade hasn't suddenly forgotten defense. He's proven that he is a defensive genius in the past. He'll figure it out.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. That kind of dominance is what I portend for this defense.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

The OP's point is certainly valid, and I hope he's right.

However, we should acknowledge that the Cowboy defense consists largely of veterans playing their third season in Wade's scheme. If they haven't gotten it by now, we have good reason to doubt they will ever get it.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I hope you're right. I'm not worried about the defense myself. People have to remember that we lost our starting corner or corners since Pac-Man started games for us last season, lost our starting safety in Roy, lost a nose tackle in Tank and lost our starting OLB in Ellis. This is not the same personnel as last season. Give them time.

 

[newlander]

I hope like heck you're right. Jason Williams should get in the fold about midseason too...................he should help out on D' too.........

 

[Chocolate Lab]

All true.

It shouldn't be a surprise that young players like Spencer, Scandrick, and Jenkins aren't going to be at their best the first few games of the year. We did lose Ellis, but we also gained Sensabaugh, who we can all see is far better than what we were running out there last year. All we need is for either CuJo or Butler to develop as that spot third rusher by mid year and we should be fine. And I still think Jason Williams' athleticism will help us somehow when he gets healed up and ready.

I've said it before, but I'm pretty encouraged that we were able to stop the Giants running game. That was my biggest worry about this defense. The sacks will come -- that stat that this is the first time in 15 years that one of Wade's defenses has gone back to back games without a sack just means we're going to revert to the mean and start pounding some QBs.

Really, I just want to squeak out wins early in the year, no matter how we get them, so we can come together and play our best at the end of the year. Time after time we've seen teams that start out too hot flame out by the end of the year. It's just too long a season to be at your best from start to finish.

 

[dbair1967]

I have no doubt that with more playing time, some of the young guys will gain confidence and play better.

However that only accounts for a couple of the guys out there. The safety play is worse than it was. The overall play of the secondary is worse than it was even though we got rid of the two worst players we had back there. (Three if you count Keith Davis). Three of the additions are veteran guys and 2 of them had played in Wade's system before. Yte the defense has taken a major step back.

I'm just surprised. I never would have believed our defense (if healthy) would play this poorly, nor did I believe Romo would continue to have games like he did the other night. I thought those would be two givens in our teams season, and right now they clearly arnt.

 

[ArmyCowboy]

Another point about the defense is the fact that we have 5 new starters this season (Igor, Brooking, Spencer, Jenkins/Scandrick and Sensabaugh) plus carp is taking over Burnett's nickle role.

That's nearly a 50% turnover from last season. You can't expect to have that many new faces on the defense and have them all on the same page from day one.

It's going to take a few weeks for these players to get used to playing together before the defense starts to take off.

 

[DallasDomination]

One thing is clear.. Jenkins, scandrick and Spencer hold the key. if they do not become the players they need to be for this defense then just forget about it.

 

[dbair1967]

Another point about the defense is the fact that we have 5 new starters this season (Igor, Brooking, Spencer, Jenkins/Scandrick and Sensabaugh) plus carp is taking over Burnett's nickle role.

That's nearly a 50% turnover from last season. You can't expect to have that many new faces on the defense and have them all on the same page from day one.

It's going to take a few weeks for these players to get used to playing together before the defense starts to take off.

Yeah but thats sort of just an excuse too. Olshansky and Brooking both spent time playing for Wade in this same system. Sensabaugh is a veteran player. Jenkins and Scandrick were here last yr.

Then you factor in what they got rid of (guys like Hnery, RW, Davis) all of whom were performing poorly, and the defense shouldnt be worse.

I think the young guys will play better once they log more time, but its still very surprising to me that the defense is this poor right now. Especially since I dont believe either Tampa or the NYG are all that great offensively.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

But you can't say that Igor or Brooking have cost the defense. They've done their jobs just fine.

It's really the corners that got us beat -- well, that and Ken Hamlin's sucktacular play.

Really, it's a tough call. Wade thought, and I think most of us thought, that these guys could hold their own in man to man. But maybe they can't. It's a tough call as to whether you conclude that that these guys are better than that and we're going to stick with the plan, or you start running more zone right now.

Personally, I would run more zones, as much as people hate them. Then add more man as the corners prove they can handle it.

 

[21Savage]

But you can't say that Igor or Brooking have cost the defense. They've done their jobs just fine.

It's really the corners that got us beat -- well, that and Ken Hamlin's sucktacular play.

Really, it's a tough call. Wade thought, and I think most of us thought, that these guys could hold their own in man to man. But maybe they can't. It's a tough call as to whether you conclude that that these guys are better than that and we're going to stick with the plan, or you start running more zone right now.

Personally, I would run more zones, as much as people hate them. Then add more man as the corners prove they can handle it.

If you heard Wade's last press conference, it looks like he's changed his mind and he's gonna give them more time. He said that the Giants WRs just made tough catches and I agree with him. We need to play better in man but I don't think the coverage was that terrible.

I think the main thing is that the secondary as to recognize quicker what routes are gonna be run when we blitz so they can take away the quick routes like Jenkins on that 3rd down play giving up the slant.

I think we also have to cover 3 man routes better when we have 6 guys in coverage. That's one of the ways teams have chosen to attack us so far and we have to adjust.