I think the defense will be better than expected

[noshame]

I won't pretend to know where this defense ends up, but I'll say this, if you offered me this group vs. last years at the same point in time, I believe I would take last years in a landslide.
I do see our running game having a positive effect, exactly how much it's worth, don't know.

 

[jazzcat22]

My critics eye suggests this will be a poor defense. It could be better than last year and still be bad.

My heart - which most of you will not believe - hopes for a pleasant surprise. That this defense doesn't struggle and can make a significant stop at just the right time enough so this isd a play-off team.

Because as much as I hope, I cannot see this team being anything but one shoot-out after another.

If Romo were to go down early and for the season, this will be a team destined for a top four pick, I believe.

But there is always hope. Hope has a way of taking unrealistic chances and breathing in a breath of suspense.

I think the best I can hope for is this is a suspenseful season for the defense.

Knowing our luck, or bad luck, what ever one wants to call it....if Romo does go down, somehow the defense will end up being stellar, and they end up keeping us at 8-8....so no top 4 pick, it will be 16th again....LOL

 

[itsaboat]

I'm concerned about the play of our DT's. If we keep getting blown up in the run game and get little to no interior pass rush then I don't really care about the rest of the defense because they are going to struggle. I want to see how McClain, Melton, and even Crawford play inside. If they struggle then it'll be hard for me to believe the defense will be better than expected.

 

[xwalker]

Good post.

The point is that I'm tired of the drive-by troll posts that are just generalizations. Like Jerry sucks, this will be the worst defense ever, etc.. There are 2 posters here that systematic go around bashing anything positive that anybody has to say about the team. It's getting old.

I'm looking for responses like this one from you with actual football discussion involved and some football specific details.

T. McClain might not be the answer either, but they have to have better play that what they got from Hayden last season. I don't really care about number of tackles for the 1-tech. I'm more concerned about how often they draw a double team. McClain's tackles per snap played was higher than Hayden's in 2013.

Hayden played in the Nickel also last season. Hopefully, they can at least find somebody else to play as the 2nd DT in the Nickel. Mincey has done it a lot in his career. Crawford should be be able to play some snaps there. Bishop and Coleman have upside but are raw.

I didn't really think bringing Josh Brent back was a good idea; however, after watching Hayden in the SD game, it reminded of how bad he is and how much they need a player similar to what Brent had become prior to killing Brown.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Who on this d can you legit call a building block? I say zero. With Lawrence my only hope .

Mo I can't trust.
Lee is great in theory.
Carter I loved inte draft but he checks out mentally.

 

[kiheikiwi]

One concern I am starting to see now is that they have already begun the "next man up" theory. With all of last year to learn from, we again are found to be short handed on D. It's more than just the usual chruning of the bottom of the roster - or are we just too sensative to it right now ? 2 corners bought in and thrown in with no practise, Trading B.Bass who may or may not have made the roster, for another corner. Another DT (undrafted last year) bought in today - at the expense of one of the corners we just bought in.
It just is starting to have a very familar feel to it, God, I hope this is not the case. Unfortunately it does seem like way to much "hopeing" going on right now. Yes, it has to play out, but you can feel the fandom starting to hold it's collective breath ...

 

[tm1119]

Mincey, McClain, Crawford, and Melton have to play to expectations and Lawrence and Spencer have to exceed them.

What are your realistic expectations for Mincey and McClain? Because if its anything other than hoping they can be mediocre I'd say you're in for some disappointment.

 

[Hoofbite]

I won't pretend to know where this defense ends up, but I'll say this, if you offered me this group vs. last years at the same point in time, I believe I would take last years in a landslide.
I do see our running game having a positive effect, exactly how much it's worth, don't know.

Oh without a doubt.

 

[jazzcat22]

What are your realistic expectations for Mincey and McClain? Because if its anything other than hoping they can be mediocre I'd say you're in for some disappointment.

I thought the expectations from the start was for them to come in and contribute to the rotation. not be superstars, but to be solid, play their game the way they are supposed to play it.
Which is all you can ask of any player. Then hope you get more...and that is true for any team, any player.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Based on what I've been reading, my expectation is that, immediately after every snap, all 11 guys will fall over for no apparent reason. So yeah, they'll probably be better than I expect.

 

[AKATheRake]

Our offense will keep us in games. Our defense will lose it for us. I am predicting another 8-8 season. This all changes if Melton steps in and shows us 2012 production, Selvie has another 7 sack season, Spencer comes back by the second game of the season and shows us 2012 production, our 1 technique clogs up the middle (be it McClain or Brent), Rolando McClain plays like a top 10 pick, Claiborn plays like a top 10 pick, and Carr plays like a 50 million dollar corner.

A lot of ifs.

Throw in Wilcox showing truth in his play to the reports regarding his training camp.

 

[big dog cowboy]

We will have a pretty good idea for what's in store for us after the 3rd pre-season game and I will wait to troll then

I disagree. We will sign FA's after teams start making their final cuts. After that we start getting hurt players back. I'm giving it 4-5 regular season games (or after DLaw returns) before we sort things out and really see what we do/don't. have. Snapshot pics right now mean absolutely nothing and I hate the some look at last weeks game and post some of the crap I've read since then.

 

[burmafrd]

Lets get down to it.

How many of our front seven were drafted in the first 4 rds. Spencer, Lawrence, Carter, Melton, McClain...who else?
Those are the players that most teams would have said were talented.

Now look at how many of what is on the team now were either NOT DRAFTED or were 6th and 7th rd picks. Now clearly such players have suceeded and become Pro Bowl players- but what is the percentage? what are the odds?
Now of course to become good players is a much lower bar. But once again what is the percentage?

So the most likely outcome is that the great majority of those low picks or undrafted do not turn out to be anything more than JAGS.

Thus you look at our roster at this time and at best we can hope for is good to very good starters. If Melton, Spencer, Crawford,etc either return to form or fulfill their promise. But that leaves our depth and our system is based on rotation, where the starters are not that much better then the backups. Can you honestly say that is the case?

 

[Tabascocat]

I disagree. We will sign FA's after teams start making their final cuts. After that we start getting hurt players back. I'm giving it 4-5 regular season games (or after DLaw returns) before we sort things out and really see what we do/don't. have. Snapshot pics right now mean absolutely nothing and I hate the some look at last weeks game and post some of the crap I've read since then.

We will know more by then of what the starting line-up will be in terms of whether or not the defense can weather the storm through the first quarter(at least) of the season. Of course there will be some cuts and additions but for depth.

If they start out at 1-4 or 0-5, it may be too late by the time our injured/suspended players get back. Of the first six games, I only see one "should be" win and that is against the Texans. The Titans and Rams are very winnable, but it is on the road. If we sit at 3-3 when players come back and the rest of the defense stays healthy, I would be ok with that, the hardest part of the schedule is out of the way.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

What are your realistic expectations for Mincey and McClain? Because if its anything other than hoping they can be mediocre I'd say you're in for some disappointment.

Glad you ask!

• Mincey - I expect him to be a first and second down player who stops the run. I also expect him to generate a pass rush as a DT on passing downs.
• McClain - I expect him to draw double teams so he can free up Melton and Carter to flow to the ball.
• Melton - Get up field, disrupt the offense and sack the QB. That is all.
• Selvie - Same as last year.
• Crawford - I would like to see him improve to the point where he replaces Selvie or McClain as a starter.

As I mentioned earlier, I do not expect anything from Lawrence or Spencer so anything they contribute will be a bonus.

 

[Fletch]

It's tough, because, while I agree it's not graceful, it's understandable that he'd want a prophylactic to keep the topic on football and not on posts that cynically refuse to actually discuss the topic. It's no fun to put a thought-out argument out there and to have the thread derailed immediately, which we've all seen all to often.

I stopped reading after prophylactic.

 

[itsaboat]

Good post.

T. McClain might not be the answer either, but they have to have better play that what they got from Hayden last season. I don't really care about number of tackles for the 1-tech. I'm more concerned about how often they draw a double team. McClain's tackles per snap played was higher than Hayden's in 2013.

Hayden played in the Nickel also last season. Hopefully, they can at least find somebody else to play as the 2nd DT in the Nickel. Mincey has done it a lot in his career. Crawford should be be able to play some snaps there. Bishop and Coleman have upside but are raw.

I didn't really think bringing Josh Brent back was a good idea; however, after watching Hayden in the SD game, it reminded of how bad he is and how much they need a player similar to what Brent had become prior to killing Brown.

I haven't seen McClain play so I can't say much but from what I've read I it looks like he can be a productive player. Hayden has his moments but he needs his snaps cut by 3/4 or more. I agree, we desperately need our 1-tech to draw double teams. It won't solve all the problems but it would be a huge step in the right direction. We'll see if McClain can do it. If Selvie is available, Crawford looks to have enough speed inside to cause problems. I don't think I've seen Mincey inside yet but I've read he has gotten more pressure inside.

I've watched the "first team" defense against SD quite a few times and it's so aggravating watching Hayden lose on just about every play. I'm all for giving Brent another chance. For those people who disagree, watch the tape and see what x and I are talking about with Hayden.

 

[BlindFaith]

I disagree. We will sign FA's after teams start making their final cuts.

So our hope to save this defense is that we can drop the really spare spares that our "experts" have already acquired and reacquire the spares that can't make another team?

 

[xwalker]

Lets get down to it.

How many of our front seven were drafted in the first 4 rds. Spencer, Lawrence, Carter, Melton, McClain...who else?
Those are the players that most teams would have said were talented.

Now look at how many of what is on the team now were either NOT DRAFTED or were 6th and 7th rd picks. Now clearly such players have suceeded and become Pro Bowl players- but what is the percentage? what are the odds?
Now of course to become good players is a much lower bar. But once again what is the percentage?

So the most likely outcome is that the great majority of those low picks or undrafted do not turn out to be anything more than JAGS.

Thus you look at our roster at this time and at best we can hope for is good to very good starters. If Melton, Spencer, Crawford,etc either return to form or fulfill their promise. But that leaves our depth and our system is based on rotation, where the starters are not that much better then the backups. Can you honestly say that is the case?

Top 4 rounds IIRC:
R. McClain 1
T. McClain 3
Crawford 3
Melton 4
Carter 2
Durant 2
Wilber 4

 

[theogt]

I think it will be worse than expected. One cannot underestimate the lack of talent on this defense. It is REALLY bad.