I'll tell you this right now, re-sign Doug Free

[KJJ]

The last time this was brought up (a few weeks back), I think a third or a quarter of that differential related to offensive contributions. The rest was our defense getting us off the field on 3rd downs when we weren't in previous seasons.

I believe the defense being more fresh due to the offense possessing the ball has contributed to the 3rd down stops we've seen.

 

[Doomsday101]

I believe the defense being more fresh due to the offense possessing the ball has contributed to the 3rd down stops we've seen.

Does the defense deserve credit for their own play? I think Offense helps the defense out same with the 90's Cowboys. Still defense has to come up and make big plays like Hitchens stuffing the RB on 4th down or Carter coming up with a big int. Looking at the 92 team their TOP was 33:57 this team TOP 33:05

 

[Idgit]

I don't know who decided that fact. Dallas is currently 18th in third downs given up, at 42.5 percent.

I can't recall the thread, or I would have linked it. I believe it was percy who took the time to net out the differential for us, but 18th doesn't surprise me, as it probably represents a significant improvement over what we did the year before.

 

[KJJ]

Does the defense deserve credit for their own play? I think Offense helps the defense out same with the 90's Cowboys. Still defense has to come up and make big plays like Hitchens stuffing the RB on 4th down or Carter coming up with a big int. Looking at the 92 team their TOP was 33:57 this team TOP 33:05

Of course the defense deserves credit but your best defense can be a ball controlling offense that helps keep the defense off the field and fresh. We saw that with the great 90's teams. There were a lot of concerns about the defense prior to the season and Garrett mentioned being able to control the ball will help the defense. For one of the only times all season the Cowboys lost the time of possession battle to Washington and McCoy picked the defense apart.

The longer a defense is on the field the more likely they'll be exposed and wear down. In the second half the Cowboys defense started wearing down which contributed to some of the miss tackles we saw. The Cowboys were unable to stop Morris and get the Commanders off the field on 3rd down when the game was on the line and the D being on the field too long contributed.

 

[Doomsday101]

Of course the defense deserves credit but your best defense can be a ball controlling offense that helps keep the defense off the field and fresh. We saw that with the great 90's teams. There were a lot of concerns about the defense prior to the season and Garrett mentioned being able to control the ball will help the defense. For one of the only times all season the Cowboys lost the time of possession battle to Washington and McCoy picked the defense apart.

The longer a defense is on the field the more likely they'll be exposed and wear down. In the second half the Cowboys defense started wearing down which contributed to some of the miss tackles we saw. The Cowboys were unable to stop Morris and get the Commanders off the field on 3rd down when the game was on the line and the D being on the field too long contributed.

I don't disagree, I do think an offense can be a big help to a defense. In turn defense has a job to do as well. When special team or offense turns it over defense is expected to go out and hold the opponent and they have to make plays to get off the field so that you can win the TOP battle. I do agree that an offense that is constantly going 3 and out and eating up little time puts the defense in a bad situation and that defense will be worn out within a game

 

[Kaiser]

Parnell has poor footwork, he's late to react, he doesn't bend well. But hey, he looks great with his shirt off.

No one who reviews any video knows what the blocking schemes are, why or when the slide protections. People guess and parrot their pet cats.

There are more pet goats on this forum than pet cats. In the games Parnell started he had some busted plays but didn't give up a bunch of sacks. If a run play is called and Parnell drove his man three yards downfield, fans can make an objective judgement about the play - and it isn't because they like how he looks with his shirt off.

The real key is that opposing DC's didn't target Parnell and Dallas wasn't keeping players in to cover for him that much. True weak links are always targeted in the NFL, like Phil Costa and Derrick Dockery were a couple of years ago, or Jeff Heath was last year.

 

[KJJ]

I don't disagree, I do think an offense can be a big help to a defense. In turn defense has a job to do as well. When special team or offense turns it over defense is expected to go out and hold the opponent and they have to make plays to get off the field so that you can win the TOP battle.

On opening day the defense didn't do their job in the first half it was like watching last years defense all over again. Two of Romo's three int's led to SF TD's. The Cowboys defense could never hold SF to a FG allowing 3 offensive TD's. In 2 of the Cowboys 3 losses this season they lost the time of possession battle.

 

[Doomsday101]

On opening day the defense didn't do their job in the first half it was like watching last years defense all over again. Two of Romo's three int's led to SF TD's. The Cowboys defense could never hold SF to a FG allowing 3 offensive TD's. In 2 of the Cowboys 3 losses this season they lost the time of possession battle.

that 1st game Dallas offense gave up a fumble for a TD then a pass that was picked and returned to the 2 yard line, Dallas offense put them in a hole very quickly in that game. Dallas gave up 28 points on the day 14 of those points directly because of the offense. It is one thing getting a pick at the 35,40 yard line and another when they return it to the 2.

 

[KJJ]

that 1st game Dallas offense gave up a fumble for a TD then a pass that was picked and returned to the 2 yard line, Dallas offense put them in a hole very quickly in that game. Dallas gave up 28 points on the day 14 of those points directly because of the offense. It is one thing getting a pick at the 35,40 yard line and another when they return it to the 2.

That's true but the Cowboys defense did give up an 80 yard TD drive in only 4 plays on SF's second possession. The D gave up 2 big pass plays to Boldin and Davis to cap off that drive. The D also gave up a 9 play 64 yard TD drive just before the half. Those 2 TD's were all on the defense.

 

[Doomsday101]

That's true but the Cowboys defense did give up an 80 yard TD drive in only 4 plays on SF's second possession. The D gave up 2 big pass plays to Boldin and Davis to cap off that drive. The D also gave up a 9 play 64 yard TD drive just before the half. Those 2 TD's were all on the defense.

Defense did not allow a 2nd half score, I don't think the defense was outstanding in game 1 I think there was some mistakes things we had seen in pre season but I think this unit has grown and the mistakes are fewer and the big defensive plays are happening more often. As Church said in game one we were the nail and they were the hammer, from here on out we will be the hammer and for the most part they have been with guys flying to the ball and getting after people.

 

[KJJ]

Defense did not allow a 2nd half score, I don't think the defense was outstanding in game 1 I think there was some mistakes things we had seen in pre season but I think this unit has grown and the mistakes are fewer and the big defensive plays are happening more often. As Church said in game one we were the nail and they were the hammer, from here on out we will be the hammer and for the most part they have been with guys flying to the ball and getting after people.

The game was lost in the first half. SF struggled offensively during the preseason and it carried over to the regular season especially in the second half. They were also having issues with penalties. I'm not trying to take anything away from the Cowboys second half defensive performance but the Niners were having second half blues. Had the 49ers not committed 11 penalties in that game which wiped out several 3rd down conversions including a big play to Davis they would have scored at least 40. Below is an article and video discussing their early season issues.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...9ers-have-secondhalf-blues-10-things-to-watch

 

[Doomsday101]

The game was lost in the first half. SF struggled offensively during the preseason and it carried over to the regular season especially in the second half. They were also having issues with penalties. I'm not trying to take anything away from the Cowboys second half defensive performance but the Niners were having second half blues. Had the 49ers not committed 11 penalties in that game which wiped out several 3rd down conversions including a big play to Davis they would have scored at least 40. Below is an article and video discussing their early season issues.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...9ers-have-secondhalf-blues-10-things-to-watch

I agree it was lost in the 1st half because of both offense and defense. Hell offense did not do a damn thing in that game they gave up 14 points off the bat. Fact is in the 2nd half 9ers did not score that is just the facts. I never said defense was stellar in that game but offense giving up 14 of the 28 was as much of them as anyone else.

 

[KJJ]

I agree it was lost in the 1st half because of both offense and defense. Hell offense did not do a damn thing in that game they gave up 14 points off the bat. Fact is in the 2nd half 9ers did not score that is just the facts. I never said defense was stellar in that game but offense giving up 14 of the 28 was as much of them as anyone else.

Part of it was certainly on the offense they put the team in an early 7 point hole after a fumble. When the Cowboys got the ball back they had to settle for 3 points after a 15 play drive bogged down at the Niners 11 yard line. The Cowboys defense needed to step up at that point but showed no resistence allowing an 80 yard TD drive on only 4 plays. The Cowboys failed both offensively and defensively in the first half and it ended up costing them the game. They dug themselves too deep a hole to dig their way out of in the second half.

 

[Doomsday101]

Part of it was certainly on the offense they put the team in an early 7 point hole after a fumble. When the Cowboys got the ball back they had to settle for 3 points after a 15 play drive bogged down at the Niners 11 yard line. The Cowboys defense needed to step up at that point but showed no resistence allowing an 80 yard TD drive on only 4 plays. The Cowboys failed both offensively and defensively in the first half and it ended up costing them the game. They dug themselves too deep a hole to dig their way out of in the second half.

I don't see what I really have said anything different. Yes defense gave up a quick drive to the 9ers to go down by 7, Murray fumbles and returned for a TD now we are 14 down, Romo is picked returned to the 2 yard line they score we are 21 down.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

It's not just your take. It's the take of many, it's the take of the coaches.

Free was one of the top rated run blockers last year. He was rated higher as a run blocker than a pass blocker. This nonsense that he can't run block is just that, nonsense.

Parnell has poor footwork, he's late to react, he doesn't bend well. But hey, he looks great with his shirt off.

No one who reviews any video knows what the blocking schemes are, why or when the slide protections. People guess and parrot their pet cats.

Thank you! This is dead on. The best right tackle on this team is the man currently playing right tackle.

 

[KJJ]

I don't see what I really have said anything different. Yes defense gave up a quick drive to the 9ers to go down by 7, Murray fumbles and returned for a TD now we are 14 down, Romo is picked returned to the 2 yard line they score we are 21 down.

Murray's fumble that was scored on was the first points of the game putting the Cowboys down 7-0. The Niners 80 yard 4 play TD drive came on SF's first possession which gave them a 14-3 lead. Romo was then picked off which led to SF taking a 21-3 lead. Romo's 3rd int late in the 2nd quarter led to SF taking a 28-3 halftime lead. I think we've covered this enough.

 

[xwalker]

There are more pet goats on this forum than pet cats. In the games Parnell started he had some busted plays but didn't give up a bunch of sacks. If a run play is called and Parnell drove his man three yards downfield, fans can make an objective judgement about the play - and it isn't because they like how he looks with his shirt off.

The real key is that opposing DC's didn't target Parnell and Dallas wasn't keeping players in to cover for him that much. True weak links are always targeted in the NFL, like Phil Costa and Derrick Dockery were a couple of years ago, or Jeff Heath was last year.

@BlindFaith is the guy that said Mincey was a lazy worthless player that should have been cut in training camp. In reality Mincey has been the starting RDE on a 7-3 team.

 

[Kaiser]

@BlindFaith is the guy that said Mincey was a lazy worthless player that should have been cut in training camp. In reality Mincey has been the starting RDE on a 7-3 team.

But that's only because the average fan has no idea what the real scheme is. To the average Joe Schmo watching the All 22 it looks like Mincey has been a starting DE, but in reality Mincey has been sitting in a lawn chair reading People magazine on most snaps.