In the Cowboys defense, the FS doesn't get targeted often. We want teams to throw at our CBs, so that's what we give them. No trio of CBs was targeted more often than Jenkins, Newman and Scandrick. Do teams throw at them because they suck? No. Darelle Revis was the second most targeted CB last year, so ability and # of targets don't go hand in hand.
If our CBs are being targeted, who has fewer opportunities to make plays? Ken Hamlin.
In the past two years (28 games), Atogwe has been targeted 57 times and he has 7 INTs. That means he intercepted the ball 12.3% of the time. Ken Hamlin was targeted 41 times in the past two years, he also played in 28 games and had 1 INT.
If Atogwe had been targeted the same number of times as Hamlin, he would have picked off 5 passes in the past two seasons. 5 is definitely more than 1, I'll admit that. But are 2 extra INTs a season going to make a significant difference on this defense? YES.
As far as forced fumbles go, they're too hard to actually credit to a player without seeing tape. For instance, some could have come off of safety blitzes where Atogwe blindsided the QB and caused him to fumble. While a good play, it's probably one that any other safety making a blind side hit would also make. If you look at the stats of a guy like Ware and see a consistent number of forced fumbles, year after year, then you can assume that the player it good at stripping the ball. You don't see that with Atogwe.
I like Atogwe, I think he's a good player and I won't be upset if he ends up a Cowboy (as long as a high draft pick isn't involved). I just don't think he, or any FS, is the key to us winning this year.