News: Is Cowboys pass rush set to surprise in 2016?

[Stash]

The fact is, when he actually blitzed we got pressure. With the backfield and the run defense looking like it did, we really limited the blitz. The four man rush was hampered by an injured Crawford, Gregory and an anemic Hayden. Lawrence did well, but even he was playing through a back issue.

With the addition of Thornton (and a snowballs chance of McClain) and a healthy Crawford the interior should be better with will not allow the QB to step up in the pocket. A healthy Lawrence and Gregory (when he returns from suspension) will not provide dominate edge pressure, but the entire situation should be an improvement over last year.

I don't see it.

I see one position improved at one technique with Thornton over Hayden while defensive end is markedly worse. And for the record, considering Gregory's history I consider it if he returns from suspension, and not when.

Until he shows that he can be counted on for anything, he shouldn't be.

 

[Stash]

"Surprise" is a pretty low bar. I'll be surprised if the rush doesn't suck, for example.

It may well be a case of addition by subtraction this season, but I have far less confidence in this group than I did in last year's group prior to the season. I'm still trying to figure out what happened last year, because it makes no sense to me.

It is baffling. And that's a big part of why I am starting to question Marinelli.

 

[waving monkey]

If he couldn't play, he shouldn't play. But that would derail your whole lame excuse, wouldn't it? But once again, go with 'blame the player' rather than considering the alternative, right? The same lame excuse Garrett gets on the offensive side in failing to prepare his quarterbacks.



And why is it that a proven elite pass rusher comes to Dallas and is suddenly not as productive? Yeah, the 'easy' answer that Cowboys fans would prefer, is to simply blame it on the player, never npbothering to dig deeper and look at the coaches' recent pattern of failure. Marinelli's pass rush has ranked 27th, 28th, and 27th since he's been here. And the components have been switched around and investments repeatedly made there. At this point, it's time to start questioning the man at the top and actually holding him accountable for doing his job.

That's fine, you continue to see what you want to see while the rest of us will see the truth. Marinelli has squandered the talent he's been given and it's high time he started being questioned. Maybe he, like his buddy Monte Kiffin are outdated coaches whom the game has passed by?

Marinelli had tools to work with, and he failed.

To win arguments it's typical to leave information aside that impact the story.
You gave examples of two players one injured rookie and another suspended
player they are seriously considering not even resigning.The rest of the league
hasn't even looked at Hardy a FA. But his an elite pass rusher.Talk about digging deeper.
Or that Crawford played injured a good part of the season and had surgery this off season.
Or that the rest of the back up 1DT were so great that they couldn't beat out Hayden? Hayden!

The total defense was rank in middle of the pack last year without any playmakers to get them off the field.

linkhttp://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/10/20/randy-gregory-ankle-injury-returning-field

Nick: I guess the answer I gave was right, technically. But my premise wasn't exactly accurate. I said no to the Cowboys ranking in the top 10 in defense mainly because I figured the offense would be elite. Usually, top-ranked offenses score so much and take the lead that defenses end up giving up late points and messing up their rankings. For that reason I said no, but as it turned out, there were other reasons for their issues. They just didn't have any playmakers to get them off the field. To think this unit ranked 17th in yards allowed and had one of the fewest numbers of takeaways in NFL history is actually impressive. Nothing stops a drive better than turnover and this team just couldn't do it. I thought it was an average defense this year and the ranking suggested that as well.

David: All you have to do is look at the stats to know that this was not a top 10 defense. But it’s a little more nuanced than that. The Cowboys were solid – and at times even good. Statistically, they finished No. 5 against the pass. They didn’t allow many big plays, and they did a good job of limiting offenses in the early going of games. Nobody needs reminding of the fourth quarter breakdowns, though. Obviously that ties in to the poor showings on offense, but you can’t absolve the defense of all blame. This was a unit that did not make plays, and I think it’s a huge part of why they weren’t better. They finished the season with 11 takeaways – which ties the NFL record for fewest ever. They only intercepted eight passes as a defense – which is the same amount of picks as Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters. No takeaways means longer possessions and longer drives, and it cost this group in yardage and points. It has to improve, whether it’s by better coaching or improving the talent level on the roster. This unit has proven it can play very well for stretches, but it needs to be able to put together 60-minute efforts to reach that top 10 status.

Bryan: I remember when we had a chance to write about this Dallas defense before the start of the season, I chose to focus on the scoring defense aspect of it instead of total defense. As a unit they finished in the top half at 16th in the league. Those numbers could have been better if not for some returns that were tacked onto them due to offensive mistakes (interceptions and fumbles) and special teams breakdowns. For a defense that didn’t create many of their own turnovers, I thought that they gave them a chance in all the games with the exception of Atlanta and Carolina. Where this season was lost in my opinion was on the offensive side of the ball and their inability to put points on the board. We saw how well this team could play a complete game on both sides of the ball in Miami but those days were few and far between. If this offense could have not turned the ball over for scores and scored more or the special teams given up returns – we might be talking about this defense in a different light.

To review our original answers, click here: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...wboys-defense-become-among-nfl’s-top-10-units Read

 

[Stash]

To win arguments it's typical to leave information aside that impact the story.
You gave examples of two players one injured rookie and another suspended
player they are seriously considering not even resigning.The rest of the league
hasn't even looked at Hardy a FA. But his an elite pass rusher.Talk about digging deeper.
Or that Crawford played injured a good part of the season and had surgery this off season.
Or that the rest of the back up 1DT were so great that they couldn't beat out Hayden? Hayden!

All assembled under the auspices of the purported 'Defensive Line Whisperer'. If Marinelli wasn't on board, those players wouldn't be here. Any shortcomings are due in part to him too.

Hardy came to Dallas off of double-digit sack totals the prior two years. His production was clear with 11 sacks in a season followed by 15 sacks. But, like every other player that underwhelms in Dallas, the easy answer is to simply blame the player rather than question coaches who have consistantly underperformed.

The total defense was rank in middle of the pack last year without any playmakers to get them off the field.


linkhttp://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/10/20/randy-gregory-ankle-injury-returning-field

Nick: I guess the answer I gave was right, technically. But my premise wasn't exactly accurate. I said no to the Cowboys ranking in the top 10 in defense mainly because I figured the offense would be elite. Usually, top-ranked offenses score so much and take the lead that defenses end up giving up late points and messing up their rankings. For that reason I said no, but as it turned out, there were other reasons for their issues. They just didn't have any playmakers to get them off the field. To think this unit ranked 17th in yards allowed and had one of the fewest numbers of takeaways in NFL history is actually impressive. Nothing stops a drive better than turnover and this team just couldn't do it. I thought it was an average defense this year and the ranking suggested that as well.

David: All you have to do is look at the stats to know that this was not a top 10 defense. But it’s a little more nuanced than that. The Cowboys were solid – and at times even good. Statistically, they finished No. 5 against the pass. They didn’t allow many big plays, and they did a good job of limiting offenses in the early going of games. Nobody needs reminding of the fourth quarter breakdowns, though. Obviously that ties in to the poor showings on offense, but you can’t absolve the defense of all blame. This was a unit that did not make plays, and I think it’s a huge part of why they weren’t better. They finished the season with 11 takeaways – which ties the NFL record for fewest ever. They only intercepted eight passes as a defense – which is the same amount of picks as Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters. No takeaways means longer possessions and longer drives, and it cost this group in yardage and points. It has to improve, whether it’s by better coaching or improving the talent level on the roster. This unit has proven it can play very well for stretches, but it needs to be able to put together 60-minute efforts to reach that top 10 status.

Bryan: I remember when we had a chance to write about this Dallas defense before the start of the season, I chose to focus on the scoring defense aspect of it instead of total defense. As a unit they finished in the top half at 16th in the league. Those numbers could have been better if not for some returns that were tacked onto them due to offensive mistakes (interceptions and fumbles) and special teams breakdowns. For a defense that didn’t create many of their own turnovers, I thought that they gave them a chance in all the games with the exception of Atlanta and Carolina. Where this season was lost in my opinion was on the offensive side of the ball and their inability to put points on the board. We saw how well this team could play a complete game on both sides of the ball in Miami but those days were few and far between. If this offense could have not turned the ball over for scores and scored more or the special teams given up returns – we might be talking about this defense in a different light.

To review our original answers, click here: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2015/07/13/20-questions-can-cowboys-defense-become-among-nfl’s-top-10-units Read

Don't care. Not what we're addressing here. Failed diversion.

 

[Idgit]

It is baffling. And that's a big part of why I am starting to question Marinelli.

The problems on defense are different than the problems on offense for me. Offensively, I know why we struggled so much. Defensively last season, we got Lee back, brought in Gregory and Jones in the draft, and added Greg Hardy, and still essentially took a step back. I care less about the sacks (as long as we're getting decent pressure overall), but the takeaways are supposed to be a staple of Marinelli's defense, and they just weren't there last year. Some of that's due to the fact that teams had the luxury of sitting back and not taking a lot of chances offensively. But 11 takeaways? Worst in the league with a largely healthy unit? That's not getting it done. They needed to step up last season and they couldn't.

 

[waving monkey]

All assembled under the auspices of the purported 'Defensive Line Whisperer'. If Marinelli wasn't on board, those players wouldn't be here. Any shortcomings are due in part to him too.

Hardy came to Dallas off of double-digit sack totals the prior two years. His production was clear with 11 sacks in a season followed by 15 sacks. But, like every other player that underwhelms in Dallas, the easy answer is to simply blame the player rather than question coaches who have consistantly underperformed.



Don't care. Not what we're addressing here. Failed diversion.

it certainly is .with all the problems last year they still hit middle of the road defense
even with a 27th or so pass rush ,iam through here

 

[Stash]

The problems on defense are different than the problems on offense for me. Offensively, I know why we struggled so much. Defensively last season, we got Lee back, brought in Gregory and Jones in the draft, and added Greg Hardy, and still essentially took a step back. I care less about the sacks (as long as we're getting decent pressure overall), but the takeaways are supposed to be a staple of Marinelli's defense, and they just weren't there last year. Some of that's due to the fact that teams had the luxury of sitting back and not taking a lot of chances offensively. But 11 takeaways? Worst in the league with a largely healthy unit? That's not getting it done. They needed to step up last season and they couldn't.

In addition, the sacks do bother me when I keep hearing about all of this priority being placed on having 'Rushmen' over other defensive linemen. Everything I see shows an emphasis placed on pass rush at the expense of all else.

We can't have a big run-stuffing one technique because Marinelli wants lighter 'Rushmen' so run defense is secondary. Everything preached is about getting up the field, and the results simply aren't there. After three years, this coach should have enough of his own pieces in place to where he should be accountable for better results. If they don't come this year, I think it should be Marinelli's last.

 

[Stash]

it certainly is .with all the problems last year they still hit middle of the road defense
even with a 27th or so pass rush ,iam through here

You should be. Your attempt to divert from the subject at hand failed miserably.

 

[StarBoyz83]

We have a pass rush?

It's only going to suprise people who think it will be decent. It will be bad, very bad.

 

[Hoov]

I'm still trying to figure out what happened last year, because it makes no sense to me.

And I'm trying to figure out what a eudemonic pass rush is.

 

[Idgit]

And I'm trying to figure out what a eudemonic pass rush is.

"Not a serious factor," I think.

 

[JohnsKey19]

I don't see how. Gregory is the guy who is supposed to be the difference maker but he's the biggest ? on the entire roster IMO. Even if they draft a guy high in the draft, you're looking at 6-8 sacks max from a rookie. Gregory was/is our only hope.

 

[gmoney112]

The problems on defense are different than the problems on offense for me. Offensively, I know why we struggled so much. Defensively last season, we got Lee back, brought in Gregory and Jones in the draft, and added Greg Hardy, and still essentially took a step back. I care less about the sacks (as long as we're getting decent pressure overall), but the takeaways are supposed to be a staple of Marinelli's defense, and they just weren't there last year. Some of that's due to the fact that teams had the luxury of sitting back and not taking a lot of chances offensively. But 11 takeaways? Worst in the league with a largely healthy unit? That's not getting it done. They needed to step up last season and they couldn't.

That's what happens when you lack talent, your #1 CB is injured, you change coverage schemes, and offenses know they don't have to take chances. Fuzzy mentioned we ran a lot of man rob schemes, that'd certainly contribute to our deficiencies.

Not to mention, our 2014 tape was broken down, especially after a 12-4 campaign.

Jones showed a lot of potential, DLaw looks to be developing nicely, Crawford pre injury is a force in the middle. Those are attributable to Rod.

I think given the personnel in the back end, with teams running on average 70% nickel, it's hard to place blame on a guy for coverage when we're trotting out what we're trotting out, and he's produced every year he's been a coordinator. Especially when your best CB (not you Carr) is injured before the season begins.

Jones is a nice commodity, I hope we keep him at safety because he's smart and a definite upgrade over Wilcox. Carr is an average 1, and Mo is serviceable until he gets injured again. Church is what he is.

But right now the secondary just doesn't have much real NFL talent and it was exposed when teams didn't have to take chances.

 

[Myboys]

You make a great point about DMac. I have never seen a RB have such good stats and have no impact on the games. Many posters looks at the stats and think the RB problem is fixed, but it is in need of severe upgrades. Morris has declined every year, but fans think he was a great pick up. I think he is used up. The RB position consists of two retreads and a cripple, undersized back. Yep, they are set at the position.

The lack of a passing game had a lot to do with the low impact, IMO.

 

[Idgit]

That's what happens when you lack talent, your #1 CB is injured, you change coverage schemes, and offenses know they don't have to take chances. Fuzzy mentioned we ran a lot of man rob schemes, that'd certainly contribute to our deficiencies.

Not to mention, our 2014 tape was broken down, especially after a 12-4 campaign.

Jones showed a lot of potential, DLaw looks to be developing nicely, Crawford pre injury is a force in the middle. Those are attributable to Rod.

I think given the personnel in the back end, with teams running on average 70% nickel, it's hard to place blame on a guy for coverage when we're trotting out what we're trotting out, and he's produced every year he's been a coordinator. Especially when your best CB (not you Carr) is injured before the season begins.

Jones is a nice commodity, I hope we keep him at safety because he's smart and a definite upgrade over Wilcox. Carr is an average 1, and Mo is serviceable until he gets injured again. Church is what he is.

But right now the secondary just doesn't have much real NFL talent and it was exposed when teams didn't have to take chances.

That's all great stuff because I agree with it.

We were 30th in the league in terms of fumbles, too. 30th in picks. And last, overall in combined takeaways.

We were 2nd in the league in takeaways in 2014, if anybody was interested. With 31. Compared to 11 last season.