Is it time to move Jones back to CB and start Woods at safety?

[ABQCOWBOY]

I like Jones just where he is. To be able to play your base defense and have a FS who can come down and cover anybody is such a plus. There are not many teams in the NFL who can do that and the more time he plays at Safety, the better he's going to get. That goes for all of our DBs. They are going to make mistakes, they are all really young but they will get better with more experience IMO. We have to be patient with them is how I look at it.

 

[perrykemp]

He’s consistently been a fantastic defensive back. People on this board are just clueless.

I think he has a been an above average pass defender, however, I have trouble calling a DB 'fantastic' who is averaged 0.5 interception per season, 0.5 forced fumbles, and 0.0 fumble recoveries per season.

He is the antithesis of a big play player.

 

[Stash]

We are mis-using him as a box safety and he was forced to play slot CB tonight and his coverage was outstanding.

I don't see where he's been used as a "box safety", but I do like the idea of getting him in more man coverage situations. He - along with the rest of this secondary - are struggling big-time playing zone defense.

That needs to be scrapped across the board. For Jones, and everybody else.

But I do like the idea of putting Jones back at corner and playing man-to-man. I definitely think he's a better option there than Nolan Carroll. And I like what I've seen from both Woods and Frazier thus far.

I hope that they consider the move.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't see where he's been used as a "box safety", but I do like the idea of getting him in more man coverage situations. He - along with the rest of this secondary - are struggling big-time playing zone defense.

That needs to be scrapped across the board. For Jones, and everybody else.

But I do like the idea of putting Jones back at corner and playing man-to-man. I definitely think he's a better option there than Nolan Carroll. And I like what I've seen from both Woods and Frazier thus far.

I hope that they consider the move.

The problem is that on average, teams in the NFL play like 60% zone on average. That's not every team, I'm sure, but that figure is still pretty healthy, regardless of who you are. If you put him at Corner, he's still going to be forced to play a lot of zone so I don't know that you can just move him and play straight up man.

 

[Idgit]

They attacked Heath more than Jones. The first TD was all on Heath in my view. I remember screaming at the replay. "WHERE IS THE ******* SAFETY!" And it was Heath who let the WR get behind him.

Brown needs to do better off the line. He was so physical last year and it has not showed up this year.

Heath has been disappointing as a starter so far. He even was late again wrapping up at one point last night. That first touch was a mess from start to finish. Hard to stop a guy when you let him run right through the coverage untouched and into the end zone with the S out of position.

 

[TheCoolFan]

I think the thing with Heath is that we all expect him to get beat...probably often. But his "selling point" was his ability to get interceptions with his alleged ballhawking skills as the equalizer. If he's not doing that (and I've only seen him come close on maybe 2 passes so far) then he is a JAG out there.

 

[Direwolf63]

He is a free safety with coverage skills......perhaps yours should be questioned

Jones is a solid to good slot CB who can't play safety.

His positive plays last night was when he was one-on-one with the slot receiver or the TE. Made some nice plays there.

His negative plays was as a safety. Poor angle. Allergic to tackling.

His safety play against Denver is some of the worst I've seen ever.

He has skills as a slot CB. He is inept as a safety. He should stay CB full time and move Frazier/Woods into safety.

 

[Idgit]

I think the thing with Heath is that we all expect him to get beat...probably often. But his "selling point" was his ability to get interceptions with his alleged ballhawking skills as the equalizer. If he's not doing that (and I've only seen him come close on maybe 2 passes so far) then he is a JAG out there.

I actually expected Heath to be in position pretty much all the time. He's athletic enough to do so, and he usually was. I expect him to tackle well, and to take advantage of errant throws or pop ups. He used to get beat his fair share, but it was always a contested ball. In fact, it was frustrating because he'd be right there and not able to break up the pass.

I *think* we're just not very tight in coverage yet with all the new pieces. But Woods can play, and I think Frazier is coming a long a bit, too. If they can earn defensive snaps, more power to 'em.

 

[Direwolf63]

The problem is that on average, teams in the NFL play like 60% zone on average. That's not every team, I'm sure, but that figure is still pretty healthy, regardless of who you are. If you put him at Corner, he's still going to be forced to play a lot of zone so I don't know that you can just move him and play straight up man.

Playing zone is much tougher than playing one on one when you have guys as young as we have. There are some real growing pains going on back there.

When playing zone, communication is essential. I'm not sure these guys are talking out there the way they should be. It certainly does not look like it at times.

 

[Direwolf63]

I actually expected Heath to be in position pretty much all the time. He's athletic enough to do so, and he usually was. I expect him to tackle well, and to take advantage of errant throws or pop ups. He used to get beat his fair share, but it was always a contested ball. In fact, it was frustrating because he'd be right there and not able to break up the pass.

I *think* we're just not very tight in coverage yet with all the new pieces. But Woods can play, and I think Frazier is coming a long a bit, too. If they can earn defensive snaps, more power to 'em.

Overall, I think we have the athletic ability to play decent secondary play. But these young guys need to gell.....quickly. Aaron Rodgers is right around the corner.

 

[jday]

We
Could have
Had

Landon Collins.......
Instead we got the long jump king.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda...

31 other teams could have had Dak. It goes both ways...

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

The problem with Jones is, he is not a good zone safety and is a poor tackler. His strength is man-to-man coverage. I think our best two safeties are Woods and Frazier, frankly, because they can cover and are strong tacklers. Jones should be a swiss-army knife nickel CB/LB, IMO.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Playing zone is much tougher than playing one on one when you have guys as young as we have. There are some real growing pains going on back there.

When playing zone, communication is essential. I'm not sure these guys are talking out there the way they should be. It certainly does not look like it at times.

That's where we miss Church the most. We don't really have that guy who has seen it all, who can get us in the right coverage when you have to change things up every time. That guy, right now, is Jones and that's just another reason why moving him to CB would be a bad move IMO. Usually, it's the Safety who makes those kinds of adjustments. They will get better. Its just going to take some time.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The problem with Jones is, he is not a good zone safety and is a poor tackler. His strength is man-to-man coverage. I think our best two safeties are Woods and Frazier, frankly, because they can cover and are strong tacklers. Jones should be a swiss-army knife nickel CB/LB, IMO.

Well, there was a time when some of those same things were said about Woody. I'm not saying he will be as good as Woody was but thankfully, Woody wasn't moved to LB and instead, kept at Safety. Hopefully, and I think this will be the case with Jones, he will grow into the position and be a really good player for us.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Coulda, woulda, shoulda...

31 other teams could have had Dak. It goes both ways...

Well sure it does, but if you go back to the pre draft reports Collins was ranked very high and Jones wasn't ranked very high at all.

 

[Kaiser]

I think Heath will be fine, the secondary has been a minefield of injuries and even with that, Heath has gotten his hands on several balls without coming up with the INT. Over the season he will turn those plays in picks.

 

[jday]

Well sure it does, but if you go back to the pre draft reports Collins was ranked very high and Jones wasn't ranked very high at all.

There is a significant difference between a team draft board and the talking heads/experts opinions. Teams value players based on scheme fit first. Experts are not looking at scheme fit.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think Heath will be fine, the secondary has been a minefield of injuries and even with that, Heath has gotten his hands on several balls without coming up with the INT. Over the season he will turn those plays in picks.

I think he will too.

Just some growing pains which many either suggested or acknowledged was going to happen early in the season.

 

[rpntex]

I think Heath will be fine, the secondary has been a minefield of injuries and even with that, Heath has gotten his hands on several balls without coming up with the INT. Over the season he will turn those plays in picks.

Because of the injuries in the secondary, Heath has actually spent more time playing a slot CB position than he has safety these past two weeks. In fact, when Dallas has to go with their "dime", they have two safeties (Heath and Woods) playing the slots. He's been adequate at safety that 30% pf snaps Dallas actually plays their base defense. The other 70% he's actually playing what is, in essence, a new position.

 

[rpntex]

They attacked Heath more than Jones. The first TD was all on Heath in my view. I remember screaming at the replay. "WHERE IS THE ******* SAFETY!" And it was Heath who let the WR get behind him.

Brown needs to do better off the line. He was so physical last year and it has not showed up this year.

With all due respect, Fuzzy, you're off on this one. Watch the play again and check out the pre-snap alignment. Dallas is playing straight man coverage, with Heath playing the nickel CB, lined up over the slot receiver. Anthony Brown had sole coverage on the WR. He bit to the outside and when the WR broke to the post, it was goodnight. Heath was out of the play because of his responsibility was to the slot receiver.

While Heath does get his fair share of criticism, it's instances like this when he gets unfairly criticized. Most people have no idea that he's only playing safety about 30-35% of snaps (when Dallas is in their base defense). When they're in nickel, he's in the slot. When they're in dime both he and Xavier Woods are in the slot.