Is Ratliff done?

[5Stars]

lets wait to turn on him until after the 1st preseason game lol

i am one of the few people on here that isn't buying into the hype yet. I hope he shows me why we drafted him 6th. But watching LSU games, the man just couldn't tackle for ****, and appeared sluggish at times.

Your negativity about anything Cowboys is really getting annoying!

But, troll on, I guess.

 

[Ren]

He's done as a full time NT, if we can get a rotation going and rest him some we might be able to squeeze another decent season out of him

 

[DallasDomination]

Ratliff IS done..Mid season these threads will be the norm.

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

Your negativity about anything Cowboys is really getting annoying!

But, troll on, I guess.

I'm a realist, not a pessimist. There is a huge difference.... And to be real, the guy can't tackle. Any scout will tell you that.

At this level, it's hard to learn how to be a good tackler.

Sorry I'm not a happy fan like you bud.

 

[Ultimategamer5567]

He's done as a full time NT, if we can get a rotation going and rest him some we might be able to squeeze another decent season out of him

Is your avatar from Team America?

 

[dfan32]

I'm kind of with you. Kind of neutral.

I don't see Rat as a beast that cannot be contained. He's a guy with some unexpected 1st step quicks playing NT. He uses it to shoot gaps and maybe also surprisingly strong for his size without being freakishly so. But his game is not and never will be one of incredibly strong anchor that is difficult to move. And when people see him get pushed around at times they get upset.

I suspect he'll always have that vulnerability. But the staff is willing to live with that in exchange for his unique potential to disrupt with his quickness. So I think it becomes then a challenge of creating enough complements around Rat to minimize his vulnerability.

I don't know that he is necessarily, or any longer, "build around" good. I wonder if he isn't more complementary good.

Didn't Rat become our NT because we whiffed on a couple of prospects and ended up with Rat as our 2nd best option? I have always thought that he was just filling in at NT until we find a better one.

I would have loved seeing the Cowboys get a prototypical NT and then move Ratliffe around to create favorable matchups. In that scenario, Ratliffe probably would have been the "beast" everyone keeps suggesting he is.

I do agree that leaving him at NT for most of the games has taken it's toll. I'm not saying he's done but I think the Cowboys will have to play him a lot less than they have in the past....if his foot problem even allows that.

 

[5Stars]

I'm a realist, not a pessimist. There is a huge difference.... And to be real, the guy can't tackle. Any scout will tell you that.

At this level, it's hard to learn how to be a good tackler.

Sorry I'm not a happy fan like you bud.

Well, you forgot something...optimism? Any realist should know that...good for you, I guess? Gotta have both to be real.

 

[MonsterD]

I think he might be, he won't contribute much pass rush. It will be tough for us unless one of the younglings explodes and surprises everyone, other than Ware we have almost nothing.

 

[CoCo]

Didn't Rat become our NT because we whiffed on a couple of prospects and ended up with Rat as our 2nd best option? I have always thought that he was just filling in at NT until we find a better one.

I would have loved seeing the Cowboys get a prototypical NT and then move Ratliffe around to create favorable matchups. In that scenario, Ratliffe probably would have been the "beast" everyone keeps suggesting he is.

I do agree that leaving him at NT for most of the games has taken it's toll. I'm not saying he's done but I think the Cowboys will have to play him a lot less than they have in the past....if his foot problem even allows that.

Rat was backing up Ferguson when he went down early in the season. And in the process Ratliff became a Pro Bowler and Ferguson was then dealt to Miami.

What some people don't get is that apparently having Ratliff at NT IS the favorable match-up the coaches want.

 

[FLCowboyFan]

Come on training camp.....it can't get here fast enough

 

[dfan32]

Rat was backing up Ferguson when he went down early in the season. And in the process Ratliff became a Pro Bowler and Ferguson was then dealt to Miami.

What some people don't get is that apparently having Ratliff at NT IS the favorable match-up the coaches want.

I'm not trying to take anything away from Ratliffe but there is no way he can play NT 75 - 80% of snaps of a game and be considered favorably matched in all of them. Ratliffe is a great player but he is not a great NT. Teams have and will continue to take advantage of his size in certain situations.

Maybe I should have added 'situational' advantages to moving Ratliffe up and down the D-line. At any rate, it didn't happen but maybe now it would be a good idea. You don't find it atleast an intriguing possibility?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

No, Ratliff is not a great NT, but he's good.

7th in the NFL is 7th in the NFL.

If someone has something measureable (comparing Ratliff to other NT's) that is based on fact rather than someone's perception... I'd be interested in seeing it.

 

[DeaconBlues]

No, Ratliff is not a great NT, but he's good.

7th in the NFL is 7th in the NFL.

If someone has something measureable (comparing Ratliff to other NT's) that is based on fact rather than someone's perception... I'd be interested in seeing it.

Nope. All they got is perception. Amazing how someone completely useless puts up the stats he has. Unless, of course, most other NTs in the league are worst than useless.

 

[CoCo]

I'm not trying to take anything away from Ratliffe but there is no way he can play NT 75 - 80% of snaps of a game and be considered favorably matched in all of them. Ratliffe is a great player but he is not a great NT. Teams have and will continue to take advantage of his size in certain situations.

Maybe I should have added 'situational' advantages to moving Ratliffe up and down the D-line. At any rate, it didn't happen but maybe now it would be a good idea. You don't find it atleast an intriguing possibility?

If getting Ratliff out at DE is such a great match-up, then tell me why the coaches don't do it now in situations. Maybe the coaches don't see Ratliff at DE as a superior match-up versus having Lissemore, Hatcher, Spears or Crawford out there.

It's certain fans who drool over Ratliff at DE for some reason but apparently Rob Ryan and Wade Phillips before him, not so much.

Its not like Rat takes 100% of the NT snaps now.

 

[Risen Star]

He's done as an impact player but I think he could be good in a rotation once he recovers from the injury.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If getting Ratliff out at DE is such a great match-up, then tell me why the coaches don't do it now in situations. Maybe the coaches don't see Ratliff at DE as a superior match-up versus having Lissemore, Hatcher, Spears or Crawford out there.

It's certain fans who drool over Ratliff at DE for some reason but apparently Rob Ryan and Wade Phillips before him, not so much.

Its not like Rat takes 100% of the NT snaps now.

You basically said it.

Rat facing OT's is not a good matchup. The "quick-twitch" that allows him to shoot through the gap between guard and center wouldn't work nearly as well at DE.

 

[CyberB0b]

Actually if you review the numbers Ratliff is better on 1st & 2nd downs.

His 3rd down production is not good.

His o-line coach says otherwise. Ill get you the quote in a bit.

 

[RealCowboyfan]

Ratliff is declining because he's a tweener playing Nose Tackle, this is what people fail to realize, Nose Tackles that played 14 or 15 seasons was 330 and more lbs, Ratliff is more like La'Roi Glove 285 or 300 at best, which still suits him as a defensive end in the 3-4 for him to have some longevity in his career rather than Nose Tackle which is diffently going to cut his career short sad to say. Why do you think that Ratliff wears down in the later quarters because he had to finesse his way through offensive linemen that is 330 or more lbs and he is being double team so when that happens most of the time in the second half he has no effect on the game whatsoever and in the second half of the season he diffently ain't no where to be found. Cowboys need to get a real Nose Tackle and stop trying to fit tweeners into position that is going to shorten their careers. Ratliff is not a true Nose Tackle. I wish Cowboys got Dontari Poe or that real Nose Tackle from Washington.

 

[CyberB0b]

His o-line coach says otherwise. Ill get you the quote in a bit.

DL Coach:

As a matter of fact, this is the fewest amount of reps he’s played percentage-wise since he’s been a starter because we’ve got some strong people behind him, Josh Brent, [Sean] Lissemore, that kind of stuff and if we see that it was becoming that kind of game then again because of that third-down issue that I got, you take first and second down off this series and then get back in there on third. OK? So he’s going to take all the third downs unless somebody proves that they’re a better pass-rusher inside. Until that happens, if he’s getting a little worn then we’ll save him for third down.”

 

[MichaelWinicki]

DL Coach:

I don't see anything that says Ratliff is a better player on 3rd down than he is in earlier downs.