Is This Team Much Different Than Last Year?

[Seven]

Leary and Collins......this puts more pressure on Dak. Defense...... Jaylon is horrible and tackling, overall, is a big part of this year to last year.

 

[Beast_from_East]

3 or 4 posters have refen


You want to repeat it? I'll repeat it for you. 32nd. Bottom of the barrel. Worst of 'em all.

Now let's see what happens the best/right pieces on the field.

Why were the best/right pieces not on the field to begin with? You know all these games count, not just the ones you play after your bye week.

And if the excuse is injuries, well that means you didn’t have any depth worth a crap. Injuries are part of the game, the good teams sac up and the bad teams sugar coat it and say what if.

Can’t sugar coat being worse on defense than Cleveland bro, can’t do it

 

[khiladi]

In its last two games, the Dallas defense has faced 18 opponent drives and allowed a score on 14 of them (78%).

The NFL average is 36%

how many TDs have we’ve given up for example in respect to those other teams.. two drives that allow two FGs by our defense is not the same thing as two drives that allows one score and another ending in no score.. the percentages favor the former by a lot, but the score favors the latter..

Meaning is this really statistically significant in the grand scheme of each of those two games or is it just another meaningless stat that doesn’t establish any real trend..

If our didn’t throw an INT that led to a TD still would have been in the lead and won..

 

[percyhoward]

He might be if he weren't working with hopelessly small statistical sample sizes, and choosing to ignore the absences (complete or partial) of 1/3 of key defensive players in the first 5 games.

Your point was that "the margin separating success and failure in the NFL is often razor thin." Basically saying that the team had performed at about the same level as it did last year, just without the lucky breaks. My point was that the team has not performed at last year's level, mainly because the defense has been terrible.

Then you started talking about injuries on defense (showing that you must have understood my point) and complaining about sample size (even though every conclusion you could make comes from exactly the same sample that I'm using).

 

[percyhoward]

how many TDs have we’ve given up for example in respect to those other teams...

A whole lot. We're actually worse in TD allowed than FG allowed.

NFL rank -- Dallas defense
% of drives ending in TD 29th
% of drives ending in FG 27th
% of drives ending in punts 27th
% of drives ending in takeaway 31st
TOP per drive 28th
yards per drive 30th
points per drive 32nd

And the opponent's average starting field position ranks 30th (3rd best for the defense).

 

[T-RO]

Your point was that "the margin separating success and failure in the NFL is often razor thin." Basically saying that the team had performed at about the same level as it did last year, just without the lucky breaks. My point was that the team has not performed at last year's level, mainly because the defense has been terrible.

Then you started talking about injuries on defense (showing that you must have understood my point) and complaining about sample size (even though every conclusion you could make comes from exactly the same sample that I'm using).

When Dallas faced good quarterbacks last season...the D was miserable. We just rarely faced any. Consider anecdotal samples:

-If you go back to the Skins game on Thanksgiving...Cousins had 449 yards passing. We forced 0 turnovers and the Skins only punted once! One stop all game long.

-In the Steeler game we gave up 30 (30!) first downs and 400 yards passing

-We all remember the Packers playoff game where GB was almost never stopped

Now these kinds of offensive explosions aren't uncommon in the league. Just look at tonights' Chiefs-Raiders game.

The front office is doing some good things right in turning around the defense. This secondary is already much better than people appreciate and is going to be quite good. Unfortunately the Smith and Taco draft picks weren't so smart and we are paying the price. Offensive coordinators are quite adroit at hitting you at your most vulnerable spot--over and over again. Sadly Jaylon has played like the league's worst linebacker.

As I've said from the top...we are primarily paying the price because of our linebackers...but that can be addressed...partially this season...and more fully in this upcoming draft.

 

[percyhoward]

When Dallas faced good quarterbacks last season...the D was miserable. We just rarely faced any. Consider anecdotal samples.

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/this-defense.368000/

 

[T-RO]

A whole lot. We're actually worse in TD allowed than FG allowed.

NFL rank -- Dallas defense
% of drives ending in TD 29th
% of drives ending in FG 27th
% of drives ending in punts 27th
% of drives ending in takeaway 31st
TOP per drive 28th
yards per drive 30th
points per drive 32nd

And the opponent's average starting field position ranks 30th (3rd best for the defense).

Here's some numbers for you on the Pats...through 6 games (rather than 5)

The Patriots have been worst in the NFL in total yardage allowed (2,644), yards per play allowed (6.6), first downs allowed (146), passing yardage allowed (1,949, nearly 200 worse than the 31st-ranked Colts team), and adjusted yards per attempt allowed (8.9). They are 30th of 32 in points allowed per game (26.5), and that’s with the help of a few timely turnovers. New England is among the worst teams in the league in sack percentage (24th), opposing completion percentage (27th), and opposing third-down conversion percentage (26th).​

So simple question: Are the Pats doomed? Will they be the worst in total yardage at the end of the season?

 

[T-RO]

Your point was that "the margin separating success and failure in the NFL is often razor thin."

It is razor thin. Sometimes that shows up in close games decided by whomever has the ball last. Sometimes its tipped balls, penalties, etc. Sometimes that's stopping an 80 yard drive before it ever gets rolling by having a linebacker make a play.

With Lee and truly Healthy Hitchens we'd have won the Rams and Packers games.

 

[percyhoward]

Are the Pats doomed? Will they be the worst in total yardage at the end of the season?

They're not the same team as last year's version either. And it's not luck, it's poor defense.

 

[percyhoward]

It is razor thin. Sometimes that shows up in close games decided by whomever has the ball last. Sometimes its tipped balls, penalties, etc. Sometimes that's stopping an 80 yard drive before it ever gets rolling by having a linebacker make a play.

80+ yard drives allowed
2016 Cowboys 6
2017 Cowboys 5

That's not a razor-thin difference.

 

[T-RO]

They're not the same team as last year's version either. And it's not luck, it's poor defense.

I'm fed up with people referencing luck 10 times in this thread. What a total straw man. People are compelled to contrive straw men when they've got nothing else to offer.

-Lee is on the field or he isn't. He's our only all-pro on D and QB of our defense.
-Hitch is on the field or he isn't. Some said he was the best player in camp.
-Awuzie is on the field or he isn't. He's our second round pick and a player.
-Irving is on the field or he isn't. He can be an impact monster.

 

[Iago33]

I'm fed up with people referencing luck 10 times in this thread. What a total straw man. People are compelled to contrive straw men when they've got nothing else to offer.

-Lee is on the field or he isn't. He's our only all-pro on D and QB of our defense.
-Hitch is on the field or he isn't. Some said he was the best player in camp.
-Awuzie is on the field or he isn't. He's our second round pick and a player.
-Irving is on the field or he isn't. He can be an impact monster.

You're resorting to "what ifs" and Percy is presenting "what is."

 

[T-RO]

80+ yard drives allowed
2016 Cowboys 6
2017 Cowboys 5

That's not a razor-thin difference.

Good gawd you are better than this--or I sincerely hope so. It takes ONE PLAY to stop a third down conversion. One play.

If teams can target Jaylon again and again in the run and pass game...how easy is it?

You're resorting to "what ifs" and Percy is presenting "what is."

Totally Wrong. Percy is using stats of what was in the past--over the past five games. That's past. Lee and Hitch is back. Xavier will be playing more. Irving is back...and Jaylon will largely be on the bench.

While some are lost sorting out the train wreck of the past...choosing to live in hopeless gloom...I'm talking current reality.

 

[khiladi]

A whole lot. We're actually worse in TD allowed than FG allowed.

NFL rank -- Dallas defense
% of drives ending in TD 29th
% of drives ending in FG 27th
% of drives ending in punts 27th
% of drives ending in takeaway 31st
TOP per drive 28th
yards per drive 30th
points per drive 32nd

And the opponent's average starting field position ranks 30th (3rd best for the defense).

What does this have to do with the last two games?

 

[percyhoward]

What does this have to do with the last two games?

You don't seriously think the defense improved the last two games.

season rank (weeks 4-6)
% of drives ending in TD 29th (32nd)
% of drives ending in FG 27th (32nd)
% of drives ending in punts 27th (32nd)
% of drives ending in takeaway 31st (32nd)
TOP per drive 28th (27th)
yards per drive 30th (32nd)
points per drive 32nd (32nd)

 

[khiladi]

You don't seriously think the defense improved the last two games.

season rank (weeks 4-6)
% of drives ending in TD 29th (32nd)
% of drives ending in FG 27th (32nd)
% of drives ending in punts 27th (32nd)
% of drives ending in takeaway 31st (32nd)
TOP per drive 28th (27th)
yards per drive 30th (32nd)
points per drive 32nd (32nd)

What does that have to do with the teams we played against?

If they didn’t score on an INT return for a TD, would we have won? GBs defense also gave up a lot of points, did they not?

 

[gmoney112]

Youth is the difference.

Bunch of wet behind the ears guys that are getting a trial by fire.

I fully expect the defense to be better toward the end stretch of the season, I just hope we can improve enough starting against the Niners to make sure we're still in it by that time.

 

[percyhoward]

What does that have to do with the teams we played against?

You mean, other than the fact that our defensive stats come straight from those games?

If they didn’t score on an INT return for a TD, would we have won?

Thanks to the 31 points by our offense we probably would have won. Then again, if we'd punted on that drive, who knows what the Packers would have done with the extra possession?

GBs defense also gave up a lot of points, did they not?

In fact, the last three defenses that played us gave up a lot of points.

 

[khiladi]

You mean, other than the fact that our defensive stats come straight from those games?


Thanks to the 31 points by our offense we probably would have won. Then again, if we'd punted on that drive, who knows what the Packers would have done with the extra possession?


In fact, the last three defenses that played us gave up a lot of points.

Stats in respect to whom we played, not the league average...

We also played crappy defenses and we couldn’t score more than the other team, part of the reason being our offense gifted an opposing defense 7 points... you see how that works?

is the fact offense has 7 TOs because we are playing much better defenses or our offense is making stupid mistakes?