Josh Brent

[supercowboy8]

Is it just me or did everyone else see Brent getting pushed around. I saw one play where he was pancaked one on one. I thought it was Igor at first until he got up.
I know it was game 4 of the preseason but he was playing against backups too. He looked awful, tis defense needs a true 3-4 NT.
I know Jerry is going to give Ratliff a new contract which I'm not to fond of unless Ratliff moves to DE.
Without Spears this defense cannot stop the run. Ratliff, Brent, Hatcher, Igor, and Coleman doesn't give any help in the run game.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Brent might be one of those guys that plays when he wants to and the rest of the time he's just out there coasting. I don't think he has the fire in the belly and will never be the player everyone thinks he could be.

I think Lissemore might replace Brent as the primary backup at NT if he (Lissemore) can stay healthy.

 

[Jenky]

Here's to getting the 48 year old Pat Williams!

 

[diehard2294]

He struggled last night.. Berger pancaked him the first play of the game

 

[YosemiteSam]

heh I noted the same thing in my thoughts on the game. He hasn't looked good.

I say we sign this guy to be our backup NT.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Is it just me or did everyone else see Brent getting pushed around. I saw one play where he was pancaked one on one. I thought it was Igor at first until he got up.
I know it was game 4 of the preseason but he was playing against backups too. He looked awful, tis defense needs a true 3-4 NT.
I know Jerry is going to give Ratliff a new contract which I'm not to fond of unless Ratliff moves to DE.
Without Spears this defense cannot stop the run. Ratliff, Brent, Hatcher, Igor, and Coleman doesn't give any help in the run game.

You are correct in your assesment, Brent got pushed around like he was a rag doll out there.

Maybe if this was happenning in the 4th Quarter I could give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe he was gassed, but he got pancaked on the freaking first play of the game!!!!!

 

[Picksix]

He was getting owned early on, but I thought he did a much better job of holding up at the point of attack as the game went on.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Never ceases to amaze me post after post during draft time of people saying that DEs in the 3-4 aren't worth taking in the first round because they don't make any impact on the game, and then these same people want to move our only impact proven defensive linemen to 3-4 DE. Ratliff is our NT. Deal with it. Move on.

As for Josh Brent, CL was right when he said it's a young project player player like that who gets hurt most when there's no organized offseason, and they don't get a chance to work with Woicik in an strength program or participate in minicamps/OTAs to build upon where they left off last year. AOA is also in that boat. Anyone who said 4 or 5 months ago that mini-camps and offseason team workouts are no big deal were wrong.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Never ceases to amaze me post after post during draft time of people saying that DEs in the 3-4 aren't worth taking in the first round because they don't make any impact on the game, and then these same people want to move our only impact proven defensive linemen to 3-4 DE.

Ratliff is our NT. Deal with it. Move on.

It's called being less likely to be double teamed when you're not a NT.

If we had a huge unmovable NT, believe me. Ratliff WOULD be playing DE for the Cowboys. He is playing NT because he is the best NT on the roster.

 

[canters]

When Joe Berger knocks you on your rear, you might be in trouble.

 

[InmanRoshi]

If we had a huge unmovable NT, believe me. Ratliff WOULD be playing DE for the Cowboys. He is playing NT because he is the best NT on the roster.

And yet the Cowboys put absolutely zero effort in bringing a NT in, both under Wade Phillips and now under Rob Ryan. The only time they've even remotely addressed NT in the last 3 years was taking a 6th rounder flier on a project in the Supplemental Draft.

Hmm.....

 

[YosemiteSam]

When Joe Berger knocks you on your rear, you might be in trouble.

As long as you're not a redneck. :laugh2:

 

[YosemiteSam]

And yet the Cowboys put absolutely zero effort in bringing a NT in, both under Wade Phillips and now under Rob Ryan.

Hmm.....

Zero effort? Dominate 325+ lbs NT don't grow on trees. Wade Phillips has drafted his share of them. I'm more than sure they would have loved to of drafted one.

 

[JBond]

Never ceases to amaze me post after post during draft time of people saying that DEs in the 3-4 aren't worth taking in the first round because they don't make any impact on the game, and then these same people want to move our only impact proven defensive linemen to 3-4 DE. Ratliff is our NT. Deal with it. Move on.

As for Josh Brent, CL was right when he said it's a young project player player like that who gets hurt most when there's no organized offseason, and they don't get a chance to work with Woicik in an strength program or participate in minicamps/OTAs to build upon where they left off last year. AOA is also in that boat. Anyone who said 4 or 5 months ago that mini-camps and offseason team workouts are no big deal were wrong.

I get what you are saying, but teams have learned how to compensate for Rats speed and strength. I have a feeling he will be doubled time and again this year and I am not confidant our inside LBers can get there to make the plays needed to stop the running game. Unfortunately we have not addressed the Dline as we should have and have a bunch of JAGS to replace him if we do move him to end where he won't be beat down every play.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Zero effort? Dominate 325+ lbs NT don't grow on trees. Wade Phillips has drafted his share of them. I'm more than sure they would have loved to of drafted one.

Neither do offensive tackles, yet we managed to address that in the offseason. And safety. And defensive end.

They've invested more resources into finding place kickers over the last 3-4 than they have finding a replacement for Ratliff at NT. Much more.

 

[JBond]

Neither do offensive tackles, yet we managed to address that in the offseason. And safety. And defensive end.

They've invested more resources into finding place kickers over the last 3-4 than they have finding a replacement for Ratliff at NT. Much more.

and the inability of the team to address the issue shows every time teams run over us up the middle.

 

[InmanRoshi]

and the inability of the team to address the issue shows every time teams run over us up the middle.

Interior run defense was the only thing Dallas defense was remotely decent at last year.

Cowboys have far, far, far bigger issues to address on defense than runs up the middle. Mostly horrendous secondary play, highly questionable corners, and the fact that we can't get anyone on our DL not name Ratliff who can even remotely sniff a QB. I assure you, whatever transpires this season it will have very little, pro or con, to do with Dallas' interior DL run defense.

 

[supercowboy8]

Never ceases to amaze me post after post during draft time of people saying that DEs in the 3-4 aren't worth taking in the first round because they don't make any impact on the game, and then these same people want to move our only impact proven defensive linemen to 3-4 DE. Ratliff is our NT. Deal with it. Move on.

As for Josh Brent, CL was right when he said it's a young project player player like that who gets hurt most when there's no organized offseason, and they don't get a chance to work with Woicik in an strength program or participate in minicamps/OTAs to build upon where they left off last year. AOA is also in that boat. Anyone who said 4 or 5 months ago that mini-camps and offseason team workouts are no big deal were wrong.

I was never a one that said 3-4 DE wasn't worth a 1st round pick. I didn't think last years draft had a 3-4 DL worth the #9 pick but I would have been happy with a late 1st round 3-4 DL.

If a B.J. Raji type player was in that draft last year then I would have been all about drafting him as we need someone like a Raji to be our NT. Ratliff isn't a Ryan 3-4 NT, never will be and Brent sucks.

This defense will only be great when they have a true NT and playmaker in the secondary, until then they will continue to get killed in the run game and by the deep pass.

I don't have to deal with the fact that Ratliff is the NT, even if he is I can still sit here and say its the wrong move and say he should be playing where he belongs. Until I'm proved otherwise I will continue to say it. Until this defense live can stop the running game and Ratliff and hold up double teams and get in the back field I will continue to say it.

 

[Ken]

I don't agree with the assessment that Brent played poorly.

1 pancake does not a game make.

I thought he was all over the field and played pretty well. His 3 tackles were too low in my opinion. He was at the bottom of a lot of tackles.

He has also played very well this preseason. I like him a lot and think he is going to get a bunch of time this year.

 

[TheCount]

Next years draft will see a heavy emphasis placed on defense, I think we'll draft a NT and at least one DE to go with CB and S.