Josh Brent

[baj1dallas]

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.

Not every guy who can't play, lacks desire. It's just not that easy to find a guy strong enough to hold up for long drives on the defensive line.

 

[supercowboy8]

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.....

Your right Dallas doesn't because Jerry loves Ratliff. Jerry falls in love with players and keeps them to long. If he gives Ratliff an extension and keeps him at NT, he will regret that move.

Ratliff had zero, count them, zero tackles for a loss last year.

Look at the dominating great 3-4 defenses NTs. They all have big power ful strong NTs that has the power to bull thourgh a double team, to get off blocks, and clog up a line.

Green Bay, Pitt, San Diego, New England, even Buffalo, Clevland(last year under Ryan), Miami, Baltimore, and NYJ all have big strong NTs.

 

[YosemiteSam]

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

Cowboys gave up 4.4 YPC last year. They were tied with four others for 23rd in rushing defense last season.

 

[supercowboy8]

Not every guy who can't play, lacks desire. It's just not that easy to find a guy strong enough to hold up for long drives on the defensive line.

but its not, out of all the 3-4 defense's with good big NTs, only three were 1st round draft picks(GB,NE, and Pitt)

 

[perrykemp]

The truth of the matter is that 3-4 NTs that worth a darn are one of the rarest commodities in the NFL.

Most guys in the 330 LB+ range are slugs.

That's why at age 40 or whatever Pat Williams, at age 39, is still valuable.

It's not a glamor position. Spending your entire career being double-teamed takes a special type of player/personality.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Not every guy who can't play, lacks desire.

:signmast:

I wish more people would get this. For some reason, every time a player disappoints, he has to be lazy, or unmotivated, or "needs a fire lit under him", or needs someone to "get in his face".

Geez, sometimes players' games are just flawed in some way. It doesn't have to be an indictment on their character.

In Brent's case, he still has a lot of promise -- he showed that last year. Ratliff has talked about how much natural strength he has, and reportedly even other OLmen have talked about how hard he is to move. He just needs more development and more time with Woicik.

And even if he's only a nice backup NT, that's still a great use of a seventh round pick.

 

[perrykemp]

but its not, out of all the 3-4 defense's with good big NTs, only three were 1st round draft picks(GB,NE, and Pitt)

Wow. I didn't realize that.

Doesn't seem like a coincidence does it that those teams all invested a 1st round pick in a 3-4 NT.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Wow. I didn't realize that.

Doesn't seem like a coincidence does it that those teams all invested a 1st round pick in a 3-4 NT.

...and those are top 5 NTs in the league too. (arguably the top 3)

 

[AsthmaField]

For what it's worth, here is what Rafael Vela said about Brent last night.

Josh Brent -- A rock in the middle of the Cowboys line. He's held up against double teams.

http://www.cowboyszone.com/2011/09/snap-analysis-halftime-dolphins-7.html


I didn't see the game, but Vela does know his football and is one of the few guys that I typically trust what he sees.

Maybe he missed something, but he seemed to like what Brent did against the Phins.

 

[JBond]

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

So we can not stop the run or pass? Man, this is going to be a long season unless we set a franchise record for points scored on offense.

So what is your prediction for sacks and pressures by the irreplaceable Ratliff? Will it make up for the number of times when are crushed at the line allowing teams to run over us any time they like?

Maybe the players have not stopped anyone running in an effort to fool the rest of the league. You are probably right. Teams running over us again and again will have no bearing on the season. I had concerns that were justified last year and I am afraid my concerns will be justified again this year.

Just like every die hard fan I want a championship as bad as anyone. I believe the inability to stop the run will be a major hindrance.

 

[YosemiteSam]

For what it's worth, here is what Rafael Vela said about Brent last night.



http://www.cowboyszone.com/2011/09/snap-analysis-halftime-dolphins-7.html


I didn't see the game, but Vela does know his football and is one of the few guys that I typically trust what he sees.

Maybe he missed something, but he seemed to like what Brent did against the Phins.

Hmm. I definitely saw him get pushed around on several occasions last night and he was pancaked at least once. (by Joe Berger no less)

 

[JerryFan]

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.

I like Josh Brent a lot and have followed him since he was playing high school in Bloomington,IL. The knock on Brent has always been he plays when he wants to. Physical talent and gifts isn't what has held him back.

 

[perrykemp]

...and those are top 5 NTs in the league too. (arguably the top 3)

Agreed.

Note: The Packers have moved Raji to DE in the preseason this year (flipped positions with 350lb Ryan Pickett) so depending on how that goes for them you won't be able to call Raji a NT anymore.

 

[AsthmaField]

Hmm. I definitely saw him get pushed around on several occasions last night and he was pancaked at least once. (by Joe Berger no less)

I don't know... Maybe he did get pushed a few times, but on other plays he held up well against some double teams?

I wish I could have seen it.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Agreed.

Note: The Packers have moved Raji to DE in the preseason this year (flipped positions with 350lb Ryan Pickett) so depending on how that goes for them you won't be able to call Raji a NT anymore.

At 340lbs, I will just call him a NT playing DE just as we call Ratliff a DE playing NT. :laugh2:

 

[YosemiteSam]

I don't know... Maybe he did get pushed a few times, but on other plays he held up well against some double teams?

I wish I could have seen it.

I didn't watch him the entire game, but early on he was getting pushed around. I know the rushing defense stiffened later in the game. I just noticed it early when we were getting gashed. (hard not to notice when they are running at will on you)

 

[supercowboy8]

Agreed.

Note: The Packers have moved Raji to DE in the preseason this year (flipped positions with 350lb Ryan Pickett) so depending on how that goes for them you won't be able to call Raji a NT anymore.

I'm just going off last year, where he played NT and won the superbowl.

 

[supercowboy8]

I didn't watch him the entire game, but early on he was getting pushed around. I know the rushing defense stiffened later in the game. I just noticed it early when we were getting gashed.

yeah our run defense got alot better when the 3rd string Mimai OL got in.

 

[AsthmaField]

yeah our run defense got alot better when the 3rd string Mimai OL got in.

Early in the game Colombo must have made their OL unstoppable.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Green Bay, Pitt, San Diego, New England, even Buffalo, Clevland(last year under Ryan), Miami, Baltimore, and NYJ all have big strong NTs.

Those "dominating" defense had more to do with their pass defense than their run defense. Which is the reason Dallas defense went from 2nd in the NFL in 2010 (with Rat playing nose) to crap last year, because the pass defense fell apart.