Ken Hamlin an upgrade? I say yes... decide for yourself...

[ThreeSportStar80]

Hamlin has certainly helped but he looked like crap against Brady and the Pats... and he blew several tackles in the Giant game.

I wouldn't want to resign him for a big contract based on what he's shown so far.

I agree...

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Hamlin's been the weakest link on the defense this year.

He's missing tackles left and right and taking terrible angles. Watch the Peterson TD from Sunday. Most comment about Ware getting handled on the play but the only reason that play was a TD and not a couple yard gain was Hamlin. Watch the angle he took on that play. A competent safety at least gets a hand on the ball carrier, while a quality safety makes a tackle. Hamlin does neither.

Watkins has played much better this year than last and I wouldn't be surprised to see him take Hamlin's spot before the season's over.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Hamlin's been the weakest link on the defense this year.

Nate Jones has to hold that honor.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Ken Hamlin is a Dynamic player for Dallas and the key to the whole defense because his play has a huge impact on how the team performs overall. Hamlin played poorly against the Giants and the Pats with the result that Dallas beat one opponent but not the other. When Hamlin has played above-par Dallas is undefeated. So in essence, Dallas is a 500 team when Hamlin has a bad day and a 1000 team when he has a good day. If he plays bad, Dallas chances of losing greatly increase. In correlation with that, Dallas has not had both of its starting CBs healthy when it has faced NY and NE. Combine that with Hamlin's poor play and you see why the defense has struggled against these teams.

Everyone has noted how the whole Dallas Defense has played poorly against the two best QBs it has faced (Maning of NY, and Brady of NE). I think this viewpoint is too simplistic and lacks real analysis. That’s because it concludes that Dallas' defense is not good enough as a whole when facing good QBs, but it ignores the fact that the defense has been likewise undermanned in these situations at CB. What I see is that Dallas' defense has struggled against two teams that have above-par WRs. Yes, their QBs are better, but also are their WRs. And these teams gave Dallas' defense fits without both of Dallas' starting CBs on the filed.

So Hamlin is catching pressure on both sides in these types of ganmes. When Dallas' secondary is undermanned and the opposing passing-offense is above-par this puts too much stress on Hamlin to man the whole secondary (because Roy Williams sure won’t do it), and Hamlin breaks in these situations. But that doesn’t make him a bad FS. In fact he is above-average, just not a pro-bowler (but still much better than anything we’ve had).

In the end, I can't fault Hamlin for his struggles against above-par passing offenses because the defense has been undermanned against other not-so-good passing offenses, and in those cases Hamlin seems to be able to make up for Dallas' deficiency in the secondary. So in the end, while he is not playing at a pro-bowl level, he does give the defense the best option at FS, and I truly believe, based on what he has shown on the filed, that if he ever has a chance to face above-par passing offenses with a healthy Dallas secondary by his side, he will not have the breakdowns he has had, he will instead play up to his par, and the Dallas defense will start shutting down these so called above-par passing offenses and their “great” QBs.

**

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Ken Hamlin is a Dynamic player for Dallas and the key to the whole defense because his play has a huge impact on how the team performs overall. Hamlin played poorly against the Giants and the Pats with the result that Dallas beat one opponent but not the other. When Hamlin has played above-par Dallas is undefeated. So in essence, Dallas is a 500 team when Hamlin has a bad day and a 1000 team when he has a good day. If he plays bad, Dallas chances of losing greatly increase. In correlation with that, Dallas has not had both of its starting CBs healthy when it has faced NY and NE. Combine that with Hamlin's poor play and you see why the defense has struggled against these teams.

Everyone has noted how the whole Dallas Defense has played poorly against the two best QBs it has faced (Maning of NY, and Brady of NE). I think this viewpoint is too simplistic and lacks real analysis. That’s because it concludes that Dallas' defense is not good enough as a whole when facing good QBs, but it ignores the fact that the defense has been likewise undermanned in these situations at CB. What I see is that Dallas' defense has struggled against two teams that have above-par WRs. Yes, their QBs are better, but also are their WRs. And these teams gave Dallas' defense fits without both of Dallas' starting CBs on the filed.

So Hamlin is catching pressure on both sides in these types of ganmes. When Dallas' secondary is undermanned and the opposing passing-offense is above-par this puts too much stress on Hamlin to man the whole secondary (because Roy Williams sure won’t do it), and Hamlin breaks in these situations. But that doesn’t make him a bad FS. In fact he is above-average, just not a pro-bowler (but still much better than anything we’ve had).

In the end, I can't fault Hamlin for his struggles against above-par passing offenses because the defense has been undermanned against other not-so-good passing offenses, and in those cases Hamlin seems to be able to make up for Dallas' deficiency in the secondary. So in the end, while he is not playing at a pro-bowl level, he does give the defense the best option at FS, and I truly believe, based on what he has shown on the filed, that if he ever has a chance to face above-par passing offenses with a healthy Dallas secondary by his side, he will not have the breakdowns he has had, he will instead play up to his par, and the Dallas defense will start shutting down these so called above-par passing offenses and their “great” QBs.

**

You've made several good points.

However in the New England game Hamlin cost us by "biting" too hard on play action-- If Hamlin was "breaking" due to an undermanned secondary then he showed it in a funny way by overcompensating vs the run.

 

[texbumthelife]

I think we would all like to have an allstar secondary, and that's not going to happen. Hamlin can play SS or FS, I like how they are using Watkins, Hamlin has been a huge upgrade so far, he's not dominant, but we need to choose where we want our dominance in the secondary to be.

QFT

I know everyone wants to have a ball-hawking game breaking secondary from every position, but with all the money we have tied up in the DL and LB's that isnt going to happen. If we can re-sign Hamlin after this season for 4 years without a crazy price tag I jump at the opportunity. We need to conitnue to invest the money in the front 7 for this defense.

 

[adamknite]

QFT

I know everyone wants to have a ball-hawking game breaking secondary from every position, but with all the money we have tied up in the DL and LB's that isnt going to happen. If we can re-sign Hamlin after this season for 4 years without a crazy price tag I jump at the opportunity. We need to conitnue to invest the money in the front 7 for this defense.

I don't know about that.... we have 4 1st rounders at Linebacker (Ware, Carpenter, Spencer, Ellis) a second rounder (Burnett) a FA pickup (Akin)
a First, third, and fourth rounder at DE(Spears, Hatcher, and Canty) and two big FA at DT (Tank*second rounder?* and Fergy*he could find himself replaced by tank*)

I just don't know how much more we could/should invest there. I agree with you on the other part though, if Watkins doesn't show that he could handle be our FS then resign Hamlin.

 

[smarta5150]

I am not sold on him being an upgrade.

As many pointed out, he looked absolutely lost against New England and has not been a sure tackler at any point this season.

Henry coming back will take some of that pressure off him but I am hoping Watkins can step up and be our man next season at FS.

 

[texbumthelife]

I don't know about that.... we have 4 1st rounders at Linebacker (Ware, Carpenter, Spencer, Ellis) a second rounder (Burnett) a FA pickup (Akin)
a First, third, and fourth rounder at DE(Spears, Hatcher, and Canty) and two big FA at DT (Tank*second rounder?* and Fergy*he could find himself replaced by tank*)

I just don't know how much more we could/should invest there. I agree with you on the other part though, if Watkins doesn't show that he could handle be our FS then resign Hamlin.

I wasnt saying we need to go spend a lot more money on the front seven. I was saying that for this defense to be effective, in Wade's scheme, thats where the money should be allocated to. He has never had talent better than what we have in the secondary but I will argue he has had better linebackers and linemen.

 

[texbumthelife]

As many pointed out, he looked absolutely lost against New England and has not been a sure tackler at any point this season.

What I dont get is how pretty much the entire secondary looks a little lost against New England but Hamlin seems to be the one singled out the most. I know there are resident experts here who get the plays called broadcast to them over FM radio so know when players blow coverages, But Hamlin certainly didnt surrender 48 points on his own. The entire secondary was LOST that entire game.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Hamlin has been a huge upgrade. He's been far better in coverage than either Davis or Watkins or Lynn Scott or Tony Dixon. He didn't play well in coverage in the New England game, but not all of that was his fault either. And remember, this is his first year in the defense as well. I definitely think Dallas should re-sign him next season unless he's asking for an unreasonable contract.




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