Maybe Nolan isnt the problem

[Manwiththeplan]

check out 2005 Niners and 2013-2014 Falcons.

Nolan wrecked both defenses.

we are next.

As someone who is not a fan of Nolan, I think it's only fair to point out he literally can't wreck a wrecked defense

 

[fivetwos]

Yea this is nonsense. Jerry loved Parcells, and vice versa.

McCarthy benched two starters in the first quarter of the Cleveland game.

Jerry RESPECTED Parcells. He hated working with him. Just as soon as the ship was righted it was...."ok thanks...I got it from here"

 

[Future]

Jerry RESPECTED Parcells. He hated working with him. Just as soon as the ship was righted it was...."ok thanks...I got it from here"

This is based on absolutely nothing.

 

[Plankton]

This is based on absolutely nothing.

https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Cowboys-owner-Jerry-Jones-quotebox-7578724.php

On the expected atmosphere change at team headquarters in going from the intense Parcells to the cheery Phillips:


"There's probably going to be less walking around on eggshells here."

 

[Future]

https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Cowboys-owner-Jerry-Jones-quotebox-7578724.php

On the expected atmosphere change at team headquarters in going from the intense Parcells to the cheery Phillips:


"There's probably going to be less walking around on eggshells here."

This means absolutely nothing.

 

[Plankton]

This means absolutely nothing.

Right. Because you would use the phrase "...walking around on eggshells" with someone that you enjoyed working with. I mean, that's how most people talk, right?

 

[TheCoolFan]

Bart Scott is right. It's the players...they are soft and entitled, thinking that a magical DC is going to come in and save them.

The last time we had a great defense was under Mike Zimmer 15 years ago. Since then, we've constantly rebuilt, gone from a 3-4 to 4-3, and had Brian Stewart, Wade Phillips, Paul Pasqualoni, Rob Ryan, Monte Kiffin, Rod Marinelli, and now Mike Nolan at DC. At some point, you would think ANY of those DCs would be a hit but nope. So fine, if they want to fire Nolan then go ahead but I have zero confidence that anyone else can come in and turn this into a great defense, just based on history. At the end of the day, you just have to realize that there is a disconnect between the HC/DC and the front office with the players they give them.

McClay and Stephen are good at drafting when it comes to finding guys who can play in the NFL vs. being a bust. But all of those defensive players only seem to be good enough to produce individually for their own stats and payday instead of being able to contribute to the defense as a whole. It's like a basketball team full of scorers who all need the ball in their hand because all they can do is score. However, they can't pass or play defense and therefore, are a bad basketball team because there is only 1 ball.

 

[Sydla]

Sounds like a player issue to me


Worley not knowing hes in cover-3 and not covering the deep 3rd is on him not the coach.


Imagine an NFL Vet, not knowing how to play cover 3

It could be a player issue but when it's a holdover criticism from another team and you have some former players speaking out about it, then I tend to think the DC is a much bigger problem than you want to believe. For example, in the Seattle game on that one Lockett short TD, half the secondary was playing man, the other half was playing zone. On twitter, someone pointed out that part of the confusion there was because Nolan demands so many reads by the time the ball is snapped, you can often see guys confused because one guy reads one thing and another guy reads another.

And then the very next week, you saw the same thing again where half the D was playing man and half were playing zone and they gave up another big play.

Sure, you can find examples of players screwing up. Worley is a prime example. But Nolan is a bigger problem than you seemingly want to admit. And it's kind of weird, why have such loyalty to a guy that has a mixed track record as a DC?

 

[fivetwos]

This is based on absolutely nothing.

And your comment was based on pure fact.

Got it.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Bart Scott said he knows what hes doing and thats after basically saying he doesnt really care for him. And then he said everytime they played dallas they knew we were soft

Basically said the players are too dumb and soft.

he is part of the problem.... he had similar defense in SF and hasn't built a good defense in last 15 years of his career.

he has two 4-3 DEs and is forcing them to rush standing up as a 3-4 OLB.....that's trying to fit a square peg in a round hole

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Bart Scott said he knows what hes doing and thats after basically saying he doesnt really care for him. And then he said everytime they played dallas they knew we were soft

Basically said the players are too dumb and soft.

Jerry-soft.....oulala....

 

[WillieBeamen]

It could be a player issue but when it's a holdover criticism from another team and you have some former players speaking out about it, then I tend to think the DC is a much bigger problem than you want to believe. For example, in the Seattle game on that one Lockett short TD, half the secondary was playing man, the other half was playing zone. On twitter, someone pointed out that part of the confusion there was because Nolan demands so many reads by the time the ball is snapped, you can often see guys confused because one guy reads one thing and another guy reads another.

And then the very next week, you saw the same thing again where half the D was playing man and half were playing zone and they gave up another big play.

Sure, you can find examples of players screwing up. Worley is a prime example. But Nolan is a bigger problem than you seemingly want to admit. And it's kind of weird, why have such loyalty to a guy that has a mixed track record as a DC?

I dont have any loyalty to Nolan.


Im just saying, the players on this team suck. We complain about the same players game after game, year after year.

Jaylon has been a problem
Tank has basically mailed it in after getting paid
LVE stays hurt
Lewis barely saw the field under the last regime, and now we see why
Heath is an upgrade to the bums we are trotting out there now
Poe was on one of the worst run defenses last season


Which player on defense can you confidently say they do their job week in/week out? Which player do you have confidence that they are going to consistently win their matchups?

Any defense that is soft up the middle would be a massive problem for just about ANY coach

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Jerry is writing the book on how not to run a football team.

 

[Future]

Right. Because you would use the phrase "...walking around on eggshells" with someone that you enjoyed working with. I mean, that's how most people talk, right?

He said there's going to be LESS of it, did you read the quote?

Even still, it doesn't mean anything lol

 

[Future]

And your comment was based on pure fact.

Got it.

Jerry flat out said he loves him lol.

https://www.espn.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=5095935

 

[Hennessy_King]

You should go ahead and research things before you say them.

Nolan's 2014 Falcons defense was 27th in points against and 32nd and dead last in yards against.

The very season after they fired him, the defense rose up to 14th in points against and 16th in yards.

2014 Defense
LDE Malliciah Goodman
LDT Paul Soliai
RDT Tyson Jackson
RDE Jonathan Babineaux
LLB Paul Worrilow
MLB Joplo Bartu
RLB Kroy Biermann
LCB Robert Alford
RCB Desmond Trufant
SS Kemal Ishmael
FS Dwight Lowery

2015 Defense
LDE Vic Beasley
NT Ra'Shede Hageman
RDE Paul Soliai
LOLB Tyson Jackson
LILB Paul Worrilow
RILB Justin Durant
ROLB O'Brien Schofield
LCB Robert Alford
RCB Desmond Trufant*
SS Ricardo Allen
FS William Moore

Literally 6 starters were replaced from 14-15.

Offense also gave up 5 ints returns for tds in 2014. Go by DVOA its more accurate than points and total yards

 

[Hennessy_King]

I'm not here to defend Mike Nolan or anybody else.

MY point is that this team has been soft as wet tissue paper since long before Nolan arrived. And THAT problem is far beyond Nolan's ability to fix. Not that he could do it anyway. That's the point Scott was making. And I agree with it.

Exactly the team was 19-20th in dvoa last year. Do they actually think they were good?

 

[Hennessy_King]

They ranked 8th, 7th, and 9th over the previous three years. That ain't "soft". Bart Scott is a clueless hack who has hated the Cowboys for years. Now he takes the opportunity to jump on the bandwagon, despite not having any actual support for what he says. You go ahead and listen to him if you want, but I know who and what he truly is.

Here was the 2011 defense before nolan got there. Way better than what he was left with in 2014 who had 6 starters replaced the following year. Use analytics and drive stats and you will see they weren't even close to top 10 in anything. Dak was the deodorant for this trash defense.

Defensive Starters
LDE Ray Edwards
LDT Jonathan Babineaux
RDT Corey Peters
RDE John Abraham
LLB Sean Weatherspoon
MLB Curtis Lofton
RLB Stephen Nicholas
LCB Brent Grimes
RCB Dunta Robinson
SS William Moore
FS Thomas DeCoud

 

[jrumann59]

Is it the scheme, is it the players. I know past glory does indicate present glory. The thing that leads me to believe its scheme and what the players are asked to do is yes Old Man Rod's system maybe an antique but very rarely did you see the DL utterly destroyed, i mean all the DL look like they are on rollerskates and being pushed back into the LBs. With Rods system was feat or famine if the play alled for shooting a gap and the busted a play there it looked bad. The system, hardly anyone wins or stalemates their guy. Either they are being taught the wrong keys, the wrong techniques or something. it is utterly impossible for the whole defense to look this bad no matter who is in there.

 

[conner01]

It’s players and coaches. You can’t suck this bad without it being both.

I agree
Nolan to me got too complicated for the situation of the off season
Then injuries caused issues
A players making mistakes and lacking effort
There are usually more than one issue when a team plays bad