News: Miller: Cowboys LB Bruce Carter on Why He Struggled in 2013

[MichaelWinicki]

From Football Outsiders Basics: (this was written a while ago, obviously)

Thanks for posting that jimnabby... makes perfect sense.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

For some reason being able to make great jumps (or take great falls) seems to go hand & hand with defensive rankings.

New Orleans for instance went from arguably the worst defense in NFL history to like #4 (or whatever is was).

Every season defenses seem to bounce around like Ping-Pong balls. Offenses not quite as much mainly I think due to QB's guiding most of the action. And if you have a good QB who remains healthy, then you have a good chance of having an offense that is consistent from year to year.

Defenses aren't like that... There is no ONE GUY who is going to dictate the direction of the defense. The result being much more opportunity for being good one season and lousy the next or visa versa.

I think part of the saints jump was the year before they were in shambles. their coaches suspended. player suspended and it was a mess. they played below their talent level. last year they played much better. they were #9, in 2011.

our defense played about its talent level (given all the injuries), with that said, we lost a lot of players that were supposedly the best players on a bad defense. so I don't expect a top 10 finish. I think getting to 20's is realistic.

 

[Sarge]

Geez... one good question and then... nonsense.

Anyway the kid sounds bright.

Yeah, that was pretty annoying actually.

 

[5Stars]

Are we starting to see a pattern of guys playing soft to try to make it to that nest level of contracts? In the words of the great D. Sanders making a "business decision" ?

I don't think so. I think it was an overall "shock" of players having to move from the 3-4 to the 4-3 in one season. That has to be hard to do no matter what player you have. I think this year after some more teaching, that the players will know their responsibility's better...I hope.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think part of the saints jump was the year before they were in shambles. their coaches suspended. player suspended and it was a mess. they played below their talent level. last year they played much better. they were #9, in 2011.

our defense played about its talent level (given all the injuries), with that said, we lost a lot of players that were supposedly the best players on a bad defense. so I don't expect a top 10 finish. I think getting to 20's is realistic.

Even finishing in the low 20's would cut several hundred yards off their defensive total and probably drop their points against to under 400 for the season.

 

[CyberB0b]

I understand the burden is on the players, but I thought we were told as fans, that one of the reasons for the switch was the flexibity and the burden being lifted off of the players in terms of complexity, overthinking on the field, etc. Lee wasn't the same impact player as previous seasons as well. Is a 4-3 Cover 2 that hard to pick up or has that defense been exposed as a result of the more athletic TEs down the seam, and backs being incorporated underneath in the passing game, etc? Doesn't help that our CBs were asked to play zone with terrible/inexperienced S play?

Yup that is what we were sold. Sorry, but not everyone can be double covered. The job of a linebacker is to sometimes cover a RB or TE. Watching game tape, I saw a huge lack of effort and motor out of Carter.

 

[xwalker]

Good point. It is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. The defense should fit the players talents and the good coaches in the league knows that. It was a bad move considering the investment in the CBs and it will be a struggle for them to ever fit in a zone coverage system.

I'm not convinced that they're going to play mostly zone.

Pete Carrol is a branch off the Kiffin/Marinelli tree. Kiffin's statement last year about telling the players to study Seattle was a reference to the coverage schemes according to the usual cast of Cowboys insiders like Broaddus.

Most teams use a mix of man and zone. The decision last season on when to use man or zone was not just a question of the CBs, but of how it affected the Safeties and LBs.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm not convinced that they're going to play mostly zone.

Pete Carrol is a branch off the Kiffin/Marinelli tree. Kiffin's statement last year about telling the players to study Seattle was a reference to the coverage schemes according to the usual cast of Cowboys insiders like Broaddus.

Most teams use a mix of man and zone. The decision last season on when to use man or zone was not just a question of the CBs, but of how it affected the Safeties and LBs.

I agree with that. Zone may not be the predominant defense.

 

[Zordon]

These dudes always have excuses lined up. New scheme, new coaches, too simple, too complicated, sun got in my eyes, training camp in 2 locations, family issues, etc. Just tired of hearing it from these guys.

 

[Bullflop]

For someone who claims the year was useful for him in "getting used to" the OLB position, it didn't really appear to show noticeably. Be that as it may, it's likely he'll have some competition this year to spur him on.

 

[xwalker]

These dudes always have excuses lined up. New scheme, new coaches, too simple, too complicated, sun got in my eyes, training camp in 2 locations, family issues, etc. Just tired of hearing it from these guys.

I have some ear plugs. I can send you a pair.

 

[Beast_from_East]

These dudes always have excuses lined up. New scheme, new coaches, too simple, too complicated, sun got in my eyes, training camp in 2 locations, family issues, etc. Just tired of hearing it from these guys.

Yea, I get tired of excuses all around from both players and coaches.

 

[Zordon]

I have some ear plugs. I can send you a pair.

You actually fall for this stuff, X?

Scheme had nothing to do with his poor effort last year.

I'm sure we'll see a rejuvenated Carter in his contract year.

 

[Wood]

I though Carter main problem was lack of aggression which means he wasn't comfortable. Which is shocking because he looked so athletic year before that alot of us figured you could throw him any defense scheme and he would look good. He looked like a guy who didn't enjoy playing football last year. I wonder if there were some personal issues going on last year because what we saw didn't jive with what he did at NC and '12 for cowboys.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

You actually fall for this stuff, X?

Scheme had nothing to do with his poor effort last year.

I'm sure we'll see a rejuvenated Carter in his contract year.

Free rejuvenated after an off year.

Some guys need more than one season to learn a position.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't buy the "He has to learn how to take on blocks" thing.

I mean he played well in the middle during the '12 season and it wasn't like he wasn't seeing a lot of blockers there. He play over 600 snaps in 2012.

Our LB got no help from the DL and ate a whole lot of guards. Ware would rush upfield mindlessly leaving an open end and Hayden could be blocked by one guy. You at least want a NT that will get a combo and peel to give the mike time. We had two OL on the second level every running play.

 

[jnday]

Next, we'll probably draft Donald and then switch to a scheme that doesn't suit him.

That is what I am expecting.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Folks will bring up the fact that he played in a 4-3 in college (I believe), but the change from playing inside to 3-4 and now playing weakside in the 4-3 absolutely had to have an impact on his play. I'm sure it also didnt help to have a defensive coach who couldnt seem to adjust to prevent him from landing on an island 20 yards down field with a running back but maybe this year will be different.

Not to let Bruce completely off the hook, there were times last year this guy didnt seem to want any part of contact. Which is again very puzzling considering his play in 2012

I don't know why Eberflus and the defensive coaches gets a pass here either. Holloman did come along but the vets all sucked. Even Lee looked completely lost early in the year. This scheme was supposed to be simpler.

 

[CyberB0b]

Our LB got no help from the DL and ate a whole lot of guards. Ware would rush upfield mindlessly leaving an open end and Hayden could be blocked by one guy. You at least want a NT that will get a combo and peel to give the mike time. We had two OL on the second level every running play.

That is how the scheme is designed. Carter lost a lot of one on one blocks because of bad effort and technique, not scheme.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

That is how the scheme is designed. Carter lost a lot of one on one blocks because of bad effort and technique, not scheme.

Sorry but the Tampa 2 is designed to force a double by the nose tackle. The will is supposed to be able to run to the ball. Without that double team, it is easy to cut off backside pursuit. A cutoff is a lot easier to be effective with than attacking someone straight ahead too.

Tim Jernigan makes Carter a better player.