Most Improved Player - Defense

[glimmerman]

same to me but it was wierd McVay didnt use it vs the Saints, but he had the Cowboys all figured out.

We never adjusted. Instead of selling out to stop the run we just kept letting them do it. And stalled drives on Offense didn’t help us.

 

[CouchCoach]

That’s what shocked me about the rams game. What a let down. Guessing it was Marinelli scheme for that game. We decided to let them run the ball. I had read that teams that had the most success against the rams let them run and play the pass. What a mistake. We stuffed the run all year. And watching them run the ball down our throats killed me.

Nothing but nothing is more demoralizing than getting beat up the gut. And doing it with their backup was just the hot ***** on the ice cream.

I don't care who it is, Garrett, Marinelli and not sure Richard's culpability, but this coaching staff's ability to adjust to disaster is terrible. Happened in ATL the previous season and they had time to prepare. And it wasn't as if they didn't know the Rams were going to try and run the ball.

I am a lot more OK with getting beat by the pass because the run is the point of attack, that's just getting your butt beat and the OL taking your lunch money.

 

[glimmerman]

Nothing but nothing is more demoralizing than getting beat up the gut. And doing it with their backup was just the hot ***** on the ice cream.

I don't care who it is, Garrett, Marinelli and not sure Richard's culpability, but this coaching staff's ability to adjust to disaster is terrible. Happened in ATL the previous season and they had time to prepare. And it wasn't as if they didn't know the Rams were going to try and run the ball.

I am a lot more OK with getting beat by the pass because the run is the point of attack, that's just getting your butt beat and the OL taking your lunch money.

Goes longer than that which makes me know it’s coaching. 2016 in the playoffs against the packers. Totally outcoached. Ability to adjust in game.

 

[kskboys]

Nothing but nothing is more demoralizing than getting beat up the gut. And doing it with their backup was just the hot ***** on the ice cream.

I don't care who it is, Garrett, Marinelli and not sure Richard's culpability, but this coaching staff's ability to adjust to disaster is terrible. Happened in ATL the previous season and they had time to prepare. And it wasn't as if they didn't know the Rams were going to try and run the ball.

I am a lot more OK with getting beat by the pass because the run is the point of attack, that's just getting your butt beat and the OL taking your lunch money.

Which is why perennial contenders such as NE always have some hosses in the middle on both lines. You pressure Brady up the middle, and he folds like a wet sack.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

Absolutely. However, as w/ Hayden, we ignored his physical limitations. This isn't the first time we tried to make a physically limited player a starter just because he tried hard. Ahem...Alan Ball......

Goes to poor player evaluation.

See, this is what I'm trying to say about Heath.

It's not his fault he's on a roster that needs him to start. He should be a good #3 Safety and he's out of his depth as a full time starter. He's acceptable but a liability.

The fact of the matter is that every good team of the salary cap era has had a handful of Jeff Heaths, though maybe not at the Safety position. The problem is when they get forced into starting roles.

I'm holding out hope that Woods keeps developing and another safety or two is acquired this offseason so Heath doesn't need to start anymore but I'm a long way from saying he's an automatic cut.

 

[blumayne38]

Randy Gregory, all of his numbers will be up across-the-board. Sacks, pressures, forced fumbles, quarterback hits, and tackles for loss

Agree I expect a lot from him from the little we saw last year. I say his explosion off the LOS is comparable to D Ware. Maybe even better. At times.

 

[kskboys]

See, this is what I'm trying to say about Heath.

It's not his fault he's on a roster that needs him to start. He should be a good #3 Safety and he's out of his depth as a full time starter. He's acceptable but a liability.

The fact of the matter is that every good team of the salary cap era has had a handful of Jeff Heaths, though maybe not at the Safety position. The problem is when they get forced into starting roles.

I'm holding out hope that Woods keeps developing and another safety or two is acquired this offseason so Heath doesn't need to start anymore but I'm a long way from saying he's an automatic cut.

Absolutely 100% agree. I love Heath, and hope we keep him. Just not as a starter.

 

[Runwildboys]

Yes, it’s a big problem if he’s going to get top CB money. He provides nothing in turnovers. He can’t cover speed. I hope they keep him but I just hope they do t pay him as a top CB because he isn’t. Teams at the end of the yr started targeting him and they had high completion rates on him.

I don't remember any completions against him that didn't require a perfect, indefensible throw.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Why? Why would you be against hoping/thinking that a very raw player would break out in year three? That makes no sense.

Because it’s not happening with taco. Hear it every year.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Absolutely 100% agree. I love Heath, and hope we keep him. Just not as a starter.

He’s not acceptable though. That’s the whole point.

 

[lukin2006]

Which player on the defense do you think will make the most improvement this season?

What I like about this is, for a change, we have multiple choices with a standout DE, another one that could be emerging, two stout LBs and a PB CB. Not to mention Awuzie, Collins and Woods as possible's.

My candidate is Byron Jones. Second year under Richard, second year as the CB and I do not think we've seen how aggressive Richard wants to be and I think Lord Byron will enable him to do that more.

One thing I do not get about how he's regarded here. He had an outstanding year and got a lot more respect form opposing coaches than he seemed to get here. These cover corners are not easy to find and I think he's the best CB we've had since Sanders and believe he's going to get even better.

I am predicting that this is one time the "Freak of the Combine" comes through as a great player and I think we've just scratched the surface of his understanding of that position.

OK, who's your guy? And please just one guy, not everyone but poor Jeff Heath.

As I was reading the thread title, Jones was my choice, but Smith was much improved ... I thought J Lewis was showing signs of improvement and I have high hopes for him going forward.

 

[kskboys]

He’s not acceptable though. That’s the whole point.

He's much more than acceptable as a STer/backup. That was my point.

 

[kskboys]

Because it’s not happening with taco. Hear it every year.

You avoided the question!!!!!!!

 

[DasSchnitzel]

He’s not acceptable though. That’s the whole point.

I think we just have different definitions of "acceptable".

To me, the passing game before Cooper arrived was unacceptable.

Heath, an UDFA #3S/ST option, is forced to start on this defense because we're weak at the position. Even still, we had a top 10 defense and Heath wasn't a vital, back breaking weakness, even if he is a weak link comparatively on the starting defense.

All things considered I dont think his contribution was unacceptable. Dallas needs to acquire some talent to push him down the depth chart is all.

 

[kskboys]

I think we just have different definitions of "acceptable".

To me, the passing game before Cooper arrived was unacceptable.

Heath, an UDFA #3S/ST option, is forced to start on this defense because we're weak at the position. Even still, we had a top 10 defense and Heath wasn't a vital, back breaking weakness, even if he is a weak link comparatively on the starting defense.

All things considered I dont think his contribution was unacceptable. Dallas needs to acquire some talent to push him down the depth chart is all.

Heath is a great dude and awesome STer who puts forth effort above and beyond. It's our own fault that he was forced into a starting position. Poor player/position evaluation.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Heath is a great dude and awesome STer who puts forth effort above and beyond. It's our own fault that he was forced into a starting position. Poor player/position evaluation.

Yup. Kind of a third safety and special teamer promoted above his pay grade.

 

[kskboys]

Yup. Kind of a third safety and special teamer promoted above his pay grade.

As long as we don't overpay him, I'd love if we kept him around his entire career.

Poor Keith Davis, a Heath clone, thought he could go elsewhere and start, poor bastidge soon learned he wasn't good enough. Skillsets don't change just because you try hard.

 

[CowboyRoy]

He's much more than acceptable as a STer/backup. That was my point.

Yep, but not starting.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I think we just have different definitions of "acceptable".

To me, the passing game before Cooper arrived was unacceptable.

Heath, an UDFA #3S/ST option, is forced to start on this defense because we're weak at the position. Even still, we had a top 10 defense and Heath wasn't a vital, back breaking weakness, even if he is a weak link comparatively on the starting defense.

All things considered I dont think his contribution was unacceptable. Dallas needs to acquire some talent to push him down the depth chart is all.

Worst player on d. Back breaking weakness as far as I am concerned.

 

[kskboys]

Yep, but not starting.

Absolutely not.