My Thoughts

[LatinMind]

The Cowboys are back. And its time to get on the train cause its going to be a fun ride. This OL is beating defenses up. It has completely destroyed two of the best defenses in the NFL in back to back weeks. Over and over every week fans and media come up with some kind of excuse not to give this team credit. This week that stops. The knocked the top dog down a notch and brought them down to their knees. Two weeks in a row Dallas has come back and won after being down late. Im probably rubbing this in thick but this team deserves it. This organization deserves it, and Jerry Jones deserves it. If people are going to blame Jerry for its failures, its time give the man credit for its success. Dallas hasnt won anything yet, but theyre on the right track. And this team isnt going anywhere because theyre young and theyre here.

Rankings
Dallas defense moved up 5 spots to 21 overall defense
Dallas defense moved up 3 spots to 7 overall in scoring defense
Dallas is the 3rd ranked offense
Dallas is the top rushing team in the NFL and 16th passing
Dallas is ranked 4th in scoring

This team needs to protect the ball alot better. They put the ball on the ground too much and its going to bite them sooner or later.

Nick Hayden has turned into a monster in the middle for this defense. This guy is blowing up run plays and collpasing the pocket on pass plays. who is this guy? And where was he last yr?

This defense has found an attitude. Seeing these players get in the faces of SEA players and Scandrick taunting that SEA sideline gave me alot of joy seeing.

Joseph Randle is showing a running game that wasnt there last yr. Or maybe this OL can make anybody look legit.

Rolando McClain needs to be resigned.
Bruce Carter needs to be resigned

Seems like Scandrick has made the secondary alot better since he came back. Carr is even picked up his game and is making plays on the ball now.

Love that Marinelli is starting to play to his players strengths and playing more Man instead of zone.

Mincey and Spencer were after Wilson all game long. Im looking forward to seeing spencer and lawrence on the field together.

This new lineup of Melton and Crawford on the field together as DTs is starting to pay off for the defense.

Dallas is going to destory the Giants this week.

 

[conner01]

they are sure looking good.i don't know that we can sign carter and mcclain with all the other guys we have to sign. i hope we can but hard to have 3 lb's making big money. i suspect we let carter walk but we shall see.

 

[LatinMind]

they are sure looking good.i don't know that we can sign carter and mcclain with all the other guys we have to sign. i hope we can but hard to have 3 lb's making big money. i suspect we let carter walk but we shall see.

Lee isnt making big monry unless he plays a certain percent of the total defensive snaps. I dont think carter or mcclain will break the bank. Theyre playing in a system thats built for them.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Lee isnt making big monry unless he plays a certain percent of the total defensive snaps. I dont think carter or mcclain will break the bank. Theyre playing in a system thats built for them.

Once again, you just have to say that was a great move by the organization. They recognized Lee's strengths and weaknesses and will pay him accordingly.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Dallas is going to destory the Giants this week.

All I needed to know.

 

[waving monkey]

thanks LM love your observations

 

[burmafrd]

not quite ready to believe in this D yet. Waiting until they run up against a top passer first. Wilson has shown that if you play containment on him and keep discipline, he is not the world beater some were claiming. Brady, Rivers, etc are what I am worried about. Brees was a good game for us but I want to see more before I really believe. This team has disapointed me too many times early in the season

 

[Moderately_Askew]

Good thing I was on the train before the season started

Nice write up, I am glad the defense is playing better. Before the season started all I asked for was average play from the defense this year.

 

[BigStar]

not quite ready to believe in this D yet. Waiting until they run up against a top passer first. Wilson has shown that if you play containment on him and keep discipline, he is not the world beater some were claiming. Brady, Rivers, etc are what I am worried about. Brees was a good game for us but I want to see more before I really believe. This team has disapointed me too many times early in the season

I hear your skepticism and why the creativity on behalf of Marinelli in compensating for a lack of true edge rushers has been such a great coaching job (on top of playing to strengths = more man cov) But the D does have 1 game on their resume with Bress but haven't faced another great QB beyond to test that aspect/elements your speaking of (cov gaffes/lack of pass rush). Lawrence coming back/ Crawford coming into his own and Melton/Spencer becoming healthy give me confidence the D isn't as barren as those years (Ware/Hatch included). I will say that I really hate that we still have two starting SSs on this D, and that is most likely going to show against the better Qbs you mentioned (eventually). But they took down Brees, so they've proven capable of answering to those caliber QBs. But the lapses still occur, but the overall D is playing more disciplined and tackling very well especially.

 

[RastaRocket]

I'm happy, but I am still waiting to play other types of teams. So far we've had San Francisco and Seattle, who are very similar teams. We need to play a team like Green Bay or Denver and see how they match up in that style of a game. I think we have a formula that can work against anybody, but there are still some barometers that need to be passed to see the big picture IMO. Definitely on the right track though.

edit: Almost forgot about New Orleans... that was definitely a good test.

I do think we could go into a cold environment like Green Bay or Chicago and be better suited to win in that weather than the home team.

 

[DC Cowboy]

just resign Murray, Dez, Carter, and McClain and continue to draft well

 

[BigD5]

not quite ready to believe in this D yet. Waiting until they run up against a top passer first

What more do you need to see? Brees is an all time great. Wilson was on a tear before yesterday. Austin Davis is better than people think. You'll see that tonight. And Kaperneck didn't really do much against us.

I don't care what anybody says. In the media or otherwise. This defense is not the same ol guys as last yr. And even some of the returning guys we do have still out there, you have to remember, were all very young. It's not like we had 7-10 yr veterans running around last season. We had rookies and 1st and 2nd yr guys out there. Last season means nothing. This defense is for real. 200 yds allowed vs the defending Super Bowl Champions at the stadium, the toughest in the NFL to play in. A stadium they had only lost 1 game in the past two yrs before yesterday

 

[Plankton]

I was thinking one thing when there was the near skirmish at midfield before halftime.

And, it was a quote from Erik Williams.

Take your @$#kicking like a man.

 

[Kaiser]

Nick Hayden has turned into a monster in the middle for this defense. This guy is blowing up run plays and collpasing the pocket on pass plays. who is this guy? And where was he last yr?

Joseph Randle is showing a running game that wasnt there last yr. Or maybe this OL can make anybody look legit.

Seems like Scandrick has made the secondary alot better since he came back. Carr is even picked up his game and is making plays on the ball now.

Great post, but a couple of nitpicks/comments -

I think Hayden has always been what he is, a solid run defender who is a marginal starter but a good backup. Last year he was was forced to play on passing downs and play twice as many snaps as he should have, but this year he is in the right role. If Josh Brent becomes the starter at some point I think Hayden will look really good as a backup.

Randle is a classic case of player development, Dwayne Harris was the same way in that he needed a little more weight training and time in the film room. Randle is a solid backup at this point, which is good value for a 5th round pick.

Having Scandrick back helps a lot, but I think a big issue on this defense is that the secondary plays much better in man coverage than zone.

 

[slomoxn]

not quite ready to believe in this D yet. Waiting until they run up against a top passer first. Wilson has shown that if you play containment on him and keep discipline, he is not the world beater some were claiming. Brady, Rivers, etc are what I am worried about. Brees was a good game for us but I want to see more before I really believe. This team has disapointed me too many times early in the season

The one difference in the quarterbacks is they are boras mobile as Wilson, that defense would probably have had several sacks last night if Wilson were not so nimble on his feet. I like Eli but I think he and QBs like him will pay if this defense keeps pressure like yesterday.

 

[LatinMind]

Once again, you just have to say that was a great move by the organization. They recognized Lee's strengths and weaknesses and will pay him accordingly.

agree. alot of fans see the dollar amount and dont pay attention to the details. Great contract by Stephen Jones

 

[JohnsKey19]

not quite ready to believe in this D yet. Waiting until they run up against a top passer first. Wilson has shown that if you play containment on him and keep discipline, he is not the world beater some were claiming. Brady, Rivers, etc are what I am worried about. Brees was a good game for us but I want to see more before I really believe. This team has disapointed me too many times early in the season

Drew Brees and that offense is as tough a challenge we will face all year. Not sure what else you need to see. Not saying Dallas will not struggle defensively this season at some point against the pass. But that's the nature of today's NFL. Barring a rash of injuries, this team's defense will remain respectable the rest of the season.

 

[LatinMind]

I hear your skepticism and why the creativity on behalf of Marinelli in compensating for a lack of true edge rushers has been such a great coaching job (on top of playing to strengths = more man cov) But the D does have 1 game on their resume with Bress but haven't faced another great QB beyond to test that aspect/elements your speaking of (cov gaffes/lack of pass rush). Lawrence coming back/ Crawford coming into his own and Melton/Spencer becoming healthy give me confidence the D isn't as barren as those years (Ware/Hatch included). I will say that I really hate that we still have two starting SSs on this D, and that is most likely going to show against the better Qbs you mentioned (eventually). But they took down Brees, so they've proven capable of answering to those caliber QBs. But the lapses still occur, but the overall D is playing more disciplined and tackling very well especially.

Dallas is getting alot of pressure on QBs now. Moving Crawford back inside has opened up a new can for this team. Adding Carters blitzing to this new found pressure is only going to make it easier for the S'. People have been saying the team hasnt faced a good QB for 5 weeks already. All these QBs seem to be having success against all the other teams theyre playing. Maybe its just the defense that is limiting these Qbs when they play them. Kap, Brees, Wilson, Austin, Fitzpatrick have had success. Only one who hasnt seems to be Locker.

you get Carter back this week and Lawrence back in a few weeks is only going to make this D alot better.

If there are lapses, its the turnovers by the O and ST. You take away these turnovers and Dallas is undefeated and with blowouts. One against the defending super bowl champions.

 

[Zman5]

Adding Brent will help tremendous if he can get to where he was before the incident. I re-watched the 2012 game against the SeaHawks and two guys kept showing up on the DLine. They were Spencer and Brent.

Brent was getting mostly double teamed and he kept getting a push. Brent can make Hayden a better player by making Hayden come in as his backup.

If Lawrence can add something along with Brent, I think we have good enough defense to make some noise with the way our offense is/can play.