No Sacks

[kramskoi]

2014...total sacks for: 27...total sacks against: 30...differential: -3
2016...total sacks for: 19...total sacks against: 14...differential: +5 (through 11 games)
on pace for 27 - 28 sacks.

Defense points allowed...19.3 ppg (2016 to date) 22.0 ppg (2014)

The secondary is improved but the pass rush is basically the same as in 2014. The sack differential is improved...so far...and interceptions are down...so far...defense ppg is better...so far.

The bad news is that the pass rush problem doesn't get solved until the off-season...if they get Romo's situation resolved in the most amicable way possible for the team.

The good news is that Washington (+15.3% /6th place FO offense) is the last hi-flying offense the Cowboys will face over the remaining five games:

@Minnesota....(-9.2%) 6th ranked defense and worst offense of the remaining games.
@New York.....(-2.1%) 8th ranked defense (offense will likely present the biggest problem, being a road game)
Tampa Bay...(-2.8%) 17th ranked defense
Detroit..........(-0.4%) 32nd ranked defense
@Philadelphia..(-5.3%) 1st ranked defense

The best defense they will face won't happen until the last game, which hopefully won't mean anything and they can rest players...with a 14-2 record.

Two road games...then two home games...12-4 (worst case) or 13-3 looks likely...and will that be good enough to fend off New York...splitting with them lets you forget about the Eagles in week 17.

The most pressing problem over Garrett's tenure has been the Cowboy's dismal defensive passer rating, perennially around 100+...and the very thing that allowed a 9-7 Giants team (giving up 25 ppg) to win the division in 2011...their last Superbowl season. Before the Washington game, it stood at 99.3...after Cousins racked up about 450 yds passing, it will surely be above 100 going into the Minnesota game.

 

[kramskoi]

The most pressing problem over Garrett's tenure has been the Cowboy's dismal defensive passer rating, perennially around 100+...and the very thing that allowed a 9-7 Giants team (giving up 25 ppg) to win the division in 2011...their last Superbowl season. Before the Washington game, it stood at 99.3...after Cousins racked up about 450 yds passing, it will surely be above 100 going into the Minnesota game.

Another problem...Demarcus Lawrence...8 sacks a year ago with Hardy in the mix...1 sack so far this year with no Hardy in the mix. IOW, the Cowboys need a Greg Hardy type that is not a mental case. Lawrence...so far...looks like a Tony Tolbert type...solid and most productive when he has a Charles Haley on the opposite side.

 

[windjc]

Sad. This defense will be our undoing

Absolute dog crap defense

BOO HOO.

 

[windjc]

The most pressing problem over Garrett's tenure has been the Cowboy's dismal defensive passer rating, perennially around 100+...and the very thing that allowed a 9-7 Giants team (giving up 25 ppg) to win the division in 2011...their last Superbowl season. Before the Washington game, it stood at 99.3...after Cousins racked up about 450 yds passing, it will surely be above 100 going into the Minnesota game.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

[Ultra Warrior]

Cousins attempted 53 passes and we did not get one sack or interception. We need to correct this because it is going to catch up to us especially in the playoffs. Hope we get our db's back before playoff time.

Was very frustrating to see defenders just barely miss laying him out, before he'd toast us for a big play.

 

[Risen Star]

Demarcus Lawrence has been disappointing. He needs a new nickname.

 

[Sarge]

We don't need no stinking sacks.

Perhaps not, but you DO need pressure, and consistently.
.

 

[Longboysfan]

I don't really think it can be corrected. We can't make average players play with more talent.

We can hide it for the most part, but not when we run in to real offenses like today (or new England). It scares me

I was thinking the same thing.

But we have on weapon other teams do not possess. O-line power.
Think of the time Dak has back there.
Cousins got hit at least 8 times hard in the game.
Dak once maybe.

How many times was Dak hurried - 1 time. Washington was hurried multiple times.
Winning formula is get ball - play keep away and score. Make other team one dimensional.

Also thinking about it - what other team has shown they have a very good o line - other than Washington. No one.

Formula - win to get number 1 seed.
Let other teams get to AT&T beaten up.

Just win....

 

[lqmac1]

It is concerning, but at the end of the day, we have beaten two of the most potent offenses in the league without getting any pressure or interceptions. Pittsburgh and Washington were no slouches.

 

[ringmaster]

I was thinking the same thing.

But we have on weapon other teams do not possess. O-line power.
Think of the time Dak has back there.
Cousins got hit at least 8 times hard in the game.
Dak once maybe.

How many times was Dak hurried - 1 time. Washington was hurried multiple times.
Winning formula is get ball - play keep away and score. Make other team one dimensional.

Also thinking about it - what other team has shown they have a very good o line - other than Washington. No one.

Formula - win to get number 1 seed.
Let other teams get to AT&T beaten up.

Just win....

This another reason the pass rush didn't get home was because of how quick the ball got out of Cousins' hand and there were a few plays where the Washington oline got away with holding but was never called having said that this is the same formula they had on defense in 2014 and with offense chewing up clock and coming away with points it allows a fresh average Dallas defense to take advantage late in games every defense is on notice that it will be hard to stop the Cowboys offense for 4 qrts and as well as Cousins played they still lost.

 

[romothesavior]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Thank you for your contribution to the conversation, you mature civil adult, you

 

[DogFace]

Hard to get sacks when the OL tackle you when you are unabated to the qb.

This did happen at least twice.

 

[ringmaster]

It is concerning, but at the end of the day, we have beaten two of the most potent offenses in the league without getting any pressure or interceptions. Pittsburgh and Washington were no slouches.

It goes to show how potent our offense was in those 2 games.

 

[willia451]

The best medicine to help fix the defense and make some noise down the road would be home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye.

Give our defense time to heal up, rest, and get ready for a run at it.

Other than that, they kind of are what they are.

As long as the offense keeps cranking out 30+ points a game, I still like our chances.

 

[Parche]

Cousins attempted 53 passes and we did not get one sack or interception. We need to correct this because it is going to catch up to us especially in the playoffs. Hope we get our db's back before playoff time.

Well, we intercepted him on the 2 pt attempt.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The best medicine to help fix the defense and make some noise down the road would be home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye.

Give our defense time to heal up, rest, and get ready for a run at it.

Other than that, they kind of are what they are.

As long as the offense keeps cranking out 30+ points a game, I still like our chances.

I do too.

The secondary needs some good health at this point.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

It's going to be a huge problem in the playoffs.

If this defense cant get some sacks and takeaways then we're going to be in trouble when we play a team like Seattle who has a defense that will absolutely slow our offense down here and there.

Our lack of pass rush is absolutely pathetic.

 

[slick325]

Points allowed on defense, getting off the field on 3rd downs, sacks and turnovers are the most important things I care about with defenses. Dallas has been horrible in the sacks and turnovers categories. Those must be corrected before the playoffs. Getting Claiborne back as well as Church may help with getting turnovers (maybe) but I'm unsure where the sacks come from.

 

[tyke1doe]

Demarcus Lawrence has been disappointing. He needs a new nickname.

Tanked

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It's going to be a huge problem in the playoffs.

If this defense cant get some sacks and takeaways then we're going to be in trouble when we play a team like Seattle who has a defense that will absolutely slow our offense down here and there.

Our lack of pass rush is absolutely pathetic.

True.

And it's not going to get fixed until the offseason.

They're simply going to have to find a way to win.