Twitter: Ogbonnia playing very well so far

[Jarntt]

He is playing SOOOOOOOOO much better than I expected

 

[kskboys]

He is playing SOOOOOOOOO much better than I expected

Not me. I thought he was an extremely underrated pickup, 2nd only to Thompson.

You see, we haven't had decent NT play since Jon Hankins. When we have one who is even above average, we see what a competent NT brings to the team. Now imagine if he was even more disruptive!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nova]

I don't think so. Q is playing where Osa would be playing, and he's better than Osa.

OTOH, maybe Osa's youth would make him more disruptive than Clark, but then you do lose some in run support.

That's basically it.

Q is the Osa replacement, except Q is better and his size/strength makes him a better fit for a 1.5 Gap role.

Osa is maybe more disruptive than Clark, but Osa also can't do what Clark does on a per down basis either.

Osa is still a pretty good player, he just wasn't a fit here, especially at that cap figure.

 

[Dorsett99Yards]

I do like my 6'4" 300 pound defensive tackles. Tall enough to see over the offenses pads.

 

[blueblood70]

That is possible. Clark is a better pass rusher than Ogbonnia is, able to collapse the pocket some. If Overton develops as a pass rusher, I could see Dallas keeping Ogbonnia over Clark to play NT in the 3-4 sets. It will cost us $23.7 million to keep Clark without an extension and $14.8 million to cut him, so I could see it, but again, I think whether we give him an extension depends more on Overton's development than Ogbonnia's play. We've got to have three quality interior DL in this scheme.

You all do realize that that was the plan right OSA was already under a large contract and they were going to reduce his role and that is why he got traded they brought in other guys that can be rotated in and fit better for what they needed behind Clark and QW so now they can bring in Ogbonnia and by the way Bullard was also playing pretty well so the whole rotation thing was working out exactly the way they wanted yes the specific guy some are better pass rushers some are better run stuffers and they give the number one guys a break and they don't have a big drop off..

So yes this is not a surprise he did this in training camp or practice I don't remember when I saw him first but the other guys are doing pretty well in this rotation up front they're tackling better they're stopping the run better They do need to get a better pass rush as far as from the outside to help the inside guys but yeah but don't forget to bring Bullard out of this conversation. I think before he got hurt he was also playing pretty well so that was the plan the plan is working.

You end up getting a nice draft pick for OSA and now you have three cheaper guys taking his place in a nice rotational role.

 

[gimmesix]

Clark is a good player, but just really isn't a NT. I have no idea how we're not better w/ Ogboner in the middle sided by Clark and Q.

I don't know. Clark has had some of his best years as an NT. Since the NT has to do the dirty work, I'd have to go back and watch each snap by both players at NT to determine if we're better with Clark or Ogbonnia there. I do think Ogbonnia has shown he can be stalwart against the run, which is the main thing we need at NT, but I can't say how many of his run stops have come at DE/DT and how many at NT.

 

[LouBrown]

I don't know. Clark has had some of his best years as an NT. Since the NT has to do the dirty work, I'd have to go back and watch each snap by both players at NT to determine if we're better with Clark or Ogbonnia there. I do think Ogbonnia has shown he can be stalwart against the run, which is the main thing we need at NT, but I can't say how many of his run stops have come at DE/DT and how many at NT.

They're playing with basically two NTs on the field at the same time in those sets. Clark and Ogbonnia are doing the same thing - occupying two blockers. It doesn't really matter which gap they are in.

 

[gimmesix]

They're playing with basically two NTs on the field at the same time in those sets. Clark and Ogbonnia are doing the same thing - occupying two blockers. It doesn't really matter which gap they are in.

I don't agree with that. They are playing gap and a half, but offenses can't afford to use four blockers to tie up two DL on every run snap. Like in the OP, the NT is angled toward the center, so help is going to come from the guard, leaving a one-on-one for one of the DL. That is three of your linemen occupied, so you may double the other DL and block the OLB with a tight end, but you are not going to do that on every snap, plus in the run game, you want to block and peel to the second level, you can't do that if you are allowing two DTs to occupy four blockers.

Because of the alignment of the NT, he's the player you are going to double initially every time. Other doubles are going to depend on where you are running and the extra players you are employing as blockers.

 

[bsbellomy]

If all these guys are playing well on defense, how bad do the ones that aren't have to be for us to still give up 30ppg?

 

[LouBrown]

I don't agree with that. They are playing gap and a half, but offenses can't afford to use four blockers to tie up two DL on every run snap. Like in the OP, the NT is angled toward the center, so help is going to come from the guard, leaving a one-on-one for one of the DL. That is three of your linemen occupied, so you may double the other DL and block the OLB with a tight end, but you are not going to do that on every snap, plus in the run game, you want to block and peel to the second level, you can't do that if you are allowing two DTs to occupy four blockers.

Because of the alignment of the NT, he's the player you are going to double initially every time. Other doubles are going to depend on where you are running and the extra players you are employing as blockers.

Gap and a half is two blockers lol.

Teams aren't doubling both, they are just throwing at will.

It's a dumb scheme.

 

[gimmesix]

Gap and a half is two blockers lol.

Teams aren't doubling both, they are just throwing at will.

It's a dumb scheme.

Gap and a half is figuring out who you are going to double. There are still only five OL on the field. They are not going to use all five to block the three DL. Gap and a half means you are trying to draw those blockers and whoever doesn't (usually the two DLs) have to beat their one-on-ones, often with a quick hand jolt from another OL before he goes to get a linebacker. Obviously, it can be more complicated that that. A running back can step up to provide help for an OL and a tight end can come across and wham a DL being single-blocked. But you can't double two DL on every snap and generally it is going to be the NT who is doubled each time because of alignment.

 

[LouBrown]

Gap and a half is figuring out who you are going to double. There are still only five OL on the field. They are not going to use all five to block the three DL. Gap and a half means you are trying to draw those blockers and whoever doesn't (usually the two DLs) have to beat their one-on-ones, often with a quick hand jolt from another OL before he goes to get a linebacker. Obviously, it can be more complicated that that. A running back can step up to provide help for an OL and a tight end can come across and wham a DL being single-blocked. But you can't double two DL on every snap and generally it is going to be the NT who is doubled each time because of alignment.

This is really hard to follow idk what you're saying.

The scheme the Cowboys are running is designed explicitly to have the 3 DTs occupy 5 blockers. Offenses can absolutely double two of the DTs and still have numbers advantages playside, especially in 12 or 21 personnel.

 

[calicowboy54]

That is possible. Clark is a better pass rusher than Ogbonnia is, able to collapse the pocket some. If Overton develops as a pass rusher, I could see Dallas keeping Ogbonnia over Clark to play NT in the 3-4 sets. It will cost us $23.7 million to keep Clark without an extension and $14.8 million to cut him, so I could see it, but again, I think whether we give him an extension depends more on Overton's development than Ogbonnia's play. We've got to have three quality interior DL in this scheme.

Clark IMO plays the 4i better with Ogbonnia better at NT. in our 2-4-5 looks i see why they have Williams and Clark out there. but when we move to a 3-3-5 or a 3-4-4 Ogbonnia needs to be at the NT.

 

[RandyOh]

If all these guys are playing well on defense, how bad do the ones that aren't have to be for us to still give up 30ppg?

Teams are just throwing the ball at whoever Bland is covering. Once Thompsons and Locke are back, hopefully they can help him with some of the coverage. Also the edge rushers are giving us nothing. At least teams are not just running it down our throats right up the middle like last season so.. Improvement..i guess lol

 

[gimmesix]

Clark IMO plays the 4i better with Ogbonnia better at NT. in our 2-4-5 looks i see why they have Williams and Clark out there. but when we move to a 3-3-5 or a 3-4-4 Ogbonnia needs to be at the NT.

I haven't paid enough attention to the interior to notice who is at NT in the three-man line, if it is Ogbonnia or Clark. I thought Parker said that Clark was going to be the NT and Ogbonnia the 4i, but that could have changed. I know in the sample video at the start of this thread Ogbonnia is at NT, but he's also not in the game with Clark and Quinnen.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Ogbonnia is also on just a one year deal. They really should consider extending him before he gets more expensive.

 

[plymkr]

It’s kind of nice seeing us stop the run. After so many years of getting smashed up the gut it’s a nice thing to see. Now if we can just get some sacks.

 

[AsthmaField]

I was impressed with him when I watched his Chargers tape after Dallas signed him in the offseason.

I haven’t seen anything to make me change my mind since. He is a really good IDL. Particularly in this defense.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Before the season, I never heard of him, and I had zero expectations. Now, it seems like he’s one of the few on the defense who isn’t a question mark.

 

[EPL0c0]

Far from what we need, but the DT's are finally showing up this year.

and being able to have a reliable rotation is suuuuuuuch a luxury