Once again, NTs Matter

[RustyBourneHorse]

Just before the season started, I started a thread highlighting the importance of a NT. A lot of people here tried to mock me and make me look like a dunce. Yes, they're not as important as a QB. However! We are seeing all season why NTs are critical. We can't stop the run! Teams are running the ball on us at will, which is putting our pass defence at a significant disadvantage. I think we put a dagger in our season when we got rid of Ridgeway. We lost a player that could swallow up blocks and help protect against the run. Then, we also lost Hankins to injury. Where we were strong defencively was we had Ridgeway and then Hankins helping to shut down the run, which then set our pass defence up to attack. That was why Parsons had success before, but is now struggling to get after the QB.

If we are going to have success, we MUST take NTs more seriously. We need to draft a NT within the first 3 rounds. That will help us shut the run down, and then our pass defence can pin their ears back. Until the Cowboys take NT more seriously, we are going to break down defencively every season because we will be unable to stop the run.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

NT's been a problem for years and the front office ignores it. Don't expect this to change anytime soon.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

This team is just not good at drafting NT. The last top pick on a tackle was Marcus Spears. The last impact DT was Jay Ratliff who was a 7th round pick.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

NT's been a problem for years and the front office ignores it. Don't expect this to change anytime soon.

I know. Quinn has started drafting them, but we need to draft them earlier.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

This team is just not good at drafting NT. The last top pick on a tackle was Marcus Spears. The last impact DT was Jay Ratliff who was a 7th round pick.

And that's been our Achilles Heel.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

I know. Quinn has started drafting them, but we need to draft them earlier.

I don't see Jerry doing that. I fully expect them to keep trying to find "value"

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I don't see Jerry doing that. I fully expect them to keep trying to find "value"

I get that, but they need to not only get one, but keep them. If we want Micah Parsons to be a HOFer, we need to help him, and a NT would be key.

 

[Loso86]

Just before the season started, I started a thread highlighting the importance of a NT. A lot of people here tried to mock me and make me look like a dunce. Yes, they're not as important as a QB. However! We are seeing all season why NTs are critical. We can't stop the run! Teams are running the ball on us at will, which is putting our pass defence at a significant disadvantage. I think we put a dagger in our season when we got rid of Ridgeway. We lost a player that could swallow up blocks and help protect against the run. Then, we also lost Hankins to injury. Where we were strong defencively was we had Ridgeway and then Hankins helping to shut down the run, which then set our pass defence up to attack. That was why Parsons had success before, but is now struggling to get after the QB.

If we are going to have success, we MUST take NTs more seriously. We need to draft a NT within the first 3 rounds. That will help us shut the run down, and then our pass defence can pin their ears back. Until the Cowboys take NT more seriously, we are going to break down defencively every season because we will be unable to stop the run.

If you had said another player I could understand but Ridgeway lol bro wasn't even in the 53

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

If you had said another player I could understand but Ridgeway lol bro wasn't even in the 53

I'm using him as an example, but the point remains. We need to take NTs more seriously.

 

[Nova]

This team is just not good at drafting NT. The last top pick on a tackle was Marcus Spears. The last impact DT was Jay Ratliff who was a 7th round pick.

They just don’t smartly address the position.

 

[lukin2006]

We need a big bodied DT that can stuff the run and get a push on pass plays.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

They just don’t smartly address the position.

If they ever actually bother.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

We need a big bodied DT that can stuff the run and get a push on pass plays.

Exactly, and that's where we have struggled. That's why Parsons can't get pressure.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

If you had said another player I could understand but Ridgeway lol bro wasn't even in the 53

And I think I made it clear by saying that we needed to address the position in the first 3 picks. That way, we can get a high quality NT

 

[Nova]

If they ever actually bother.

I don’t think this team goes anywhere until they address this need. It’s actually one of the things I look for before “falling for the hype”.

It’s just so bizarre that they fail to address the spot legitimately despite its importance.

I just want to buy a billboard outside of the practice facility that says “DT’s not good enough” until the Jones’ get the message.

 

[xwalker]

Just before the season started, I started a thread highlighting the importance of a NT. A lot of people here tried to mock me and make me look like a dunce. Yes, they're not as important as a QB. However! We are seeing all season why NTs are critical. We can't stop the run! Teams are running the ball on us at will, which is putting our pass defence at a significant disadvantage. I think we put a dagger in our season when we got rid of Ridgeway. We lost a player that could swallow up blocks and help protect against the run. Then, we also lost Hankins to injury. Where we were strong defencively was we had Ridgeway and then Hankins helping to shut down the run, which then set our pass defence up to attack. That was why Parsons had success before, but is now struggling to get after the QB.

If we are going to have success, we MUST take NTs more seriously. We need to draft a NT within the first 3 rounds. That will help us shut the run down, and then our pass defence can pin their ears back. Until the Cowboys take NT more seriously, we are going to break down defencively every season because we will be unable to stop the run.

The Hankins acquisition was an acknowledgement that they have problems at 1tech DT.

Sign free agent Daron Payne. Problem solved.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I don’t think this team goes anywhere until they address this need. It’s actually one of the things I look for before “falling for the hype”.

It’s just so bizarre that they fail to address the spot legitimately despite its importance.

I just want to buy a billboard outside of the practice facility that says “DT’s not good enough” until the Jones’ get the message.

It's even more awkward that we fans know this, but Jerry doesn't. It's a huge need, and he's never really addressed it. The reason I was excited when we had Ridgeway wasn't because I thought that he was some top notch player. It was because he had the ability to at least create a push to help stop the run. That's the bare minimum that we need from a NT

 

[texbumthelife]

NT is not the issue with this defense. The issue is gap integrity and aggressive linebacker play. The second line of the Cowboys defense is incredibly passive. They don’t shoot gaps or try to beat the RB to the hole. They sit and wait and make drag down tackles. Very few teams have huge NTs and quite a few are playing better run D than the Cowboys.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

The Hankins acquisition was an acknowledgement that they have problems at 1tech DT.

Sign free agent Daron Payne. Problem solved.

Payne would be a great signing. We also need to use a top pick on a NT.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

NT is not the issue with this defense. The issue is gap integrity and aggressive linebacker play. The second line of the Cowboys defense is incredibly passive. They don’t shoot gaps or try to beat the RB to the hole. They sit and wait and make drag down tackles. Very few teams have huge NTs and quite a few are playing better run D than the Cowboys.

Yeah, but that's where the NT comes in to help.