Our secondary isn't the problem, it's the lack of pass rush!

[Kingofholland]

Keep on hearing many say we need more corners as our secondary is terrible, the problem is lack of pass rush and a terrible scheme:

2023-ranked 5th in pass defense
2024-ranked 17th in pass defense (ton of injuries)
2025-ranked 32nd in pass defense

Let's look at the sack numbers:

2023-46 sacks (13)
2024-51 sacks (3rd)
2025-29 sacks (18)

Our pass defense goes from 17th to league worse and sack numbers from 3rd to 18th. These numbers tells us, it is the lack of pass rush why the pass defense has struggled so much. Yes, this is the loss of Micah Parsons, but it also is changing from an aggressive scheme to one that rarely blitzes and plays ton of off coverage.

Fixing the front 7 in the offseason needs to be the priority, along with replacing Eberflus.

They definitely compliment each other, but I think coverage has been a bigger problem than the pass rush. It may seem surprising, but the Cowboys lead the league in pressures, but are below average in total sacks which seems hard to do. Coverage has to hold up enough to allow pressure to get home which just hasn't happened consistently.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2025/opp.htm

 

[Captain-Crash]

and who hoisted a Lombardi last season, genius?

Dang, you read his rambling crap. Wow, impressive.

 

[gtb1943]

Dang, you read his rambling crap. Wow, impressive.

I was hyper on some serious caffeine so I needed something that would totally counteract it

 

[Vinnie2u]

What came first the chicken or the egg..

 

[pansophy]

We need a pass rusher off the edge no doubt but our secondary is just as bad. We need to attack pass rusher, corner, Mike linebacker, and both safeties evenly. I still trust our defensive ends more than our secondary and linebackers right now. Clowney and EZ are more trustworthy then Bland/Revel, Hooker/Wilson, and Murray/Overshown.

It was the change to all the zone coverages. The first 6 games of the season were just play after play of completely blown coverages.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Wrong. We have the worst linebackers in the history of nfl.

Well this is a bit much, but you are not too far off the mark here.

It is difficult to try to correct all the issues we see ont eh field, but the braintrust needs to decide how can they make an impact that is within their control?

I feel the key singular position they have to secure is the field general on the defensive side. One who's mind and body plays in sync.

Preferably in a fast sync.

Then let's see how poor this defence actually is if people can line up properly. Know their assignments and we have a field general playing chess and not checkers against the QB and center.

If we can get the right alignments and in-play adjustments it will be pretty darn obvious if the defence has sniffed out the play, aligned/adjusted correctly, but certain players just can't get the job done including the MLB himself who should sniff out the play or the intent the fastest.

There are a lot of holes in this team, but this one position feels like it needs more attention than just Sanborn, Murray and Logan.

 

[Kingofholland]

the problem

After the Ferg turnover and somehow the Lions went backwards 15 yards to 1st and 25 and we still gave up a first down it became apparent this would be a tough game to win. I really don't get the frequent soft coverage. They keep talking about being physical but yet play far off receivers.

Would love to hear more reporters ask about it during pcs.

 

[Cowboyny]

They definitely compliment each other, but I think coverage has been a bigger problem than the pass rush. It may seem surprising, but the Cowboys lead the league in pressures, but are below average in total sacks which seems hard to do. Coverage has to hold up enough to allow pressure to get home which just hasn't happened consistently.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2025/opp.htm

Pressures mean little if they aren't finishing with sacks.

 

[Cowboyny]

I'm sure they're gonna try that ,I mean is my brain not working or is Clowney not a veteran pass rusher? I mean are you talking about a top shelf guy, like trying to get Hendrickson, or something more expensive? who?

I don't see many of those out there that are better than what we have without breaking the bank, in which by the way if you check the salary cap ,did you realize that we have three players that are gonna make top money in this league at least at their position, and are running back Williams, Aubrey, and the George Pickens deal, could really throw everything off ,that's a lot of money, And then we have to restructure Clark, and then we're going to have so many holes on the defense to fill It's crazy when I keep hearing all this offseason chatter you know the idea is being thrown around by fans..

I mean the biggest crazy ideas they're gonna somehow be in the Kyle Pitts bidding war are you kidding me that's what fans think this is not Madden this is not fantasy football we just signed our tight end you may not like him right now but we're also paying a lot of money to a lot of positions everyone wants George Pickens and now Kyle Pitt added to it What's next you want BJ Robinson too I mean is that how we sit here as fans thinking we're just gonna build this team like it's fantasy football..

I know the Eagles try to break that mold and try to tell you the narratives wrong where you just can't pay everyone but the truth is you can't pay everyone not that you guys are looking to build a super team with all the top free agents and the best draft picks on the planet because there is no cap and there is no roster limits you can do whatever you want because the Eagles say so but the rest of the team to operate normally to for the most part but the Eagles say that everything is a fake when it comes to money and rosters..
.
LOL

And yet who is their back end I mean who who exactly are their corners and some of the holes they have on their team because last I checked there were quite a few and that is what has to be done you have to choose where you want to be strong and where you think you can cover up a weakness because there is a cap and there is roster limits and there's only so much you can do so fans need to calm down....

LOL

There should be a couple of good pass rushers available via fa. Also, I wouldn't rule out another trade to acquire one, maybe another Robert Quinn type of trade.

 

[Cowboyny]

Absolutely agree. We traded our passrush for interior DL essentially, which I would say was a good trade for us but we did lost the passrush. Clooney being out hurt a lot too.
Lot of needs on the D going into the offseason…
Passrusher, LB, and FS….CB wouldn’t hurt either.

I think to build up the front 7 first, then work on the secondary.

 

[blueblood70]

There should be a couple of good pass rushers available via fa. Also, I wouldn't rule out another trade to acquire one, maybe another Robert Quinn type of trade.

Well it looks like my fans estimation they should be dipping into 2027 and 2028 strap pick since at this point there are not very many draft picks...

Why trade get a free agent but I don't know who you're going to get we need one that's going to be affordable but also good... I don't think we can get more than three good players out of this draft you're going to use your 1st of your highest 1st round picks on who a corner A linebacker or a pass rush specialist?/BPA Of any of those three maybe the second first round pick needs to be multiplied into whatever you can get I don't have the value chart but a low first round pick can get you what a 3rd and a 4th a second and a 4th?

Unless they trade George Pickens he's the only guy I can see that has trade value that can get us a first rounder that can be multiplied into even more picks We don't have a second or third we're missing some low round ones I mean there's almost nothing in this draft but maybe 3 draft picks 4th or above..

 

[Jarntt]

It can be both...and LBers too...

 

[gtb1943]

Pressures mean little if they aren't finishing with sacks.

because our pathetic secondary leaves guys wide open

 

[CowboyFrog]

when a team can dump it to a RB for 10 to 15 yards anytime they want... good luck sacking the QB....

 

[Miguelitomama]

Keep on hearing many say we need more corners as our secondary is terrible, the problem is lack of pass rush and a terrible scheme:

2023-ranked 5th in pass defense
2024-ranked 17th in pass defense (ton of injuries)
2025-ranked 32nd in pass defense

Let's look at the sack numbers:

2023-46 sacks (13)
2024-51 sacks (3rd)
2025-29 sacks (18)

Our pass defense goes from 17th to league worse and sack numbers from 3rd to 18th. These numbers tells us, it is the lack of pass rush why the pass defense has struggled so much. Yes, this is the loss of Micah Parsons, but it also is changing from an aggressive scheme to one that rarely blitzes and plays ton of off coverage.

Fixing the front 7 in the offseason needs to be the priority, along with replacing Eberflus.

Among the many nightmares from the Lions game was Eberflus' inexplicable decision to stop pouring on the pressure against Goff and company. They did it in the first drive and it worked. Then they stopped. I still don't get his decision making.

 

[movaughn88]

Linebackers worst in the league. Murray should be on the PS. We missed on Liafau.

Bland is top 5 AAV corner and can't sniff top 20 CB in the league.

DL might be okay. 1st pick LB/CB/S then again and again and again,

 

[Kingofholland]

Pressures mean little if they aren't finishing with sacks.

They can speed up a throw and force it out early. If the secondary leaves the receiver wide open it doesn't matter as much. If the secondary held up a little longer maybe the pass rush does get home more or be in a better position to make a play.

Its interesting for comparative purposes the Packers have only 4 more total sacks than the Cowboys and 45 less pressures, yet their defense ranks in the top 5. I just think there's a lot more going on than the pass rush.

 

[gtb1943]

They can speed up a throw and force it out early. If the secondary leaves the receiver wide open it doesn't matter as much. If the secondary held up a little longer maybe the pass rush does get home more or be in a better position to make a play.

Its interesting for comparative purposes the Packers have only 4 more total sacks than the Cowboys and 45 less pressures, yet their defense ranks in the top 5. I just think there's a lot more going on than the pass rush.

pressures are not only subjective but the top QBs handle pressure better. What is pressure with Danny Dimes is not pressure to Mahomes

 

[gtb1943]

it is a fact that the best pass defenses attack not only the QB but the receivers as well

 

[StarW]

Keep on hearing many say we need more corners as our secondary is terrible, the problem is lack of pass rush and a terrible scheme:

2023-ranked 5th in pass defense
2024-ranked 17th in pass defense (ton of injuries)
2025-ranked 32nd in pass defense

Let's look at the sack numbers:

2023-46 sacks (13)
2024-51 sacks (3rd)
2025-29 sacks (18)

Our pass defense goes from 17th to league worse and sack numbers from 3rd to 18th. These numbers tells us, it is the lack of pass rush why the pass defense has struggled so much. Yes, this is the loss of Micah Parsons, but it also is changing from an aggressive scheme to one that rarely blitzes and plays ton of off coverage.

Fixing the front 7 in the offseason needs to be the priority, along with replacing Eberflus.

Our scheme is also broken. The Lion's have struggled at defense with all of their starters being out. But the difference is that after the 3 straight losses leading up to the Cowboys game, they switch from a man scheme to a zone and beat the Cowboys.

How come the Lions can scheme a zone bend but don't break defense that gets turnovers to help back-ups win, but Eberflus can't?