Pass Defense has officially been exposed

[Nation]

Opposing QBs First 6 Games of this season
126 for 196 (64.3%) for 1,293 yards (6.60 YPA), 8 TDs, 7 INTs
Opposing Passer Rating of 81.87
Opposing Offenses scoring 21 points per game (would rank 13th in the NFL)

Opposing QBs Last 6 Games of this season
139 for 203 (68.5%) for 1,641 yards (8.08 YPA), 10 TDs, 4 INTs
Opposing Passer Rating of 101.04
Opposing Offenses scoring 24.5 points per game (would rank 21st in the NFL)

The lipstick is off this pig.

 

[khiladi]

You mean the first six games wasn't the anomaly?

As a positive, we've exceeded the TO output once again in 12 games that we did with Rob Ryan as DC for the whole season.

 

[bark]

Actually defending the run is what killed on turkey day

 

[xwalker]

Actually defending the run is what killed on turkey day

Agree.

IMO, the defense has been good enough in 3 or the 4 losses if the offense had done their part. Even in the Philly game, the score was not that out of hand if the offense had shown up.

 

[Idgit]

Actually defending the run is what killed on turkey day

Yep. Though those numbers in the OP are interesting, too. Would be interesting to see the snap splits for that data, too. Obviously, the TD/INT rate has dropped significantly, and that's a chunk of the extra passing. My guess is that our 3rd down conversion % has dropped, and that's leaving us exposed for more plays.

Why has the TD/INT% and 3rd down conversion % (if that's what it is) dropped in recent weeks? Fewer plays from the LBs, maybe (seems like Carter and McClain were actual impact players earlier in the year)? Less pressure? Teams getting the ball out quicker as an adjustment to what we're doing defensively, maybe? The offense not also converting 3rd downs at an unbelievable clip probably also comes into play....

 

[Idgit]

Agree.

IMO, the defense has been good enough in 3 or the 4 losses if the offense had done their part. Even in the Philly game, the score was not that out of hand if the offense had shown up.

At least, they settled into good enough. We've started out poorly defensively the last few games. NY in that hurry-up and PHI with their base offense didn't help. We settled in eventually, but then we're playing down by a score or three, and that changes a lot of what you want to do.

But we had bad containment and just plain didn't defend the run very well last week, when that had been a strength of the defense, sort of, earlier in the season. Whatever the issue was, it can't happen in the rematch next week.

 

[Frozen700]

We must have really been fooling ourselves with this Defense. I think anyone who is not a homer should have known this D was not any good, and only looked good because we were able to control the clock on offense.

The only person worth a damn, pass coverage wise on D is Scandrick. Everybody else on defense are a bunch of Bums. MCClain is a good Linebacker, but we really have nothing on D.

Overpaid Carr(who is ***), 2 slow safeties, Moore who is still learning, a crappy D-Line, and average at best LB's. The only reason we don't give up 50 on a regular is because MO is not in the game. You want to see bad? Wait till he comes back.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Actually defending the run is what killed on turkey day

Heck, we let Mark Sanchez score on a run and gain 28 yards.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Stats aside, it seems simple to explain.

If the offense struggles the defense will get lit up.

If the offense does it's job the defense will be allright.

 

[xwalker]

We must have really been fooling ourselves with this Defense. I think anyone who is not a homer should have known this D was not any good, and only looked good because we were able to control the clock on offense.

The only person worth a damn, pass coverage wise on D is Scandrick. Everybody else on defense are a bunch of Bums. MCClain is a good Linebacker, but we really have nothing on D.

Overpaid Carr(who is ***), 2 slow safeties, Moore who is still learning, a crappy D-Line, and average at best LB's. The only reason we don't give up 50 on a regular is because MO is not in the game. You want to see bad? Wait till he comes back.

Most predictions prior to the season were that the Cowboys wouldn't win 8 games because of the defense. They've actually been better than most expectations.

 

[xwalker]

Stats aside, it seems simple to explain.

If the offense struggles the defense will get lit up.

If the offense does it's job the defense will be allright.

Yes, many people keep complaining about the defense, but the offense was a bigger problem in the game against Philly.

 

[Alexander]

The best way to describe the situation is that the defense is not good enough unless the offense is protecting them by keeping them rested and off the field.

The more they are asked to do if the offense has a bad outing, the worse the results will be.

That does not suggest a problem with the offense but rather the plain and simple reality of how bad the defense is.

In other words, this is a flawed team that is on borrowed time until the talent gets better on that side of the football.

 

[Stash]

Yeah, I don't think this defense is doing anything well as of late - against either the run or the pass.

This past Thursday, the team was down by 14 points before they knew what happened. The Eagles moved the ball so easily, you would think there was nobody else on the field with them. Hot knife through butter type-stuff.

Players who looked to be coming on early, like Carter and McClain have cooled off considerably, and a guy like Carr has shown that he's not worth half of what he's being paid in this zone-based scheme. Add in a virtually non-existent pass rush and we've got big issues.

 

[BAZ]

If lipstick is the only thing stopping you from the pig...

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Agree.

IMO, the defense has been good enough in 3 or the 4 losses if the offense had done their part. Even in the Philly game, the score was not that out of hand if the offense had shown up.

Yup! The 2nd half was there for a comeback defensively (they played better) but the offense laid an egg.

 

[BlindFaith]

The best way to describe the situation is that the defense is not good enough unless the offense is protecting them by keeping them rested and off the field.

The more they are asked to do if the offense has a bad outing, the worse the results will be.

That does not suggest a problem with the offense but rather the plain and simple reality of how bad the defense is.

In other words, this is a flawed team that is on borrowed time until the talent gets better on that side of the football.

But I was told over and over that this defense was good. That having an effective running game and keeping them off the field had no bearing on their effectiveness. I was told that giving up huge chunks of yards was not a problem, because we were "bend but don't break". I was told many things that I didn't agree with. Wish those wise tellers of knowledge would shed some light on why we mere mortals should think otherwise about this below average defense.

 

[CCBoy]

But I was told over and over that this defense was good. That having an effective running game and keeping them off the field had no bearing on their effectiveness. I was told that giving up huge chunks of yards was not a problem, because we were "bend but don't break". I was told many things that I didn't agree with. Wish those wise tellers of knowledge would shed some light on why we mere mortals should think otherwise about this below average defense.

Oh, and negative comments about Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett, Tony Romo...and all offensive and defensive play selections was left out. Er, before lining up over half the current team to walk the plank.

 

[ChooChoo73]

Defense is not really competitive. this from eyeball test and not stats but JMHO. Whether or not the offense still could have a won a game here or there because the defense didn't stink it up to me is funny at best. We would call this offense NFL and playoff worthy. The defense from the beginning was not and is not. The offense exists under the pressure of having to be on for every game. The defense performs under the lowest expectations and still most of the time performs under them. For those that criticize the offense, it's justified but if you could dictate where the first three draft and/or free agency choices should go towards in 2015, you likely would give some combo of defensive players. It won't be the offense that Brandon Marshall embarrasses tonight. It will be Carr and the absent pass rush. Dallas will get 24,28, 34 points or so. What will the D give up is the question in my mind.

 

[iceberg]

Opposing QBs First 6 Games of this season
126 for 196 (64.3%) for 1,293 yards (6.60 YPA), 8 TDs, 7 INTs
Opposing Passer Rating of 81.87
Opposing Offenses scoring 21 points per game (would rank 13th in the NFL)

Opposing QBs Last 6 Games of this season
139 for 203 (68.5%) for 1,641 yards (8.08 YPA), 10 TDs, 4 INTs
Opposing Passer Rating of 101.04
Opposing Offenses scoring 24.5 points per game (would rank 21st in the NFL)

The lipstick is off this pig.

oh dear jesus riding a wicker stick through salem in the 1600's.

you either lost a bet saying you had to use the tired out lipstick / pig line, or you're bored beyond belief and taking us with you.

we're far and away better than last year as a whole. did we fix everything? no.

did we get off to a good start? yes.

did that seem to make people feel we fixed it all and were now superbowl bound? yes, some.

are there still people who no matter what will find the negative in a pound of gold? yes. to many.

did we have problems with the secondary in the 1st half? yes. 2nd? yes. was our pass rush as good the 1st half?

i'll leave that one to you.

in the meantime, I do realize we've made progress but no, we didn't fix everything. there are some big changes coming up in the secondary to address this and we've been all over that since before the year started in mo and carr. so it would seem even us casual fans realized our secondary was going to struggle. paint it any way you want we're doing better than anticipated and I'm a happy camper with that.

 

[CF74]

Coincidentally 6 wins came against sub .500 teams...