PFT: Breaking down the rest of round one, 2005... 15 are busts (Spears)

[Bob Sacamano]

I don't consider 30 tackles and two sacks a solid player thats a bust in my eyes his numbers went down and out of all DE in the 3-4 (starters) he had the least amount of tackles and one of the lowest sack totals.

Wade and Bill's #1 priority on D is stopping the run, and Spears does it quite well

he was never thought to be a big sack guy, in fact I remember Kiper saying after that draft that he's a guy who may max 5 sacks in a season, he hasn't done it, but the point still remains, he's really a pursuit DE more than a pass-rushing one, always has been

...and that's giving him too much credit. "A nice deep spiral to a general area" would be more appropriate, as his accuracy on those deep balls has been shown to be among the worst in the league. Per Adam IIRC.

touche

 

[adamknite]

I don't consider 30 tackles and two sacks a solid player thats a bust in my eyes his numbers went down and out of all DE in the 3-4 (starters) he had the least amount of tackles and one of the lowest sack totals.

A 3-4 defense is set up for the linebackers to get the big numbers. Down lineman in the 3-4 don't typically compile monster stats like they can in a 4-3.

Spears also had 3 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles.

Canty, on the other side of the line had 3.5 sacks and 43 tackles with 2 pass deflections and no FF. He didn't exactly have outstanding numbers either, better than Spears Yes.

Spears hasn't been great, but he's been solid and he's done his job, of holding blockers and keeping them off the linebackers, just look at Ellis and Ware's numbers. They were outstanding this year.

 

[burmafrd]

Canty has made more plays and put more pressure on the QB. HE is clearly superior.

 

[joseephuss]

I remember, my point is (especially early in the year) the Cowboys played a 4-3 defense and peppered in the 3-4 when Canty and Spears.

2005 was the year when Bill Parcells finally was able to draft a lot of players to begin the switch to the 3-4 defense. They didn't just drop the 4-3 cold turkey in 2005. The Cowboys didn't become a true 3-4 until 2006.

They played a 3-4 a majority of the time in 2005. Ware was often split out covering receivers, which is what 3-4 OLBs often do. Parcells often said that Ellis was getting too many snaps since he was the starter in the 3-4 at DE and stayed in the game during the nickel packages.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

I don't consider 30 tackles and two sacks a solid player thats a bust in my eyes his numbers went down and out of all DE in the 3-4 (starters) he had the least amount of tackles and one of the lowest sack totals

Go look up starting 3-4 DE numbers and find some that blow that away. 3-4 DEs get a few sacks here and there, and they get a few tackles here and there, but their purpose is to disrupt tackles and allow the linebackers to flow to the ball. Plain and simple.

 

[joseephuss]

Canty has made more plays and put more pressure on the QB. HE is clearly superior.

No argument there. That doesn't mean Spears is a bust. It does mean that Dallas got good value out of their 4th round pick.

 

[trueblue1687]

I wouldn't call Spears a bust, but he hasn't lived up to his draft position, that is pretty clear. When you have an undrafted free agent (ratliff) showing him up consistently, you could make a compelling argument he's a bust, but I think he just has not shown 1st round talent. He looks like a 3rd or 4th rnd in his time in D. I guess Parcells wasn't to blame afterall since he didn't play much better last year than his previous years.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I wouldn't call Spears a bust, but he hasn't lived up to his draft position, that is pretty clear. When you have an undrafted free agent (ratliff) showing him up consistently, you could make a compelling argument he's a bust, but I think he just has not shown 1st round talent. He looks like a 3rd or 4th rnd in his time in D. I guess Parcells wasn't to blame afterall since he didn't play much better last year than his previous years.

Rat was a 7th rounder.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I remember, my point is (especially early in the year) the Cowboys played a 4-3 defense and peppered in the 3-4 when Canty and Spears.

2005 was the year when Bill Parcells finally was able to draft a lot of players to begin the switch to the 3-4 defense. They didn't just drop the 4-3 cold turkey in 2005. The Cowboys didn't become a true 3-4 until 2006.

The problem is that they did not play a 4-3 Defense and pepper in the 3-4. They made the 3-4 their base Defense in 2005. They mixed in some 4-3, but that does not take away from the fact that their base defense was the 3-4 and Ellis started at Defensive End that year.


Here is yet another quote from Mickey Spagnola just before the first pre-season game that year that further proves this point:

"For the first time, in this the Dallas Cowboys' 46th year of existence, they will open a game in a base 3-4 defense. "

They played this scheme as their base Defense the entire year from the start. Ellis was the starter as Defensive End. Here is the article link in case you are interested:

http://www.dallascowboys.com/spagnola.cfm?id=A89E965B-C67C-4D2A-7FC95739AC95ABCC

Your original point was that Ellis could not play DE in the 3-4, but he did play DE in the 3-4 and this was not very long ago so I'm not sure why you don't remember. Ellis moved to OLB in 2006.

 

[Phrozen Phil]

I'm not sure why we would take much of what Florio says seriously. If you take a look at his body of work as a whole, you'll see him as very much a yellow journalist.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Florio is obviously a Commanders fan.

#25 is a joke.... atleast put "wait and see" instead "not a bust"

Oh my...

 

[bbgun]

Didn't we already have a long thread on this very same PFT article, or am I confusing it with a different one? As for Spears, he's more of a disappointment than a bust. Unlike Carp, at least he sees the field.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Didn't we already have a long thread on this very same PFT article, or am I confusing it with a different one? As for Spears, he's more of a disappointment than a bust. Unlike Carp, at least he sees the field.

The first thread was only picks 1-16. This was the follow-up with the remaining picks. I debated merging the two, but it's the offseason, so there you go.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

A 3-4 defense is set up for the linebackers to get the big numbers. Down lineman in the 3-4 don't typically compile monster stats like they can in a 4-3.

Spears also had 3 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles.

Canty, on the other side of the line had 3.5 sacks and 43 tackles with 2 pass deflections and no FF. He didn't exactly have outstanding numbers either, better than Spears Yes.

Spears hasn't been great, but he's been solid and he's done his job, of holding blockers and keeping them off the linebackers, just look at Ellis and Ware's numbers. They were outstanding this year.

Wade and Bill's #1 priority on D is stopping the run, and Spears does it quite well

he was never thought to be a big sack guy, in fact I remember Kiper saying after that draft that he's a guy who may max 5 sacks in a season, he hasn't done it, but the point still remains, he's really a pursuit DE more than a pass-rushing one, always has been




touche

Once again i am not comparing spears production to that of 4-3 DE. I am not saying that he should be putting up huge numbers I am saying the numbers he is putting up compared to other 3-4 DE is pathetic. If you look I have looked looked again and been shown the numbers. He has the least amount of tackles from DE last season in defense who base was the 3-4. The leader in tackles was kenyon coleman. he had the one of the lower sack totals. Wade 3-4 is about stopping the run ? Thats funny because i thought it was about putting pressure on the QB and the players were finally happy that they could get after the QB and not have to take on those blockers.

Spears isn't a big sack cool he is supposed to be good against the run however where are the tackles that supports this. I only see 30 tackles which a horrid when compared to the other 3-4 DE the only other one with tackle's in the 30's was Castillo and he had more sacks so it even'd out for him a lil bit.

Canty numbers where actually pretty good and 3.5 sacks for DE in the three for he is almost close to the top of the list in that category. So you mean to tell me if Spears had another 13 tackles and a sack in a half that wouldn't have been a huge difference?