Physicality on Defense- A+

[Risen Star]

You hated the guy from the second he was announced in the draft. And you are incapable of admitting that you may have been wrong (see Dak Prescott).

An unbiased view on Hitchens is that he has been good. Not great by any stretch. But the kind of guy every team needs. A solid 4th rounder.

I don't think he gets another contract with the Cowboys. A lot depends on how Jaylon Smith continues to get better. But Hitchens will get another deal from somebody next year. If he truly is the stiff you claim that he is, then this is the last year in the league. But I see him playing for somebody next year.

Yeah the whole you didn't like him from.the start thing isn't really a criticism. What you're saying is I don't participate in group think around here and only have an opinion on drafted players if it's a positive view. If you can like a draft pick you can hate a draft pick. Unless there are children in the room.

Hitchens is a stiff. One of the reasons why our defense is and has been the weakness on this team. Whenever the Cowboys finally have a quality defense Hitchens won't be on it.

 

[waving monkey]

Hitchens sucks and will always suck. He has no place on the field of a quality defense.

No lipstick on any pigs for me. He's one of several that needs to go before the defense can really improve.

the pig's lips painter speaks

 

[GORICO]

I was extremely impressed with the tackling and nastiness of our Defense last night.

Hitchens set the tone with that pop at the goal line.

BTW, Hitchens is a quality NFL LB'er that gets little love from this board. When he is right physically, he is a fine football player himself. If we have a better player in wait in Jaylon, we're in great shape at LB'er. Nzeocha looks like decent depth but is still getting his legs, and Wilbur isn't as terrible as everyone makes him out to be either.

Woods, Frazier, Thomas - these guys all can really bring the noise from the secondary. The Rams didn't show any kind of regard for the football, but some of this was due to the play after play physicality the Cowboys brought to the game. They were punishing everybody all night.

I felt Taco was excellent. Taco reminds me of Aldon Smith, who early had people concerned with where his ceiling was, but by the middle of his rookie season was a force when the 49ers figured out how good he was at "2 man game" pass rushing. That sack showed extreme quickness and good hand technique in a one on one situation. He was a blue blur that engulfed Mannion like saran wrap. And I felt he was good vs the run as well.

The player I think we need to see more snaps for with the 1st and 2nd units is Lenny Jones. He might have been the best player on the field last night in totality. Completely disruptive and assignment sound. Showed plus-instincts and pursuit skills. He looks like a real player to me.

Irving was very good last night as well.

Interior depth played much better than game 1. We are very stout vs the run with whichever unit is on the field. Even guys like Ivie, Ash, Carrell all showed some ability vs the competition in front of them.

I am not an ultra-knowledgeable fan on these players' college careers, but I tend to be able to identify sustainable talent. I felt the depth on defense was startlingly good and there wasn't one guy that played last night on that side of the ball that was out of his depth playing in this league somewhere. That's excellent news.

mr mohican--- I too am so excited about the possibilities of our Defense....we were swarming and physical last night

 

[waving monkey]

In Risen's defense here, he knew that Hitchens sucked before ever seeing him play a down of NFL football and knew he'd never amount to anything way before Hitchens earned the starting MLB job, so he's not just fly-by-night wrong here. This is a dedicated, long-term refusal to judge a player accurately or fairly.

You have to admire that sort of dedication to a snap judgement.

I guess compassion is in order for RS
there's no telling the post traumatic complexities he suffers from

 

[Section446]

Yeah the whole you didn't like him from.the start thing isn't really a criticism. What you're saying is I don't participate in group think around here and only have an opinion on drafted players if it's a positive view. If you can like a draft pick you can hate a draft pick. Unless there are children in the room.

Hitchens is a stiff. One of the reasons why our defense is and has been the weakness on this team. Whenever the Cowboys finally have a quality defense Hitchens won't be on it.

That is so savage, wow. Are you doing a bit?

 

[GORICO]

Yeah the whole you didn't like him from.the start thing isn't really a criticism. What you're saying is I don't participate in group think around here and only have an opinion on drafted players if it's a positive view. If you can like a draft pick you can hate a draft pick. Unless there are children in the room.

Hitchens is a stiff. One of the reasons why our defense is and has been the weakness on this team. Whenever the Cowboys finally have a quality defense Hitchens won't be on it.

sir---you are a minority in your assessment

 

[CowboyRoy]

Roy you keep saying this but that doesn't make it true. You need to learn how to watch gametape bro. He did quite well in his two drives

LOL........two drives eh? He was only in on two drives? Please educate me on how to watch game tape.

Now for what really happened. He got the sack on his 5TH DRIVE. He did little to nothing up until that point. Looked slow and bored. Got one tackle 9 yards down the field pushing a guy out of bounds. Unless you are counting getting an arm on a guy on the first drive. He actually had a wide open sack but he fell down untouched. The QB actually picked up a nice conversion because of it. Some homer is probably looking at that play and thinking it was a hurry.

Any other nonsense you want to fling my way?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Hitchens has turned out to be a solid 4th round pick.

He's not a Pro Bowler. But when you consider where he was drafted, he has been a very effective player for the Cowboys.

Hes a average player on an average defense. Would be backup on a good D. A non play maker. He is a perfect example of whats wrong with the Cowboys D, not what is right with it.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Risen is following in the footsteps of his idol Bryan Broaddus...Once they express an opinion on a player they won't admit to being wrong.

LOL......like you on Chaz Green?

bububububut he has some talent...............bubububububububut he played well in the only two games he was healthy for.

 

[stilltheguru88]

Roy you keep saying this but that doesn't make it true. You need to learn how to watch gametape bro. He did quite well in his two drives

That dude has the worst hot takes ever

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Yeah the whole you didn't like him from.the start thing isn't really a criticism. What you're saying is I don't participate in group think around here and only have an opinion on drafted players if it's a positive view. If you can like a draft pick you can hate a draft pick. Unless there are children in the room.

Hitchens is a stiff. One of the reasons why our defense is and has been the weakness on this team. Whenever the Cowboys finally have a quality defense Hitchens won't be on it.

Actually being quick to judgment and pigheaded are valid criticisms. It means you make a judgment sight unseen and refuse to let new information sway you.

That has nothing to do with groupthink and everything to do with overinflated ego.

I just finished watching the first half in detail and Hitchens was getting excellent depth in his drops and getting underneath routes. You can use throwaway descriptions that have no basis if it makes you feel better but people that lack agility don't do that.

Hitchens problem in the past has been his inability to turn and run with faster TE and backs. Thing is that we did not give up big plays last year so that issue was not the problem on defense.

You should stick to regurgitating Mel Kiper's draft guide and acting like you know something about the draft. At least overrating your pet cats and OL in your list actually gives the appearance of credible. This crusade has none of that.

 

[stilltheguru88]

Who were the great linebackers on the Texans number 1 ranked defense? I mean, since Hitchens can't start on a good defense.

 

[CowboyRoy]

1 sack, 3 tackles (1 tackle for loss) and a quarterback hurry on 2 drives. What game were you watching?

LOL...........It really cracks me up to listen someone like you talk down to me as if you know the facts.

First off, he was in on 6 drives, not 2. Got the sack on the 5th drive against a backup tackle. If you watch the play the tackle barely moved.

And just so you understand how they score these things.

The ONE sack goes as a tackle, a QB hit, and a tackle for a loss.

He basically had One sack, an arm tackle that he really didnt complete, and pushed a guy out of bounds 9 yards down the field. Other then that, the guy was pretty much stone walled.

Its actually completely obvious that you DIDNT watch the game.

So now that you know the facts are you still impressed? Maybe you should actually do what I do before I run my mouth. Watch it all play by play rewind and watch. Focus on Taco. He wasn't good.

 

[lockster]

I was extremely impressed with the tackling and nastiness of our Defense last night.

Hitchens set the tone with that pop at the goal line.

BTW, Hitchens is a quality NFL LB'er that gets little love from this board. When he is right physically, he is a fine football player himself. If we have a better player in wait in Jaylon, we're in great shape at LB'er. Nzeocha looks like decent depth but is still getting his legs, and Wilbur isn't as terrible as everyone makes him out to be either.

Woods, Frazier, Thomas - these guys all can really bring the noise from the secondary. The Rams didn't show any kind of regard for the football, but some of this was due to the play after play physicality the Cowboys brought to the game. They were punishing everybody all night.

I felt Taco was excellent. Taco reminds me of Aldon Smith, who early had people concerned with where his ceiling was, but by the middle of his rookie season was a force when the 49ers figured out how good he was at "2 man game" pass rushing. That sack showed extreme quickness and good hand technique in a one on one situation. He was a blue blur that engulfed Mannion like saran wrap. And I felt he was good vs the run as well.

The player I think we need to see more snaps for with the 1st and 2nd units is Lenny Jones. He might have been the best player on the field last night in totality. Completely disruptive and assignment sound. Showed plus-instincts and pursuit skills. He looks like a real player to me.

Irving was very good last night as well.

Interior depth played much better than game 1. We are very stout vs the run with whichever unit is on the field. Even guys like Ivie, Ash, Carrell all showed some ability vs the competition in front of them.

I am not an ultra-knowledgeable fan on these players' college careers, but I tend to be able to identify sustainable talent. I felt the depth on defense was startlingly good and there wasn't one guy that played last night on that side of the ball that was out of his depth playing in this league somewhere. That's excellent news.

except for the Wilbur being a good player. Special team only.

 

[CowboyRoy]

That dude has the worst hot takes ever

Taco was in on the first 6 drives.

Facts are stubborn things.

 

[perrykemp]

Hes a average player on an average defense. Would be backup on a good D. A non play maker. He is a perfect example of whats wrong with the Cowboys D, not what is right with it.

That was kinda the same point I made earlier.

16 starts, 74 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 pass defensed (just one!), and 1.5 sacks.

It screams average and replaceable.

 

[Idgit]

That was kinda the same point I made earlier.

16 starts, 74 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 forced fumbles, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 pass defensed (just one!), and 1.5 sacks.

It screams average and replaceable.

Nobody really suggests he's anything more than a solid starter, do they? Average and replaceable players who give you options on both the weak side and middle and who can even play strong side in a pinch in the fourth round are a win in the NFL.

The arguments with Hitchens always come about when somebody suggests he sucks and has no place in the league. Because it's just a stupid thing to keep insisting as evidence to the contrary accumulates.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

I never understood the Hitchen sucks crowd......is it because he wasn't Sean Lee?

Hitchens is solid, there are stupid agendas on this board that spout otherwise.

Personally, can't get enough watching players like Anthony Hitchens, Charles Tapper, Anthony Brown and Dak Prescott.

 

[BAT]

D was physical and laying wood, especially secondary. Weakest unit on D was not the DL surprisingly but the LBs. Outside of Hitchens, saw a ton of missed tackles and/or not getting off blocks. When 53 (Nzeocha) was squaring up, he was making a play (forced fumble) or forcing a critical mistake (RB hold on 3rd, still made QB rush an errant throw on 3rd down) but he had twice as many blown/missed tackles/bad angles. Yet did enough to prove Cowboys were right to hold on to him these last 2 injury plagued seasons. 47 (Lotulelei) and 44 (Wacha) were awol again. 57 was disappointing considering all the hype and the offseason crap, still can't do anything when an OL gets his paws on him. 43 (Joe Jones) almost had himself a INT (Woods nasty pop) but Frazier knocks ball out of his hands, also looked good finding ball and in coverage.

Overall LB play too inconsistent, too inexperienced and too average. Sean Lee is the only sure thing but he's only had one injury free (for most part) season, Hitchens is solid but not playmaker and Jaylon Smith should not be counted on to produce very much this season. Wilson and Nzeocha should not be counted on at all for different reasons. And Durant is a vet but another average player, even when healthy.

Sign Dary Washington and even Orr. LB corps has too many "ifs" and adding some proven blue chip talent could take this unit from average at best, liability at worst, to a strength at worst, elite at best. The risk is minuscule, while the reward could be mountainous.

 

[adbutcher]

1 sack, 3 tackles (1 tackle for loss) and a quarterback hurry on 2 drives. What game were you watching?

just ignorance, he doesn't know what to look for...