Premise: The Cowboys Defense Can't Be Any Worse

[Nation]

There's this fallacy that the defense can't be any worse since you can't be any worse than the 32nd ranked defense. That doesn't mean we can't be worse statistically than last year. It honestly wouldn't surprise me. I want to have hope but I can't really find any anywhere. I'm extremely optimistic about the offense. I'm predicting top 3 in the league. But I can honestly see the defense being worse than last year.

Yup I agree. They could be 30th in overall D but play worse red zone D with fewer turnovers, and be certainly worse off than 2013

 

[starfrombirth]

Our two former DC's had IMMEDIATE success on their new teams. It's a little disappointing but they are two good defensive minds.

My thoughts exactly which makes me think of player entitlement and laziness. The "soft tissue" injuries on this team are ridiculous and it's that mentality that causes our defense to suck year after year.

 

[jobberone]

While it is possible to have as many injuries as last year and be as worse or worst, it is unlikely.

I've never seen one unit on a football team be so decimated. That's so unlikely to happen again. I've followed the Cowboys since 1964 and for 49 years never saw the like. That's getting on average twice a century. I'd say it's a once in a long lifetime event; at best.

We'll be in the top 20 IMO. If we're in the top half of the league statistically and better in takeaways, pressures, and pass D then I'll be very happy. At that point you hope Romo doesn't go down because you have a team capable of going to the playoffs where anything can happen.

 

[Sportsbabe]

This

Actually, I didn't understand a single word of that initial post. Thanks for dumbing it down for me.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Our two former DC's had IMMEDIATE success on their new teams. It's a little disappointing but they are two good defensive minds.

wade was a head coach, although he also coached the defense. his problem as all his other head coaching stops was he sucked at being a head coach...his defenses do good his first year there and then they tail off...

ryan walked into a great situation. lets not forget that NO had a top 10 defense three years ago, and then they lost all their coaches, and couple of players got suspended. the whole team was in turmoil. so the talent was there to have a good defense. once they got peyton back and ryan coming in, it helped them get back to top 10.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

The Dallas Cowboys Defensive unit can't be any worse than it was last year

Well, we got that going for us.

 

[guag]

The teams that improved had combinations of changes in culture, talent, and coaching that we aren't seeing in Dallas this year. Of the teams that went on to become Top Ten units, here are the details:

2013 New Orleans Saints: New Coordinator (Rex Ryan), Development of Cameron Jordan, Junio Galette, and Akiem Hicks, Added Keenan Lewis
2012 Carolina Panthers: Added Luke Kuechly, excellent play from developing Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson
2011 Houston Texans: New Coordinator (Wade Phillips) Added Jonathan Joseph, JJ Watt; Development of Antonio Smith
2011 Jacksonville Jaguars: Added Jeremy Mincey, Paul Posluszny, Matt Roth, Drew Coleman
2009 Denver Broncos: New Coordinator (Mike Nolan) Added Andra Davis, Brian Dawkins, development of Elvis Dumervil

What do you mean?

New coordinator: God Marinelli
Added Henry Melton, Terrell McClain (who is said to be looking good), Jeremy Mincy
Likely development (barring injury) of Tyrone Crawford, JJ Wilcox, Claiborne, Carter, Holloman.... should I go on?

 

[guag]

There's this fallacy that the defense can't be any worse since you can't be any worse than the 32nd ranked defense. That doesn't mean we can't be worse statistically than last year. It honestly wouldn't surprise me. I want to have hope but I can't really find any anywhere. I'm extremely optimistic about the offense. I'm predicting top 3 in the league. But I can honestly see the defense being worse than last year.

THANK YOU. It bothers me when people say there's no way the defense can be worse than last year, and the only way to go is up.

Uh, hello? If we give up 600 yards & 40 points a game in 2014 (highly unlikely but certainly possible), then I'd say that's a pretty good definition of "worse" than 2013.

 

[JBS]

While it is possible to have as many injuries as last year and be as worse or worst, it is unlikely.

I've never seen one unit on a football team be so decimated. That's so unlikely to happen again. I've followed the Cowboys since 1964 and for 49 years never saw the like. That's getting on average twice a century. I'd say it's a once in a long lifetime event; at best.

We'll be in the top 20 IMO. If we're in the top half of the league statistically and better in takeaways, pressures, and pass D then I'll be very happy. At that point you hope Romo doesn't go down because you have a team capable of going to the playoffs where anything can happen.

Ill take any bet you want that that are in the top 20. There's no chance

 

[Rockport]

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what argument you are making here, but I thought it was interesting that Aikman was recently quoted saying something to the same extent: "The Cowboys defense can only get better!" I, personally, disagree with this sentiment. It can get worse. I won't predict one way or the other if it will, but I really don't see how the Cowboys defense improved in the offseason...so it could very well be worse, the same or better. While I am hoping for the latter, in my mind, this is the least likely, regardless of what has happened on different teams, with different coaches, a whole set of different players, different cap restrictions, and different draft quality/positions. I think the Cowboys are the exception to the rule, as far as the above argument, because they have either completely missed in the 1st few rounds on players or were not drafting high enough to find true difference makers - and that is what truly separates this team from others. So comparison's are difficult to draw given those variables.

The defense could be worse or it could be better. Just depends on how you spin it for yourself.

 

[burmafrd]

only way our D makes it into the top 20 is if we face a lot of mediocre offenses.

sure we can get to the playoffs where anything can happen as long as you don't run into SF or Seattle. Who will squash us like bugs.

 

[Doc50]

While it is possible to have as many injuries as last year and be as worse or worst, it is unlikely.

I've never seen one unit on a football team be so decimated. That's so unlikely to happen again. I've followed the Cowboys since 1964 and for 49 years never saw the like. That's getting on average twice a century. I'd say it's a once in a long lifetime event; at best.

We'll be in the top 20 IMO. If we're in the top half of the league statistically and better in takeaways, pressures, and pass D then I'll be very happy. At that point you hope Romo doesn't go down because you have a team capable of going to the playoffs where anything can happen.

Exactly.

While there is nothing certain except death and taxes, you can't disagree that we are not likely to see such an injury plague to the front 7 again.
And the team management is not simply calling that bad luck, they have recognized the need to guard against such a recurrence by turning towards youth and depth.

I really think we can all stop worrying about this.......unless lightning strikes again.

 

[burmafrd]

Exactly.

While there is nothing certain except death and taxes, you can't disagree that we are not likely to see such an injury plague to the front 7 again.
And the team management is not simply calling that bad luck, they have recognized the need to guard against such a recurrence by turning towards youth and depth.

I really think we can all stop worrying about this.......unless lightning strikes again.

instead of the D line our secondary could get worked. Anything is possible with the Dallas Cowboys.

 

[TheFinisher]

This is, on paper, the worst looking defense in the NFL. Everyone thinking Marinelli is some sort of Godsend who will fix everything must be forgetting he was basically coordinator 1B last year with Kiffin.

 

[waving monkey]

There's this fallacy that the defense can't be any worse since you can't be any worse than the 32nd ranked defense. That doesn't mean we can't be worse statistically than last year. It honestly wouldn't surprise me. I want to have hope but I can't really find any anywhere. I'm extremely optimistic about the offense. I'm predicting top 3 in the league. But I can honestly see the defense being worse than last year.

With this group there's this fallacy that the defense cant get better because their were ranked 32nd last year.They are here by 32nd permanently.
This doesn't mean we can't statistically get better then last year.

 

[DFWJC]

Actually, I didn't understand a single word of that initial post. Thanks for dumbing it down for me.

It's a unique skill of mine

 

[Alexander]

TL;DR

Just kidding. Excellent stuff.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

ryan walked into a great situation. lets not forget that NO had a top 10 defense three years ago, and then they lost all their coaches, and couple of players got suspended. the whole team was in turmoil. so the talent was there to have a good defense. once they got peyton back and ryan coming in, it helped them get back to top 10.

This is nonsense. They hadn't had a top 10 defense since 2010. They were a very middling defense in 2012, 13 in points and 24 in yards.

And no one claimed he was walking into a ton of talent when he got there. Who were these talented defenders? Also, he had a lot of injuries before the season even started last year.

You may not like Ryan, but the fact is that he did a great job there last year.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

This is nonsense. They hadn't had a top 10 defense since 2010. They were a very middling defense in 2012, 13 in points and 24 in yards.

And no one claimed he was walking into a ton of talent when he got there. Who were these talented defenders? Also, he had a lot of injuries before the season even started last year.

You may not like Ryan, but the fact is that he did a great job there last year.

having benefit of one of the best offenses in the league helps a lot.

 

[wileedog]

What do you mean?

New coordinator: God Marinelli

This Marinelli worship is getting so old. Did everyone just conveniently forget that he was actually HERE during last year's historic debacle? That of anyone in football, no one has more of Kiffin's trust and ear than Rod Marinelli? It's not like there is a whole new culture or scheme or anything, Marinelli is just a younger Kiffin. And he was part of last year's disaster, he doesn't get some sort of pass on it.

Added Henry Melton, Terrell McClain (who is said to be looking good), Jeremy Mincy

Melton and Hatcher are, at the very, very best, a wash. The other two are the definition of JAGs, despite how anyone looks in OTAs with no pads on.

Likely development (barring injury) of Tyrone Crawford, JJ Wilcox, Claiborne, Carter, Holloman.... should I go on?

That's about the only hope this defense has this year, that someone steps up. But guys like Wilcox, Carter and Claiborn were here last year and stunk. The rest haven't done anything, and could just as easily play as bad as the off the couch guys we had last year.

Sorry, don't share the optimism that there has been real improvement other than throwing some stuff at the wall and hoping it sticks.