Prisco ranks Dallas DL 5th

[Tra_Col99]

Sorry if this is a re-post

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10853318

Best player: OLB DeMarcus Ware. Weak link: LE Marcus Spears.
The skinny: The Cowboys play a 3-4, so the outside linebackers are included in the evaluation. Ware is the best player on the defense coming from the right outside spot, while Greg Ellis joined him at the Pro Bowl last year from the other side. There is depth with Anthony Spencer. The three down players are highlighted by right end Chris Canty, who is coming off his best season. Jay Ratliff takes over at nose tackle from the departed Jason Ferguson and he played well last season when Ferguson was hurt. Tank Johnson is a good backup. Spears, who was a first-round pick, is an OK player but not what the Cowboys expected.
Rating: 5

 

[theogt]

Fyi...

Spears finished second on the team in tackles behind the line of scrimmage behind Ware and third on the team in total stops behind the line (TFL plus sacks) behind Ware and Ellis. Spears' rate of making plays behind the line (based on playing time) was much better than any other defensive lineman on our team.

RATE OF SACKS OR TACKLES FOR LOSS
Spears = 1 every 55.5 snaps
Johnson = 1 every 70.0 snaps
Hatcher = 1 every 73.4 snaps
Canty = 1 every 90.0 snaps
Ratliff = 1 every 101.5 snaps
R.Ayodele = none
Bowen = none

Spears also tied Ellis for second on the team with three forced fumbles, one behind Ware.

 

[adamknite]

You know you have a pretty good defensive line when Marcus Spears is your worst player there.

 

[AbeBeta]

What is really interesting about Spears' play is that you notice him practically every game making a tackle for a loss, usually early in the game. However you look at the stat sheet and you almost always see that the tackle for a loss was his only tackle of the game.

I don't expect the front 3 to be busting out 4 and 5 tackle games but the pattern seems odd to me.

 

[Nexx]

i'd like to see the # of qb pressures.....

 

[Sarge]

Fyi...

Excellent - Spears is twice as good as Ratliff.

Seemsayin'?

 

[BlueStar II]

I would like to see Spears step it up this year, but...who knows if that will ever happen, or at least in Dallas.

 

[jterrell]

Fyi...

The problem here is that is all the plays Spears makes....

Canty and even Hatcher had more total tackles and Spears had all of 19 solo tackles on the season.

If you are only going to make plays in the backfield you need to make more of them.

** I do believe Spears was much better last season and while I still classify him behind Canty and Ratliff that hardly means he sucks.

 

[theogt]

The problem here is that is all the plays Spears makes....

Canty and even Hatcher had more total tackles and Spears had all of 19 solo tackles on the season.

If you are only going to make plays in the backfield you need to make more of them.

** I do believe Spears was much better last season and while I still classify him behind Canty and Ratliff that hardly means he sucks.

These are on a "per play" basis. If you took his normal tackle stats and put them on a per play basis, I assume you'd see a similar outcome. The reason is that Spears is off the field in certain packages, so his total number of plays is reduced.

 

[AbeBeta]

These are on a "per play" basis. If you took his normal tackle stats and put them on a per play basis, I assume you'd see a similar outcome. The reason is that Spears is off the field in certain packages, so his total number of plays is reduced.

hmm, that says to me that these stats are not so useful. unless these are broken down to compare across package then it is hard to get a sense of whether he's doing well -- that is if he's only playing in a package where you get about 75% of the tackles for a loss and sitting for packages where you get far fewer tackles for a loss then his better numbers are attributable to package, not good play.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Spears not what we expected?

Understatement

 

[theogt]

hmm, that says to me that these stats are not so useful. unless these are broken down to compare across package then it is hard to get a sense of whether he's doing well -- that is if he's only playing in a package where you get about 75% of the tackles for a loss and sitting for packages where you get far fewer tackles for a loss then his better numbers are attributable to package, not good play.

He's missing out on pass-rush packages, where these guys get most of their sacks. So it's six in one, half dozen in the other.

 

[RainMan]

With Ware and Ellis counting as defensive linemen in this evaluation, it'll be interesting to see where a two-man LB group of James and Thomas rank.

 

[AbeBeta]

He's missing out on pass-rush packages, where these guys get most of their sacks. So it's six in one, half dozen in the other.

but for all of those guys, TFLs should be more common than sacks....

 

[theogt]

but for all of those guys, TFLs should be more common than sacks....

You'd have to see which is a higher ratio -- TFLs per run play vs. Sacks per pass play.

Not sure which would be higher. I'd guess it's pretty much a wash.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Spears finished second on the team in tackles behind the line of scrimmage behind Ware and third on the team in total stops behind the line (TFL plus sacks) behind Ware and Ellis. Spears' rate of making plays behind the line (based on playing time) was much better than any other defensive lineman on our team.

RATE OF SACKS OR TACKLES FOR LOSS
Spears = 1 every 55.5 snaps
Johnson = 1 every 70.0 snaps
Hatcher = 1 every 73.4 snaps
Canty = 1 every 90.0 snaps
Ratliff = 1 every 101.5 snaps
R.Ayodele = none
Bowen = none

Spears also tied Ellis for second on the team with three forced fumbles, one behind Ware.

I don't accept these stats with out other stats such as Total Tackles How many snaps each person played. 1 every 55 looks impressive however he only had 30 tackles last season so how does that equate. Even though Canty has 1 every 90 because he has almost twice as many tackles and sacks I don't see what this really proves IMO.

 

[theogt]

I don't accept these stats with out other stats such as Total Tackles How many snaps each person played. 1 every 55 looks impressive however he only had 30 tackles last season so how does that equate. Even though Canty has 1 every 90 because he has almost twice as many tackles and sacks I don't see what this really proves IMO.

Math was a tough subject, huh?

 

[AbeBeta]

Math was a tough subject, huh?

:laugh2:

 

[This is Our Year]

Giants should be #1 if Strahan comes back imo DL wise.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

He's missing out on pass-rush packages, where these guys get most of their sacks. So it's six in one, half dozen in the other.

He's missing out of pass-rush packages for a reason. He's not a good pass rusher. I don't know what to make of Spears. Watching him make play after play at LSU, I was ecstatic when we took him in the 1st rd. He had caught fire late his senior year, and in the last 5 games, had 14 of his season total 17 TFLs, and 8 of his 9 sacks.

I thought for sure he would carry that over to his career with the Cowboys, but, so far it just hasn't happened. As was mentioned, he did have his best season last year, & we can only hope that he continues to improve with the Phillips defense.

Good to see our DL ranked so high. So the wrap up is:

OFFENSIVE LINE #1
DEFENSIVE LINE #5​

It all starts up front, and I'll take those fronts any day!​