Run defense is a liability

[thunderpimp91]

Not from my memory. . I distinctly remember several posters in several different threads claiming the cowboys run defense wasn’t a issue.I agree it has improved but, now that Hankins is out, it might become a issue again

IDK that people didn't think it was an issue but rather that it wasnt an immediate problem because of how dominant the pass rush was. When teams started playing the Cowboys differently it became more urgent to fix. Now the Cowboys have adjusted to stop the run, but we are seeing teams challenge our DBs a bit more.

What I worry about is how OCs will play with the Cowboys, and how it likely changes drastically week to week. This defense has the talent to defend both the run or pass, but we are rapidly losing the ability to do both due to injury, especially to our DBs. DQ will have to be ready week in and week out and probably have to win some gambles. Can we consistently play the run with a light box? Do we trust backups like Joseph 1v1 to keep an extra LB on the field or put a Safety by the LOS?

 

[Doomsday101]

That’s true . I do agree the run defense has improved since the packers game , which is why
I’m a little confused about this tread.I am worried that fans and the front office might become complacent and not try to continue to improve the dline and lb corps going forward.I’m also worried about losing Hankins

Fans being complacent has no bearing on this team at all. Front office I think they are allowing the coaches to do their jobs and Quinn continue to push this defense and they are responding. I hate losing Haskins but he will be ready to do for post season.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

They all have rushed for over 100 yards against the Cowboys.

That does not matter. Yards per carry matter. If you rush for 100 yards on 30+ carries, you will lose most of those games. That is horrid efficiency and will not get you many first downs. Really not that difficult to understand.

 

[OmerV]

The Colts had to pass for most of the 2nd half. They’ve done ether but it’s still a liability.

The Colts were only down by 2 points after 3 quarters, and when they did run they only averaged 3.5 yards per carry.

 

[manster4ever]

This is why we should have picked up Suh and Linville Joseph instead of letting our our rival scarf them up and add to a position they are already strong at.

It was a fine chess move by the Eagles seeing that we were weak defending the run and taking all the good players left just so we couldn't get them knowing that they would meet us later on and it would be our undoing.

I don't really think there's much out there in the way of free agents that could help us at this point we are what we are.

Quinn is going to need to prove he can scheme away to stop the run with what we have.

IMO I don't think any DC can scheme their way into stopping the run. It's a mentality and our D doesn't have it and hasn't for a lot of years. Soft from the top down and proved it last week vs. Houston.

 

[Rockport]

That does not matter. Yards per carry matter. If you rush for 100 yards on 30+ carries, you will lose most of those games. That is horrid efficiency and will not get you many first downs. Really not that difficult to understand.

YPC doesn’t matter as much. Establishing the run opens up your offense and that’s what’s happening. Really not that difficult to understand.

 

[OmerV]

They all have rushed for over 100 yards against the Cowboys.

Nope, Minnesota and the Giants were both held to less than 100 yards. 100 yards isn't a big number to give up anyway

 

[OmerV]

YPC doesn’t matter as much. Establishing the run opens up your offense and that’s what’s happening. Really not that difficult to understand.

And again, that happened too often in games this year, and a month ago we were all talking about how the run defense was failing us. But that hasn't been the case in any of the last 4 games.

 

[Rockport]

And again, that happened too often in games this year, and a month ago we were all talking about how the run defense was failing us. But that hasn't been the case in any of the last 4 games.

Again, if teams can establish the run, it opens up the rest of their offense. Doesn’t matter how many yards they get. They’ve gotten better but they need to get mo better.

 

[Doomsday101]

YPC doesn’t matter as much. Establishing the run opens up your offense and that’s what’s happening. Really not that difficult to understand.

that is true yet 1 chunk play in the run game does not make a running game. You also risk putting yourself in 2nd and 3rd and long which plays into the Cowboys strength.

 

[xwalker]

Cowboys are 23rd worst in run defense. This is my only worry going forward towards the playoffs. The offense is doing their job scoring plenty of points to win an NFL game. The problem has been on the defensive side of the ball. Cowboys are just allowing too many yards rushing the ball. They’ve got to focus on fixing this. The hell with trying to get #11 the DPOY. He’s got plenty of sacks already. Probably a Jerry thing trying to get #11 more sacks. Quinn needs to prove his worth and lay down the law. The hell with the sacks first mentality, those will come, how about stopping the dam run! When a team can run the ball against you, it changes to entire game. It opens up play action pass so a guy like Mills can complete passes. It takes time off the clock. This has been a Quinn weakness with his inability to control the run offense. It’s got to change.

Rushing Yards per Attempt Allowed
Cowboys 19th
Eagles 26th

Passing Yards per Attempt Allowed
Cowboys 3rd
Eagles 1st

Points Allowed
Cowboys 3rd
Eagles 7th

Maybe rushing yards are not a good stat to rank defenses...

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

Rushing Yards per Attempt Allowed
Cowboys 19th
Eagles 26th

Passing Yards per Attempt Allowed
Cowboys 3rd
Eagles 1st

Points Allowed
Cowboys 3rd
Eagles 7th

Maybe rushing yards are not a good stat to rank defenses...

Don't try and speak sense. The heels are dug in.

YPC doesn’t matter as much. Establishing the run opens up your offense and that’s what’s happening. Really not that difficult to understand.

An offense decided to mindlessly slam the ball up the middle for 1 or 2 yards on first down is a win for the defense. You only "open up the offense" i.e. play action, 1 on 1s, etc. when you make the defense fear the run game. Three yards per carry does not do this.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Cowboys are 23rd worst in run defense. This is my only worry going forward towards the playoffs. The offense is doing their job scoring plenty of points to win an NFL game. The problem has been on the defensive side of the ball. Cowboys are just allowing too many yards rushing the ball. They’ve got to focus on fixing this. The hell with trying to get #11 the DPOY. He’s got plenty of sacks already. Probably a Jerry thing trying to get #11 more sacks. Quinn needs to prove his worth and lay down the law. The hell with the sacks first mentality, those will come, how about stopping the dam run! When a team can run the ball against you, it changes to entire game. It opens up play action pass so a guy like Mills can complete passes. It takes time off the clock. This has been a Quinn weakness with his inability to control the run offense. It’s got to change.

and this is a HUGE issue, given two of the potential teams we might face in SF and Eagles are great running teams. we have to address this as in the playoff you give up 120+ yards of rushing, your chances of winning diminishes by multiple folds.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Rushing Yards per Attempt Allowed
Cowboys 19th
Eagles 26th

Passing Yards per Attempt Allowed
Cowboys 3rd
Eagles 1st

Points Allowed
Cowboys 3rd
Eagles 7th

Maybe rushing yards are not a good stat to rank defenses...

I disagree. if you are that bad in run defense, then teams are going to try and find different schemes to run on you and control the clock. playoffs are a different beast.

 

[Big D]

A run stuffing MLB will cure that....

I'd like to see #11 in that role.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Knowing isn’t the problem as most coordinators know their weaknesses.

Quinn knew it last year when SF was coming to town and they could not stop it.

I am not sure what the issue is with our run defense. bad angles. bad line up. bad tackling. bad scheme. lack of talent. lack of discipline. all of the above....but they have to fix this, else we are toast in the playoffs

 

[Blackspider214]

*And* now Hankins is out.

Time for the offense to score and put pressure on the other team to score.

Time for the $40 Million Dollar Man to deliver.

Ahhh yes here we go. Defense will get a pass in the playoffs for being horrendous. Already got the excuses out. They were god awful against SF and got whipped all over the field. Parsons and DLaw were nowhere to be found.

Do you even watch playoff football? If your defense is terrible, you aren't going far. You aren't going to go out there and put up huge points consistently.

Romo got all these excuses for his defense being bad (and it was). And he never delivered either. Dak I guess has different rules.

If you say this defense is great and elite, then go prove it when it counts. Remember, this team lost to GB while scoring 31. That's a lot of points in the playoffs.

Josh Allen's lone divisional round win was when his defense scored as many points as he led his offense. And he lost last year when his defense crapped the bed and he led them to a lot of points. It's a much better recipe to have your defense step up when it matters.

 

[OmerV]

Again, if teams can establish the run, it opens up the rest of their offense. Doesn’t matter how many yards they get. They’ve gotten better but they need to get mo better.

The last 4 weeks opponents haven't established the run. Yes, it does matter how many yards they get. It has to be a threat for it to really open things up.

And realistically, what was opened up in the opposing offenses the last 4 games? In 3 of them the opponent was held to less than their average yardage total, including Minnesota who only had 183 yards of total offense. Ultimately only the Houston offense did notably better than it's norm, but that was because of Cowboy mistakes (3 turnovers) and offensive shortfalls most of the game, not because the Texans running game controlled things.

 

[Blackspider214]

I am not sure what the issue is with our run defense. bad angles. bad line up. bad tackling. bad scheme. lack of talent. lack of discipline. all of the above....but they have to fix this, else we are toast in the playoffs

I still think this defense will be exposed come playoff time. Like last year. We are still soft up the middle. If we face Tampa in first round, do we have any answer for their run game? Fournette already abused us. If your run defense is soft in the playoffs, you usually won't last long.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I still think this defense will be exposed come playoff time. Like last year. We are still soft up the middle. If we face Tampa in first round, do we have any answer for their run game? Fournette already abused us. If your run defense is soft in the playoffs, you usually won't last long.

I am not as worried about tampa bay, as they are last in rushing and haven't hit 1000. that explains their offensive struggles and their passing stats, as they are often forced to throw a lot on 2nd and 3rd downs. I think tampa is the best first round opponent even on the road....but if/when we win that game, then end up in Philly and their run game is scary good. and one issue with cowboys that even Texans exploited is our struggle with Mobile, running QBs (Philly, Chicago exposed us).

my hope was our records would be closer to the 6th and 7th spot teams and perhaps we end up as the 7th seed, which then would mean we play Minnesotta. I think they are an easier match up and then second round against either 6th place team or SF. despite SF success, I think they are deeply flawed offensively. their defense is good, but over rated.