Season will come down to Defense

[LocimusPrime]

• Cowboys drafted Smith, Collins, and Tapper this year - and all three have yet to play any meaningful pre season minutes. Optimistically, Smith recovers and plays next year. Pessimistically, he never plays an NFL down. Without any training camp or meaningful reps, I cannot see Tapper or Collins helping this year as well. At best they will be worked in to the rotation as 3rd or 4 th stringers. Terrible. Smh
• "Can't make the club in the tub". You can in Dallas. Currently the defense has the following injured players: Smith, Crawford, Irving, Tapper, Jenkins, Gachkar, Nzeocha with Mayowa and Collins just now seeing their first action of the preseason. We don't know if some of these guys can even help the team, but their roster spots will be guaranteed just because they where drafted or we spent some money getting them.
• Cowboy beat writers are over stating what the Dlinemen are capable of - or they are simply lieing to get clicks. I read a couple of reports/articles how Russell is a beast, how tapper was unstoppable, Irving was undefeatable. Pleeeeeeeease ****.
• If Lee goes down, we have a whole bunch of smallish average or elbow average linebackers. Hitchens is nit the answer. Wilson is not the answer. Durant will not play 16 games and will not return next year. He almost retired this year and the coaches are already working him in ahead of Hitchens. He started at MLB last night. Give me one 255-260ln MLB pleeeease. Someone who can thump the running backs. Bring some physicality. Lee is cerebral, and that's good. Now give me a beast to pair up with him.
• They rebuilt the OLine with a series of first rd picks. Yes first rd picks. Do the same with the D. Stop drafting a bunch of later rd guys then proclaim that you have spent resources on the D. Spend 1 st rd picks, not second, not third, not fourth.
• Stop being cheap. Get those FAs on defense that can help like Elway did. Oh yeah, he did. He spent cash and got the trophy. Or you can be cheap like the Rangers and never win jack in over 50 years. Spend everything you got for Romos last two years. Then we will rebuild.

 

[LittleD]

If I was on this defense, I would not sleep peacefully at night. Will McClay and his scouts
are quietly developing their list of players who will be cut and those likely to make
practice squads. They will be bringing in players they think are better than those who
make our 53 and some who are better that what will be on our initial PS. It always
happens so chill and wait for the 1st week game against the Gints to jump off the ledge.

 

[Sydla]

I'm not sure the Giants, Commanders, or Eagles will be any good on defense. If we keep the ball out of the other teams hands like a couple years ago our defense will be a lot fresher. I don't see Giants really running it much, Commanders ran the ball poorly last year. Eagles are lower on talent.

IMO you undersell the Eagles defense. They will be pretty good. Not great or elite but they have a strong DL and two good safeties. They are weak at CB, though.

Their problem is their offense might be atrocious. Like less than 20 points a game bad.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Last minute cuts and reclamation projects won't help this D significantly. We have tried this with Mayowa ( raiders practice squad) and Irving ( Chiefs practice squad). Tired of Walmart players, let's goto Saks, Niemans, or Nordstrums

 

[ElGatoGrande]

HOF Charles Haley? So I guess then every 4th round DL will become a hall of famer?

And did Haley go nuts his first year after missing the entire preseason with a broken foot?

C'mon Roy, that's pretty weak. It's better to graciously concede a point than to thrash around like an epileptic octopus. Before OU changed schemes Tapper was a beast and I think he will be a good player for us, even if he wasn't drafted in the first three rounds.

 

[CowboyRoy]

C'mon Roy, that's pretty weak. It's better to graciously concede a point than to thrash around like an epileptic octopus. Before OU changed schemes Tapper was a beast and I think he will be a good player for us, even if he wasn't drafted in the first three rounds.

You are comparing the two players because they are both 4th round picks and you want to call me weak?

One has NOTHING to do with the other. Fact still remains that its rarer then rare that ANY DL makes in impact their first year. And any 4th round DL is even lower. Then throw on the fact he has been injured much of the preseason.

What is Tapper gonna do have 10 sacks this year? Ill bet anything you want on that one.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

You are comparing the two players because they are both 4th round picks and you want to call me weak?

One has NOTHING to do with the other. Fact still remains that its rarer then rare that ANY DL makes in impact their first year. And any 4th round DL is even lower. Then throw on the fact he has been injured much of the preseason.

What is Tapper gonna do have 10 sacks this year? Ill bet anything you want on that one.

Why are you still laboring under the misconception I was talking about this year specifically? Is it deliberate? A weak straw man? Gather your thoughts, try to proceed rationally. You're desperately lost on the fourth round thing as well.

 

[percyhoward]

But from personal experiences, God knew what he was doing when he invented water.

But from the post, one seems to grasp the entirety of ethics involved...wet.

I'll be danged if you didn't just about cover it all...with the water is wet jingle...

Sir, that post was Beamonesque.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Why are you still laboring under the misconception I was talking about this year specifically? Is it deliberate? A weak straw man? Gather your thoughts, try to proceed rationally. You're desperately lost on the fourth round thing as well.

My point is simple. The odds of Tapper making a big impact this year are small.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

My point is simple. The odds of Tapper making a big impact this year are small.

So your point doesn't conflict with my post, no argument to be had here.

 

[Derinyar]

In my opinion this entire season will come down to defense. I think this offense can play up to a championship level but the problem I see it on defense even when we get guys like Lawrence back and Gregory this defense will still be a major question mark. There is potential in both players but both are still question marks in my mind as being major difference makers.
I think this team can win the NFC East but to advance this defense will have to play to a level that I am unsure they are capable of playing to

No the season will come down to offense. its where the bulk of the talent is. If this offense plays up to its potential the defense just has to be mediocre. Does that work in the playoffs is another question, but frankly single elimination playoffs are basically coin tosses anyway.

 

[Doomsday101]

No the season will come down to offense. its where the bulk of the talent is. If this offense plays up to its potential the defense just has to be mediocre. Does that work in the playoffs is another question, but frankly single elimination playoffs are basically coin tosses anyway.

I disagree, Clearly offense will be the strong suite of this team but what cost you in the end is your weakness. My hope is the defense performs to a higher level than what I see in them today. I think they have a very good coach in Rod to help make it happen but on game day it falls to the players to carry out their jobs.

 

[noshame]

Running the ball will wear down their defense keep our defense fresh and allow us to win in the 4th quarter.
That said if Lee goes down we're toast

 

[Derinyar]

I disagree, Clearly offense will be the strong suite of this team but what cost you in the end is your weakness. My hope is the defense performs to a higher level than what I see in them today. I think they have a very good coach in Rod to help make it happen but on game day it falls to the players to carry out their jobs.

I think the defensive players who are actually going to make the team today played alright. Not great but alright. I think our very borderline players and those who aren't going to make the team were bad and worse. 10 points in a half isn't a bad amount.

 

[Sydla]

I didn't say this year, though that still remains a possibility. I'm sure Charles Haley would like to hear your thoughts on rookie 4th round DL, lol

Well in fairness, when the Cowboys acquired Haley, he was an established stud edge rusher. So the risk wasn't nearly there as it is now counting on a 4th round guy who has never taken a NFL snap to suddenly fix the edge rush issues this team has.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Running the ball will wear down their defense keep our defense fresh and allow us to win in the 4th quarter.
That said if Lee goes down we're toast

I liked your post and this isnt meant to sound snarky but why wouldnt our opponents use the same strategy. Running the ball would keep their defense fresh and allow them to win in the 4th as well

 

[noshame]

I liked your post and this isnt meant to sound snarky but why wouldnt our opponents use the same strategy. Running the ball would keep their defense fresh and allow them to win in the 4th as well

They don't have our offensive line or running back stable

 

[LocimusPrime]

They don't have our offensive line or running back stable

Our defensive line will make their O line look like ours. Our d line is below avg so it will make an opponents avg oline look powerful.

 

[perrykemp]

Cornerbacks should be OK. Safety should be OK as long as Jones is the real deal and Wilcox doesn't have to play much. DTs are the strength of the team at this point. LBs aren't very deep. DE is one giant question mark at this point.

Anybody waiting to see some sort of stand-out play / attributes from Jones?

I know he has all the physical ability in the world, just not seeing it translate yet.

--Nathan

 

[LocimusPrime]

Anybody waiting to see some sort of stand-out play / attributes from Jones?

I know he has all the physical ability in the world, just not seeing it translate yet.

--Nathan

Agreed. We annoint guys before seeing any production