Should Nolan Be Fired

Portnoy1

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Should Nolan Be Fired?

The answer I think most of us would give is yes. But I'd like to know why. I "DO" want Nolan gone, but my reason is because I want an aggressive 4-3 DC, but that's about all I got. And a DC the players are willing to work with.

When I look at the defense we should rightfully be getting torched in the air, we knew that from the start of the season. Lewis, Awuzie, woods aren't needle movers, Diggs is a rookie and Wilson is a good run defending, underneath type safety. But statistically our passing D is middle of the pack. Why?

Because our run Defense is the worst in the league. But that's where the household names were. Poe, Smith, DLAW, Gregory, Griffen. In Marinelli's Scheme you could one gap and go. In this Scheme it's not like that. I've scene Nolan even go to a 5man front and yet runs up the gut and around the corner are still happening. I don't necessarily believe at this point it's a lack of understanding, but a lack of effort. Aldon and DLaw getting caught inside and not setting the edge, Crawford getting blown off the ball. Then you look at the next level with LVE and Jaylon. I've seen especially early on where for example Poe was double teamed leaving Jaylon 1 on 1 with a back and Jaylon hesitates and gets burned for a 5 -6 yard run that should have been 2 at the most. LVE not picking the right Gap with Lamar Jackson's TD run.

Those things are not the fault of the playcaller. Also we need to be realistic about the players and how they play. DLAW freelanced à bit. If you notice he dips inside quite a bit on runs and doesn't set the edge all the time. More often than not it works in his favor though, but if a lesser player does that it's not gonna work out well. There are plays where DLaw dives inside gets in the backfield and hits the RB and gets a 5 yard loss, but if he sets the edge then the RB cuts back right into the LBs for no gain. But if DLAW misses when he ducks inside then that back now has a nice lane outside with the LBs being out of position.

My point is I've seen Nolan do several different things but the results are the same. If you recall the game against the Ravens was telling. The last TD featured a gut run and the RB was barely touched. There lineman said "easy money". A gut run in a goal line situation should NEVER be easy money. Is that Nolan's fault?

If he is fired and someone else is brought in, how do we know that the players won't pull this same nonsense then? I ask, is it Nolan's scheme? Is it a Talent deficiency? Lack of effort? Or all of the above?
 
all of the above
however it is up to the dc to get his players motivated to give max effort. If he cant do that for whatever reason then he needs to go.
They should also do what they are supposed to do, not free lance.
 
No.

I don't want a return to a 4-3. Mike McCarthy is right to want a multiple DEF, that's what the best teams in the NFL do.
If McCarthy is returning and given the 'pass' that this was a difficult year due to Covid etc, so should Nolan.
These players are simply not good enough over a season McCarthy knows that and so does Nolan.
Let's see what they can do with a full offseason and draft.
 
If the defense keeps improving in the remaining games you have to take into account that maybe the players are adjusting and finally embracing Nolan's scheme. We do need some more resilient, talented football warriors in all three units of our defense that also have higher football IQ's.

Stopping the run is a must.
 
2 off the top

See players out of position/losing containment.WEEK AFTER WEEK.
Letting Poe be a fat blob of nothing for weeks.

I've lost a ton of respect in MM for letting Nolan sit here out of the good ol boy mentality.
 
Everyone above makes good valid points.

One thing I have noticed, the Defense has improved and played much better this late in the season. Is it because the players are finally better understanding their roles in Nolan's defense or is it Nolan making better adjustments while starting the correct players? I think it's a little bit of both.

I agree this Defense still needs to keep drafting better players, but since Nolan's Defense has finally started to perform better, even though so late in the season, I believe that in itself will give Jerry enough to keep Mike Nolan at least for one more year as Defensive Coordinator.

I personally do wish Nolan would use more of a 4-3 variant to where 3 LBs would better help stop the run (instead of only 2 LBs), but maybe that is where Nolan and the Cowboys can draft a hybrid type of LB/S who can play much better the pass along with helping stop the run while lining up in the box somewhat like Darren Woodson used to do due to his size, speed, power, tackling and coverage abilities? I believe it would be smart to look for and target such a type of hybrid LB/S who could do exactly that and best help Nolan's Defense perform better.
 
I agree with all that you said in your post, but the thing that worries me with Nolan is that he has a poor track record. From what Ive seen his defenses have never finished higher tha 20th ranked. Coincidence or not? Not the guy I want running our Def.
 
When Nolan was hired I wasnt sure if it was a good hire or not. I thought the guy has been in the league a while I wonder how his defenses have done on previous visits. He hasnt had a decent defense since the 2000 Ravens. Defenses have actually become worse under his coaching. Thats when I thought I dont like the hire. I understand he hasnt had an off season to work with the players but I still dont like what is going on. I hate seeing two LBs on the second level and the secondary 10 yards off the line of scrimmage. Combine that with too many times the front 7 is hesitating and reacting too late. The players look like they dont know what they should be doing. Nolan is trying to make Jaylon his Ray Lewis and its not going to work because Jaylon lacks the instincts. LVE is no Boulware either. They had the right idea to beef up DT but they should of brought in young blood not aging has beens. It was Newsome that built that defense of the Raven and Lewis was the DC. Nolan inherited that defense in 2002.
 
Not to get off topic about Nolan but McCarthy can go too! The Cowboys would be better off with a disciplinarian defensive coach that doesnt feel the need to become friends with the players. Its like this team needs structure and leadership.
 
Jerry is gunning for Nolan and other members of the DEF coaching staff. He refuses to believe any of this is on the players. For example, X.Woods regression is on the coaching staff will be what he is thinking. McCarthy has lost a lot of power with this area of the team. I don't think Jerry is reading this situation right at all.

My guess is there will be sweeping changes with McCarthy having little say
 
When Nolan was hired I wasnt sure if it was a good hire or not. I thought the guy has been in the league a while I wonder how his defenses have done on previous visits. He hasnt had a decent defense since the 2000 Ravens. Defenses have actually become worse under his coaching. Thats when I thought I dont like the hire. I understand he hasnt had an off season to work with the players but I still dont like what is going on. I hate seeing two LBs on the second level and the secondary 10 yards off the line of scrimmage. Combine that with too many times the front 7 is hesitating and reacting too late. The players look like they dont know what they should be doing. Nolan is trying to make Jaylon his Ray Lewis and its not going to work because Jaylon lacks the instincts. LVE is no Boulware either. They had the right idea to beef up DT but they should of brought in young blood not aging has beens. It was Newsome that built that defense of the Raven and Lewis was the DC. Nolan inherited that defense in 2002.

Big Mike hired Nolan, his buddy, because Nolan hired MM to be the OC at 49ers in 2005. MM gets the HC job at Packers the next season.

It wasn’t about winning a Super Bowl.

it was about providing for his old buddy Nolan.

that DC contract is worth millions.

this is also the definition of cronyism.
 
Big Mike hired Nolan, his buddy, because Nolan hired MM to be the OC at 49ers in 2005. MM gets the HC job at Packers the next season.

It wasn’t about winning a Super Bowl.

it was about providing for his old buddy Nolan.

that DC contract is worth millions.

this is also the definition of cronyism.

You nailed it!!
 
Yes. This is historically one of the worst defenses to ever take the field. Lack of effort? Yes. Lack of talent? Yes. Bad scheme? Yes. Poor coaching? Yes.

Nolan is the scapegoat of the 2020 season. He may even get canned on Mon if we lose to Philly. Any way you cut it, someone has to be held responsible for the mess on D— and he is the most logical and responsible party— even if everything wrong is technically “not his fault.”
 
....in front of the house right now.

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