SI.com - Cowboy excerpt from Bank's snap judgements

[Colo]

• The Cowboys defense may not pay for it this week against the offensively-challenged Dolphins, but the loss of nose tackle Jason Ferguson to a season-ending torn biceps tendon could be a blow that they struggle to deal with all year. A quality nose tackle in a 3-4 defense is a must, and Ferguson was one of the keys for a Dallas defense that just a few short weeks ago looked poised for big things with Wade Phillips on the scene in '07. Of all the costly Week 1 injuries, the loss of Ferguson to Dallas could prove the most damaging league-wide, even more crippling than the Rams' losing offensive tackle Orlando Pace.

Third-year veteran Jay Ratliff will replace Ferguson, but we don't know much about the former Auburn defensive end/tackle. The expectation is that Ratliff will not be able to tie up two blockers as consistently as Ferguson did, thus forcing the Cowboys' inside linebackers to play closer to the line and have less time to read and react. When you factor in that Dallas is having trouble getting No. 1 cornerback Terence Newman healthy (torn plantar fascia in his right heel), that's a double whammy for a team that isn't defending the run or the pass as well as expected thus far.


Complete article

 

[dogunwo]

I dont want Newman to play yet. I dont think we need him till after the Bears game. Let Jacque hold it down until then. I believe NYG was the best offensive team we will face up until that point, and we won. 2 more weeks off would do wonders for him

 

[TunaFan33]

Yeah-Fergy's injury sux-worse thing was that he's 33, anyone else thing a 33 NT would last the entire season?

Am I the only one who thinks Jay will surprise some?

 

[THUMPER]

• Third-year veteran Jay Ratliff will replace Ferguson, but we don't know much about the former Auburn defensive end/tackle.

Yeah we could tell. Otherwise you would know that he has filled in quite well several times and we didn't miss a beat at the position when Ferguson went down.

What we are missing is depth at the position.

 

[theebs]

maybe he doesnt know enough about ratliff, But I feel like I sure do.

I dont doubt him for a second. He can play, end or tackle.

I do wonder about bowen and ayodele taking snaps there though.

 

[jbsg02]

Our defense needs some big help.

What's funny about it is that our offense is so much better than out defense, and yet, all our top draft picks have been towards defense. TO was a FA, we traded a 6th rounder for Glenn I believe. We don't even have an offensive player on our team that we drafted in the first round! We have 3 2nd rounders in Julius, Flo, and Gurode, and the rest were free agent pickups and 2nd day picks. Yet our defense which has NUMEROUS first and second round picks, as well as pricey FA pickups, such as Henry, Ferguson, and to some degree Ayodele and Hamlin, is our weak link. Has our coaching and scouting been that bad on defense??

 

[lspain1]

I think the effect of loss of Ferguson remains to be seen. It's a bit early to be declaring our doom. On the other hand 31 teams this season ARE doomed....so our odds aren't good. :

 

[sago1]

Agree it's weird our offense is doing so well while our defense falters. But we've spent some money on our offense in FA as well as our defense. Besides their names, I've noted what round we drafted them or how we got them:

Offense:
OL: Adams (2), Kosier (FA), Gurode (2), Davis (FA), Colombo (FA) & McQuistan (7), Marten (3), Free (4), Proctor (?), Berger (taken off another team's PS)
RB: Jones (2), MBIII (4), TT (undrafted)
QB: Romo (undrafted), Johnson (FA)
WR: TO (FA), Glenn (traded 6th for him), Crayton (7), Hurd (undrafted), Austin (undrafted), Stanbach (4th)
FB: Hoyte (undrafted), Anderson (6)

FA Davis cost big time money; Kosier was relatively inexpensive; Colombo come cheap cause he rehabbing; TO cost big money; and don't forget the big money we shelled out for Riveria who didn't pan out due to injuries.

Defense:
DL: Spears (1), Ferguson (FA), Canty (4), Hatcher (3), Ratliff (7), Bowen (undrafted), Ayodele (undrafted)
LB: Ware (1), Ayodele (FA), James (2 or 4), Ellis (1), Spencer (1), Burnett (2 or 4), Rogers (FA), (Carpenter (1)
S: Williams (1), Davis (undrafted), Hamlin (FA), Watkins (5), Brown (7)
CB: Newman (1), Henry (FA), Reeves (7), Jones (7)

FA Ferguson cost good money; A.Ayodele cost pretty good), Hamlin (not bad), Henry cost good money