So what's going wrong on 3rd downs for the defense?

[Risen Star]

We did have a bit of luck - Eli's gift to Church - but that stop hat we made at the end was nice...

That's very true. Luck plays a part in it and that Church INT was pure luck. The QB had to make a bad throw to a wide open receiver. The receiver had to tip the ball right to the beaten defender.

 

[percyhoward]

This is a bad defense.

Based on our expectations, I'm just glad it's a top 20 defense.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Pay no attention to him. He's doing what he's always done.

You'd think after watching the Cowboys epic fail building their defense through the CB position that Winicki would have an epiphany and realize his underpants gnomes approach....

1. Stockpile cornerbacks.

2.

3. Profit.

....to a quality defense is fatally flawed. But nothing's going to knock him off his stride. We're always a few cornerbacks away from contention.

If you're a fanatic football fan who's old enough to drink legally in this country and you don't know that games are won or lost in the trenches, you're a lost cause.

The Cowboys were for several seasons consistently in the top-10 when it came to sacks, while the pass defense consistently ranked in the bottom half of the league.

There's a difference between stockpiling corners and stockpiling good corners.

 

[fifaguy]

That's very true. Luck plays a part in it and that Church INT was pure luck. The QB had to make a bad throw to a wide open receiver. The receiver had to tip the ball right to the beaten defender.

That it was. If the throw was on the money the guy probably scores. And there was also the play where Eli didn't see Beckham way the hell downfield.

 

[Plankton]

The Cowboys allow 5.9 yards per play. That number is .02 yards per play better than last year's dumpster fire of a defense.

Their third down defense this year is actually worse than last year (45.45% in 2014 vs. 43.33% in 2013). The defense is creating fewer turnovers than a season ago (1.6 in 2014 vs 1.8 in 2013). They are on pace for fewer sacks than a season ago. Their pass completion percentage allowed is worse as well (66% in 2014 versus 64.6% in 2013). Statistically, this defense is not good. The reasons why they are perceived to be more effective this year is due to:

• Facing 8 fewer plays per game than last year.
• They have given up fewer plays of more than 20 yards (3.7 this year versus 4.9 in 2013).
  
• Controlling the football for 2:42 per game on average more than last season.
• Allowing 5 fewer first downs per game than last year.
• Red Zone conversions are down 3% from 2013.

They have been more stingy in tight, but last season's defense gave up more big plays. That, combined with the offense controlling the football is making the biggest difference.

 

[xwalker]

I would not consider this a trend, because we'd been steady at around 42% allowed since the Seattle game, then with Sunday night's game, the Giants' 11 of 16 performance brought it up to 45.1%. We'd held the Giants to 5 of 13 in the first game, so it looks like they made the right adjustments.

More importantly, though, keep an eye on drive success rate. It's a much better stat than 3rd down conversion % because it takes all downs into account when measuring how well an offense moves the chains. (The defense ranked 32nd in the NFL in 2013.) After 8 games, we ranked 8th. Three games later, we've now slipped to 18th.

Valid point.

I'm just curious what other's think.

You look at those first three drives of the Giant game... (as opposed to the last ones) and something was definitely bad with the defense.

Where can I find where the Cowboys rank in Pressures for the season? I assume that PFF has that stat. Is it available anywhere else?

 

[Verdict]

The more the defense plays, the more it will get exposed. And, of course, the better the QB they play against. We started the season with some pretty poor pocket passers.

This is a bad defense. They lack talent on all three levels of the defense. You can either accept that and hope for some major rebuilding in the offseason or you can continue to be flabbergasted as to why they struggle.

I don't think anyone with any realistic view believes this is a top 5 defense. But likewise I do not believe we are a bottom 5 defense either, as you seem to imply. This defense is playing much better as a unit than they did last year. I dare say that McClain may be giving us even more than Lee would have if he had been healthy.

Your glass doesn't seem to be half empty .... it seems to be completely empty at times. I just don't understand why you feel compelled to be so damn negative ALL THE TIME.

I am pleasantly surprised that Hitchens was a much better pick than we envisioned. I am not saying he is awesome, but we seem to have added a player with versatility who has contributed immediately, who will at the very least be quality depth. The problem as I currently see it is that the front four need to be able to generate at least a LITTLE bit more effective pass rush/pressure. I really think that SMALL change would help us out immensely.

I know it would have helped our defense to have added a defensive lineman with the first pick, but I don't know how anyone, with the benefit of hindsight, can criticize us selecting Martin with that first pick. He has made our offensive line DOMINANT. This is a talent acquisition business, and we accumulated talent.

I am not sure how well the move up to get Lawrence will work out for us, but he did get hurt, so the verdict will remain out on that for a while. I would have liked to see us stay put in the second, take the best guy available at our pick in the second and then drafted the LSU guard that the organization was so high on in the third. Our offensive line would have not only been dominant, but would have ALSO had quality depth and a potential future starter with that 3rd pick. But the organization seems to be doing things the right way. If they continue to do that, then the results will eventually follow.

 

[Verdict]

Pay no attention to him. He's doing what he's always done.

You'd think after watching the Cowboys epic fail building their defense through the CB position that Winicki would have an epiphany and realize his underpants gnomes approach....

1. Stockpile cornerbacks.

2.

3. Profit.

....to a quality defense is fatally flawed. But nothing's going to knock him off his stride. We're always a few cornerbacks away from contention.

If you're a fanatic football fan who's old enough to drink legally in this country and you don't know that games are won or lost in the trenches, you're a lost cause.

I do agree that the trenches were overlooked for far too long.

 

[Verdict]

That it was. If the throw was on the money the guy probably scores. And there was also the play where Eli didn't see Beckham way the hell downfield.

Yes. That is true. However, luck also favored the Giants in that they clearly turned the ball over to the Cowboys near the goal line, the refs blew the call, and even though everyone in the stadium and watching from home knew it was a turnover the refs did not see a clear enough view to overturn the call on instant replay. See how that works?

 

[fifaguy]

Yes. That is true. However, luck also favored the Giants in that they clearly turned the ball over to the Cowboys near the goal line, the refs blew the call, and even though everyone in the stadium and watching from home knew it was a turnover the refs did not see a clear enough view to overturn the call on instant replay. See how that works?

It almost seems a given that he refs will screw us each week. Dez's winning catch and the D's final stand sealed the deal, and neither of those involved luck...

 

[Chuck 54]

My personal opinion is that the pressure up the middle is not as consistent as earlier, for whatever reason. At one time, we were consistently getting a great push up the middle...QBs were not able to step up; they were being moved off their spots and rushing throws rather than waiting for the perfect window. Many were lamenting the lack of sacks, but I maintained that I didn't care when the next sack ever came if we continued that pressure up the middle. With Ware, we might get two sacks per game from him, but the rest of the time he was running behind the QB, who routinely stepped up into a clean pocket because we never got inside pressure.

Lately, I'm once again seeing our DTs getting stymied more often, and QBs are having a clean pocket because Marinelli has proven that no matter what the offense is doing, he does not want to blitz often, preferring to play soft and prevent the long, quick TD. The difference between those first three drives that resulted in 21 points for the Giants and the next 5-6 possessions that resulted in only 7 points was the DL pressure which came to life at the end of the first half. Any good QB will pick apart any secondary if allowed to stand on his spot and wait on receivers.

While we all love the time Romo was afforded on that final TD to Dez, I've been surprised that no one has expressed concern that it took a full 7 seconds for any of our receivers to shake the least bit free...I find that also problematic.

Philly's OL has struggled and endured injuries...today, we must have pressure up the middle. If we can push the pocket in the face of Sanchez, it does well for the defense. If Sanchez has time in the pocket, he will have success.

 

[Risen Star]

I don't think anyone with any realistic view believes this is a top 5 defense. But likewise I do not believe we are a bottom 5 defense either, as you seem to imply. This defense is playing much better as a unit than they did last year. I dare say that McClain may be giving us even more than Lee would have if he had been healthy.

Your glass doesn't seem to be half empty .... it seems to be completely empty at times. I just don't understand why you feel compelled to be so damn negative ALL THE TIME.

I am pleasantly surprised that Hitchens was a much better pick than we envisioned. I am not saying he is awesome, but we seem to have added a player with versatility who has contributed immediately, who will at the very least be quality depth. The problem as I currently see it is that the front four need to be able to generate at least a LITTLE bit more effective pass rush/pressure. I really think that SMALL change would help us out immensely.

I know it would have helped our defense to have added a defensive lineman with the first pick, but I don't know how anyone, with the benefit of hindsight, can criticize us selecting Martin with that first pick. He has made our offensive line DOMINANT. This is a talent acquisition business, and we accumulated talent.

I am not sure how well the move up to get Lawrence will work out for us, but he did get hurt, so the verdict will remain out on that for a while. I would have liked to see us stay put in the second, take the best guy available at our pick in the second and then drafted the LSU guard that the organization was so high on in the third. Our offensive line would have not only been dominant, but would have ALSO had quality depth and a potential future starter with that 3rd pick. But the organization seems to be doing things the right way. If they continue to do that, then the results will eventually follow.

I do think they're a bottom 5 defense talent wise. Definitely.

If the organization handles this like they did the OL the last few years, I agree. It'll get fixed. But by that point the team is probably desperately searching for a QB. If you don't have a QB, nothing else matters.

What you see as negative, I see as an honest evaluation of the roster.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

No pass rush and Sterling Moore playing instead of Mo.

No one likes Mo but how they could possibly like Moore is beyond me.