ST: Cowboys legend issues warning for defense

[jobberone]

THE BIG MAC BLOG

Cowboys legend issues warning for defense

BY MAC ENGE
tengel@star-telegram.com SEPTEMBER 16, 2017 9:24 AM

The Dallas Cowboys could not beat the New York Giants in either meeting in 2016, thus making them a miserable matchup for the season opener in 2017.

“It was the absolute perfect, ideal matchup for the Cowboys,” Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor member and former safety Darren Woodson told me in a phone interview.

As Jerry Jones would say, “Do what?”

“Their offensive line was perfect for the Cowboys,” Woodson said.The biggest weakness for the Giants in the off-season was their offensive line, and they did nothing to improve it. It was awful against the Cowboys.

What Woodson is saying is slooooooooow down on the “Cowboys’defense is fixed” narrative.

Among the many fears for the Cowboys in Week 1 was a defensive line with no established pass rusher, and missing suspended linemen David Irving and Damontre Moore.

Against the Giants, Tank Lawrence had the best game of his life and consistently ate up whoever was in front of him. He finished with two sacks, and was the consistent full-throttle, off-the-edge rusher the team needs. He played as well as he looked.

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/the-big-mac-blog/article173702661.html

 

[jobberone]

Yes, most of us understand the defense is in the oven. It's not ready yet.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

I posted this in the other thread about our improved defense. This is a much tougher test for our DL and DBs. If DBs have to cover an extra second or two, it is going to be much more difficult to keep DEN WRs from making bigger plays

 

[crashintonickdm]

Denvers qb stinks. That'll help us

 

[speedkilz88]

Tapper has funny interview, he jokes about DLaw leaving a few plays out there. Reminds me of the meat on the bone.

 

[Redball Express]

Yes, most of us understand the defense is in the oven. It's not ready yet.

We have to get ready to score alot in Denver.

The altitude is part of the equation there.

Waiting to score later in the game or having to come from behind will be problematic.

Hmmmm....

 

[VACowboy]

I don't know why it's such a surprise to people that the Dallas DL against the New York OL was a better matchup for the Cowboys than the New York DL against the Dallas OL was for the Giants. I won't mention any names but some of us pointed this out before the game.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Denvers qb stinks. That'll help us

I don't know about that, he looked very efficient the other night.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Is Tapper playing? I haven't seen anyone mention it anywhere

 

[TheHerd]

Same OL as last year. And they beat us twice. Though their offense was also offensive last year, they weren't 3 pts offensive.

Also, everyone knew their OL was weak, yet pretty much every pundit picked the Giants to win the East, and even during the game Michaels stated on several occasions that the Giants are legit Super Bowl contenders.

This is going to be like the Dak discussions from last year.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Same OL as last year. And they beat us twice. Though their offense was also offensive last year, they weren't 3 pts offensive.

Also, everyone knew their OL was weak, yet pretty much every pundit picked the Giants to win the East, and even during the game Michaels stated on several occasions that the Giants are legit Super Bowl contenders.

This is going to be like the Dak discussions from last year.

That's my thing. Obviously the Giants offense and line are terrible, but they were just as bad last year and their D and ODB dragged them to 11 wins, including 2 over us.

In the past, our defensive front didn't get pressure even against bad olines. That they dominated up front against a bad oline is still reason for optimism, even if it has to be guarded.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Is Tapper playing? I haven't seen anyone mention it anywhere

Why wouldn't he be? I don't even see him on the injury report.

 

[TheHerd]

That's my thing. Obviously the Giants offense and line are terrible, but they were just as bad last year and their D and ODB dragged them to 11 wins, including 2 over us.

In the past, our defensive front didn't get pressure even against bad olines. That they dominated up front against a bad oline is still reason for optimism, even if it has to be guarded.

And we've made scrub QBs look like HOFers. That ends this week. All our demons from these past 20 years are going down.

 

[Real1st]

And we've made scrub QBs look like HOFers. That ends this week. All our demons from these past 20 years are going down.

Agree. Finally a d-line taking advantage of a weak offensive line. That hasn't happened in years because we didn't have the talent. This defense isn't getting respect.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't think the defense is "fixed". It's better than what it has been (better overall talent). But it's far from a finished product IMO.

 

[gmoney112]

Is there any other team in the league that gets so much attention and "words of caution' after one game they played well and no one is on record saying anything about being any type of "doomsday defense"?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Is there any other team in the league that gets so much attention and "words of caution' after one game they played well and no one is on record saying anything about being any type of "doomsday defense"?

Homer.

 

[waving monkey]

One more defensive draft class

 

[haleyrules]

The defense still has some ways to go...I am dyin to see what it does up in Denver. Expectations are always the killer.

 

[DallasDomination]

The Steelers barely beat the browns and people ranked them #1

Falcons barely beat the bears and no questions asked.

Russel Wilson has played like dog crap for stretches of games going into this season and not a peep. Maybe he's not that good. We'll play it off and say it was the packers great defense.

That's right the packers..you heard right. Since when does gb have a good defense? They are horrible.

We man handle a division rival on both sides of the field and we have to pump the brakes?

Kick ricks.