News: Sturm: The League's Worst Blitzing Defense

[CCBoy]

The League's Worst Blitzing Defense
http://sturminator.blogspot.com/


One important issues we attempt to address in this blog space is the idea that not everything we hear and think we know about football is able to be seen in the numbers.

As it pertains to Cowboys defense, I would point no further back than last December when the Cowboys - known for poor Decembers - had one of the worst final months of the season in memory.

So, in something I just reviewed for our "13 Rewind" series, the Chicago game came along. Where for another week, the Cowboys got to play an opponent without their starting QB (this was a major theme in 2013 during the final half of the season) and for another week were absolutely skewered by their inability to stop them.

This time, it was 490 yards surrendered to the Bears (celebrate: not 500!) and their backup QB Josh McCown who later signed a fantastic contract with Tampa Bay, partly thanks to this evening.

If you are a bit fuzzy on what happened next, it was a most bizarre week of panic and spin coming from on high at Valley Ranch. The team's owner and general manager made one of his many weekly media appearances to show his grasp on the situation. It was, as usual, incredible. He sounded like the dude on the next bar stool over:

“We just need to take more risks,” Jones said. “In a more conservative approach like Monday, the results are going to be the same, so we might as well try to somehow get more turnovers.”

Logical football observational analysis has told us for decades that if the QB has too much time, we must blitz. Then, when we blitz, good things happen. So, take a bad defense and blitz more, and presto! Improvements, right?...

 

[perrykemp]

They blitzed a ton last year because the DL of Ware, Hatcher, Selvie, and Hayden couldn't generate enough pass rush. They ended up being the worst blitzing team in the entire history of the NFL (according to Sturm).

Makes you cringe things about this year's DL.

 

[CCBoy]

They blitzed a ton last year because the DL of Ware, Hatcher, Selvie, and Hayden couldn't generate enough pass rush. They ended up being the worst blitzing team in the entire history of the NFL (according to Sturm).

Makes you cringe things about this year's DL.

Myself, I'm not really concerned with the press around the subject. I'm watching now and will concentrate on the defensive line once the real shots start to fly around. Who knows, like in the Postman: 'Things are getting better all the time.'

 

[Wolfpack]

All valid points, most of which really cant be explained in a rational football way that I see.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It's hard to successfully blitz when you have the constant errors in coverage that we did.

 

[Corso]

It's hard to successfully blitz when you have the constant errors in coverage that we did.

Good point, but I seem to recall seeing most blitzers when called upon getting stone-walled a lot easier than you'd like to see.

I'm not 100% on that, I admit- my memory's as Fuzzy as your Lumpkins and you may be able to correct me on that, but I believe I witnessed such a conflagration last year.

 

[TheDude]

Sturm is a hater

 

[Corso]

Sturm is a hater

Wiz-ord.

 

[wileedog]

So we are in a defense that does not emphasize blitzing, with two DCs who have never been big on blitzing. We blitz a lot and stink at it, then Jerry makes a mid-season comment that we need to blitz even more. So we proceed to do so at the almost highest rate in the league, making history for being utterly terrible at blitzing on a grand scale.

And yes, sorry, I'm turning this into another Jerry thread, but did he even understand the type of defense he was switching to when he hired Kiffin and Marinelli? And do you need much more evidence that he is just a headset away from running this thing on the field now too?

 

[perrykemp]

It's hard to successfully blitz when you have the constant errors in coverage that we did.

Wait -- I though the poor pass coverage last year was due to the pass rush.

It's the same top 5 guys (Wilcox, Church, Carr, Scandrick, and Claiborne) as last year so we have to assume the same guys will be just as dependent on pass rush this year to be successful.

 

[perrykemp]

Sturm is a hater

I only see that sentiment when he writes something that is critical of the Cowboys. Never hear a squeak from Cowboys fans that Sturm is a hater when he writes something positive.

 

[Hoofbite]

Ugh. That was painful.

 

[CCBoy]

So we are in a defense that does not emphasize blitzing, with two DCs who have never been big on blitzing. We blitz a lot and stink at it, then Jerry makes a mid-season comment that we need to blitz even more. So we proceed to do so at the almost highest rate in the league, making history for being utterly terrible at blitzing on a grand scale.

And yes, sorry, I'm turning this into another Jerry thread, but did he even understand the type of defense he was switching to when he hired Kiffin and Marinelli? And do you need much more evidence that he is just a headset away from running this thing on the field now too?

There are lot's of head coaches afraid to run their own teams now...the age of Aquarius must have finally hit.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Wait -- I though the poor pass coverage last year was due to the pass rush.

It's the same top 5 guys (Wilcox, Church, Carr, Scandrick, and Claiborne) as last year so we have to assume the same guys will be just as dependent on pass rush this year to be successful.

I am talking about Sims, Lawrence and Heath who all played significant snaps especially after week 8. Wilcox played sparingly and less than Heath. It's looking like Heath isn't going to see the field. Sims who is probably the least aware players that I have ever seen but started at times for us is not longer on the roster. Lawrence was a UDFA 6th LB thrust into action after 2 game day injuries.

Then there were just the gaffes from guys do to a first year in the system.

if you go back and watch the GB, NO, Detroit, Chicago, or Denver games where we gave up 40+ points it wasn't the lack of a pass rush nearly as much as it was missed assignments and breakdowns in coverage. It's not like Brees and Manning were ever having to hold onto the ball. No, they identified the mismatches above and destroyed them.

 

[reddyuta]

we are no good at blitzing this year either even though we only have a small sample size,its just not disguised very well and QBs know its coming.

 

[wileedog]

Wilcox played sparingly and less than Heath.

Just nitpicking, but Wilcox played less than Heath because he could not play better than Heath. Which is saying something.

Yet to be seen if a guy who is the definition of 'project' will be a big improvement in year 2.

 

[big dog cowboy]

There is a difference between blitzing and effective blitzing. Blitzing more just to say you are trying doesn't really accomplish anything if the QB isn't feeling any more pressure and still carves you up like a Thanksgiving turkey.

 

[Cumart21]

Last year was a nightmare for the defense, which has been well documented (not sure why anyone would be still talking about it). Let's give this current group a chance to compete and make judgments from there. I'm as concerned as anyone, but nobody knows anything until real games start.

 

[DiResta]

So we are in a defense that does not emphasize blitzing, with two DCs who have never been big on blitzing. We blitz a lot and stink at it

I dont think hes saying that. The lineman are to rush the qb pretty much every play and stop the run by keeping gap, but only 2 guys could really rush and thats Ware and Hatcher. so then comes Jerry saying to blitz more. biut of course they cant blitz because when they do the coverage breaks down and linebackers are not in position so they get burned.

thats the way I see it.

 

[DiResta]

Sturm is a hater

I dont see that. he can find humor in some things true but the truth is the truth right? he uses lot of facts for both good and bad. sometimes the news just isnt good. not much good news right now for defense.

he also says offense looks to be really good on the other hand.