The Defense Played Ok

[ejthedj]

The D was nowhere near awful...

We had three sacks--The other 5 teams to play them had 3 sacks combined!!
We hit Brady numerous other times.

They had no running game, and we roughed up two of their starters.

We continually forced third and long.

We forced a turnover and scored a TD. We also had another Welker fumble on the first drive. They got lucky the ball bounced back to him or this is a very different game.

NE called a very aggressive game plan (I mean, who would have guessed they would run a trick play and we wouldn't?). They went deep on the first play.

NE was given BS penalties to keep two of the drives alive.

Almost all of their drives were long and difficult, with lots of converted 3rd downs. If Brady isn't perfect all game, this is a different game.

Most of the late offense that looked easy was after our D had been on the field WAY too long!! Don't hold the last 21 points against the D--two TDS because we were tired and one because of offensive turnover and the most immoral, Cheapskate, Unethical team ever running up the score.

We had serious issues on 3rd down, mostly against Welker. When we adjusted on Welker, they got some other big plays.


We do have work to do, but our D looked better than anyone has against them and Bellicheck called a game that said to me he was scared of the D.

The game was closer than the score. A play here or there (like Welker fumble or the BS PI call on Moss/Watkins) and it's way different

 

[chinch]

maybe you should consider RESULTS over STATS for your next analysis.

it was close for almost 3 Qrs but the game is 60min.

The D was nowhere near awful...

We had three sacks--The other 5 teams to play them had 3 sacks combined!!
We hit Brady numerous other times.

They had no running game, and we roughed up two of their starters.

We continually forced third and long.

We forced a turnover and scored a TD. We also had another Welker fumble on the first drive. They got lucky the ball bounced back to him or this is a very different game.

NE called a very aggressive game plan (I mean, who would have guessed they would run a trick play and we wouldn't?). They went deep on the first play.

NE was given BS penalties to keep two of the drives alive.

Almost all of their drives were long and difficult, with lots of converted 3rd downs. If Brady isn't perfect all game, this is a different game.

Most of the late offense that looked easy was after our D had been on the field WAY too long!! Don't hold the last 21 points against the D--two TDS because we were tired and one because of offensive turnover and the most immoral, Cheapskate, Unethical team ever running up the score.

We had serious issues on 3rd down, mostly against Welker. When we adjusted on Welker, they got some other big plays.


We do have work to do, but our D looked better than anyone has against them and Bellicheck called a game that said to me he was scared of the D.

The game was closer than the score. A play here or there (like Welker fumble or the BS PI call on Moss/Watkins) and it's way different

 

[Cochese]

I thought they were horrible, but thats just me. They had no running game, but yet the mental monsters on this defense still diddnt bother covering Wes Welker. Lets also not forget that the D was on the field for so long because they couldnt stop a damn thing on third down.

 

[03EBZ06]

The defense was on the field way too long and they got worn out by late 3rd quarter and ended up giving up lot of points.

The defense isn't that bad, the run defense is great but WP and coaching need to improve the pass defense.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Third downs defined the game. Yes, they made lots of plays, but third down is when you MUST make plays and they didn't. It is a HUGE contributor of the reason the Cowboys lost the game. If the Cowboys held the below 50% on third down, the Cowboys would have had a real chance to win this game.

As everyone and their mother is pointing out in Parcells terms. You are what you are and they couldn't stop the Pats on third down and lost because of it.

Sure the bright spots look great, but when the day was done. So were the Cowboys.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

6TDs, 2 FGs given up by your Defense in One day's work is what I call AWFUL!

I don't care how many times you hit their QB or stop their run. They didn't run because they were passing so successfuly.

When will the reality ever dawn on our GM, coaches and fans that this Cowboy defense is a terrible pass defense, when faced with an offense that can challenge it? You can forget all the new schemes, coaching, etc. The fact is we can't cover receivers in a quality NFL passing attack....period! It's been that way for 10 years or more and it hasn't improved.

 

[theogt]

They played lights out on 1st and 2nd down, yet disappeared on 3rd down. The difference is that we seemed to play conservative on 3rd downs.

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree that the defense did not play great but I will say had it not been for the defense putting up the 1st TD on the day this game game could have gotten away from us a lot earlier. Dallas was able to get some good pressure early in the game but the Pats adjusted their blocking scheme very well and the defense just flat wore out.

 

[ejthedj]

The Defense Played Ok for three quarters, then. In fact, absent a mysterious PI call and a lucky bounce (back to Welker) we could have very easily only have given up 14 points through 3.

That's good against NE.

Of course, we wore down in the fourth, and part of it was their fault. But more of it was the offense's fault in the first half. We got dominated in TOP in 1st half, and we all know the stats late in games when that happens.

 

[slogriff]

I think the D played ok. I have hopes that Reeves & Jones can improve with more game experience but these guys are 4th yr players. How much better are they really going to get?

I would like to have someone ask some more direct questions on what is wrong and how is it going to get fixed.

Jerry Jones- Injuries are very common (particularly w/Henry), what made you think Reeves/Jones or a late-round rookie would be able to start at CB? If so, how did you think it would impact your hopes for a much more aggressive D.
N. Jones - How do you think you played in the game?
J. Reeves - Many say it is the weakness of the secondary that will prevent this team from being at the same level of the elite teams-- what do you think?


These questions won't likely be asked and frank & honest responses would be even less likely.