The defense will be better with Zeke

[erod]

But that's the whole point of why posters here had an issue with Elliott. Almost all agree he's a very talented player. But those saying we shouldn't have picked him are claiming that because of the value of taking a TB at four when you have the best OL in football. For you to suggest, as well, that all analysts agreed with that is just false. There were a few analysts, media types who questioned the logic in taking Elliott at 4 with our OL.

Michael Irvin said it best.

The offensive line has an entirely different attitude with a great runner behind them. The same line that blocked for Terrance Flagler (who had good numbers in San Fran) became a much better line when they got to block for Emmitt. It gave them an attitude they didn't have before.

 

[erod]

Yes there was, his name was Ramsey

And in 2-3 years, he'll be a terrific player. About the time Romo, Witten, and Lee are gone, and Dez is in decline. Right before Ramsey gets to be paid as a top five DB. No thanks.

 

[AdamJT13]

Now talk to me about the Red Zone. What does the impact of being an Effective Running team in the Red zone have on things like Play calling & Defensive Fronts.

We were actually a better rushing team in the red zone last season than we were in 2014. We just didn't get into the red zone as often.

Being able to run the ball in the red zone isn't as important as being able to pass it in the red zone -- and running it well in the red zone doesn't correlate to passing it well in the red zone. The two best red-zone rushing teams last season were Kansas City and St. Louis. They finished 13th and 24th, respectively, in red zone points per possession.

 

[The Quest for Six]

Only on CZ have I seen that the back doesnt matter and its all the o-line that produces a good running game

Has nothing to do with Zeke but the Cowboys were fourth in rushing last year with no starting QB and no lead receiver for most of the year.....can't be any clearer to me that the O-line makes a back, not the other way round. That pick was nothing more than a solution looking for a problem....

 

[KJJ]

Well then the Cowboys are partially wrong. Sure, in theory, if the offense is on the field longer and can keep the defense off the field longer, you can somewhat cover up for their deficiencies. But that's not what's really at play here. Why?

Because STATISTICAL EVIDENCE when comparing 2014 to 2015 doesn't support the claim that the defense was only bad because they were on the field too long. They were on the field roughly the same amount as the previous year.

According to you and Adam the Cowboys are partially wrong. Adam has you hook, line and sinker with his statistical evidence that proves stats don't tell the entire story. It wasn't just being on the field too long it was having to defend more turnovers last season than in 2014. I pointed out our QBs tossed 20 INT's in 2015 compared 11 in 2014 and that was due to the running game not being as efficient. Not being able to move the chains with the running game as effectively in 2015 as we did in 2014 put more pressure on our passing game.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

It's amazing. All the actual evidence keeps flying in the face of the "keep the defense fresh" people.

And they just stick their heads in the sand.

I wonder if they think the Earth is flat.

 

[BrassCowboy]

Yes there was, his name was Ramsey

where is the "IMO" in your post?

 

[The Quest for Six]

And in 2-3 years, he'll be a terrific player. About the time Romo, Witten, and Lee are gone, and Dez is in decline. Right before Ramsey gets to be paid as a top five DB. No thanks.

Defense wins championships, Ramsey would start over Carr and Claiborne...... the last time I checked fourth in rushing with no starting QB or lead receiver, running back wasn't an issue!!

 

[BrassCowboy]

We were actually a better rushing team in the red zone last season than we were in 2014. We just didn't get into the red zone as often.

Being able to run the ball in the red zone isn't as important as being able to pass it in the red zone -- and running it well in the red zone doesn't correlate to passing it well in the red zone. The two best red-zone rushing teams last season were Kansas City and St. Louis. They finished 13th and 24th, respectively, in red zone points per possession.

how good was St. Louis and Kansas city at passing in redzone? think that matters as to the effectiveness to how run correlates. If defenses don't respect the pass, then they jam up the run hence the stats numbers crap

 

[CowboyRoy]

now see that is where we disagree.... this was actually a really good draft. Jalen Ramsey is top 5 player by most accounts but we were able to get him in 2nd round because of his injury and and the fact that he most likely (although he swears he will) won't play in 2016. He was predicted to be #1 this year if not for that. So when he comes back to play in 2017, all we paid for him was a 2nd round pick. Look at it like this: we traded our 2016 2nd round pick for a #1 next year except we will obviously still have a #1 but you get what I am saying.
Next two picks were very good ones in M. Collins, DT and Tapper, DE.
Dak Prescott, well this pick was very very good at this spot. this guy can play and will have time to get up to speed behind Romo. He can run, pass, is a leader and manages the games with confidence. One of my favorite picks.
first two picks of 6th round they grabbed a decent CB and S.
Not sure what you don't like. There will be differing opinions about this and that player, but I think FO actually handled this draft really well.

Trapper and Collins will never start. They are backups. Smith wont help this year and will be a rookie next season after a year out of football. We will be lucky if he makes an impact 3 years from now if ever at all. The only GREAT pick was Zeke and he was a poor value pick at #4. The QB will most likely never pan out. If anything, his presence will keep Jerry from taking a QB high which is what he should do in the next few years. Then he will hand him the keys to the franchise like he did Quincy.

That is what I dont like about this draft.

 

[Sydla]

Michael Irvin said it best.

The offensive line has an entirely different attitude with a great runner behind them. The same line that blocked for Terrance Flagler (who had good numbers in San Fran) became a much better line when they got to block for Emmitt. It gave them an attitude they didn't have before.

Michael Irvin also believed that Murray wouldn't wear down and the Cowboys should have paid him what the Eagles did to keep him.

And if I recall, you were anti-signing Murray.

 

[WillieBeamen]

Has nothing to do with Zeke but the Cowboys were fourth in rushing last year with no starting QB and no lead receiver for most of the year.....can't be any clearer to me that the O-line makes a back, not the other way round. That pick was nothing more than a solution looking for a problem....

Apparently the team sees it differently than you and a lot of this board.

They inquired about trading for Murray, drafted a RB at 4, and drafted a RB in the 6th.

To me, this doesnt sound like a team that is convinced its the Oline.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Exactly the defense ranked 21st overall in points allowed was not as bad as most in here are making it sound like. We hang with many teams including the Patriots, but when you can't move the ball and it's 3 and out what do you expect that defense to do. They are going to be gassed in the 4th quarter. Stop crying about picking Elliot at #4, we picked up some fine talent on defense in the later rounds. With Scandrick back and Jones with 1 more year of experience we will have a good defense. Predicting around 12th in total defense.

12th isnt close to good enough.

 

[AdamJT13]

The Cowboys selecting Zeke obliterated your argument that the running game has little effect on winning and losing. That comment looks even more ridiculous with each passing day. Everyone on the panel during the draft for ESPN and NFL Network said EXACTLY what I've been posting for almost 2 weeks. You were proven dead wrong not only by me but the ones who get paid to talk football. Get over it!

Us drafting Elliott at No. 4 doesn't change anything, just like Trent Richardson getting drafted at No. 3 didn't change anything, Reggie Bush getting drafted at No. 2 didn't change anything, Ronnie Brown getting drafted No. 2 didn't change anything, Cedric Benson getting drafted No. 4 didn't change anything, Cadillac Williams gettiing drafted at No. 5 didn't change anything, LaDainian Tomlinson getting drafted at No. 5 didn't change anything ... ad infinitum. The truth is still the truth, and a player getting drafted doesn't change anything.

If you think something that has been true in the NFL for decades is going to change all of a sudden because Ezekiel Elliott got drafted, good luck with that. It won't change.

 

[KJJ]

But that's the whole point of why posters here had an issue with Elliott. Almost all agree he's a very talented player.

It's some of the posters here who have an issue drafting Zeke and what do they know? Some think McFadden had a great year simply because he had a 1000 yard season that's how lost most posters are.

 

[CowboyRoy]

No offense to you, but that's all a given in my mind.

What I'm asking is this: 3rd and goal from the 3. Big difference between 3 and 7 points right? You want Cowboys with McFadden at RB or Elliott?

The same people that were saying they want Zeke are the same people saying that McFadden did great for us.

Zeke and McChicken are no comparison.

 

[BrassCowboy]

It's amazing. All the actual evidence keeps flying in the face of the "keep the defense fresh" people.

And they just stick their heads in the sand.

I wonder if they think the Earth is flat.

look at eagles is all you have to do. Eagles were scoring so fast, there defense was tiring out towards the end of game

slow the game down and you will be more effective in both offense and defense

skewed stats is all that is being thrown around without looking at what is actually going on

 

[Sydla]

According to you and Adam the Cowboys are partially wrong. Adam has you hook, line and sinker with his statistical evidence that proves stats don't tell the entire story. It wasn't just being on the field too long it was having to defend more turnovers last season than in 2014. I pointed out our QBs tossed 20 INT's in 2015 compared 11 in 2014 and that was due to the running game not being as efficient. Not being able to move the chains with the running game as effectively in 2015 as we did in 2014 put more pressure on our passing game.

The stats do tell the story.

If the premise is that the reason the defense was poorer in 2015 compared to 2014 because they were on the field too long in 2015, that position is not born out by actual data. You can spin it anyway you want but the defense spent roughly same amount of time on the field in 2014 as they did in 2015.

So there were other reasons for why the defense wasn't good in 2015 - they lacked talent, they just didn't play well, whatever. But being on the field too long isn't one of those reasons.

 

[AdamJT13]

how good was St. Louis and Kansas city at passing in redzone? think that matters as to the effectiveness to how run correlates. If defenses don't respect the pass, then they jam up the run hence the stats numbers crap

They weren't good. Like I said, the correlation isn't there. Just because you can run in the red zone doesn't mean you can pass in the red zone. And you don't have to run well in the red zone to pass well in the red zone.

 

[Jake0]

And in 2-3 years, he'll be a terrific player. About the time Romo, Witten, and Lee are gone, and Dez is in decline. Right before Ramsey gets to be paid as a top five DB. No thanks.

lol.... I don't think I've ever seen anyone paint an ideal picture in his head and only see things through rose-tinted glasses like this before ever.

ZEKE INSTANT IMPACT, SAVES THE DEFENSE, CONVERTS TWELVE TIMES AS MANY FIRST DOWNS AS DMAC/MORRIS, COMES IN AND BLOCKS EVERY BLITZER DAY 1, TURNS A DUMP OFF INTO 80 YARD TD ONCE A GAME, INSTILLS ATTITUDE, RAMSEY DOES NOTHING FOR THREE YEARS IF ANYTHING AT ALL.