The most important thing about Monte Kiffin

[TheRomoSexual]

I'm confused. Is the OP talking about Ware or Carter? Or both? Regardless, your point (points?) are invalid.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I don't know what it is, but Carter has turned into a massive disappointment. There were debates in the off-season about Carter actually being the better player than Sean Lee in this scheme. Dude needs some serious work in this and a legit player to challenge for his spot.

 

[Cowboys22]

It's funny that Kiffin's D has produced numerous superstars at the positions being lamented in this thread. Something tells me it's not Kiffin or the scheme.

 

[Alexander]

Best defensive player in the NFL? When was this?

Never.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

So, let me see if I am following correctly. If Carter were still a 3-4 LB and not a 4-3 LB and playing for some other DC than Kiffin, he would have touched the NYG TE to make sure he was down.

Carter is having a down year and it has nothing to do with scheme. The 3-4 wasn't working here any more. Some say the Cowboy never even ran the 3-4 here but something more like a 5-2 since Ware and Spencer were DEs for all intents and purposes. The switch was the right call. The Cowboys don't have the huge NT required for the 3-4 and do you really want Ware and Spencer covering backs in the flat?

Anyway, what is all this concern about 3-4 vs. 4-3? No team runs a straight 3-4 or 4-3. There are so many variants and sub packages these days.

 

[ROUSH8692]

OP is right! Callahan is also the reason why Miles Austin has declined as well.....

 

[Denim Chicken]

So how about what he did with Hatcher?

 

[theSHOW]

It appears Carter has not bought in to the system. Maybe he doesn't think he should be covering tight ends and running backs.
He has shown to be a quitter. Not a good combination for success.

At least Carter touches the ball carrier when they fall down on their own.

 

[jnday]

I agree . Carter was really showing great potential band he was approaching Sean Lee's level of play at one time. I don't think the CBs are doing well with this defense either.

He turned arguably the best defensive player in the NFL into an average player.

He turned a tremendous LBer with out-of-this-world potential (Carter) into a bumbling, stumbling part-time starter.

IF I KNEW NOTHING ELSE ABOUT KIFFIN AND THE SWITCH TO THE 4-3, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH.

Huge setback for this organization.

 

[Doomsday101]

I have compete faith in Kiffin and Marinelli

 

[Zimmy Lives]

NFL experts would argue that schemes don't make great defenses: players make great defenses.

Ware is a shadow of his former self and is still targeted by OCs in their blocking schemes. Carter is just a ding dong with loads of potential.

 

[theSHOW]

So how about what he did with Hatcher?

Did Monte teach Jason that pelvic thrust celebration?

 

[Picksix]

I agree . Carter was really showing great potential band he was approaching Sean Lee's level of play at one time. I don't think the CBs are doing well with this defense either.

I'll agree it's been an adjustment for him, like it has for anyone else. But that doesn't justify his lack of effort at times. The guy looks like he just quits when things aren't going well. Yeah, the NY TD thing is a glaring example, but I saw it against SD and NO as well. Other players are having to make adjustments, too, and they still appear to be giving full effort. Can't say the same about Carter. The guy has all the "talent" and "ability" in the world. But it's hard not to question where he's at mentally.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'll agree it's been an adjustment for him, like it has for anyone else. But that doesn't justify his lack of effort at times. The guy looks like he just quits when things aren't going well. Yeah, the NY TD thing is a glaring example, but I saw it against SD and NO as well. Other players are having to make adjustments, too, and they still appear to be giving full effort. Can't say the same about Carter. The guy has all the "talent" and "ability" in the world. But it's hard not to question where he's at mentally.

And kiffin has made changes Dallas was playing man coverage not zone. If you recall Scandrick lined up on Cruz all game long in man coverage. Jerry talked about going to man coverage after the Saints game. So CB are now playing a scheme they know and understand. Meantime Dallas getting Hatcher back helps with the pass rush kind of hard when you had 4 no name guys playing on the defensive front. This unit is still creating turnovers including a big one vs NY this past game.One thing about Kiffin and Marinelli is their defense always hustles to the ball and they constantly will go after the ball.

 

[MRV52]

Wish everyone would get off of Carters back. He will be fine. Remember Scandrick?

 

[tyke1doe]

And yet with average guys, he has the Cowboys second in the league in the take away category.
The Superstars on this team are on offense. This defense has given the Cowboy offense enough turnovers that we should have been able to score enough points to squander yardage.
All things considered, this defense is doing the most with its parts. That's not true of the offense.
I blame the offense for the Chiefs, Lions, Chargers and Broncos loss. I blame only one loss on the defense, the Saints loss.
I think Kiffin has done a fine job, again, all things considered.

 

[Rack]

He turned arguably the best defensive player in the NFL into an average player.

He turned a tremendous LBer with out-of-this-world potential (Carter) into a bumbling, stumbling part-time starter.

IF I KNEW NOTHING ELSE ABOUT KIFFIN AND THE SWITCH TO THE 4-3, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH.

Huge setback for this organization.

No, he didn't.

Wow.

 

[xwalker]

I don't mind the transition to the 4-3, but I think not acquiring the right personnel was a mistake. We kept all the same players and expected them to all play fine in a 4-3. What did we do the year we switched to a 3-4? Got two 1st rounders and drafted Ware and Spears. But, in the long run, I think the switch to a 4-3 was the right move. The players who made our 3-4 are not the same or are long gone. Ratliff is gone, Ware is a shell of his former self, Canty has been gone, Spencer is on the final year of his contract. I think it's easier to find efficient pass rushers in a 4-3 than it is to find elite edge rushers like Ware for the 3-4. I also think Marinelli is a good guy to make something work on the D-line. However, we should have drafted and signed D-line players. It makes no sense that we didn't. We got lucky finding Selvie on the scrap heap and we got lucky that Hatcher ended up better in the 4-3 than the 3-4. However, Selvie is good but not elite, and Hatcher is old and on the last year of his contract. We have absolutely no future prospects on this D-line. We need a complete overhaul and we set ourselves back a year by not attempting to address is this past draft.

Good post.

I don't think the switch made the problem any worse. The only 2 players that might have been miscast in the 4-3 were Lissemore and Wilber; however, they were fringe players in either system.

Ware has said that he prefers the 4-3. He was declining last season due to injury and has continued to have the shoulder/stinger issue this season and then the thigh injury.

I think the injury problems would have affected the RR defense even more than the Kiffin defense. It's doubtful that they could find a reasonable replacement for Spencer on the street. They've made Selvie into a decent player because the scheme fits his strengths/weaknesses. He just has to rush the passer and play limited run defense. In RR's defense, Spencer's job was much more difficult and required a "3 tool player" that could play coverage, rush the pass and set a hard edge in the run game. It's almost impossible to find those guys on the street. Even if they have the physical ability, it's a difficult learning process.

The biggest complaint, IMO, would be not drafting a DL in the 2nd round; however, that's a separate issue from the scheme change.

 

[CATCH17]

Monte Kiffin is not that great of a coach.

The 3rd and 15 completion to Victor Cruz is everything that is wrong with his schemes.

He wants to use zone but you just can't use it all the time and get away with it. That's why every elite QB has lit us up.

We can do better than him but Jerry wants to go backward while the rest of the league is trying to go forward.