The root of the problem

[Temo]

Is the defense. And no, I'm not just saying that because of what happened against the Giants, I've been saying this forever now. I think some of you know me to be a big Jason Garrett fan and not at all a fan of this defense.

According to FO stats, our defensive efficiency is 18th in the league while our offense is 4th. "But hey, then how come we don't score as many points and don't give up many either!" you say. The answer is a favorite of Bill Parcells... field position. Well, look at these drive stats.

Our offense scores 1.92 points per drive, which is 13th in the league. The defense allows only 1.40 points per drive, which is 5th in the league. BUT, our offense starts drives at the 27.3 yard line, which is the 5th WORST starting field position in the league. The only teams that are worse are Denver, Tenn, St. Louis, Detroit and San Fran. All of whom score fewer points than us.

Our defense, on the other hand, has THE BEST STARTING FIELD POSITION OF ANY DEFENSE IN THE LEAGUE (25.85 yard line).

How do we get this disparity in field position? There are a few reasons:

• The offense averages 34 yards per drive, 5th best in the league
• The defense gives up 28 yards per drive, 14th in the league.
• We have a great (top 3 in the league) kick off unit and a good (top 10) punt unit, but one of the 2 WORST kick return units.
• In other words, the offense and kick off units are masking some VERY mediocre play for the defense.

So what exactly is wrong with the defense? By FO efficiency stats:

• We are 15th in the league vs. the run.
• We are 23rd in the league vs. the pass.
• Here is how we rank in pass defense vs. various targets:

I don't know about you, but this says to me that Mike Jenkins (he's been guarding mostly #1 WRs) is playing well, Terence Newman has fallen off (#2 WRs) and is playing mediocre, and EVERYONE ELSE IS ABYSMAL.

Our safeties suck, we can't cover TEs. We have less depth at CB than you think. Scandrick and Ball are not doing well in the nickel. RBs are burning us in the passing game.

In my estimation, and I hope I have proved my logic here, is that our pass defense is the achilles heel of this team. Yet no one talks about it enough. And we get good pressure, that's not the problem. We just need to cover.

 

[CATCH17]

Our defense has been pretty good all year. We just can't have busted coverages and we'll be fine.

Plus its hard to defend the pass in the NFL. The way the rules are set up its pretty much guaranteed your going to get thrown on. You just have to do the best you can and I think we do a good job.

 

[ShiningStar]

third and long is our bane on defense and sometimes someone screws up an assignment at the wrong time.

 

[Jon88]

We can't stop 3rd downs to save our life. Scandrick is terrible. Newman has clearly lost a step.

 

[Gaede]

Defense is definitely the problem, IMO. I used to bash Garrett and the offense but really, whenever the game is on the line, I actually have confidence in the offense to make a play and win the game. When the game is on the line and we are on defense, however, I just KNOW they won't hold. It's funny, but I have zero confidence in the defense when the game matters most. Too many times they just lay down and take it. Arm tackles, missed tackles, no pressure, no passion.

\

 

[Jon88]

third and long is our bane on defense and sometimes someone screws up an assignment at the wrong time.

Someone always does something stupid at the wrong time on both sides of the ball.

 

[Temo]

Our defense has been pretty good all year. We just can't have busted coverages and we'll be fine.

Plus its hard to defend the pass in the NFL. The way the rules are set up its pretty much guaranteed your going to get thrown on. You just have to do the best you can and I think we do a good job.

Yes it's hard. But even compared to other teams they haven't done a great job. It's good that they aren't allowing points. But just like the offense can't turn the ball over and set up easy TDs, it's also the job of the defense to force more 3 and outs and fewer long, sustained drives and get turnovers to help the offense score.

The offense has done it's job, for the most part. Turnovers are down and they're moving the ball, setting up the defense with excellent field position. The defense hasn't done it's job.

 

[Coakleys Dad]

I think Sensabaugh has played quite well all season.

 

[Temo]

third and long is our bane on defense and sometimes someone screws up an assignment at the wrong time.

And it's always to TEs and RBs and 3rd and 4th receivers too. We do a decent job of shutting down the big guns. We don't do well against the other guys.

 

[Temo]

I think Sensabaugh has played quite well all season.

I thought so too, but there's a couple things there. First, he hasn't played for a handful of games due to injury so that skews some stats. Also, he may just be average and we just think he's been good because the standard for safety play on this team has been so low for so long.

 

[CATCH17]

Yes it's hard. But even compared to other teams they haven't done a great job. It's good that they aren't allowing points. But just like the offense can't turn the ball over and set up easy TDs, it's also the job of the defense to force more 3 and outs and fewer long, sustained drives and get turnovers to help the offense score.

The offense has done it's job, for the most part. Turnovers are down and they're moving the ball, setting up the defense with excellent field position. The defense hasn't done it's job.

Im just not really worried about our offense or defense from an execution standpoint or how they defend against what.

The only thing I believe holding this team back is making major amateur type mistakes that just shouldn't happen. If we could clean that up then we'd be sitting right there with Minny and New Orleans but we can't get out of our own way.

 

[Ren]

Is the defense. And no, I'm not just saying that because of what happened against the Giants, I've been saying this forever now. I think some of you know me to be a big Jason Garrett fan and not at all a fan of this defense.

According to FO stats, our defensive efficiency is 18th in the league while our offense is 4th. "But hey, then how come we don't score as many points and don't give up many either!" you say. The answer is a favorite of Bill Parcells... field position. Well, look at these drive stats.

Our offense scores 1.92 points per drive, which is 13th in the league. The defense allows only 1.40 points per drive, which is 5th in the league. BUT, our offense starts drives at the 27.3 yard line, which is the 5th WORST starting field position in the league. The only teams that are worse are Denver, Tenn, St. Louis, Detroit and San Fran. All of whom score fewer points than us.

Our defense, on the other hand, has THE BEST STARTING FIELD POSITION OF ANY DEFENSE IN THE LEAGUE (25.85 yard line).

How do we get this disparity in field position? There are a few reasons:

• The offense averages 34 yards per drive, 5th best in the league
• The defense gives up 28 yards per drive, 14th in the league.
• We have a great (top 3 in the league) kick off unit and a good (top 10) punt unit, but one of the 2 WORST kick return units.
• In other words, the offense and kick off units are masking some VERY mediocre play for the defense.

So what exactly is wrong with the defense? By FO efficiency stats:

• We are 15th in the league vs. the run.
• We are 23rd in the league vs. the pass.
• Here is how we rank in pass defense vs. various targets:

I don't know about you, but this says to me that Mike Jenkins (he's been guarding mostly #1 WRs) is playing well, Terence Newman has fallen off (#2 WRs) and is playing mediocre, and EVERYONE ELSE IS ABYSMAL.

Our safeties suck, we can't cover TEs. We have less depth at CB than you think. Scandrick and Ball are not doing well in the nickel. RBs are burning us in the passing game.

In my estimation, and I hope I have proved my logic here, is that our pass defense is the achilles heel of this team. Yet no one talks about it enough. And we get good pressure, that's not the problem. We just need to cover.

Here's s simpler explanation, Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips...

We play players based on how much we're paying them rather then who preforms

 

[Chocolate Lab]

What difference does field position make when you're lousy in the red zone? We're 15th in the league in red zone scoring percentage.

Though we did move up four spots last week -- we were 19th. So props to us.

 

[RoadRunner]

We can't stop 3rd downs to save our life. Scandrick is terrible. Newman has clearly lost a step.

This is the main problem with the defense, especially third and 10+ situations where there are two things that boggle the mind:

1) How any team can consistently give up 1st downs in such a gimme situation. This has been going on for 2 seasons now. I truly believe that lack of practicing tackling, and Wade's obsessive compulsive disorder with calling prevent defensive formations in this situation are the two biggest factors.

2) After all this time, the staff does not recognize this huge problem, assess how they approach that situation, and change up the strategy.

 

[ShiningStar]

Here's s simpler explanation, Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips...

We play players based on how much we're paying them rather then who preforms

wow, can we show any other coach on the team besides Wade? How is Bret Maxie doing? Is Campo holding his weight around here lately? Herring? For more coaches on the Cowboys team see the Dallas Cowboys web page.

this advertisment was sponsored by the tag line "the more you know"

 

[Temo]

What difference does field position make when you're lousy in the red zone? We're 15th in the league in red zone scoring percentage.

Though we did move up four spots last week -- we were 19th. So props to us.

Yea, we jumped up 4 spots because everyone is so tightly packed together. If we score a TD on our next Red Zone trip, we shoot up to 12th. Score on our next 4 and we shoot up to 8th.

Red Zone score % is one of those stats that has a huge impact on the score, but has little to do with how good your offense is. Red zone performance will vary a ton by team, with no real correlation.

Yea, and above us on that list? Look below:
Miami (1st)
Tampa Bay (3rd)
Tennessee (7th)
Detroit (13th)

Detroit also had the 4th best Red Zone % last year, when they went win less.

 

[aikemirv]

Is the defense. And no, I'm not just saying that because of what happened against the Giants, I've been saying this forever now. I think some of you know me to be a big Jason Garrett fan and not at all a fan of this defense.

According to FO stats, our defensive efficiency is 18th in the league while our offense is 4th. "But hey, then how come we don't score as many points and don't give up many either!" you say. The answer is a favorite of Bill Parcells... field position. Well, look at these drive stats.

Our offense scores 1.92 points per drive, which is 13th in the league. The defense allows only 1.40 points per drive, which is 5th in the league. BUT, our offense starts drives at the 27.3 yard line, which is the 5th WORST starting field position in the league. The only teams that are worse are Denver, Tenn, St. Louis, Detroit and San Fran. All of whom score fewer points than us.

Our defense, on the other hand, has THE BEST STARTING FIELD POSITION OF ANY DEFENSE IN THE LEAGUE (25.85 yard line).

How do we get this disparity in field position? There are a few reasons:

• The offense averages 34 yards per drive, 5th best in the league
• The defense gives up 28 yards per drive, 14th in the league.
• We have a great (top 3 in the league) kick off unit and a good (top 10) punt unit, but one of the 2 WORST kick return units.
• In other words, the offense and kick off units are masking some VERY mediocre play for the defense.

So what exactly is wrong with the defense? By FO efficiency stats:

• We are 15th in the league vs. the run.
• We are 23rd in the league vs. the pass.
• Here is how we rank in pass defense vs. various targets:

I don't know about you, but this says to me that Mike Jenkins (he's been guarding mostly #1 WRs) is playing well, Terence Newman has fallen off (#2 WRs) and is playing mediocre, and EVERYONE ELSE IS ABYSMAL.

Our safeties suck, we can't cover TEs. We have less depth at CB than you think. Scandrick and Ball are not doing well in the nickel. RBs are burning us in the passing game.

In my estimation, and I hope I have proved my logic here, is that our pass defense is the achilles heel of this team. Yet no one talks about it enough. And we get good pressure, that's not the problem. We just need to cover.

The defense has been solid for the past 9 weeks.

I don't know how you can say that they are the root of the problem. They held us in the Commanders and Packers game all by themselves.

Were they the problem in the Giants game? Of course but I think, from what it seems is that there is a lack of focus at times that causes these problems.

As good as Spencer has been playing, some of the biggest plays that the D has given up in the past few weeks have come on him. It is just a lack of concentration and focus. Jumping offsides twice on the first Giants TD drive.

The first 3 Giants TD's came on a combined 9 plays of offense and the last TD is on a Punt Return. Thats 10 plays that cost us 28 points. It is very difficult to swallow.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Yea, we jumped up 4 spots because everyone is so tightly packed together. If we score a TD on our next Red Zone trip, we shoot up to 12th. Score on our next 4 and we shoot up to 8th.

That's how almost all these stats are. If we just got one or two kickoff returns for TDs, or had one game with multiple takeaways, our rankings in those areas would shoot up, too. You know that.

Red Zone score % is one of those stats that has a huge impact on the score, but has little to do with how good your offense is.

What?

What is the purpose of offense in the first place? Isn't it to score?

 

[BrassCowboy]

Is the defense. And no, I'm not just saying that because of what happened against the Giants, I've been saying this forever now. I think some of you know me to be a big Jason Garrett fan and not at all a fan of this defense.

I hope you are not thinking he will be our head coach next year.

I hope not. Frankly our entire coaching staff, aside from a few, should be gone especially garrett and wade

I am afraid though as long as JJ desires so much input with the coaches that that is all we will ever have is a bunch of wades,garretts, and campos running around acting like coaches.

We need a real coach and one with control. Bill Parcells started something good, and wade killed it.

 

[aikemirv]

I hope you are not thinking he will be our head coach next year.

I hope not. Frankly our entire coaching staff, aside from a few, should be gone especially garrett and wade

I am afraid though as long as JJ desires so much input with the coaches that that is all we will ever have is a bunch of wades,garretts, and campos running around acting like coaches.

We need a real coach and one with control. Bill Parcells started something good, and wade killed it.

Our players made as many if not more stupid mistakes when BP was here. I will never forget the NO game. Wade is not the problem IMO - it is on the players to tackle - Bradshaw and NIcks were all on the players for pitiful tackling as well as the Jacobs run. I just don't see how you can blame the Ginats game on Wade at all!!!!!

I betcha after we went up 10 points in the 2nd quarter there was a rally on our sideline to stop them at the end of the half since we have failed doing it against them so many times. When they came out that series they were overly hyped - thus Spencers 2 offsides - they cannot control their emotion - they take the aggression too far and it ends up causing mistakes - Spencer in particular.

My son gets overly excited in his Basketball game when the game is close and getting near the end and it causes mistakes.

They have to keep themselves under control - that is the key with them - they can't find the balance there.