This is the Dallas Cowboys biggest concern going into 2017

[Satchel89]

NYG spent 100 million to improve their defense last season and still got lit up in the playoffs by a red hot Aaron Rodgers.

Scoring points is the name of the game against "good QBs with good WRs". No secondary in the NFL is going to slow down elite quarterbacks with today's rules.

You're right. Dallas was fifth in scoring defense last year. They aren't a flashy defense and they don't have to be. Even without Zeke, They are going to score some points. The Offense was always going to carry this team anyway.

 

[rwalters31]

Let's wait till they play at least one regular season game before we decide how good or bad they are.

I don't think you need a crystal ball to predict at less the first six games:
1. Secondary will need to practice together to know how to function in a zone (I believe they will have to play man coverage for the first six games).
2. The DL looks very average right now, it will have to stay on the field longer the first have of the season meaning more scoring by the other team.
3. The OL looks confused as to who is the assignment. Time will tell here but I see Dak looking up at the sky a few times this year.
4. The Giants defense looks pretty good for the 1st game against us. Their offense looks average but against our defense they will look like a Superbowl team.
8-8 maybe 9-7

 

[Screw The Hall]

Actually people overrate the effectiveness of the D last year. They were mediocre across the board except for stopping the run.

Points per game was affected by the fact we limited drives per game given we chewed up time on offense. If you adjust points to a per drive basis, we were like 14th in the league.

Every advanced stat shows this defense was mediocre save for the run D.

You and I have seen two different things on this board then. I can't say that overrating the defense has been something I see very often here at all.

 

[Sydla]

You and I have seen two different things on this board then. I can't say that overrating the defense has been something I see very often here at all.

There have been many people who have overrated how effective the D was last year.

I don't expect much to change this year unless there are some surprises from some young guys.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

We're going to play a lot more zone, but we have a young secondary and questions at the MIKE so assignments may get missed in the process. I think that's our biggest concern. However, this secondary is far better at tackling than last year's secondary.




YR

 

[big dog cowboy]

I just don't like Rods version - I think we need a new DC

Nothing wrong with Rod. He just needs talent and for it to be healthy.

 

[Screw The Hall]

There have been many people who have overrated how effective the D was last year.

I don't expect much to change this year unless there are some surprises from some young guys.

There will be some serious bumps early on. By midseason I think the infusion of talent injected into the defense over the last couple of years will begin to take shape and override their youth. It will take time though.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I am just hoping somehow someway the first 4 weeks we can win a couple games...please we cant go 1-3 or 0-4 because of this defense

Oh good grief. I guess some people forget the Cowboys went 13-3 last year.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

This was the decision the Cowboys made this offseason, rebuild the defense via the draft and take their lumps this year as the young'uns learn. Them missing most of TC really hurts though.

 

[ShiningStar]

I have said it before ill say it again, i dont care the outcome of the season, i expect nothing this year. If the team gets the defense better, they keep the players playing that should be growing i am fine with it. We are not getting both a good record or a working young defense. Let the defense play, teach them, let them learn. This is the plan they started, see it through. This offseason i would have installed a new young DC, Dallas opted to stick with Rod, fine, but work that young defense.

If not, another year gone and nothing to show for it. Id rather see the defense play and learn on the field.

 

[GORICO]

Record is hard to predict until we know when and amount of suspensions for the various Dallas players. My thought is Zeke will not be suspended for any games until 2018.

zeke--so your thinking is they get an injunction in court...let me ask you...what grounds do you think they could do that?...i thought league already ruled that accuser lied and blackmailed and taking that into account they still say Zeke bashed her...so how might an injunction go?..thanks for your consideration in this matter

 

[GORICO]

Oh good grief. I guess some people forget the Cowboys went 13-3 last year.

Big Dog--yes i realize they went 13-3...but our backend is getting torched by qb's that are not even good enough to start in NFL..and with injuries to the rookies we drafted to replace 4 starters in backend...and lack of pass rush..i am really worried...it will take at least 6 games for rookies to get in sync in backfield and shore up our D

 

[Hawkeye0202]

CB Brown was a starter much of last season.

There were snaps last season where Wilcox or Heath replaced Church for better pass coverage.

Scandrick is night and day better physically than last season.

Carroll is on a similar talent level with Carr.

Last season was the 1st for Jones as the starting FS. He played CB as a rookie.

Awuzie was rated by many draft analysts as a first round talent. Some even had Lewis as a borderline 1sr rounder.

CB Brown was a starter much of last season.

There were snaps last season where Wilcox or Heath replaced Church for better pass coverage.

Scandrick is night and day better physically than last season.

Carroll is on a similar talent level with Carr.

Last season was the 1st for Jones as the starting FS. He played CB as a rookie.

Awuzie was rated by many draft analysts as a first round talent. Some even had Lewis as a borderline 1sr rounder.

Excellent point .......but I do think it'll take a game or two to get them all on the same page. Hopefully, blown assignments/coverages will be kept to a min.

 

[bigbob]

I don't think you need a crystal ball to predict at less the first six games:
1. Secondary will need to practice together to know how to function in a zone (I believe they will have to play man coverage for the first six games).
2. The DL looks very average right now, it will have to stay on the field longer the first have of the season meaning more scoring by the other team.
3. The OL looks confused as to who is the assignment. Time will tell here but I see Dak looking up at the sky a few times this year.
4. The Giants defense looks pretty good for the 1st game against us. Their offense looks average but against our defense they will look like a Superbowl team.
8-8 maybe 9-7

It is tempting to judge things from preseason games but really you can't do that. In a real game many things will be different and we haven't even seen the rookies we drafted yet play it. So that's why I say wait and let's let a few real games pass and then you can kind of Judge how the rest of the season might go.