jday
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Hat tip goes to @RoyBiscuit31 and @NeonDeion21
When looking in our collective rear view at the 2016 Dallas Cowboys, prior to game 17, my recollection suggest that in most contest the Cowboys simply dominated. The scoreboard didn’t always tell the same story, but for many of us, by the end of the season, gone were the days of wondering rather or not Dak could pull off the improbable and bring the Cowboys back in games the Cowboys had no business coming back in. I’m not exactly sure where exactly this degree of confidence took hold (most likely the Steelers game, though, some would say it began in the first meeting against the Eagles), nevertheless, cement in our brains it did become, forcing many of us to wonder what team other than the Cowboys themselves, could stop them from achieving their ultimate goal of a Championship this past February.
The ugly truth, though (above and beyond us knowing how that story ended) was even then, there were signs that should have suggested to all of us that instead of slamming our foot on the gas, we should have had our foot hovering over the breaks…the use of the 3-2-6, in my mind, being Exhibit A, or for the sake of the aforementioned analogy, a Use Caution Ahead sign.
Don’t get me wrong, given the appropriate situation (such as 3rd and long) the 3-2-6 is an excellent defensive look to rely on. Without any variations, what you are typically going to put out there in the 3-2-6 are 3 defensive lineman up front, with a space eating DT and two good sized passrushing DE’s, who have the strength to hold the point of attack and simultaneously the athleticism to apply pressure to the QB, (much like the 3-4), 2 linebackers, sometimes swapped with 2 or 1 Safety, and 6 DB’s, in most cases, supplemented by 2 Safeties.
For me, the 3-2-6, actually explains not only why the Cowboys drafted so many DB’s in this draft, but also explains the type of corners, safeties and DE (Taco>Watt) the Cowboys drafted. Because, regardless of how long 3rd and long is, you absolutely have to have DB’s who can run, hit and make the sure tackle…a missed tackle often times spelling a failure in what the 3-2-6 was designed to prevent. And you absolutely have to have the bigger-bodied Defense End who can hold his own against the inevitable double-team and still get penetration and generate pressure. I liked TJ Watt in this year’s draft, but unless you are lining him up at linebacker in the 3-2-6, I think we can all agree he would be a liability with his hand on the ground facing a double-team from the combination of a Guard, Center, or Offensive Tackle.
By design, the 6 db’s presence is to force the opposing quarterback to hold on to the ball a little longer than usual, giving the passrush time to get home and obviously, the overall hope is to generate turnovers. Typically, to even the odds of the 3 dl’s matching up against the big ugly five offensive lineman, defensive coordinators will also send one, if not both, linebackers and/or a corner/safety. The blitz combinations employed are endless, however, rare is the play that a coach only sends 3 defenders to get to the quarterback.
For more information on that, see http://footbology.com/will-we-see-more-of-the-3-2-6-defense-from-dallas/ where Marcus Mosher of Footbology.com takes an in-depth look at the Patriots game from 2015 where the Cowboys wreaked havoc in the early going of the game using the 3-2-6 to frustrate Brady on passing plays, while simultaneously bringing pressure from everywhere (once again, just like the 3-4).
If it worked so well against the Patriots in 2015 and was used generously throughout 2016, why then should it have been considered a Use Caution Ahead Sign?
If you are looking for problems within the schemes core, you are looking in the wrong place. It is the reasons why the Cowboys resorted to this defense that is the problem, not the scheme itself. The Cowboys had to start using the 3-2-6 with high regularity because one, they could not generate enough pressure with their base defense 4-3 / nickel otherwise and second, you could make the argument, that with the 3-2-6, they were afforded the ability to put their actual best 11 players on the field. If the Cowboys had 4 hands on the ground up front in 2016, chances our there was a better overall player sitting on the sideline.
Of the many names that are crowded into the defensive line roster, very few, (if any) at the moment are regarded as even decent passrushers. That is the ugly truth I was referring to earlier. Now, at this time of year where hope springs eternal, I will admit that we can’t currently make that blanket statement of the defensive line now. New to the fold are Charles Tapper and Taco Charlton, followed by a series of no-names drafted in the 7th and signed following the draft as UDFA’s, as well as, Demontre Moore and Stephen Paea, added via Free Agency. Coming back from last year’s iteration of the defensive line, and possibly healthier than ever, is one Tank Lawrence. What we have in him remains to be seen, but the upcoming year is a contract year, and as such I think we can reasonably expect improved play as a result. Much like I said of Carr and Claiborne a year ago, millions of dollars hangs in the balance of what DLaw does on the field in 2017. As a realist, money is the truest motivator you can count on in the NFL. Everything else is just words players say because that’s what we as fans want to hear.
Behind Tank is a handful of names charged with largely the same set of circumstances, even if their contracts extend beyond 2017. Because once Romo’s contract is officially off the books, the Cowboys cap room situation will be such that they can release/trade anyone they want and barely feel the repercussions for said move on the defensive side of the ball. What that essentially means is everyone that will be wearing the Blue Star on the side of their helmet is on notice during this 2017 season: Play like you deserve to be here or you will not be here for much longer; cap ramifications be-damned.
If you’ve read this far, you may be under the mistaken impression that I don’t like the 3-2-6 defense. Nothing could be further from the truth. I love this scheme, when it’s working. But just as the Patriots proved in 2015, it can be exploited, especially with a good run game. So while I am looking forward to seeing the various ways Marinelli blends players into the 3-2-6 this season to combat potential pass plays, the first thing I want to see before I see anything, is the Cowboys generating pressure no matter the scheme, so they do not become handcuffed to using a certain scheme. Because, if the Cowboys defense does become handcuffed to one scheme or another, regardless of how good the Cowboys offense is, chances are our hopes will be dashed in the playoffs again…if they even make it to the playoffs.
Thoughts?
When looking in our collective rear view at the 2016 Dallas Cowboys, prior to game 17, my recollection suggest that in most contest the Cowboys simply dominated. The scoreboard didn’t always tell the same story, but for many of us, by the end of the season, gone were the days of wondering rather or not Dak could pull off the improbable and bring the Cowboys back in games the Cowboys had no business coming back in. I’m not exactly sure where exactly this degree of confidence took hold (most likely the Steelers game, though, some would say it began in the first meeting against the Eagles), nevertheless, cement in our brains it did become, forcing many of us to wonder what team other than the Cowboys themselves, could stop them from achieving their ultimate goal of a Championship this past February.
The ugly truth, though (above and beyond us knowing how that story ended) was even then, there were signs that should have suggested to all of us that instead of slamming our foot on the gas, we should have had our foot hovering over the breaks…the use of the 3-2-6, in my mind, being Exhibit A, or for the sake of the aforementioned analogy, a Use Caution Ahead sign.
Don’t get me wrong, given the appropriate situation (such as 3rd and long) the 3-2-6 is an excellent defensive look to rely on. Without any variations, what you are typically going to put out there in the 3-2-6 are 3 defensive lineman up front, with a space eating DT and two good sized passrushing DE’s, who have the strength to hold the point of attack and simultaneously the athleticism to apply pressure to the QB, (much like the 3-4), 2 linebackers, sometimes swapped with 2 or 1 Safety, and 6 DB’s, in most cases, supplemented by 2 Safeties.
For me, the 3-2-6, actually explains not only why the Cowboys drafted so many DB’s in this draft, but also explains the type of corners, safeties and DE (Taco>Watt) the Cowboys drafted. Because, regardless of how long 3rd and long is, you absolutely have to have DB’s who can run, hit and make the sure tackle…a missed tackle often times spelling a failure in what the 3-2-6 was designed to prevent. And you absolutely have to have the bigger-bodied Defense End who can hold his own against the inevitable double-team and still get penetration and generate pressure. I liked TJ Watt in this year’s draft, but unless you are lining him up at linebacker in the 3-2-6, I think we can all agree he would be a liability with his hand on the ground facing a double-team from the combination of a Guard, Center, or Offensive Tackle.
By design, the 6 db’s presence is to force the opposing quarterback to hold on to the ball a little longer than usual, giving the passrush time to get home and obviously, the overall hope is to generate turnovers. Typically, to even the odds of the 3 dl’s matching up against the big ugly five offensive lineman, defensive coordinators will also send one, if not both, linebackers and/or a corner/safety. The blitz combinations employed are endless, however, rare is the play that a coach only sends 3 defenders to get to the quarterback.
For more information on that, see http://footbology.com/will-we-see-more-of-the-3-2-6-defense-from-dallas/ where Marcus Mosher of Footbology.com takes an in-depth look at the Patriots game from 2015 where the Cowboys wreaked havoc in the early going of the game using the 3-2-6 to frustrate Brady on passing plays, while simultaneously bringing pressure from everywhere (once again, just like the 3-4).
If it worked so well against the Patriots in 2015 and was used generously throughout 2016, why then should it have been considered a Use Caution Ahead Sign?
If you are looking for problems within the schemes core, you are looking in the wrong place. It is the reasons why the Cowboys resorted to this defense that is the problem, not the scheme itself. The Cowboys had to start using the 3-2-6 with high regularity because one, they could not generate enough pressure with their base defense 4-3 / nickel otherwise and second, you could make the argument, that with the 3-2-6, they were afforded the ability to put their actual best 11 players on the field. If the Cowboys had 4 hands on the ground up front in 2016, chances our there was a better overall player sitting on the sideline.
Of the many names that are crowded into the defensive line roster, very few, (if any) at the moment are regarded as even decent passrushers. That is the ugly truth I was referring to earlier. Now, at this time of year where hope springs eternal, I will admit that we can’t currently make that blanket statement of the defensive line now. New to the fold are Charles Tapper and Taco Charlton, followed by a series of no-names drafted in the 7th and signed following the draft as UDFA’s, as well as, Demontre Moore and Stephen Paea, added via Free Agency. Coming back from last year’s iteration of the defensive line, and possibly healthier than ever, is one Tank Lawrence. What we have in him remains to be seen, but the upcoming year is a contract year, and as such I think we can reasonably expect improved play as a result. Much like I said of Carr and Claiborne a year ago, millions of dollars hangs in the balance of what DLaw does on the field in 2017. As a realist, money is the truest motivator you can count on in the NFL. Everything else is just words players say because that’s what we as fans want to hear.
Behind Tank is a handful of names charged with largely the same set of circumstances, even if their contracts extend beyond 2017. Because once Romo’s contract is officially off the books, the Cowboys cap room situation will be such that they can release/trade anyone they want and barely feel the repercussions for said move on the defensive side of the ball. What that essentially means is everyone that will be wearing the Blue Star on the side of their helmet is on notice during this 2017 season: Play like you deserve to be here or you will not be here for much longer; cap ramifications be-damned.
If you’ve read this far, you may be under the mistaken impression that I don’t like the 3-2-6 defense. Nothing could be further from the truth. I love this scheme, when it’s working. But just as the Patriots proved in 2015, it can be exploited, especially with a good run game. So while I am looking forward to seeing the various ways Marinelli blends players into the 3-2-6 this season to combat potential pass plays, the first thing I want to see before I see anything, is the Cowboys generating pressure no matter the scheme, so they do not become handcuffed to using a certain scheme. Because, if the Cowboys defense does become handcuffed to one scheme or another, regardless of how good the Cowboys offense is, chances are our hopes will be dashed in the playoffs again…if they even make it to the playoffs.
Thoughts?
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I don't really like the 6-2 but wouldn't mind us blitzing more linebackers.
