News: TLH: Dallas Cowboys secondary: The Best in the NFL?

[CCBoy]

Dallas Cowboys secondary: The Best in the NFL?

http://thelandryhat.com/2017/01/21/dallas-cowboys-secondary-best-nfl/



The football analytical website Pro Football Focus ranked the Dallas Cowboys secondary the best in the NFL in 2016. Really?
For several years now, the Dallas Cowboys defense has been viewed as the weakest of the team’s three phases of football. Those phases being offense, defense and special teams. But the Cowboys defensive resurgence in 2016 was equally responsible for Dallas’ magical 13-3 regular season record this year.

But just how good was this Cowboys defense this season? According to the stats, Dallas finished the year 1st in rushing defense, 26th in passing defense and 14th in total defense. The Cowboys once again struggled to get to opposing passers in 2016, ranking 24th in the NFL with a total of 28.0 sacks. Dallas’ defense also ranked a lowly 30th in interceptions with only six. They were also tied for 28th in pass deflections with 48.

So these stats say the Cowboys secondary was among one of the worst in the NFL. But according to the football analytical website Pro Football Focus, Dallas’ secondary was actually the best in the league in 2016. So what’s the disconnect?

“One of the biggest reasons for the Cowboys’ success this season has been the turnaround of the secondary,” wrote Matt Claassan on the PFF site recently. “After having just one defensive back with an above-average coverage grade last season, all eight players with at least 100 snaps in 2016 earned average or above-average overall and coverage grades. Although they lack an elite-caliber player, this group has played consistently well as a unit.”...

 

[SportsGuru80]

Well our pass rush let us down... NOBODY can cover that long.

 

[Bullflop]

Well our pass rush let us down... NOBODY can cover that long.

Agreed. Even the best DB's around can't stick with slippery receivers forever.

God Bless our Scouts -- may they find unlimited success in securing a pass rush.

 

[bark]

The secondary play seemed better to me on a season basis.
Obviously last Sunday wasn't their finest hour.
I will say this, had they simply caught the football, the ints would have been in the high teens, maybe 20.
Never seen a group drop as many sure interceptions.
Best hands in the group......Jeff Heath

 

[haleyrules]

Agreed. Even the best DB's around can't stick with slippery receivers forever.

God Bless our Scouts -- may they find unlimited success in securing a pass rush.

Thats the secret. Put heat on the QB's. That changes everything.

 

[haleyrules]

The secondary play seemed better to me on a season basis.
Obviously last Sunday wasn't their finest hour.
I will say this, had they simply caught the football, the ints would have been in the high teens, maybe 20.
Never seen a group drop as many sure interceptions.
Best hands in the group......Jeff Heath

Agreed. The Defense was decent up to the Playoffs! Anyway, the Defense just wasn't good enough to go too far in the post season. Too bad.

 

[Cmac]

Ain't buying that one bit.

 

[Sydla]

Dallas Cowboys secondary: The Best in the NFL?

http://thelandryhat.com/2017/01/21/dallas-cowboys-secondary-best-nfl/



The football analytical website Pro Football Focus ranked the Dallas Cowboys secondary the best in the NFL in 2016. Really?
For several years now, the Dallas Cowboys defense has been viewed as the weakest of the team’s three phases of football. Those phases being offense, defense and special teams. But the Cowboys defensive resurgence in 2016 was equally responsible for Dallas’ magical 13-3 regular season record this year.

But just how good was this Cowboys defense this season? According to the stats, Dallas finished the year 1st in rushing defense, 26th in passing defense and 14th in total defense. The Cowboys once again struggled to get to opposing passers in 2016, ranking 24th in the NFL with a total of 28.0 sacks. Dallas’ defense also ranked a lowly 30th in interceptions with only six. They were also tied for 28th in pass deflections with 48.

So these stats say the Cowboys secondary was among one of the worst in the NFL. But according to the football analytical website Pro Football Focus, Dallas’ secondary was actually the best in the league in 2016. So what’s the disconnect?

“One of the biggest reasons for the Cowboys’ success this season has been the turnaround of the secondary,” wrote Matt Claassan on the PFF site recently. “After having just one defensive back with an above-average coverage grade last season, all eight players with at least 100 snaps in 2016 earned average or above-average overall and coverage grades. Although they lack an elite-caliber player, this group has played consistently well as a unit.”...

I caught the local Philly Comcast Sports station and they had one of their Eagles shows on. They were discussing PFF and how they ranked the Eagles front 7 the 2nd best in the league. Their resident homer reporters were laughing about it and wondering how the hell PFF could come up with that ranking when the Eagles were middle of the pack at stopping the run and struggled at times to get to the QB (they had 5 sacks over a 9 game period).