cowboyjoe
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Wade, where in the Sam Hill is the Championship Defense you promised us?
If you remember, the Cowboys Doomsday Defense was first established in the early 1970’s to 1982, and then the Cowboys doomsday defense resurfaced in the 1990’s under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson. As the old saying goes in football, defense wins championships, so back in the NFL draft of 2002 the cowboys started by drafting players in the draft to get the Cowboys defense back to the good old glory days. Which netted the Cowboys with safety Roy Williams, then in 2005, the Cowboys hit a gold bananza with the drafting of Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears, with Kevin Burnett, Chris Canty and Jay Ratliff drafted later in the draft. With another two first round selections in 2008 too, the Cowboys drafted Felix Jones, but added young stars Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Heck, you could even say that in the 2007 draft, Head Coach Wade Phillips first year with the Cowboys as head coach, good ole Wade drafted Anthony Spencer.
So, you get the idea, the Cowboys were supposedly building a dominant defense under the watchful eye of defensive coordinator and Head Coach guru Wade Phillips. Yeah, I know some of you have doubts about Wade like I do as a head coach. Yet, that is why Jerry Jones hired Wade over Norv Turner was the expertise of Wade in the 3-4 defense. So, in retrospect, Jerry Jones was trying to be sure that whoever coached the Cowboys knew the 3-4 defense inside out and could keep it running to full throttle towards the “championship defense” of the old glory days for the Doomsday Defense.
Now Cowboys fans myself included want to know where in the Sam Hill is the dominant defense we’re suppose to have? For instance, the Cowboys since 2002 spent top picks on defense. Here are the listed top picks; Number one picks Roy Williams 2002, Terence Newman 2003, Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears, with Kevin Burnett a # 2 in 2005, Bobby Carpenter in 2006 with Jason Hatcher as a 3rd rounder, Anthony Spencer in 2007, Mike Jenkins in 2008, and Jason Williams a 3rd rounder our top pick in 2009. So, where is the famed Doomsday Defense Wade?
Honestly, who are we to blame on those draft picks, Campo or Jerry Jones on S Roy Williams? How about Bobby Carpenter drafted by the famed Bill Parcells or Anthony Spencer drafted by Wade? So, who do we really blame? Maybe we just need to sit back, absorb this all in and then decide calmly, coolly and rationally.
Some fans holler it’s the scheme or some fans yell, It’s the cotton picking players, or some yell, No, it’s the Head Coach or Jerry Jones. Then, one person calmly taking it all in rationally says It’s Both, Jerry and the Coach, or the coach and the players. Still though, when some fans are screaming the loudest, usually those are the ones to jump ship first or those fans don’t realize that if the offense did what they are suppose to, then it wouldn’t matter. As another old football saying, it’s a team sport, all aspects of the team offense, defense and special teams are involved.
The first year under Wade with the Cowboys, Wade did build a solid defense, but what the heck happened after that. Is it that Wade’s schemes are too outdated and teams are catching up to his techniques? Do teams now days, need new inventive ideas from younger coaches. Remember, young defensive coaches like Tom Landry, Lombardi, and Don Shula came up with different ideas on defense that changed defenses. So, what really is wrong with our Cowboys defense?
If any one person could point to what the real problem is, I am sure that Jerry Jones would pay him a fortune. So, let’s look at what we do know.
First, last year, key injuries hit the defensive side of the football for the Cowboys. As in any sport, you have to keep your top defenders free from injury. Just look at how the Steelers are suffering now without their star safety, Palomalu. So, key players like Newman, Bradie James, Ware, Ratliff, and a few others must stay healthy.
Second, Wade must get all of the players on the same page so this defense must excel. However, not running your blitz packages enough in preseason and training camp because you didn’t want to get players hurt Wade doesn’t cut it with me and I am sure doesn’t cut it with a lot of other Dallas Cowboy fans. Another issue last year, players were confused, like for instance, how many times were 12 men on the field Wade? The last game against the Giants, Newman looked totally confused and lost or out of place like Hamlin was. So, what in the heck are you doing in practices Wade? Jay Ratliff said the other day that all the players are eager to learn. So, why in the world aren’t they learning? Is it because some of the younger players don’t give a heck or hoot? Or that the players aren’t smart enough to learn your complex defense Wade. Wait, that doesn’t make sense because your suppose to be the guru on defense wade and the Jets new head coach installed a very complex blitz package and his players are excelling. Like for instance in the Giant game last year up in New York finger pointing starter with players yelling, that’s your man, no that’s your man. Or like in the Cowboys home opener before the end of the game on the final drive, players were hollering at the sidelines wrong call on defense. Does it really boil down to poor coaching? I thought that’s what training camp was for Wade for you to get the players ready on defense to play and be geared up. Yet, there you were after the Tampa Bay game saying I didn’t run the blitz packages enough. And there you were after the Cowboys Giants home opener saying I misread my thinking that our man coverage was good enough for the season. So, the Cowboys may have to go back to zone defense. Just like last year too, teams were saying that our schemes on defense and offense were to vanilla, and that they knew exactly what the Cowboys were going to do. That has got to change!
Finally, for any team there must be luck involved. For whatever strange reason Sunday night the Giants were getting the bounces of the ball and the Cowboys weren’t. You just have to have lady luck on your side sometimes. So, should Dallas Cowboys fans expect Wade Phillips to put a top defense onto the field? You betcha, because the talent is there, it’s up to the defensive coaches, defensive players on defense to step up and be counted as leaders like Ratliff, Ware and Bradie to demand accountability from themselves and the players, with Wade doing his part too because if some of the things I mentioned aren’t fixed there won’t be a championship Doomsday Defense for the Cowboys this year.
If you remember, the Cowboys Doomsday Defense was first established in the early 1970’s to 1982, and then the Cowboys doomsday defense resurfaced in the 1990’s under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson. As the old saying goes in football, defense wins championships, so back in the NFL draft of 2002 the cowboys started by drafting players in the draft to get the Cowboys defense back to the good old glory days. Which netted the Cowboys with safety Roy Williams, then in 2005, the Cowboys hit a gold bananza with the drafting of Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears, with Kevin Burnett, Chris Canty and Jay Ratliff drafted later in the draft. With another two first round selections in 2008 too, the Cowboys drafted Felix Jones, but added young stars Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Heck, you could even say that in the 2007 draft, Head Coach Wade Phillips first year with the Cowboys as head coach, good ole Wade drafted Anthony Spencer.
So, you get the idea, the Cowboys were supposedly building a dominant defense under the watchful eye of defensive coordinator and Head Coach guru Wade Phillips. Yeah, I know some of you have doubts about Wade like I do as a head coach. Yet, that is why Jerry Jones hired Wade over Norv Turner was the expertise of Wade in the 3-4 defense. So, in retrospect, Jerry Jones was trying to be sure that whoever coached the Cowboys knew the 3-4 defense inside out and could keep it running to full throttle towards the “championship defense” of the old glory days for the Doomsday Defense.
Now Cowboys fans myself included want to know where in the Sam Hill is the dominant defense we’re suppose to have? For instance, the Cowboys since 2002 spent top picks on defense. Here are the listed top picks; Number one picks Roy Williams 2002, Terence Newman 2003, Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears, with Kevin Burnett a # 2 in 2005, Bobby Carpenter in 2006 with Jason Hatcher as a 3rd rounder, Anthony Spencer in 2007, Mike Jenkins in 2008, and Jason Williams a 3rd rounder our top pick in 2009. So, where is the famed Doomsday Defense Wade?
Honestly, who are we to blame on those draft picks, Campo or Jerry Jones on S Roy Williams? How about Bobby Carpenter drafted by the famed Bill Parcells or Anthony Spencer drafted by Wade? So, who do we really blame? Maybe we just need to sit back, absorb this all in and then decide calmly, coolly and rationally.
Some fans holler it’s the scheme or some fans yell, It’s the cotton picking players, or some yell, No, it’s the Head Coach or Jerry Jones. Then, one person calmly taking it all in rationally says It’s Both, Jerry and the Coach, or the coach and the players. Still though, when some fans are screaming the loudest, usually those are the ones to jump ship first or those fans don’t realize that if the offense did what they are suppose to, then it wouldn’t matter. As another old football saying, it’s a team sport, all aspects of the team offense, defense and special teams are involved.
The first year under Wade with the Cowboys, Wade did build a solid defense, but what the heck happened after that. Is it that Wade’s schemes are too outdated and teams are catching up to his techniques? Do teams now days, need new inventive ideas from younger coaches. Remember, young defensive coaches like Tom Landry, Lombardi, and Don Shula came up with different ideas on defense that changed defenses. So, what really is wrong with our Cowboys defense?
If any one person could point to what the real problem is, I am sure that Jerry Jones would pay him a fortune. So, let’s look at what we do know.
First, last year, key injuries hit the defensive side of the football for the Cowboys. As in any sport, you have to keep your top defenders free from injury. Just look at how the Steelers are suffering now without their star safety, Palomalu. So, key players like Newman, Bradie James, Ware, Ratliff, and a few others must stay healthy.
Second, Wade must get all of the players on the same page so this defense must excel. However, not running your blitz packages enough in preseason and training camp because you didn’t want to get players hurt Wade doesn’t cut it with me and I am sure doesn’t cut it with a lot of other Dallas Cowboy fans. Another issue last year, players were confused, like for instance, how many times were 12 men on the field Wade? The last game against the Giants, Newman looked totally confused and lost or out of place like Hamlin was. So, what in the heck are you doing in practices Wade? Jay Ratliff said the other day that all the players are eager to learn. So, why in the world aren’t they learning? Is it because some of the younger players don’t give a heck or hoot? Or that the players aren’t smart enough to learn your complex defense Wade. Wait, that doesn’t make sense because your suppose to be the guru on defense wade and the Jets new head coach installed a very complex blitz package and his players are excelling. Like for instance in the Giant game last year up in New York finger pointing starter with players yelling, that’s your man, no that’s your man. Or like in the Cowboys home opener before the end of the game on the final drive, players were hollering at the sidelines wrong call on defense. Does it really boil down to poor coaching? I thought that’s what training camp was for Wade for you to get the players ready on defense to play and be geared up. Yet, there you were after the Tampa Bay game saying I didn’t run the blitz packages enough. And there you were after the Cowboys Giants home opener saying I misread my thinking that our man coverage was good enough for the season. So, the Cowboys may have to go back to zone defense. Just like last year too, teams were saying that our schemes on defense and offense were to vanilla, and that they knew exactly what the Cowboys were going to do. That has got to change!
Finally, for any team there must be luck involved. For whatever strange reason Sunday night the Giants were getting the bounces of the ball and the Cowboys weren’t. You just have to have lady luck on your side sometimes. So, should Dallas Cowboys fans expect Wade Phillips to put a top defense onto the field? You betcha, because the talent is there, it’s up to the defensive coaches, defensive players on defense to step up and be counted as leaders like Ratliff, Ware and Bradie to demand accountability from themselves and the players, with Wade doing his part too because if some of the things I mentioned aren’t fixed there won’t be a championship Doomsday Defense for the Cowboys this year.
