We are No. 2 in defense over the 49ers No. 3

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-defense-rankings/

By Erif Hasan

I don't buy the Jets having the best D. No way, me blokes, but our No. 2 looks awfully good.
And who would think the Commanders chaps would be No. 4???
And Bills ... 6???
Blimey! Fun reading until TC.

Holla

So ur saying it's not a very logical ranking?

Agree.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

So ur saying it's not a very logical ranking?

Agree.

I would say

1. Egirls
2. Buffalo
3. 9ers
4. Cowboys
5. Jets

 

[Nav22]

If you haven’t kept up.

What has the 9ers defense won them?

This is how you process this sport?

And you're supposed to be taken seriously?

 

[jterrell]

This is merely a projection and labeling it as such is a great way to talk about pre-season rankings.
Use actual data and go from there.

Dallas has had a top-notch pass rush since the moment they drafted an "off-ball linebacker" named Parsons.
The DB crew has been steady to very-good.

Issues in 2022?
Well, the CB rotation was 4 NFL players deep last year. You lost 2 of them so the 3rd CB in games was significantly below NFL average.
DT was a series of guys who will play hard but can be moved out of gaps.
LB was a mishmash of guys that weren't starter quality beyond LVE in the games he can be 80% or better.
So Dallas traded for a another plus CB, drafted a DT and drafted another young LB.
The defense should be better.
But they have got to stay healthy and develop the young kids. The LB corps has to turn over to those young guys soon. LVE doesn't have 1500 more career snaps in him IMO.

I have a love/hate relationship with EPA. It is one of the very best metrics but it is also flawed. It is based on a historical period which did not have EPA and thus the data itself alters the course for what goes forward and what occurs.
What is effective offensively versus a 4-3-4 defense is very different than what is effective versus a 3-2-6 defense.
EPA should make us better and more knowledgeable, but we should also recognize its weaknesses and look to shore those up.
In short moneyball works until everyone copies moneyball.
The value of something can be impacted greatly by how many people utilize the strategy or dataset.

Should you go for it on 4th down? Well a lot of that data is derived form the very infrequent attempts of yore.
Quadruple those attempts and have defenses spend large portions of practice preparing for them? Success rate will likely go way down.
Does that mean it is bad? Not really but the ultimate calculation must be abotu the chance you have of converting and that is based upon play design and talent on field at time versus the opponent.

To tie this altogether, it was much harder to succeed versus this Dallas defense in the first half of last year. Once injuries set in, they were much easier to expose on the edge and adjusting safeties to that threat made them softer inside as well.

 

[kskboys]

I would say

1. Egirls
2. Buffalo
3. 9ers
4. Cowboys
5. Jets

9ers were #1 on D last year and added Hargrave. What makes you think they'll be worse?

NO was at #5 and added DT Breesee in first round as well as massive DT Shepherd to shore up their run stopping woes.

Commanders were 3rd. Did they take a step back?

 

[Teague31]

Barring injuries, we should be in contention for the best defense in the league.

 

[CATCH17]

This is how you process this sport?

And you're supposed to be taken seriously?

What do you mean?

It’s not the same football anymore.

Offense wins championships. The rules make it this way.

Defense is basically the new special teams.

Allowing field goals and the occasional sack/turnover is about all you can ask for.

 

[CATCH17]

Of course, and their D was instrumental in their super bowl run. They don't win it all w/ a lesser D.

Trading for Stafford is what won them a trophy.

 

[CowboyFrog]

I would say

1. Egirls
2. Buffalo
3. 9ers
4. Cowboys
5. Jets

You could put these in any order, i think the writer made a good case as to why he didnt love the Egirls defense though.. we are basically asking one rookie to make a diference they are asking several and some new starters to also hold the line.

 

[CowboyFrog]

Trading for Stafford is what won them a trophy.

Come on man, after the other All Pro's they brought in didnt play what exactly did Stafford do the next season?

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Right on cue, the same culprits with the same childish remarks.

You cued up nicely as well.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

They are turning every thread to a Dak hate party. The mods need to do something. This is getting ridiculous. Lots of good posters are leaving the board.

Like who?

These things hapoen every off season. Just not much of value right now.

Tell ya what....not replying to them would go a long long way!

 

[baltcowboy]

Like who?

These things hapoen every off season. Just not much of value right now.

Tell ya what....not replying to them would go a long long way!

It’s a thread about NFL defenses then the usual folks turn it into something else. Like most of the threads this time of the year. You try to ignore them by staying off those threads and they bring the mess to a defense thread.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

It’s a thread about NFL defenses then the usual folks turn it into something else. Like most of the threads this time of the year. You try to ignore them by staying off those threads and they bring the mess to a defense thread.

I get it.

But you never told me who are the great posters leaving.

And acknowledge if you don't reply, it makes it much quieter around here. On BOTH sides!...mind you.

The people that want to do battle against who the perceive are trolls...are every bit as culpable as those they crusade against. But they just can't help themselves. Just ignore....it will make things better.

If this still doesn't make sense, then watch the new Twilight Zone episode "Terror at 50,000 Feet".

 

[Typhus]

Manalive, that is very well said!!!!!

And yes, the best you can do is to form a DLine that can collapse a pocket to force the opposing QB to hurry his throws. Along w/ stopping the run, of course. Basing your D on coverage is just silly, as the rules have tied the DB's hands behind their backs.

Exactly, speed and disruption is todays mantra. for D.
We have that.

 

[kskboys]

Trading for Stafford is what won them a trophy.

Trading for Stafford to a super bowl ready team w/ a super bowl D that was instrumental in the super bowl run.

It's never just one guy.

 

[kskboys]

Come on man, after the other All Pro's they brought in didnt play what exactly did Stafford do the next season?

Stafford wasn't even all that great.

 

[Sarge]

Right on cue, the same culprits with the same childish remarks.

There is a reason we have the ignore function.

 

[ghst187]

The Philly D knocked Purdy out. Huge. Different game if that doesn't happen.

Yep and they might’ve lost. I’m not convinced that Dak doesn’t hang 35 on Philly in game 1 also had he played

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

The Marinelli style defense was the absolute worst concept for today's day and age. "Bend but don't break" is really just "let the opponents march down the field and hope they get a holding penalty or do something stupid". Most of the NFL has enough talent to score when you basically let them. Even when it succeeds, you set your offense up for a long field after a punt.

This is generally how everyone defends Buffalo, KC, Dallas, Cinci and other prolific passing offenses. It's just not effective if you can't rush with 4.