We played safety's at line backer all year

[CowboysFanKY88]

I’ve been saying all year that the lack of real linebackers was gonna bite us, and it did.

Next season need to cut Kearse, and LVE. Bell can fill Kearse’s role, and make finding real LB the number 1 priority.

 

[offlimits]

The two guys that they planned on playing linebacker were on IR.
THIS ^

The guy they picked up off the streets that was an actual linebacker was worse than Bell, and was arrested and cut. Perfect storm.

But I agree that we need bigger guys that are actually built like linebackers and can attack those run fits.

 

[Creeper]

I think teams learned that they could do certain things against Dallas with their undersized LBs. But I also think the Cowboys defense played way more aggressively earlier in the year. We used to see Bell and Wilson crashing through the line and making plays behind the LOS. We have no seen that in a while. They just seemed to have played less aggressively late in the year. Was Quinn playing afraid? Did the Buffalo game rattle him to play more soft zone and less aggressively?

But sacks and turnover dropped considerably the last 3rd of the year. I think that was style of play as much as anything.

 

[big dog cowboy]

So we played safeties at linebacker all year

Wonder why we sucked at defending the run all year….well there ya go

We said that every week since LVE went down.

 

[Creeper]

I’ve been saying all year that the lack of real linebackers was gonna bite us, and it did.

Next season need to cut Kearse, and LVE. Bell can fill Kearse’s role, and make finding real LB the number 1 priority.

I agree with this. I think LVE is going to retire anyway so no need to cut him. LB to me is the priority. But not just another athletic, gym rat. To me they need a football player in the middle of the field. They guy has to have the most heart on the team. He need to be smart and a banger. He needs range and instincts. I don't care what round they draft him. The more leadership qualities the better even if they have to take him in the first round. But they need to beef up the middle of the DL too. If there is one benefit to moving on from Quinn it will be getting a DC who values big strong DTs to push the middle of the line backwards.

Watching the Cowboys tackles sealed off and the DE pushed out of the hole with no one to seal the gap is excruciating. Good run defense play downhill into the gaps. It is not just the DL making tackles. In fact, they make very few tackles. Good run defenses have LBs and safeties that can get into the holes and fill them before the RB has a chance to find running room.

 

[JohnsKey19]

This team isn't built for the playoffs.

It's built to look good, put up high numbers and bully poor teams.

When they get behind, punched in the mouth, they are cowards with fragile mentalities.

Nothing says that more than who Quinn put out at LB

Exactly. Like everything else in Cowboys land, the defense is built to be front runners.