What about the defense?

CowboysFaninHouston

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with all the focus on the offensive struggles, rightfully so, no one has much talked about the defense. we have invested a lot and given the offensive fire power that's missing, I expected to win some games with low scores, yet this defense has been pretty bad. I don't care how you cut it. we gave up 30 points. we have been awful in the 4th quarter. I am not into moral victories. this defense looks bad. bad angles. bad tackling. lost. what's wrong with the defense?
 
BrAinPaiNt

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The defense held them pretty good early on. However when your offense pretty much has 2-3 drives total that are more than one 3 and out...it's hard for the defense to keep up all game.

Also keep in mind that we were continually losing the battle of field position due to our pathetic offense.

Combine those two things and it was a complete joke to go for that second field goal when we were already done by a few scores. After managing to get into the red zone (or close) only one other time in the game...they decided they could magically start coming back a score touchdowns later so settled for the FG. Shaking my head when that happened.
 
TheCoolFan

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The defense must force turnovers. Everything else is irrelevant if they can't get turnovers. Remember in 2010 and 2013, how bad our defenses were? Well in 2010, after Pasqualoni took over, they were still terrible but at least forced a ton of turnovers to help Garrett get the strong finish to the season. And in 2013, the Kiffin defense was awful but they were near the top of the league in turnovers forced, which gave them a chance.

You can give up points and yards but if you force 2 turnovers a game, it is the great equalizer. Those dropped INTs vs. the Falcons and Saints change EVERYTHING!
 
LocimusPrime

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The defense was physically and emotionally tired. For the first half they spent all of their physical energy keeping us in the game. They sacked brady and held them as best as any team can " hold brady". Tom was hit so many times, the announcers put up a stat: 10 drop backs- 3 sacks 3 hurries and 3 hits. With the offense so putrid and inept eventually the D lost hope. This "mental fatigue" combined with physical fatigue of being on the field so long led to our demise. If the offense puts up 20 yesterday we could have won
 
xwalker

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CowboysFaninDC said:
with all the focus on the offensive struggles, rightfully so, no one has much talked about the defense. we have invested a lot and given the offensive fire power that's missing, I expected to win some games with low scores, yet this defense has been pretty bad. I don't care how you cut it. we gave up 30 points. we have been awful in the 4th quarter. I am not into moral victories. this defense looks bad. bad angles. bad tackling. lost. what's wrong with the defense?
Click to expand...

The only thing the defense did wrong was not get turnovers but that's very difficult against the Patriots.

The offense has to hold the ball for a reasonable amount of time, especially when the defense has to go against one of the top offenses in the NFL.
 
BAT

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CowboysFaninDC said:
with all the focus on the offensive struggles, rightfully so, no one has much talked about the defense. we have invested a lot and given the offensive fire power that's missing, I expected to win some games with low scores, yet this defense has been pretty bad. I don't care how you cut it. we gave up 30 points. we have been awful in the 4th quarter. I am not into moral victories. this defense looks bad. bad angles. bad tackling. lost. what's wrong with the defense?
Click to expand...

5 sacks in first half but offense sent could not take advantage of it. Only 1 first down in 60 plays in the first half, I was impressed that our D held Pats to 13. But they were on field too long and we're absolutely gassed. Offense also put ST in bad spot because we were always punting inside our own 30. When Pats went hurry up at end of half and all thru the 2nd, the D crumbled.

The formula for 2014 success has not changed, maintain offensive possessions and score TDs, not FGs. Keep D fresh and flying to the ball = takeaways. W right there.
 
gimmesix

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CowboysFaninDC said:
with all the focus on the offensive struggles, rightfully so, no one has much talked about the defense. we have invested a lot and given the offensive fire power that's missing, I expected to win some games with low scores, yet this defense has been pretty bad. I don't care how you cut it. we gave up 30 points. we have been awful in the 4th quarter. I am not into moral victories. this defense looks bad. bad angles. bad tackling. lost. what's wrong with the defense?
Click to expand...

The Patriots were given too much time with the ball and too many short fields. I also absolutely hate that some illegal picks are called while others are not. It's pretty clear when an offense is running a pick play and I think it should be called every time the receiver makes contact with the defender in those situations. If it is illegal to pick someone, then don't reward a team for being better actors on some plays.
 
Clarkson

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Brady started at his own 45 every drive. Tom Brady, that is. Yes, him.
We couldn't tackle. Dion Lewis is making a lot of people look dumb each week for different reasons: Some look dumb while attempting to tackle him. Others look dumb because they didn't bother to keep him on their roster and use him.
If the defense plays like that with Romo and Dez in there, we have a real good shot at winning that game.
 
JoeyBoy718

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I agree with you with regard to the past 2 games, but I can't put the blame on the defense for this loss against the Patriots. They forced New England into more 3-and-outs and punts than any other team this year, and they held Gronk in check for the most part. Sure, they gave up 30 points, but New England consistently started drives near midfield and Dallas was consistently going 3-and-out. You're not gonna completely shut down the Patriots, but you can't do much better when your defense is on the field all game and you're giving them a short field to work with.
 
Romo_To_Dez

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Even if the D was able to hold the Pats to less than 30 points. The Offense still could only score 6 and it puts a lot of pressure on a defense to have to play lights out the entire game if the Offense gets 3 and outs. And there isn't a lot of game that a team is going to win if their Offense can't score even one TD during the game. More pressure gets put on the Defense to have to score on defense if the O can't score.

A better QB and offensive performance would have had that game closer yesterday.
 
TellerMorrow34

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If you can't understand how the offense going 3 and out all the time and giving the Patriots the ball around their own 40 yard line all day is a major reason the defense isn't able to finish the game strong then you should quit watching football.

Losing T.O.P. in games can absolutely kill you. It often does kill you.

The only way you get away with scoring 6 points and winning is if you have an all-time great defense.

This defense is good. It's not great and it's certainly not all time great.
 
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