What Concerns Me Most About SD

[TwoDeep3]

I think the passing gameof Brees is not awe inspiring. Beyond the subtraction of Gates, their passing game isn't world shaking.

However, when you factor in LT in both the running game and the passing game, that is a horse of a different color.

That guy is a beast and will be the problem for our defense.

I am not sold we will come out of the chute with all guns blazing with this defense.

Can we stop LT's rushing attack?

That is a major question mark for me with this current Dallas team.

If we cannot consistently stop him, will he then gear up their passing attack with screens and swing passes?

I expect this if he has a successful day rushing the ball.

I also expect us to put eight in the box and set our sails on stopping the run. Forcing Brees to win the game.

Run blitzing and hoping that produces sacks when they are in play action.

This will be a tough contest. We could be handed out hats in this game.

I hope we winand are the toast of ESPN.

I am leery about this game.

 

[dargonking999]

I am leeryabout LT to, but i'm hoping that our next LT in Ware can contain him, team up with Roy, and the rest of our D, hopefully we will control him

 

[JackMagist]

I think the passing gameof Brees is not awe inspiring. Beyond the subtraction of Gates, their passing game isn't world shaking.

However, when you factor in LT in both the running game and the passing game, that is a horse of a different color.

That guy is a beast and will be the problem for our defense.

I am not sold we will come out of the chute with all guns blazing with this defense.

Can we stop LT's rushing attack?

That is a major question mark for me with this current Dallas team.

If we cannot consistently stop him, will he then gear up their passing attack with screens and swing passes?

I expect this if he has a successful day rushing the ball.

I also expect us to put eight in the box and set our sails on stopping the run. Forcing Brees to win the game.

Run blitzing and hoping that produces sacks when they are in play action.

This will be a tough contest. We could be handed out hats in this game.

I hope we winand are the toast of ESPN.

I am leery about this game.

We're going to be going through this kind of hope and worry for most of this season. Or the early part at least until we have success and gain more confidence. I share you concerns but I am also optimistic since I can point to a number of weapons on our own side of the ball as well. It should be a good game and should give us a good feel for where this team is at.

 

[Eddie]

I think SD is making a similar mistake we made in 2004. After a successful 12-4 season last year, SD is returning ALL 22 starters.

Does that ring a bell? We returned the majority of our starters after a misleading 10-6 season. You know what happened next.

There's a good possibility SD has overestimated their strengths and underestimated their weaknesses. In fact, they were ranked 18th over-all D ... which leads me to believe they didn't address this need.

I think their passing D was in the lower quarter of the league, and since they returned the entire starting 2ndary ... this weakness still exists.

I'm hoping BP sees this and uses this to his advantage. We learned our lesson when we didn't upgrade a weakness. Now it's SD's turn ...

 

[Tuna Helper]

I think the passing gameof Brees is not awe inspiring. Beyond the subtraction of Gates, their passing game isn't world shaking.

However, when you factor in LT in both the running game and the passing game, that is a horse of a different color.

That guy is a beast and will be the problem for our defense.

I am not sold we will come out of the chute with all guns blazing with this defense.

Can we stop LT's rushing attack?

That is a major question mark for me with this current Dallas team.

If we cannot consistently stop him, will he then gear up their passing attack with screens and swing passes?

I expect this if he has a successful day rushing the ball.

I also expect us to put eight in the box and set our sails on stopping the run. Forcing Brees to win the game.

Run blitzing and hoping that produces sacks when they are in play action.

This will be a tough contest. We could be handed out hats in this game.

I hope we winand are the toast of ESPN.

I am leery about this game.

With Gates out, I agree that the obvious approach would be to put 8 in the box and focus on stopping the run. Their WRs seem very average. If Gates was playing this game, I don't think we would even stand a chance. I think if LT picks up less than 100 yards rushing today, then we have a chance.

I am concerned about our own running game versus their defense. Parcells will not back away from the run, even if he has to chip away 3-4 yards at a time. I expect that we will have at least 35 running plays, combined with roughly 30 passing plays. The issue is that we have Al Johnson, and he will be heavily outweighed by the NT. If we will have any luck, JJ just needs to run right behind Larry Allen.

Bledsoe finished the preseason on a much better note than how he started. However, he will be blitzed like crazy today. Finding Witten early to get SD to back off of the blitzes will be the key.

I am nervous as can be, but this is the first time in a few years where I feel we have a chance to win on opening day. We haven't won an opener since 1999 in that bizarre game against the Commanders. We are due.

 

[Tuna Helper]

I think SD is making a similar mistake we made in 2004. After a successful 12-4 season last year, SD is returning ALL 22 starters.

Does that ring a bell? We returned the majority of our starters after a misleading 10-6 season. You know what happened next.

There's a good possibility SD has overestimated their strengths and underestimated their weaknesses. In fact, they were ranked 18th over-all D ... which leads me to believe they didn't address this need.

I think their passing D was in the lower quarter of the league, and since they returned the entire starting 2ndary ... this weakness still exists.

I'm hoping BP sees this and uses this to his advantage. We learned our lesson when we didn't upgrade a weakness. Now it's SD's turn ...

You bring up some good points. The Chargers pass defense ranked 31st in the league last year. I read somewhere that they attributed this to the fact that teams had to pass because they stacked the box to stop the run.

I would exploit their secondary early and often until they prove that they can defend a pass. In addition, I watched some of the Chargers preseason games this year. Their run defense has taken a step backwards (at least in the preseason).

I think the Chargers should be just as nervous about the Cowboys.

Tuna versus Marty...the edge definitely goes with the Tuna. Marty is a great coach, but I often question some of the things he does.

 

[Cbz40]

With all that said TD3........We know we are going to get a big dose of LT. Parcells, Zimmer and the rest of our coaches know it. I'm going out on a limb and will say they have come with an antidote for Mr. LT.

The charger were a plus in take aways last season.......We can't turn the ball over. Marty ball is very similar to Parcell's ball........control, play action, occasional deep throw. We Should know how to defend it.

 

[DallasEast]

I think SD is making a similar mistake we made in 2004. After a successful 12-4 season last year, SD is returning ALL 22 starters.

Does that ring a bell? We returned the majority of our starters after a misleading 10-6 season. You know what happened next.

There's a good possibility SD has overestimated their strengths and underestimated their weaknesses. In fact, they were ranked 18th over-all D ... which leads me to believe they didn't address this need.

I think their passing D was in the lower quarter of the league, and since they returned the entire starting 2ndary ... this weakness still exists.

I'm hoping BP sees this and uses this to his advantage. We learned our lesson when we didn't upgrade a weakness. Now it's SD's turn ...

I see what you're saying Eddie, but I believe that San Diego's strategy was to help their secondary by upgrading their pass rush. This is why they targeted a pass rushing, defensive end during the draft and picked Merriman. By getting better pressure on the quarterback, they may have thought it would help their suspect secondary.

But the advantage is still ours if Merriman sits this game due to his injured left knee. According to an NFL.com update on September 9th (http://nfl.com/teams/story/SD/8826026 ), Schottenheimer will decide today whether Merriman will play. Merriman will push the issue, since he wants to prove to Parcells that he made the wrong decision of drafting Ware over him.

 

[Hostile]

I wonder how much info Scott Fujita has been able to pass along to the coaching staff about facing LT since he had to do it twice a year since he joined the league?

 

[Tuna Helper]

I wonder how much info Scott Fujita has been able to pass along to the coaching staff about facing LT since he had to do it twice a year since he joined the league?

I am sure he was interrogated as soon as he signed on the dotted line.

 

[Tuna Helper]

I see what you're saying Eddie, but I believe that San Diego's strategy was to help their secondary by upgrading their pass rush. This is why they targeted a pass rushing, defensive end during the draft and picked Merriman. By getting better pressure on the quarterback, they may have thought it would help their suspect secondary.

But the advantage is still ours if Merriman sits this game due to his injured left knee. According to an NFL.com update on September 9th (http://nfl.com/teams/story/SD/8826026 ), Schottenheimer will decide today whether Merriman will play. Merriman will push the issue, since he wants to prove to Parcells that he made the wrong decision of drafting Ware over him.

I read earlier that Merriman will sit this game out. This was as of 9AM this morning.

 

[Hostile]

I am sure he was interrogated as soon as he signed on the dotted line.

As it should be. He may not be up to playing speed for this game in this defense, but mental speed he was probably the most ready.

 

[Tuna Helper]

As it should be. He may not be up to playing speed for this game in this defense, but mental speed he was probably the most ready.

Agreed. I remember a few years back, the Texans signed a couple of our defensive players just days before the game (Willie Blade, Pat Dennis - I think).

Neither guy panned out for them, but I think they were both interrogated to a point where the Texans probably had all of our offensive and defensive schemes mapped out.

We all know what happened then...

 

[Hostile]

Agreed. I remember a few years back, the Texans signed a couple of our defensive players just days before the game (Willie Blade, Pat Dennis - I think).

Neither guy panned out for them, but I think they were both interrogated to a point where the Texans probably had all of our offensive and defensive schemes mapped out.

We all know what happened then...

Yeah, I threw up and cussed a lot.

 

[Bizwah]

I think the passing gameof Brees is not awe inspiring. Beyond the subtraction of Gates, their passing game isn't world shaking.

However, when you factor in LT in both the running game and the passing game, that is a horse of a different color.

That guy is a beast and will be the problem for our defense.

I am not sold we will come out of the chute with all guns blazing with this defense.

Can we stop LT's rushing attack?

That is a major question mark for me with this current Dallas team.

If we cannot consistently stop him, will he then gear up their passing attack with screens and swing passes?

I expect this if he has a successful day rushing the ball.

I also expect us to put eight in the box and set our sails on stopping the run. Forcing Brees to win the game.

Run blitzing and hoping that produces sacks when they are in play action.

This will be a tough contest. We could be handed out hats in this game.

I hope we winand are the toast of ESPN.

I am leery about this game.

Great post, as always TD.

I totally agree with you. SD has a good defense, and a good QB. But the one player that worries me the most is LT. He is the Michael Jordan of the NFL.....the good Jordan in the early nineties, not the Bullets version. You have to account for him on every play.

He cannot be stopped.....slowing him down is all you have to hope for.

With our new defense and the inevitable problems that will come up, I fear that LT will shred us.