What part of the D worries you most?

[SuspectCorner]

IMO, the offense will start out above average (20 pts/game) and gradually get better.

the defense will be the hitch in the pony's gallop. it's gonna take a half-season for the defense to gel and dallas to settle on the scheme and the rotation.

but once they do they will come on like your first real girlfriend. slow to start - then hot and heavy.

the question will be dallas surviving to contention in that first half-season... not being buried in the standings by week 9.

and the burden will fall on the D-line (particularly the passrush - our annual achilles heel).

 

[Chuck 54]

You didn't list the thing I'm most worried about on your list:

LINEBACKERS ... I love our two young draft picks, but if looking only at this coming season, I am definitely concerned about our play at the LB position, especially in the 3-4. I personally believe we'll end up playing more 4-3 this season, and I believe it will be because our LBs can't handle the 3-4.

That's my biggest concern regarding the defense.

 

[junk]

Spears can play DT in a pinch. Assuming Canty is active, you'd still have a rotation. Carson was a starter for us last year, too, and he's still around. We're deep on the Dline.

In a 3-4? To my knowledge, Canty has never played DT and doesn't really fit the profile of a NT. I agree Spears might make a good DT, but BP has said he has no plans to play him there. I think you could get by with Carson for awhile, but you wouldn't be very good.

 

[Jarv]

I just like the timing of having all of these new players (rookies mostly) and changing the scheme at the same time. Rookies take time to adjust anyhow in the NFL. So why not change the "D" also. I think we'll see a lot of the rookies in training camp and pre-season, which I'm waiting for like those "Star Wars" fans who camped out for 2 months to get into the 1st veiwing.

I'm not too worried about the secondary, as things won't change much for them and we have a mostly solid group of young vetrans there.

I also agree with the above that a resurgence in the offense will only help the defense. A defense that is playing with a lead can really pin their ears back and be let loose.

Should be fun too watch.

 

[TheSkaven]

(1) The newness of the 3-4 to the personnel and to the Defensive Coordinator

That's my #1 concern as well. It doesn't really matter that it's Mike Zimmer coaching the D, it's the transition to the 3-4. We learned yesterday that Ware had problems when Troy State tried to switch to the 3-4, and we have a majority of the players here who have never played in it.

 

[Hollywood Henderson]

No worries...

Were finally past the old crappy "occupy & engage" passive & predictable never pressure a QB CRAP!

 

[Idgit]

In a 3-4? To my knowledge, Canty has never played DT and doesn't really fit the profile of a NT. I agree Spears might make a good DT, but BP has said he has no plans to play him there. I think you could get by with Carson for awhile, but you wouldn't be very good.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I was suggesting moving Spears inside in event of a serious injury, and replacing him with Canty at DE. With Carson, we're almost 4 deep at NT (Ferg, Glover, Carson, Spears) if necessary.

 

[DLCassidy]

I agree with the consenus on this one also- three rookie and four 1st year starters on D will have the live with some growing pains. On the plus side there's no such thing as a week 16 rookie, so if Dallas is alive for the playoffs this D may be much better at the end of the year then at the beginning.

 

[blindzebra]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I was suggesting moving Spears inside in event of a serious injury, and replacing him with Canty at DE. With Carson, we're almost 4 deep at NT (Ferg, Glover, Carson, Spears) if necessary.

Let's see Glover is too small to hold up as an every down NT.

Carson could not handle starting at NT in our 4-3 last year.

Spears has never played it.

Yep, we are fine.

 

[Idgit]

Let's see Glover is too small to hold up as an every down NT.

Carson could not handle starting at NT in our 4-3 last year.

Spears has never played it.

Yep, we are fine.

Well, the primary starter would be Fergy, so let's not forget him. Assuming he goes down with an injury, you have Glover, who *has* played the 3-4 NT position at a high level in this league already. He's also been called too small to hold up as a regular DT. I don't know that the people he plays against agree with that, though. Not sure what the sentence 'Carson could not handle starting at NT in our 4-3 last year means,' but I imagine you don't think much of him as a player. As a 3rd option, though, what do you want? At least he was a starter last year. Spears hasn't played NT to my knowledge, no, but, again, we're talking 4th option. At least he's the right size. Ratliff turned some heads in mini-camp, too, if I remember rightly. And we can always move back to a 4-3 if our interior line gets decimated.

If what you're really saying is you hope our interior line doesn't get decimated, well, I imagine we can all get on board with that.

 

[Crown Royal]

Pass rush. We've had to many 'savior' rookies come in and not provide the passrush for me to get excited now. I'll have to see it first.