What's the deal with Demarcus Ware?

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I have to throw my arms up about Demarcus Ware. I don't know what the deal is. It seems the Texans handled him easily, and that's a Texans team that was giving up over 4 sacks a game, on average, going into Sunday's game. I'm just surprised that the pass rush from Ware is not as good as advertised it would be in the offseason.

Now I know the run D is playing very well, so is it the case that Ware is being used by the coaches predominantly as a run-stopper, and that's why he's not being turned looses in the pass-rush department? Or are the coaches trying to have him solely focus on pass-rush, but even so he is juat being handled by opposing offensive lines? I just can't tell anymore. All I know is that we need a pass rush to nullify division offenses such as Philly's and the Giants, and so far our pass rush just isn't good enough.

Anybody have any thought to clarify what's really going on?

**

 

[Crown Royal]

He got some pressure, if nothing else by bull rushing the OT into Carr's face. I also think that they told him not to sell out on the pass rush. You'll notice that the entire time is was simply a 4 man rush in their respective lanes. We were playing coverage all day, because we knew their running game wouldn't get it done.

That being said, even in a 4 man rush, I would have liked to have seen a sack off the OT that played him. He got one on one rush opportunities.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

I have to throw my arms up about Demarcus Ware. I don't know what the deal is. It seems the Texans handled him easily, and that's a Texans team that was giving up over 4 sacks a game, on average, going into Sunday's game. I'm just surprised that the pass rush from Ware is not as good as advertised it would be in the offseason.

Now I know the run D is playing very well, so is it the case that Ware is being used by the coaches predominantly as a run-stopper, and that's why he's not being turned looses in the pass-rush department? Or are the coaches trying to have him solely focus on pass-rush, but even so he is juat being handled by opposing offensive lines? I just can't tell anymore. All I know is that we need a pass rush to nullify division offenses such as Philly's and the Giants, and so far our pass rush just isn't good enough.

Anybody have any thought to clarify what's really going on?

**

We won 34-6. It's not like he played poorly.
The coaches are playing conservatively on Defense. I am sure if they let Ware fly around he would rack up more sacks. We seem to be strong in many positions and playing a "team" defense. Don't need Ware to the hero.

Just my 0.02.

 

[Doomsday]

The defense played very well as a group yesterday, that is the most important factor in my mind.

 

[NickZepp]

You can't get a sack all the time. Ware was huge in the run game and he got some pressure on the QB. Sacks are an overrated stat usually. Even the best don't get sacks every game.

 

[superpunk]

He drew a hold, did some good things, but he has had a pretty slow start. He is very concerned, it seems, with keeping contain rather than getting after the QB. He will not run himself out of the play, past the tackles and QBs. Alot of times he's more concerned about maintaining position than getting after the QB.

On the bright side, Ellis is playing like a freak. I was thrilled to see him get the pick yesterday.

 

[Big Country]

You can't get a sack all the time. Ware was huge in the run game and he got some pressure on the QB. Sacks are an overrated stat usually. Even the best don't get sacks every game.

unless you are Julius Peppers

 

[tyke1doe]

I think it's becoming very clear that DeMarcus Ware isn't a sackmaster.

I think he's a very good player, but if you're expecting a Julius Pepper then he Ware is not.

I keep hearing fans say, he's not suppose to sell-out for the pass rush or he's suppose to drop back in pass coverage, and that's all well and good.

But when we need a sack, and I see him moving towards the QB, and he doesn't get the sack and the QB completes the pass for a first down, that tells me something no matter how one tries to spin it.

From this perspective, he doesn't seem any better in the pass rushing department than he was last year, and I have yet to see him execute a move beyond his patented speed rush.

But I'm sure I'll get the obligatory, "He does what the defensive staff tells him to do."

Well, the staff better tell him to sack the quarterback on 3rd and 15 when he's rushing or we need a new staff.

 

[mwj473]

unless you are Julius Peppers

I'm glad you brought that up. Until this year, Pepper's 5th, he was very inconsistent with his sacks. He would get 2-3 in a game, then go 6 games without one, then put up 2-3 in the next game. He has not been consisitent until this year, his 5th I might mention.His sack #'s his 1st 4 years - 12,7,11,11. If he turns out to be Peppers, don't complain. I live in NC, so I see him play all the time. Bottom line he does many other things for his defense that does not show in the stats as does Ware.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I have to throw my arms up about Demarcus Ware. I don't know what the deal is. It seems the Texans handled him easily, and that's a Texans team that was giving up over 4 sacks a game, on average, going into Sunday's game. I'm just surprised that the pass rush from Ware is not as good as advertised it would be in the offseason.

Now I know the run D is playing very well, so is it the case that Ware is being used by the coaches predominantly as a run-stopper, and that's why he's not being turned looses in the pass-rush department? Or are the coaches trying to have him solely focus on pass-rush, but even so he is juat being handled by opposing offensive lines? I just can't tell anymore. All I know is that we need a pass rush to nullify division offenses such as Philly's and the Giants, and so far our pass rush just isn't good enough.

Anybody have any thought to clarify what's really going on?

**

The Cowboys have a vanilla pass rush and complexed coverage schemes. It makes pass blocking easy for the opposing offense. I think this has more to do with the players learning the 3-4 as it's a lot more complexed in it's schemes than the 4-3 and Mike Zimmer still learning how to use the 3-4. My guess is they are taking baby steps by implementing the complexed coverages first and stopping the run. Then move into the pass complexed pass rush.

 

[AbeBeta]

I swear folks here, they just can't be happy with playing good team defense. Our defense plan held the Texans to 34 yards rushing -- 15 of which came on QB runs. We also held them to under 200 yards passing -- with over 1/3 of those yards coming in garbage time when we'd gone to more of a prevent-type approach.

But since Ware didn't get a sack he sucks. Yes, Ware had nothing to do with this excellent performance at all.

 

[goshan]

Abersonc
It isn't about the fact we didn't play good defense.
People are looking for an impact Sackmaster.
We didn't need that against the Texans to beat them.
But we struggle at generating Turnovers and a Sackmaster is a big generator of those.
Ware just doesn't look like that kind of player right now.

FYI-there were actually several stunts called on the D-line yesterday.

 

[hmcorp]

Other teams blitzed the texans heavily. And carr would make them pay when he could.

Parcells and zimmer decided to play coverage.

We see the results. Same no running game from the texans previous games.
And 2 ints and absolutely no passing game from the #1 passer in the game.

I think they made a good choice.
Against the giants our defense WILL give up points.
Our offense needs to score. A lot.

 

[Wolfpack]

the ball was out quick all day yesterday and the few deeper drops had the backs stay in.

 

[aikemirv]

I saw many times when the tackle was getting pushed back into the QB. I think one of them was on the Henry INt - may be wrong there, but I thought so.

 

[AdamJT13]

unless you are Julius Peppers

Ware has two sacks through five games. Before this season, in Peppers' first five games each season, he had three, one, two and zero sacks. In those 20 games, he went without a sack 17 times. And in Peppers' second season, he had two sacks in his first 10 games.

 

[Stautner]

The Cowboys have a vanilla pass rush and complexed coverage schemes. It makes pass blocking easy for the opposing offense. I think this has more to do with the players learning the 3-4 as it's a lot more complexed in it's schemes than the 4-3 and Mike Zimmer still learning how to use the 3-4. My guess is they are taking baby steps by implementing the complexed coverages first and stopping the run. Then move into the pass complexed pass rush.

Vanilla pass rush or not, quality pass rushers find ways to get to pressure and ocassionally sack the QB some and we did not do that.

If we can't at least ocassionally do that with 4-5 rushers then we have bigger problems than schemes and game planning - it suggests that our personnel may not be as strong in the pass rushing department as many think it is.

I realize that the game plan was to not expose ourself to big plays knowing that Houston couldn't beat us otherwise, and I think that was the smart game plan, however, teams still have to be able to generate at least something of a pass rush even without complex blitz packages and disguises.

Keep in mind folks that blitz packages are supposed to supplement a pass rush, not be the only source of it.

 

[dboyz]

I was a little disappointed in Ware's performance yesterday too, (my expectations are very high). Although he certainly didn't play poorly, I was hoping for him to harass Carr all day. There were some positive things in the game. He forced a holding call and he was close a few times and might have caused a little disruption, but he wasn't dominant.

I think a lot of our exectations for Ware are quite high. The fact is he may turn out to be a very good player, but not a great player. Like a Willie McGinest, etc. The kind of player that can play the run very well execute his assinment, etc, and do all of the things an OLB should do, just not the kind of dominant LT type player that every team has to game plan for.

 

[JPM]

Ware has two sacks through five games. Before this season, in Peppers' first five games each season, he had three, one, two and zero sacks. In those 20 games, he went without a sack 17 times. And in Peppers' second season, he had two sacks in his first 10 games.

Thanks Adam, any stats on how many QB pressure's Ware has this season ?

Thanks

 

[AbeBeta]

Ware has two sacks through five games. Before this season, in Peppers' first five games each season, he had three, one, two and zero sacks. In those 20 games, he went without a sack 17 times. And in Peppers' second season, he had two sacks in his first 10 games.

HA HA