Which Team Defense impressed you the most this year out of these 3?

[Cowboyny]

I really want a chance to a 3-4 base defense which is why I would lean towards Leonhard and Parker over Jones.

 

[Coogiguy03]

That's confusing I thought that would be the other way around whatever offense we met in 2025 didn't beat us all the way back into the showers..

We didn't see too many defenses that literally without our help beat us to a pulp there were a few...

When you look at this list Parker might be an up and coming guy but the way the Cowboys play the Eagles we should have swept the Eagles the game one guys were wide open on that back end just dropped the passes in the 2nd half I mean we lost by 4 points but really had a good chance to sweep the Eagles this year their defense didn't do a whole lot to stop our offense..


But say they don't have a great defense but Gannon was also a part one of those great defenses full of superstars and they won a Super Bowl with it as well so kind of hard to judge..

Everyone keeps talking about this gannon guy, what tree is he under where did he used to coach at before arizona?

 

[Coogiguy03]

I really want a chance to a 3-4 base defense which is why I would lean towards Leonhard and Parker over Jones.

only question is how much would we play it, and would we have the right guys to play it/what if they weren't comfortable playing it

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Remember, he has worked with Zimmer, could be a very similar defense that we saw two years ago.

I’m not entirely upset about that. I wasn’t Zimms biggest fan but he had some personnel issues and if he had Quinnen and Clark he probably fared better than he did.

 

[Mikexike]

Vikings defense was impressive to me.

 

[blueblood70]

Everyone keeps talking about this gannon guy, what tree is he under where did he used to coach at before arizona?

I just said that he literally was with the Eagles for two years he was their defensive coordinator on a SB team.

They know of Gannon from his time spent lining up against them as defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and 2022, leading a defensive unit that was one of the best in the league and helped to carry that team to the Super Bowl in the latter season, ranked eighth in the NFL that year in total defense.

I'm not promoting him at all I just got this off the Internet but apparently he was at least a good DC with the Eagles but they're always full of talent so who knows It's hard to judge right when these guys have talent and then they coach well versus how they coach without talent..

 

[Cowboyny]

I’m not entirely upset about that. I wasn’t Zimms biggest fan but he had some personnel issues and if he had Quinnen and Clark he probably fared better than he did.

Just keep in mind, his scheme will be more like Zimmer then it is like Flores.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I really want a chance to a 3-4 base defense which is why I would lean towards Leonhard and Parker over Jones.

Just curious what personnel would you have start? Assuming we do nothing in free agency.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Everyone keeps talking about this gannon guy, what tree is he under where did he used to coach at before arizona?

Eagles. If I’m not mistaken that year they had Fangio in a advisory role.

 

[blueblood70]

I’m not entirely upset about that. I wasn’t Zimms biggest fan but he had some personnel issues and if he had Quinnen and Clark he probably fared better than he did.

And people only remember the first half of that season and although the final rankings weren't great they led the NFC in sacks, pressures, and turnovers, the second half of the year.

I did coincide with getting a lot of players back so when he got the healthy starters he did something with them may not have been great but they were better than what we saw matt dude that's for damn sure out of those three bad defenses with Eberflus, Nolan, and Zimmer Zimmer at least showed an identity and some life when the team got better.

 

[Cowboyny]

only question is how much would we play it, and would we have the right guys to play it/what if they weren't comfortable playing it

Whomever they hire, they are going to have to learn a new system and they are going to need players in any case. The 3-4 would be more of that run alignment, where they still will be playing that 4 man line against the pass. We were already basically playing it in that 5 man line.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Just keep in mind, his scheme will be more like Zimmer than it is like Flores.

Why?

 

[Coogiguy03]

I just said that he literally was with the Eagles for two years he was their defensive coordinator on a SB team.

They know of Gannon from his time spent lining up against them as defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and 2022, leading a defensive unit that was one of the best in the league and helped to carry that team to the Super Bowl in the latter season, ranked eighth in the NFL that year in total defense.

I'm not promoting him at all I just got this off the Internet but apparently he was at least a good DC with the Eagles but they're always full of talent so who knows It's hard to judge right when these guys have talent and then they coach well versus how they coach without talent..

well I didn't see it, sorry sheesh, my eyes were expecting something longer and it didn't happen, messed me up!!!! Gotcha pal!! Thanks

 

[Coogiguy03]

Whomever they hire, they are going to have to learn a new system and they are going to need players in any case. The 3-4 would be more of that run alignment, where they still will be playing that 4 man line against the pass. We were already basically playing it in that 5 man line.

Yeah I was just more so thinking about the 4 man line because teams line up in so many packages with multiple wr's out there.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Eagles. If I’m not mistaken that year they had Fangio in a advisory role.

thanks marathon!

 

[maryquality]

Can't go wrong with Leonhard. After watching more Denver games lately, I like what I see.

Hey Jazz, I know this is "off-topic", but do you think we can have one dedicated thread to complain and compare the Cowboys to the playoff teams as we're watching these games? You know it happens every game, but if we could go to that dedicated thread, it may eliminate some of the game day thread bans.
You could call it "Post your Cowboys Complaints and Commentary Here". Only have it up during Playoff games, and then close it when the playoffs are over.

 

[gimmesix]

Denver (Leonhard)
Minnesota (D. Jones)
Philly (Parker)

These 3, along with Gannon appear to be on their short-list of DC candidates. Something of note, Jones was their first zoom interview and is going to be their 1st in person interview, he might be the leader of the pack.

Leonhard-comes from that Vance/Rex Ryan tree (3-4)
D. Jones-Zimmer/Flores (4-3)
Parker-Fangio (3-4)

They are all considered rising stars in coaching circles and would be excellent hires.

I want a 3-4 coach because I think it best fits our personnel with the three higher-paid DTs (Quinnen, Clark and Odig). To me, you build around your best players. Plus, I think the players we have at DE (Eze and Houston) are better sized for that scheme.

... But it has to be an aggressive 3-4. There's no use wasting our DTs on just absorbing blockers to keep the LBs clean.

 

[GORICO]

Keep in mind, you also still have do some development even with top talent , but I do get your point.

our D was not as bad as it seemed....Fluse did not call a good D or put players in better positions....i mean if you compare

what Minnesota did on offense with what they had?....we had a better interior D line than before but edge rushers failed us

but some of that i put on Fluse too...i dont know enough about intracacies of either O or D in this day and age....but i do know

you cannot just rely on good draft and development....you have to be active in free agency and not the bottom tier either...we

need edge, safeties, lbers, and corners...and probably more reinforcement O line?...but what do i know?

 

[gimmesix]

Just curious what personnel would you have start? Assuming we do nothing in free agency.

For me, it would be (based on who we've got, not even the FAs I think we'll re-sign):

DE Osa Odighizuwa/Solomon Thomas
NT Kenny Clark
DE Quinnen Williams

OLB Donovan Ezeirauku
ILB Luke Wilson/Shemar James
ILB DeMarvion Overshown
OLB James Houston

CB DaRon Bland
CB Shavon Revel
FS Malik Hooker
SS Markquese Bell/Juanyeh Thomas

Now, I'd hope we improve some of those spots in free agency and the draft, but that's our personnel for now.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Denver (Leonhard)
Minnesota (D. Jones)
Philly (Parker)

These 3, along with Gannon appear to be on their short-list of DC candidates. Something of note, Jones was their first zoom interview and is going to be their 1st in person interview, he might be the leader of the pack.

Leonhard-comes from that Vance/Rex Ryan tree (3-4)
D. Jones-Zimmer/Flores (4-3)
Parker-Fangio (3-4)

They are all considered rising stars in coaching circles and would be excellent hires.

I think Flores is much more Hybrid that 4-3. In fact so does Leonard and Gannon. You can even say that about Fangio because his Nickel is more similar to an even front than an odd, with the DT's and two stand up rushers

I think hybrid is the name of the game for Cowboys right. And Im all for it