Why does this defense have 0 playmakers

[ak47kaehu]

Scheme. Players can't play zone to save their life. If they could play zone well in this scheme I think it would result in more picks.

 

[DandyDon52]

This is partly because we play a defense of bend, don't break. It's allowed us to hang in games, but always folds in the 4th quarter.

We don't blitz and rarely rush more than four. Our corners play off the ball and will give you the short pickup so we don't get burned deep. We also have a pair of safeties in Wilcox and Church that should be riding pine or a lawnmower.

This is why we're on track to have one of the least productive turnover seasons in league history.

This, I will add our zone coverage is awful, it is wait and see who catches it and then tackle them !!
They dont read the qb and go for the int ever!
And we bend a whole lot.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Look at our safeties. LOL

 

[Cmac]

And yet teams with what seem like they have less talent have more playmakers? Is it the coaching?

Yes....failed leadership, lack of team speed, interest in players for the wrong reason (Johnny M.), failing to defend players (TO and soon Dez), failing to restructure some contracts to secure key players (Romo/Murray), and lack of accountability for on the field play.

 

[canters]

We need someone the other team must account for and fears, be it a DB or LB.

I hoped Hardy was that person but he was not. IF we had an O that could keep the ball and convert some 3rd downs and score more than 20 points or so, we would be very close to a very good defense, maybe a great one if we had that one player other teams feared.

 

[LatinMind]

And yet teams with what seem like they have less talent have more playmakers? Is it the coaching?

Dallas was 2nd in the NFL in take aways last yr. Its just one of them years that just never materialized. Same personel just had different results. It happens

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

We lost good players that create TO's. Carter had like 5 picks. Moore is covering everything in Tampa. No OScan, even though he can't catch.

Last time I checked, Carter and Moore aren't doing squat in TB

 

[cml750]

While a couple of ballhawk safeties would make a huge difference, overall the defense is not the problem with this team. Marinelli has done a good job. Now the HC and the OC should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Aven8]

Last time I checked, Carter and Moore aren't doing squat in TB

True. But Carter led us in picks last year. Moore shut down Dez, which isn't saying much these days as he has checked out.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

And yet teams with what seem like they have less talent have more playmakers? Is it the coaching?

Just to make you angry.

They really do have playmakers, they just don't let them make plays while you are following the Cowboys.

Hmmm...there is something going on here..>QUIT watching the cowboys so these playmakers will be allowed to make plays.

 

[erod]

It's because of Weeden/Cassel. Opposing teams don't have to take chances against Dallas. The Cowboys aren't going to score anyway, so why risk turnovers?

Last year, Dallas was ahead a lot, and teams knew Romo could bring the Cowboys back from anything. So, they had to air it out and open up their playbook. That leads to mistakes and turnovers.

The best friend to a defense is a dangerous offense to go with it.

 

[tyke1doe]

That same coach is a NFL champion though. I won't fault him for the Lions being terrible. Bellicheat was terrible with the Browns as well.

Actually, Belichick was pretty good with the Browns. But when the team announced it was leaving Cleveland, it started to hit rock bottom.

 

[CowboyRoy]

And yet teams with what seem like they have less talent have more playmakers? Is it the coaching?

First of all, they are playing a lot more man coverage in the secondary instead of zone. So the corners are turning their backs to the QB and running with the WR's. In zone, they are keeping everything in front of them and can jump the routes better. In Marinellis defense he rarely blitzes. He typically likes to rush only 4 guys and get pressure that way. It hasnt really been working.

And then the big one. Our secondary is pretty much bad. The safeties in particular are terrible. Carr is slow and always behind the play. There isnt a play maker in the bunch. Sadly enough.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Honest evaluation, we have had issues with our secondary making plays, actually catching INT opportunities for a long time and that's really not changed. We have dropped several opportunities this year. Having said that, I believe that the reason we are not seeing more TOs this year is primarily due to the fact that teams are not having to take risks as much. Last year, we forced teams to score because our own offense would put up points. On a bad day, we could hang 21 on a team and there was always the threat that we could score on anybody from anywhere. This year, we have seen none of that. Most games, we start from behind, we are not a threat to score in the Red Zone and we are the worst 3rd and Short team in the entire League. The only thing to fear from our Offense is not even the Offense but the special teams FG kicker.

The reason we are failing to create Turn Overs is chiefly due to the fact that we are not forcing opposing offense to take chances. We don't force them to throw the ball in obvious passing situations. We don't force them to take chances by throwing into small windows. We don't force Offenses into must score situations. Opposing Offenses have zero pressure on them to have to make a play because they know we can't score. All of these guys are world class athletes so it really comes down to the psychological. If you create pressure situations for the opposition, it's only a matter of time before they make a mistake. As a Defense, if you are playing with the knowledge that you are going to get a chance, the opposition is going to have to take chances, then you are more prepared to take advantage of those situations. Your mind set is different, you are playing for the turnover. You are looking for the mistake. When you are playing from behind all the time, you are playing to simply get off the field and at some point, you know and understand that you are playing against the house. You know the more shots the Opposition takes, the more likely it is that you will eventually break or that you will simply get worn down and attrition will do what it always does.

It's really such a delicate balance, between really good teams and bad teams. It's even more rare, in this day and age, to sustain that kind of balance.

It's really not that difficult to understand why we are not getting TOs this year. However, it's brutal to watch.

 

[notherbob]

I didn't watch any games but it seems to me that too many players spent the entire off-season reading all about how great they were last year and it took the whole off-season so they just didn't have time to stay in shape; after all, great players like them have arrived and got their big paydays so they don't have to work so hard anymore. It seems to me some have shown up out of shape and never did get in shape and play with hunger this year. This year they just rested on their laurels from last year and the team never came together and just fell apart with injuries. Oh well.

It's an attitude problem and if those who have it can overcome it, this team still has the core of a pretty good team for the next few years if the players' attitudes can come around.

JMO and I could be wrong.

 

[Alexander]

Dallas was 2nd in the NFL in take aways last yr. Its just one of them years that just never materialized. Same personel just had different results. It happens

The glaring thing is the lack of fumble recoveries. Just two recoveries off of three forces all year. 15/13 last year.

I just do not see the same clawing for the football that we saw often last season. They simply are not creating enough opportunities.

 

[KingintheNorth]

I've said it several times but there is real opportunity to "fix" the defense next year.

Greg Hardy, Morris Claiborne, Rolando McClain, Jeremy Mincey, Nick Hayden, Danny McCray, Kyle Wilber, Terrell McClain, and Jack Crawford are all unrestricted free agents. The Cowboys can save an additional $9M in cap room but cutting Brandon Carr ($6.383M) and Barry Church ($2.75M).

That is 6 defensive starters and 11 players in the defensive two-deep the team can move on from. I’ve heard the adage (mainly here) that you can’t replace too many starters at once, but I would argue that the bigger crime is rewarding mediocrity by continuing to bring it back.

This doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare. The defensive line brings back Tyrone Crawford, DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, and David Irving. You can count Ryan Russell and Chris Whaley in that if you wish.

Linebacker corps bring back Sean Lee, Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Andrew Gachkar, and Mark Nzeocha. I basically see Sean Lee and a lot of back-up slash special teamers, but at least there is depth.

Secondary brings back a healthy Orlando Scandrick, along with Byron Jones, J.J. Wilcox, and Tyler Patmon. A lot of help needed here. Jeff Heath is a restricted free agent and I know he is overrated by Cowboy fans, but he is a liability in coverage. As long as he is playing meaningful downs in the secondary, the Cowboys defense will be exposed.

There needs to be an aggressive but SMART approach in free agency. Also, coaching and the front office is about adaptation and improvement. It’s time to move on from their current beliefs on the 1Tech position and safety positions. Byron Jones will help with the safety spot but they can’t rest on that.

 

[LatinMind]

The glaring thing is the lack of fumble recoveries. Just two recoveries off of three forces all year. 15/13 last year.

I just do not see the same clawing for the football that we saw often last season. They simply are not creating enough opportunities.

Dallas has alot of FFs but if you havent noticed the ball is miraculously going right to OL or RBs. Bad luck

 

[maxdallasfan]

Here's my take:

To be a playmaking CB, you have to be cocky, arrogant and flap your lips all game. Mo and Carr, none of those traits

To be a playmaking FS/SS, you have to be cocky, arrogant and flap your lips all game. Wilcox and Church, none of those traits

In other words: You gotta talk the talk and walk the walk. You can't talk the talk if you don't walk the walk, and you can't walk the walk if you don't talk the talk.

get it?

 

[windward]

I just think it's hard for a team to create turnovers that simply aren't there. These guys have made plays before getting here. These coaches have had success. But the realization is teams don't have to be too risky against this defense when the offense can only put up 7 points. If you're a OC why would you risk losing the game by being aggressive? When you're aggressive there's no chances of mistakes by the opposing team. This same defense last year generated more turnovers around the league then anyone else. What's changed? The offense being terrible is what's changed.

add into what seems like a bunch of turnovers that have been voided on review.