Yakuza Rich: Yes Indeedy, Dallas' Defense is Better than Before

[theogt]

We also have to figure in injury. Henry and Newmann havent played together much this year. From observer, this defense brings more pressure...but gives up too many 3rd and longs.

Yet, according to Football Outsiders, we're ranked 9th in the league 3rd and long situations.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

All I am saying is....

In 13 games we have given up atleast 20 pts in 8 games... of those 8 there are 4 games of 27pts ore more.....

Of all the division leaders/winners.. WE give up the most points

 

[burmafrd]

Our first game; then One was against the pats. One against the pack.
the only one I really would not argue was a bad performance otherwise was against the Lions. Overall not really a concern.

 

[superpunk]

Pass Attempt/INT………….28.3……………..26.7

Pass Attempt/Sack……….....15.0…………….14.1

That's pretty surprising, and a little disheartening. Basically, what these numbers show IMO is just that we've cut down on allowing the big plays. I've been a fan of the secondary, but the front seven still struggles, even though they've been "unleashed."

 

[AdamJT13]

All I am saying is....

That's funny, because all you've said so far is two things other than what you claim is "all you're saying."

First you said it was because we've played a bunch of bad quarterbacks -- then it was pointed out to you that the quarterbacks we've played, on the whole, are far better than what a lot of other teams get to play.

Then you said third-and-long defense would be our "undoing" -- until it was pointed out that we're ranked ninth in third-and-long defense.

Now "all you're saying" is that we give up too many points?

In 13 games we have given up atleast 20 pts in 8 games... of those 8 there are 4 games of 27pts ore more.....

Of all the division leaders/winners.. WE give up the most points

Do you know which team won the Super Bowl last year? Did you notice how many times they allowed 20 points or more? How many times they allowed 27 points or more? Where they ranked among division winners in points allowed?

And did you notice how many points their offense scored in 16 games?

 

[Wolfpack]

All I am saying is....

In 13 games we have given up atleast 20 pts in 8 games... of those 8 there are 4 games of 27pts ore more.....

Of all the division leaders/winners.. WE give up the most points

Also we score the most....see the correlation?

I mean how many times did teams throw the kitchen sink into games...onside kicks etc. They know they need to score 28+ to have a shot and they go to town. This team is not a Baltimore team that is going to win 10-0.

 

[Alexander]

This defense is not great. Get that expectation out of your heads.

But with the offense clicking at all times, it can be a championship one.

All we can do is hope that when or if the offense has a bad day, that the defense is capable of stepping up.

I am pleased with the fact we have made the stops when we needed to. You don't get to 12-1 without it.

I just hope we haven't seen this defense's best game as the odds state we may need it.

 

[percyhoward]

That's pretty surprising, and a little disheartening. Basically, what these numbers show IMO is just that we've cut down on allowing the big plays.

Yeah, this basically shows how much our offense helps our defense. Nothing wrong with that, though.

 

[percyhoward]

And just to add to the OP...

Category……………….......................………2006…………2007

ranking--3rd down conversions allowed...28th.......14th

That's what really killed us last year, IMO.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

This defense is not great. Get that expectation out of your heads.

But with the offense clicking at all times, it can be a championship one.

All we can do is hope that when or if the offense has a bad day, that the defense is capable of stepping up.

I am pleased with the fact we have made the stops when we needed to. You don't get to 12-1 without it.

I just hope we haven't seen this defense's best game as the odds state we may need it.

I think the point that people are missing is in the title "Yes Indeedy, Dallas' Defense is better than Before."

There's sort of a notion that the defense hasn't improved from last year, which is Wade's responsibility, and the team is being completely carried by the offense.

The stats show that yes, indeedy....Dallas' defense is much better than it was last year. Is it a dominating defense? I don't think so. But it's far improved from last year and is one of the reasons why Dallas is 12-1.

Given a look at Wade's history with defenses, this follows a trend as they usually improve quite a bit...but are far from dominating in his first year with the team. Next season I expect the defense to pretty much plateau and then if he's around for 2009 there's a good chance this will be a top flight defense.




YAKUZA

 

[Yakuza Rich]

That's pretty surprising, and a little disheartening. Basically, what these numbers show IMO is just that we've cut down on allowing the big plays. I've been a fan of the secondary, but the front seven still struggles, even though they've been "unleashed."

It shows that the defense makes more plays since we sack the QB more often and are getting INT's more often.

Before the season started there was a thread about how many sacks the defense would get. On average, Wade's defense's in the past have increased their sack total in his first season by 27%.

The problem was that people were predicting ridiculous stat numbers for the defense....like 50-60 sacks this season when the real projection was around 43 sacks (which is still a good amount of sacks in a season). Also, considering how the refs are not calling holding around the league this year, it would've been very tough to get that many sacks this season. Even still, Dallas is currently on pace for 42 sacks this year, which is still a good amount.




YAKUZA

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

That's funny, because all you've said so far is two things other than what you claim is "all you're saying."

First you said it was because we've played a bunch of bad quarterbacks -- then it was pointed out to you that the quarterbacks we've played, on the whole, are far better than what a lot of other teams get to play.

Right "first I said" something... then I added. I dont see a problem with that...

I like your posts Adam... I dont get the picking apart of the ones I made.... they are all connected. You of all people know what I talking about. Its cool though.

THIS DEFENSE is better but the chains can be moved with nobody's at QB.

Then you said third-and-long defense would be our "undoing" -- until it was pointed out that we're ranked ninth in third-and-long defense.

Now "all you're saying" is that we give up too many points?

Stats arent everthing. You know that. A good team in the playoffs that completes 3rd and long on us will beat us when the offense doesnt bail them out or if they get the ball last.

Do you know which team won the Super Bowl last year? Did you notice how many times they allowed 20 points or more? How many times they allowed 27 points or more? Where they ranked among division winners in points allowed?

And did you notice how many points their offense scored in 16 games?

You know as well as I do that the Colts are probably the exception the rule... Sanders came back and their defense was completely different. If Henry gets a little better we will be unstoppable? I dont think so.

 

[eduncan22]

We haven't give up as many passing TD's.

 

[superpunk]

It shows that the defense makes more plays since we sack the QB more often and are getting INT's more often.

Barely. Which is even more surprising considering all the garbage time INTs and sacks we've gotten against teams after our offense put the game out of reach. We blitz way more. I expected a larger improvement just as a function of that - disregarding everyone's notion that Wade was going to unleash potential in guys like Spears. Right now we're getting more sacks and INTs (total) because people pass more. Not because the players are making more freaquent plays. That's a little disheartening.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

Barely. Which is even more surprising considering all the garbage time INTs and sacks we've gotten against teams after our offense put the game out of reach. We blitz way more. I expected a larger improvement just as a function of that - disregarding everyone's notion that Wade was going to unleash potential in guys like Spears. Right now we're getting more sacks and INTs (total) because people pass more. Not because the players are making more freaquent plays. That's a little disheartening.

I don't think that's right, Superpunk. I agree with you that the defensive upgrade has been less impressive than some of us thought it could be but I don't think the increased sack totals, specifically, come simply from being passed on more.

This D gets more pressure on the QB -- we can see it with our own eyes. Sure, there are times when it doesn't -- last week comes to mind. But do you remember how friggin' non-existent our pass rush was last year, especially down the stretch? It was a real dead parrot, I'm telling you.

 

[superpunk]

I don't think that's right, Superpunk. I agree with you that the defensive upgrade has been less impressive than some of us thought it could be but I don't think the increased sack totals, specifically, come simply from being passed on more.

This D gets more pressure on the QB -- we can see it with our own eyes. Sure, there are times when it doesn't -- last week comes to mind. But do you remember how friggin' non-existent our pass rush was last year, especially down the stretch? It was a real dead parrot, I'm telling you.

Down the stretch - yes. Our whole defense stopped playing, pretty much. No pressure, no tackling. But I view that as an anomoly in the season. For much of last year, our defense actually performed at a higher level than this year's squad, statistically. We were getting more sacks, and more picks per pass attempt. Yet, even factoring that late season swoon into last year's number, this year (on a per-pass basis) we're not sacking the QB or intercepting passes at a higher rate, even though we blitz probably twice as much.

 

[percyhoward]

Right now we're getting more sacks and INTs (total) because people pass more. Not because the players are making more freaquent plays. That's a little disheartening.

Take heart. Look at league rankings, as opposed to raw numbers, and you can see how much this defense has improved over last year.

Avg. Gain/Rush
(2006:8th) 2007:12th

Avg. Gain/Pass Play
(2006:23rd) 2007:6th

Avg. Gain/Def. Play
(2006:21st) 2007:6th


PERCENTAGE Intercepted By
(2006:12th) 2007:7th

QB Sack PERCENTAGE
(2006:18th) 2007:12th

3rd Down Efficiency
(2006:28th) 2007:14th

Yyyyesss indeedy.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Down the stretch - yes. Our whole defense stopped playing, pretty much. No pressure, no tackling. But I view that as an anomoly in the season. For much of last year, our defense actually performed at a higher level than this year's squad, statistically. We were getting more sacks, and more picks per pass attempt. Yet, even factoring that late season swoon into last year's number, this year (on a per-pass basis) we're not sacking the QB or intercepting passes at a higher rate, even though we blitz probably twice as much.

We actually increased our sacks/attempt down the stretch last year.

Here's what our pass attempts/sack made looked like last year vs. this year throught the first 13 games.


2006.............2007

18.3.............14.1


It wasn't until the last three games of the year that the pass att/sack dipped to 15.0.

Still, I don't think anybody would rightfully say the pressure stepped up. They got those sacks in the Falcons game mostly because of Vick scrambling and then getting dropped for a loss. In the Lions game Kitna usually had plenty of time, but because they use so many 7 step drops most teams got to the Lions last year, just like they do this year.

Pass attempts/INT were pretty much the same from the first 13 games of last season thru all 16 games last year. Dallas was getting one pick per 28.1 pass attempts in the first thirteen games of last year.

So no, the defense didn't perform at a high level statistically in sacks and INT's last year...regardless of what happened down the stretch.






YAKUZA

 

[superpunk]

Take heart. Look at league rankings, as opposed to raw numbers, and you can see how much this defense has improved over last year.

Avg. Gain/Rush
(2006:8th) 2007:12th

Avg. Gain/Pass Play
(2006:23rd) 2007:6th

Avg. Gain/Def. Play
(2006:21st) 2007:6th


PERCENTAGE Intercepted By
(2006:12th) 2007:7th

QB Sack PERCENTAGE
(2006:18th) 2007:12th

3rd Down Efficiency
(2006:28th) 2007:14th

Yyyyesss indeedy.

Even with that, the sacks and INTs haven't taken as large a leap as I had imagined they did. I'm not thinking about this real well, but the yardage increase could be attributed to teams simply running more plays against us, thereby taking the average gain per play down significantly. (In addition, we're clearly doing a better job not allowing the big play.)

 

[percyhoward]

I'm not thinking about this real well, but the yardage increase could be attributed to teams simply running more plays against us, thereby taking the average gain per play down significantly.

You may be right.

About not thinking about it real well.

Running more plays in a game might wear out a defense, but that would cause your average gain to go up, not down.

You mentioned big plays allowed...
2006
completions of 20+ yards: 8.4 % of all attempts
completions of 40+ yards: 2.7 % of all attempts

2007
completions of 20+ yards: 6.4 % of all attempts
completions of 40+ yards: 1.0 % of all attempts

The 2007 version of the defense was supposed to allow more big plays. What's happened is, it's been better at stopping the big play than 2006's more conservative style of defense was.

This D takes chances, but no more than it has to. Maybe if we had more sacks and INT's this year, we wouldn't have been able to improve from 21st to 6th in average gain allowed.