Zimmer must go, obviously

[burmafrd]

And we need a 3-4 pro who will be agressive. That is all the coaching change we REALLY need. If we could upgrade some others then do it- but THAT is the ctritical need.

PLAYERS:

RIvera must go- or make him the O line coach; or maybe the assistant O line coach. If he has been such a good influence on the other linemen then do it.
BUT as a player he is done- stick a fork in him. Steinbach is the guy to get; all indications are that the Bungles have decided they have already spent too much on the line and will not make him a serious offer.

LBs: clearly we must have better cover players in the ILB area; that has been underlined by everyone we have played since the saints. One of the two must have better capability then they have shown. If we can POSSIBLY get Thomas or someone like that in FA we must do it- the PASS RUSH has to get better then it was even with Ellis around.

FS: we must find out if we can get a guy there who can free up Roy and let him roam and hit - his strengths rather then cover which WE ALL KNOW is not.

CBs: I think we are OK for next year but we must find out if Reeves/Jones can step up since the clock is ticking on both Henry and even more so Glenn.
Actually if we are confident in one of them put Henry at FS.

We have young guys at a lot of other positions that we need to find out about (WR, DL).

Actually we really do not have many holes- its just a matter of filling them WELL.

 

[joseephuss]

With so many weak spots on the defense that you point out, then why is it obvious that Zimmer must go? If he has so little talent to work with, how is it his fault?

The defense shut down Alexander, confused Hasselback for a majority of the game and had a beautiful goal line stand. Yet Zimmer must go? I just don't see it.

I agree that the team needs better linebackers. At least more athletic linebackers on the interior. James has no lateral movement and is poor in coverage.

A free safety is needed. Will it come from the draft, free agency or in house(Watkins)? Big question.

A pass rusher or two or more are needed. Again, will that be found in the draft, free agency or in house? My feeling on that is Dallas will use the draft and rely on young players currently on the team. I sure as heck don't care where they get them, but it would be nice to see guys on the team that can beat the man in front of them and create pressure. Those types of players open up things for more exotic schemes and blitzes.

 

[dbair1967]

With so many weak spots on the defense that you point out, then why is it obvious that Zimmer must go? If he has so little talent to work with, how is it his fault?

thats the thing...there arnt alot of weak spots...Parcells picked everyone on the defense save Ellis and Roy....

Yet Zimmer must go? I just don't see it.

whats not to see man? we just completed one of the sorriest months of defense in FRANCHISE HISTORY...the defense hasnt been able to rush a passer in SEVEN YEARS

A free safety is needed. Will it come from the draft, free agency or in house(Watkins)? Big question

.

yeah that all critical FS position again...can you even name one FS from any of the other playoff teams? in this scheme, the FS is definitely one of the least critical positions on the field...eyt everyone on here keeps making it a scapegoat to mask the real problem...a coordinator who cant figure out how to get a decent pass rush to save his life

A pass rusher or two or more are needed

.

why? what good will it do if nothing changes? you cant play this scheme and be the most vanilla unit ever created and expect to see solid pass defense...the pass rush is hopeless and the zones in coverage are big enough to land 747's in

Again, will that be found in the draft, free agency or in house? My feeling on that is Dallas will use the draft and rely on young players currently on the team

.

well again, if the problem is the players as you say, why would you not want change elsewhere? Parcells is the one picking the player and he forced the 3-4 on us...as for Zimmer, he was lousy before Parcells got here, so he definitely has to go...Parcells biggest flop so far was keeping him

David

 

[JPM]

I still think Watkins can be an effective FS. I don't think I'm the only one. This draft should be about BPA, if a FS falls to us who is on our board grab him. Don't reach, I really don't want another Shante Carver on our team.

 

[joseephuss]

thats the thing...there arnt alot of weak spots...Parcells picked everyone on the defense save Ellis and Roy....



whats not to see man? we just completed one of the sorriest months of defense in FRANCHISE HISTORY...the defense hasnt been able to rush a passer in SEVEN YEARS

.

yeah that all critical FS position again...can you even name one FS from any of the other playoff teams? in this scheme, the FS is definitely one of the least critical positions on the field...eyt everyone on here keeps making it a scapegoat to mask the real problem...a coordinator who cant figure out how to get a decent pass rush to save his life

.

why? what good will it do if nothing changes? you cant play this scheme and be the most vanilla unit ever created and expect to see solid pass defense...the pass rush is hopeless and the zones in coverage are big enough to land 747's in

.

well again, if the problem is the players as you say, why would you not want change elsewhere? Parcells is the one picking the player and he forced the 3-4 on us...as for Zimmer, he was lousy before Parcells got here, so he definitely has to go...Parcells biggest flop so far was keeping him

David

Zimmer doesn't pick the players. I watch Philly and they have pass rushers who win their one on one match ups. It opens up everything else. The Cowboys of the early 90s had that same kind of defense. They had their main pass rusher in Haley, but they also had other guys who just beat the man in front of them. Maryland could create pressure from the inside. Back ups like Lett and Jeffcoat could come in and beat their man. From there, they could add stunts and blitzes. Doomsday of the 70s had the same thing.

Who do you see on the current Dallas defense that consistenly wins their one on one match ups? I see only Ware. You need more than one guy. There may be more than one eventually from the current roster, but several are young guys and you can't take if for granted that they will get better.

Do you really see the Cowboys with several pass rushers that Zimmer just isn't utilizing? Do you truly think it is Zimmer is the one that calls for big zones? I think it is the players just aren't good enough. Brady James is not good in coverage, zone or man. He alone can make a zone bigger because he has no feel for it.

Was it the defense that was the biggest concern in the lost against Seattle? I don't think so. The offense scored 13 points and turned the ball over two times. That was the bigger problem.

So, no I don't think it is obvious that Zimmer must go. If they can find an upgrade, sure bring one on. There really aren't that many upgrades just sitting out there waiting for a job. Dallas has more than one hole on the team and Zimmer is the scape goat more than the FS position.

 

[superpunk]

Joseephus, I don't know what exactly needs to happen on the defense. I imagine I'd simply like to see our ends stop sucking, and that would fix worlds of problems. Ware's quote someone took from a recap, though, about how in the 3-4, only one person's trying to get the QB, makes me think maybe the ends don't suck, maybe they're being held back. Then I watch them, and I think - "These guys suck" again.

So really, I don't know which it is. But getting pressure from those guys in front is key. Otherwise, it's just another year of watching Ware pressure the QB into stepping up into a wide open pocket or field to scramble in. Or, watch Ware flush him to the opposite sideline and pickup 10 yards. It all stinks. Much smarter men will decide whether it's scheme or DEs, but if I had to point my finger somewhere, it would be one of those two areas.

 

[joseephuss]

Joseephus, I don't know what exactly needs to happen on the defense. I imagine I'd simply like to see our ends stop sucking, and that would fix worlds of problems. Ware's quote someone took from a recap, though, about how in the 3-4, only one person's trying to get the QB, makes me think maybe the ends don't suck, maybe they're being held back. Then I watch them, and I think - "These guys suck" again.

So really, I don't know which it is. But getting pressure from those guys in front is key. Otherwise, it's just another year of watching Ware pressure the QB into stepping up into a wide open pocket or field to scramble in. Or, watch Ware flush him to the opposite sideline and pickup 10 yards. It all stinks. Much smarter men will decide whether it's scheme or DEs, but if I had to point my finger somewhere, it would be one of those two areas.

It could be a combo of both. I am not one who thinks Zimmer is the greatest, but I don't think he is this horrible coach either. I don't believe the interior linemen are being held back. If that is the case, then that is on the head coach not the coordinator. That sounds like a basic philosophy problem and that is controlled by the head coach.

Dallas like most teams has to go to the nickel quite often and I see the 4 down lineman struggle to get pressure other than Ware. There is a reason that Spears and Canty are pulled from the game in the nickle. There is a reason that in the Arizona game they moved Ellis to tackle in the nickle to try and create pressure from the inside.

It is more player, than scheme. And much of the scheme is on Parcells. The Giants were very vanilla and happend to have one of the best pass rushers of all time make it look like an aggressive scheme.

 

[SultanOfSix]

Zimmer may be a "football guy". He may even be a great X's and O's guy. What he isn't though is a good game day guy. When teams expose a weakness or adjust to a scheme, he's apparently clueless. Also, the guy is the worst disguiser of a blitz package I've ever seen.

Despite upgrading our talent, there's been one constant to our defenses in the past seven years during the Campo years as well as the Parcells years, and that's been Zimmer. The constant fourth quarter collapses, and two fourth quarter season disintegrations (in 2003 and 2006) have been commonplace in his time here. He needs to go.

 

[superpunk]

Dallas like most teams has to go to the nickel quite often and I see the 4 down lineman struggle to get pressure other than Ware. There is a reason that Spears and Canty are pulled from the game in the nickle. There is a reason that in the Arizona game they moved Ellis to tackle in the nickle to try and create pressure from the inside.

That is a very good point. Early at least Ratliff could get there. Ellis back in the nickel would have been huge. I wish we could have found a way to keep Glover, but he didn't want to be a part time player. It would have been a lot to pay, but considering our struggles in that area, I think a specialist was in order. Bowen seemed to get better pressure than any interior lineman once he got in there.

 

[Ratmatt]

And we need a 3-4 pro who will be agressive. That is all the coaching change we REALLY need. If we could upgrade some others then do it- but THAT is the ctritical need.

PLAYERS:

RIvera must go- or make him the O line coach; or maybe the assistant O line coach. If he has been such a good influence on the other linemen then do it.
BUT as a player he is done- stick a fork in him. Steinbach is the guy to get; all indications are that the Bungles have decided they have already spent too much on the line and will not make him a serious offer.

LBs: clearly we must have better cover players in the ILB area; that has been underlined by everyone we have played since the saints. One of the two must have better capability then they have shown. If we can POSSIBLY get Thomas or someone like that in FA we must do it- the PASS RUSH has to get better then it was even with Ellis around.

FS: we must find out if we can get a guy there who can free up Roy and let him roam and hit - his strengths rather then cover which WE ALL KNOW is not.

CBs: I think we are OK for next year but we must find out if Reeves/Jones can step up since the clock is ticking on both Henry and even more so Glenn.
Actually if we are confident in one of them put Henry at FS.

We have young guys at a lot of other positions that we need to find out about (WR, DL).

Actually we really do not have many holes- its just a matter of filling them WELL.

I agree that Zimmer will be gone.I will be real impressed if Parcells goes out and hires a 3-4 expert to run the defense,but I really believe that he will promote one of those lackeys already on his staff.I just don't believe that he is going to completely turn anything over to anybody,like he should.I believe that Bill feels this is going to be done my way,and that is that.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

If we get a more compotent 3-4 Coach who can get to the QB better you will fix the problems you have in the Secondary.

I pray we dont go Defense Heavy again in this draft.

- Mike G.

 

[superpunk]

If we get a more compotent 3-4 Coach who can get to the QB better you will fix the problems you have in the Secondary.

I pray we dont go Defense Heavy again in this draft.

- Mike G.

Unfortunately, how can we not? (Unless the magical coordinator replacement really does solve all woes) That was our biggest problem this year, and was the biggest reason we didn't improve.