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Is Ware the only Cowboys defender capable of rushing the passer?
Once again the Dallas Cowboys prepare for the upcoming offseason and draft and must find ways to upgrade the defense. The first step has become official; Dave Campo will no longer be part of the coaching staff. Perhaps not surprisingly, the need for a new secondary coach accompanies a need to greatly improve the performance of the team's secondary. Rob Ryan surely requires a few more pieces to complete the puzzle of his defensive designs, but I believe the most pressing need is clearly in the secondary in an attempt to cure the common coverage breakdowns that again plagued the Cowboys. This is saying a lot considering I believe a defense lives and dies in the trenches.
In fact, the first part of this 2011 Grading Series will specifically compare the Cowboys defense to the premier pass-rushing teams in the league. If I were to create a defense, most of the first players drafted would play within the front-seven. I consider it a cardinal rule that a defense hinges mostly on the ability to create havoc for quarterbacks and control the line of scrimmage. As Tom Landry might call it, the ability to dominate up-front and own the defensive diamond. A great front-seven and pass rush with only an average secondary is much more likely to survive in the NFL than an average pass rush with a great secondary. So why do I think improving the secondary is the most pressing need for the Cowboys?
There has been a lot of discussion on the need for Dallas to cure an ailing pass rush. While it is hard to disagree that improvements can be made, it seems odd that many consider it the primary concern in the upcoming offseason and draft (i.e. #14 pick overall). Why?
Well, it appears the Cowboys pass rush stacks up well against the competition. It may surprise a few fans that the Cowboys clearly have a Top 10 pass rush.
In the debate on the effectiveness of Dallas' pass rush, several teams are often sighted as clearly superior examples. The Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles are usual suspects, and in 2011 many would include the Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins as formidable pass-rushing defenses.
With all the talk of improving the Cowboys pass rush, it seems perplexing that only four of the aforementioned defenses had more sacks in 2011.
An in-depth statistical comparison follows the jump...
The following is a statistical pass-rushing breakdown of the Top 10 defenses in the NFL in total sacks...as well as the Steelers. Surprisingly, the vaunted Steelers pass rush was not among the Top 10 in 2011, though still seemed effective for most of the season despite some injuries across the front-seven. The fact the Steelers defense was so dominant this season is likely because the secondary played as one of the best in the league as well. In any case, on to the analysis:
All statistics from NFL.com
| MIN | PHI | BAL | NYG | CIN | HOU | DAL | AVG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacks | 50 | 50 | 48 | 48 | 45 | 44 | 42 | 43.6 |
| Rank | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 5th | 6th | 7th | 7th |
| Rusher 1 | J. Allen-22 | J. Babin-18 | T. Suggs-14 | JPP-16.5 | G. Atkins-7.5 | C. Barwin-11.5 | D. Ware-19.5 | 13.5 |
| Rusher 2 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 7.75 |
| %Rusher1 | 44% | 36% | 29% | 34% | 17% | 26% | 46% | 29% |
| %Rusher2 | 16% | 22% | 12.5% | 19% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 18% |
| % Top 2 | 60% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 31% | 41% | 61% | 47% |
| % DL | 81% | 92% | 32% | 52% | 77% | 37.5% | 25% | 3-4 vs 4-3 |
| % LB | 11% | 4% | 53% | 46% | 7% | 61% | 68% | 3-4 vs 4-3 |
| SF | ARI | MIA | WAS | DET | DEN | PIT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacks | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 35 |
| Rank | 7th | 7th | 10th | 10th | 10th | 10th | 17th |
| Rusher 1 | A.Smith-14 | C. Cambell-8 | C. Wake-8.5 | B.Orakpo-9 | C.Avril-11 | V. Miller-11.5 | R.Harrison-9 |
| Rusher 2 | 7.5 | 7 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 9.5 | 9 |
| %Rusher1 | 33% | 19% | 21% | 22% | 27% | 28% | 26% |
| %Rusher2 | 18% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 19.5% | 23% | 26% |
| % Top 2 | 51% | 36% | 38% | 40% | 46% | 51% | 51% |
| % DL | 31% | 32% | 32% | 44% | 61% | 19.5% | 19% |
| % LB | 69% | 56% | 54% | 49% | 12% | 63% | 76% |
Premiere Pass-Rushers and the Guys Opposite:
It is clear that the Cowboys pass rush primarily rests on the shoulders of DeMarcus Ware. He had the second most sacks in the league and no team had a larger percentage of their sacks come from a single player. It is tough to imagine how Ware isn't the Defensive MVP and best defensive player in the league.
The next thing that stands out is that the Cowboys weak areas don't rank far below the overall team averages and the defense is vastly superior when above average. With the best pass rusher in the league, it would only make sense. And for all the calls to replace Anthony Spencer immediately, it should be noted the sacks he brings to the defense are not far below the averages for the totals and % for the #2 Rushers in the league's best pass-rushing defenses. Few would say the Ravens rely on a one-man pass rush, yet they are the only team with a lower % of sacks from their #2 rusher.
Yes, the Cowboys could use more sacks from the rest of the team and a pass-rushing upgrade from Spencer is certainly possible. But is it so bad that it should be made (by not re-signing him) the top priority for this defense?
The Big Nasties Along the D-Line
The aspect of the Cowboys pass rush that could most improve seems to be along the defensive-line. While the Steelers and Broncos had fewer sacks and a lower % of sacks from their defensive-lines, five other 3-4 defenses on this chart had more pass rush production from their linemen - six if you include the Ravens hybrid 3-4.
There is a bright side, however, since it's not as bad as it first appears (Ware's dominance weighs heavily on the %):
| HOU | SF | ARI | MIA | WAS | DEN | PIT | DAL | AVG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-Line Sacks | 16.5 | 13.0 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 18.0 | 8.0 | 6.5 | 10.5 | 12.4 |
Just like Anthony Spencer compared to the other #2 Rushers, the Cowboys defensive-line is less than two sacks below the average of the best pass-rushing 3-4 defenses. That is certainly promising, especially considering Jay Ratliff accounted for only two sacks in 2011. The other good news is that players like Jason Hatcher, Sean Lissemore, and Josh Brent continue to improve every year. However, after the needs in the Cowboys secondary, I would place more talent for the d-line near the top of the list of priorities. Not only is Ratliff getting old, but a more dominant defensive-line would also help Spencer improve his sack totals, would also help protect the secondary with some more pass pressure, and even help cover-up shortcomings at the weak inside linebacker position.
Pass-Rush in Context of Overall Defense
Not to spoil surprises to be revealed in future stories in this Grading Series, but it's time to take a look at how these dominant pass-rushing units fared compared to the effectiveness of the overall defenses. While the Cowboys clearly had a Top 10 pass rush, it is all too clear that the Dallas defense did not rank in the Top 10.
Judging the best defenses of the league based purely on stats is always a tricky subject. The NFL ranks defenses by total yards allowed. Total points has it's obvious shortcomings, but can also help clear up the picture if used in conjunction with other stats. Finally, we can also include some advanced statistics used by football sites that include more variables in their calculations.
Total Yards and Points from NFL.com
Estimated Points Added/Play from Advanced NFL stats
Defense-Adjust Value Over Average from Football Outsiders
| Sacks | Ttl Yards | Def EPA/P | Def DVOA | Ttl Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIN | 1st | 21st | 27th | 25th | 31st |
| PHI | 1st | 8th | 10th | 12th | 10th |
| BAL | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd |
| NYG | 3rd | 27th | 25th | 20th | 25th |
| CIN | 5th | 7th | 10th | 17th | 9th |
| HOU | 6th | 2nd | 4th | 8th | 4th |
| SF | 7th | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 2nd |
| ARI | 7th | 18th | 13th | 18th | 17th |
| DAL | 7th | 14th | 13th | 16th | 16th |
| MIA | 10th | 15th | 13th | 11th | 6th |
| WAS | 10th | 13th | 20th | 14th | 21st |
| DET | 10th | 23rd | 9th | 22nd | 23rd |
| DEN | 10th | 20th | 17th | 19th | 24th |
| PIT | 17th | 1st | 5th | 7th | 1st |
By all but the DVOA rankings, these top pass-rushing units included the majority of Top 10 defenses in the NFL. By all accounts the Cowboys 2011 overall defense was average at best.
Can you spot the unseen similarities between the top ranked pass-rushing units that are average to below-average in overall defense?
More will be revealed in the next Grading Series, but one thing seems certain. The Cowboys must use this offseason and draft to improve their defense...yet the lack of pass rush in 2011 is often exaggerated. Surely Top 10 in sacks earns Dallas an above average grade, and there was support provided to Ware. The Cowboys don't have an elite pass rush, but would they if their secondary wasn't so porous? Is there a dire need for new pass rushers? How should Dallas' prioritize their offseason and draft resources?
1 recs | 107 comments
Nice, thought provoking story.
I had to say BPA just because it is still so uncertain who will probably be around for us.
It is starting to look like DeCastro will be gone before we pick. If so I would take a pass rushing DL first if he was a equal grade to a CB in the same spot.
IMO it is easier to get a better CB in round 2 than to get a pass rusher in round 2. So if the players are pretty well equal, I would DL 1st, then look at CB C/G in the 2nd and 3rd.
Rena - January 11, 2012
BPA among CB, D-Line/Pass Rusher and Interior O-Line
if one of those guys isn’t available at slot (Kirkpatrick, DeCastro, Coples, Still) – trade down a couple spots.. That would be my hope.
NerdVernacular - January 11, 2012
Agree we need to get the best player available at one of those positions. But With D-line I add in outside linebacker.
Get kirkpatrick, decastro, or ingram/upshaw. This is a best case scenario and I would imagine one of those guys will still be available. I’m anxious to see the BPA ranking on cowboys board though. If Kirkpatrick is gone. Do they rank Ingram ahead of decastro or decastro ahead of ingram? Decastro seems soooo good, I think he is ahead of ingram.
Dynamicduo - January 11, 2012
I'd rank them DeCastro, Kirkpatrick, Ingram, Upshaw.
They are all so close that it’s really a toss up and I would be happy with any one of them.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
One of those 4 will be at 14.
BPA on our board. Can’t miss. If DeCastro is rated higher on the Cowboys board than Ingram or Upshaw, take him and don’t look back.
fs65 - January 11, 2012
double edged sword
The defense is sorely lacking in talent, but i remember too many games this year where, when we needed a little momentum, Romo had NO TIME. Now, many times he makes something out of nothing, but we gotta fix that darned line. I agree with NerdVernacular, we need to take BPA, but limit it to Oline, Secondary, and Dline. And out of the three, I think Dline is in the best shape.
We need Olinemen, safeties and corners.
HEpennypacker - January 11, 2012
Interior o-line is a concern
However, the Cowboys have four young guys that can get better this offseason, Nagy, Costa, Kowalski, Arkin, and Mike Woicik may be the best thing ever to happen to Montrae Holland.
The more I see and hear of DeCastro, the more it seems he is the RKG to become a stud and the physical bully our o-line could use…but I just think that #1 pick is needed more in other positions and a stud guard can be groomed easier than a stud safety/corner and pass rusher
Kegbearer - January 11, 2012
Dangerous to draft for need that way
If DeCastro is graded higher than any pass rusher or DB, gotta take him.
Terry - January 11, 2012
absolutely
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
Turds do not get better with polishing
Kosta and company stank. They are NEVER going to be more then perhaps above average AT BEST. Move on.
Arkin is the only one that might be OK since he had a truly lousy WT program in college. The rest do not have that excuse; and basic physical capability is just not there.
Killa might be an exception
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
Yeah,
Sometimes hard to think about taking a Guard at 14, but if he is really that good, we might be cursing ourselves down the road if we don’t. I’m not just thinking about this year or next, but for the next 10 years even. Tyron and DeCastro together for a decade could be so sick! (potentially)
Cowboys Dominance - January 13, 2012
The talent in the secondary is far worse than the talent at OLB/Dline, period. The media was showing Eli getting the ball out in under 3 seconds on multiple occasions. No pass rush gets there that fast. But a physical corner puts a chink in a quick throwing QBs armor easily.
thablackwizard - January 11, 2012 via mobile
DeCastro will probably be the BPA
But it is foolish to focus on one player like that.
If someone better than DeCastro is there is there we ought to take him.
You don’t fight fate in the draft, – you can’t.
Jonathan Stern - January 11, 2012
I agree on taking BPA
However, it’s more than likely he will be the BPA at 14 if he’s still available at that point. All the really good CBs and pass rushers will be gone by then.
Terry - January 11, 2012
There will be pass rushers at #14.
No way Upshaw, Ingram, Perry, and Coples are all gone at #14. Two or three might be there.
Creasy729 - January 11, 2012 via mobile
But will they all be rated higher than DeCastro, thats the question
Terry - January 11, 2012
Exactly. It all depends on the Cowboys draft room grades.
If DeCastro has the highest grade, take him.
fs65 - January 11, 2012
Can't believe that if DeCastro slides to #14, he won't be the highest rated player on the board.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
A few other things to think about
A few stats that you might not realize about Anthony Spencer. His 6 sacks ranks him tied for 18th among OLB for sacks. Also tied for 18th is Clay Matthews. Spencer’s 4 forced fumbles is tied for 2nd among linebackers (Terrell Suggs is a beast with 7). I’ve written before the Spencer is “Mister Almost” in that he almost makes a big play a couple times a game.
Is he a great OLB? No. Is he one of the worse starting OLBs in the league? No – not even close.
The fact of the matter is that the Cowboys front 7 isn’t as bad as many people think. You also have to remember that they zero time to work on Ryan’s schemes during the offseason. In football, for every move, there is a counter-move, and for each counter-move there is yet another counter. These “counter-moves” are called “adjustments” in everyday speak. Importantly, you can only make a mid-game adjustment when all your players have learned them.
There was only so much the Cowboy defense could have picked up this year of Ryan’s schemes. First, they had to learn the base defense, and then they had to learn the adjustments and they had to do it in a drastically shortened period. I would like to see where this team is with a good year under their belts in Ryan’s system before concluding that the defense is horrible.
Another thing to consider. The Cowboys were 7th in the league in rush defense (total yards) and tied for 11th in yards per carry. I think this is indicative that the front-7 is not a bad group. FYI, of the 10 teams ahead of the Cowboys in YPC, only the Ravens & 49ers (tied for #1) and Steelers (tied for 9th) made the playoffs.
I think we all know where this is headed. The Cowboys had a good front-7 – not necessarily spectacular (except for a couple really bright lights), but solid … which means we need to look elsewhere for the source of the Cowboys defensive woes.
Ultimately, what we need from the front 7 next year is:
1) Lee and Ware to stay healthy
2) Bruce Carter to step into the other ILB position and make some plays
3) Find someone to play solidly opposite Ware (don’t need greatness here – just solid play)
4) We need a NT that will eat up blockers
5) We need Ratliff to flash his quickness a few times a game to wreak havoc in the backfield
6) We need some depth at lineman so we can rotate players in and out
All things considered, this isn’t a big order to fill – the problem is that defensive lineman and pass rushing OLB don’t come cheap.
Conn Cowboy - January 11, 2012
excuse is growning old
about no offseason. They SHOULD have gotten better at cutting down mistakes and the like as they got more familiar with the D. Did not happen. When you are making the same mistakes in Week 17 that you were making in Week one, blaming the offseason is BS.
They got WORSE as the season went along.
Spencer is not worth a big contract. Simple as that. Almost anthony is not worth it.
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
Thanks for knowing everything
StrosSouth - January 12, 2012
You fill needs with Free Agents
When drafting you try to get as much talent as possible.
Jonathan Stern - January 11, 2012
Seems like a lot of our sacks came in irrelevant stages of the game, during blowouts or against bad teams...
I remember ware’s 4 sacks during that eagles shellacking. i hardly remember the two sacks against eli. maybe i’m wrong. but it just felt this way.
i do remember getting sacks on brady. i remember ratliff’s big sack in the niners (thanks for the pic). More of that please.
what i want is consistent pressure, specifically in divisional games and in the fourth. the lions seemed to get pressure in critical times in the fourth, avril once knocking over Tyron. I’d like to see more of that. And my sense is we didn’t do a lot of that.
Pass rush, guys. That’s much more important than the secondary IMO. Doesn’t mean we don’t need help but if we can get to the QB it will help us cover immensely. You can’t tell me the Giants secondary is THAT much better than ours. Yet they’re still playing and we’re not.
Tuna Helper - January 11, 2012
that is more a function of Depth IMO
IF Ware and Ratliff are playing 90% of the snaps, then of course they will be tired by the time the 3rd Quarter comes, especially if the Offense hasn’t done alot in terms of Keeping them Off the field.
I am Ironman!!! - January 11, 2012
THat's what I noticed from our D. At the end of the game they seemed really tired. Whether it's due to age, conditioning,
O’s inability to control the ball, especially in the 4thQ when we couldn’t get first downs to ice the game or something else. The D seemed to have more good than bad possessions in most of the games especially in the first 3+ Qs. They caved at the end all too often. That’s the pattern, which must be corrected.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
you need rotation
THAT is what the Giants show; they rotate their people in. In 2007 that is how they beat us; Our O line got tired at the end of the game but their rotation of their D line allowed them to overwhelm us.
We NEED to give Ware some plays off in the first 3 QTRs so that he can be fresher in the 4th. For that we need more pass rushers.
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
The Giants secondary is more talented than ours. Those guys all have the ability to make plays on the ball.
The had injuries in their secondary this year, especially Prince, who wasn’t healthy to start the year.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012
i don't know...romo, grossman, vick all had good games against them...
and tavaris did as well…. i have my doubts.
Tuna Helper - January 11, 2012
I think this is the year to trade down and then up
Cause so many players are so similar.
Trade down in the first. Pick up another 3rd , Then use that third with a fourth and fifth to move up into the second.
So we end of with a
1
2 2
3
6
7
Jonathan Stern - January 11, 2012
I seriously doubt the Cowboys trade in the first
Too risky of a move to lose a premier talent, I think they will stay pat and pick the best player at 14 and that player should be a stud regardless of position.
Terry - January 11, 2012
obviously it depends on how the first 13 picks unfold
but if the premier CBs and OTs are all off the board, then I think there’s a chance we move down and try to pick up another third rounder.
clark - January 11, 2012
You need a trade partner first
We should never assume a trade can happen out of thin air
Antonio S - January 11, 2012
the old drop 5-6 spots in the middle of the first and pick up a third trade
is one that seems to happen every year. The only question is whether the team is desperate enough to throw in a 5 or a 6 as well.
clark - January 11, 2012
I doubt it
We’ll take the best pas rusher or DeCastro if the top CBs are off the board.
Terry - January 11, 2012
I agree
I also hope we pick up a OG and/or a DL and/or a CB in free agency prior to the draft.
staubachfan - January 11, 2012
I doubt we trade down. I think that there will be a player there that we covet and will be afraid to lose him with a trade down.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
We have no disruption at de to help the olb's.
This is why I want Rat at de and get a real nt. A big pocket mover. Imo the Steelers have the best 3-4 de’s in the nfl. Look what Watt has done for Brooks Reid in Houston.
Still I wish we would go back to a 4-3. Only one 3-4 team won last weekend. So may teams play the 3-4 and finding the right pieces is a huge challenge. It’s easier to find 4-3 players.
However if Castro is there it’s hard to pass up a stud. I really want to see what his true weight is though.
football mensa - January 11, 2012
Steelers used to
I think both Keisel and Smith will retire this year.
Terry - January 11, 2012
When they start , they're the best.
Dallas doesn’t and has never had anyone close to either of those two. Yet they slug along with the 3-4. Thought I would never say this but I like Wade’s 3-4 better than Rob’s. A huge pocket moving nt would help things immensely. Rob’s 3-4 depends on too much moving around. Leaving guys out of position.
Bottom line is this team has a long ways to go and a short time to get there if they want to win a superbowl with Romo.
football mensa - January 11, 2012
In today's NFL, teams can go from last to first very quickly
All we need is some good FAs and another good draft and it can be done. If the OL can become very good the offense can become as good as the Packers, Saints and Pats easily.
In todays’ NFL if you have a great offense, you can play with anyone.
Terry - January 11, 2012
That's the recipe for success next year.
An elite offense and an improved, but not elite, defense.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
IF seems to be your key word there.
football mensa - January 11, 2012
Did you mean "cardinal rule"? Carnal has a very different meaning.
.
Also, it would have been kinder to refer to Jay Ratliff as getting “older”, not “old”. Kitna is old; Brooking is old; Ratliff is getting older.
Great read, Keg. I look forward to the rest of the series.
If the Cowboys remain committed to the 3-4 defense, and by all appearances that is so, then the priorities for improving the defense (as I see things) are:
With these improvements, the other corners and safeties should be more effective. Hopefully, they will now be coached to watch the play and not just the receiver. It has been maddening to watch corners so focused on their man that they are oblivious to everything around them – poorly-thrown ball in flight that could have been easily picked, ball carrier running right past them on the way to the end zone, etc.
Finally, an off-season with Ryan should help the entire defense be on the same page. Either Rob recognizes that he has the most stupid players he has ever had and designs simpler schemes that don’t confuse them, or the players have a chance to learn all the nuances and intricacies and play defense as one eleven-man group – not eleven indivduals, giving up big plays each time one of the eleven fails to execute an assignment.
hookerhome - January 11, 2012
I agree
I am starting to think snagging Poe in round two makes a lot of sense for us.
clark - January 11, 2012
I would love to get Poe, but every mock draft I've seen has him going late in the 1st.
I think if Dallas wants him, they would need to use their 1st pick for him. That means either trading down, or getting him at 14, and I don’t see them using the 14th pick on him unless he really impresses at the combine or something.
Grimlock83 - January 11, 2012
I wonder if there are any NT prospects in FA that we could go after.
If not, I hope we can find a way to fill our OG and CB issues in FA and then BPA at 14 then make a move to get Poe.
staubachfan - January 11, 2012
In the FA there is Antonio Garay (SD) & Sione Pouha (Jets)
and from what I’ve read, neither team has quality depth behind these players and will make big pushes to keep them. Also, both are on the wrong side of 30.
Grimlock83 - January 11, 2012
HAHA Thanks
Yes, corrected to cardinal rule.
Also, well said. Ryan with a full offseason, choice of def staff, Woicik to work some magic, this defense should continue to improve. If the Secondary could improve then the Cowboys pressure would seem even more effective, especially when QBs can’t find blown coverages in under 2 seconds.
A playmaking safety, my kingdom for a playmaking safety.
Upgraded corner is a must as well, Newman is done, but if D. Woodson was to be added to this team, our defense would dramatically improve.
Kegbearer - January 11, 2012
I am not so sure about Woicick magig anymore.
This defense gave up way too many points in the 4th at the end of the year. 14 to Eli inside of 3 minutes, I mean c’mon, the dude is an interception dispensing machine. This defense and team in general has not shown the ability to play great in all 4 quarters. It has been that way in previous years as well.
GunsUp - January 11, 2012
Not sure...
How much of the def problems late in 4th was conditioning (certainly played a part though) and how much was Ryan’s defense malfunctioning against hurry-up offenses. With the players knowing the schemes better, I think 2min defense improves as well.
Kegbearer - January 11, 2012
conditioning?
That is on the players. Trying to say they are worn out because they have not been conditioned correctly is wrong. By week 17 that excuse is a joke.
Tired from too many plays? OK. But conditioning? NO. Players run laps, wind sprints, etc. They know what they need to do to keep in shape. Claiming Woicik would magically wave a wand. WRONG.
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
He didn't even get an offseason to work with the guys.
I wouldn’t judge him until he has months to work with the guys in the offseason.
Creasy729 - January 11, 2012
Should read *in under 3 sec.
Kegbearer - January 11, 2012
Nice Post
That’s one of the best post Ive seen in awhile. The only thing not mentioned is that we really need to get this season is better protection for Romo 1 G and 1 real Center.
KaiB - January 11, 2012
dumb players
never learn. So the fact that after week 16 some of the same mistakes were being made points the finger at the players. You should get more familiar with a D as the season goes along; using the offseason crutch just does not pass the smell test.
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
I pretty much said the same thing above. Another thing to remember is that Ryan is basically working with Wade’s guys. It’ll take a year or two for him to put into place the type of guys that Ryan needs to run his defense.
That had better be Bruce Carter. 2nd round picks need to play — a lot. If he cannot step into that role, we’ll be hearing about “Jerruh … the bad GM” again.
Obviously, the biggest gains need to come from the back end of the defense, but this post is about the front 7.
That being said, I want to have at least 1 or 2 of our DBs be the type that aren’t afraid to hit somebody. If there is anything I can say about our DBs is that they don’t appear to relish hitting a guy. Elam may have been that guy but he was usually nowhere near the ball carrier so you couldn’t tell.
Conn Cowboy - January 11, 2012
In the 6 years that Romo has been qb they have added .....
Jenkins (mediocre) and Lee (stud). Nothing else of significance has been added. That’s is beyond pathetic.
football mensa - January 11, 2012
They haven't added any beef to the OL either except Tron.
Most of our drafts with the exception of last years have been D drafts. The ‘09 draft was the killer though. That draft was like drafting a QB in the top 10, who totally busts, especially for what it cost us in the William’s trade.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
Michael Brockers is going to leave LSU. I would take him over DeCastro.
football mensa - January 11, 2012
D lineman for those of you who don't know.
football mensa - January 11, 2012
got any confirmation on that?
Archie Barberio - January 11, 2012
Yes . Cuz mensa said....
football mensa - January 12, 2012
if Brockers declares
he is a real possibility
disruptive five techs are hard to find
6’6 305
Archie Barberio - January 11, 2012
He is the best d lineman in the draft. Better than Still.
football mensa - January 12, 2012
Interesting
Might be worth that pick.
Cowboys Dominance - January 13, 2012
They added Dez and Tyron
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Guard is a fascinating position this offseason
this is one of the deeper drafts for guards in recent memory, and both Nicks and Grubbs have a chance of entering the FA market because their teams have higher profile FAs. That glut of talent could be the reason DeCastro falls to us in the first place, but I wonder if we pass to take an OLB, who are far more scarce this year in both the draft and FA markets.
clark - January 11, 2012
I'm not at all excited about the prospects of the 3-4 OLB prospects
None of them stand out as being the next great thing to hit league. Meaning, I don’t see any DeMarcus Ware’s, Terrell Suggs, Von Millers, or Casey Matthews in this draft class. If you’re spending 1st RD currency on a pass rusher, that guy had better be a pro bowl caliber player.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012
We should have taken a flyer on Curry when Seattle gave up on him.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
Curry fits the 4-3 better than a 3-4
That was part of the problem
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
exactly
there is no one this year worth a #14. Not at OLB or DE.
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
It isn't just sacks but consistent pressure
This team might get sacks because they have the best OLB in the game but they don’t generate consistent pressure that makes QBs uncomfortable. That is just as valuable as a sack.
Nardfather - January 11, 2012
SI Mock
by A Perloff has DAL taking DeCastro at 14 w Barron, Upshaw, Perry, Jenkins and Dennard still available. Ingram doesn’t get picked until 28. Interestingly, he has Poe going 24th to PIT, the C – Konz from WI is not picked at all in Rd1
tdships - January 11, 2012
you would think Konz would be a sure 1st rounder
Antonio S - January 11, 2012
Konz might last until the top of round 2, but not much later than that.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
health concerns
his problem might come back
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
not another guy with a bad back. Look what it did to Free.
Jonathan Stern - January 12, 2012
Pass Rush
The problem with this analysis is that it should not rely on sacks. What is more to the point are qb hits + qb pressures +qb sacks as a total. Ware is a speed rusher. When he doesn’t get there which is by definition most of the time he tends not to be pressuring the qb. What needs upgrading on the DL is the addition of a premier bull rusher who can consistently pressure the qb. That would also free up Ware to be more of a force and take a lot of pressure of the DB’s.
alan2a - January 11, 2012
Also there is something that People are overlooking IMO
At some point Regardless of Talent, a front seven maxes out in it capability in generating Pressure.Case in point:
In the first Half of the Giants game Dallas’ O-line was getting MAnhandled by the Giants D-line, so what did the Cowboys do? they switched to a Quick passing attack, which got the Ball out of Romo’s hands quicker, thus “jump-starting” the Offense.
Now if The Giants had had a better secondary, then the Corners could have played more Press, which disrupts a Quick passing game, which would have allowed the Giants D-line that extra second to get to the QB…
Also note this. How many times did Dallas drop 7-8 players in Coverage against 3-4 players in the pattern, yet still give up a big gain, within 3-4 seconds? Regardless of how effective your Pass rush is, if you can’t depend on your Secondary to cover for 3-4 seconds with 7-8 players….how good is your Pass rush going to look?
I am Ironman!!! - January 11, 2012
+1
There were half a dozen sacks in just the two Giants games that would have been very timely and late in the season and against a division rival…but blown coverage or failed press at the line allowed Eli to get a completion in under 3 seconds.
And you are right, Ryan often had two DL playing like DTs and then Ware or Spencer as edge rusher, and the three would push the pocket but the eight in coverage still let up a quick pass. An improved secondary would help the pass rush become more consistent and successful even with less rushers, and especially in blitz packages.
Kegbearer - January 11, 2012
You need more pass rush, can never have enough
Trueblue122 - January 11, 2012
Pass Rush is WAY MORE IMPORTANT than coverage is!
I dont care how many DB’s you have, they cannot hold coverage forever. If you do not get pressure on the QB’s the rest means nothing. Even an average Qb with time will look like Joe Montana ( Look how QB’s looked against us this year) but if you put extreme pressure where he has no time even Tom Brady looks average(Just ask the GIants).
Im not sure why all the Boys fans think just adding players to the secondary is going to fix the issue. Its going to help some, but its not going to do as much as some of you are going to think. Try the opposite and give Ware some help on the edge and rush up the gut and you will see a dramtic change. Remember that being disruptive with your front seven also affects the run game as well. We barely ever make plays on the other side of the scrimmage line. This should help that as well imo
KaiB - January 11, 2012
I dont want a corner that early. Im smelling a bust there.
If you want another average draft CB like Newman then take Kirkpatrick. He is not a ball hawk. We have no shot at Clairborn but we could Janoris Jenkins who is a stud but has BIG off the field concerns. He would have been the top CB if not for that. He is a stud returner also. If the CB we select in the first round can give us that addional value, then we need to wait till another round. They are easier to find than pass rushing 3-4 studs are. If I had my dream Ingram from SC would be my guy in rd #1 and Jenkins in rd 2 who I assume will slip cause of the risk. In rd #3 ILB Lewis from Oklahoma to pair with Lee and Carter(Nickle backer)
KaiB - January 11, 2012
If Jenkin's is there in the second I'd take him in a heartbeat.
DeCastro in the first and Jenkin’s in the second. Our OL and CBs set for a good 4years. I’d try to get up front help for the DL in FA; Grubbs or Nicks would be nice too. I’d resign Spencer this off season for insurance and try for some pass rushing help in round #3. Rest of the draft BPA, but heavily D weighted.
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
would you trade up for him
Lets say we get DeCastro 1
Ingram 2
you see Jenkins do you trade up to get him?
Yes or no? What are you willing to pay?
Jonathan Stern - January 12, 2012
I don't think there is any doubt that we need more pass rushers to take the onus off of Demarcus Ware.
One at the other OLB position and at least one more on the D-line (who have a tendency to disappear and not apply consistent pressure). Bruce Carter taking over at ILB won’t hurt either considering how much better a blitzer he will be than James or Brooking.
Creasy729 - January 11, 2012
What do you guys think of adding another ILB in either RD2 or RD3 like Vontaze Burfict?
The guy is a first round talent with a penchant for picking up too many cheap flags. But there’s no denying the violence and passion for which he plays.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012
We haven't had a defensive player with an assassin's mean streak in a very long time.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012
Mean streaks don't help anymore
it just results in more penalties…
Rat-Pack - January 11, 2012
not the RKG
Terry - January 11, 2012
I'd be afraid to take a flyer on Burfict, who would be too risky for us at #14. I see him possibly with the Ravens under Lewis' tutelage, playing ILB or 4-3 OLB
pfloyd1 - January 11, 2012
We have been getting rid of those types,why draft another?
NVCowboy4Life - January 11, 2012
In all fairness, his issues are controlling his temper on the field
I’ve read nothing about off the field issues. I’m intrigued by his potential quite frankly. The guy could wreck havoc against the run, and make teams pay for coming over the middle.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
IMHO,Romo is this team!
If we can’t protect Romo a better “D” means absolutely nothing! I don’t care how we do it FA, draft,or existing players on the team. If this continues Romo is going to be nothing but a recent memory. We have to protect Romo!!! JMHO.
NVCowboy4Life - January 11, 2012
Thats the truth.
thebigham - January 11, 2012
One answer?
Another superb post. You asked,
Looks like these are mostly base 4-3 defenses.
The steelers are an interesting case. Middle of the road rush while 1st in yds and points allowed.
Lajitas Lava - January 11, 2012
Quarterback pressure is everything
You could clone Deon Sanders 4 times and an NFL quarterback could still pick them apart if given enough time. Yes, Newman sucks, but had we anything besides Ware he would have looked a lot better.
Lord Humungus - January 11, 2012
Darelle Revis is the best Corner
His Jets have a worse pass rush than Dallas
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
He's still able to do his job without help from his front 7.
In fact his ability to lock down a side of the field allows his front 7 extra time to try and generate a pass rush.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
and they still suck.
So what does that tell you?
thebigham - January 11, 2012
they made 2 afc title games with that formula
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
their pass rush still sucks.
thebigham - January 12, 2012
the jets will only get better if their offense improves
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
During Nnamdi's time in Oakland
The Raiders were in the bottom 1/2 of the league in sacks and Nnamdi still forced teams to avoid throwing at him.
Rohpuri - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Other teams didn't bother throwing at him because they had the lead
and didn’t have to risk it. If the other offense can’t score, why take the chance throwing at a pretty good…not great..corner. That is why he looked like the best corner in the NFL, and why he was a dissappointment for the Eagles. They didn’t consider that the Raiders offense sucked rocks, and teams didn’t bother to risk throwing at Nnamdi, because they didn’t have to.
just4fun - January 12, 2012
nnamdi was still the least targeted corner in the nfl
his numbers went down because he had to play zone across from asante samuel.
bitterlyhonest - January 17, 2012
no cb locks down half a field
since most of the time teams in passing downs have at least 3 WRs out there. One CB only shuts down eitther one player or at most a third of the field. And then there are a lot more good receiving TEs out there now; so a single CB no longer can influence Ds as much as Deion did back then.
burmafrd1944 - January 12, 2012
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