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Cowboys' defense: Numbers sometimes lie
October, 3, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The search for answers to the Dallas Cowboys' improved defensive play through the first month of the season starts at Nick Hayden's locker.
What's changed with the scheme now that Rod Marinelli is the coordinator and not Monte Kiffin?
"Nah, it's basically the same," the defensive tackle said. "Little things here and there but everything is the same."
Across the room is Brandon Carr's locker. The cornerback started every game last year when the Cowboys allowed a franchise-record 6,645 yards, third-most in NFL history.
"It's similar to last year," Carr said, later adding, "The only thing that has changed across the board is attention to detail."
He simply shook his head when asked if the Cowboys are playing more man coverage than zone. He did the same when he was asked if the Cowboys are disguising coverages more.
"Just looks different now, huh?" Carr said. "We're growing up. You look different from 5 to 6 years old, right?"
Is it markedly different, or were the expectations so low for a defense that lost DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher and saw Sean Lee go down for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the spring that any success is overstated?
Compared to the first four games in 2013, the Cowboys are allowing more yards per game this year (382.3 to 383.8), more yards per play (6.5 to 5.9), more yards per rush (4 to 5), more runs of 10 yards or more (11 to seven) and have fewer sacks (five to 14). The third-down defense is worse too, 32.7 percent to 46.7 percent this year.
So what exactly is better?
The Cowboys have more interceptions (five to four) and have allowed fewer pass plays of 20 yards or more (11 to 16). They are better in the red zone as well, allowing eight scores on 11 possessions compared to 10 in 13 in 2013. Take away two scores given up by the offense, and the Cowboys' defense has allowed 18 points per game.
"I think we're understanding how to play defense and trust me that is a work in progress," coach Jason Garrett said.
Timely, situational play has been their greatest strength. Barry Church's interception in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans led to a touchdown and a 10-0 lead. A Rolando McClain interception in the fourth quarter led to a field goal to salt away the win.
Bruce Carter's pick-six the following week against the St. Louis Rams with 5:58 to play gave the Cowboys a 34-24 lead. Morris Claiborne's awful game ended with a game-sealing interception with 1:02 left.
Last week against the New Orleans Saints, a Carter deflection ended up in Justin Durant's hands for an interception. The Cowboys turned that into a touchdown and a 17-0 lead. After the Saints cut the Dallas lead to 31-17, the defense forced a third-down stop in the fourth quarter that led the Saints into an ill-fated punt. The Cowboys scored on the ensuing drive.
"Yardage can go up or down depending on how the game goes," Marinelli said. "Sometimes you have a lead, you're going to give up a lot more yardage but you're working the clock. We put a lot of stock into those categories. We want to be good in scoring defense. We've got to be good in takeaways. We have to be. And we have to stop the run better and obviously we have to pressure the quarterback."
If there is a major difference in the Cowboys' defense, it is Marinelli.
Last year he waded through 20 defensive linemen because of injury, ineffectiveness or both. Somehow he made it work. Now he is leading a defense without star power and is making it work.
Carr called him a maniac, but in a good way. Hayden said players believe in what he's selling, "because he's done it." Anthony Spencer said Marinelli is at his best because he is "consistent."
"Just as you felt like you're doing good, he levels your head," defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. "He humbles you again. It's always good to have a mentor like that to not allow you to get too full on yourself and forget why you're in the position you're in."
The defense is something like the land of misfit toys.
The only two with Pro Bowl appearances on their resumes are Henry Melton and Spencer, and they are trying to find their form after major knee surgeries. The Cowboys' best defensive player so far, McClain was the eighth pick of the 2010 draft by the Oakland Raiders but retired twice in a year before he was acquired in a trade from the Baltimore Ravens in July.
Claiborne was the sixth pick of the 2012 draft but his season ended last week with a torn patellar tendon and he hardly lived up to his draft position before getting hurt. Carr signed a $50 million deal as a free agent in 2012 but has struggled to live up to the price tag.
Mincey was a low-cost pickup in free agency. Tyrone Crawford missed last season with a torn Achilles. Carter was a second-round miss until he seemed to find a home as a strong-side linebacker. George Selvie bounced around with three teams in three years before joining the Cowboys last year. Hayden wasn't in football in 2012. In 2011, J.J. Wilcox was a running back at Georgia Southern, not a safety. Sterling Moore, who is replacing Claiborne, has been cut six times.
"Just love it," Marinelli said of coaching this group of defenders. "You love every guy that likes football. And some of our most talented guys are our hardest workers too. That's when it's a guy like Spence and 55 [McClain] and guys that go hard every day; those corners, I can't say enough about those guys. So you just keep working at it. But it's enjoyable. I said this from beginning, I really like these guys."
October, 3, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The search for answers to the Dallas Cowboys' improved defensive play through the first month of the season starts at Nick Hayden's locker.
What's changed with the scheme now that Rod Marinelli is the coordinator and not Monte Kiffin?
"Nah, it's basically the same," the defensive tackle said. "Little things here and there but everything is the same."
Across the room is Brandon Carr's locker. The cornerback started every game last year when the Cowboys allowed a franchise-record 6,645 yards, third-most in NFL history.
"It's similar to last year," Carr said, later adding, "The only thing that has changed across the board is attention to detail."
He simply shook his head when asked if the Cowboys are playing more man coverage than zone. He did the same when he was asked if the Cowboys are disguising coverages more.
"Just looks different now, huh?" Carr said. "We're growing up. You look different from 5 to 6 years old, right?"
Is it markedly different, or were the expectations so low for a defense that lost DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher and saw Sean Lee go down for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the spring that any success is overstated?
Compared to the first four games in 2013, the Cowboys are allowing more yards per game this year (382.3 to 383.8), more yards per play (6.5 to 5.9), more yards per rush (4 to 5), more runs of 10 yards or more (11 to seven) and have fewer sacks (five to 14). The third-down defense is worse too, 32.7 percent to 46.7 percent this year.
So what exactly is better?
The Cowboys have more interceptions (five to four) and have allowed fewer pass plays of 20 yards or more (11 to 16). They are better in the red zone as well, allowing eight scores on 11 possessions compared to 10 in 13 in 2013. Take away two scores given up by the offense, and the Cowboys' defense has allowed 18 points per game.
"I think we're understanding how to play defense and trust me that is a work in progress," coach Jason Garrett said.
Timely, situational play has been their greatest strength. Barry Church's interception in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans led to a touchdown and a 10-0 lead. A Rolando McClain interception in the fourth quarter led to a field goal to salt away the win.
Bruce Carter's pick-six the following week against the St. Louis Rams with 5:58 to play gave the Cowboys a 34-24 lead. Morris Claiborne's awful game ended with a game-sealing interception with 1:02 left.
Last week against the New Orleans Saints, a Carter deflection ended up in Justin Durant's hands for an interception. The Cowboys turned that into a touchdown and a 17-0 lead. After the Saints cut the Dallas lead to 31-17, the defense forced a third-down stop in the fourth quarter that led the Saints into an ill-fated punt. The Cowboys scored on the ensuing drive.
"Yardage can go up or down depending on how the game goes," Marinelli said. "Sometimes you have a lead, you're going to give up a lot more yardage but you're working the clock. We put a lot of stock into those categories. We want to be good in scoring defense. We've got to be good in takeaways. We have to be. And we have to stop the run better and obviously we have to pressure the quarterback."
If there is a major difference in the Cowboys' defense, it is Marinelli.
Last year he waded through 20 defensive linemen because of injury, ineffectiveness or both. Somehow he made it work. Now he is leading a defense without star power and is making it work.
Carr called him a maniac, but in a good way. Hayden said players believe in what he's selling, "because he's done it." Anthony Spencer said Marinelli is at his best because he is "consistent."
"Just as you felt like you're doing good, he levels your head," defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. "He humbles you again. It's always good to have a mentor like that to not allow you to get too full on yourself and forget why you're in the position you're in."
The defense is something like the land of misfit toys.
The only two with Pro Bowl appearances on their resumes are Henry Melton and Spencer, and they are trying to find their form after major knee surgeries. The Cowboys' best defensive player so far, McClain was the eighth pick of the 2010 draft by the Oakland Raiders but retired twice in a year before he was acquired in a trade from the Baltimore Ravens in July.
Claiborne was the sixth pick of the 2012 draft but his season ended last week with a torn patellar tendon and he hardly lived up to his draft position before getting hurt. Carr signed a $50 million deal as a free agent in 2012 but has struggled to live up to the price tag.
Mincey was a low-cost pickup in free agency. Tyrone Crawford missed last season with a torn Achilles. Carter was a second-round miss until he seemed to find a home as a strong-side linebacker. George Selvie bounced around with three teams in three years before joining the Cowboys last year. Hayden wasn't in football in 2012. In 2011, J.J. Wilcox was a running back at Georgia Southern, not a safety. Sterling Moore, who is replacing Claiborne, has been cut six times.
"Just love it," Marinelli said of coaching this group of defenders. "You love every guy that likes football. And some of our most talented guys are our hardest workers too. That's when it's a guy like Spence and 55 [McClain] and guys that go hard every day; those corners, I can't say enough about those guys. So you just keep working at it. But it's enjoyable. I said this from beginning, I really like these guys."
