MacMahon: 'Sky's the limit' for Dallas defense

boozeman

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'Sky's the limit' for Dallas defense

September, 22, 2013


By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com


ARLINGTON, Texas – When is the last time the Dallas Cowboys’ defense played this well?

“I can’t recall when I’ve seen us play better. Ever,” owner/general manager Jerry Jones said.

Gotta love some of that good ol’ Jerry hyperbole, huh?

It’s not like Jerry had to go all the way back to the '90s glory days to recall a time when Dallas played pretty darn good defense. How about the last time the Cowboys made the playoffs?

Then again, the 2009 season does seem like so long ago. That’s when the Cowboys closed out the regular season with the first consecutive shutouts in franchise history, clinching the NFC East division. Dallas allowed the second-fewest points in the league that season.

Not coincidentally, the Cowboys’ lone playoff win since 1996 came in 2009.

This might not be the best defense during the owner’s 25-year tenure, but the Cowboys have legitimate reasons to be confident that they have a playoff-caliber defense again.

Monte Kiffin's unit gave up a lot of yards in Week 1, but the defense’s five turnovers forced keyed the Cowboys’ win over the Giants. The Cowboys held Kansas City to 17 points and 313 total yards in a losing effort in Week 2. And the defense was dominant in Sunday’s rout of the St. Louis Rams, holding Sam Bradford’s bunch to 232 total yards and seven points.

The Rams’ offensive line, which didn’t allow a sack in the first two games, couldn’t block the Cowboys. Dallas had six sacks, including two by DeMarcus Ware. That had a lot to do with St. Louis’ inability to convert on third down (1 of 13).

“It’s just one more step to trying to get where we want to go,” cornerback Brandon Carr said. “We’re still trying to establish our identity.

“Just across the board, we want to be that physical, aggressive, high-energy defense. Everybody swarming, everybody getting to the ball, guys in the right position to make plays, just flying around and having fun. This is Week 3. We still have some more progress to go, but this is a step in the right direction.”

Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher, who had a sack for the third straight game, added: “The sky’s the limit for this defense. We’ve just got to keep the bar high and work during the week.”
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Great. Jerry is full of himself and he will set the tone.

Get ready for an inconsistent SD offense to school us next week.
 

Cotton

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Gotta hope the defense keeps this up. If they do, we have a chance at a great season. I'm not betting on it, but if they do, oh lawd.
 

superpunk

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Ignoring the super bowl D's he's got to be close to right.

I can't remember another time we've played like this - hustling, pressuring, relentless, actually creating turnovers. Even the seasons we were ranked well we didn't have this look or feel.
 

ravidubey

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I can't remember another time we've played like this - hustling, pressuring, relentless, actually creating turnovers. Even the seasons we were ranked well we didn't have this look or feel.
For one game, sure.

But I still feel the defense lacks stoutness. The teams that have really hurt Dallas since 2008 are those that can run the ball well enough to set up big passing.

They've faced two teams with no running game at all in New York and St Louis who are now a combined 1-5. The Chiefs can run, though their running back is more of a speed guy and does not punish the defense.

Washington blew Dallas off the line and swept us in 2012 because Alfred Morris can run. Marshawn Lynch plain humiliated us. People forget the read-option is completely predicated on being able to run the ball, and Dallas has yet to face that challenge this season.
 

superpunk

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The Chiefs were a run heavy team last season who have changed alot under Reid, but we still handled Charles easily. It just looked like we were unprepared for Smith's running...but we also adjusted to that quickly.

So far this season, teams that go to power running are almost nonexistent.
 

Simpleton

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I don't even think Lynch killed us that badly last year, he had one big 40-50 yard run if I'm remembering right but other than that he had like 20 or so carries with a YPC in the mid 3's.

And I can't really blame the defense too much for getting ran over by the Skins late in the year considering the fact that we were literally starting like 4 guys off the street.
 

UncleMilti

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People forget the read-option is completely predicated on being able to run the ball, and Dallas has yet to face that challenge this season.
True, but the good thing here is that the read option hasn't done shit this year....defenses have figured out how to slow it, and the NFL basically gave the green light to smack the hell outta the QB if he's not in a throwing motion which I think has tempered some of the QB runs.

I've watched Wilson, RGIII, and Newton get hit numerous times-hard- the limited times they ran the fake.

Its definitely not being run like last year, which hopefully will help the Cowboys.
 

boozeman

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Ignoring the super bowl D's he's got to be close to right.

I can't remember another time we've played like this - hustling, pressuring, relentless, actually creating turnovers. Even the seasons we were ranked well we didn't have this look or feel.
True, but it is only a few games. We have two good tests in the next two weeks. I won't homer out unless we beat the Chargers soundly and are competitive with the Broncos.

I still believe the Rams weren't quite prepared to attack our weaknesses enough.

Hell, I am struggling to figure out what the hell Lil' Schottenheimer's plan was at all.
 

boozeman

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True, but the good thing here is that the read option hasn't done shit this year....defenses have figured out how to slow it, and the NFL basically gave the green light to smack the hell outta the QB if he's not in a throwing motion which I think has tempered some of the QB runs.

I've watched Wilson, RGIII, and Newton get hit numerous times-hard- the limited times they ran the fake.

Its definitely not being run like last year, which hopefully will help the Cowboys.
Agreed.

Wilson has survived because he wasn't predicated on the gimmick to begin with. Kaepernick...:lol
 

superpunk

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True, but it is only a few games. We have two good tests in the next two weeks. I won't homer out unless we beat the Chargers soundly and are competitive with the Broncos.

I still believe the Rams weren't quite prepared to attack our weaknesses enough.

Hell, I am struggling to figure out what the hell Lil' Schottenheimer's plan was at all.
I think he was planning on his receivers not dropping 20 passes and Jake Long not getting his nuts clipped on national TV by Ware.
 

Smitty

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Ignoring the super bowl D's he's got to be close to right.

I can't remember another time we've played like this - hustling, pressuring, relentless, actually creating turnovers. Even the seasons we were ranked well we didn't have this look or feel.
Other than Game 1, we haven't been creating that many turnovers. We've got 1 total, the last 2 games.
 

ravidubey

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Other than Game 1, we haven't been creating that many turnovers. We've got 1 total, the last 2 games.
And that one was a net wash thanks to the muffed punt.

But I believe Dallas will have a net positive turnover ratio this season, and that will be a major source of improvement for this team.

If the defense continues to be solid and the running game is a smidge better than half as good as it was Sunday, then Romo will have an excellent season and keep interceptions and fumbles low (currently two in three games, and you can win with that). He just needs to get his YPA back up. He should be averaging about 270 yards per game and not the 210 he's at currently.

For that to happen Austin must either step up his game considerably or get out of the way and let Harris and Williams take over.
 

Cotton

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Ignoring the super bowl D's he's got to be close to right.

I can't remember another time we've played like this - hustling, pressuring, relentless, actually creating turnovers. Even the seasons we were ranked well we didn't have this look or feel.
Get a fucking avatar, dickface.
 
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