Sturm's Marinelli Report - Sean Lee and Tyrone Crawford Step Up

Cotton

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By Bob Sturm, Special contributor

Nobody is saying that it isn't great news that the Cowboys have discovered how great David Irving and Terrell McClain can be. That is fantastic news. Their development and subsequent effects on the game has been a very important factor for this defense in 2016.

But, players like Irving and McClain were supposed to be the frosting in 2016. Not the cake. The cake must be the key players that the Cowboys have signed long-term to change this defense into something dynamic and special. Quite simply, they need guys who can not only carry out a scheme, but consistently "win" against their man.

That is a distinction we don't often elaborate on, but you must learn the difference to properly study a defense. The 11-man unit can use scheme and tactics to get advantages, but that is difficult to pull of consistently in a sport where very wise men are organizing every detail of every moment. Scheme is important, but what makes a defense special is when you have guys that are accounted for by the opponent, but they whip the guy in front of them to destroy a play. They did not sneak up on you, you just didn't get them neutralized.

Those are the types of players that you pay to keep and build your defense around. Unfortunately, the Cowboys have not had enough of these guys that "defy the Xs and Os" and just cannot be blocked. But, they have made major investments in two guys in their front 7, and on Sunday, they were the difference on defense by consistently "winning" against the guy across from them.

Tyrone Crawford (5 years/$45 million) and Sean Lee (6 years/$42 million) are the two players that the Cowboys have invested heavily in and for many reasons - health, supporting cast, role - they have not exactly paid off their promise with delivery.

But, there is reason to believe that both are now back in the middle of the Cowboys defensive success which has now shown us 7 games of evidence where the defense has not allowed 24 points or more even one time this year. 14 sacks and 10 takeaways get them up to "league average" numbers and they held Philadelphia under 300 total yards, which will win almost any game against anybody.

First, Lee, who turned 30 this past summer, experienced a stretch from 2012 to 2014 where he was "always hurt" and made many of us think he chose a profession that his body could not withstand. During that time, he played in just 17 of 48 games and was listed as a player who could not be depended upon - surely, something that made him a bit crazy to hear.

Since 2014, he has returned and continued to play with reckless abandon. Last year, he actually suffered two more concussions and at times, still showed signs of his injury-past. But, as we reach the halfway point of 2016, he has been available for 23 of the last 24 games. That sort of attendance record suggests that he might be shaking his reputation, while playing at a very high level. In fact, let's not just talk about it. Let's prove it from Sunday where I credited him with 3.5 splash plays.



This one is a simple 3rd down stop. Drop in your zone to the sticks, then come up and make the stop and get off the field. 3rd down stops are amongst the most important parts of a linebackers job and Lee has not really missed on much at all this year. Not highlight film stuff, but ends a drive.



This is a thing of beauty above. I edited the tape to show his pre-snap genius. Look at this guy. He knows the play and quickly adjusts to get Hitchens and Crawford out wider. Jack Crawford is told to set the edge and force the play back inside. Lee is there and this is about as good as you can play the position against Darren Sproles. Brilliant stuff here. The key is also to look at the RG for Philadelphia trying to reach-block Lee. Fat chance.



Later, on what might be the play of the game - this crucial 3rd down in the 4th Quarter - the Eagles are going to try to get a screen to Sproles out on the edge. I know it sounds like lip service to say Sean Lee knows the play before it happens, but how else would you explain this? Jason Kelce, the Eagles Center is going to try to get to him, but that is not close, either. Lee blows it up for another tackle for loss that drives the Eagles out of field goal range (where they would have gone back up by 10 points) and forces a punt.



Finally, this one, where he gets no credit in the boxscore, but I gave him a half splash for making this play happen. First, he sells the fact that he is on Sproles again, but he is deceiving the Eagles pass protection. JJ Wilcox will get Sproles after Lee blitzes right down main street and I think should get credit for part of this sack.

He hasn't been like this every week and I wonder how much is babysitting the rest of the LB group and not just playing full speed with confidence everyone else has their responsibilities. But, on Sunday he was awesome.

Then, Crawford, who has had a very interesting career, is still just 26 years old. He missed 2013 with injury, then was the Cowboys best defensive lineman in 2014. This made the Cowboys lock him down before free agency to a big deal, which he responded (like Dez Bryant) by disappointing in year 1 by playing all year with a shoulder injury and just not taking over many games like he had done the year before.

This year, the Cowboys had a massive problem at defensive end. Their solution was to take their best defensive tackle and to put him at defensive end. I hate this premise, because, I want my best option at each spot. I was wrong. Getting Tyrone Crawford out to end has changed his year. He even admits that it helps him stay more healthy and the drafting of Maliek Collins has really helped this, too. Maliek Collins and Terrell McClain have probably been the story of the year, to be honest.

Regardless, Crawford is starting to dominate again at DE. I wasn't sure he had the quickness to excel out there, and we still need to see it more often, but look at this guy on Sunday:



This poor Tight End is going to slow down Crawford to let the line pull around him? Tyrone thinks not and drives down the line to end the play in the backfield.



Here is an inside stunt with a blitzer filling his lane outside. Wentz is thinking about stepping up, but then realizes that would be right into the path of 98. Again, Marinelli wants guys who can get going on the move and run into plays. That happened right here. Scheme wins.



Here is a zone run where there is so much "white" flashing at the Running Back, that he has no idea what path to choose. Crawford is waiting for the backside cut, but to be honest, so many Cowboys are winning on this play that Crawford was just the man to end it. 58 and 97 deserve good grades here, too. Just look at Crawford jacking that poor TE back again. What a strength mismatch. This is what you don't get to do when you play 3-technique.



Here is Crawford on the frontside of a zone play setting the outside edge and then just closing out the play himself. This is beast-level play from a defensive end against the run. There is nothing else to really describe. He is ending these runs by himself. These last few plays also demonstrate how mediocre the Eagles are up front - a topic that isn't being discussed enough.



Aside from that sack above in the Sean Lee clips that he also was credited for, here is his last play, which is really just a chance to recover a fumble that Terrell McClain makes available. The RG is going to pull here and Crawford and McClain are both going to destroy their blockers to end this play and this drive right here. Wow.

If Sean Lee and Tyrone Crawford are going to start taking over games, the Cowboys are going to be ok on defense.

WEEKLY DATA



Those are all magnificent numbers. 4.1 yards per play? That is the lowest the Cowboys have held an opponent since the Colts game in 2014. Dominant effort that is being a bit overlooked this week. But, you don't hold NFL teams to 4.1 a play very often. 5 times in the last 10 years, to be exact.

CARSON WENTZ PASSING CHART



My guy, John Daigle, makes these charts each week for us to show where they are looking on the field to attack. You can see here, this is a horizontal passing game. The deep throws are these slants at the 5-7 yard depth. The Eagles have a great passing QB who can throw the ball very, very well. But, their supporting cast is not good and their coach is Andy Reid's student. We have seen this quite a bit in Kansas City over the years.

SPLASH PLAYS



And here you can see how the season standings look. We are starting to see the familiar names head to the top.

SEASON SPLASH TOTALS



Where is DeMarcus Lawrence on this list? I wish I knew.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The defense has been able to stay reasonably healthy here for a while which means it is time to lose a couple pieces. Barry Church and Morris Claiborne will both miss most if not all of November now, so the secondary will use a lot more Anthony Brown and JJ Wilcox than anyone planned a while back. This will be a factor, but attrition is the name of the game.

Otherwise, I don't know how you aren't delighted with what the last month has revealed about the defense. You spend all summer fretting about the Cowboys being abused on defense and then they are 4th in the league in points allowed on November 2nd. Long ways to go, but this defense has exceeded expectations so far.

Once again, you have to be impressed with what Rod Marinelli (and the personnel department) has put on the field.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Yeah Sean Lee was awesome in this game. I mean he really looked like the vintage probowl LBer that we all remember. Earlier in the year I had wondered if he lost a step maybe because he just didn't look like the same player but against the Eagles he showed he still has it. He has really been coming on as of late.
 
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