Archer: Cowboys defense needs Sean Lee to ride to rescue

Cotton

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Cowboys defense needs Sean Lee to ride to rescue
7:00 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

FRISCO, Texas -- Try as they might, the Dallas Cowboys could not win a game without Tony Romo from 2013 to '15.

They lost their winner-take-all season finale in 2013 two days after Romo had back surgery. They lost to the Arizona Cardinals in 2014 with Romo out because of two transverse process fractures. They won only one of 12 games without Romo in 2015 after he broke his collarbone twice.

Sean Lee is turning into the Romo of the Cowboys' defense.

Without Lee, the defense can't get the job done.

Since he missed the 2014 season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the Cowboys have lost five in a row without Lee, dating to 2015 and including their past two games.

The good news for the Cowboys is he should return for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

In the three games with Lee, the defense has given up 20.6 points per game and 4.7 yards per play. In the two games without him, it has given up 31.5 points per game (not including an interception return for a score) and 6 yards per play.

"He's our best player on defense," linebacker Anthony Hitchens said. "And everyone knows that. Whenever you don't have your best player out there, I mean there's no excuses for us, but it would help if we had Sean out there playing. That's just being real. He's our best player on defense and he makes our defense better."

Lee's value goes beyond just his ability to make plays. He gets players lined up in the correct spots if there is confusion. He is a calming influence in chaotic situations. And if Lee can't get everybody lined up in time or make sure everybody is on the same page, he can invariably make the play.

"Obviously a very, very productive player for us, very good against the run, very good against the pass. He's always around the ball," coach Jason Garrett said. "I think another area where he contributes is he's just a natural leader. Guys respond to him emotionally but also just technically when you're out on the field getting guys lined up. He's got great command of our defensive system. He's got great recognition of what opposing offenses are doing. So again, just his force when the play starts, but his presence in and around that is also significant to our team."

Lee missed two games in 2015, one because of a concussion (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and another because of a hamstring injury (Washington Redskins). The Cowboys lost both games. He was held out of last year's season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles as a precaution, similar to the decision with running back Ezekiel Elliott, and the Cowboys lost, 27-13.

The Cowboys have given up 30 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 14 and 15 of the 2013 season. Lee suffered a neck injury in the 45-28 loss to the Chicago Bears that season, and he did not play the next week against the Green Bay Packers in which Matt Flynn lit up the defense in a 37-36 win.

The most notable area where Lee has been missed is in the run game. With Lee, the Cowboys are giving up 87.3 yards per game, and that includes a 118-yard effort by the Denver Broncos' C.J. Anderson, which Lee called the worst tackling effort he has had in his career.

In the two games without Lee, they are givnng up 164 yards per game on the ground with Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams and Aaron Jones of the Packers each going for more than 100 yards. With Lee, the Cowboys have given up four runs of 10 yards or more. Without Lee, they have given up 14 runs of 10 yards or more.

"He's a captain and he's an All-Pro player," defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. "But it's not just the plays he makes. It's his presence and his preparation. I think it brings a ton to us."

Lee appears ready. While working a tackling technique drill during the individual drills in Wednesday's open portion of practice to the media, Lee hit Justin March-Lillard so hard the new linebacker went to the ground.

Lee immediately apologized.

"Sean gets one of those a week," Hitchens said. "That's why he's good. He plays everything like game speed, so in order to get a game rep you've got to simulate practice as close as you can. Sometimes guys jump when you tackle them or you just finish them. But we're all just trying to get ready for a game. It's all respect. It's not him being an a--h--- or nothing. He's just ready. He's anxious. I can't wait to get back out there with him."
 

Smitty

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Not sure Lee can really rescue this defense. The DL is doing an abysmal job in the run game right now, very bad at controlling the LOS.

Lee is great and can fix some of the tackling problems but he can't be everywhere. The defense is getting gashed up front and Lee won't be able to stop that. I think they may need scheme tweaks to focus on stopping the run first a little more often.

And then better run stoppers along the DL in the future. Disappointed that Maliek Collins, while he's done well getting some pressure, has not been more of a run game force. He's clearly the 3T. Need a run stuffing 1T next to him. No more Collins being the 1T after this year with Crawford, Paea, Irving, Charlton, or any other converted DEs or DE/DT tweeners next to him, other than on obvious passing downs.

DT should be Collins and then get you a run stuffer. Too bad that Thornton flopped at this, it seems like he was supposed to be that guy.

DE should be a rotation of Lawrence, Irving, Charlton, Gregory if he comes back, and Tapper. And obviously I have no problem adding another stud to this mix.

Mayowa, Moore, and Crawford can fucking hit the road.

Would be nice if you could find a stud DT in free agency, Charlton turns into a productive player by year's end at DE, Gregory comes back and stays off the weed, and then use your first round pick on a linebacker.
 
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Cowboysrock55

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Not sure Lee can really rescue this defense. The DL is doing an abysmal job in the run game right now, very bad at controlling the LOS.

Lee is great and can fix some of the tackling problems but he can't be everywhere. The defense is getting gashed up front and Lee won't be able to stop that. I think they may need scheme tweaks to focus on stopping the run first a little more often.

And then better run stoppers along the DL in the future. Disappointed that Maliek Collins, while he's done well getting some pressure, has not been more of a run game force. He's clearly the 3T. Need a run stuffing 1T next to him. No more Collins being the 1T after this year with Crawford, Paea, Irving, Charlton, or any other converted DEs or DE/DT tweeners next to him, other than on obvious passing downs.

DT should be Collins and then get you a run stuffer. Too bad that Thornton flopped at this, it seems like he was supposed to be that guy.

DE should be a rotation of Lawrence, Irving, Charlton, Gregory if he comes back, and Tapper. And obviously I have no problem adding another stud to this mix.

Mayowa, Moore, and Crawford can fucking hit the road.

Would be nice if you could find a stud DT in free agency, Charlton turns into a productive player by year's end at DE, Gregory comes back and stays off the weed, and then use your first round pick on a linebacker.
We actually had Irving playing one technique against the Packers.

Which is fine in a passing situation but this defense would be so much better with a real 320 pound 1 technique. And I don't mean a fat slob like Hayden who does nothing. I mean a legit stud DT who requires the attention of 2 O-lineman at all times. I think if you put a Brandon Williams, Damon Harrison or Linval Joseph type in there it would help this defense tremendously. It funny because I feel like we are finally starting to figure out the DE spot. Tank has been playing like one of the best in the league. We have Taco and some other young guys ready to develop opposite him. But now we have sprung a leak at DT. Where we have only really drafted one legit guy in Collins. The rest are turds or DE converts.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I know, but I'm saying, other than obvious pass downs, I don't want that anymore.
Oh I agree.

If we actually had a 1 technique I'd probably prefer to go big and have a 6'4" 320 pound guy line up next to Collins with Irving and Tank at DE. That's would actually be a D-line that could be pretty good against the run and pass. But we just refuse to make a real effort to find that 1 technique. If it were up to me we would have A'Shawn Robinson at the 1 technique right now and no Jaylon Smith. And I get that maybe we don't draft Collins if we did that but I have no idea why. I mean is there something wrong with drafting 2 stud DTs in the same draft? Hell Carolina is probably pretty pleased with their first and second round picks at DT.
 

midswat

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I think it's laughable that we have to rely on an oft injured MLB to rescue us. I'm sure there are idiots out there who blame our putrid record on the loss of Lee. It's sad that Garrett needs a steak at every plate in order to win games.

Week in and week out, Jaylon gets exposed as a liability - yet this incompetent coaching staff keeps him in the line up.

We're just not that good of a team. Lee coming back isn't going to save the day. We're 8-8 this year, in typical Garrett fashion.
 

Simpleton

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The answer to this is Timmy Jernigan.

He's not some 320 lb behemoth (we aren't signing someone like that anyway) but he is strong against the run and has some athleticism as a pass-rusher also. Loved him coming out in the draft a few years ago, the Ravens traded him to the Eagles, presumably because they didn't want to pay him but he had 13 sacks in 3 years in Baltimore and has 1.5 so far in Philly.

Won't be cheap but he shouldn't break the bank either.
 

Simpleton

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I think it's laughable that we have to rely on an oft injured MLB to rescue us. I'm sure there are idiots out there who blame our putrid record on the loss of Lee. It's sad that Garrett needs a steak at every plate in order to win games.

Week in and week out, Jaylon gets exposed as a liability - yet this incompetent coaching staff keeps him in the line up.

We're just not that good of a team. Lee coming back isn't going to save the day. We're 8-8 this year, in typical Garrett fashion.
I've been saying we need to draft an LB for a while now between Lee's injury prone nature, and age, and of course Jaylon having the issues he has.

To me LB isn't a dire need, especially if we re-sign Hitchens to a reasonable deal, but I'd certainly take one in the 1st if they were the BPA.
 
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