PFT.com | Stephen Jones calls out Cowboys’ top defensive players

Posted by Michael David Smith
on December 12, 2013

Cowboys defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has taken a lot of heat for the way the Dallas defense is playing, but Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones says the people who should be taking heat are the players.

Jones, the son of owner and General Manager Jerry Jones, told ESPN.com that the players need to be held accountable.

“You turn on the tape and guys we count on week in and week out didn’t show up,” Jones said. “I don’t know what it was, but we didn’t get it done and I’ve got to believe we can do better than that.”

Jones called out several defensive players by name.

“They’ve all got to be better,” Jones said. “Sean Lee has got to be better. Brandon Carr has got to be better. Bruce Carter has got to be better. Jason Hatcher has got to be better. We’ve all got to be better. We’ve got to do a better job when we do have injuries of having better players to get up and be there. It’s an organizational thing. You just have to do better on the defensive side of the ball. If we want to get to where we want to get to we can’t play that type of defense.”

The Cowboys are giving up 426.8 yards a game, worst in the league and on pace to allow the second-most yards in a season in NFL history. Jones wasn’t expecting that.

“Obviously you expect better,” Jones said. “We have to be better. You can’t play defense like that and be last in the league and expect to ultimately get to where we want to get to. Ultimately it’s got to improve. We know there’s circumstances with injuries — no excuses — our defensive line is kind of where it starts. We’ve been beaten up there but that’s part of it and we’ll have to keep churning there. But I fully expect us to play better these last three games on the defensive side of the ball.”

If the Cowboys don’t play better, they’re going to be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goof son needs to point a large bit of that blame at himself and his egotistical father.

If they operated the team with a little foresight instead of playing it by ear from year to year, the defense wouldn't be littered with street free agents who have no business being in the NFL.

Sure a couple of those guys that he mentioned haven't played up to par but they are far from the biggest problem on this defense. It's guys like Heath, Sims, Webb, and every player on the DL not named Ware or Hatcher who are the biggest problems.

But hey, lets keep throwing away decent draft picks on back up TEs and small school DBs. It's a formula that has been tried and has failed for damn near 10 years yet these idiots refuse to adjust course.

THAT'S what needs to be better. Look in the mirror, jackass.

The Joneses give you chickenshit and expect chicken-salad in return.

If you are counting on Brandon Carr to be a game changer, well, that shows how little you know about football.

It seems to me that the problem is that these idiots think single star players can carry units and/or teams. That's why they seem to value "stars" at certain positions and then fill in the rest with bullshit, they think it's like a company where you can call out the CFO or something at a board meeting.

They don't really understand the concept that there are 53 guys and you need to constantly bring in waves of talent, instead they'd rather take a handful of guys, put them on a pedestal, glorify them and if we fail, single them out.

Goof should have also pointed out that Nick Hayden and George Selvie are journeymen, and the Cowboys GM has to "get better" to provide better depth.

BTW, Goof, if you're going to throw people under a bus then start with the highest paid. The elephant in the room is DeMarcus Ware has to play better and Goof conveniently failed to point that out.

He missed some guys on offense too.

Another part of the problem is their habit of drafting guys who dropped to the later rounds because of their injury history. Sure, Murray is a great RB but he couldn't stay on the field in college and now he can't stay on the field in the NFL. If a guy has a first round grade and is still sitting there in the third or fourth round, there's probably a reason.

Hello by the way, found your site through the DCC Forums Twitter.

Cowboy Hank said:

Another part of the problem is their habit of drafting guys who dropped to the later rounds because of their injury history. Sure, Murray is a great RB but he couldn't stay on the field in college and now he can't stay on the field in the NFL. If a guy has a first round grade and is still sitting there in the third or fourth round, there's probably a reason.

Hello by the way, found your site through the DCC Forums Twitter.

Click to expand...

Same thing with Lee. We have a propensity for taking guys with injury histories, just hoping beyond hope that we can get lucky.

Welcome to the board. Grab an avatar, and post more, seriously.

I agree with his premise. If you pay a player to perform then they need to perform. I don't think any position should be exempt from being called out. Coaches coach but players take the field. If they don't perform then make them understand there are consequences for being short of expectations. It is a universal concept for business and pro sports is a business.

I agree with his premise as well, but he needs to call himself out for questionable draft choices and failures to address the lack of depth on the roster. We've got guys starting on defense that should be checking ID's at clubs because we didn't start the year with any kind of depth.

L.T. Fan said:

I agree with his premise. If you pay a player to perform then they need to perform. I don't think any position should be exempt from being called out. Coaches coach but players take the field. If they don't perform then make them understand there are consequences for being short of expectations. It is a universal concept for business and pro sports is a business.

Click to expand...

You know what else is a universal concept?

Acquiring talent and these two yokel idiots aren't able to do that to save their lives.

Hank and Cotton.

Schmitty is Bill.

NoDak said:

Hank and Cotton.

Schmitty is Bill.

Click to expand...

So, are you going to be Boomhower?

Iamtdg said:

So, are you going to be Boomhower?

Click to expand...

Nah. I call dibs on Lucky.

Or maybe Mr. Strickland.

Simpleton said:

You know what else is a universal concept?

Acquiring talent and these two yokel idiots aren't able to do that to save their lives.

Click to expand...

I am not exempting that part of the organization but the players still have to do their jobs. It can't all be blamed on management.

L.T. Fan said:

I am not exempting that part of the organization but the players still have to do their jobs. It can't all be blamed on management.

Click to expand...

Sure it can. If the players suck, or if we don't have the depth to handle injuries it's a direct reflection of the architect of the team.

In this case, a really shitty architect.

Iamtdg said:

Sure it can. If the players suck, or if we don't have the depth to handle injuries it's a direct reflection of the architect of the team.

In this case, a really shitty architect.

Click to expand...

Yep, most of the other NFL teams build with idea of establishing a good foundation, Jerry & son use the jenga tower formula

Iamtdg said:

Sure it can. If the players suck, or if we don't have the depth to handle injuries it's a direct reflection of the architect of the team.

In this case, a really shitty architect.

Click to expand...

I don't believe all the players suck. Tell me that Ware, Lee, Scandrick, Hatcher, Carr, etc. Suck. They and others are playing but they aren't getting enough effort from others and those need to be called out by their own team mates. All of these guys have played football a good part of their life and were good enough to make the college team then on to the pros. Everyone in uniform has ability. Granted some are better than others but every team is made up of members that were drafted from the various rounds. These are the guys that need to step it up and if they don't know the schemes then learn them or suffer the consequences. I am accurately aware that Dallas has made questionable picks but they have made some good ones as well.

L.T. Fan said:

I don't believe all the players suck. Tell me that Ware, Lee, Scandrick, Hatcher, Carr, etc. Suck. They and others are playing but they aren't getting enough effort from others and those need to be called out by their own team mates. All of these guys have played football a good part of their life and were good enough to make the college team then on to the pros. Everyone in uniform has ability. Granted some are better than others but every team is made up of members that were drafted from the various rounds. These are the guys that need to step it up and if they don't know the schemes then learn them or suffer the consequences. I am accurately aware that Dallas has made questionable picks but they have made some good ones as well.

Click to expand...

They need complementary interior players. Lee is small, so he needs two big, strong beasts in front of him and another strong, fast player at Sam. He has none of the above. DeMarcus is also undersized, so he needs the biggest lineman next to him playing 1-technique. Carr and Scandrick are fine corners, but they need safeties with speed to cover so they can do their own jobs with confidence.

Even without injuries this is a poorly constructed defensive unit because those required pieces are still missing. When you add the injuries, we're looking at a puzzle with the corners and sides put in but no interior pieces. The holes are gaping, so just attack the middle and you unsettle the entire defense.

Trying to play Monte Kiffin's defense without a dominant three-technique and good safety play is going to be a challenge for any defense. It should also be remembered that we're in the first year of a new scheme and players are adjusting to new roles within the defense. Give Kiffin time to get the personnel that fit his defense and it can be good, but right now he's just trying to get through the season.

It's like giving a master woodworker a shop full of tools that are just adequate and a bunch of scrap wood and telling him to build a bookshelf. He'll build a bookshelf, but it won't be anything close to what he can do with premium tools and good wood.

Cowboy Hank said:

I agree with his premise as well, but he needs to call himself out for questionable draft choices and failures to address the lack of depth on the roster. We've got guys starting on defense that should be checking ID's at clubs because we didn't start the year with any kind of depth.

Click to expand...

Welcome.

~Insert Johnny Cash image here~