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Cowboys need to tackle better
October, 29, 2014
By Jean-Jacques Taylor | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- On Washington’s second play, Colt McCoy threw a pass in the left flat to tight end Niles Paul. Safety Barry Church whiffed on an open-field tackle he normally makes, resulting in a 20-yard gain.
It was a harbinger.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys missed a season-high 12 tackles in their 20-17 overtime loss to Washington.
The Cowboys, according to the website, had not been in double figures for missed tackles since Week 1 against San Francisco, the only other team to beat the Cowboys this season. They missed 10 that week.
Middle linebacker Rolando McClain, one of the club’s best tacklers, missed four. Church, the Cowboys' surest tackler, missed two.
Understand, the Cowboys spent a ton of time in the offseason working on tackling and they start every practice with individual tackling drills. Part of their defensive improvement is from tackling better and swarming the ball, so when the rare missed tackle occurs, others remain in position to bring the ball carrier down.
“The biggest thing that jumped out to me from the tape was the tackling,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Unfortunately for us, a few of those plays were probably tackles for loss. We have them trapped in the backfield, they wriggled free and they make a 10-, a 12- or an 18-yard run and those plays hurt you. Some of our best tacklers didn’t tackle well.”
October, 29, 2014
By Jean-Jacques Taylor | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- On Washington’s second play, Colt McCoy threw a pass in the left flat to tight end Niles Paul. Safety Barry Church whiffed on an open-field tackle he normally makes, resulting in a 20-yard gain.
It was a harbinger.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys missed a season-high 12 tackles in their 20-17 overtime loss to Washington.
The Cowboys, according to the website, had not been in double figures for missed tackles since Week 1 against San Francisco, the only other team to beat the Cowboys this season. They missed 10 that week.
Middle linebacker Rolando McClain, one of the club’s best tacklers, missed four. Church, the Cowboys' surest tackler, missed two.
Understand, the Cowboys spent a ton of time in the offseason working on tackling and they start every practice with individual tackling drills. Part of their defensive improvement is from tackling better and swarming the ball, so when the rare missed tackle occurs, others remain in position to bring the ball carrier down.
“The biggest thing that jumped out to me from the tape was the tackling,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Unfortunately for us, a few of those plays were probably tackles for loss. We have them trapped in the backfield, they wriggled free and they make a 10-, a 12- or an 18-yard run and those plays hurt you. Some of our best tacklers didn’t tackle well.”
