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

[Smitty]

Hank and Cotton.

Schmitty is Bill.

I can see that.

Edit: Wait! Dammit! I was thinking Dale.

 

[Cotton]

I can see that.

Edit: Wait! Dammit! I was thinking Dale.

 

[L.T. Fan]

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.

Not questioning that the defense needs help from player upgrades to coaching proficiency. My initial response however is that there are players that are not playing up to their capabilities and they need to be called out. This is what S. Jones was doing and I agree. This doesn't mean that there are not several areas that are sub standard including management and coaching but the player part is equally as important.

 

[1bigfan13]

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.

He's 73. He doesn't have a lot of time but I get what you're saying.

I'd rather we move on from Kiffin's version of the Cover 2 however I'd be willing to stick it out another year if there were some serious upgrades made in the secondary and along the DL. I say that because right now the talent is so bad that I don't think we're getting an honest look at what the Cover-2 can be here in Dallas. If you stick guys like Heath and Webb in any defensive scheme they're still going to struggle because they're simply bad players. That's why I said the true curlprits for the defensive failures are sitting in suites on Sunday afternoons.

 

[UncleMilti]

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.

But what really sucks a donkey dong is that people have screamed for the Cowboys to address the shitty players along the DL and the safety position for at least 4 years now.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I'm glad some guys got called out. Should be the HC doing it, but hey.

 

[Clay_Allison]

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.

Lee isn't that small, he's just fragile. If Wilber could stick at SAM he's pretty big. The main thing is getting that DT in the middle and a better LDE than Selvie.

 

[jester]

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 too think that those who are being paid the big bucks should contribute proportionately; a return of investment in terms of win shares. Having said that if Management over paid, there is no amount of calling players out or hollerin that's gonna turn a highly paid underperforming player into a MVP.

 

[jester]

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.

Ratliff was, on paper the 3 technique interior lineman that was supposed to anchor the middle by penetrating and collapsing the pocket and stuffing the run along the way. Similar to that Matt Johnson and Barry Church were the answers at Safety. Kiffin was selected for the job because his resume along with scheme was the best fit for the personnel in place that would provide the best opportunity to win. Injuries prevented the possibility for the plan to be put in play.

But yeah, I agree with the analogy of the woodworker being given crap by Jones and then be expected to produce a better result than the sum of the parts given. That's on the GM.

 

[boozeman]

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.

I get what you are saying, but I can't excuse Kiffin for his role in the whole "meeting room is full" bullshit during the draft. He actually thought Ratliff could still play too, even though it has been clear for over two years that he isn't close to elite anymore.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Obviously we were hit abnormally hard with injuries on the defensive line and that's had a huge impact on that unit's performance. Ratliff is gone, Crawford is out, spencer is out, Bass is out. Ware missed a couple games and hasn't been right most of the season. Lee missed a couple games. Carter hasn't adjusted well. Allen was a bust. Sims has been much worse than last year. Durant has been underwhelming.

Not much mystery why we suck. Hard to plan for this many injuries, but we also made some serious miscalculations on guys we were relying duplicating their performance from last year and/or fitting in the scheme change.

Not to mention we decided to fix the defense with a scheme that peaked about a decade ago. We would probably be much better served bringing someone forward thinking with a defense molded to face modern offenses. I'd be more than happy to go back to the 3-4 even, if we found the right guy. I've said this several times but base 3-4 or 4-3 isn't that important, but who is coaching it and who is playing makes a difference.

But I'm ready to move on from kiffin, even if it is for Marinelli. His defense was working in Chicago as recently as last year.

But the reality here is that we need to find a new HC and he should bring in his own DC, which means that probably wouldn't and probably shouldn't be Marinelli.

 

[boozeman]

Obviously we were hit abnormally hard with injuries on the defensive line and that's had a huge impact on that unit's performance. Ratliff is gone, Crawford is out, spencer is out, Bass is out. Ware missed a couple games and hasn't been right most of the season. Lee missed a couple games. Carter hasn't adjusted well. Allen was a bust. Sims has been much worse than last year. Durant has been underwhelming.

Not much mystery why we suck. Hard to plan for this many injuries, but we also made some serious miscalculations on guys we were relying duplicating their performance from last year and/or fitting in the scheme change.

Not to mention we decided to fix the defense with a scheme that peaked about a decade ago. We would probably be much better served bringing someone forward thinking with a defense molded to face modern offenses. I'd be more than happy to go back to the 3-4 even, if we found the right guy. I've said this several times but base 3-4 or 4-3 isn't that important, but who is coaching it and who is playing makes a difference.

But I'm ready to move on from kiffin, even if it is for Marinelli. His defense was working in Chicago as recently as last year.

But the reality here is that we need to find a new HC and he should bring in his own DC, which means that probably wouldn't and probably shouldn't be Marinelli.

Lovie Smith. If for nothing else than to drive Schmitty batshit.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Lovie Smith. If for nothing else than to drive Schmitty batshit.

It is kind of set up for him defensively, and I guarantee we'd at least interview him just for the Rooney rule.

 

[boozeman]

This kind of statement from Goof Son makes me wonder.

What do the players he criticized think of his comments?

Honestly, I think they view him like Bill Lumburgh.

Ummmm....yeah...we are gonna need to...ummm...play better...mmkay?

 

[1bigfan13]

Not to mention we decided to fix the defense with a scheme that peaked about a decade ago. We would probably be much better served bringing someone forward thinking with a defense molded to face modern offenses.

A couple of analysts were talking about that on ESPN following Monday night's embarrassing performance. They mentioned that QBs and offensive coaches are so good now that the Cover 2 is largely outdated.

They talked about how it's very predictable in terms of where the defenders will drop into coverage and that QBs with experience can easily pick it apart.

 

[boozeman]

A couple of analysts were talking about that on ESPN following Monday night's embarrassing performance. They mentioned that QBs and offensive coaches are so good now that the Cover 2 is largely outdated.

They talked about how it's very predictable in terms of where the defenders will drop into coverage and that QBs with experience can easily pick it apart.

We are not playing a pure Cover 2 though and haven't all year, mostly.

We play a lot of man and we are still not getting the job done.

I just wish it were that simple to define.

 

[Cowboy Hank]

A coaching change will never do any good as long as Jerry Jones owns the team. Big-name coaches will want the control that JJ will never give them so we'll be stuck with another lapdog like Jason Garrett.

 

[jsmith6919]

A coaching change will never do any good as long as Jerry Jones owns the team. Big-name coaches will want the control that JJ will never give them so we'll be stuck with another lapdog like Jason Garrett.

I agree that it's more than likely we get another puppet, but I at least would like a lapdog that doesn't piss on the floor from nerves whenever a time management situation arises.

 

[Plan9Misfit]

It is kind of set up for him defensively, and I guarantee we'd at least interview him just for the Rooney rule.

You know which minority coach is the right guy to interview? David Shaw. But it'll be Lovie Smith.

 

[Clay_Allison]

You know which minority coach is the right guy to interview? David Shaw. But it'll be Lovie Smith.

I changed my mind on Smith. I want Shaw or Roman to tap into that brand new Jim Harbaugh coaching tree while a lot of the future assistant coaches are still in college.

Jimmy Johnson brought a ton of assistants up from Miami, pretty much his whole staff except Tommy Tuberville (and I wish we'd had him instead of Campo).

I want to clean house and bring in a whole new staff who are young and hungry and crazy enough to pour themselves into the job in an NFL full of lifers living off an old rep.