Can the Cowboys stop the run?
By Andy Targovnik on May 22, 2006 01:30 AM
With the drafting of Bobby Carpenter and an improved secondary, many observers feel the Dallas Cowboys will improve upon their number 11 ranking against the pass in 2005. However, their run defense is a different matter entirely.
In 2005, the Dallas Cowboys run defense ranked a very mediocre 15th in the NFL, allowing just over 108 yards a game and 4.2 yards per carry. Compare that to the teams that made it to their respective championship games: Denver, Pittsburgh, Carolina and Seattle were ranked 2nd through 5th respectively against the run.
Normally, a good way to render a 3-4 defense impotent is to run right at it. With Jason Ferguson on the downside of his career, the Dallas Cowboys need a strong presence at inside linebacker to help stifle opponents' running backs.
Returning inside linebacker Bradie James has seen his tackle totals gradually increase over the course of his three-year career, from 13 in 2003, to 46 in 2004, to 93 last year. But with the retirement of Dat Nguyen, the Cowboys have a huge void to fill to complement James.
Enter free agent acquisition Akin Ayodele, an outside linebacker from the Jacksonville Jaguars . Although Ayodele has exclusively played outside, the Cowboys signed him to play inside.
Ayodele has recorded 349 tackles in his four-year career, including 116 in 2003. Although his tackles have gone down the last two years, his numbers were still respectable considering he played outside. Now, with Carpenter added to the mix to complement DeMarcus Ware at the outside position, Bill Parcells is counting on Ayodele to stop the run.
The 2005 conference final participants were all strong in the middle. Denver had Al Wilson, Pittsburgh had Joey Porter and James Farrior(a former Parcells' first round pick with the Jets); Carolina had Dan Morgan, and Seattle had Lofa Tatupu. So the bottom line is this: You can have the best pass defense in the world, but if you let the other team ram the ball down your throat to the tune of four yards a carry, you're not going anywhere.
With the drafting of Bobby Carpenter and an improved secondary, many observers feel the Dallas Cowboys will improve upon their number 11 ranking against the pass in 2005. However, their run defense is a different matter entirely.
In 2005, the Dallas Cowboys run defense ranked a very mediocre 15th in the NFL, allowing just over 108 yards a game and 4.2 yards per carry. Compare that to the teams that made it to their respective championship games: Denver, Pittsburgh, Carolina and Seattle were ranked 2nd through 5th respectively against the run.
Normally, a good way to render a 3-4 defense impotent is to run right at it. With Jason Ferguson on the downside of his career, the Dallas Cowboys need a strong presence at inside linebacker to help stifle opponents' running backs.
Returning inside linebacker Bradie James has seen his tackle totals gradually increase over the course of his three-year career, from 13 in 2003, to 46 in 2004, to 93 last year. But with the retirement of Dat Nguyen, the Cowboys have a huge void to fill to complement James.
Enter free agent acquisition Akin Ayodele, an outside linebacker from the Jacksonville Jaguars . Although Ayodele has exclusively played outside, the Cowboys signed him to play inside.
Ayodele has recorded 349 tackles in his four-year career, including 116 in 2003. Although his tackles have gone down the last two years, his numbers were still respectable considering he played outside. Now, with Carpenter added to the mix to complement DeMarcus Ware at the outside position, Bill Parcells is counting on Ayodele to stop the run.
The 2005 conference final participants were all strong in the middle. Denver had Al Wilson, Pittsburgh had Joey Porter and James Farrior(a former Parcells' first round pick with the Jets); Carolina had Dan Morgan, and Seattle had Lofa Tatupu. So the bottom line is this: You can have the best pass defense in the world, but if you let the other team ram the ball down your throat to the tune of four yards a carry, you're not going anywhere.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:53 PM
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