No defending stat darlings
JENNIFER FLOYD ENGEL
In My Opinion
IRVING -- Coach Tuna loves making points with props, from dangling yo-yos representing consistency to hanging mousetraps before a "trap" game.
May I suggest an iPod for Monday night?
Stream a little Under Pressure by David Bowie/Queen into his locker room because pressure is the theme of the day in Cowboys Land.
How much of it will Giants troublemakers Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora apply to Drew Bledsoe? How much of it is on Bledsoe to acquit himself satisfactorily under it? And most importantly, how much of it is on the Cowboys to win this game?
A lot, a lot and more than that are the answers.
Not to apply additional, well, you get the picture, but why is this defense escaping scrutiny? Why is there not more pressure on the pressure?
Or actually lack thereof from the Cowboys.
This Cowboys' defense was supposed to be nasty, game-changing, dominant. Whispers of Doomsday III were even heard during training camp and preseason.
Please excuse the Bob Lillys, Harvey Martins, Randy Whites, et al, while they chuckle. Or I'll chuckle for them, if they are too polite.
Doomsday I and II were havoc wreakers, just ask Craig Morton. This group is a bunch of stat darlings.
Do not start whining about this Cowboys defense ranking sixth in the NFL either. As my esteemed colleague Mr. Randy often preaches, watch the damn game.
The defense is not the sixth-best anything. Certainly not in areas that matter, such as applying pressure. They are "average" and hoping for "pretty good."
This is not merely my opinion. This is Bill Parcells'. And this is simply not good enough, not if the Cowboys plan to be anything besides 8-8 or 9-7, with fingers crossed for a wild-card spot.
The reasons me, myself and others thought the Cowboys might be a legit NFC contender were coach Mike Zimmer and his defense.
He had DeMarcus Ware in Year 2. He had rejuvenated Greg Ellis. He had two nasty, shutdown cornerbacks. He had a hard-hitting safety. He had enough ingredients to believe this defense had "special" potential.
The Cowboys still might. They certainly lack excuses if they don't.
Year after year after year, the Cowboys use the draft like a build-a-defense project. In fact, the Cowboys have not used a first-round pick on an offensive player since 1997.
And what does Ellis plus Eb Ekuban plus Roy Williams plus Terence Newman plus Ware plus Marcus Spears plus Bobby Carpenter equal? Not nearly as much as it should.
They are tied for 14th in the NFL in sacks and 15th in turnovers forced.
The ugliest number is zero, as in number of sacks on Texans QB David Carr. It was only the seventh time in his 65-game career that he did not eat turf.
The Cowboys attributed this to short drops and no rollouts. These are also what are known as excuses. Dominant defenses do not need them, especially against Carr.
And it is about time somebody puts pressure on this Cowboys defense to be dominant rather than pretty good.
Because the Cowboys can be pretty good on defense and mix in drafting a quarterback in the first round once in a blue moon. They can be pretty good without drafting scout-team linebacking depth from Ohio State in the first round. They can be pretty good and be 8-8.
The pressure should be on the 'D' to be something more.
In My Opinion
IRVING -- Coach Tuna loves making points with props, from dangling yo-yos representing consistency to hanging mousetraps before a "trap" game.
May I suggest an iPod for Monday night?
Stream a little Under Pressure by David Bowie/Queen into his locker room because pressure is the theme of the day in Cowboys Land.
How much of it will Giants troublemakers Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora apply to Drew Bledsoe? How much of it is on Bledsoe to acquit himself satisfactorily under it? And most importantly, how much of it is on the Cowboys to win this game?
A lot, a lot and more than that are the answers.
Not to apply additional, well, you get the picture, but why is this defense escaping scrutiny? Why is there not more pressure on the pressure?
Or actually lack thereof from the Cowboys.
This Cowboys' defense was supposed to be nasty, game-changing, dominant. Whispers of Doomsday III were even heard during training camp and preseason.
Please excuse the Bob Lillys, Harvey Martins, Randy Whites, et al, while they chuckle. Or I'll chuckle for them, if they are too polite.
Doomsday I and II were havoc wreakers, just ask Craig Morton. This group is a bunch of stat darlings.
Do not start whining about this Cowboys defense ranking sixth in the NFL either. As my esteemed colleague Mr. Randy often preaches, watch the damn game.
The defense is not the sixth-best anything. Certainly not in areas that matter, such as applying pressure. They are "average" and hoping for "pretty good."
This is not merely my opinion. This is Bill Parcells'. And this is simply not good enough, not if the Cowboys plan to be anything besides 8-8 or 9-7, with fingers crossed for a wild-card spot.
The reasons me, myself and others thought the Cowboys might be a legit NFC contender were coach Mike Zimmer and his defense.
He had DeMarcus Ware in Year 2. He had rejuvenated Greg Ellis. He had two nasty, shutdown cornerbacks. He had a hard-hitting safety. He had enough ingredients to believe this defense had "special" potential.
The Cowboys still might. They certainly lack excuses if they don't.
Year after year after year, the Cowboys use the draft like a build-a-defense project. In fact, the Cowboys have not used a first-round pick on an offensive player since 1997.
And what does Ellis plus Eb Ekuban plus Roy Williams plus Terence Newman plus Ware plus Marcus Spears plus Bobby Carpenter equal? Not nearly as much as it should.
They are tied for 14th in the NFL in sacks and 15th in turnovers forced.
The ugliest number is zero, as in number of sacks on Texans QB David Carr. It was only the seventh time in his 65-game career that he did not eat turf.
The Cowboys attributed this to short drops and no rollouts. These are also what are known as excuses. Dominant defenses do not need them, especially against Carr.
And it is about time somebody puts pressure on this Cowboys defense to be dominant rather than pretty good.
Because the Cowboys can be pretty good on defense and mix in drafting a quarterback in the first round once in a blue moon. They can be pretty good without drafting scout-team linebacking depth from Ohio State in the first round. They can be pretty good and be 8-8.
The pressure should be on the 'D' to be something more.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:32 AM
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