Analysis of things that might Kill the Cowboys in the Playoffs
By REDMUSTANG03
DCFU ANALYST
Some of the things I saw and every Cowboy fan saw on Christmas Day disappointed us and if we played like we did on Monday, obviously we will be beaten in the wild card in the playoffs. I put some things mostly on the Cowboys defense that need improvement now or were going home after one game in January.
1. The defense is allowing many third downs that keeps opponents drives alive. All I can say is just look at the last three weeks. A lot of is due to lack of defensive pressure, Garcia was able to find an open receiver because he wasn't breathed and had to complete passes, in fact the last 3 games quarterbacks were getting third down after third down conversions. Each time I saw the defense giving up third downs, their entire energy seemed to be sucked out of the life from them each time they gave up a third down. No wonder the offense has to play catch up most of the game or having such a low possession time because the defense isn't doing the job.
2. Where's the pass rush? Any football fan on Monday saw on Monday that the Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia could have taken a nap with the pressure he was getting. No player other than Demarcus Ware is even worth mentioning as playing good or getting to the quarterback. That's one of the main reasons why the last three times are converting third downs, they are not getting any pressure. I think for next year the Cowboys need to go get themselves a free agent defensive end because Canty and Spears are playing horrible. Canty is playing too high of positioning on running and passing plays, Jason Ferguson is a run stopper not a pass rusher, and Spears is not even worth mentioning as a pass rusher. If they can get themselves a decent defensive end in the free agent market and a true nose tackle in the college draft, compiling that with Greg Ellis' return then we can be unstoppable in getting pressure. Like I said before losing Greg Ellis was huge because he was double teamed most of the time allowing DeMarcus Ware to get free or single blocked to get pressure on the quarterback.
3. The Safety Blitz. Many of these safety blitzes by Roy Williams or a double safety blitzes are not working at all. They either come in too quickly and the quarterback audibles out or even if they safety does blitz doesn't get pressure at all. This is playing Russian Roulette because there is no safety covering the middle and all a smart QB has to do is throw a screen in the middle of the field or a pass down the middle. Garcia did that and LJ Smith ran for a big gain on that pass.
4. Sooner or Later the Cowboys will need to open their bag of tricks. When you are down and back into a corner the team who wants to win will open there bag of tricks. The Cowboys have not done that lately, but when the playoffs come and there either tied late or down 3 or 4 they will have to do these plays to win: Flea Flicker, Double Pass, Half back pass, Reverse, Double Reverse, Fake Punt, Fake Field Goal. Sooner or later there going have to do those plays when it really matters in the playoffs in order to advance.
Most of these troubles the last few games is coming from the defense. Their not getting a pass rush, their getting beat deep, their giving up too many third down conversions, and the offense is bailing them out too many times i.e. Falcons game and Giants game. For a team to be a Super Bowl winner, you have to have a good offense. The Cowboys have that, now the defense needs to step up. As the saying goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships".
DCFU ANALYST
Some of the things I saw and every Cowboy fan saw on Christmas Day disappointed us and if we played like we did on Monday, obviously we will be beaten in the wild card in the playoffs. I put some things mostly on the Cowboys defense that need improvement now or were going home after one game in January.
1. The defense is allowing many third downs that keeps opponents drives alive. All I can say is just look at the last three weeks. A lot of is due to lack of defensive pressure, Garcia was able to find an open receiver because he wasn't breathed and had to complete passes, in fact the last 3 games quarterbacks were getting third down after third down conversions. Each time I saw the defense giving up third downs, their entire energy seemed to be sucked out of the life from them each time they gave up a third down. No wonder the offense has to play catch up most of the game or having such a low possession time because the defense isn't doing the job.
2. Where's the pass rush? Any football fan on Monday saw on Monday that the Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia could have taken a nap with the pressure he was getting. No player other than Demarcus Ware is even worth mentioning as playing good or getting to the quarterback. That's one of the main reasons why the last three times are converting third downs, they are not getting any pressure. I think for next year the Cowboys need to go get themselves a free agent defensive end because Canty and Spears are playing horrible. Canty is playing too high of positioning on running and passing plays, Jason Ferguson is a run stopper not a pass rusher, and Spears is not even worth mentioning as a pass rusher. If they can get themselves a decent defensive end in the free agent market and a true nose tackle in the college draft, compiling that with Greg Ellis' return then we can be unstoppable in getting pressure. Like I said before losing Greg Ellis was huge because he was double teamed most of the time allowing DeMarcus Ware to get free or single blocked to get pressure on the quarterback.
3. The Safety Blitz. Many of these safety blitzes by Roy Williams or a double safety blitzes are not working at all. They either come in too quickly and the quarterback audibles out or even if they safety does blitz doesn't get pressure at all. This is playing Russian Roulette because there is no safety covering the middle and all a smart QB has to do is throw a screen in the middle of the field or a pass down the middle. Garcia did that and LJ Smith ran for a big gain on that pass.
4. Sooner or Later the Cowboys will need to open their bag of tricks. When you are down and back into a corner the team who wants to win will open there bag of tricks. The Cowboys have not done that lately, but when the playoffs come and there either tied late or down 3 or 4 they will have to do these plays to win: Flea Flicker, Double Pass, Half back pass, Reverse, Double Reverse, Fake Punt, Fake Field Goal. Sooner or later there going have to do those plays when it really matters in the playoffs in order to advance.
Most of these troubles the last few games is coming from the defense. Their not getting a pass rush, their getting beat deep, their giving up too many third down conversions, and the offense is bailing them out too many times i.e. Falcons game and Giants game. For a team to be a Super Bowl winner, you have to have a good offense. The Cowboys have that, now the defense needs to step up. As the saying goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships".
posted by The Gryphon at 10:33 PM
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