Winning all that matters to defense
A liberal dose
December 14, 2007
IRVING -- Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart proudly proclaimed in training camp that the Cowboys had the potential to be the best defense in the league.
He has since backed off that statement and -- in light of his unit's performance against Detroit -- one might say with good reason.
But what's most important to Stewart is that the Cowboys' defense is 12-1, same as the team's explosive offense, and is two wins from clinching home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
With the Cowboys looking like the front-runner to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, Stewart would like an opportunity to revisit his preseason statement.
'If you win the Super Bowl, if you are the defense of the Super Bowl team, you are the best defense in the league,' Stewart said. 'Something like that, you don't know until it's all said and done. In March, we can say this is where we ended up.'
As of now, all Stewart knows is that the Cowboys' defense is playing well enough to win.
Never mind that the defense gave up 747 yards combined against Green Bay and Detroit the past two games -- the most since an injury-depleted unit gave up 772 in the first two games against the New York Giants and Miami.
Never mind that the 390 yards, including a season-high 152 on the ground, the Cowboys allowed to the Lions revived memories of last season's December implosion, in which the defense was gashed for 2,096 yards in five games, 419 yards a game.
To a man, the Cowboys say there is no comparing last season to this season.
Unlike in 2006 -- when the Cowboys went 2-3 in those five games and took no momentum into the playoffs -- this defense is riding a seven-game winning streak.
Against Detroit, the defense came up with big stops in the fourth quarter to set up the comeback victory. The Lions rushed for 63 yards on four carries on their first drive and just 89 on 28 carries the rest of the game.
The Lions totaled 85 yards and no points in the fourth quarter. And after a fumble by tight end Jason Witten at the Detroit 1, the defense gave the ball back to the offense for the game-winning drive.
In essence, it played well enough to win.
So says head coach Wade Phillips, who points to the team's franchise-best 12-1 start when asked about any perceived weaknesses.
It carries down to Stewart.
'You've got to play well enough to win, then you can call it whatever level you want to call it,' he said. 'You can only say you are at a Super Bowl level when you are at the Super Bowl. Right now, we are at a 12-1 level. We are playing well enough to win.'
And safety Roy Williams chimes in.
'We are winning,' Williams said. 'What is the main goal? To win. We are playing good enough to win.
'We have things to work on and we are working on them every week. All I know is we keep walking off with a win.'
Added linebacker Bradie James: 'I am not going to sit here and apologize for winning. Because that is what we have done. We are going to win. You can't say if you don't get all your defensive goals, you are not being successful. Sometimes that is not going to happen. But you have to win and we have done that.'
The Cowboys are not in denial about their performances of late; they just choose to take a big-picture approach.
But make no mistake, they are busy trying to correct their shortcomings in the Lions game.
Williams facetiously took responsibility for the run woes.
'We have things to work on,' Williams said. 'We got gashed on the ground, maybe one or two players were out of position. OK, I was out of position. Let's put it on me. I gave up a touchdown and a couple of big runs. So sue me.'
That's not going to happen. But do look for a more focused defense to take the field against Philadelphia on Sunday. The Cowboys expect the Eagles to follow the Lions' blueprint and try to run the ball. Considering that Brian Westbrook rushed for 116 yards against the Giants last week and is the focal point of the Philly attack, it makes sense.
'Philly is going to try to do the same things,' James said. 'We are going to be ready.'
Linebacker Akin Ayodele agreed, saying it's not just about the Eagles. It's about getting the defense back to playing to the best of its ability heading into the playoffs.
'We are a very prideful defense,' Ayodele said. 'We have to go back to where we started the season and be a stingy defense, because you want to play your best defense late in the year. Each game means more now.'
December 14, 2007
IRVING -- Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart proudly proclaimed in training camp that the Cowboys had the potential to be the best defense in the league.
He has since backed off that statement and -- in light of his unit's performance against Detroit -- one might say with good reason.
But what's most important to Stewart is that the Cowboys' defense is 12-1, same as the team's explosive offense, and is two wins from clinching home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
With the Cowboys looking like the front-runner to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, Stewart would like an opportunity to revisit his preseason statement.
'If you win the Super Bowl, if you are the defense of the Super Bowl team, you are the best defense in the league,' Stewart said. 'Something like that, you don't know until it's all said and done. In March, we can say this is where we ended up.'
As of now, all Stewart knows is that the Cowboys' defense is playing well enough to win.
Never mind that the defense gave up 747 yards combined against Green Bay and Detroit the past two games -- the most since an injury-depleted unit gave up 772 in the first two games against the New York Giants and Miami.
Never mind that the 390 yards, including a season-high 152 on the ground, the Cowboys allowed to the Lions revived memories of last season's December implosion, in which the defense was gashed for 2,096 yards in five games, 419 yards a game.
To a man, the Cowboys say there is no comparing last season to this season.
Unlike in 2006 -- when the Cowboys went 2-3 in those five games and took no momentum into the playoffs -- this defense is riding a seven-game winning streak.
Against Detroit, the defense came up with big stops in the fourth quarter to set up the comeback victory. The Lions rushed for 63 yards on four carries on their first drive and just 89 on 28 carries the rest of the game.
The Lions totaled 85 yards and no points in the fourth quarter. And after a fumble by tight end Jason Witten at the Detroit 1, the defense gave the ball back to the offense for the game-winning drive.
In essence, it played well enough to win.
So says head coach Wade Phillips, who points to the team's franchise-best 12-1 start when asked about any perceived weaknesses.
It carries down to Stewart.
'You've got to play well enough to win, then you can call it whatever level you want to call it,' he said. 'You can only say you are at a Super Bowl level when you are at the Super Bowl. Right now, we are at a 12-1 level. We are playing well enough to win.'
And safety Roy Williams chimes in.
'We are winning,' Williams said. 'What is the main goal? To win. We are playing good enough to win.
'We have things to work on and we are working on them every week. All I know is we keep walking off with a win.'
Added linebacker Bradie James: 'I am not going to sit here and apologize for winning. Because that is what we have done. We are going to win. You can't say if you don't get all your defensive goals, you are not being successful. Sometimes that is not going to happen. But you have to win and we have done that.'
The Cowboys are not in denial about their performances of late; they just choose to take a big-picture approach.
But make no mistake, they are busy trying to correct their shortcomings in the Lions game.
Williams facetiously took responsibility for the run woes.
'We have things to work on,' Williams said. 'We got gashed on the ground, maybe one or two players were out of position. OK, I was out of position. Let's put it on me. I gave up a touchdown and a couple of big runs. So sue me.'
That's not going to happen. But do look for a more focused defense to take the field against Philadelphia on Sunday. The Cowboys expect the Eagles to follow the Lions' blueprint and try to run the ball. Considering that Brian Westbrook rushed for 116 yards against the Giants last week and is the focal point of the Philly attack, it makes sense.
'Philly is going to try to do the same things,' James said. 'We are going to be ready.'
Linebacker Akin Ayodele agreed, saying it's not just about the Eagles. It's about getting the defense back to playing to the best of its ability heading into the playoffs.
'We are a very prideful defense,' Ayodele said. 'We have to go back to where we started the season and be a stingy defense, because you want to play your best defense late in the year. Each game means more now.'
posted by The Gryphon at 8:47 AM
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