DMN Blog: Cowboys' D didn't force many bad decisions
by Tim MacMahon
ESPN.com football geek KC Joyner did what must have been a tremendously time-consuming study to come up with a bad decision metric for defenses. He basically studies every single passing play and determines how often each defense forced the opponent to make a bad decision.
That's something the Cowboys didn't do very often at all last season. Their forced bad decision percentage (2.55) ranked 26th in the league, which is surprising considering their status as a top-10 defense with two Pro Bowl pass rushers.
Part of their problem is the numbers say they don't disguise their coverages very well. Only two of Dallas' 15 forced bad decisions came as a result of the opposing quarterback not seeing a defender in the passing lane, a total that left the Boys tied for 23rd in the league. This may be a direct result of Wade Phillips' credo of always rushing four or five players and not leaving many defenders in areas to bait passers into making mistakes.
As an official Wade Phillips apologist, let me also point out that personnel limited his creativity last season, particularly at cornerback. Jacques Reeves, a guy the Cowboys weren't comfortable with as a nickel corner, spent much of the season as a starter because of injuries to Terence Newman and Anthony Henry.
The Cowboys made cornerback their top offseason priority, trading for Pacman Jones and drafting Mike Jenkins in the first round and Orlando Scandrick in the fifth round. The upgrade at that position, especially if Pacman is cleared to play, ought to result in a few more mistakes by opposing offenses.
ESPN.com football geek KC Joyner did what must have been a tremendously time-consuming study to come up with a bad decision metric for defenses. He basically studies every single passing play and determines how often each defense forced the opponent to make a bad decision.
That's something the Cowboys didn't do very often at all last season. Their forced bad decision percentage (2.55) ranked 26th in the league, which is surprising considering their status as a top-10 defense with two Pro Bowl pass rushers.
Part of their problem is the numbers say they don't disguise their coverages very well. Only two of Dallas' 15 forced bad decisions came as a result of the opposing quarterback not seeing a defender in the passing lane, a total that left the Boys tied for 23rd in the league. This may be a direct result of Wade Phillips' credo of always rushing four or five players and not leaving many defenders in areas to bait passers into making mistakes.
As an official Wade Phillips apologist, let me also point out that personnel limited his creativity last season, particularly at cornerback. Jacques Reeves, a guy the Cowboys weren't comfortable with as a nickel corner, spent much of the season as a starter because of injuries to Terence Newman and Anthony Henry.
The Cowboys made cornerback their top offseason priority, trading for Pacman Jones and drafting Mike Jenkins in the first round and Orlando Scandrick in the fifth round. The upgrade at that position, especially if Pacman is cleared to play, ought to result in a few more mistakes by opposing offenses.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:05 PM
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