Is the Dallas Cowboys' defense fixed? Not if you count interceptions: Cowboys Insider
by Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas , Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Jan. 6--IRVING -- The Cowboys intercepted a total of eight passes in 2008. In the words of Joe Biden, let me say that again: The Cowboys intercepted eight passes in 2008. Only the Broncos and Lions picked off fewer.
Those eight interceptions are the second-fewest total in a single season in franchise history.
Even though the Cowboys ostensibly made dramatic improvements to their secondary from '07 to '08, Greg Ellis finished with more interceptionws than Pacman Jones.
Mr. Fix-It's day-after assessment of a season gone terribly wrong was that if the Cowboys quit turning the ball over so much, that would fix a lot of the team's problems. He's right.
That's only one-half of the problem. The Cowboys, and this is the area of Wade Phillips' expertise, have to force a few of their own turnovers, too. Assuming Jerry Jones does not change his mind and fires Phillips to replace him with Mike Shanahan/Mike Holmgren/Jimmy Johnson/Bill Cowher/Bill Parcells or whomever else your heart desires, Phillips needs to do what he said his defenses would do when he was hired -- create sacks and turnovers.
This Phillips' defense created sacks -- they ranked first in the NFL with 59. But this Phillips' defense didn't create enough turnovers. Change that, and the team should improve the record, and maybe even his chances of returning for 2010 will as well.
The Cowboys ranked 30th in turnover ratio this season in the NFL at minus-11. The no-win Detroit Lions ranked ahead of the Cowboys in turnover margin. The Lions should never rank ahead of the Cowboys in anything except draft order.
If you're looking for someone to blame, point your finger at the quarterback. Tony Romo personally had 21 turnovers ... but a few of those were like punts, so no big deal.
Looking for someone else to blame? Target the defense. Logic says if your defense leads the league in sacks, all of those pressured Mannings, McNabbs and Campbells would throw more than just eight total passes they would really regret.
Imagine how pathetic this total would be had Terence Newman not returned from his injury -- he led the team with four interceptions.
The rest? Mike Jenkins had one, which resulted in the defense's only touchdown of the season. Ellis, Ken Hamlin and Anthony Henry all had one, too.
Last season, the Cowboys' defense intercepted a respectable 19 passes. But Henry's total dropped from six to one, even though he played in every game in 2008. Hamlin picked off five passes in '07.
Hamlin's total reflected a season in which his statistical production fell back to totals before his 2007 "Get Rich Free-Agency Push". Henry is just growing older.
The Cowboys had no real production from their safeties at all. Say what you will about Roy Williams, but he is better than Keith Davis, Pat Watkins, etc. Whether or not that's enough to bring Boomer Sooner Roy back is debatable. Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick will likely become solid corners who can pick off some passes. If you count on Pacman Jones to intercept passes you do so at your own risk.
There are other factors in this awful minus-11 turnover margin, too. Romo himself was a big part of the Cowboys offense turning themselves into a Football charity machine. He threw 14 interceptions, and lost seven of his 13 fumbles. Last season, Romo was picked off 19 times and lost two of his 10 fumbles.
As a team, the Cowboys fumbled 29 times, fifth most in the NFL. Their 13 lost fumbles tied for fifth.
So it's been established the Cowboys didn't just talk about the spirit of Christmas, they practiced what they believed -- giving is always better than receiving.
The offense bears the brunt of the turnover debacle that was for the Cowboys in 2008. Just don't forget the defense in this discussion, too.
In the words of Joe Biden, let me say this again, the Cowboys intercepted eight passes.
Jan. 6--IRVING -- The Cowboys intercepted a total of eight passes in 2008. In the words of Joe Biden, let me say that again: The Cowboys intercepted eight passes in 2008. Only the Broncos and Lions picked off fewer.
Those eight interceptions are the second-fewest total in a single season in franchise history.
Even though the Cowboys ostensibly made dramatic improvements to their secondary from '07 to '08, Greg Ellis finished with more interceptionws than Pacman Jones.
Mr. Fix-It's day-after assessment of a season gone terribly wrong was that if the Cowboys quit turning the ball over so much, that would fix a lot of the team's problems. He's right.
That's only one-half of the problem. The Cowboys, and this is the area of Wade Phillips' expertise, have to force a few of their own turnovers, too. Assuming Jerry Jones does not change his mind and fires Phillips to replace him with Mike Shanahan/Mike Holmgren/Jimmy Johnson/Bill Cowher/Bill Parcells or whomever else your heart desires, Phillips needs to do what he said his defenses would do when he was hired -- create sacks and turnovers.
This Phillips' defense created sacks -- they ranked first in the NFL with 59. But this Phillips' defense didn't create enough turnovers. Change that, and the team should improve the record, and maybe even his chances of returning for 2010 will as well.
The Cowboys ranked 30th in turnover ratio this season in the NFL at minus-11. The no-win Detroit Lions ranked ahead of the Cowboys in turnover margin. The Lions should never rank ahead of the Cowboys in anything except draft order.
If you're looking for someone to blame, point your finger at the quarterback. Tony Romo personally had 21 turnovers ... but a few of those were like punts, so no big deal.
Looking for someone else to blame? Target the defense. Logic says if your defense leads the league in sacks, all of those pressured Mannings, McNabbs and Campbells would throw more than just eight total passes they would really regret.
Imagine how pathetic this total would be had Terence Newman not returned from his injury -- he led the team with four interceptions.
The rest? Mike Jenkins had one, which resulted in the defense's only touchdown of the season. Ellis, Ken Hamlin and Anthony Henry all had one, too.
Last season, the Cowboys' defense intercepted a respectable 19 passes. But Henry's total dropped from six to one, even though he played in every game in 2008. Hamlin picked off five passes in '07.
Hamlin's total reflected a season in which his statistical production fell back to totals before his 2007 "Get Rich Free-Agency Push". Henry is just growing older.
The Cowboys had no real production from their safeties at all. Say what you will about Roy Williams, but he is better than Keith Davis, Pat Watkins, etc. Whether or not that's enough to bring Boomer Sooner Roy back is debatable. Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick will likely become solid corners who can pick off some passes. If you count on Pacman Jones to intercept passes you do so at your own risk.
There are other factors in this awful minus-11 turnover margin, too. Romo himself was a big part of the Cowboys offense turning themselves into a Football charity machine. He threw 14 interceptions, and lost seven of his 13 fumbles. Last season, Romo was picked off 19 times and lost two of his 10 fumbles.
As a team, the Cowboys fumbled 29 times, fifth most in the NFL. Their 13 lost fumbles tied for fifth.
So it's been established the Cowboys didn't just talk about the spirit of Christmas, they practiced what they believed -- giving is always better than receiving.
The offense bears the brunt of the turnover debacle that was for the Cowboys in 2008. Just don't forget the defense in this discussion, too.
In the words of Joe Biden, let me say this again, the Cowboys intercepted eight passes.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:48 AM
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