dbair1967
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It was bad under Rob Ryan. It was horrible under Monte Kiffin. Mike Nolan's season was statistically the worst in franchise history.
But if Matt Eberflus is allowed to coach all 17 games this yr, we will probably surpass the decrepit season Nolan had and create a new level of ineptitude and futility. Some of the stat facts about this defense are just becoming comical. Sure they don't have great players all over this defense, but the scheme is so bad that I actually think if you gave them the best 11 players in the league at their positions we'd still struggle to be average. It's THAT bad.
1) I normally start with Prescott for a couple reasons. Over the years he has clearly not played to the level of his paycheck, especially in games that matter and the other is because QB is the most important position. Unfortunately for him with this defense, he will probably never play in a game that really matters ever again. I don't think he's been perfect, but he has been damn good. Maybe the best he has ever been, and it's being wasted. Even with TONS of injuries and missing their best player for the last 3 games, he's been lights out. His footwork appears much better to me and he is throwing the ball pretty well in the intermediate areas of the field. Schottenheimer, Adams and Dorsey have definitely made a positive impact on him.
2) Wasted effort from George Pickens, who has had a sensational season so far. On pace for 91 receptions, nearly 1500 yds and 6 tds. Awesome game for him yesterday and he has been one of the best football moves the Jones-tards have made in the last 3 decades. Lamb will hopefully be back this week or next week and opposing teams will truly have a major conundrum with how to defend our offense. Until yesterday the running game had been really good every week, it should be close to unstoppable once Lamb gets on the field with Pickens.
3) Was not a good game for the OL. The run blocking against a mediocre Carolina defense was atrocious. We managed a paltry 31 yds on 19 carries. Jevonte Williams managed 2.2 yds per carry. Then even the pass blocking fell apart in the 4th qtr. After we got 1st and goal on that last FG drive there wasn't a single play that was pass blocked well. Guyton appeared to have a poor game and Tyler Smith should have probably been held out, he didnt look right to me either. Bass struggled after playing well the last few games. Steele was his usual poor self in pass protection. Was really surprised Nathan Thomas was not put into the game at either LT or RT.
4) This defense is beyond pathetic. For the 5th time in 6 games the opposing team scored on their opening drive. 4 of those 5 games the opponent had a 10+ play drive to score. Ironically only the Bears game did the Cowboys get off the field on the opening drive, and then proceeded to embarrass themselves the rest of the game. Dallas' pass coverage is epic bad. For the SEASON they have 11 passes defensed. Two of those were Donovon Wilson ints that he really had nothing to do with. (Russell Wilson brain fart throw in OT and yesterday's pick was a perfect pass right off the hands of a wide open WR). For comparison, DJ Turner of the Bengals has 11 (yes ELEVEN) passes defensed BY HIMSELF. They are tied for 30th in the league in interceptions (2). 27th in sacks with 11 (and two of those weren't even real sacks, one Wilson threw a ball backwards that was ruled a fumble and on another the QB fell down). The Cowboys are dead last in QB rating allowed (horrendous 117.0), dead last in yds per attempt allowed and dead last in TD passes allowed (most of which have been guys wide open from busted coverages). They're also near the bottom (29th) in comp % allowed.
5) Every QB they have played has either had their career best game or best game of this season. EVERY one of them. And several of them arnt even any good (Wilson has been benched forever, Caleb Williams sucks, Fields is lousy and Young has been one of the worst players in the league since entering it). They now have to face the following guys the rest of the year- Daniels (twice), Murray (maybe, he's hurt), Hurts again, Mahomes, Goff, whomever the Vikes start, Herbert and then finish the yr against a guy that looks like a potentially excellent prospect in Jaxson Dart. Eberflus' defense is going to set every record possible for pass defense futility.
6) The above has to lead to a firing of Eberflus, the question is only when not if at this point. They can't stop anything now (run or pass) and the scheme itself looks so pathetically flawed that I doubt any amount of talent influx is going to change much of anything. The problem is what do they do when they fire him? It's his playbook and scheme, they really can't find someone from outside now and install a new scheme. Only ST Coach Nick Sorensen has prior DC experience on the staff and his one yr was horrible in SF (2024) and he was shitcanned immediately after the season. They appear to be truly fucked here.
7) At a minimum yesterday's shitpile performance has to lead to some benchings. Defensively its past time to get Murray off the field but the LB spot overall is horrendous. Fowler and Sam Williams are both terrible v the run. Wilson even with the lucky pick was arguably the worst player on the field yesterday for either team (again). Diggs has no interest in tackling and he does not fit this zone scheme Eberflus wants to use (neither does Bland for that matter). They finally benched Mazi again and the rookie who replaced him was beyond horrible. They may need to consider putting Nathan Thomas back in the lineup as he appears to be better than both the guys starting. Booker may be back this week (or at last for the Cards game) so he will help.
8) I think many people covering the team and the league in general expect the Cowboys to shop for help at or before the trade deadline, but if Eberflus is going to remain in place I don't see what good it would do. Unless whomever they acquire is going to be part of the long term plans they should just hold onto their picks and maybe try to move a couple guys we don't need for whatever they can get.
Demoralizing loss and its hard to see any scenario where they can beat the Foreskins this week, who legitimately might score 40-50 on them. Our offense is under immense pressure to not only score virtually every time they have the ball but they also have to do it by hogging the ball and sustaining long time consuming drives. Normally when you have two of three phases of the game that you are superior in you win, but this defense is so bad that it cancels out the offense and special teams advantages we have. Gonna be a long, frustrating season.
But if Matt Eberflus is allowed to coach all 17 games this yr, we will probably surpass the decrepit season Nolan had and create a new level of ineptitude and futility. Some of the stat facts about this defense are just becoming comical. Sure they don't have great players all over this defense, but the scheme is so bad that I actually think if you gave them the best 11 players in the league at their positions we'd still struggle to be average. It's THAT bad.
1) I normally start with Prescott for a couple reasons. Over the years he has clearly not played to the level of his paycheck, especially in games that matter and the other is because QB is the most important position. Unfortunately for him with this defense, he will probably never play in a game that really matters ever again. I don't think he's been perfect, but he has been damn good. Maybe the best he has ever been, and it's being wasted. Even with TONS of injuries and missing their best player for the last 3 games, he's been lights out. His footwork appears much better to me and he is throwing the ball pretty well in the intermediate areas of the field. Schottenheimer, Adams and Dorsey have definitely made a positive impact on him.
2) Wasted effort from George Pickens, who has had a sensational season so far. On pace for 91 receptions, nearly 1500 yds and 6 tds. Awesome game for him yesterday and he has been one of the best football moves the Jones-tards have made in the last 3 decades. Lamb will hopefully be back this week or next week and opposing teams will truly have a major conundrum with how to defend our offense. Until yesterday the running game had been really good every week, it should be close to unstoppable once Lamb gets on the field with Pickens.
3) Was not a good game for the OL. The run blocking against a mediocre Carolina defense was atrocious. We managed a paltry 31 yds on 19 carries. Jevonte Williams managed 2.2 yds per carry. Then even the pass blocking fell apart in the 4th qtr. After we got 1st and goal on that last FG drive there wasn't a single play that was pass blocked well. Guyton appeared to have a poor game and Tyler Smith should have probably been held out, he didnt look right to me either. Bass struggled after playing well the last few games. Steele was his usual poor self in pass protection. Was really surprised Nathan Thomas was not put into the game at either LT or RT.
4) This defense is beyond pathetic. For the 5th time in 6 games the opposing team scored on their opening drive. 4 of those 5 games the opponent had a 10+ play drive to score. Ironically only the Bears game did the Cowboys get off the field on the opening drive, and then proceeded to embarrass themselves the rest of the game. Dallas' pass coverage is epic bad. For the SEASON they have 11 passes defensed. Two of those were Donovon Wilson ints that he really had nothing to do with. (Russell Wilson brain fart throw in OT and yesterday's pick was a perfect pass right off the hands of a wide open WR). For comparison, DJ Turner of the Bengals has 11 (yes ELEVEN) passes defensed BY HIMSELF. They are tied for 30th in the league in interceptions (2). 27th in sacks with 11 (and two of those weren't even real sacks, one Wilson threw a ball backwards that was ruled a fumble and on another the QB fell down). The Cowboys are dead last in QB rating allowed (horrendous 117.0), dead last in yds per attempt allowed and dead last in TD passes allowed (most of which have been guys wide open from busted coverages). They're also near the bottom (29th) in comp % allowed.
5) Every QB they have played has either had their career best game or best game of this season. EVERY one of them. And several of them arnt even any good (Wilson has been benched forever, Caleb Williams sucks, Fields is lousy and Young has been one of the worst players in the league since entering it). They now have to face the following guys the rest of the year- Daniels (twice), Murray (maybe, he's hurt), Hurts again, Mahomes, Goff, whomever the Vikes start, Herbert and then finish the yr against a guy that looks like a potentially excellent prospect in Jaxson Dart. Eberflus' defense is going to set every record possible for pass defense futility.
6) The above has to lead to a firing of Eberflus, the question is only when not if at this point. They can't stop anything now (run or pass) and the scheme itself looks so pathetically flawed that I doubt any amount of talent influx is going to change much of anything. The problem is what do they do when they fire him? It's his playbook and scheme, they really can't find someone from outside now and install a new scheme. Only ST Coach Nick Sorensen has prior DC experience on the staff and his one yr was horrible in SF (2024) and he was shitcanned immediately after the season. They appear to be truly fucked here.
7) At a minimum yesterday's shitpile performance has to lead to some benchings. Defensively its past time to get Murray off the field but the LB spot overall is horrendous. Fowler and Sam Williams are both terrible v the run. Wilson even with the lucky pick was arguably the worst player on the field yesterday for either team (again). Diggs has no interest in tackling and he does not fit this zone scheme Eberflus wants to use (neither does Bland for that matter). They finally benched Mazi again and the rookie who replaced him was beyond horrible. They may need to consider putting Nathan Thomas back in the lineup as he appears to be better than both the guys starting. Booker may be back this week (or at last for the Cards game) so he will help.
8) I think many people covering the team and the league in general expect the Cowboys to shop for help at or before the trade deadline, but if Eberflus is going to remain in place I don't see what good it would do. Unless whomever they acquire is going to be part of the long term plans they should just hold onto their picks and maybe try to move a couple guys we don't need for whatever they can get.
Demoralizing loss and its hard to see any scenario where they can beat the Foreskins this week, who legitimately might score 40-50 on them. Our offense is under immense pressure to not only score virtually every time they have the ball but they also have to do it by hogging the ball and sustaining long time consuming drives. Normally when you have two of three phases of the game that you are superior in you win, but this defense is so bad that it cancels out the offense and special teams advantages we have. Gonna be a long, frustrating season.
