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Cowboys' fate could rest on their 'rush men'
Rick Gosselin
Published: 20 December 2014 03:47 PM
Updated: 21 December 2014 12:10 AM
ARLINGTON — Most NFL teams call them defensive linemen.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli prefers to call them his “rush men.”
Those rush men form the backbone of the Tampa 2 defensive scheme employed by the Cowboys. The front four need to apply the pressure on quarterbacks, allowing the back seven to focus on becoming ballhawks. That’s the blueprint for success.
But Marinelli’s rush men have struggled this season. The Cowboys have the fifth fewest sacks in the NFL at 23, and Marinelli’s rush men have only 18 of those. Houston’s J.J. Watt has 161/2 all by himself this season.
The Cowboys did have a season-high four sacks last week, but that was with Mark Sanchez stumbling around the Philadelphia pocket. Andrew Luck is no Mark Sanchez.
And that’s the challenge facing the Cowboys Sunday. If ever the pass rush needs to show up this season, the time is now against Luck and the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts because a victory could clinch the NFC East.
If the Cowboys allow Luck to stand in the pocket and throw, their hold on the NFC East lead becomes tenuous.
Luck leads the NFL with 4,492 yards passing and 38 touchdowns this season. The Cowboys rank 23rd in the NFL in pass defense with the likes of Austin Davis and Jay Cutler lighting them up for 300-yard games.
The Colts are 10-4 with an average defense and an average rushing attack. What they have is the golden right arm of Luck, who has as many 300-yard passing games this season as the entire AFC West (10) and more than the AFC East (nine). Peyton Manning, by the way, plays in the AFC West and Tom Brady in the AFC East.
Which brings us back to the pass rush.
Indianapolis has lost four times this season. It’s been the defenses that brought the heat up front that have toppled Luck and the Colts — Denver, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New England.
The Eagles rank second in the NFL in sacks, the Broncos rank sixth and the Patriots 10th. The Steelers have historically been a terrific pass rush in Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 scheme and had a terrific day against Luck with two sacks, eight hurries, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
The Broncos sacked Luck three times, hurried him on six other dropbacks and intercepted two passes. A few weeks back, Jacksonville sacked Luck five times and forced four fumbles. But the Jaguars lacked any offense to capitalize on Luck’s struggles that day.
Make Luck uncomfortable in the pocket and he can make life comfortable for a defense. He leads the NFL with 12 fumbles, and his 14 interceptions are third-most in the league.
Luck has some escape-ability. He ranks eighth among NFL quarterbacks with 268 rushing yards and three touchdowns. But you want Luck to run the football. You want to leave the front door open and encourage him to go. The more he runs, the less he throws — and he’s not going to beat you with his legs. His longest run this season is only 20 yards.
But if you allow Luck to throw, big plays happen. He’s had six touchdown passes longer than 50 yards this season. His average TD pass has covered 22.2 yards. By comparison, Aaron Rodgers is at 21.3, Tony Romo 19.3, Manning 18.5 and Brady 17.0.
So … where’s the rush going to come from Sunday?
Henry Melton and Jeremy Mincey share the team lead with five sacks apiece. That puts them in a tie for 53rd place in the NFL in sacks. Tyrone Crawford also has three sacks, George Selvie two and Anthony Spencer and Kyle Wilber a half a sack apiece.
It sure would be nice to mix a Harvey Martin or a Charles Haley in there. But that’s not the hand Marinelli has been dealt this season.
If Crawford has an A-game, he needs to bring it Sunday. The same with Melton, Mincey and Selvie.
The Cowboys are going to need it from their “rush men.” Their playoff fate may depend on it.
Rick Gosselin
Published: 20 December 2014 03:47 PM
Updated: 21 December 2014 12:10 AM
ARLINGTON — Most NFL teams call them defensive linemen.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli prefers to call them his “rush men.”
Those rush men form the backbone of the Tampa 2 defensive scheme employed by the Cowboys. The front four need to apply the pressure on quarterbacks, allowing the back seven to focus on becoming ballhawks. That’s the blueprint for success.
But Marinelli’s rush men have struggled this season. The Cowboys have the fifth fewest sacks in the NFL at 23, and Marinelli’s rush men have only 18 of those. Houston’s J.J. Watt has 161/2 all by himself this season.
The Cowboys did have a season-high four sacks last week, but that was with Mark Sanchez stumbling around the Philadelphia pocket. Andrew Luck is no Mark Sanchez.
And that’s the challenge facing the Cowboys Sunday. If ever the pass rush needs to show up this season, the time is now against Luck and the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts because a victory could clinch the NFC East.
If the Cowboys allow Luck to stand in the pocket and throw, their hold on the NFC East lead becomes tenuous.
Luck leads the NFL with 4,492 yards passing and 38 touchdowns this season. The Cowboys rank 23rd in the NFL in pass defense with the likes of Austin Davis and Jay Cutler lighting them up for 300-yard games.
The Colts are 10-4 with an average defense and an average rushing attack. What they have is the golden right arm of Luck, who has as many 300-yard passing games this season as the entire AFC West (10) and more than the AFC East (nine). Peyton Manning, by the way, plays in the AFC West and Tom Brady in the AFC East.
Which brings us back to the pass rush.
Indianapolis has lost four times this season. It’s been the defenses that brought the heat up front that have toppled Luck and the Colts — Denver, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New England.
The Eagles rank second in the NFL in sacks, the Broncos rank sixth and the Patriots 10th. The Steelers have historically been a terrific pass rush in Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 scheme and had a terrific day against Luck with two sacks, eight hurries, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
The Broncos sacked Luck three times, hurried him on six other dropbacks and intercepted two passes. A few weeks back, Jacksonville sacked Luck five times and forced four fumbles. But the Jaguars lacked any offense to capitalize on Luck’s struggles that day.
Make Luck uncomfortable in the pocket and he can make life comfortable for a defense. He leads the NFL with 12 fumbles, and his 14 interceptions are third-most in the league.
Luck has some escape-ability. He ranks eighth among NFL quarterbacks with 268 rushing yards and three touchdowns. But you want Luck to run the football. You want to leave the front door open and encourage him to go. The more he runs, the less he throws — and he’s not going to beat you with his legs. His longest run this season is only 20 yards.
But if you allow Luck to throw, big plays happen. He’s had six touchdown passes longer than 50 yards this season. His average TD pass has covered 22.2 yards. By comparison, Aaron Rodgers is at 21.3, Tony Romo 19.3, Manning 18.5 and Brady 17.0.
So … where’s the rush going to come from Sunday?
Henry Melton and Jeremy Mincey share the team lead with five sacks apiece. That puts them in a tie for 53rd place in the NFL in sacks. Tyrone Crawford also has three sacks, George Selvie two and Anthony Spencer and Kyle Wilber a half a sack apiece.
It sure would be nice to mix a Harvey Martin or a Charles Haley in there. But that’s not the hand Marinelli has been dealt this season.
If Crawford has an A-game, he needs to bring it Sunday. The same with Melton, Mincey and Selvie.
The Cowboys are going to need it from their “rush men.” Their playoff fate may depend on it.
