Dallas Cowboys Discussion

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by FreshBoy!

I think it's a great hire!

well now that DC is in place, i wonder what position coaches he keeps? maybe henderson? eberflus?

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by Macarthur

In all the things I've read, one of the things I find refreshing is how Kiffin's system is fairly simplistic with regards to alignment and such. While there are wrinkles, it's a fairly simplistic system that puts players in positions to make plays and forces the offense to execute all the way down the field.

I got really tired of hearing about complex and exotic defenses. Meanwhile, it seemed like our guys hardly ever knew where to line up.

I don't know what to expect, but simple doesn't mean better. The guys who didn't know where to line up were mostly the guys coming off the streets.

[TheFinisher]

I like Kiffin, but Jerry seems to be in "win or I blow everything up" mode and I'm not sure the transition will be an overnight one.

Just a bizarre start to the offseason.

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

well now that DC is in place, i wonder what position coaches he keeps? maybe henderson? eberflus?

He's been around long enough, he should have a great list of candidates to choose from. This part should be exciting.

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by TheFinisher

I like Kiffin, but Jerry seems to be in "win or I blow everything up" mode and I'm not sure the transition will be an overnight one.

Just a bizarre start to the offseason.

Zing! This is a very important thing people are quickly looking past. If it's a 1 year contract with options, that's the wrong approach. Better to just extend Garrett and give Monte a 3 year deal. Let the process have time to complete. If it doesn't work after that.... then blow it up.

[TheFinisher]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

He's been around long enough, he should have a great list of candidates to choose from. This part should be exciting.

What's Marinelli's status? He was Kiffin's DL coach for a long time.

[Go Cowboys]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

don't get real comfortable that it will be Spencer and Ware at the ends, i think a big reason why the switch to a 4-3 is the reality is that spencer will more than likely be not coming back, and they have other guys that can play de in the 4-3

Oh, I believe Spencer will be gone. I just don't like that. If we lose Spencer then we need to bring in someone with the same pass rush capabilities opposite of Ware or teams will just slide protection to him continuously.

[Macarthur]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

I don't know what to expect, but simple doesn't mean better. The guys who didn't know where to line up were mostly the guys coming off the streets.

Agree with your first sentence but not necessarily with the second. It's was pretty symptomatic the whole 2 years Ryan was here.

I would never imply that simple equals better, but I will say that once you are sure about alignment, it becomes about reading your keys and playing football - i.e., less to think about. It just seemed with Ryan that everyone was spending way too much time thinking and not playing football.

[Go Cowboys]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

you must haven't been listening to the news lately

do you still think we "like" them?

Have been listening.... We had nothing official before I posted that.

Secondly. No, but as previous people pointed out... Who are we going to sign for cheap that is going to be better than them?

[NY+Giants=NYG]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

I seriously cannot believe this team can be THAT dumb.

I won't believe it until I see it.

I bet this has all to do with wanting more turnovers. Yeah well, hello dumb nuts in the front office... The league doesn't allow WRs to be blown up the way they used to. You're not getting turnovers like that anymore. If true, say hello to the new "Yellow Flag" defense. Woopie!

Oh yea... and btw, it's a "bend but don't break" defense. LMAO.

Haha I love this to go down! 10 years ago it would be a great hire, but now I am not sure how effective can Kiffin be now. I think this would be a bad hire, and a waste as well. This is jerry jones just messing things up, which I don't mind, but hiring him would be a god awful move.

[LonghornsLegend]

According to this article here is what Larry Lacewell(our former scouting director) projects us to start:


LE
Tyrone Crawford(and/or draft pick rotation)
UT
Jay Ratliff
NT
Jason Hatcher
RE
Demarcus Ware


WLB
Bruce Carter


Mike
Sean Lee


SLB
Dan Conner/Alex Alrbight/Kyle Wilber(draft pick)


CB
Claiborne & Carr


S
Sensy
Church



Guys Larry Lacewell seems to have the most optimism about:

Ware
Lacewell has no doubt that Ware will be a dominant defensive end in Kiffin’s scheme despite the fact that the perennial Pro Bowler will miss the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Lacewell has little concern about increased wear and tear on Ware as a down lineman, adding the fact that Ware won’t have to drop in coverage might keep him fresher by limiting the amount he has to run.

“He should be similar but better than [Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney],” Lacewell said. “He’s much stronger and bigger.”


Sean Lee & Bruce Carter

Lacewell on Lee: “I think he will be absolutely great. He’s already great, but when you become a Mike [in a 4-3], that means you’re a whole-field player. In the 3-4, you’re a half-the-field player a lot of times. It’s just going to add to his greatness.”

Lacewell on Carter, whose speed probably reminds Kiffin on Bucs legend Derrick Brooks: “Oh my gosh, I think he could be a great Willy. Speed guy, can come off the edge and rush the passer, drop back in coverage, really do it all.”


Carr & Claiborne

Lacewell laughs at the suggestion that the major investments the Cowboys made in press-man corners last offseason make Kiffin’s scheme a strange fit.

“I get tickled to hear people say, ‘We’re wasting these great corners!’” Lacewell said. “Well, where were they?”

That’s a not-so-subtle reminder that the Cowboys ranked 19th in passing defense last season despite signing Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal and trading their first two picks to move up to sixth overall and select Morris Claiborne.

Lacewell said Kiffin asks his corners to play “much more man than you think” despite being based on his Cover 2 looks. Whether they’re playing man or zone, the corners play press a lot, which Lacewell figures plays to the strength of Carr and Claiborne.

When the corners do bail into zone coverage, their mission is to take away the outs and comebacks. That puts pressure on the safeties to cover the post.

And, well, that could be a problem.

“The one position I don’t have clear in my head for them is the goddamn safety,” Lacewell said. “I don’t know who it is. I don’t know who the hell it is.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowbo...kiffins-scheme


He also sounds like he really likes Hatcher and Ratliff, hates the Safeties. There is more to the article, but just found it interesting. My issue is LE, SLB, and both Safety spots, considering we need interior O-line.

[LonghornsLegend]

Originally Posted by NY+Giants=NYG

10 years ago it would be a great hire, but now I am not sure how effective can Kiffin be now. I think this would be a bad hire, and a waste as well. This is jerry jones just messing things up, which I don't mind, but hiring him would be a god awful move.

Fairly positive everyone realizes this as well, but what are you doing to do. We were going 8-8 with Ryan or Kiffin regardless, maybe this means we can go 6-10 and get a better pick who knows. At least this year I have my optimism where it should be unlike this past season.

[NY+Giants=NYG]

Originally Posted by LonghornsLegend

Fairly positive everyone realizes this as well, but what are you doing to do. We were going 8-8 with Ryan or Kiffin regardless, maybe this means we can go 6-10 and get a better pick who knows. At least this year I have my optimism where it should be unlike this past season.

Yeah but for me it's about the mentality or philosophy on defense. I hate perry fewell was his bush league ways about going about the defense. At least Ryan is aggrressive! Our dope of a DC rushes 4 and sometimes 3, plays coverage and still we rank 31st in the league. LOL.

So it was the aggressive nature of the system which I respected about Ryan. You guys better hope Ware can be a good fit, because I am not sold on him being a great 43 DE. He may be good but Ware was great in his role as a 34 LB. I don't see him getting 15 plus sacks as a 43 DE.

I don't see those Lbs being a fit for the system too. I think more of a Cato June or smaller faster LB being a fit for the Kiffin system, but then again it's been a while since I remember that system.

[dsc1600]

Can the defense be much worse than it has been the last 2 years? Can we lose 6 games in the 4th quarter this year instead of 5 in 2011? Can we force fewer than 7 INTs this year? If Lee/Carter have a full year together, and Claiborne gets better, it could be fun.

I'd let Spencer go because he's close to 30, has only really had 2 very good years (2009 and 2012) and is going to require a lot of money and years to keep. I am fearing repeating the Ratliff mistake.

We have 2 areas where we have deficient talent in, and by deficient I mean no true NFL talent. Those are safety and center/guard. Address them and see if Albright/Wilbur/Crawford can be starter quality on the D.

[LonghornsLegend]

Eh, 3 guys I'm not worried about are Ware, Lee, and Carter. I wouldn't have been trying to switch them, but they will be just fine. I can't speak for the entire defense. I'm a fan of the agressive schemes too and hate zone, blah.

[Macarthur]

Originally Posted by NY+Giants=NYG

At least Ryan is aggrressive!

So it was the aggressive nature of the system which I respected about Ryan.

What the hell have you been watching? Because it damn sure wasn't Cowboys games.

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by NY+Giants=NYG

Haha I love this to go down! 10 years ago it would be a great hire, but now I am not sure how effective can Kiffin be now. I think this would be a bad hire, and a waste as well. This is jerry jones just messing things up, which I don't mind, but hiring him would be a god awful move.

I'm trying to be positive over here cause guys showed me Kiffin's resume and with Carroll (Kiffin tree) and Lovie (Kiffin tree) doing good jobs, I'm hoping the master can do a good job too.

But yes, you reminded me of my instant reaction... how Tampa 2 stuff is going away more and more. Maybe Kiffin's resume is great, but those days were a different NFL.

I'm twisted about the hire, but I'm trying to stay positive. That's an honest feeling right there.

[bigbluedefense]

I think going to a 4-3 alignment isn't the end of the world. You just need a DE opposite Ware and you'll be fine.

If Dion Jordan is on the board and you pass on him, for like a OG or whatever, I'll kill Dallas for that kind of move.

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by dsc1600

Can the defense be much worse than it has been the last 2 years? Can we lose 6 games in the 4th quarter this year instead of 5 in 2011? Can we force fewer than 7 INTs this year? If Lee/Carter have a full year together, and Claiborne gets better, it could be fun.

I'd let Spencer go because he's close to 30, has only really had 2 very good years (2009 and 2012) and is going to require a lot of money and years to keep. I am fearing repeating the Ratliff mistake.

We have 2 areas where we have deficient talent in, and by deficient I mean no true NFL talent. Those are safety and center/guard. Address them and see if Albright/Wilbur/Crawford can be starter quality on the D.

There might be new hope with this new DC, but the problem is sill on offense. Let's not forget. The biggest problem was with our OC who didn't know how to counter a blitz or have trust running the ball. Our second biggest problem was our OL. After that... between Romo and our walking dead defense, I think they were equally both at fault and equally part of the success we had.

[NY+Giants=NYG]

Originally Posted by Macarthur

What the hell have you been watching? Because it damn sure wasn't Cowboys games.

Yeah it was your blitzes which annoyed me. Def. saw the thrashing you gave us week 1, and coming back again us. I saw the 5 int classic and the T-giving game too.

But the aggressive nature of the ryans in general I liked. Either way, he should not have been fired in the first place.

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

I think going to a 4-3 alignment isn't the end of the world. You just need a DE opposite Ware and you'll be fine.

If Dion Jordan is on the board and you pass on him, for like a OG or whatever, I'll kill Dallas for that kind of move.

Heh. I'll be shocked...completely SHOCKED if we defense in Round 1 again. Garrett's neck is completely on the line for 1 more year and he knows it. If anything, we might give up future picks just to move up and get an offensive lineman. Future picks might not mean anything to him if he doesn't make it past this season.

If we are able to trade Spencer for an early pick, then maybe we go defense. Otherwise, I think this will be a heavy offensive draft. Garrett is getting his toys this year.

[Macarthur]

Ryan's scheme was extremely unsound. It was a bad hire in the first place.

[NY+Giants=NYG]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

I'm trying to be positive over here cause guys showed me Kiffin's resume and with Carroll (Kiffin tree) and Lovie (Kiffin tree) doing good jobs, I'm hoping the master can do a good job too.

But yes, you reminded me of my instant reaction... how Tampa 2 stuff is going away more and more. Maybe Kiffin's resume is great, but those days were a different NFL.

I'm twisted about the hire, but I'm trying to stay positive. That's an honest feeling right there.

Yup and those days are long gone, unless he can do something amazing, I don't see success in a new system. And let's say he is successful, how long will it take? How many windows close in the mean time? Romo isn't getting younger.

That's a fair feeling. I don't think Ryan should have been fired for Romo screwing up in yet another big game. Ryan was the least of the issues considering the injuries on that side of the ball.

The thing I like actually is this new hire and system change, the injury to Bob will be a thing to watch, and the Eagles have to start from scratch now. So I think our division has some issues and changes which make things interesting for next season.

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by Macarthur

Ryan's scheme was extremely unsound. It was a bad hire in the first place.

Eh, I don't really think he got a real chance to show his exotic schemes. He tried it last year and our secondary sucked so bad, he had to pull back the reigns and play more conservative. This year, injuries f'd it up. He was forced to play "bend but don't break".... and that's exactly what I think we're getting with Monte now... more "bend but don't break".

[leroyisgod]

I'm excited about the change at DC.