Today's game against the Eagles will be the Cowboys biggest game of the season. Most fans and experts have already concluded a lost for the Dallas Cowboys. This is a divisional game so you can throw the records out of the equation. The Eagles are dealing with most of the same injuries as the Cowboys. This game will come down to which coaching staff can motive his players to execute the best game plan. I don’t want to talk Cowboys vs Eagles in this blog. I want to discuss the possibility of the Cowboys putting together a dominate defensive unit. What? I know you’re think this guy is crazy but follow me.
Rob Marnielli is a good defensive
mind. His greatest skill is getting the most out of the players that are
available to him. Remember when George Selvie had 7 sacks on the season. What
about when Jason Hatcher led the team with 11 sacks. Marinelli has the ability
to put guys in the right position. His biggest flaw is that he trust his scheme
too much and would rather adjust the scheme than sub out the personnel.
Jeff Heath has been anything but
spectacular this season. He is always out of position and misses too many
tackles for my liking. Instead of Marinelli benching Heath, he moves him around
and puts Woods in to handle to coverage role. He may also put Woods in the box
and drop Heath in the robber zone area. These are all things done to hide Heath
in coverage. If Heath is a liability in coverage than he should be benched in
favor of Xavier Woods. I understand rotations, but at the end of the day the
starter will ultimately play more snaps than the rotational guy. If we’re being
honest with ourselves, if the defense performs better there won’t be a need to
rotate as many snaps.
Marinelli also relies on Sean Lee to
do so much for the Cowboys defense. Sean Lee is an amazing linebacker. He does
everything right for this defense and is there to cover for the mistakes of the
other players on the field. Lee is often injured and when he is, this defense
looks awful. It already isn’t great with Lee on the field but it’s competent, opportunistic,
and stout. When Lee is out the defense is confused, slow to react, and out of
place most of the times. Marinelli refuses to change his defensive scheme to fit
his personnel. Sean Lee is so good in Marinelli defensive scheme because he is
great in coverage. Lee always has good depth to force the quarterback to make a
tough throw in a tight window over the middle of the field. Lee has the ability
to stay close enough to the offensive player that the quarterback has to come
off the read. When one player can do that for you it’s easy to rely on him. What
do you do if he is hurt, sick, or suspended? You adjust! That is what we’re
going to see this Sunday against the Eagles. This move may bolster the Cowboys
defense and feature the players that it should be featuring anyway.
The Cowboys drafted three talented
rookies to play in the secondary this season. Xavier Woods, Jourdan Lewis, and
Chidobe Awuzie. Awuzie was the second round pick and projected starter, either
at slot corner of on the outside opposite Anthony Brown. Even though the
Cowboys had Jeff Heath, Woods and Lewis were going to be the replacement for
Heath at strong Safety. Jourdan Lewis had an amazing resume at Michigan,
despite some bad combine numbers. Woods played for a small school in Louisiana
Tech. The early thought was to go with Heath at safety, Scandrick on the
outside, and Awuzie in the slot role. Scandrick got hurt in the season opener,
Lewis wasn’t available due to injury and Kavon Frazier was ahead of Woods on
the depth chart.
Lewis got healthy enough to play in
the Broncos game and excelled. He followed that up with a great performance
against the Cardinals. The Cowboys decided to start Lewis opposite Anthony
Brown. Lewis has been the Cowboys best defensive back this season. Brown has
been solid also, so they hold down the outside corner positions. With Heath out
this game, we may now see a secondary that will feature four extremely athletic
and versatile players.
Bryon Jones is a good free safety. I
don’t think Marinelli uses him correctly because he can be a ballhawk over the
middle, the way Earl Thomas is for the Seahawks. Jones has the cover skills of
a cornerback and the playmaking ability of safety. Jones is perfect for this
defense as long as the pass rush is putting pressure on the quarterback, as it
has been doing all season.
Orlando Scandrick is one of the best
slot cornerbacks in the league. The Cowboys don’t take advantage of all the
things that Scandrick does well. He is a good tackler in space, good in man and
zone coverage, and instinctive enough to peel of his man and make the plays in the
flat. The Cowboys can use him in the Sean Lee role.
Xavier Woods was in perfect position
last week against the Falcons to intercept an errant pass from Matt Ryan. You hear
how I phrased that, he was in perfect position! Being in position is the most important
part of playing defense because you can make plays on tipped or deflected
passes. Even if the defender isn’t the one tipping the pass he can be in position
to catch the deflection. Woods has shown the skills to play in this league all season
long and now he is going to get the chance to show what he is capable of against
the eagles.
Chidobe Awuize has impressed the coaching
staff and Cowboy’s beat writers since the rookie mini camps. Awuize was a playmaker
in college and was on his way to being that this season before he got injured. Awuize
and Scandrick are just what the Cowboys need with Sean Lee out the game. Awuize
has that Tyrone Mathieu swag about him. He doesn’t mind coming up and laying
some wood and he excels at making plays on the ball. The Cowboys need Awuize
flying all over the field and with Lewis, Brown and Woods starting then he can
be that wildcard. This is the perfect game to have a playmaker like Awuize on the
field.
On Sunday we may get the chance to
see the future of the Cowboys defense. Xavier Woods, Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan
Lewis, and Bryon Jones could be the perfect secondary to go with the Cowboys
improved pass rush. These four players along with Scandrick will give the
Cowboys an athletic, versatile defense, which can better hold up against the
offensive sets in the NFL. Lawrence and Irving are holding down the pass rush.
Now it’s time to put the secondary together and we might get the first glimpse of
that on Sunday..
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