The Landry Hat » 3-4 defense http://thelandryhat.com A Dallas Cowboys Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more. Sun, 19 May 2013 18:05:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Why Dallas Struggles With the 3-4 Defense http://thelandryhat.com/2012/07/22/why-dallas-struggles-with-the-3-4-defense/ http://thelandryhat.com/2012/07/22/why-dallas-struggles-with-the-3-4-defense/#comments Sun, 22 Jul 2012 16:00:44 +0000 Kim Dunning http://thelandryhat.com/?p=16984 The Dallas Cowboys have had a history over the last few season of struggling with the 3-4 defense.  While Dallas runs a 3-4 defense themselves, it would make sense that since they see the 3-4 defense in practices they would succeed better against that type of defense.  This isn’t the case and here is why. [...]

Why Dallas Struggles With the 3-4 Defense - The Landry Hat - The Landry Hat - A Dallas Cowboys Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

]]> The Dallas Cowboys have had a history over the last few season of struggling with the 3-4 defense.  While Dallas runs a 3-4 defense themselves, it would make sense that since they see the 3-4 defense in practices they would succeed better against that type of defense.  This isn’t the case and here is why. (more…)

]]> http://thelandryhat.com/2012/07/22/why-dallas-struggles-with-the-3-4-defense/feed/ 0 Evaluating Dallas Cowboy Rob Ryan’s Defense: The Front 5 http://thelandryhat.com/2012/01/13/evaluating-rob-ryans-defense-the-front-5/ http://thelandryhat.com/2012/01/13/evaluating-rob-ryans-defense-the-front-5/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:45 +0000 C. Joseph Wright http://thelandryhat.com/?p=13115 Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones and Head Coach Jason Garrett’s new hire, Rob Ryan, certainly had a classic “up and down” season. At times Ryan’s defense looked very good, at other times they played adequate, and towards the end of the year they struggled (to put it nicely). The good news is that the defense [...]

Evaluating Dallas Cowboy Rob Ryan’s Defense: The Front 5 - The Landry Hat - The Landry Hat - A Dallas Cowboys Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

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Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones and Head Coach Jason Garrett’s new hire, Rob Ryan, certainly had a classic “up and down” season. At times Ryan’s defense looked very good, at other times they played adequate, and towards the end of the year they struggled (to put it nicely). The good news is that the defense as a whole played significantly better in 2011 than they did in 2010. Moreover, they played much better without the addition of any high-priced free agents or high-round draft choices (more on Bruce Carter later). The bad news is that because of the ongoing salary cap issues and the consequent inability to pay expensive free agents, they have more needs than they can expect to fill in one draft.

Expect to see the Cowboys brain trust to draft at least a few players in the early rounds that fit Rob Ryan’s scheme.

Click on the link to begin reading an evaluation of the Dallas Cowboys’ Front 5.

Spoiler Alert: Most of you will not like what I have to say about Anthony Spencer.

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]]> http://thelandryhat.com/2012/01/13/evaluating-rob-ryans-defense-the-front-5/feed/ 0 Dallas Cowboys Don’t Perform Well Against 3-4 Defenses http://thelandryhat.com/2009/12/12/dallas-cowboys-dont-perform-well-against-3-4-defenses/ http://thelandryhat.com/2009/12/12/dallas-cowboys-dont-perform-well-against-3-4-defenses/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:06:44 +0000 thelandryhat http://thelandryhat.com/?p=2631 What do the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers all have in common? They all use the 3-4 defense and they all have defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the past 16 games, according to ESPN. The only 3-4 defense the Dallas Cowboys defeated was—drum roll—The rugged Kansas City Chiefs. Sigh. What [...]

Dallas Cowboys Don’t Perform Well Against 3-4 Defenses - The Landry Hat - The Landry Hat - A Dallas Cowboys Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

]]> What do the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers all have in common? They all use the 3-4 defense and they all have defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the past 16 games, according to ESPN.

The only 3-4 defense the Dallas Cowboys defeated was—drum roll—The rugged Kansas City Chiefs. Sigh. What does Mr. Positive have to say about that? At least the Chiefs took the Cowboys to overtime.

So, are the Cowboys in trouble this Sunday when they play the steaming hot San Diego Chargers? Not really.

It is no secret that the Cowboys struggle against 3-4 schemes, but at least the players are acknowledging that this isn’t going to be a slam dunk.

“It just comes down to us up front identifying who we have to block,” left guard Kyle Kosier said. “They’re going to give us some different fronts. We just have to communicate and block it up.”

I like that attitude. The offensive line, which has given up more sacks than the Chargers’ offensive line, will have to step it up. Blitzing linebackers have to be guarded. Tony Romo must be protected.

Is that all it will take? No.

I will be the first to jump on the “4th Quarter Marion Barber” bandwagon.  It is absurd that the Cowboys continue to start Barber when history tells us that he truly is best at the goal line and late in the game. Why even bring him out in the first half? Let the speedy Felix Jones try to break a big run, and hand it off to the young Tashard Choice for the extra few yards.

If the Cowboys run the ball well, and properly, and the offensive line picks up the 3-4 scheme well, then the Dallas Cowboys ought to come away with their first win in December. Without the win, we might as well stick a fork in them.

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