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Dallas Cowboys: Why defense doesn’t win championships

By Robert H. Carroll

Nov 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (82) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) and free safety J.J. Wilcox (27) during the game on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium. The Panthers defeat the Cowboys 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (82) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) and free safety J.J. Wilcox (27) during the game on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium. The Panthers defeat the Cowboys 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s why the Dallas Cowboys won’t need a top ten defense to be successful in 2016.

Defense! Defense! Defense! It’s the most important group of a football team because it’s the unit that wins championships. The Dallas Cowboys will convince us that the best defense is a good offense. Will a combination of Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Ezekiel Elliott and Jason Witten be the unstoppable force able to plow through teams? It’s a revolutionary approach, but Cowboy Nation knows that our front office turns left when everyone goes right.

Defense winning championships is a tried and true method. It’s a consensus that one of the best defenses ever was the 1985 Chicago Bears (15 – 1). It’s often forgotten that the Bears had a very prolific offense that featured Hall of Fame running back Walter Peyton. The Bears offense ranked second by scoring 456 points and first in rushing attempts (610), rushing yards (2761) and rushing touchdowns (27).

Defensively, the Bears were led by Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, three time pro bowler Wilbur Marshall and Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent. That unit allowed the fewest points (198), the fewest yards (4135), the fewest first downs (236) and the most turnovers (54). Simply put, they were insanely dominant on both sides of the ball.

The 1993 version of our Cowboys – Jimmy Johnson‘s team – finished the regular season with a 12 – 4 record. Led by a trio of Hall of Famers – Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin – the offense finished second in points scored (376), rushing yards (2161) and rushing touchdowns (20).

The defense featured three pro bowlers that season – Ken Norton, Thomas Everett and Russell Maryland. Supporting cast included Hall of Famer Charles Haley, plus Hall of Fame finalist and five time pro bowler Darren Woodson. The defense ranked second by allowing 226 points and helped defeat the San Francisco 49’ers (ranked first in points scored and total yards) in the NFC Conference Championship.

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Like the Bears in 1985, the 1993 Cowboys was a balanced football team. In my opinion, balance provides the best chance to win a championship. Every blue moon, that weird team breaks through. That anomaly is the 2009 New Orleans Saints – the team that finished with the best offense in the NFL and captured a championship.

Overall, the Saints defense ranked 20th in points allowed but 2nd with 39 turnovers. Tracy Porter sealed the Super Bowl victory with a 74 yard interception return against Peyton Manning. Isn’t it interesting that the most memorable Super Bowl play (besides the onside kick) by a prolific offensive team was made by the defense?

The Saints offense carried the load and the defense allowed a lot of yards, but they were playing with a lead. It forced teams to play catch-up and a combination of quarterback pressure plus a need to score points quickly helped contribute to a lot of turnovers for the defense. This is the approach our Cowboys are taking.

In 2014, the Cowboys finished second in rushing yards and ended with a 12 – 4 record. The offense ranked 5th in points scored (467) and 7th in yards gained (6,138). The defense ranked 15th in points allowed (352) but ranked 2nd in turnovers (31). Those numbers look very similar to the Saints in 2009. For this reason, it’s important that our secondary be prepared to take advantage of their turnover opportunities.

At this moment, we have ten cornerbacks that have combined for a total of 28 career interceptions. The Cowboys won’t need a top ten defense to be successful if our secondary coaches Joe Baker and Greg Jackson (read more about them) transforms their guys into ball hawks. After checking the numbers, I’m convinced that a balanced team is great, but turnovers win championships.

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