Dallas Cowboys: Can Kris Richard create a new Legion of Boom?
Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Kris Richard is expected to bring the Legion of Boom 2.0 to Big D. Is he limited by working within Rod Marinelli’s system?
After the 2018 NFL Draft, a lot of excitement is still concentrated on the Dallas Cowboys new secondary coach from the Seattle Seahawks – Kris Richard. Since 2015, the Cowboys have been investing in the defensive secondary with 5 selections through the NFL draft. Big expectations have been placed on Richard to transform our secondary into the Legion of Boom 2.0.
In 2014, Rod Marinelli replaced Monte Kiffin as the Cowboys defensive coordinator. Kiffin’s last season in 2013 resulted in the Cowboys finishing with the NFL’s 26th ranked defense in points allowed. We surrendered an average of 27 points per game. With Marinelli in 2014, the defense allowed 22 points per game. That was good enough to be ranked 15th of 32 teams.
Our break-thru defensive season was in 2016, after our 4-12 season, we played weak opponents and finished with the 5th best defense that allowed an average of 19.1 points per game. Last season, the Cowboys allowed 20.8 points per game and ranked 13th.
How much can our defense improve in 2018? How much credit can be given to Kris Richard when he’s still working within Rod Marinelli’s system? Is the points allowed per game an accurate stat for a defensive backs coach? Is the left or right Twix better? So many questions!
The Seahawks didn’t get my attention until 2010. That’s when they entered the playoffs with a 7-9 record, because they led the division. My wallet still hurts everytime I see Marshawn Lynch go into Beast Mode against the New Orleans Saints in their playoff game.
I can only respect seeing the quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, and the offensive line still blocking 200-yards downfield. That’s something a young Tony Romo would’ve done, because he was a true team player.
Richard joined Seattle in 2010 as an assistant defensive backs coach. That year, the Seahawks defense allowed 25.4 points per game, good enough for 25th of 32. In 2011, Richard was the cornerbacks coach that season. The Seahawks defense ranked 7th in 2011, but 1st in 2012, giving up 15.3 points per game.
They continued to rank 1st for 2013, 2014 & 2015. Richard started as the defensive backs coach, but in 2015, he became the defensive coordinator. In 2016, they dropped to 3rd and then to 13th in 2017. You know how Cowboy Nation gives head coach Barry Switzer credit for winning with Jimmy Johnson’s team? Let’s apply that to Richard’s 2015 season.
If Richard is so good at developing young talent, why did the Seahawks defensive ranking fall off so rapidly? Maybe Richard was in the right place at the right time.
For a moment, the NFC West, with the exception of the Seahawks was in my opinion – Hot Garbage. Not every team was historically bad, but in 2016, the Cardinals, Rams and 49’ers – combined – for 13 wins.
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Maybe the Legion of Boom seemed great because their opponents were terrible? Maybe the Seattle Seahawks fired Kris Richard because he was amazingly great at his job – after all, that’s why the Dallas Cowboys fired former defensive coordinators Monte Kiffin and Rob Ryan, right?
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