2014 - The year the DCU Homered out?

[Doomsday]

That's the thing about the DCU.. We had a thread before the season started where I predicted 10-6. A couple guys tried clowning me because it went against how negative everyone was. Guys tried arguing with me when I said this D can't be worse than last year. It hasn't been. In fact it's been better. Not great. Not good. But better. but then when we start winning everyone gets super positive. Wait til we lose one. It'll go back. Me, I'll stay consistent. We weren't gonna be as bad as everyone thought we'd be, and now we're not as good as everyone thinks we are.

I remember that thread but I don't remember anyone clowning you.

The thing is everyone on here is super negative and emotional all the time

Rubbish. It's mostly just realists. Clearly 2007 is forgotten for you. You're apparently also able to discount 18 years of .500 mediocrity. We actually have very little, track record wise, to believe this year will somehow be magical. Most of us are taking it one game at a time and enjoying the ride.

I was one who was saying the defense would be much better IF: Our 3rd down conversion rate improved AND, if we avoided catastrophic injuries on the D like we had last year. Both have happened, and the defense is better with only a few personnel changes.

Most everyone who was predicting collapse based it mainly on the uncertainty of Tony's back issues and the horrible performances turned in on both sides of the ball in preseason. These dire predictions seemed confirmed by the dismal showing week one against SF. Nobody was emotional, nobody was unreasonably negative. Just like very few are over emotional or overly optimistic, right now.

There was every detached, objective, well thought out reason to believe we would be seeing 5-11. It wasn't emotion based.

 

[junk]

Part of the reason the defense is better is because they are actually being helped by the offense instead of being hung out to dry

 

[cmd34(work)]

My problem wasn't that defense "couldn't be worse" but it was the logic of "it couldn't be worse therefore equals better".

I also begged for Rolando McClain before anyone, yes even Mikey. His impact, attitude and play, has been a game changer for this defense. I'm still worried about the pass rush and deep coverage, especially in a critical game, but for the most part, the defense is playing inspired ball.

 

[peplaw06]

Guys tried arguing with me when I said this D can't be worse than last year.

That's because it's a stupid statement to make, not because you couldn't be right.

 

[Doomsday]

Part of the reason the defense is better is because they are actually being helped by the offense instead of being hung out to dry

It's all about that 3rd down conversion rate. This defense is averaging 12 fewer snaps a game vs. last year. This greatly helps with the injury rate as well.

 

[peplaw06]

I was one who was saying the defense would be much better IF: Our 3rd down conversion rate improved AND, if we avoided catastrophic injuries on the D like we had last year. Both have happened, and the defense is better with only a few personnel changes.

Gasp... how do you have the gall to actually make a football point instead of throwing out useless drivel like, "they can't be worse" or "they might be better?"

Newsflash... you could certainly make arguments that the defense could be better this year... points such as, the offense could run the ball more and control TOP and keep the D off the field, keeping the little depth we have on defense fresher and more effective. Those are actual salient points. But when you start saying the defense just couldn't be worse, just cause they were the worst defense last year, that's useless, conclusory thinking.

 

[Doomsday]

But when you start saying the defense just couldn't be worse, just cause they were the worst defense last year, that's useless, conclusory thinking.

I agree, and also never said such. But of course I also understand you're not addressing me, with this point.

Funny thing is, I was bashed as blaming Romo for the abysmal 3rd down conversion rate. I never was, I was merely pointing to that as one of the actual real problems the defense had last year.

 

[NoShame]

That's because it's a stupid statement to make, not because you couldn't be right.

We were talking about ranks then whoever I was arguing with at the time about it tried doing the ol' message board spin on it talking about "oh technically you can give up more yards, blah, blah, blah." I said last ranked is last ranked, period. Nothing more, nothing less. When you're last, you're last. There's no where to go but up when you're at the bottom. And guess what? We're not last this year.

 

[Doomsday]

We were talking about ranks then whoever I was arguing with

If memory serves, it was cmd34 you were arguing with, and I also seem to remember he destroyed the canard of "ranked last."

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Part of the reason the defense is better is because they are actually being helped by the offense instead of being hung out to dry

That and Mincey and Terrell McClain turned out to be solid gets; as opposed to the snickering when we signed them. Them, Rolando McClain, Melton and having Tyrone Crawford back; plus the newfound approach to controlling the clock on O has kind of been the glue to hold the defense together.

My expectations were that we were in for another up and down season. Turns out I was wrong as they have been pretty consistent as of late.

 

[cmd34(work)]

You think so?

Mincey has been meh, does that same rip under pass rush move over and over. Seems like he's too slow to be a factor.

As far as T. McClain, outside of two plays this past Sunday, has he done anything all year?

I will admit they weren't the nothing signing Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau were a few years ago, but they aren't exactly setting the league on fire.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Mincey has been putting pressure on the QB and is setting the edge against the run quite nicely.

The reason McClain hasn't been featured more is because of the rotation Marinelli has put in place to keep everyone fresh, but you're right, he's looked good.

 

[peplaw06]

We were talking about ranks then whoever I was arguing with at the time about it tried doing the ol' message board spin on it talking about "oh technically you can give up more yards, blah, blah, blah." I said last ranked is last ranked, period. Nothing more, nothing less. When you're last, you're last. There's no where to go but up when you're at the bottom. And guess what? We're not last this year.

The nowhere to go but up just isn't true in this league. There's not a statistical basement when talking about defense. You can certainly be the last ranked team and be worse than a previou years last ranked team.

Is that happening this year? Looks like no... but it could have.

 

[dbair1967]

I think T McClain is finally getting healthy, he finally showed some of the explosiveness Broaddus said he had against NYG the other day. He made 3 good plays and had a couple others where he showed some quickness as well.

 

[Doomsday]

I think T McClain is finally getting healthy, he finally showed some of the explosiveness Broaddus said he had against NYG the other day. He made 3 good plays and had a couple others where he showed some quickness as well.

He's definitely been a plus.

 

[NoShame]

The nowhere to go but up just isn't true in this league. There's not a statistical basement when talking about defense. You can certainly be the last ranked team and be worse than a previou years last ranked team.

Is that happening this year? Looks like no... but it could have.

You're trying to argue a completely different point. One that it is not, nor was it ever, my argument. Like I said, the ol' message board spin.

My argument has always been simply based on ranking. 1-32. Where do we rank. Simple. There's nothing else to it. You or whoever else it was tried and continue to try spinning that into me saying a team can't let up more yards, or me saying a team can't let up more points than a previous year... Are you serious? What? Why would anyone in their right mind ever try arguing that? Come on, pep. That's a stupid discussion we shouldn't be having and one that is so elementary that it has no excuse to even be assumed.

Again, we ranked 32 last year.. Based on ranking there's no way we could be worse. We shouldn't even be having this conversation.

 

[Doomsday]

Again, we ranked 32 last year.

Overall, no. Yards surrendered, yes.

Overall Dallas was 26th.

2013 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

You're still making the "can't get any worse than that" argument, when clearly yes it can get and be, worse.

 

[UVAwahoos]

I've maintained that we're more comparable to last year's chiefs than last year's seahawks. The main reason being our shitty head coach. There will be times in January where unfortunately he'll have to make decisions against well-coached opponents and those will likely be games we lose. It just takes one ginger decision to ruin a whole season. He's more than capable of that.

 

[Midswat]

I've maintained that we're more comparable to last year's chiefs than last year's seahawks. The main reason being our shitty head coach. There will be times in January where unfortunately he'll have to make decisions against well-coached opponents and those will likely be games we lose. It just takes one ginger decision to ruin a whole season. He's more than capable of that.

Sadly this is true.

 

[NoShame]

Overall, no. Yards surrendered, yes.

Overall Dallas was 26th.

2013 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

You're still making the "can't get any worse than that" argument, when clearly yes it can get and be, worse.

Overall?? you've got to be shitting me.. I can't believe this guy.. That's a link to ranks of point scored against.

overall.

Doomsday, you might as well stop. I don't take anything you say seriously anyway.