Where's The Beef???

by 5Blings on May 13, 2008 10:26 PM CDT Comment 22 comments

Let's turn our attention to the defensive line, more specifically, the Nose Tackle position. If you look at that position on teams that play the 3-4 defense well, they all feature massive, space-eating, double-team-occupying, 6-trips-through-the-buffet-line mountains of men like Casey Hampton, Vince Wilfork and Jamal Williams. Each of these men is over 340 pounds and, while they don't get a bunch of praise for their stat lines, they do the most important thing that an NT can do in the 3-4; clog the middle.

One thing that concerns me is how the rotation of Ratliff, and whoever serves as the #2 at this slot, will hold up in the very physical, run-first NFC East over a 16 game season. Are we undersized (albeit more active) than other teams who deploy a 3-4 base defense? Will there be a June 1st free agent castoff out there that could serve as a veteran plugger for us? And would we even want to go that route?

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I think that having Tank Johnson for the full season

will make a big difference this year. He was only available for half the year last season and really didn’t get into game shape and get his technique and instincts back until the last couple of games. I do think that Jay Ratliff started to wear down a little bit towards the end of the year so I think a solid rotation with Tank will benefit him.

by Dave Halprin on May 13, 2008 11:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

You can't have Thunder without Lightning.

by Nelson... on May 13, 2008 11:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Tank is a very solid player and should help us a lot this year. I’m hoping Remi shines in training camp this year so we can rotate him and Tank at NT, and move Ratliff back to DE.

by ChrisRichey on May 13, 2008 11:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tank

He also lacks that 340+ pd frame.

"If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased."

by Wmillion on May 14, 2008 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's true

But he plays hard like Ratliff does. Maybe Spears should gain 25-30 lbs and switch with Ratliff?

by ChrisRichey on May 14, 2008 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I could dig that

Always thought Spears’ game resembled that of a nose tackle.

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by BudLight on May 15, 2008 8:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

its a little different scheme too

Bill parcells is a two gap in a 3-4 scheme where Phillips runs a one gap penetrating in a 3-4 scheme, you need a bigger NT to run the two gap, he needs to hold posiiton and quard against two gaps where a one gap you need a little lighter, more athletic NT to get into the backfield.

by Deke on May 14, 2008 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hear you!

When Wade was in San Diego and that D was playing at it’s best Jamal Williams was clogging the middle and commanding double teams so that Merriman, Phillps, and Castillo could get up field.

I would rather see Ratliff, Canty, Ware, and Ellis getting singled and a big NT eating up double teams..

Either way we know our NT will be ready, praticing against two pro bowlers and against 700 pounds of men will have him ready..

"If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased."

by Wmillion on May 14, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Spears

Is stout against the run and loves to eat, why not let him eat his way to NT?

"If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased."

by Wmillion on May 14, 2008 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't be surprised to see Spears moved inside for some reps in training camp

by Deke on May 14, 2008 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Silly Season must be over. . .

We are now discussing the size of our NT after having already watched a 17 game season of Ratliff running point with very little substitution. My own grade (not that I really grade players) and apparently the Cowboys grade (who really do grade players) is that he did pretty good there. . .afterall, of those 3-4 DEs that we drafted four 4 years ago (Spears, Canty, Ratliff and then Hatcher a year later), who has the big contract?

Bum's Boy Boyz

by JerrodWheeler on May 14, 2008 5:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ratliff does...

But isn’t that more a matter of timing than upside? Surely Spears will command bigger dollars when his current deal expires. I’m not sure contract value means that much (see Jacques Reeves deal).

by 5Blings on May 14, 2008 5:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Spears wants to command bigger dollars

He’d better have a few very solid seasons pretty much immediately; as it stands, he’s probably not a starting-level DE.

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by BudLight on May 14, 2008 7:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Junior Saivii

I noticed the signing, but I havne’t heard anything else about it. I know he has been out of the league for 2 years.

He is a 340 pd DTackle…

"If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased."

by Wmillion on May 14, 2008 8:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I thougth we needed a 340# monster

but they just don’t come along in the draft very often having a combination of that size and hand/leverage technique. Check out these D-line stats at football outsiders. Our D-line was ranked 9th in the run, behind Pitt but ahead of NE and SD. Further down the page you’ll see on up the middle runs we actually ranked ahead of Pitt, SD and NE. Somehow Ratliff gets it done at a high level. Otherwise Fergie would still be here. Sorry about the long link. Not sure how to get it shorter.

by BigE on May 14, 2008 11:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hampton, Williams and Wilfork

...are all pro bowlers.

by 5Blings on May 15, 2008 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With Bryant, Rubin, Okam available for our taking in the draft, but weren't....I'm pretty sure Dallas

The coaches are quite intent with what we already have here in camp….The day of the 340 fat slob’s in the middle are dying out….we need athletic , stout DT that can actually penetrate , not clog up the middle…Tank and Rat both were able to provide some rush from the middle, and at the very least clog up one of the two holes they’re responsible for ….while letting the James , Burnett , Thomas or whoever blow up the other hole during rushing plays…...that’s all you can ask….Not taking Rubin in the 6th-7th round is still a mystery to me….but Wade has a plan…and some out of shape, inexperienced college boy wasn’t going to be part of it…....Grady Jackson can be found at local BBQ pit if needed….

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 14, 2008 7:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs