TLWisfoine
09-06-2007, 02:58 AM
Defense will attack anytime from anywhere
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
Last season, players voiced their concerns about the direction of the Cowboys defense. What bothered them? Not enough blitzing, creativity or positive results, they said.
So, after Bill Parcells retired and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer left for Atlanta, Jerry Jones needed solutions.
After interviewing 10 candidates for the head coaching job, Jones whittled his list down to Norv Turner and Wade Phillips.
Jones picked Phillips because he's invested millions of dollars in a defensive unit that includes budding stars DeMarcus Ware and Terence Newman, Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams and veterans such as Jason Ferguson and Greg Ellis.
The Cowboys have used their last eight first-round draft picks on defensive players. In this decade, the Cowboys have drafted 32 defensive players and signed 12 in free agency.
Now that Phillips is here, we examine how he will fix or tweak the defense.
The blitz
Because the Cowboys feared giving up the big play (25 or more yards), they didn't blitz much last season.
Yet they gave up big plays, anyway. Who could forget Reggie Bush turning a short pass reception into a 61-yard touchdown scamper or Donovan McNabb's 87-yard touchdown strike to Hank Baskett?
Wade Phillips hopes to change that with an aggressive scheme.
"If we say DeMarcus Ware is coming, DeMarcus is coming," defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. "We're not going to adjust to the offense. That's not our defense. That's not our personalities."
The Cowboys will rush the normal three down linemen but will also send Ware flying after the quarterback.
Inside linebacker Akin Ayodele said just because the team sends Ware on a rush doesn't mean it's a blitz.
"We're going to send four almost every play," Ayodele said. "It could be DeMarcus or [Greg] Ellis. It doesn't matter. At least four are coming."
The Cowboys don't call sending four pass rushers a blitz. If they send more than four after the quarterback, that means a blitz was called.
"It's only four guys coming," Phillips said. "It's not the same as a 4-3. Some people call that a blitz, and if you call that a blitz, then we blitz coming out of the dressing room."
Weight loss
There are lighter players around Valley Ranch these days.
Phillips wants his players lighter in weight so they can move around.
Dallas wants to blitz and plans to reposition players at the line of scrimmage to create mismatches.
So, no more Hummer-size players. Instead, here come sleek Corvettes.
"Guys have to be lighter around here," Ayodele said.
Ayodele has lost 10 pounds, strong safety Roy Williams dropped more than 20 pounds, outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware lost seven and inside linebacker Bradie James dropped five.
Roy Williams
In his four years as Cowboys coach, Bill Parcells promised to move Roy Williams closer to the line of scrimmage to maximize his tackling abilities.
Williams, a four-time Pro Bowler, is one of the hardest hitters in the game. But Parcells kept Williams farther from the line of scrimmage to help defend the pass, which is not his strength.
"Bill would say adamantly in the spring, we're going to get Roy up, we're going to get close," Jerry Jones said.
It never happened.
Last season, Parcells had to keep Williams in coverage to compensate for then-rookie free safety Patrick Watkins.
But free safety Ken Hamlin, a fifth-year pro, was signed in the off-season. His experience and pass coverage skills should allow Williams to move closer to the line of scrimmage to blitz and punish ball carriers.
"We can both help each other," Williams said. "If I'm closer, I can make more plays. That's the goal."
The creator of the Phillips 3-4
So who is the founding father of the Phillips 3-4?
None other than Bum Phillips, Wade's father, who used it in high school on every down, no matter the situation.
"Yeah, I was the one," he said. "I was the first one in the league to use it, even on the goal line. You couldn't run on it if you play it right."
Why it works
Wade Phillips doesn't believe in changing the players to the scheme. If a player has certain strengths, that's how you use him.
"We have the players and then we plug in," Phillips said. "We can tell players, 'This is what we're going to do with the 3-4 with you because you can stunt, or you're stronger, or you're quicker or you can rush the passer.' "
The coaches aren't concerned with using different sets of linebackers or linemen on the field. Phillips said Anthony Spencer, Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware and Bradie James could be on the field at the same time. Or maybe a different combination, such as Akin Ayodele, James, Ellis and Ware.
Secret to the Phillips 3-4
Linebackers, linebackers, linebackers. That's the secret to the Phillips 3-4 defense. The more linebackers you have who can blitz, cover on passing downs and play on special teams, the better. Bobby Carpenter, DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Anthony Spencer also will line up as defensive ends on passing downs, so the flexibility to do both is important.
"The facts are, you can get more linebackers than you can linemen," said Bum Phillips, Wade's father, who also coached the 3-4. "Those linebackers can make lots of tackles and they can do other things. In a 4-3, you need seven or eight linemen. I'd rather have nine or 10 linebackers."
WADE PHILLIPS' ALL-TIME 'D'
This team, approved by Wade Phillips, lists players by position and the years spent working with Phillips when he was head coach or defensive coordinator. How good is this team? There's no room in the starting lineup for Bryce Paup, the 1995 NFL Defensive Player of the Year:
Defensive end
Reggie White, Philadelphia, 1986-88: He retired as the all-time sack leader with 198. Named to 13 consecutive Pro Bowls and is in the Hall of Fame. Two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year selection.
Nose tackle
Ted Washington, Buffalo, 1995-2000 Went to three Pro Bowls with Buffalo and had a career- high 130 tackles in 1996. Recorded triple figures in solo tackles twice in his career.
Defensive end
Bruce Smith, Buffalo, 1995-99 NFL's all-time sack leader with 200 is a 12-time Pro Bowl selection. Considered one of the top ends in NFL history and is a certain Hall of Fame selection.
Linebacker
Rickey Jackson, New Orleans, 1981-85: Recorded double-digit sack totals six times in his 14-year NFL career.
Linebacker
Karl Mecklenburg, Denver, 1989-94: Second in franchise history with 79 sacks, he had 11 multisack games for the Broncos. He's the only player in team history to record four sacks in a game twice.
Linebacker
Chris Spielman, Buffalo, 1996-97: Phillips coached Spielman, a four-time Pro Bowler, on the back end of the linebacker's career. Spielman had excellent pursuit skills that enabled him to make hard hits on ball carriers.
Linebacker
Shawne Merriman, San Diego, 2005-06: Two-time Pro Bowler was the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005. One of the top outside linebackers in the game. In only two seasons, he has 27 sacks.
Cornerback
Dave Waymer, New Orleans, 1981-85: Waymer, a favorite of Phillips, died of a heart attack in 1993. He was strong in coverage and against the run. Had 48 career interceptions.
Cornerback
Eric Allen, Philadelphia, 1988: This shutdown corner was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. In his only season with Phillips, Allen started 16 games, had five interceptions and made the all-rookie team.
Free safety
Steve Atwater, Denver, 1989-94: Named to a franchise- record seven consecutive Pro Bowls. He never missed a start with the Broncos in 155 regular-season games.
Strong safety
Dennis Smith, Denver, 1989-94: A ferocious hitter, he was named to six Pro Bowls and ranks third all-time in games played with Denver (184). Had 30 career interceptions.
_______________________
Just get this season started already.
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
Last season, players voiced their concerns about the direction of the Cowboys defense. What bothered them? Not enough blitzing, creativity or positive results, they said.
So, after Bill Parcells retired and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer left for Atlanta, Jerry Jones needed solutions.
After interviewing 10 candidates for the head coaching job, Jones whittled his list down to Norv Turner and Wade Phillips.
Jones picked Phillips because he's invested millions of dollars in a defensive unit that includes budding stars DeMarcus Ware and Terence Newman, Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams and veterans such as Jason Ferguson and Greg Ellis.
The Cowboys have used their last eight first-round draft picks on defensive players. In this decade, the Cowboys have drafted 32 defensive players and signed 12 in free agency.
Now that Phillips is here, we examine how he will fix or tweak the defense.
The blitz
Because the Cowboys feared giving up the big play (25 or more yards), they didn't blitz much last season.
Yet they gave up big plays, anyway. Who could forget Reggie Bush turning a short pass reception into a 61-yard touchdown scamper or Donovan McNabb's 87-yard touchdown strike to Hank Baskett?
Wade Phillips hopes to change that with an aggressive scheme.
"If we say DeMarcus Ware is coming, DeMarcus is coming," defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. "We're not going to adjust to the offense. That's not our defense. That's not our personalities."
The Cowboys will rush the normal three down linemen but will also send Ware flying after the quarterback.
Inside linebacker Akin Ayodele said just because the team sends Ware on a rush doesn't mean it's a blitz.
"We're going to send four almost every play," Ayodele said. "It could be DeMarcus or [Greg] Ellis. It doesn't matter. At least four are coming."
The Cowboys don't call sending four pass rushers a blitz. If they send more than four after the quarterback, that means a blitz was called.
"It's only four guys coming," Phillips said. "It's not the same as a 4-3. Some people call that a blitz, and if you call that a blitz, then we blitz coming out of the dressing room."
Weight loss
There are lighter players around Valley Ranch these days.
Phillips wants his players lighter in weight so they can move around.
Dallas wants to blitz and plans to reposition players at the line of scrimmage to create mismatches.
So, no more Hummer-size players. Instead, here come sleek Corvettes.
"Guys have to be lighter around here," Ayodele said.
Ayodele has lost 10 pounds, strong safety Roy Williams dropped more than 20 pounds, outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware lost seven and inside linebacker Bradie James dropped five.
Roy Williams
In his four years as Cowboys coach, Bill Parcells promised to move Roy Williams closer to the line of scrimmage to maximize his tackling abilities.
Williams, a four-time Pro Bowler, is one of the hardest hitters in the game. But Parcells kept Williams farther from the line of scrimmage to help defend the pass, which is not his strength.
"Bill would say adamantly in the spring, we're going to get Roy up, we're going to get close," Jerry Jones said.
It never happened.
Last season, Parcells had to keep Williams in coverage to compensate for then-rookie free safety Patrick Watkins.
But free safety Ken Hamlin, a fifth-year pro, was signed in the off-season. His experience and pass coverage skills should allow Williams to move closer to the line of scrimmage to blitz and punish ball carriers.
"We can both help each other," Williams said. "If I'm closer, I can make more plays. That's the goal."
The creator of the Phillips 3-4
So who is the founding father of the Phillips 3-4?
None other than Bum Phillips, Wade's father, who used it in high school on every down, no matter the situation.
"Yeah, I was the one," he said. "I was the first one in the league to use it, even on the goal line. You couldn't run on it if you play it right."
Why it works
Wade Phillips doesn't believe in changing the players to the scheme. If a player has certain strengths, that's how you use him.
"We have the players and then we plug in," Phillips said. "We can tell players, 'This is what we're going to do with the 3-4 with you because you can stunt, or you're stronger, or you're quicker or you can rush the passer.' "
The coaches aren't concerned with using different sets of linebackers or linemen on the field. Phillips said Anthony Spencer, Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware and Bradie James could be on the field at the same time. Or maybe a different combination, such as Akin Ayodele, James, Ellis and Ware.
Secret to the Phillips 3-4
Linebackers, linebackers, linebackers. That's the secret to the Phillips 3-4 defense. The more linebackers you have who can blitz, cover on passing downs and play on special teams, the better. Bobby Carpenter, DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Anthony Spencer also will line up as defensive ends on passing downs, so the flexibility to do both is important.
"The facts are, you can get more linebackers than you can linemen," said Bum Phillips, Wade's father, who also coached the 3-4. "Those linebackers can make lots of tackles and they can do other things. In a 4-3, you need seven or eight linemen. I'd rather have nine or 10 linebackers."
WADE PHILLIPS' ALL-TIME 'D'
This team, approved by Wade Phillips, lists players by position and the years spent working with Phillips when he was head coach or defensive coordinator. How good is this team? There's no room in the starting lineup for Bryce Paup, the 1995 NFL Defensive Player of the Year:
Defensive end
Reggie White, Philadelphia, 1986-88: He retired as the all-time sack leader with 198. Named to 13 consecutive Pro Bowls and is in the Hall of Fame. Two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year selection.
Nose tackle
Ted Washington, Buffalo, 1995-2000 Went to three Pro Bowls with Buffalo and had a career- high 130 tackles in 1996. Recorded triple figures in solo tackles twice in his career.
Defensive end
Bruce Smith, Buffalo, 1995-99 NFL's all-time sack leader with 200 is a 12-time Pro Bowl selection. Considered one of the top ends in NFL history and is a certain Hall of Fame selection.
Linebacker
Rickey Jackson, New Orleans, 1981-85: Recorded double-digit sack totals six times in his 14-year NFL career.
Linebacker
Karl Mecklenburg, Denver, 1989-94: Second in franchise history with 79 sacks, he had 11 multisack games for the Broncos. He's the only player in team history to record four sacks in a game twice.
Linebacker
Chris Spielman, Buffalo, 1996-97: Phillips coached Spielman, a four-time Pro Bowler, on the back end of the linebacker's career. Spielman had excellent pursuit skills that enabled him to make hard hits on ball carriers.
Linebacker
Shawne Merriman, San Diego, 2005-06: Two-time Pro Bowler was the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005. One of the top outside linebackers in the game. In only two seasons, he has 27 sacks.
Cornerback
Dave Waymer, New Orleans, 1981-85: Waymer, a favorite of Phillips, died of a heart attack in 1993. He was strong in coverage and against the run. Had 48 career interceptions.
Cornerback
Eric Allen, Philadelphia, 1988: This shutdown corner was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. In his only season with Phillips, Allen started 16 games, had five interceptions and made the all-rookie team.
Free safety
Steve Atwater, Denver, 1989-94: Named to a franchise- record seven consecutive Pro Bowls. He never missed a start with the Broncos in 155 regular-season games.
Strong safety
Dennis Smith, Denver, 1989-94: A ferocious hitter, he was named to six Pro Bowls and ranks third all-time in games played with Denver (184). Had 30 career interceptions.
_______________________
Just get this season started already.