Let's forget for a second that the Dallas Cowboys went 12-4 last season and won a playoff game. Instead, let's focus on a few key defensive stats in a vacuum. Dallas finished 19th in yards allowed (355.1 per game), 25th in yards per play (5.8) and 28th in sacks (28) and opposing completion percentage (66.5). Are those the types of numbers a playoff team is supposed to post? Don't bother typing a snarky comment, that was a rhetorical question.
Dallas was lucky that their sub-par defense didn't submarine their season early on. Fortunately, a big improvement may be coming this year. Dallas added the best pass-rusher in free agency in Greg Hardy, though he may be suspended for some time. They also added what many believe to be the best pure pass-rusher in the NFL draft in Randy Gregory. Add that to the return of a healthy Sean Lee and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has an array of options to work with in the front seven.
"We've got more talent, movement, all those things," Marinelli said. "Now, that's got to be worked into production. We've got to go produce with it and that takes a long time, a lot of training. The one thing all these guys have is a real love and care about being a ballplayer to work at it. That's our job. Right now it's conditioning, strength and tying all that together with technique down in and down out.
"We had a bunch of men last year who did that, really played hard. And that is not something you can come to a conclusion and say, "Oh, we have that.' You never have that. Ever. So we start again with the basics of the system."
Hardy is drawing rave reviews from his new coaches and teammates early in the preseason. His addition, plus the development of some other young players, has those at the top of the organization very excited about the coming season.
"When I look at what we got out of Tyron Crawford last year on the interior, when I look at how Terrell McClain came along, when I look at the interior, then I actually think that with the personnel we've got competing with them and behind them, I think we got real good inside push or rush that exceeds last year," owner and general manager Jerry Jones says. "I look to the outside and I see the numbers we've got. I see the potential to have a rotation. I see the quality or the skill of those pass rushers out there and will say without hesitation we're dramatically better on the outside. Our coach will tell you that is to be seen. We've got to have the work that goes along with it.
"One of the things I like about the players that we're counting on is that all of them are exceptional effort guys, in practice and on the field. When I look at their unique skills as well as effort guys, overachiever types out there, every one of them, then we really have helped our pass rush."