Dallas NT situation (1 Viewer)

[Drop]

Fergie is out for the season. Dallas' NFL.com depth chart doesn't even list another NT and the only other NT I see on their roster is Remi Ayodele. I've never even heard of the guy, so if anyone has any info on his strengths/weaknesses I would appreciate that. I am also guessing he's related to Akin, so confirmation on that would be nice too.

How is the defensive scheme going to change? Will they shift some players around? Just plug in Remi? Trade for someone? Sign a free agent?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Fergie is out for the season. Dallas' NFL.com depth chart doesn't even list another NT and the only other NT I see on their roster is Remi Ayodele. I've never even heard of the guy, so if anyone has any info on his strengths/weaknesses I would appreciate that. I am also guessing he's related to Akin, so confirmation on that would be nice too. How is the defensive scheme going to change? Will they shift some players around? Just plug in Remi? Trade for someone? Sign a free agent?

This may well become an issue. Ferguson is/was a very underrated NT, and worked just as well in this slant scheme as he did in Parcells 2 gap. For now, the scheme shouldn't change, and it sounds like the Cowboys are going to use DE Jay Ratliff in the middle, which may still work out well as the NT in this scheme isn't absolutely expected to command a double team on every play. Ayodele was cut by the Cowboys during the final preseason week and is just a replacement level guy.

 

[Drop]

Is Ratliff capable or playing the NT in a 3-4?

I think that Dallas has gone from a very tough defense to perhaps a real problem, especially if T-New doesn't lace em up and bring it each week. Glenn is gone too, so they have some real question marks. The worst part about it is that a bad defense is going to keep a good offense off the field. It's good to know that they don't expect the NT to draw double teams, in that case Ratliff may be able to play well enough. I don't know his game, but I'll keep an eye on him. I missed the Sunday night game, who came in at NT and how did they do?

Thanks for the info Jene. Can you verify Remi's relation to Akin if any, I'm just curious.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Is Ratliff capable or playing the NT in a 3-4? I think that Dallas has gone from a very tough defense to perhaps a real problem, especially if T-New doesn't lace em up and bring it each week. Glenn is gone too, so they have some real question marks. The worst part about it is that a bad defense is going to keep a good offense off the field. It's good to know that they don't expect the NT to draw double teams, in that case Ratliff may be able to play well enough. I don't know his game, but I'll keep an eye on him. I missed the Sunday night game, who came in at NT and how did they do? Thanks for the info Jene. Can you verify Remi's relation to Akin if any, I'm just curious.

Remi is Akin's younger brother.The key distinction here is to understand that Phillips very often, and definitely will with Ratliff, play his NT shaded, rather than head-up, on the center. He'll essentially function as a 4-3 DT/NT. Ratliff will have to penetrate to be effective; he won't succeed if he has to leverage himself at the point of attack. Ferguson was similar, although he has decent base strength. Ratliff came in for Ferguson last week, but I'll confess I wasn't paying attention, though I didn't notice that the ILBs were getting blocked any more often. I think the issue there is that James and Akin Ayodele just aren't that good.I wasn't particularly impressed with the front seven at all. Canty and Spears were so-so, Spencer has some improvement ahead of him and the ILBs are just okay. The play needs to pick up or Ware is going to struggle to reach the Merriman territory many had expected of him.

 

[Jene Bramel]

FWIW, two additional notes.

1. There's been speculation that the Cowboys will pursue Tank Johnson, who might be an okay fit but has suspension issues.

2. Here's Rafael Vela's take on Ratliff from last week (scroll down although it's all a great read as usual). Vela is as good as it gets when considering the details of all things Cowboy related. I agree with all his takes here. Ratliff, with Jason Hatcher, was a very disruptive situational player last year.

3. Jay Ratliff will be overwhelmed at NT.

This is the most reactionary and ridiculous claim I’ve seen. Watch the game again if you have it recorded. Ratliff led the Cowboys’ pass rush. He got a clean shot at Manning in the second quarter and forced an errant dumpoff pass. He got Dallas’ sack. He was blowing up screens. He was very active. The Giants didn’t move him on inside running plays.

Now, the Cowboys will need to get help to spell him or he will wear out, but he can handle the job. He may already be the best pass rushing NT in the game. If Dallas can find a respectable NT to keep Ratliff fresh, he has a chance to be one of the happy accidents of Wade Phillips’ 07 D.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Agree with everything Vela and Jene are saying and I would add that there was an unusual amount of 4-3 and 4-2-5 in that fourth quarter. Hatcher and Canty looked decent to me. Canty even played some NT. He's a load. Still nothing was inspiring about any of these guys as IDPs and the ILBs are looking shakey. The great rookie OLB was chastened for barely showing up.

Ratliff reminds me of a young La'Roi Glover, not physically, but in the way he played the position. Glover was the last pro bowler on that line and that was playing in committee with Ferguson.

 

[WhoDat]

FWIW, two additional notes.

1. There's been speculation that the Cowboys will pursue Tank Johnson, who might be an okay fit but has suspension issues.

2. Here's Rafael Vela's take on Ratliff from last week (scroll down although it's all a great read as usual). Vela is as good as it gets when considering the details of all things Cowboy related. I agree with all his takes here. Ratliff, with Jason Hatcher, was a very disruptive situational player last year.

3. Jay Ratliff will be overwhelmed at NT.

This is the most reactionary and ridiculous claim I’ve seen. Watch the game again if you have it recorded. Ratliff led the Cowboys’ pass rush. He got a clean shot at Manning in the second quarter and forced an errant dumpoff pass. He got Dallas’ sack. He was blowing up screens. He was very active. The Giants didn’t move him on inside running plays.

Now, the Cowboys will need to get help to spell him or he will wear out, but he can handle the job. He may already be the best pass rushing NT in the game. If Dallas can find a respectable NT to keep Ratliff fresh, he has a chance to be one of the happy accidents of Wade Phillips’ 07 D.

This was covered on the Cowboys Report yesterday, which you can catch on the web daily at 10:00-11:00 CST. As much as I hate the Cowboys, I will pass that little ad nugget along. Anyway...here is what surfaced on the radio yesterday...Ratliff does not have the body type to play the 3-4...long term. Ones vs. ones over an entire game he is not going to hold up. He is not built like a block, which is paraphrasing what was covered on yesterday's broadcast. He cannot hold up the point of attack or eat up space. Conversely, he is VERY athletic. Athletic to the point that he has been tried at SLB in the 3-4 during camp. True DT in a 3-4, though, probably not the answer.

I mostly agree but the team has to do something...now...to address the situation.

The Tank Johnson talk...drawing less than positive reviews in this part of the world.

Tough call. I have some very strong feelings about guns...someone's general level of intelligence or more importantly lack thereof...the combination of the two...and, well, I think Johnson is the last person that should own firearms so it is difficult to make an objective point on him but...

Jones is probably...is...the most imagine conscious owner in the NFL (nobody packages and sells their team better) and I am not sure if that move happens. Johnson could take some of the shine off of America's team. A similiar rumor surfaced about A. Bryant and, well, considering his history with the team and his suspension it quickly went from no to h*ll no.

Conversely, you only get so many chances to win or contend for a Superbowl. If Johnson is going to make that much of a difference, then it would not shock me to see Jones sign him. Winning is winning.

 

[comfortably numb]

Can anyone who watched the game, let me know if Ratliff lined up at NT the whole game?

TIA

 

[Jene Bramel]

Can anyone who watched the game, let me know if Ratliff lined up at NT the whole game?TIA

He did not. Both Ayodele and Stephen Bowen took some snaps there.

 

[pretender]

Can anyone who watched the game, let me know if Ratliff lined up at NT the whole game?TIA

He did not. Both Ayodele and Stephen Bowen took some snaps there.

When Ayodele and Bowen took snaps was Ratliff on the field or lined up as a DE?

 

[pretender]

Can anyone who watched the game, let me know if Ratliff lined up at NT the whole game?TIA

He did not. Both Ayodele and Stephen Bowen took some snaps there.

When Ayodele and Bowen took snaps was Ratliff on the field or lined up as a DE?

bump for more information - looking for his player designation - if he is playing NT he can be classified as such rather than a DE.TIA

 

[Jene Bramel]

Can anyone who watched the game, let me know if Ratliff lined up at NT the whole game?TIA

He did not. Both Ayodele and Stephen Bowen took some snaps there.

When Ayodele and Bowen took snaps was Ratliff on the field or lined up as a DE?

bump for more information - looking for his player designation - if he is playing NT he can be classified as such rather than a DE.TIA

Upon further review... .Ratliff took all of his snaps inside, either at NT in the 3-4 or at LDT when the Cowboys run a four man nickel front. Ayodele rotated in every third series, with Bowen taking a couple of late snaps.

 

[pretender]

Can anyone who watched the game, let me know if Ratliff lined up at NT the whole game?TIA

He did not. Both Ayodele and Stephen Bowen took some snaps there.

When Ayodele and Bowen took snaps was Ratliff on the field or lined up as a DE?

bump for more information - looking for his player designation - if he is playing NT he can be classified as such rather than a DE.TIA

Upon further review... .Ratliff took all of his snaps inside, either at NT in the 3-4 or at LDT when the Cowboys run a four man nickel front. Ayodele rotated in every third series, with Bowen taking a couple of late snaps.

Thanks Jene!