IRVING, Texas– The Cowboys are getting exactly what they want out of their new defensive coaching additions, while the defensive mind they let go is excelling elsewhere. Consider that a win through three weeks for both parties.
The Dallas defense resides in the top 10 in the league in sacks and takeaways led by new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, while the coordinator the Cowboys let go has shifted New Orleans' putrid defense of last year to the No. 5 total defense in the NFL this season.
Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan didn't do a lousy job in Dallas last year, all things considered. He dealt with more injuries than anyone could have imagined to make the Cowboys a middle of the pack group in terms of yardage allowed. But the Cowboys weren't happy with the lack of pressure and thought they could upgrade.
The front office stressed an emphasis on takeaways after creating just 16 all of last season. They now have seven through three games with Kiffin and Marinelli, due in large part to the havoc created on the defensive line, as the Cowboys sit atop the NFC with 13 sacks. They're also tied for sixth in turnover differential at plus-3 with a top-10 scoring defense.
Kiffin and Marinelli insisted they didn't need a defensive lineman in the draft to conjure the kind of pressure they needed on their defense. Even without Jay Ratliff or Anthony Spencer, they've been exactly right. DeMarcus Ware is back to his old form and the switch to defensive end may even help him reach the quarterback more often.
The defensive coaches continue to get elite play at defensive tackle out of Jason Hatcher, who's tallied a sack in each of the team's first three games, while turning Nick Hayden and George Selvie into legitimate starters. Selvie said he feels he has a coach in Marinelli who believes in him, and that coach is getting the best out of his group. It's obvious, and head coach Jason Garrett sees the same thing.
"He's just an excellent football coach and teaching is a big part of that, inspiring is a big part of that, seeing the real positive traits in people and getting them into situations where they can be successful," Garrett said. "(Marinelli) helps them be successful by how he teaches them technically, how he teaches them physically, how he teaches them emotionally." [embedded_ad]
The Cowboys' three interceptions may not seem like much, but that's three times as many as they had through three weeks last season. That's not to say Ryan isn't a capable coordinator, either.
The colorful, boisterous defensive mind has to be a revered character in New Orleans, demonstrating his worth by changing the culture of the Saints' defense. New Orleans allowed 440.1 yards per game and 28.4 points per game last season, and those numbers are down to 295.7 yards per game and 12.7 points per game so far.
Both sides are getting exactly what they wanted by fixing the problems of the past. It's a small sample size, but the Cowboys and Saints are reaping every benefit they could have hoped for with their offseason defensive changes.
