Anyone else get Derrick Johnson vibes last night?
 

Willie Gay looked so much like DJ it was crazy. The speed to the sideline, the power and even the near picks that DJ kept missing early in his career. It was like I was watching a young DJ out there.

I can’t believe we fixed our LB problem in basically one offseason with Bolton and Gay.

These guys compliment each other quite nicely as well.

Good job Burt. Your shitty drafting has fixed our glaring LB problem. :D

The can both flat-out play.

I'm a huge DJ homer. If DJ was playing in today's NFL instead of the 2006 version, he might have a HOF career.

No idea if Gay can be that guy, but if he can be on the field, he'll be damn good.

Gay and Bolton are going to be one badass duo.

They say nice things about each other?

:D

We are back to having LB's. Bolton and Gay are real NFL LB's.

I admit that I don't know much about football, but watching the game last night, I found myself thinking that someone has stuck a cattle prod up the collective asses of the defense. It looks to be completely different than earlier in the year.

Am I wrong?

Just gotta stay healthy now. Except for Sorenson.

Pre Haley drunk DJ or post Haley clean DJ?

I was saying the same thing yesterday. Gay was everywhere.

And we simply had a stud at each level of the defense. It was amazing.

I swear it seemed like everytime they took Bolton and Gay out, and put in Sorenson and the other LB'er; the other team ALWAYS makes a big play.

I think Willie is more physical then DJ.

1. They got healthy

2. They now have the right players in the right spots. Jones has been an absolute monster

3. The younger guys (Gay/Bolton/Fenton/Sneed) look soooo much more comfortable playing the game. They're just reading and reacting right now. It's beautiful to watch.

4. Spags has been aggressive and letting his guys play and the results are showing up on the field.

5. We've been somewhat fortunate over the last 3 weeks with facing some teams that have had some key injuries/players out....that said, you still have to execute on D and they are ABSOLUTELY getting it done.

Gay just needs to stay healthy. I'm excited about him and Bolton taking over.

The thing that coaches don't like to hear is that speed solves alot of problems. Even if a guy like Hitchens is in the right position, doesn't mean he'll make the play. Willie can be in the wrong position and still make the play. Same with Sorenson vs Thornhill.

Sometimes talent is better than effort, hard work & experience.

It's not a coincidence that this defense has been playing WAY better once Hitchens snap count has been reduced - whether that was from injury or from coaches playing him less - he's played much less snap counts in the last 5 weeks (when you know, our defense has been good)

Hitchens snap count by week 1 to week 10
Week 1: 47
Week 2: 65
Week 3: 52
Week 4: 49
Week 5: 47
Week 6: 11
Week 7: 0
Week 8: 0
Week 9: 31
Week 10: 22

DAN SORENSON snaps by week
Week 1: 59
Week 2: 76
Week 3: 60
Week 4: 73
Week 5: 57
Week 6: 19
Week 7: 16
Week 8: 27
Week 9: 22
Week 10: 27

It's like magically after week 5 we don't suck at defense anymore after Hitch and Sorenson snaps decline MASSIVELY.

SOURCE: https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/repo...ts/defense.php

Oh and VeAcH cAn’T FiNd ElItE tAlEnT

Both Bolton and Gay are really coming on strong. Getting him back from injury was another piece of the defensive turnaround. Hitchens getting hurt actually kinda helped as it gave Bolton some reps in his natural position.

Thanks. It was fun to watch.

Don't forget getting Thornhill back in there. But we all know the real MVP move was CJ back to NT

Yeah, this. This is what happened.

Oh, don't forget Dirty Dan and Mike Hughes got their reps chopped. That helped a lot too.

Quite a bit imop.

Cowboys longest play was 18 yards. (At least prior to the last drive)

Our LB’s are really looking good right now. Hitchens even looks like he’s playing better. Gay and Bolton are really developing and Ingram has been a great acquisition so far. Having a tenacious defense feeding off the crowd noise is great to watch.

Pollard had a 31 yard run

That was that weird direct snap play.

Besides that play, we gave up 51 yards on the ground.

Yes. I mentioned this in a thread somewhere last night

Something something positional value not worth the draft pick yadda yadda.

We've seen the team tread water with "good enough" OL like Wylie and Reiter and I don't know if we've ever had what can be called "good enough" LBs with Veach. Maybe when Ragland was coming into his own in the back half of our SB season?

Anyway, those spots are STOCKED and loaded with young guys who are only going to improve. And boy does it make a huge difference.

Veach did what Dorsey couldn't/wouldn't do. Found elite talent at OL (other than Schwartz) and drafted some good starting LBs. And it's worth it. You play to your strengths as a team, and this is the future. Use the OL, and let these two LBs lead and make plays on D.

Hitchens and Sorenson, stay down bitches!!

it really just comes down to injuries, less sorenson and trading for ingram

Drunk Haley sober DJ

For me, both Gay and Bolton show how special DJ truly was.

Gay is at his best pursuing to the sideline and dropping into shallow coverage, which is exactly what DJ was great at.

Bolton is a plugger and penetrator and can blow up plays in the backfield, which DJ so often could as well.

The fact that DJ could do all of these things helps underscore how special he was.

I'd say Derrick Johnson is Willie Gay's upside.

Nick Bolton's is London Fletcher.

There was a YouTuber a month back saying we would have a great lb trio if we just played the young guys. Everytime they were out there they make plays.
They may miss an assignment, but it is better than hitch and Neiman knowing the play but too slow to get there.