MVC Pre-Determined

Cowboys’ fans, if you haven’t already noticed, the Cowboys Brass is placing a lot of stock and faith in new Defensive Coordinator, Rob Ryan. His task at hand is monumental, and that could be the understatement of the century. He stands at the helm of a defensive ship that will enter the 2011 campaign with a couple of new faces. This could change due to the current status of brittle Cornerback, Terence Newman, but as things sit right now, Rob will ride with the same hombres that gave up an organizational record-high 436 points last year. If that makes you a little queasy in the stomach, it should.

Can scheme and style trump personnel changes and fix every aspect of deficiency? While it might, the odds are certainly against it. You still have to have the players to fit the scheme. This has been a golden rule of football since its inception. Of course things have changed and evolved over the many years, but the rule still holds true. Early signs are the Cowboys will be much more aggressive and covert in their approach to the defensive side of the ball. When you are as bad, statistically, as the Cowboys were last year, any positive change is a welcomed and refreshing concept.

Scheme familiarity is a huge component of this defense. Every year, big names glitter and tease the free agency market, and fans sit back and salivate about acquiring this guy or that guy. If you’re a Philly fan, you’re in “dream” heaven right now. While the Cowboys re-signings and additions weren’t even close to the “splash” created by the Eagles’ cannonball into the NFL 2011 pre-season, don’t get too caught up in names and billboard material. It makes for interesting talk and debate, but it doesn’t necessarily equate to production and success.

The Cowboys defense, and their additions, will know what Rob Ryan wants and demands. That’s a good thing. While Kenyon Coleman and Abe Elam are not going to steal headlines, as signings go, rest assured they will most likely be in the right places doing the right things when the ball gets teed up in September. Continuity, consistency and common-knowledge are so much of football, yet none of that ever shows up in the measured stats. You just hope it sprinkles itself amongst all positive results. The more of the three C’s you have, the better your defensive, and all units for that matter, and your team will be.

Rob Ryan is clearly the main focus of this Cowboys team. He has been entrusted with changing a unit who is in dire need of multiple football infusions. Watching closely, you can see the Cowboys defense slowly adopting the “attitude and approach” of their Captain. Without question, he needs to be the most valuable Coach in the entire NFL. That’s if the Cowboys have any hope of potentially competing in the post-season. This year. While all fans want and desire that, the reality says it isn’t going to happen. This year.

If nothing more, Rob Ryan’s demeanor, approach and intensity are drastically different from previous Defensive Coordinator, Wade Phillips’. Sometimes, teams and/or players seem to adopt or infuse their coach’s style into their play on the field. Cowboys’ fans, you have to hope this happens with this year’s defensive unit. They have a ton to overcome and prove, and early indications are the 11 players on defense, and their back-ups, are not at all happy with last year’s production and results. Fans can only hope a reflection and look back stings and hurts like no tomorrow. They need all the incentive they can muster up as the pressure is on and the expectations are starting to soar as the season approaches.

While he will never admit it, Rob Ryan knows this particular project is a personal showcase. He, like twin Brother and Father, wants to be a head coach in this League. There is no bigger NFL stage to showcase your wears. Advances and successes of the Dallas Cowboys’ defense will only enhance Rob Ryan’s chances of calling the shots for a NFL franchise. Defensive success is paramount to these Dallas Cowboys, and the unit’s production and improvements, especially with a cast of almost identical characters, will be a direct reflection of their semi-crazed defensive coordinator.

The Cowboys defense holds Rob Ryan’s future in their collective playing hands. Rob Ryan will not defend one pass, make a tackle or rush the quarterback this year from the sideline, but he will orchestrate players and schemes that are designed and aimed to do just that. The good news is he has players familiar with what he wants to do and where he wants to go. The learning curve is lessened, and that’s a positive thing. So, while the Cowboys didn’t grab or garner headlines in their free agency pursuits, they made prudent and practical decisions. Not flashy or attractive, especially when you have a Division opponent spending at will, but the Cowboys’ approach lowers overall expectations. The pressure comes off all shoulders just a little bit. Let the microscope swing to the City of Brotherly Shove.

If the Cowboys can stay out of shoot-outs and reliance on the offense to solely win games, they will compete every Sunday, Monday and Thursday. Rob Ryan will have this team ready to play. There is this feeling Rob Ryan is about ready to unleash a fury we’ve not seen in these parts in many, many years. He is the early leader, and depending on the play of his unit, he could easily be the Most Valuable Coach of the entire League, and it hardly matters he is merely a Coordinator. The weight of the 2010 season clearly rests on his shoulders. He feels and knows it, but something feels like he likes it that way, too.

He’s a Ryan.