Cowboys hope fix-it mindset, Mincey’s return correct defensive flaws

It didn’t take long for all those positive feelings about the Dallas Cowboys’ defense the first two weeks to disappear.

That’s what happens when a backup running back gashes them for 141 yards on the ground, a Pro Bowl quarterback goes untouched for the final 36 pass plays and an elite receiver they game-planned around still has a big day. Not to mention letting the opponent convert seven of eight third downs in the second half.

To their credit, the Cowboys’ defenders didn’t make any excuses for the embarrassing performance against the Atlanta Falcons, a 39-28 whipping that exposed their deficiencies.

“It’s never a good thing to lose like that, to have a meltdown like that,” said Nick Hayden, who has made 35 consecutive starts at defensive tackle for the Cowboys.

“We just have to learn from it as a defense and not let that happen again because it wasn’t good. A lot of people lost focus. Gap discipline was a huge thing and not enough guys running to the ball. We need that and we need that altogether for our whole defense to work.”

Now, the defense shifts its attention to the New Orleans Saints and their 13th-ranked offense. Even if quarterback Drew Brees doesn’t start, or isn’t himself because of a right shoulder injury, the Saints still have threats that the Cowboys can’t overlook.

This is the team that the Saints absolutely torched in 2013, the last time they met in the Superdome. The Saints won 49-17, setting an NFL-record with 40 first downs and a franchise-record with 625 total yards.

That 2013 Saints team was more explosive, but this year’s team has playmakers on it too.

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks has flashed potential, and is hungry for his first career 100-yard receiving game. Running back Mark Ingram is a first-round talent who had four 100-yard rushing games last season.

The roster has other players with upside such as C.J. Spiller, who could see his touches increase as the season progresses.

And don’t write off Brees’ backup, Luke McCown, who completed 31 of 38 passes for 310 yards with no touchdowns and one interception last week against Carolina.

“Luke went into the game last week and it looked like the New Orleans Saints running their plays,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “It wasn’t like they came up with all these new plays because he’s a different style of quarterback.

“Sometimes you might face a team where the backup quarterback is different physically. This guy might be more of a runner while the other guy’s a pocket passer. And I think those can be more revealing to you. When you have a quarterback who has a similar style and similar physical traits, they typically run the offense. And that’s what they did last week.”

Regardless of whetherit’s Brees or McCown taking snaps, the Cowboys know they must get pressure on the quarterback. That remains the No. 1 priority after a dismal pass rush last week put too much responsibility on the secondary.

The Cowboys have only three sacks this season, which means they are on pace for getting fewer than the 28 they had last season (which ranked 28th in the league).

Missing their top three right defensive ends (Jeremy Mincey, Randy Gregory and Greg Hardy) isn’t a good enough reason.

As second-year defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said, “Our agenda is getting after the quarterback. We just need to focus on working together better.”

Mincey is set to return after missing last week with concussion symptoms and that should give the Cowboys a presence that it lacked last week.

“The offense put up 28 points. That’s more than enough to win,” Mincey said. “We have to play hard, physical and definitely smart. It was a good game to learn from and assess what we need to get better at and just get it fixed. We just didn’t play Cowboy ball last week.”

Only time will tell whether the Falcons’ game was an aberration or a troubling sign of what’s to come.

“You point out what we did right, and what we didn’t,” defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. “You make your corrections and you move on.

“I know it sounds boring, I am boring, but I’m telling you the truth. Hey, correct this, do this right and now get it going and get on the field and make our corrections and improve our execution.”

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Cowboys hope fix-it mindset, Mincey’s return correct defensive flaws."