Cowboys fanbase thinks Mike Zimmer will improve on Dan Quinn

Hope is fun.

There was a time when former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was the most popular Dallas Cowboys coach. All you have to do is think back to the disastrous season for the defense under Mike Nolan in Mike McCarthy’s first season, and then think of the rescue job Dan Quinn did the next season.

Quinn was an aggressive coach who had great rapport with his players, and he had a little swagger that the fanbase instantly gravitated towards. But he also produced on the field. The Cowboys defense under Quinn became one of the better units in the NFL. Their ability to take the ball away at a high rate became their calling card. Guys like Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland thrived.

But there was a downside to that defense. Teams with solid running games could gut the Cowboys as Quinn was constantly moving guys around and stunting the defensive line. This made for a tough pass rush, but also opened up lanes for the running game of the opposition. The undersized personnel at certain positions only added to the problem.

The defense stumbled down the stretch of the 2023 season, and was demolished by the Green Bay Packers in the wild card playoff game. That seemed to break the spell with fans. Because when we asked you how the defense would do under new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer compared to Dan Quinn, the answer was overwhelming. 80% of respondents thought it would be better.

That is a very high percentage of positive answers. Zimmer previous success, his familiarity with Dallas and the Jones family, and his ability to field a balanced defense has captured the imagination of Cowboys fans. Now let’s hope everyone is right.

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