Your Dallas Cowboys Numbers of the Day
Posted: September 22, 2008 @ 11:03 am
One — mark it down. Watch it again on your Tivo, cause you saw something exceptional last night.
Marion Barber’s 4th quarter hairball was the first lost fumble of his career.
Six — The Cowboys defense has absorbed six deep drives into its territory, three against the Eagles and three last night, and held the opposition to field goals. It’s week four. Adam Jones is still making mental mistakes, but the Cowboys showed no fear last night against the Packers. Dallas didn’t make any concessions to a team that has a better passing attack than the Browns.
For much of the game the Cowboys played a base 3-4 against the Packers three receiver sets. Dallas stayed in a front seven to maximize their blitz and their run defense. The Cowboys sole adjustment was removing the strong safety, adding Adam Jones, moving Terence Newman to the slot and playing with three corners and just one safety.
Aaron Rogers had only one play longer than 20 yards against this package. That was his first play from scrimmage, when Greg Jennings caught a seven yard slant and pivoted outside away from Anthony Henry for a 25 yard gain. Mike Jenkins is showing better coverage on the outside each week. (It appears the coaches are making things easy for him and fellow rookie corner Orlando Scandrick. Jenkins is playing outside on the right exclusively and Scandrick is learning the slot. With regular slot man Newman healthy, Scandrick isn’t getting so much work right now.)
Nine — The number of sacks the Cowboys have recorded the last two weeks. They played the top two NFC offenses besides their own and racked up nine sacks. Add this component to the improving coverage and we’re seeing the steady defensive improvement we saw last season.
But this squad has more tools to work with.
Patience, Grasshoppers. Patience.
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Do you suppose Marion’s lost fumble had anything to do with the rib injury suffered in week 1? Doesn’t seem to affect his running, but maybe his ability to secure the ball away? Just thinking out loud here.
Wayne,
I think Barber’s fumble just showed his human. I was beginning to wonder. The defender made a play and poked the ball out.
“he’s” not “his”
I thought the defense executed what most of us thought was the game plan almost perfectly. Make GB have long drives with short gains and not allow anyone to run after they made a short catch. The tackling after the catch was really good. I also thought the pressure on the QB was pretty good.
I honestly think that this win was probably one of the better wins for Dallas in the past three years.
They scored 27 points with TO having 2 catches. If Dallas’s offense is on, Dallas not only beats Green Bay but destroys GB.
My only real concern with the single safety alignment is the stronger possibility of getting beat deep. If a team ran two long routes on opposing sides of the field, we’d better have good coverage.
I guess that’s where a good pass rush comes in. =)
Oh and Jason Taylor is out for the Washington game.
That game wasn’t pretty most of the night, then toward the end you notice the score and what is happening and you’re going, hmmm, wow.
We played a pretty good team who was determined to take away some of our strengths and did a pretty good job. We made several mistakes and still not only won, but left a pretty good memory if we see them again. Hasn’t been very long ago that mistakes would’ve doomed us.
Still think the Skins may steal one next week, and I’m sure we will not go undefeated, but the talent level we have right now is amazing. We are still growing and developing, getting healthy, etc. Hold on to your hats, this will be a fun ride.
DaveMorgan,
If you have good, smart, well coached corners you can do this and succeed. That they did it against the Packers and did not allow big plays speaks very well of them.
I think the game against the Redskins will be a three-ring circus. LIke… 45 to 24 or something. I see Santana Moss catching like 8 balls for over 120yds and 3TDs, but I see Romo and MBIII just going absolutely berserk against a defense without Jason Taylor or quality LBs.
Apparently Aaron Rogers is pretty athletic, he barely escaped 3-4 more sacks with his running. Is Dallas ever going to play an immobile QB? Is Bledsoe still playing somewhere?
I just traded Sanata Moss for Ronnie Brown, so I hope Moss doesn’t keep it up. I hated having a Redskin on my fantasy team anyway…
Crayton’s stock appears to be falling drastically after a stellar week one. Just two catches and a fumble against Philly, and an early drop and zippy receptions last night. Geez…couldn’t have been a better time for Miles to step it up. Btw didn’t Austin draw two 40 yard pass interference calls against the Packers last season? He’s a Packer Killer.
“They scored 27 points with TO having 2 catches. If Dallas’s offense is on, Dallas not only beats Green Bay but destroys GB.”
It wasn’t a question of the offense not being on - Green Bay took TO out of the game. They paid the price in the form of the running game and Miles Austin.
“Is Dallas ever going to play an immobile QB?”
After next week, we get Palmer, Warner and Bulger in successive games. Statuesque enough for you?
Forgive me for going slightly off topic, but I wanted to share something that I wrote and created a video for. I have composed a Theme Song for the 2008-09 Cowboys. I’d love to know what my brothers in Cowboy Nation think about it.
Check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGED0lYzKao
So, do the analysts do the YPA type number crunching as the year unfolds, or only at the end. I ask because i would be curious to see how AJ is doing. as best i can tell, and i admit it’s not entirely clear to me if this is true, but it seems like AJ may be on the hook for one or three long completions. How is his YPA? What’s the general feeling on him? Is he playing his way out of the #3 CB spot? I guess that question goes hand in hand with are either of the rookies making a move to jump up to #3? I havent been terribly impressed with AJ’s punt returning - there seems to be a whole lot of east-west running with not very much north-south payoff.
Love holding Philly and GB to field goals. Especially since this unit hasn’t played together for very long. Jones, Jenkins and Scandrick are all new. Plus, Henry’s role has changed.
I’d like to see us to start getting some picks.
Also, this team needs a healthy and explosive Spencer. One reason we aren’t finishing sacks is because McNabb and Rodgers are quicker than every D lineman we’ve rushed, except possibly Ware, and he’s looked tired chasing at times. Spencer should give us fresher legs and speed on both edges.
Berraco,
He appears to be somewhat as he always has been. Good player who loves to jump routes which leaves him open to the double move. Guess what, those double moves have been what has been burning him. I did notice on the last one (I think it was), the Boys had a blitz called and he jumped the route thinking it was going to be a ‘hot’ route and coming out quick. It didn’t, he jumped the first move and was playing catch up.
I am not a tape guy, but it seems that the rust has been knocked off and he is playing well, just needs to trust the system and be where he should be. Too much instinct maybe? He isn’t scared to tackle, I’ll give him that. Still too much talent for him to be dropping, unless he just refuses to change.
I do agree on the punt returns, I know there was one where he had an easy 10 yard gain if he goes straight. He tried for more and it bit him. Ran 50 yards for a 1 yard gain. That also contributes to the ol block in the back calls.
I agree that Pac is no longer rusty. But he definitely doesn’t seem as comfortable moving from a predominantly man team to a predominant zone team. He’s having concentration issues as well as issues with how he should be passing off receivers. For instance, when he got beat on that play last night, it looked like he either didn’t stay with Driver when he should have (mental error) or didn’t communicate effectively when passing him off to the safety (comfort playing zone). Either way, his man went deep and caught a bomb, but I still think he’s gonna need time to adjust. I’ve been happy with his tackling, though.
He was standing flat-footed watching Rodgers scramble. I think he’d turned into a spectator somewhat and was considering coming forward to make a tackle.
This just in: Al Harris apparently ruptured his spleen after colliding with AJ Hawk.
Yep Madmick, I just saw the same thing. Might explain why he didnt come back in. Glad he got treated quickly. Its the same injury that took down Sims in TB.
We played more Man to Man last night, and that’s Pac Man’s strength. He’s not comfy in zone, and that Driver play was Pac Man sitting short in a cover two. It wasn’t Pac Man trying to jump a route and getting burned.
Still sensing some consternation over playing man or zone. The boys will continue to mix it up.
We all want to see a suffocating defense where QBs cannot sit in the pocket and receivers cannot get open downfield.
It is a little unrealistic to expect however, and it is a bit reckless to push a scheme that produces such as I have argued recently. The real question is why change what is being done?
Better to look at the defensive performance as a whole since we now have 12 quarters to look at. My metric for defensive success, as always, is scoring.
Here are the numbers by quarter for opponent’s offensive output against the boys:
Browns game
1st ¼ points scored: 0
2nd ¼ points scored: 7
3rd ¼ points scored: 0
4th ¼ points scored: 3
Iggles game
1st ¼ points scored: 6
2nd ¼ points scored: 24 (7 points came when defense not on field)
3rd ¼ points scored: 0
4th ¼ points scored: 7
Packers game
1st ¼ points scored: 3
2nd ¼ points scored: 3
3rd ¼ points scored: 3
4th ¼ points scored: 7
Thus, the boys have 3 of 12 shutouts by quarter so far. They have given up no more than 7 points per ¼ 11 of 12 times. They had one ugly ¼ where they gave up 17 (7 of those off a T/O that produced a short field for the iggles).
I will simply take this kind of production any day of the week. Whatever they are doing on defense is working, at least 91.6% of the time.
On a similar note,
take a look at the 2nd half production above.
Browns: 3 points
Iggles: 7 points
Packers: 10 points (7 in what was arguable garbage time).
That tells me the coaches are figuring out what opposing offenses are doing and stopping it.
This doesn’t mean the other offense cant move the ball, it means they cant score.
still another way to look at it is 56 points over 12 quarters or 4.6 points a quarter.
Thats 18 points a game. Not great but pretty good. Certainly a number our offense can overcome.
And we havn’t exactly played offensive slouches so far (though the browns are on their way there).
I think 16 points a game is the number we’re looking for.
Re: Harris,
That makes a lot more sense. Saying he was suffering cramps after 20 snaps just didn’t add up. I heard a story today that he had blood in his urine and that was linked to his need for an I.V.
Another reason to never take medical info from sportswriters. Ruptured spleens are serious business.
On to pacman,
He’s definitly looked into the backfield way too many times… but I will say this, I didn’t know the dude was as sure of a tackler as he is.
Not saying thats an excuse, because its not, but at least he plays hard. Even on the play that he let go past him for 50, he was the guy who ended up running back and making the tackle.
He SHOULD improve and thats the scary things for teams across the NFL. I don’t think the Dallas D is close to a finished product.
The good news about Kosier, is at least in the next three weeks Dallas doesn’t have a difficult matchup on the defensive side of the ball.
I think it would be nice if he was back for Tampa.
OH and another thing.. where is TEX?
You want to clown on Stewart when Dallas plays bad, so you should at least give him props for an excellent defense played last night.
Ruptured spleen from mistakenly running into your own man? Now that’s playing at full speed. God, I hope he’s ok.
Total non-sequitor…
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/golf/article1716918.ece
That article is hilarious. Read what they say about Boo, and read his quote. Pure hilarity.
Everglades hillbilly? Where are there any hills in the glades?
Idiots.
On a lighter note;
Even though they’re no longer teammates, Marion Barber is still getting the best of Julius Jones. Yesterday, JJ ran for 140 yards. MBIII ran for 142 yards! So, going into tonight’s game, MBIII is the top runner for Week 3, with JJ at #2.
It’s nice to see Julius Jones doing well in Seattle.
WOW the espn crew is actually giving Dallas its props! I think the devil is wearing a coat.
For a book on the Packers season, looking to contact four Cowboys fans - husbands and wives - who flew up from Dallas for their first Lambeau game. Section 113, rows 47/48. Guy in a Witten jersey. Wife in Cowboys Super Bowl sweatshirt, reddish hair. Two rows back of a guy in Aikman jersey. Appreciate any help. Congrats on a great win. Barber/Witten impossible to stop.
Ahh,
I’ve heard that are alot of class act, fun loving fans in packerland.
One found the site.
umm, THERE are alot of class act….
Didn’t Driver burn us down the sideline?
AFB2,
I wasn’t sure if it was Pacman’s fault on the long pass. He was looking into the backfield but i guess he thought he had safety help.
I wonder if they discuss coverages in the def huddle. Pacman is getting better every week. He is ready to break one on a punt
On Kosier not sure he played very good last night. I would have thought they might have started Proctor and worked Kosier into the game.
i think they rushed Specner and Kosier back to quick.
Specncer better return because I have a feeling ellis will be out of gas by week 16.
Well I would be shocked if Pacman was supposed to let Donald Driver run right past him..
Man, I really dislike Phillip Rivers… that dude seems like such a douche.
According to Josh Ellis on the Cowboys’ website, Driver was Hamlin’s responsibility on that play.
Read here: http://www.truebluefanclub.com/blogs/writers_block.cfm?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a6f720d98-095f-4c2b-9bbb-88639ea813cbPost%3ac5c4c4f0-ff76-4053-ad7b-103b0a004cbc&sid=sitelife.truebluefanclub.com
He does, AFB, doesn’t he? Something about that dude really, really rubs me the wrong way.
Hm. well I stand corrected then. Then Pacman played a very good game on Sunday.
How comfortable must it be if you’re Lane Kiffin as you get into the office every morning? Jeeez. I bet Al Davis just stops paying him, ala the red stapler guy from “Office Space.”
Kornheiser imitating Cosell is just obscene.
HA! “I was told I could play my music at a reasonable volume”.
OK, i just ran that play back a few times. Here’s what happens… Cowboys appear to be in Nickel. There are 2 safeties, 3 CBs, 2 LBs, 2 down rushers and 2 up ends. The Packers are in the pro set, HB and FB in the backfield, with 3 WRs and no TEs.
A WR on the right side, lined up close to the RT (the slot?) shoots down the hash marks, being covered by Newman who lined up right over top of him. This WR fires downfield on a fly pattern. He gets behind Newman and Hamlin rolls over for deep help. Donald Driver, on the far right by the sidelines and covered with some cushion by Adam Jones, runs a 15yd curl, stops, turns, and sees the QB is in trouble, and shoots deep behind AJ. It looks like an improvised offensive play.
Al Michaels says on the broadcast that it was blown coverage by Hamlin.
So, if the WRs in the slot and the outside both run fly patterns, are they only Hamlin’s responsibility? How can he cover two WRs behind the CBs?
Also, the Packer HB and FB both stay in the backfield to block, they don’t run patterns. So, effectively, both LBs, the RCB, the weak side safety were all covering the WR on the left, who ran a shallow crossing route.
joey@zs
I make no proclamation of who was at fault on the play; I offer only what is being reported. Wade said Hamlin, Ellis reported what Wade said:
“Phillips said Donald Driver’s 50-yard catch and run was not Adam “Pacman” Jones’ fault. He said the Cowboys were in a cover two deep scheme and Jones was only asked to guard the right flat. ”
“After a look at the film and conferring with Jones, it appears safety Ken Hamlin was actually at fault. The Cowboys were in their dime package with Hamlin the deep safety in a cover two shell. Jones did his job by guarding the right flat, but Hamlin was out of position.”
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=8C470445-EBC8-A161-BF47D537B0F95F6D
This all tells me I know exactly squat about Xs and Os.
I’m just amazed how prepared this team is. I remember during how in the Parcells era how lost we appeared to be in some games.
ym, if by “we” you mean Roy Williams and keith Davis I agree.
I am happy to finally see the blitzing packages that include using the corners more often. I was not sure who Stewart and Phillips would use, but using Henry to blitz from his OLB/S/CB position over the TE was perfectly discussed. His size and strength make him ideal for blitzing. I look for them to mix it up. I hope to see a lot more of this now that Newman is back, Pacman has gotten most of the rust off and the rookies are getting into the flow. With Scandrisk’s ability to block field goals he may be a good fit for these blitzing packages. Plus this will not allow opposing offenses to simply double team Demarcus with a T and a back. Look for more of this in the future.
Props to Austin for stepping up and taking advantage of the opportunity to be the deep treat. Where the heck did Crayton go?
I would like to start or jump on the bang wagon to get Darren Woodson in the Ring of Honor and/or the Hall of Fame. Because all of you know that if he was on this team right now we not be stopping people like Jarhead pointed out, we would be KILLING those other teams. The 90s Cowboys would not have been as good as they were with out good defense and Darren was rock. I still miss him. I think Roy does to.
babe, Good point about Scandrick, I never thought about him being a good blitz option.
Generally, as they move through the season I’m hoping the Cowboys get more aggressive w/ blitzing, stunts , etc. Take more chances to try and produce turnovers.
Do we even have one pick yet?
The corners are healing, and Philly and GB have offenses you have to respect. But when we play some of the less explosive teams I hope we come after them and take a few chances.
We need Spencer badly, or they should even put in Carpenter for 5 plays or so, because Ware needs a break. They’re going to wear this guy down, it’s like a starter in baseball throwing 120 pitches every game.
He’s so incredible it’s hard to pull him, but still.
Also, I am very underwhelmed by Jones and his punt returns. I hope that improves. He needs to learn when to just sit down and not Romo the play
(you know-screw up trying to do too much!)
Things to work on, but that was an enjoyable whippin’ to give the Packers on their field!
We should forgive MBIII his fumble, as well as McBriar’s shank. Things like that even happen to the best of them…and Hey, they are the best.
Wade said they’ll work on Jones punt return ‘antics’ and try to get him to trust his blocking.
Can we now, after all this time, cover Santana Moss. I can still see those two TD’s he scored in that horrible 14/13 game.
I look at Ratlif like house money. My God, where did he come from. He may go down in Cowboy history like Bob Lily and Randy White. Those 1st rounders on the line better take some notes on Ratlif.
Cowboyman…
Has he played any better than Hatcher? Spears (this year)? Tank?
It really seems as though we are getting quite a few talented linemen that are capable of having really good games. One of them explode every night for a sack, some pressure and a tackle behind the line or two.
I am a bit worried about Canty though. I just thought this might be his season to really become great but that doesn’t look like it is happening. Ehe…. The season is young.
UncleRico, Yes Ratliff is playing that much better than Spears, Hatcher, and Tank. What he is doing is special, its not a knock on Spears. Spears is playing better too, but Ratliff is off the charts. What he is doing with his hands is phenominal. He is shucking, clubing, swimming, and powering his way into the backfield of opposing teams.
Canty had the bruised hip in pre season and I dont think he’s over it. I saw him get up slow a couple of times and he seems to be moving gingerly.
I watched the game on tivo last night and one thing that stood out to me was 77 Jenkins is one hell of a dirty player. The events that led up to him hitting Barber late when the flag was picked up were childish and bullish. He would not get off Barber on one play just sitting on his chest and Flo moved him but he was ready to fight but he wasn’t getting up he still just sit on Barber. On another play he was rubbing his crotch in Barber’s face as Barber lay on the ground and once again refusing to get up.
Jenkins is a child.
More to come about the game later.
I loved how 77 thought he could catch barber, several times he wasn’t even close, I just kept saying “hey fatboy your too slow, they do not even have to block you”.
I agree on Ratliff, he’s one of those guys we all hated to play against. Such high intensity and his motor just never stops. I love that kind of play.
Realist,
Your going to get that with good punt returners though. Most good ones are like that, either its going to be huge or nothing at all.
As long as he doesn’t fumble or get hurt, I’m fine with him working to find a crease, even if he gets, say, 4 yards instead of 8.