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View Full Version : ESPN NFCE: Graziano: Cowboys' WRs must start making plays

WoodysGirl
10-22-2012, 04:40 PM
Oct 22
12:01
PM ET

By Dan Graziano (http://search.espn.go.com/dan-graziano/) | ESPN.com

One of the questions in the wake of the Dallas Cowboys (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys)' 19-14 victory in Carolina on Sunday was why they called such a conservative play (http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4699862/cowboys-get-conservative-late-in-the-game) on third-and-nine at the Carolina 15-yard line with 3:39 left in the game. Personally, I didn't find it at all surprising, since the Cowboys had been hyper-conservative on offense all game.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo) threw exactly one pass all game that traveled 20 or more yards downfield -- the very pretty 26-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin). Stats & Info also tells me that Romo was 19-for-22 for 129 yards on throws that traveled less than 10 yards downfield, which means he was 4-for-11 for 72 yards on throws that traveled between 10 and 19 yards downfield.

This is the way it's been going this year with the Dallas passing game. Romo was a 53.2 percent passer last year on throws 20 or more yards downfield -- one of the highest marks in that category in the past five seasons. But this year, he's just 5-for-19 (26.3 percent) for 179 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on such throws -- 3-for-11 to Austin and Dez Bryant (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant). The Cowboys' deep passing game has vanished, and it's a big part of the reason they're 24th in the NFL in scoring offense at 18.8 points per game.

Read the rest: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/44672/cowboys-wrs-must-start-making-plays
Little Jr
10-22-2012, 04:53 PM
Wr and romo should take some blame but most of this falls on jg and his horrible offensive scheme. It sucks.
Idgit
10-22-2012, 05:10 PM
This article showed some promise. The stats to support the anemic deep passing game, for example, are great. Then it descends into more Graziano-style bloggishness, unfortunately.
Idgit
10-22-2012, 05:13 PM
Wr and romo should take some blame but most of this falls on jg and his horrible offensive scheme. It sucks.

I've noticed you're not too happy with our scheme these days....

Most of this, honestly, can be attributed to Miles' hammys early, and to the fact that Romo's been so hurried on the late-developing routes so far this year. As the pass blocking improves, those numbers will go up. We've been so close on so many of these throws; at some point, we've got to start making some of them.
ddh33
10-22-2012, 05:42 PM
In my very oversimplified version, I think this offense works way better when Miles Austin is much more involved.
Future
10-22-2012, 09:14 PM
I've noticed you're not too happy with our scheme these days....

Most of this, honestly, can be attributed to Miles' hammys early, and to the fact that Romo's been so hurried on the late-developing routes so far this year. As the pass blocking improves, those numbers will go up. We've been so close on so many of these throws; at some point, we've got to start making some of them.
To some extent you need a lot of time for plays like deep crosses and that sort of thing. But realistically, you can throw a deep fade or a jet on a 3 step drop. Just get it up there and let the WR run under it. With Dez and Miles, who are both very good at going up and getting it, we should be taking a couple shots a game doing just that imo.
CowboysYanksLakers
10-22-2012, 11:24 PM
In my very oversimplified version, I think this offense works way better when Miles Austin is much more involved.

I happen to agree...
KB1122
10-23-2012, 03:02 AM
One issue that doesn't get much mention is the fact that without the deeper passes, you can't score quickly. So your drives become longer, and that puts more pressure on your offensive line not to make a drive-killing mistake or penalty.

I think one thing that gets overlooked about the line's play is how many plays they're being asked to string together in order to get points.
Garland powerplay
10-23-2012, 03:50 AM
They do need to stretch the field more to open up the running game and short passes. Miles and Bryant are good deep receivers but reason may be because line would have to protect much longer.
casmith07
10-23-2012, 10:21 AM
Miles made a play Sunday...then fumbled.

Other than Week 1, we have yet to play a sound, complete game of football. Let's hope we bring that "A" game again against the Giants this week. We need it.
casmith07
10-23-2012, 10:24 AM
Additional comment: it's really not even about big plays on offense. It's about sustaining drives, minimizing drive-killing penalties, and finishing drives with 7s and not 3s.
WoodysGirl
10-23-2012, 10:29 AM
Miles made a play Sunday...then fumbled.

Other than Week 1, we have yet to play a sound, complete game of football. Let's hope we bring that "A" game again against the Giants this week. We need it.
Even week one wasn't sound, complete football game, Giants just played worse and didn't capitalize our mistakes.

Memories get fuzzy over time, but if you go back and look at the game, there were tons of flubs and mistakes that cost the team in other games.

This game will not be the like Week 1. The Giants are playing much more consistent than the Cowboys right now. If the Cowboys shoot themselves in the foot like they're prone to do, then the Giants WILL capitalize this time.
Idgit
10-23-2012, 10:32 AM
I thought the BAL game was fairly sound, actually. We just weren't quite good enough to beat them at home.

No game's perfect, but if the Cowboys play at or above that level each week, we'll be playing games that mean something in December.
Reality
10-23-2012, 10:35 AM
Miles made a play Sunday...then fumbled.

Other than Week 1, we have yet to play a sound, complete game of football. Let's hope we bring that "A" game again against the Giants this week. We need it.

The Cowboys really didn't play well the first game either. They were sloppy in that game, but were fortunate that the Giants were even worse. It seems like they fix one area only to get sloppy in another area. Hopefully, as you said, they will improve and play a more complete game against the Giants this time.

#reality
casmith07
10-23-2012, 10:37 AM
I thought the BAL game was fairly sound, actually. We just weren't quite good enough to beat them at home.

No game's perfect, but if the Cowboys play at or above that level each week, we'll be playing games that mean something in December.

Kickoff return for a TD....ugh.
WoodysGirl
10-23-2012, 11:05 AM
I thought the BAL game was fairly sound, actually. We just weren't quite good enough to beat them at home.

No game's perfect, but if the Cowboys play at or above that level each week, we'll be playing games that mean something in December.
You're right. I think Baltimore was about the closest as they got to a complete game.

The running game was rock solid. Passing game was solid. Defense was ok. As good as they were, they did seem to let Flacco drive down the field on them a little bit.

That kick return was a killer, tho... I applaud Dan Bailey for trying to catch Jacoby Jones as he blew past him. I was afraid he was going to pull a hammy trying to, tho. lol