The Problem on Offense is our Playcalling and Predictability

[ConstantReboot]

The problem with our offense is playcalling.

After rewatching the game a few times I noticed that when we had big plays, Garrett calls for run plays up the middle which would end up as a small gain or a lost. We kept doing this even in the 2nd half.

We ran the ball more than 90% up the middle on 1st down - which mostly gained negative or 1 yard gains in the 1st half.

Tampa played the run almost entirely on 1st down. Now why can't Garrett ever use a play action on 1st down and pass it? We tried 2 play action plays which gained big yardage to Dez.

Also, when we ran Murray we also ran him straight up the middle. Why? We should try and let me run outside the tackles. As far as I can remember, we only ran him once outside the tackles which we got good yardage. However, we can back with the same exact play on 2nd and 3 to Felix Jones which he got tackled for a lost. Why?

Our receivers yesterday were beating their corners quite frequently. However, we kept trying to run the ball with Murray and focusing on Witten on 3rd downs.

These are just a few examples. But our problems on offense has been the lack of consistency. The reason for that is our playcalling. We could have easily move the ball on Tampa yesterday using short to medium passes to our recievers. However, we kept trying to establish the run and kept forcing the ball to Witten.

Every time we had a big play, we kept trying to run the ball - we shot ourselves in the foot by trying to run up the middle on 1st down.

Garrett needs to stop this predictable playcalling and let Romo get some consistency with the offense.

Our predictable is whats causing this mess. When Romo has to change the play using an audible because the defense knows what were going to do, then that causes penalties and confusion to happen.

Thats the reason why we have so pre snap penalties. Just rewatch the game again and you'll notice things get messed up when Romo had to audible.

Garrett, stop making predictable calls. Therefore, we won't have to audible as much and will have an offense that consistent.

[ScipioCowboy]

The problem on offense is the line not playing well.

[maxdallasfan]

JG is predictable too.

Where is the JG who called a swing pass to MB3 on 4th down and took it too the house?

I miss that JG. Or the JG who showed trickery and ran certain plays just to set up certain plays later in the game.

[Teague31]

He probably figures predictable play calling worked just fine in the 90's so it should work now.

[utrunner07]

Originally Posted by maxdallasfan

JG is predictable too.

Where is the JG who called a swing pass to MB3 on 4th down and took it too the house?

I miss that JG. Or the JG who showed trickery and ran certain plays just to set up certain plays later in the game.

I don't know how many times this has been brought up here before, but predictability is not the problem. Everyone in the early 90s knew exactly what this team was going to do but just could not stop them. The major problem here is an offensive line that is worse than some college offensive lines.

[dallasdave]

Good old trick plays -spice it up and keep everyone guessing.

[NickZepp]

Playcalling predictability is overrated. In the 90s we were probably the most predictable team as far as playcalling goes in the NFL. Everyone knew it would be 22 left or 22 right or 22 up the middle once in a while play action to 88 or 84. Didn't matter much when you couldn't stop it. Fact is Witten drops a sure TD that puts the game away early in the 4th quarter. Romo has a bad fumble on a sure scoring drive that again puts the game away earlier. These mistakes are correctable and mistakes you tend to see early in the season. Witten rarely makes that type of drop ever.

Our o-line isn't great, there's issues in the middle right now. But it's still pretty young.

[ConstantReboot]

Originally Posted by utrunner07

I don't know how many times this has been brought up here before, but predictability is not the problem. Everyone in the early 90s knew exactly what this team was going to do but just could not stop them. The major problem here is an offensive line that is worse than some college offensive lines.

Umm the team of the 90s had probowlers and hall of famers on several positions, especially on the line. You don't take the playcalling of the 90s, and place into this years team. It doesn't work that way.

If you think our line is worst just look at Green Bay, they gave up 8 sacks during one half. However, they adjusted in the 2nd half and was able to move the ball and make a game of it. If we become less predictable, we eventually put less stress on our oline and neutralize an aggressive passrush just like what the Packers did last night.

[CowboyRoy]

Originally Posted by ConstantReboot

Umm the team of the 90s had probowlers and hall of famers on several positions, especially on the line. You don't take the playcalling of the 90s, and place into this years team. It doesn't work that way.

If you think our line is worst just look at Green Bay, they gave up 8 sacks during one half. However, they adjusted in the 2nd half and was able to move the ball and make a game of it. If we become less predictable, we eventually put less stress on our oline and neutralize an aggressive passrush just like what the Packers did last night.

Agreed, but that Oline also paved hte way for the running game in the 2nd half. Alot of those sacks were also coverage sacks.

[ConstantReboot]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

The problem on offense is the line not playing well.

We all know that and its obvious. But what is the coach doing about it?

Being less predictable can help a mediocre oline alot. Use play action or draws. We hardly use play action and when we did against Tampa, it ended up as a big play.

Romo is a mobile QB. I don't know why were having him play as though he is a pocket passer.

[ScipioCowboy]

Originally Posted by ConstantReboot

We all know that and its obvious. But what is the coach doing about it?

Being less predictable can help a mediocre oline alot. Use play action or draws. We hardly use play action and when we did against Tampa, it ended up as a big play.

Romo is a mobile QB. I don't know why were having him play as though he is a pocket passer.

There's only so much a coach can do.

The running game looks so predictable because the running plays don't have time to develop. Murray is consistently getting hit two yards behind the line of scrimmage. This means the blockers are being overwhelmed as soon as the ball is snapped.

[dallasdave]

Go 4 wide with quick outs.

[jobberone]

If a team decides to take the run away then you are going to have a hard time running. If you can't execute the game plan and plays that are called you are going to look bad.

We are having problems running the ball. Teams are scheming that. We haven't been able to run short yardage for awhile now. Teams are scheming that as well. If you can't run you have to pass. If you can't pass block then you are in deep kimchi. Now you can't run the ball, they're giving you the pass and you can't block their front four. On top of that you keep getting presnap penalties as well. Everyone looks like kimchi.

In the end football is blocking and tackling. Someone famous said that.

[KJJ]

The Cowboys keep trying to run the ball with little success. Romo is having trouble hitting plays down the field because he's under constant pressure. Murray is losing yards on a majority of his carries which is putting the offense in a lot of 3rd and long situations.

Even Murray's 48 yard run vs the Giants on opening night would have resulted in a loss had he not made something out of nothing. The offense has no punch because of the struggles on the line.

[ConstantReboot]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

There's only so much a coach can do.

The running game looks so predictable because the running plays don't have time to develop. Murray is consistently getting hit two yards behind the line of scrimmage. This means the blockers are being overwhelmed as soon as the ball is snapped.

Well the problem could also because we are too predictable. If the defense knew you were going to run the ball straight up the middle on 1st down, you would anticipate that happening. Basically, thats what Tampa did. They brought a extra man to the box to play the run.