DMN: Breaking Down the ‘Boys: Preseason Week 1 Film Study

[WoodysGirl]

By jonathanbales
jonathan@thedctimes.com
10:28 am on August 14, 2012 | Permalink

After watching the Cowboys’ preseason opener in Oakland, one thing is clear; from the top of the roster to the bottom, this team still has a long way to go. Neither the first-team offense nor the first-team defense got a ton of work on Monday night, so the majority of the struggles came from second and third-team players. Some of those guys won’t be on the team come September, but great football teams tend to possess depth, and I’m not sure the Cowboys have that right now.

Below, I’ll break down two plays: one from the second-team defense and one from the second-team offense. I’ll be doing similar breakdowns throughout the season here at SportsDayDFW.com, so feel free to e-mail me after games to let me know which plays you want to see analyzed.

Second-Team Defense
Following the two-minute warning in the second quarter, the Raiders faced a 3rd and 2 at the 25-yard line. They initially lined up in “Spread” before motioning the slot receiver to the left side to create a “Trips Bunch” look (three receivers packed tightly near the offensive line). Offenses often run crossing routes out of Bunch in short-yardage situations.

The Cowboys showed blitz prior to the snap. When the Raiders’ receiver motioned, Cowboys cornerback Mario Butler followed him. This alerted to Raiders quarterback Matt Leinart that the Cowboys were in man coverage.

Read more: http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/20...lm-study.html/