JPostSam
Well-Known Member
- Messages
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Yes, the offensive line play has dropped off.
Yes, the running plays have been more plain vanilla and less effective.
Yes, there have been more drops by receivers.
Yes, Dak has made some poor choices.
Yes, the offensive play calling has been head scratching.
But here's something I haven't seen or heard anyone address: The diminished role of the tight end.
Over the first 7 games of the season, when Dallas went 6-1 and outscored opponents 225-162, tight ends caught 43 passes on 56 targets for 460 yards and 5 TDs.
Over the last 5 games, in which Dallas is 2-3 and has barely outscored opponents 128-105 (thanks to the lopsided 43-3 victory of Atlanta), tight ends have only caught 23 passes on 33 attempts for 237 yards and 2 TDs.
I don't know for sure that 11 personnel has been used less frequently in this rough patch (although my Spidey sense says that it has), or that it has had a direct relationship to the declining effectiveness of the run game (ditto) or things like 3rd down conversion rates and drive length (ditto and ditto), but that would be an interesting study.
My totally uneducated opinion is that, when the offense is playing well, the tight ends are an important component because they are complementing both the passing game and the running game -- and that they have been used less frequently and less effectively over the past 5 games, when the offense that was white hot to start the season has cooled considerably. I'd sure like to see it fixed over the remainder of this season.
Yes, the running plays have been more plain vanilla and less effective.
Yes, there have been more drops by receivers.
Yes, Dak has made some poor choices.
Yes, the offensive play calling has been head scratching.
But here's something I haven't seen or heard anyone address: The diminished role of the tight end.
Over the first 7 games of the season, when Dallas went 6-1 and outscored opponents 225-162, tight ends caught 43 passes on 56 targets for 460 yards and 5 TDs.
Over the last 5 games, in which Dallas is 2-3 and has barely outscored opponents 128-105 (thanks to the lopsided 43-3 victory of Atlanta), tight ends have only caught 23 passes on 33 attempts for 237 yards and 2 TDs.
I don't know for sure that 11 personnel has been used less frequently in this rough patch (although my Spidey sense says that it has), or that it has had a direct relationship to the declining effectiveness of the run game (ditto) or things like 3rd down conversion rates and drive length (ditto and ditto), but that would be an interesting study.
My totally uneducated opinion is that, when the offense is playing well, the tight ends are an important component because they are complementing both the passing game and the running game -- and that they have been used less frequently and less effectively over the past 5 games, when the offense that was white hot to start the season has cooled considerably. I'd sure like to see it fixed over the remainder of this season.
