Dak and his legs

[baltcowboy]

I think an overlooked part of the Cowboys offense in the playoffs is Dak's ability to get out of trouble by running with the football. Hasn't done it too much this year until recently. He said that he was saving that for when the games really matter rather than risk an injury early in the season. I see a few rollouts and naked bootlegs to take advantage of the Niners pass rush. What say you??

Plus Dak seems to play better when he runs the football. I expect some read option plays. Dak just needs to get a few yards and get down!!!!!

 

[SSoup]

This offense was at its best the first 6 or so games prior to his calf injury when he was running RPO, and using his legs more often. He didn't wait or was hesitant to run as he is now. He needs to open it up again and put pressure on the niners' defense by showing he will run it too.

Not sure what you were watching in September and October, but he was functioning pretty much as a pure pocket passer in the first 6 weeks of the season when the offense was so on fire. Dak had 22 rushes in the first 6 games, about 3 per game (3.66 to be exact). That's what you call "using his legs" a bunch and "opening it up" to put pressure on the defense as a running QB? 3 and a half rushes per game?

For reference, Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe averaged 2.08 and 1.99 rushes per game over the life of their careers. Vinny Testaverde averaged 2 per game. Troy Aikman averaged 1.98 rushes per game. That's basically the baseline for what an absolutely immobile statue of a QB can be expected to do, is average 2 rushes per game. (For what it's worth, rushes per game isn't a metric of athleticism. Tony Romo averaged fewer rushes per game than Brady and Bledsoe and Aikman. But we all know first-hand from watching his entire career that he was quite athletic and moved around quite well. Romo could scramble much more deftly than Troy or Bledsoe, yet he averaged fewer rushes per gam than either of them. He tended to use his mobility to escape the rush while still remaining in the backfield and keeping his eyes upfield, intending to salvage the play with a pass instead of with a run.)

What do actual running QBs do when it comes to rushes per game? Well, Josh Allen averages about 7 rushes per game in his career. Tyrod Taylor averages about 7 per start also in his career. Vick rushed 7.5 times per start. Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts rush about 10 times per game. That's what actual running QB's rushing output looks like. Statistically, Dak has never actually been a running QB. Never even sniffed that kind of rushes-per-game output, even in his one extreme outlier season (when his rush attempts per game stat ballooned by 1 rush per game, likely a result of him running for his life more often as his o-line's pass protection declined). He's more mobile than a statue, sure, but he's never been a full-on running QB.

But back to this year and the claim that Dak was using his legs and opening it up a bunch more earlier in the year. In the first 6 games this year, Dak ran 22 times. But a full 5 of those were kneel-downs, so that obviously deflates the number from 3.6 rushes per game to 2.8 per game.

It is true that his rushes per game dropped off in the 10 games since the calf injury. But I'm not sure how much that has to do with his injury or his willingness to run. Realistically, I think the drop in runs can almost entirely be accounted for by the reduction in kneel-down duties during that stretch.

The team went 6-4 in those 10 games, so right away that's 4 losses where we couldn't possibly have knelt down at the end of games. And of the 6 wins, 3 of them were massive blowouts that led to Cooper Rush swooping in to mop things up and handle the kneel-downs. Cooper Rush has 9 rushing attempts this year, and 8 of them are kneel-downs that came during our blowout wins in the 2nd half of the season.

If you added those 8 kneel-downs to Dak's rushing total since his return from the calf injury, then his rushes per game average would be 3.4 (only a hair lower than the 3.6 average he had earlier in the year or the 3.6 average he has in his career).

It's really just the fluke of him not getting kneel-downs that made his rushing attempt numbers look like they took a tumble.

 

[Blast From The Past]

I think an overlooked part of the Cowboys offense in the playoffs is Dak's ability to get out of trouble by running with the football. Hasn't done it too much this year until recently. He said that he was saving that for when the games really matter rather than risk an injury early in the season. I see a few rollouts and naked bootlegs to take advantage of the Niners pass rush. What say you??

As long as he is confident and not tentative in doing so.

 

[blueblood70]

Not sure what you were watching in September and October, but he was functioning pretty much as a pure pocket passer in the first 6 weeks of the season when the offense was so on fire. Dak had 22 rushes in the first 6 games, about 3 per game (3.66 to be exact). That's what you call "using his legs" a bunch and "opening it up" to put pressure on the defense as a running QB? 3 and a half rushes per game?

For reference, Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe averaged 2.08 and 1.99 rushes per game over the life of their careers. Vinny Testaverde averaged 2 per game. Troy Aikman averaged 1.98 rushes per game. That's basically the baseline for what an absolutely immobile statue of a QB can be expected to do, is average 2 rushes per game. (For what it's worth, rushes per game isn't a metric of athleticism. Tony Romo averaged fewer rushes per game than Brady and Bledsoe and Aikman. But we all know first-hand from watching his entire career that he was quite athletic and moved around quite well. Romo could scramble much more deftly than Troy or Bledsoe, yet he averaged fewer rushes per gam than either of them. He tended to use his mobility to escape the rush while still remaining in the backfield and keeping his eyes upfield, intending to salvage the play with a pass instead of with a run.)

What do actual running QBs do when it comes to rushes per game? Well, Josh Allen averages about 7 rushes per game in his career. Tyrod Taylor averages about 7 per start also in his career. Vick rushed 7.5 times per start. Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts rush about 10 times per game. That's what actual running QB's rushing output looks like. Statistically, Dak has never actually been a running QB. Never even sniffed that kind of rushes-per-game output, even in his one extreme outlier season (when his rush attempts per game stat ballooned by 1 rush per game, likely a result of him running for his life more often as his o-line's pass protection declined). He's more mobile than a statue, sure, but he's never been a full-on running QB.

But back to this year and the claim that Dak was using his legs and opening it up a bunch more earlier in the year. In the first 6 games this year, Dak ran 22 times. But a full 5 of those were kneel-downs, so that obviously deflates the number from 3.6 rushes per game to 2.8 per game.

It is true that his rushes per game dropped off in the 10 games since the calf injury. But I'm not sure how much that has to do with his injury or his willingness to run. Realistically, I think the drop in runs can almost entirely be accounted for by the reduction in kneel-down duties during that stretch.

The team went 6-4 in those 10 games, so right away that's 4 losses where we couldn't possibly have knelt down at the end of games. And of the 6 wins, 3 of them were massive blowouts that led to Cooper Rush swooping in to mop things up and handle the kneel-downs. Cooper Rush has 9 rushing attempts this year, and 8 of them are kneel-downs that came during our blowout wins in the 2nd half of the season.

If you added those 8 kneel-downs to Dak's rushing total since his return from the calf injury, then his rushes per game average would be 3.4 (only a hair lower than the 3.6 average he had earlier in the year or the 3.6 average he has in his career).

It's really just the fluke of him not getting kneel-downs that made his rushing attempt numbers look like they took a tumble.

maybe true but he hesitated to run many times for an easy 5-7 yards for first downs, he won't be doing that in the p;ayoffs, thats the point. he will take every on if those open opportunities to run especially for 1st downs.

 

[Mr_437]

Dak is much better when he's not hesitant to run, we need dual threat Dak back.

 

[mattjames2010]

He's too heavy footed to be much of a runner. People have been begging for more runs - he's not a statue and he can take off if there is a big lane in front of him, but designed runs aren't his thing.

 

[RonnieT24]

This offense was at its best the first 6 or so games prior to his calf injury when he was running RPO, and using his legs more often. He didn't wait or was hesitant to run as he is now. He needs to open it up again and put pressure on the niners' defense by showing he will run it too.

I don't think the Coyws ran a lot of RPOs in the first 6 games.. They were protecting Dak from himself almost the entire season.. If they had been running any semblance or RPO they would have exposed a guy coming off a 10 month injury to more injury.. Other than goal line situations Dak did next to no running..

 

[Seven]

RPO would be nice especially against a light box.

THIS!!!!^^^^

 

[stuckindc]

I think an overlooked part of the Cowboys offense in the playoffs is Dak's ability to get out of trouble by running with the football. Hasn't done it too much this year until recently. He said that he was saving that for when the games really matter rather than risk an injury early in the season. I see a few rollouts and naked bootlegs to take advantage of the Niners pass rush. What say you??

I hope..I especially like when he runs in the redzone..those type of runs are crushing to defenses

 

[stuckindc]

But he ain't got no legs, Lt. Dan.

"Magic Leggs "

 

[PhillyCowboysFan]

He said that he was saving that for when the games really matter rather than risk an injury early in the season

Did he really say this???

 

[AyeAtey]

Playoffs...The team and individuals must use ALL assets, skills, talent, etc. given or available!

Stakes are just too high.

 

[nightrain]

No one should be holding anything back in this one. Dak will be all in for sure.

 

[Awakened]

Those who say Dak can’t run are understating his power as a runner. He’s a load.

 

[Hawkeye19]

His legs are way overrated by people here.

He's okay and can make a few plays, but he's slow to get going and not quick in the pocket.

Yah… definitely lost some quickness and burst. He should only run when a sea of green is in front of him. Effective and efficient scrambling will be a good thing for the offense— but designed runs not so much.

Would prefer Pollard to get the bulk of the carries

 

[StylisticS]

His legs are way overrated by people here.

He's okay and can make a few plays, but he's slow to get going and not quick in the pocket.

We have seen him run well even in the playoffs before. He leaned on more of his physicality than his actual speed. We don't need him to be fast. Just smart. 2nd and 2 is better than 2nd and 10 if nothing is there.

 

[Blackrain]

I started a thread about this 2 days ago but it was deleted because of one word about a certain sickness.

That said I had basically said that DAK needed to use his legs whenever it was safe and he could get 5 to 8 yards and get out of bounds or slide down.

This would give the 49ers something they hadn't seen and keep their defense honest. Dak is plenty smart enough to see when he has 10 or 15 yards of open field in front of him. He has to start taking it when it's there because the 49ers can't cover everybody and he is going to get opportunities.

Dak flat out has to use everything in his skill set to keep the chains moving like he used to there is no tomorrow

 

[quickccc]

I think an overlooked part of the Cowboys offense in the playoffs is Dak's ability to get out of trouble by running with the football. Hasn't done it too much this year until recently. He said that he was saving that for when the games really matter rather than risk an injury early in the season. I see a few rollouts and naked bootlegs to take advantage of the Niners pass rush. What say you??

Good , we don't need him running with the football ... we need him to be smart .. run smart ... play smart ... not wrestling and taking on incoming tacklers and trying to stiff arm and
physically fend off

... use that mobility to scramble away from rushers and tacklers to either run upfield and slide ... or run out of bounds ... get Dak outta that mentality that he needs to be an extra RB .
don''t design run plays or RPO's that's asking him to run like a RB - that invites a take on mentality ...and that invites another cracked ankle,... a broken arm, ...an ACL tear .
..and designed plays that's not neccessary to have to grimace and endure ..

 

[sjmike]

Did he really say this???

Yes

 

[stinkface]

Prescott will rush for over 100 yards.