Anybody notice that neither team ran the ball all that well?

[RonnieT24]

He also made some bigtime clutch throws in both of those games. Throws we don't see watching our offense.

Nobody is perfect Ronnie. Brady was bailed out by his defense after throwing three picks in a game during TB's run last season. To be honest, when Stafford overthrew that easy swing pass to the TE on the second to last drive my opinion of him of him waivered. He then came out and made me eat those thoughts by stepping up with some great decisions and great throws to close out the game.

Knocking Stafford for making mistakes like every single QB does but ignoring the clutch plays he has made throughout the playoffs is weak.

I am fully aware of this. It's why I always vehemently refute the "he carried his team" narratives that pop up all the time. Aint nobody out there playing one on one.. yet softheads always try to make it into that. I GUARANTEE you when the hype heading into next season kicks off the narrative will be that "Matthew Stafford carried the Rams to the Championship." Stafford was great on two drives yesterday.. The first TD and the last one.. For the rest of the game he was pretty "meh" bordering on "what the hell is he doing?" Fortunately for him the defense kept it to a one score game till he got his mojo back. Sometimes that's what it takes.. Some other unit going ape doo doo until the other side of the ball can regroup. It was a great team win.. I am not knocking Stafford.. I am merely getting out in front of the "he was great and that's why they won the game" and "Stafford is now the best QB in football" narratives that are most certainly coming. And they will be nauseating.

 

[RonnieT24]

It was a throwback year in that regard.
Defenses have figured out how to rush 4 and cover with 7 at insane rates versus these modern offensive schemes.
No one was going to win it all with a defense optional offensive juggernaut.

Yeah that overload to one side of the offense look is pretty good. I guess I had not really n oticed it before but it basically removes the ability of the offense to double team your main guy. But I'll be damned if I wouldn't find away to audible to a run at the one guy remaining on the other side.. Which I'm sure is coming..

 

[kskboys]

Agreed....but I don't know that they haven't tried.

They have spent a 2nd and two 3rds on DTs in the last 3 drafts.

If guys don't perform they don't perform.

That's why I don't think they draft as well as they want to tell themselves. Certainly not well enough to pass on real free agency every season.

And both were 3 tech types.

 

[kskboys]

We will just have to agree to disagree. The Rams entered their final drive with 28 passes and 20 runs. Their QB was sacked what? Once? Cincy on the other hand entered their last drive with 38 passes and 19 runs.. their QB was sacked 7 times.. And they were the team that LED most of the second half. AND they were the team that ran the ball better of the two. Yet they were willing to let their QB be sacked 7 times and leave the run on the back of the playsheet. Sneaking a couple runs in there on that 15 play drive allowed the Stafford to not have guys all over him every time he dropped back.. Especially the end around to Kupp. It was so nice when the Cowboys used to do that with Pollard 2-3 times a game..

Again.. I don't think the running game won it for the Rams.. I just think it kept Cincy just honest enough to let the passing game win it. It was most definitely a factor.. how much is open for discussion.. but saying it wasn't simply is not accurate.

Well said.

 

[RonWashington]

I have no problem running the ball in fact I suggest the Cowboys find fresh legs in the draft since 20 is a FA this time next year and Zeke is going on yr 7 which is an eternity , the problem I had is the Rams repeatedly running between the tackles into brick walls of Bengals and the Bengals running the ball effectively had Mixon go missing in that last crucial set of downs.

The play calling on both sides left a lot to be desired . 4th and what five McVey called a gadget play with Stafford as the intended receiver . Nah bro not a good use of personnel . KM calls that play goodness this forum would be gaslit .

 

[ondaedg]

We won the Superbowl didn’t he?

Detroit is even more dysfunctional than Dallas

Stafford won the Super Bowl? Did you even watch the game or the Rams’ last defensive stand?

 

[RonWashington]

Bet Jared Goff had a Bengals hat on Sunday cheering the tiger stripes …

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Yet neither of them ever completely stopped running it..

As many of us have been preaching here since "Yards are Yards" took over the play calling. It doesn't matter if the running game isn't breaking off huge chunks of yards .. you simply HAVE to keep doing it regardless. Otherwise you let the opposing defense tee off on your QB.

Now before anybody chimes in that both teams threw it more than they ran it.. that is 100% correct.. but a lot of the Rams' passes were in the final minutes when they were down and needed a TD because their punter couldn't hold a PAT snap. Before that drive they had thrown it 28 times and run it 21. That's about as close as you get to being "balanced" in the modern NFL. I really hope our resident offensive "genius" watched that game and saw all the creative ways McVay ran the ball and got the ball to his play makers. Somehow I doubt any of it sunk in for him though.

It's a PASSING league!!!! The question is who you have under center and can he get the job done??????
Unfortunately, we got this....

 

[Sydla]

At the end of the day, this is just another attempt to defend Dak and his play down the stretch.

No one ever said a QB can do it all by himself and win. QBs need good players around them to win. They need good coaches to win. Tom Brady isn't Tom Brady if he spent a dozen prime years playing in Detroit. Stafford won when he found a franchise that was built to win.

While Dak didn't have the perfect situation, he had a situation that was better than a lot of QBs. So to try to argue that he was fine and just needed better coaching and talent around him is just weak sauce. Sure, he's not the only reason we struggled to make a run this year. But he WAS a factor. He has to play better next year. He has to be more consistent.

I don't see the problem with saying that.

 

[Doomsday101]

Stafford won the Super Bowl? Did you even watch the game or the Rams’ last defensive stand?

I agree, he made enough plays to help his team win but far from carrying his team to a SB victory. Then again it is a team sport

 

[RonnieT24]

At the end of the day, this is just another attempt to defend Dak and his play down the stretch.

No one ever said a QB can do it all by himself and win. QBs need good players around them to win. They need good coaches to win. Tom Brady isn't Tom Brady if he spent a dozen prime years playing in Detroit. Stafford won when he found a franchise that was built to win.

While Dak didn't have the perfect situation, he had a situation that was better than a lot of QBs. So to try to argue that he was fine and just needed better coaching and talent around him is just weak sauce. Sure, he's not the only reason we struggled to make a run this year. But he WAS a factor. He has to play better next year. He has to be more consistent.

I don't see the problem with saying that.

Maybe you are missing the meaning of "single handedly" and "carried his team." Both of which LOTS of people have said ad nauseum. Obviously the QB has to make plays.. and if he doesn't, his team has less of a chance to win. Where we agree is that Dak was PART of the reason the Cowboys fell short. He was on the team. He had opportunities to make plays and he didn't. And we also agree that he has to be better and more consistent next season. The good news is that if we can keep him healthy I think he can. Dude was flat killin it in 2021 before he got hurt. 115 passer rating.. 16 TD and 3 INT while completing 75% of passes for > 8 yards per attempt speaks for itself. After he got hurt he just wasn't as good. We can debate the reasons until the cows come home but the facts speak for themselves. Before the calf he was having an all time great season. After the calf he was just okay. No I don't believe it was as simple as just the calf.. I think the line shuffles, the WR1 getting covid and WR2 getting concussed and then both RBs getting hurt all played a part. But obviously there's only one of those that he can control. Let's all pray he does..

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Yet neither of them ever completely stopped running it..

As many of us have been preaching here since "Yards are Yards" took over the play calling. It doesn't matter if the running game isn't breaking off huge chunks of yards .. you simply HAVE to keep doing it regardless. Otherwise you let the opposing defense tee off on your QB.

Now before anybody chimes in that both teams threw it more than they ran it.. that is 100% correct.. but a lot of the Rams' passes were in the final minutes when they were down and needed a TD because their punter couldn't hold a PAT snap. Before that drive they had thrown it 28 times and run it 21. That's about as close as you get to being "balanced" in the modern NFL. I really hope our resident offensive "genius" watched that game and saw all the creative ways McVay ran the ball and got the ball to his play makers. Somehow I doubt any of it sunk in for him though.

Great post.....running the ball consistently does not have to mean you keep ramming Zeke up the middle and Pollard outside. There are other ways to run it as well. Apparently Dallas does not have creative running plays at all. Our OL is probably too dumb to practice them, they are having enough trouble keeping their hands to themselves or jumping the snap. Even CeeDee mentioned he would love to be used like how they use Deebo. Bet ya nothing will change on the running game this coming season. They think their linemen just have to dominate.

 

[Creeper]

And why couldn't they? DJ Reader and A'Shaun Robinson.

At one point in the game the announcers discussed how the Rams couldn't stop the run unless A'Shaun was in the game.

JERRY, pull your head out of your bum and listen to someone for a change.

It is not accident that the super bowl teams have huge NT's and can stop the run.

The number 1 reason the Cowboys have not had many great defenses in almost 3 decades is they have not invested in the DT position. Not a single 1st round pick since Russell Maryland has been used on the DT position. They don;t necessarily need Aaron Donald but they need much better than Maliek Collins.

 

[Creeper]

Maybe you are missing the meaning of "single handedly" and "carried his team." Both of which LOTS of people have said ad nauseum. Obviously the QB has to make plays.. and if he doesn't, his team has less of a chance to win. Where we agree is that Dak was PART of the reason the Cowboys fell short. He was on the team. He had opportunities to make plays and he didn't. And we also agree that he has to be better and more consistent next season. The good news is that if we can keep him healthy I think he can. Dude was flat killin it in 2021 before he got hurt. 115 passer rating.. 16 TD and 3 INT while completing 75% of passes for > 8 yards per attempt speaks for itself. After he got hurt he just wasn't as good. We can debate the reasons until the cows come home but the facts speak for themselves. Before the calf he was having an all time great season. After the calf he was just okay. No I don't believe it was as simple as just the calf.. I think the line shuffles, the WR1 getting covid and WR2 getting concussed and then both RBs getting hurt all played a part. But obviously there's only one of those that he can control. Let's all pray he does..

I agree we need to get the good Dak for the full season and not just the first 7 games. But I don't think it was his injury that caused him to revert to the bad Dak. There were games here and there where Dak looked pretty good. Atlanta, Washington for examples? I think what was going on with Dak is something else, something more troubling. We saw the same thing in 2019. People argue he hurt his shoulder in 2019 and that is why he looked awful against New England and Philadelphia, but the week following the Eagles game he was lights out against Washington in a game that hardly mattered. I don't think it was his shoulder.

A team cannot win many games if the QB is not making plays, or worse, making mistakes. That Rams managed to keep it close after losing a lead when Stafford started to make mistakes, but in the end Stafford did come through to finish a drive. I think the Cowboys need to take the pressure off Dak. Build the defense. Fix the running game so it is at least a threat. And stop making Dak throw the ball 50 times. Try to limit him to 30 passes and I bet the Cowboys will be more successful overall.

 

[conner01]

They neve ran it often either 13 carries by Akers, Mixon a little more success but 15 carries. I don't think it was much that either team stuck with the run.

I think the bengals made a mistake getting away from the run. Nixon avg 4.8 a carry and running the ball helped in early QB protection

 

[Doomsday101]

I think the bengals made a mistake getting away from the run. Nixon avg 4.8 a carry and running the ball helped in early QB protection

I do as well, They were able to get some good runs with Mixon and they way the Rams were getting after Burrow I think running could have take some pressure off of him.

 

[phildadon86]

But eventually you have to go to the passing game, and when that time came Stafford found Kupp even in coverage.
I suppose KM just thinks Dak just needs extra time .

I guess you missed the passes that were caught and on the money but yards were lost due to holding calls. Who knew.

 

[CowboyoWales]

I guess you missed the passes that were caught and on the money but yards were lost due to holding calls. Who knew.

How many, you're not picking isolated incidents to try and prove a point?

 

[CowboyoWales]

I agree we need to get the good Dak for the full season and not just the first 7 games. But I don't think it was his injury that caused him to revert to the bad Dak. There were games here and there where Dak looked pretty good. Atlanta, Washington for examples? I think what was going on with Dak is something else, something more troubling. We saw the same thing in 2019. People argue he hurt his shoulder in 2019 and that is why he looked awful against New England and Philadelphia, but the week following the Eagles game he was lights out against Washington in a game that hardly mattered. I don't think it was his shoulder.

A team cannot win many games if the QB is not making plays, or worse, making mistakes. That Rams managed to keep it close after losing a lead when Stafford started to make mistakes, but in the end Stafford did come through to finish a drive. I think the Cowboys need to take the pressure off Dak. Build the defense. Fix the running game so it is at least a threat. And stop making Dak throw the ball 50 times. Try to limit him to 30 passes and I bet the Cowboys will be more successful overall.

I also see teams hitting us hard and fast, get a lead and put us on the back foot....as soon as we chase a game the first casualty is always the running game as if we panic.

 

[jterrell]

Yeah that overload to one side of the offense look is pretty good. I guess I had not really n oticed it before but it basically removes the ability of the offense to double team your main guy. But I'll be damned if I wouldn't find away to audible to a run at the one guy remaining on the other side.. Which I'm sure is coming..

Everything now starts in college with a wider ability to get athletes. Defenses started playing 200 pound linebackers and 210 pound edge guys.
The 3 double cloud killed off pure air raid for the most part and NFL defenses are using it a lot now versus 2-minute/no huddle offenses.
It's just really hard to throw into 8 in coverage.
And defenses have learned to cheat out of those types of zones toward your key receivers.
It is really tough unless you can run the ball effectively and force teams to play you balanced.
But all the speed on the field makes it hard to run consistently.

Offense will bounce back with some tweaks to handle these hybrid zones.
But in the NFL things change in a se4ason or two.
Going full spread and pass it 50 times a game wasn't the juggernaut this year it had been recently.