NFL: One Fatal Flaw: Dallas

[aikemirv]

Dallas Cowboys: Low-percentage passing game

Whereas many teams with a young, cost-controlled starting quarterback are going all out to make sure he's surrounded by high-end skill-position talent, the Cowboys insist on making Dak Prescott's life difficult. He gets the benefit of playing behind a good offensive line and alongside a dynamic running back, but Prescott plays in a system that is now bereft of difference-makers in the passing game and rarely gives him lay-up throws. Prescott has thrown 20.3 percent of his passes into tight windows over the last two seasons, the seventh-highest rate among quarterbacks with 500-plus attempts. Amazingly, only four passers have a higher rate of tight-window throws on short passes (9.0 air yards or fewer) over the last two years. Prescott has been effective on those throws overall, but it's time for player additions and philosophy changes to make operating this offense a less burdensome task for the 24-year-old.

Solution: The Cowboys should begin the search for Jason Witten's replacement and could even get aggressive with a tight end like Dallas Goedert early in the draft. The 'Boys should also consider replacing Cole Beasley at slot receiver. He averaged 2.5 yards of separation on his targets out of the slot, ranking 34th among receiver to see at least 30 targets from the inside. D.J. Moore has the ability to play flanker and slot. He would be everything the Cowboys need and should be on their mind when the clock starts ticking on the 19th overall pick. Christian Kirk of Texas A&M would also be a positive addition.


Here is the link with the rest of the NFC teams:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ws-can-minnesota-vikings-protect-kirk-cousins

These stats are stupid. 2.5 yards of separation on his targets.....What was his separation on non-target downs? Did Dak make the right decision? Same with Witten. This is all manufactured. Did he miss the layups? I know I saw some he missed!

If 20.3% is 7th ranked, what is the average? Is it 17%-18%? I don't know, but if it was 2-5 passes per hundred, then that very well could easily be a QB problem and not a WR problem

 

[DFWJC]

Stupid digressions aside, we’ve moved from Dak having everything on a silver platter to the team insists on making it hard on Dak in a single half season. Very impressive.

We’ve insisted on not fixing the issue in each of the zero drafts we’ve had in the interim. Let’s ignore the Hurns signing, and then knock our third WR for finishing 34th in the league at something. A scintillating analysis overall.

Yeah...overreaction.
And I think most QBs would be thrilled to be surrounded by the players we have on offense--especially that line and RB.

Plus, the "tight windows" stat is extremely dependent on the passer.
Wait too long to deliver--the window is tighter
Don't throw to player that is most open--the window is tighter
Don't throw the player open---the window at times can be tighter
and so on

 

[TwentyOne]

Dallas Cowboys: Low-percentage passing game

Whereas many teams with a young, cost-controlled starting quarterback are going all out to make sure he's surrounded by high-end skill-position talent, the Cowboys insist on making Dak Prescott's life difficult. He gets the benefit of playing behind a good offensive line and alongside a dynamic running back, but Prescott plays in a system that is now bereft of difference-makers in the passing game and rarely gives him lay-up throws. Prescott has thrown 20.3 percent of his passes into tight windows over the last two seasons, the seventh-highest rate among quarterbacks with 500-plus attempts. Amazingly, only four passers have a higher rate of tight-window throws on short passes (9.0 air yards or fewer) over the last two years. Prescott has been effective on those throws overall, but it's time for player additions and philosophy changes to make operating this offense a less burdensome task for the 24-year-old.

Solution: The Cowboys should begin the search for Jason Witten's replacement and could even get aggressive with a tight end like Dallas Goedert early in the draft. The 'Boys should also consider replacing Cole Beasley at slot receiver. He averaged 2.5 yards of separation on his targets out of the slot, ranking 34th among receiver to see at least 30 targets from the inside. D.J. Moore has the ability to play flanker and slot. He would be everything the Cowboys need and should be on their mind when the clock starts ticking on the 19th overall pick. Christian Kirk of Texas A&M would also be a positive addition.


Here is the link with the rest of the NFC teams:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ws-can-minnesota-vikings-protect-kirk-cousins

bla ba bla bla la

 

[DFWJC]

bla ba bla bla la

 

[blueblood70]

You do know that this has been the "Jerry Jones" way for 23 years. He goes for the "Big Splash" pick not what will take the Cowboys to the Super Bowl. Defense wins championships, and the trenches are the best way to get there. I would go for Vea who should be there at pick 19.

splash picks? seriously the entire Oline was not splash picks..the old jerry yes not the new and really hes not making the dections alone he has a HUGE staff , scouts and SJones is making sure Jerry isn't just picking household names or wed have Johny NO Football here for sure.. we would have taken Bosa had hed been there but when he wasn't he took Zeke, they wanted Shazier but was taken a pick ahead..not sure the splash players are being taken at all..Taco Charlton may not be great pickup but when you are picking that late and have some holes to fill, they went with him..If he truly was trying to make splash he would have taken other players..

Im not sure you noticed by Irving and Tank are on defense, one drafted one plucked and groomed..sean lee is on D another plash pick??we haven't gone after splash names since TO etc and i cant even remember us drafting a guy just because he was abig name..zeke was no brainer once murray left and Bosa was gone..Dak wasn't on most peoples radar but we picked him anyway...Jaylon is on D and he was big risk where we took him and i believe that will work out..so lets try and reel this in say for the last 5 years because thats truly where you can judge any team because its current all this 22 yrs this and 25yrs that and remember this and that ..come on guys..lets be more realistic and less dramatic..teams need to build inside out correct id say our OLine and now the Dline is being addressed..SHOOT i didnt even know who most of our rookie crop was last year and we had 18 new players on this team from 16 to 17 and i really cant tell you who they were before they got here..splash? smh lol

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Disagree. Teams are sitting on all the routes in around the box either its completed and the guy is tackled right away or its difficult throw. More guys like Beasley means more 5 yard option patterns. You need guys that can run more than 3 routes out of the slot some longer than 10 yards would be nice also.

How do you plan on bracketing both inside receivers and keep S help over the top?

 

[jrumann59]

How do you plan on bracketing both inside receivers and keep S help over the top?

Using LB and /OR DL in zone Blitz looks underneath and the DB for over the toop. Or you put a sure tackler on them and make sure they only gain the minimum

sort of like they did last year

 

[3rd_n_inches]

Our fatal flaw is not showing up when it matters the most.

 

[vlad]

Our fatal flaw is Garrett!!!!

This is so painfully obvious. Beasley was known as being the quickest guy around and getting separation. So teams play him differently and now he can't? No, maybe teams PLAY HIM DIFFERENTLY. You could put ODB in the slot and we'd have separation issues.

 

[erod]

Put Julio Jones and Odell Beckham on this team. Would it even matter?

 

[PUSHfold]

The biggest problems are still on defense. No pass rush, bad safeties, raw corners, linebackers who take bad angles and are oft-injured.

Huh? We have a decent pass rush...we have mediocre safeties but not "bad" ones, our corners might be raw but played incredible for being rookies, and we have ONE linebacker whose often injured and the other who had a major injury but hasn't been re-injured since he joined the team.
I think you're just a negative nancy, our YOUNG defense has PLENTY of room to grow this season and next.

 

[pansophy]

You know if Dak could throw to WR's on the outside 10-20 yards downfield those 'tight' inside windows wouldn't be so tight anymore...

Just saying...

 

[millennial_legend]

Huh? We have a decent pass rush...we have mediocre safeties but not "bad" ones, our corners might be raw but played incredible for being rookies, and we have ONE linebacker whose often injured and the other who had a major injury but hasn't been re-injured since he joined the team.
I think you're just a negative nancy, our YOUNG defense has PLENTY of room to grow this season and next.

Maliek Collins is not a starter unfortunately. He just isn't good enough against the run. He and Irving are both pass rush specalist interior linemen. Irving at least sometimes makes splash plays in the run game... sometimes gets gashed. Whereas, Collins gets rooted out of position on a consistent basis.

Lawrence is elite and he's going to be paid as such. Who plays right end? Crawford is too slow and is ideally suited for backup LE or a goal line body. Gregory is the best candidate but who knows if he'll be back. Tapper, who knows if he'll be back. Charlton is another solid left end type who doesn't have the speed to play RE. Mayowa is gone, and he always struggled against LTs who could block anyways.

Lee has the best awareness in the NFL for any linebacker... when he's healthy. Which is about half a season. Jaylon Smith is young, fast, and raw coming off a killer injury. Hitchens is gone, always thought he was overrated on here but, he is gone in any case. Wilson is slow and atrocious in coverage. Wilber (the ST penalty machine) is gone, he was never good. If they have to bring Durant back yet again, that is a big failure. Nzeocha is gone, he was never good enough to make the active roster. Rolando McClain has been out of the league doing drugs for a few years now.

Jeff Heath is the worst starting free safety in the NFL. Byron Jones needs to be moved back to corner, his zone coverage and tackling aren't good enough for safety. Kavon Frazier is another Church at best, slow, coverage liability, can make tackles and hits in the run game. Woods is raw and decent but they don't play him enough.

Awuzie might be good but not if he is an injury liability like he was last year. Lewis is a slot corner, too small to play outside (think, the Davante Adams TD to sink us last year... Lewis had perfect coverage but he isn't tall or physical enough -- if that had been Byron, he might have deflected it)... Scandrick is gone. Brown is fast but atrocious in man coverage, his ceiling is an average dimeback. Byron Jones needs to be the CB2 and play the big possession receivers like Adams.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Whatever’s wrong, it’s still Romo’s fault.

Let's move on from his 11 years of squat and his 2-4 playoffs record and wish him well as a broadcaster.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

WE need more receivers like Beasley and less like Dez and TWill. Quickness is key. Hurns is a nice piece but I want more.

Agreed.
Beasley suffers from too many checkdowns and by that time, gets underthrown a lot. With some upgrades at WR, Besely could become the next Amendola.

 

[millennial_legend]

Let's move on from his 11 years of squat and his 2-4 playoffs record and wish him well as a broadcaster.

Let's hope the Cowboys make the SB next year...

Next year's SB is on CBS, fwiw.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Let's hope the Cowboys make the SB next year...

Next year's SB is on CBS, fwiw.

Next year or next season, mate?

 

[millennial_legend]

Next year or next season, mate?

Both.

Next season is the 2018 season

Next year is 2019. The SB is in February... 2019.

 

[Verdict]

How many of those slot receivers routinely saw double teams?

Coming off a down year is a great time to extend Beasley.

What is it with the dumping on Beasley this year? He was so productive in 2016, and took double teams in 2017. That's a guy more than doing his job.

I would rather extend Beasley than restructuring Dez.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Kinda says something though when you get Beasley double teamed and yet the other wide receivers are not reaping themselves the benefit by getting open against single coverage.

We need a top WR in this draft. No if and or butts about it.

I put most of the blame on the coaching staff. I didn't see them do anything to try to methodically attack such isolated coverage.

Having said that, I'd draft Ridley in the 1st and drop Dez. Williams has his own limitations, and the broken foot probably means another limitation for most of the year. We need real help at WR.