Bobhaze
Staff member
- Messages
- 21,978
- Reaction score
- 92,228
In game two of the 2017 season, the Denver Broncos humbled our Cowboys using a defensive scheme that became the blueprint for stopping the Cowboys offense. What was the centerpiece of that scheme? Bracket coverage of Dak’s favorite target- Cole Beasley.
Since that day last September, most of our opponents noticed if you leave Beasley in single coverage, he will usually find a way to be open. So our opponents figured out if you load the box, double off Beasley and make the running game and short passing game more difficult, you then take away the effectiveness of play action and dare you to beat them with lesser weapons.
That scheme has been “the script” to beat us since Sept 2017. For some reason, the Jaguars yesterday did not use that scheme. Maybe they have a lot of faith in their vaunted defense’s ability to use single coverage on a slot receiver. Whatever they thought, it blew up in their faces.
I’m not taking anything away from the Cowboys win yesterday. It was a great win. But until this team shows they can win when teams take away Beasley and the short passing game, we may want to tap the brakes on this being a “breakthrough” win. Sometimes fans look at certain plays that worked one week and think they should work every week without realizing their success often depends on the scheme our opponents are running.
It will be very interesting to see what the deadskins do next week defensively. I expect they will try to take away Beasley and the short passing game and see if the Cowboys can counter. If Dak can continue to pressure defenses by being a running threat like he was yesterday, it will help.
The chess matches that occur in the NFL is one reason it remains interesting to me. Let’s hope the Cowboys can show us they can win regardless of defensive scheme.
Since that day last September, most of our opponents noticed if you leave Beasley in single coverage, he will usually find a way to be open. So our opponents figured out if you load the box, double off Beasley and make the running game and short passing game more difficult, you then take away the effectiveness of play action and dare you to beat them with lesser weapons.
That scheme has been “the script” to beat us since Sept 2017. For some reason, the Jaguars yesterday did not use that scheme. Maybe they have a lot of faith in their vaunted defense’s ability to use single coverage on a slot receiver. Whatever they thought, it blew up in their faces.
I’m not taking anything away from the Cowboys win yesterday. It was a great win. But until this team shows they can win when teams take away Beasley and the short passing game, we may want to tap the brakes on this being a “breakthrough” win. Sometimes fans look at certain plays that worked one week and think they should work every week without realizing their success often depends on the scheme our opponents are running.
It will be very interesting to see what the deadskins do next week defensively. I expect they will try to take away Beasley and the short passing game and see if the Cowboys can counter. If Dak can continue to pressure defenses by being a running threat like he was yesterday, it will help.
The chess matches that occur in the NFL is one reason it remains interesting to me. Let’s hope the Cowboys can show us they can win regardless of defensive scheme.
Last edited:
