Have the Cowboys eliminated their 'tells'?

[ABQCOWBOY]

I will let you worry I'm not. I know what I saw in the game and I don't think there is a reason for over reaction. Cowboys will continue to use stunts just as everyone else does, if they see something in how players hand position are then fine change it up but what I saw are things that are correctable and things they did not do in other games.

I agree with part of what you say here. I mean, you are what you are and mostly, that's dictated by personnel. The LBs will clearly get better because they are young and they didn't see a lot of what happened to them in the Rams game. I will tell you that they will be in the film room, watching tape the entire off season. I will also tell you that this is why we will miss Lee if he leaves because he is the guy who can teach Smith and LVE what they saw and how to counter it. This is where we really miss Eberflus IMO, but they will be better next year for this. The DL, that might be a different story. We need different personnel to effectively play the counter for what the Rams did to us. We need bigger DTs who can hold the anchor. At least we need one or two more of them IMO. We can't get it done with the DT rotation we currently have IMO. That has to improve, to me.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

This is still a big question for me. Have the Cowboys identified and eliminated the tells that allowed the Rams to run all over them and eliminate them from the playoffs?

Do they know now what the Rams knew then?

Is this huge liability now eliminated from hurting the team again in 2019?

I've tried to search for something on this topic but all I've found is Jerry half-acknowledging the embarrassingly obvious and Garrett trying not to admit it at all.

That made me so mad. This team is one of the easiest in the league to figure out and come up with a good game plan for. It makes it so we have to be that much more talented than our opponent to be able to win. But in the NFL with its parity, you usually are not head and shoulders above your opponent with talent. Back when Landry was the coach, if we faced a team of equal talent, there was a great chance Landry would out coach our opponent. It's the exact opposite today. If the two teams are of equal talent, we'll probably get out-coached.

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree with part of what you say here. I mean, you are what you are and mostly, that's dictated by personnel. The LBs will clearly get better because they are young and they didn't see a lot of what happened to them in the Rams game. I will tell you that they will be in the film room, watching tape the entire off season. I will also tell you that this is why we will miss Lee if he leaves because he is the guy who can teach Smith and LVE what they saw and how to counter it. This is where we really miss Eberflus IMO, but they will be better next year for this. The DL, that might be a different story. We need different personnel to effectively play the counter for what the Rams did to us. We need bigger DTs who can hold the anchor. At least we need one or two more of them IMO. We can't get it done with the DT rotation we currently have IMO. That has to improve, to me.

I don't disagree with you. Call it a gut feeling but I do see Lee coming back at a rucked salary and finishing his final year in Dallas and would not be shocked to see him added to the staff the following season. Defense Line, I think Woods did an outstanding job but was forced to play too many snaps and needs some help in that rotation. DE with Gregory screw up looks as if we will once again be looking at that as well

 

[Kaiser]

The Cowboys nineties Super Bowl offenses were very predictable. The key for them was flawless execution combined with elite talent.

To the OP, Dallas has an entire offseason to gameplan around what happened in the Rams game, that is why NFL coaches work 18 hour days during the season and 15 hour days in the offseason.

On offense, Linehan was always a guy with a predictable offense that depended on execution. In 2016 you had Dez and Witten executing, Zeke pounding the ball and the offensive line giving Dak 4 or 5 seconds to go through his reads.

In the first half of 2018 you had literally no one who could command double teams and no tight ends that were starter level players. That made the conservative Linehan even more conservative. Defenses knew we had no weapons to they would key on the run every play and run blitz constantly. Then with Fred out and Tyron & Martin playing at 60% opponents could get to the QB in less than 3 seconds.

There were no good options at that point and Linehan went ultra-ultra conservative with dumb calls like all three WRs running curls. It was problems compounding problems but next year we will have a healthy OL with Cooper, Witten, Gallup with experience and then whoever we sign for the Slot.

 

[NEODOG]

And meanwhile, on the other side, the rest of the league realized that McVay was coaching Goff in his headset pre-snap as long as he could. And starting with the Bears, teams hid their looks until that headset communication was shut off so as not to give McVay or Goff a proper look at what they were doing.

But not our Cowboys, we didn't get that memo and just lined up and did our thing. And that's why the Rams had their best day against us since that before that Bears game. We don't have smart enough people behind the scenes to give us the advantage that everyone else has.

For us, it's a liability, not an advantage.

My boys Stash & Catch dropping red pills all over this thread

 

[Kaiser]

You don't get to decide what's "overreaction". Conversely, you go right ahead and be OK with getting run over for nearly 300 yards by a team that was shut down and nearly shut out by actually good coaching.

Its not all coaching, Antwaun Woods was completely gassed in that game because he had never played more than one game in an NFL season and the Rams game was his 20th of the year. They also said Maliek Collins was playing through an injury and probably shouldn't have been playing. Caraun Reid is a journeyman and was basically our only backup for that game.

Dallas averaged 94 rushing yards allowed in the regular season and gave up 170 in the first half alone for the Rams game. Some of that is coaching but a big chunk of it is execution.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I saw Richard getting on Jaylon and LVE on the sideline as if he knew what they were doing yet they continue to get themselves trapped.

I think that the interview process didn't help here. I mean, I am guessing that Marinelli had to pick up the slack and that probably spread him a little thin as well. I don't know if there was enough time spent on preparation there, clearly there was not. That whole deal with how the interview process works needs to be changed by the NFL.

 

[foofighters]

This is still a big question for me. Have the Cowboys identified and eliminated the tells that allowed the Rams to run all over them and eliminate them from the playoffs?

Do they know now what the Rams knew then?

Is this huge liability now eliminated from hurting the team again in 2019?

I've tried to search for something on this topic but all I've found is Jerry half-acknowledging the embarrassingly obvious and Garrett trying not to admit it at all.

The season hasn't started yet nor have they done anything practice-wise. Ask this question the late summer...

 

[xwalker]

This is still a big question for me. Have the Cowboys identified and eliminated the tells that allowed the Rams to run all over them and eliminate them from the playoffs?

Do they know now what the Rams knew then?

Is this huge liability now eliminated from hurting the team again in 2019?

I've tried to search for something on this topic but all I've found is Jerry half-acknowledging the embarrassingly obvious and Garrett trying not to admit it at all.

I truly believe that if the Cowboys/Rams played again the following week, it would be a completely different performance by the Cowboys defense.

It was too much to adjust in-game, but with a few days they would have had a different game plan. Obviously the Rams could make more adjustments also; however, they had months of film to analyze the Cowboys scheme. The Rams wouldn't have the Cowboys new gameplan on film.

Obviously there are no Mullugans in the NFL playoffs, but just conceptually I think the adjustments needed by the Cowboys defense could be done with a week of practice and film study of the game.

Back to what I said earlier, the Cowboys interior DL was not a great unit even without the Rams advantage of knowing what they were going to do.

The Cowboys DL probably over-achieved their talent in several games in 2018.

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/rams-and-cowboys-interior-dlines.429681/

 

[xwalker]

To the OP, Dallas has an entire offseason to gameplan around what happened in the Rams game, that is why NFL coaches work 18 hour days during the season and 15 hour days in the offseason.

On offense, Linehan was always a guy with a predictable offense that depended on execution. In 2016 you had Dez and Witten executing, Zeke pounding the ball and the offensive line giving Dak 4 or 5 seconds to go through his reads.

In the first half of 2018 you had literally no one who could command double teams and no tight ends that were starter level players. That made the conservative Linehan even more conservative. Defenses knew we had no weapons to they would key on the run every play and run blitz constantly. Then with Fred out and Tyron & Martin playing at 60% opponents could get to the QB in less than 3 seconds.

There were no good options at that point and Linehan went ultra-ultra conservative with dumb calls like all three WRs running curls. It was problems compounding problems but next year we will have a healthy OL with Cooper, Witten, Gallup with experience and then whoever we sign for the Slot.

Good point on coaches work hours.

I think Kellen Moore will work the 18 hour type days.

I'm skeptical that Linehan was anywhere close to an 18 hour per day type guy. I see him as an 8 to 5 type.

I'm also skeptical that Garrett misses many dinners with his wife. Regardless of his total hours, I see most of it as administrative (meeting with coaches, players, the Joneses, etc..) and very little scheming against the specific opponent.

 

[Stash]

Fine feel as you do, I am not worried that now the NFL knows what Dallas defense is going to do. Your right I can't control how anyone feels only myself and I am not concerned based on 1 game. I Never over react or have knee jerk reaction based on 1 game. How other perceive this is on them not me.

As for who you trust so anytime a former player says anything you buy into it? That is fine. Strange considering so many have different views and takes on the games

The Rams line looked great. They had zero reason to lie. They would have looked even more dominant had they said nothing about it. If anything, they let Dallas know they were completely predictable and may have lost a potential advantage.

 

[Stash]

I truly believe that if the Cowboys/Rams played again the following week, it would be a completely different performance by the Cowboys defense.

It was too much to adjust in-game, but with a few days they would have had a different game plan. Obviously the Rams could make more adjustments also; however, they had months of film to analyze the Cowboys scheme. The Rams wouldn't have the Cowboys new gameplan on film.

Obviously there are no Mullugans in the NFL playoffs, but just conceptually I think the adjustments needed by the Cowboys defense could be done with a week of practice and film study of the game.

Back to what I said earlier, the Cowboys interior DL was not a great unit even without the Rams advantage of knowing what they were going to do.

The Cowboys DL probably over-achieved their talent in several games in 2018.

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/rams-and-cowboys-interior-dlines.429681/

I don’t doubt the players overachieved. It’s anotger frustration, as this coach thinks he can get by with average to below talent while fans want better. And that line fails when needed most.

 

[Stash]

Its not all coaching, Antwaun Woods was completely gassed in that game because he had never played more than one game in an NFL season and the Rams game was his 20th of the year. They also said Maliek Collins was playing through an injury and probably shouldn't have been playing. Caraun Reid is a journeyman and was basically our only backup for that game.

Dallas averaged 94 rushing yards allowed in the regular season and gave up 170 in the first half alone for the Rams game. Some of that is coaching but a big chunk of it is execution.

When the opponents publicly state they knew what you were going to do “90% of the time”?

That’s coaching.

And coaching.

And coaching.

Go ahead and try to “execute” when your opponent knows exactly what you’re trying to “execute”.

 

[Stash]

The season hasn't started yet nor have they done anything practice-wise. Ask this question the late summer...

I don’t expect an answer then either.

This bunch can’t even give an admission

 

[foofighters]

I don’t expect an answer then either.

This bunch can’t even give an admission

I wouldn't hold your breath. I doubt they'll address it all. They do some things that just make me scratch my head. I loved Romo but it used to drive me nuts see him take the clock down to zero on almost every play. Part of Romo's brilliance in the 4th Q when they didn't have time was his two minute offense and how good they were when they sped up. I wish we'd seen that more.

 

[Stash]

I wouldn't hold your breath. I doubt they'll address it all. They do some things that just make me scratch my head. I loved Romo but it used to drive me nuts see him take the clock down to zero on almost every play. Part of Romo's brilliance in the 4th Q when they didn't have time was his two minute offense and how good they were when they sped up. I wish we'd seen that more.

I’m not.

We’ll be at a distinct disadvantage until the name Garrett no longer appears anywhere near the name Dallas Cowboys.

 

[Kaiser]

'm also skeptical that Garrett misses many dinners with his wife. Regardless of his total hours, I see most of it as administrative (meeting with coaches, players, the Joneses, etc..) and very little scheming against the specific opponent.

I'm sure Garrett works half the hours of the others but he is in the CEO role, he isn't implementing part of the game plan like McVay is. He will be more involved this year though with Kellen Moore in his first season as OC.

 

[Kaiser]

Go ahead and try to “execute” when your opponent knows exactly what you’re trying to “execute”.

Every time TWill or Noah Brown came in at WR or we played a 3 TE set, the play was a run by Zeke. If I knew that, everyone in the NFL did too. And for the most part, Zeke executed.

 

[Stash]

Every time TWill or Noah Brown came in at WR or we played a 3 TE set, the play was a run by Zeke. If I knew that, everyone in the NFL did too. And for the most part, Zeke executed.

So predictability is a good thing?

 

[Doomsday101]

The Rams line looked great. They had zero reason to lie. They would have looked even more dominant had they said nothing about it. If anything, they let Dallas know they were completely predictable and may have lost a potential advantage.

Yeah because teams want to let you know so you can correct your mistakes? I make no excuses Dallas got beat. I expect to see this defensive to continue to improve and have full faith in our defensive coaches.