Cowboys were 29th in scoring in the red zone in 2018

[Roadtrip635]

Yeah. It was pretty obvious.

No Dez. No Witten. And the. With Frederick out, it affected the running game. We didn’t have a lot of answers.

It’s the single biggest issue to address this coming season.

I would also add the loss of Witten and Hanna as blockers on the line, our young TEs simply aren't as good blocking as either of them. There were a few TDs we should have had, but TEs missed a simple assignment that would have been made by Hanna or Witt.

 

[Idgit]

I would also add the loss of Witten and Hanna as blockers on the line, our young TEs simply aren't as good blocking as either of them. There were a few TDs we should have had, but TEs missed a simple assignment that would have been made by Hanna or Witt.

Yeah, it was a combination of things that hurt both red zone rushing and passing at the same time.

I was hoping we’d do something to address it directly in the draft or FA. Signing Cobb and Witten help, I guess, but it’s not what I was looking for. Pollard, I guess, might be an option there. Along with having Frederick back and whatever Moore cooks up. But it’s not really a personnel solution to a fairly big offensive problem.

 

[kskboys]

Yeah, it was a combination of things that hurt both red zone rushing and passing at the same time.

I was hoping we’d do something to address it directly in the draft or FA. Signing Cobb and Witten help, I guess, but it’s not what I was looking for. Pollard, I guess, might be an option there. Along with having Frederick back and whatever Moore cooks up. But it’s not really a personnel solution to a fairly big offensive problem.

Well, there is a good chance that our red zone issues were primarily w/ Linehan. So, the fix might already be here.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Why do we keep a FB, but not use him, especially in the RZ?

 

[kskboys]

Why do we keep a FB, but not use him, especially in the RZ?

Well, it's not due to brilliance!!!!!!

I think the Rams exposed us for tipping what we're going to do. That's why whenever EZ got the ball, like 3 guys met him in the backfield. It really did look like they knew we were going to run, and simply run blitzed. If we were tipping our hand on D, I'd say we were prolly tipping it on O also. These guys don't seem to be aware of such things.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Well, it's not due to brilliance!!!!!!

I think the Rams exposed us for tipping what we're going to do. That's why whenever EZ got the ball, like 3 guys met him in the backfield. It really did look like they knew we were going to run, and simply run blitzed. If we were tipping our hand on D, I'd say we were prolly tipping it on O also. These guys don't seem to be aware of such things.

I don't doubt that at all. Teams have said as much and has shown as much, certain formation, situations, personnel packages, etc make it easy for teams to scout and prepare.

 

[Number1]

this game is won and lost at the LOS

when last seen this team allowed 270y on the ground and couldn't get Zeke 50y in a playoff game
that's called a busted OL and DL

and some geniuses want to spend big cap on an over the hill injured S and cut 25yo 2x PB QB

the same geniuses pretend Dak was sacked 56x last year because he "regressed"
and pretend playing calling will open wholes with 2nd raters vs Aaron and Sue ... really?

I wish such people would go play fantasy ball somewhere else - the way to fix the red zone O is to field healthy people who can block

if the OL and red zone O improves it will be because of Colombo and a little more depth - not Kellen calling trick plays

by the way, IMO this team will have monster big play game and may not get too many 1st and goal situations - if they just fix the OL

if Fred is good to go and an able LG emerges this O will bad ***

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

There are two really fantastic articles from Bob Sturm in the Athletic that you must read. Links are at the bottom of the post, but here is the summary:

“Almost nobody (29th) was more inefficient at scoring touchdowns in the red zone than the Dallas Cowboys.” Only the Jets, Jags and 49ers were worse!

And here’s the kicker - they were actually 30th once they got Amari Cooper! They scored touchdowns 52% of the time; league average was 76%.

“No team (32nd) was more inefficient at scoring touchdowns after a first-and-goal than the Dallas Cowboys”

And this one, which blew my mind, and what got Linehan fired, this offense was better at scoring from midfield than it was at scoring from the eight-yard line!

Yeah, we knew it was bad - but did you know it was that bad? Yet this team still ended the season 7-1.

Imagine what this team will be if Kellen Moore can fix the red zone offense?

Edit: Looks like Athletic links are blocked here? You can Google on them and find them.

But none of this was due to Dak.

 

[kskboys]

But none of this was due to Dak.

Possibly. Be interesting to see his red zone performance under an OC who is smarter than a wounded rabbit. I sure hope Moore is that guy!!!!

 

[OmerV]

No, but he was a factor in Red Zone. Look at his and Dez percentages of receiving TD’s. Like close to 60% most years. That’s a sizable chunk to lose in your Red zone offense.

What do you mean by % of receiving TDs. You mean their TDs relative to all of the teams receiving TDs? Maybe him and Dez combined made up 60%, but the bulk of that was on Dez. Witten only averaged 4.5 TDs per season over his career. At the end Dez wasn’t helping much either. He only averaged 5.6 TDs per season over his last 3 years in Dallas.

 

[TheSkaven]

We couldn’t keep our offense on the field because we couldn’t run the ball and our offense is predicated on doing so.

We had the NFL rushing champion with 1434 yards. Not the issue.

The play calling was the issue. Yeah, it was fine three years ago. It’s not three years ago. Teams watch the film and catch on to you. Then eventually they start to call out your plays.

 

[kskboys]

We had the NFL rushing champion with 1434 yards. Not the issue.

The play calling was the issue. Yeah, it was fine three years ago. It’s not three years ago. Teams watch the film and catch on to you. Then eventually they start to call out your plays.

We changed the playcalling after Dak's rook year.

 

[Fire407]

We had the NFL rushing champion with 1434 yards. Not the issue.

The play calling was the issue. Yeah, it was fine three years ago. It’s not three years ago. Teams watch the film and catch on to you. Then eventually they start to call out your plays.

I think its great when we throw three times on first and goal.

 

[Diehardblues]

What do you mean by % of receiving TDs. You mean their TDs relative to all of the teams receiving TDs? Maybe him and Dez combined made up 60%, but the bulk of that was on Dez. Witten only averaged 4.5 TDs per season over his career. At the end Dez wasn’t helping much either. He only averaged 5.6 TDs per season over his last 3 years in Dallas.

Correct. Relative to our receiving TD’s. Those were the stats for 2017. It was in DMN which I can’t post link here.

It would make sense that Dez and Witten made up about 60% of our receiving TD’s. No?

 

[OmerV]

Correct. Relative to our receiving TD’s. Those were the stats for 2017. It was in DMN which I can’t post link here.

It would make sense that Dez and Witten made up about 60% of our receiving TD’s. No?

Dez and Witten had 50% of our receiving TDs in 2017 (11 TDs out of 22 Passing TDs), and Dez only had one more TD than Witten, who only had one TD more than Beasley, who only had one TD more than Brice Butler. It wasn’t a prolific TD output for any of them.

In 2016 Witten only had the 4th most TD catches on the team behind Dez, Beasley and Terrance Williams.

Even in a couple of Witten’s 1,000+ yard seasons he only had 2 TDS one year and 3 another. He was a great player, but he simply was never a prolific TD producer.

 

[Diehardblues]

Dez and Witten had 50% of our receiving TDs in 2017 (11 TDs out of 22 Passing TDs), and Dez only had one more TD than Witten, who only had one TD more than Beasley, who only had one TD more than Brice Butler. It wasn’t a prolific TD output for any of them.

In 2016 Witten only had the 4th most TD catches on the team behind Dez, Beasley and Terrance Williams.

Even in a couple of Witten’s 1,000+ yard seasons he only had 2 TDS one year and 3 another. He was a great player, but he simply was never a prolific TD producer.

Even losing 50% of your receiving TD’s would have to be a significant contributing factor to RedZone offense? Not to mention the impact on how defenses defending you. And how we called it.

Thanks for looking it up. My memory was close .

 

[Nexx]

We couldn’t keep our offense on the field because we couldn’t run the ball and our offense is predicated on doing so.

Right so what’s the point of paying Dak when our offense is predicated on running the ball. Heaven forbid our QB step up and carry us in playoff game.

 

[OmerV]

Even losing 50% of your receiving TD’s would have to be a significant contributing factor to RedZone offense? Not to mention the impact on how defenses defending you. And how we called it.

Thanks for looking it up. My memory was close .

You don’t necessarily lose TDs when a player leaves. Every team loses players, but the TDs don’t just dry up. The Cowboys actually had the same number of passing TDs in 2018 as 2017. They just found different recipients. This year I expect to be better. Cooper will be with the team from the start, Gallup and Jarwin have a year of experience under their belt, Cobb should be a positive, productive influence, and hopefully Moore will add something as the OC.

 

[Diehardblues]

You don’t necessarily lose TDs when a player leaves. Every team loses players, but the TDs don’t just dry up. The Cowboys actually had the same number of passing TDs in 2018 as 2017. They just found different recipients. This year I expect to be better. Cooper will be with the team from the start, Gallup and Jarwin have a year of experience under their belt, Cobb should be a positive, productive influence, and hopefully Moore will add something as the OC.

You don’t believe there was any impact on the Redzone offense losing Dez and Witten?

 

[OmerV]

You don’t believe there was any impact on the Redzone offense losing Dez and Witten?

Maybe some with Dez, but not dramatically so. Dez hadn’t really been a big TD threat since 2014. Not at all with Witten because he never was a big TD threat, red zone or otherwise. It always puzzled me about why that was, but that was the case nonetheless. I honestly think Jarwin will be more of a red zone threat than Witten because he’s more athletic.