X&O Analysis: Run Defense

xwalker

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This is what happens when the DT stunts or hits the wrong gap.



There were no stunts on that play.

The Rams showed zone run right then the RB cut back inside.

The 1-tech flowed to the play-side as required in the scheme.

The 3-tech was on the backside and fell down. This was the primary fail.

Vander Esch got boxed out to the offensive-right on the same side as Jaylon which should never happen.

The 3-tech falling down made it easier for the OL to get out to block Vander Esch.

The 3-tech on that play was Caraun Reid. He is now out of football. He was signed, cut and re-signed last season by the Cowboys.

The play demonstrates my basic point. The 1-tech was flowing to the play-side when Rams showed outside zone run to the right.

Move a LB outside the LDE, have the LDE squeeze the gap inside the RT (play-side B gap) and the 1-tech can play straight ahead instead of sideways
.

The backside DT (3-tech) fell down in part because he was moving sideways.
 

buybuydandavis

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The Pats do the same thing on obvious passing situations with regards to a 3-man DL with a LB replacing a DT.

Even when they play a 4 man line in obvious passing situations, they generally play the both as 3-techs with a big gap in the middle of the line.

It's not likely to be a run on 3rd and long or even 3rd and medium. There is no need for 2 DTs in those situations.

There's a reason why teams don't rush 4 245 lb DEs. Or 4 210 lb safeties for that matter. Power and size matter when you rush. They matter *more* on the interior dline. Less width to work with laterally means you have to go *through* the blocker more.

I like Jaylon rushing. I like it more as a blitz coming off the line than lining up on the line. Gives him a better chance to attack a wider region with more speed and momentum. And provides the threat of coverage.

It may very well be that using him in as the 4th dlineman puts our best 4 rushers on the rush. I take that more as a testament to our limited options of interior rushmen than an ideal use of Jaylon.
 

xwalker

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@xwalker your arrogance that you're the only one who knows football is maddening and makes it impossible to interact with you. This was an excellent breakdown of the scheme and the gaps in the line being too wide open with how the alignment is set up.

Your every Cowboys player but Dez is good attitude is getting old. It negates anything you say.

My primary point with regards to the players on these run plays is that even the best DT does not help if the scheme has him out of place.

If people don't review game footage, then it does not matter what level of football knowledge they possess.

Nobody can even attempt to have an accurate opinion without reviewing the game footage.

I know those posters just blurt out opinions they had before the games ever occurred.

They don't study game footage to form their opinions.

I would prefer to hear from a 5th grader that reviewed game footage than a "40 year fan" with opinions based on watching the game in real time and never reviewing game footage.

If a post contains "...sucks" then I'm going to have a harsh replay to that post.
 

Corso

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My primary point with regards to the players on these run plays is that even the best DT does not help if the scheme has him out of place.

If people don't review game footage, then it does not matter what level of football knowledge they possess.

Nobody can even attempt to have an accurate opinion without reviewing the game footage.

I know those posters just blurt out opinions they had before the games ever occurred.

They don't study game footage to form their opinions.

I would prefer to hear from a 5th grader that reviewed game footage than a "40 year fan" with opinions based on watching the game in real time and never reviewing game footage.

If a post contains "...sucks" then I'm going to have a harsh replay to that post.
I was going to say I suck, but I think I'm just being schemed wrong...
Thank you X!
 

xwalker

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There's a reason why teams don't rush 4 245 lb DEs. Or 4 210 lb safeties for that matter. Power and size matter when you rush. They matter *more* on the interior dline. Less width to work with laterally means you have to go *through* the blocker more.

I like Jaylon rushing. I like it more as a blitz coming off the line than lining up on the line. Gives him a better chance to attack a wider region with more speed and momentum. And provides the threat of coverage.

It may very well be that using him in as the 4th dlineman puts our best 4 rushers on the rush. I take that more as a testament to our limited options of interior rushmen than an ideal use of Jaylon.
Again, the Pats used the same "3rd down" alignment in the Super Bowl.

Either you know more than Belichick about football or you are incorrect.

Neither the Cowboys or Pats play this alignment when there is any significant chance of a run obtaining a 1st down.

Jaylon is not lined up with his hand down in a DT position. He just replaces the DT in the personnel package.
 

Bluestang

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Scheme concepts are too complicated for you. Please move on to "Players suck and Coaches suck" threads that you can understand.

Your arrogance is your ignorance. You are a self appointed football “expert” in this fan forum which makes all the more incredible how you respond to people and is still allowed by the moderators.

You asked for X and O conversations but then you bash the responses when they don’t agree with your assessment.

No scheme works when your lineman are getting hooked and turned at the POA. DL should not “flow” to the playside especially in this one gap scheme. GB has a unique style of OL play that irks me but that’s not going to change anytime soon.
 

xwalker

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Your arrogance is your ignorance. You are a self appointed football “expert” in this fan forum which makes all the more incredible how you respond to people and is still allowed by the moderators.

You asked for X and O conversations but then you bash the responses when they don’t agree with your assessment.

No scheme works when your lineman are getting hooked and turned at the POA. DL should not “flow” to the playside especially in this one gap scheme. GB has a unique style of OL play that irks me but that’s not going to change anytime soon.
You went on and on about some issue in a thread a while back and proved that there is no point discussing anything with you. You have no ability to understand simple concepts and you have no desire to learn when things are explained to you by multiple people.
 

buybuydandavis

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Again, the Pats used the same "3rd down" alignment in the Super Bowl.

Either you know more than Belichick about football or you are incorrect.

Neither the Cowboys or Pats play this alignment when there is any significant chance of a run obtaining a 1st down.

Jaylon is not lined up with his hand down in a DT position. He just replaces the DT in the personnel package.

Or the situations aren't as comparable as you claim.

Are you talking alignment or personnel packages? I like Jaylon being in on 3rd down passing situations and blitzing. If he just lines up from the git go as a dlineman I like it much less.
 

Corso

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Or the situations aren't as comparable as you claim.

Are you talking alignment or personnel packages? I like Jaylon being in on 3rd down passing situations and blitzing. If he just lines up from the git go as a dlineman I like it much less.
I don't recall him putting his hand in the dirt in any games. He was stand-up and then rushed.
Maybe I'm wrong?
 

Johnny23

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My primary point with regards to the players on these run plays is that even the best DT does not help if the scheme has him out of place.

If people don't review game footage, then it does not matter what level of football knowledge they possess.

Nobody can even attempt to have an accurate opinion without reviewing the game footage.

I know those posters just blurt out opinions they had before the games ever occurred.

They don't study game footage to form their opinions.

I would prefer to hear from a 5th grader that reviewed game footage than a "40 year fan" with opinions based on watching the game in real time and never reviewing game footage.

If a post contains "...sucks" then I'm going to have a harsh replay to that post.
That's a fair point @xwalker thank you for the reply and I tend to agree. I find the alignment you showed for Dallas good for passes but leaving running lanes wide open between the gaps because of the splits. I do appreciate this thread and decided to take a step away and clear my head.
 

Dak_Attack_09

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That's a fair point @xwalker thank you for the reply and I tend to agree. I find the alignment you showed for Dallas good for passes but leaving running lanes wide open between the gaps because of the splits. I do appreciate this thread and decided to take a step away and clear my head.

It doesn’t matter about the alignments, good DTs can move around and wherever they are line up they hold the line of scrimmage minimum or push the line backwards.
 

Johnny23

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It doesn’t matter about the alignments, good DTs can move around and wherever they are line up they hold the line of scrimmage minimum or push the line backwards.
Yes. I think we have average DTs. I don't think they're bad but we don't have a stud.
 

nalam

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The image below is from the Super Bowl.
  • Notice the difference in where the LBs are aligned as compared to the Cowboys?
  • The Pats moved the OLBs outside the DEs and up on the line.
  • On outside zone runs the DL didn't need to immediately flow to the play-side because there was a LB out there already.
  • The Pats had their DEs squeeze the inside to offset having the LBs outside.
  • This is possible because the LBs now have outside contain instead of the DEs.
  • The result is that the DL has not significantly moved to the play-side and remain in the middle area when the RB cuts back inside.

That is the big dif; between Rod and Beliichk. scheming and Adjusting accordingly,

Look out the posture of all DL , they are all well set to hold , not to rush and defend run on the way to Qb BS which Rod has been putting out there for years on us.
 

CF74

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CowboyRoy

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Every team has holes in talent. Why does it always seem like we are top 3 in talent and can barely get to top 15 in production.

Other teams can cover for their weaknesses. We seem like we need pro bowl players across the board to compete.

YOu cant cover for a weakness like we have where it DT's AND safeties. Too weak up the middle. And our weaknesses are really really bad.
 

Number1

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Outside contain was a big problem against Green Bay and a good read back.

agreed, both CBs and both OLBs getting beat to the edge, and that had nothing to do with scheme, just bad play

the 1 gap system works great when your D3 wins and your D1 holds their own,

xwalker is right they will get gashed at times - the scheme assumes AP LBs.

and that's the thing, why do our LBs and Ss seem to have slower reflexes the last few weeks?
 

xwalker

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Or the situations aren't as comparable as you claim.

Are you talking alignment or personnel packages? I like Jaylon being in on 3rd down passing situations and blitzing. If he just lines up from the git go as a dlineman I like it much less.
Jaylon is not literally lined up as a DT. He takes the place of a DT.

In the Nickel defense the Nickel CB takes the place of the SLB. The Nickel CB is not literally playing LB.
 

CCBoy

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agreed, both CBs and both OLBs getting beat to the edge, and that had nothing to do with scheme, just bad play

the 1 gap system works great when your D3 wins and your D1 holds their own,

xwalker is right they will get gashed at times - the scheme assumes AP LBs.

and that's the thing, why do our LBs and Ss seem to have slower reflexes the last few weeks?

A good basic response there. A combination of reasons of causes resulted in what we watched. I agree with Jason Witten...it's time to start doing and not thinking success. I think the team can put the pieces back together so that parts of a puzzle are no more.
 
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