Where the offense must improve

• Kellen Moore MUST be less predictable on first down. In fact, Moore needs to show our opponents something new; some kind of different look that makes this offense harder to defend on first down.
• Dak needs to improve communication with receivers. Especially on plays that break down and the scramble drill ensues. Dak and the WRs have missed TD opportunities when their communication on what they were doing was off. Sometimes it’s an accuracy issue, other times the receiver didn’t run to an open spot, etc.
• I think until Zeke is healed, Pollard needs to start. He’s a much better runner than Zeke right now because of the injury and Zeke’s inability to avoid tackles now makes him a bad option on first down.

Crown Royal said:

We are behind the chains WAY too often with a deep pass called on first down, run play for nothing right after.

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Bobhaze said:

Simple to see the problem; harder to fix obviously. I really think Pollard needs to start vs WFT. Zeke is just not right and his inability to get a good 1st or 2nd down run is killing us right now.

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Bobhaze said:

Here’s an easy to understand explanation of why our offense has sputtered lately: It’s poor performance on 1st and 2nd down plays puts them in way too many 3rd and long situations. Better performance on 1st and 2nd down is a fast way to improve this offense. Of course that’s easier said than done.

NFL statistics show that 3rd down conversion rates are over 55% when facing 3rd and 3 or less. Conversely, if an offense is facing 3rd and more than 6 yards to go, the conversion rates drop below 30%. It’s clear- how you perform on first and second down are HUGE.

In the Cowboys’ first 7 games, the offense had a great 3rd down conversion rate because almost all their 3rd downs were less than 4 yards.

Take the Tampa game on opening night. The Cowboys had a 53% third down conversion rate because they only faced 3rd and long three times, converting once. On the vast majority of their 3rd and short plays, they converted.

Against Denver in the first half, the avg Cowboys 3rd down yards to go was 9! You are constantly behind the 8 ball in that situation. THAT has been the biggest problem with this offense since early Nov.

THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO FIX THIS:

• Kellen Moore MUST be less predictable on first down. In fact, Moore needs to show our opponents something new; some kind of different look that makes this offense harder to defend on first down.
• Dak needs to improve communication with receivers. Especially on plays that break down and the scramble drill ensues. Dak and the WRs have missed TD opportunities when their communication on what they were doing was off. Sometimes it’s an accuracy issue, other times the receiver didn’t run to an open spot, etc.
• I think until Zeke is healed, Pollard needs to start. He’s a much better runner than Zeke right now because of the injury and Zeke’s inability to avoid tackles now makes him a bad option on first down.

BOTTOM LINE: The fastest fix for this offense is to improve performance on first and second down plays to avoid constantly putting us in 3rd and long situations where conversion rates are below 30% league wide.

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Bobhaze said:

Here’s an easy to understand explanation of why our offense has sputtered lately: It’s poor performance on 1st and 2nd down plays puts them in way too many 3rd and long situations. Better performance on 1st and 2nd down is a fast way to improve this offense. Of course that’s easier said than done.

NFL statistics show that 3rd down conversion rates are over 55% when facing 3rd and 3 or less. Conversely, if an offense is facing 3rd and more than 6 yards to go, the conversion rates drop below 30%. It’s clear- how you perform on first and second down are HUGE.

In the Cowboys’ first 7 games, the offense had a great 3rd down conversion rate because almost all their 3rd downs were less than 4 yards.

Take the Tampa game on opening night. The Cowboys had a 53% third down conversion rate because they only faced 3rd and long three times, converting once. On the vast majority of their 3rd and short plays, they converted.

Against Denver in the first half, the avg Cowboys 3rd down yards to go was 9! You are constantly behind the 8 ball in that situation. THAT has been the biggest problem with this offense since early Nov.

THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO FIX THIS:

• Kellen Moore MUST be less predictable on first down. In fact, Moore needs to show our opponents something new; some kind of different look that makes this offense harder to defend on first down.
• Dak needs to improve communication with receivers. Especially on plays that break down and the scramble drill ensues. Dak and the WRs have missed TD opportunities when their communication on what they were doing was off. Sometimes it’s an accuracy issue, other times the receiver didn’t run to an open spot, etc.
• I think until Zeke is healed, Pollard needs to start. He’s a much better runner than Zeke right now because of the injury and Zeke’s inability to avoid tackles now makes him a bad option on first down.

BOTTOM LINE: The fastest fix for this offense is to improve performance on first and second down plays to avoid constantly putting us in 3rd and long situations where conversion rates are below 30% league wide.

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Bobhaze said:

Simple to see the problem; harder to fix obviously. I really think Pollard needs to start vs WFT. Zeke is just not right and his inability to get a good 1st or 2nd down run is killing us right now.

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CATCH17 said:

So you did some research after I brought this to your attention. Nice!

Now quantify how this impacts the defense? Impossible I know but an offense with that many resources spent on it can’t leave a defense hung out to dry like this.

Putting up a bunch of points at the end of the game doesn’t excuse the offense either.


Our defense is doing an amazing job this year with turnovers, point totals, and 3rd down defense and those things are far more important than yardage stats.

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Bobhaze said:

Well I agree with you this is where the O must get better. I disagree withcha on the defense. It’s below average in almost everything except TOs. When an offense is getting ahead early, most defenses play better. This offense hasn’t been performing well early in games like it did early in the season.

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CATCH17 said:

Yes! Although I would say Moore needs to help out the offense a little and not be so obvious.

Im fine with running the ball on first down. Like you I’d like to see it be a little less obvious.

The problem is these ego playcalls that are pure Garrett.

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Bobhaze said:

Here’s an easy to understand explanation of why our offense has sputtered lately: It’s poor performance on 1st and 2nd down plays puts them in way too many 3rd and long situations. Better performance on 1st and 2nd down is a fast way to improve this offense. Of course that’s easier said than done.

NFL statistics show that 3rd down conversion rates are over 55% when facing 3rd and 3 or less. Conversely, if an offense is facing 3rd and more than 6 yards to go, the conversion rates drop below 30%. It’s clear- how you perform on first and second down are HUGE.

In the Cowboys’ first 7 games, the offense had a great 3rd down conversion rate because almost all their 3rd downs were less than 4 yards.

Take the Tampa game on opening night. The Cowboys had a 53% third down conversion rate because they only faced 3rd and long three times, converting once. On the vast majority of their 3rd and short plays, they converted.

Against Denver in the first half, the avg Cowboys 3rd down yards to go was 9! You are constantly behind the 8 ball in that situation. THAT has been the biggest problem with this offense since early Nov.

THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO FIX THIS:

• Kellen Moore MUST be less predictable on first down. In fact, Moore needs to show our opponents something new; some kind of different look that makes this offense harder to defend on first down.
• Dak needs to improve communication with receivers. Especially on plays that break down and the scramble drill ensues. Dak and the WRs have missed TD opportunities when their communication on what they were doing was off. Sometimes it’s an accuracy issue, other times the receiver didn’t run to an open spot, etc.
• I think until Zeke is healed, Pollard needs to start. He’s a much better runner than Zeke right now because of the injury and Zeke’s inability to avoid tackles now makes him a bad option on first down.

BOTTOM LINE: The fastest fix for this offense is to improve performance on first and second down plays to avoid constantly putting us in 3rd and long situations where conversion rates are below 30% league wide.

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Rockport said:

If the offensive line play improves, the offense will improve.

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maryquality said:

What bothers me is when we are 3rd and short, and we're always in a "shot gun" position. So basically, if it's a run play, the RB has to add at least 2-3 yards to the already 2-3 yards that is needed. Guess I'm not understanding the shot gun strategy for short yardage situations and running the ball.

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