Cowboys red zone issues

Hawkeye0202 · May 11, 2019

I'm guessing the five targets are;
1.Dez
2.Witten
3.TWill
4.Beasley
5.?????

So much talk about defense during this offseason but IMO this is our biggest challenge. Notice if I'm correct, at least 3 of the five are no longer on the team. However, even if we maintain the same 2018 defensive stats but elevate our 2019 red zone scoring (TDs, not FGs) to top 15, we're Super Bowl contenders. Other words, if we don't fix this issue, the rest won't matter.

Hawkeye0202 · May 11, 2019

BTW.......Just read a stat yesterday of the Zeke averaging something like 2.4 per in red zone last year. The league average is 2.7. Hell, Dak averaged over 5 yards ( of course with fewer carries ).

CowboyRoy · May 11, 2019

Hawkeye0202 said:
I'm guessing the five targets are;
1.Dez
2.Witten
3.TWill
4.Beasley
5.?????

So much talk about defense during this offseason but IMO this is our biggest challenge. Notice if I'm correct, at least 3 of the five are no longer on the team. However, even if we maintain the same 2018 defensive stats but elevate our 2019 red zone scoring (TDs, not FGs) to top 15, we're Super Bowl contenders. Other words, if we don't fix this issue, the rest won't matter.

The reason for the redzone woes are 100% obvious. Its the state of the Oline. As soon as that's up to top notch, the redzone offense will be back in play.

Hawkeye0202 · May 11, 2019

CowboyRoy said:
The reason for the redzone woes are 100% obvious. Its the state of the Oline. As soon as that's up to top notch, the redzone offense will be back in play.

I know Fredbeard absence was huge but little more creativity from OC will also help.

JoeKing · May 11, 2019

Zeke has had a hard time punching it from the goal line for whatever reason. I actually don't blame him personally. I blame Linehan's scheme.

ItzKelz · May 11, 2019

Moore Betta Offense. As many have stated we are as deep and talented as we have been in years on both sides of the ball. Defensively the same scheme should look very similar to last season. Offensively, we have no idea which includes our redzone offense. On paper offensively we look great though.

JBell · May 11, 2019

5 is probably Gavin Escobar lol.

Hawkeye0202 · May 11, 2019

JoeKing said:
Zeke has had a hard time punching it from the goal line for whatever reason. I actually don't blame him personally. I blame Linehan's scheme.

True but it doesn't help if everyone in the house know he's the ONLY real threat. This was critical in FO welcoming Witten back IMO.

CowboyRoy · May 11, 2019

Hawkeye0202 said:
I know Fredbeard absence was huge but little more creativity from OC will also help.

For me its:

1. Oline
2. Scheme/playcalling
3. Redzone targets

JayFord · May 11, 2019

JoeKing said:
Zeke has had a hard time punching it from the goal line for whatever reason. I actually don't blame him personally. I blame Linehan's scheme.

Jumbo package and pound it up the gut baby!!!!!!!!!!

northerncowboynation · May 11, 2019

Hawkeye0202 said:
I'm guessing the five targets are;
1.Dez
2.Witten
3.TWill
4.Beasley
5.?????

So much talk about defense during this offseason but IMO this is our biggest challenge. Notice if I'm correct, at least 3 of the five are no longer on the team. However, even if we maintain the same 2018 defensive stats but elevate our 2019 red zone scoring (TDs, not FGs) to top 15, we're Super Bowl contenders. Other words, if we don't fix this issue, the rest won't matter.

Not sure how much was play calling and how much was poor execution. You're right Hawke we have to clean that up.I remember it as an issue in 2011, 2012 and 2013 too then we fixed it with a bull dozing O-line and a stud RB named Demarco. I know Looney did a solid job as a replacement but he isn't Frederick and he's the QB of the O-line.

One thing is certain, we're gonna find out how much was play calling

charron · May 11, 2019

Playcalling should help, better rout combinations etc. Dak feeling more comfortable getting the ball to a receiver in these tight situations would help as would working on ball placement with his receivers. Moore needs to get these tight ends involved to give Dak bigger targets in the redzone like he did with jarwin last year.

ClappingCarrot · May 11, 2019

JoeKing said:
Zeke has had a hard time punching it from the goal line for whatever reason. I actually don't blame him personally. I blame Linehan's scheme.

Agreed. Hard to succeed when the defense knows you're gonna run and you run straight at the DT's.

ABQCOWBOY · May 11, 2019

Hawkeye0202 said:
BTW.......Just read a stat yesterday of the Zeke averaging something like 2.4 per in red zone last year. The league average is 2.7. Hell, Dak averaged over 5 yards ( of course with fewer carries ).

If the Passing Game were more of a threat, the 2.4 would be substantially better. That is not about Zeke IMO, that's about being able to execute in the Red Zone with the passing game.

tyke1doe · May 11, 2019

Play calling. There's no reason why we shouldn't be punching it in in the end zone more, with Zeke and a dual threat quarterback.

cowboyblue22 · May 11, 2019

ABQCOWBOY said:
If the Passing Game were more of a threat, the 2.4 would be substantially better. That is not about Zeke IMO, that's about being able to execute in the Red Zone with the passing game.

teams don't fear the cowboys passing game in the red zone

ABQCOWBOY · May 11, 2019

cowboyblue22 said:
teams don't fear the cowboys passing game in the red zone

It's really not as big a threat as Zeke near the goal line. I've said for some time now, until Dak can make teams pay for stacking the box or blitzing, by putting 6 on the board, teams are going to continue to use these tactics against us. You can say that it's play calling and a lot of the issue resides there, that's true but, in the Red Zone, the bigger piece is being able to audible and adjust. To many things change there and you aren't as limited in what you can do, defensively because you don't have to worry about defending the entire field. You are more free to get creative on defense. This is why Offenses need to be more agile and be able to improvise, based on what the QB is seeing on the field. Until Dak gets better here, Zeke is going to suffer in the run game.

PJTHEDOORS · May 11, 2019

CowboyRoy said:
The reason for the redzone woes are 100% obvious. Its the state of the Oline. As soon as that's up to top notch, the redzone offense will be back in play.

Lack of playcalling is a big reason too

PJTHEDOORS · May 11, 2019

Line Zeke & Pollad together in the backfield.

Silly · May 11, 2019

Hawkeye0202 said:
I know Fredbeard absence was huge but little more creativity from OC will also help.

I don't think you can blame the oline when Zeke was the leading rusher.

I think it was lack of a productive TE and the coaches. I don't think they even attempted to use Rico's size and strength except for maybe one play where dak sailed the ball.

Cowboys red zone issues

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