10UP: The almost unused personnel package that is going to be big for the Cowboys in 2018

[RustyBourneHorse]

I understand, I like and respect Witt and it's not about bashing him, but more about the team. It's not just beneficial to get the other TEs some experience, but to give defenses some looks that don't include Witt, different looks give them something new to consider and defend. We gotta give other players a chance from time to time to show what they can do, or we'll never know. Instead we find ourselves in this situation of players with next to no real game experience and no real knowledge of how they will perform. Other WRs don't have Witt's experience, but they do bring quickness and speed that Witt was lacking.

Exactly, I loved watching Witten play. Like I said, I looked up to him as a kid along with Emmitt. I just blame the coaches for not putting the team in the best position to win.

 

[Verdict]

Let's you know that the coaches well have to change most of the playbook (hopefully). JW was a huge part of the running game, probably more than receiving.

Yeah he did an outstanding job blocking like a human turnstile.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The truth is that Witten was restricting the way the Cowboys used their personnel. That restriction is now gone, and the team can open things up with wide receiver-heavy packages. The additions to the roster make that not only possible, but highly desirable.

As much as it pains me to say this.....that quote makes a lot of sense. Especially when the article points out the Cowboys 4 newly added WR's are a precise route running group.

 

[jrumann59]

Its BS excuse. In 10 personnel there is always a guy or two running short patterns. If the coaching staff really wanted to run it they could and kept witten on the field. They could have flexed him out as a "WR" and run underneath routes like he always does. They always have had the personnel to run the 10 but decided not to.

 

[buybuydandavis]

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...is-going-to-be-big-for-dallas-cowboys-in-2018

Dallas can also use a 20 package, either having both Elliott and Austin on the field together, or using Jamize Olawale at fullback (Olawale is also quite effective as a receiver, so he can also add a twist to the passing game).​

That's the one that looks fun to me. We lost our top 2 TEs, and the rest look meh. Why have one on the field?

But we picked up a new FB in Olawale, Bo as a pounding RB who might be a FB in Bo, Austin as a web back, and one of the dlinemen trimmed down to 270 to give a shot at FB.

Also think that Beasley should always be on the field. Most reliable WR we have. He wins one on one matchups.

 

[gimmesix]

Jason Witten achieved near-iconic status with the Dallas Cowboys. Heck, maybe that is understating it. Among his many achievements, one that stands out is the 197 consecutive games he played in, the record for tight ends. He was a real iron man, and to have missed only one game (in his rookie season) to injury is remarkable, especially for a player who saw plenty of contact.

And it wasn’t just that he didn’t miss games. He was on the field for nearly every offensive snap, especially in the latter years of his career. It was a testament to his drive and his firm belief that the team always had a better chance with him out there.

However, that may not have been the case as his production began a slow but steady decline in recent years. Having a tight end on the field means you have to leave another player, usually a wide receiver, on the bench. It also was one of the most predictable aspects of the Dallas offense, and predictability has been seen as a flaw for the Cowboys, especially last season.

But Witten is now gone. And while he certainly leaves a void behind, his move into broadcasting also opens up a new opportunity for the staff to use something they were basically unable to while Witten was with the team and apparently able to dictate his own use to the coaches.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...is-going-to-be-big-for-dallas-cowboys-in-2018

I think we'll see the 20 (2 RBs, 0 TEs) more than the 10, because I think we're going to use the fullback more with a good pass catcher/runner at the position and because we're going to line up Austin in the backfield (although it will technically be four receivers some because he'll probably motion out of it). Of course, some of that will depend on how the tight ends play. If we find a stud among the bunch who is better than our options with Austin and Olawale, then Garrett is going to go with what he likes best.

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

Witten was still a top 10 TE in the league in 2017. So it could hurt losing him. But it is true that 82 and Dez were both limited in what they ran - whether by their ability of by coaching limitations, regardless that's irrelevant now - so the onus is now on the coaches to be more creative.

It is possible that not having to deal with Dez and not having to butt heads with 82 will allow the offensive coaches (some of them new this season) to reach their potential. That's the hope anyway. None of it matters if the players don't execute. That was our biggest problem last season - not scheme.

 

[Undefeated]

"But the 10 package is one that is used a lot by other teams, especially on obvious passing downs."

Really? Which other teams use it "a lot"? I've been checking, and I have yet to find a single team that used it even twice per game last season. Not the Saints, not the Eagles, not the Patriots, not the Packers, not the Falcons, not the Chiefs, not the Chargers, not the Rams or any other supposedly "creative" offense I've checked.

This is what I've found
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2017/2016-offensive-personnel-analysis

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/ww...rsonnel-packages-2016-playoffs-white-mitchell

 

[Seven]

I think that's true if they wanted him off the field and he refused but they didn't.

That was the problem, he's not the best fit for what they're trying to do now or in a given situation, but if you replaced Witten with a receiver last year, it probably had to be Switzer, right? So Switzer could have done some cool things underneath with Cole, but ask yourself honestly: would you rather have Switzer out there or future hall-of-famer Witten?

You're chained to using Witten because even if it limits your options, he's better, even when limited, than the alternative.

Beyond that, why does it surprise anyone that the play book changes when the players change? Y'all want to run the same TE-centric system with Swaim?

You know nothing about Swaim. Or the other TE's for that matter.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

You know nothing about Swaim. Or the other TE's for that matter.

Ok thanks for the input I guess

 

[AdamJT13]

This is what I've found
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2017/2016-offensive-personnel-analysis

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/ww...rsonnel-packages-2016-playoffs-white-mitchell

The Patriots used it 12.4 percent of the time in the 2016 playoffs when Gronkowski was out with an injury and their only tight ends were Martellus Bennett and Matt Lengel. That's after using it a grand total of 10 times during the 2016 regular season and before using it only 16 times in the entire 2017 regular season (and never in the playoffs).

And the Football Outsiders link shows it being used league-wide 2.5 percent of the time in 2015 and 2.6 percent of the time in 2016 -- which averages out to roughly 1.6 times per game by each team.

In other words, it's almost never used in the NFL, even by teams with a desolate situation at tight end.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

The Patriots used it 12.4 percent of the time in the 2016 playoffs when Gronkowski was out with an injury and their only tight ends were Martellus Bennett and Matt Lengel. That's after using it a grand total of 10 times during the 2016 regular season and before using it only 16 times in the entire 2017 regular season (and never in the playoffs).

And the Football Outsiders link shows it being used league-wide 2.5 percent of the time in 2015 and 2.6 percent of the time in 2016 -- which averages out to roughly 1.6 times per game by each team.

In other words, it's almost never used in the NFL, even by teams with a desolate situation at tight end.

Well, there might just be one now: Dallas.

Interesting. In fact, I'd dare say innovative if they end up building an offense around rarely used tactics.

Let's hope this is good innovation (the light bulb) and not bad innovation (the hundreds of failed light bulbs before they figured it out).

What's your opinion? I think it could work with how our OLINE is built and the types of receivers we have now.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

It's BTB. Every year they have some new secret weapon we're going to unveil to terrorize the league.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Jason Witten achieved near-iconic status with the Dallas Cowboys. Heck, maybe that is understating it. Among his many achievements, one that stands out is the 197 consecutive games he played in, the record for tight ends. He was a real iron man, and to have missed only one game (in his rookie season) to injury is remarkable, especially for a player who saw plenty of contact.

And it wasn’t just that he didn’t miss games. He was on the field for nearly every offensive snap, especially in the latter years of his career. It was a testament to his drive and his firm belief that the team always had a better chance with him out there.

However, that may not have been the case as his production began a slow but steady decline in recent years. Having a tight end on the field means you have to leave another player, usually a wide receiver, on the bench. It also was one of the most predictable aspects of the Dallas offense, and predictability has been seen as a flaw for the Cowboys, especially last season.

But Witten is now gone. And while he certainly leaves a void behind, his move into broadcasting also opens up a new opportunity for the staff to use something they were basically unable to while Witten was with the team and apparently able to dictate his own use to the coaches.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...is-going-to-be-big-for-dallas-cowboys-in-2018

Yah, this was a very depressing article to read. To know that we basically rarely EVER ran 4 WR and 5 WR sets is pathetic. Talk about being predictable and boring? lets see what the offensive geniuses come up with this year.

 

[BulletBob]

Interesting article. Tries to make the case that Witten had become a set of training wheels for Dak and the coaching staff.

Regardless of what personnel grouping we throw out there, or how skilled we are (or are not) at the TE (and WR, RB, QB) positions, I have a strong feeling that all of our success on offense will tie back to the offensive line.

If Tyron remains healthy, and Connor Williams is effective at LG, then everything else will fall into place.

Dak will have the time to be efficient with his passing game, the receivers (and TE) will get open, Zeke will tear it up again, and gadgets / toys like Austin will be allowed to work magic.

It starts and ends with our line. All the rest is window dressing.

But what do I know?

 

[DasSchnitzel]

Yah, this was a very depressing article to read. To know that we basically rarely EVER ran 4 WR and 5 WR sets is pathetic. Talk about being predictable and boring? lets see what the offensive geniuses come up with this year.

That's not what the article said. It isn't talking about 4 wide sets, it's talking about 10 personnel. We went 4 wide out of 01 personnel.

 

[waldoputty]

Jason Witten achieved near-iconic status with the Dallas Cowboys. Heck, maybe that is understating it. Among his many achievements, one that stands out is the 197 consecutive games he played in, the record for tight ends. He was a real iron man, and to have missed only one game (in his rookie season) to injury is remarkable, especially for a player who saw plenty of contact.

And it wasn’t just that he didn’t miss games. He was on the field for nearly every offensive snap, especially in the latter years of his career. It was a testament to his drive and his firm belief that the team always had a better chance with him out there.

However, that may not have been the case as his production began a slow but steady decline in recent years. Having a tight end on the field means you have to leave another player, usually a wide receiver, on the bench. It also was one of the most predictable aspects of the Dallas offense, and predictability has been seen as a flaw for the Cowboys, especially last season.

But Witten is now gone. And while he certainly leaves a void behind, his move into broadcasting also opens up a new opportunity for the staff to use something they were basically unable to while Witten was with the team and apparently able to dictate his own use to the coaches.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...is-going-to-be-big-for-dallas-cowboys-in-2018

yep, growth from taking off the training wheels

 

[northerncowboynation]

Jason Witten achieved near-iconic status with the Dallas Cowboys. Heck, maybe that is understating it. Among his many achievements, one that stands out is the 197 consecutive games he played in, the record for tight ends. He was a real iron man, and to have missed only one game (in his rookie season) to injury is remarkable, especially for a player who saw plenty of contact.

And it wasn’t just that he didn’t miss games. He was on the field for nearly every offensive snap, especially in the latter years of his career. It was a testament to his drive and his firm belief that the team always had a better chance with him out there.

However, that may not have been the case as his production began a slow but steady decline in recent years. Having a tight end on the field means you have to leave another player, usually a wide receiver, on the bench. It also was one of the most predictable aspects of the Dallas offense, and predictability has been seen as a flaw for the Cowboys, especially last season.

But Witten is now gone. And while he certainly leaves a void behind, his move into broadcasting also opens up a new opportunity for the staff to use something they were basically unable to while Witten was with the team and apparently able to dictate his own use to the coaches.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...is-going-to-be-big-for-dallas-cowboys-in-2018

Been saying that for awhile. We need to run more 10 personnel. Why? Because it makes other teams defend the pass with their speed guys. They go small with our small, Zeke is one of the best blocking backs in the league or they drop back in coverage and we run Zeke at them. Let the small handle Zeke. We have the O-line for power ball and a runner in Dak. That opens up a whole new bunch of options. Especially read options

 

[charron]

I wonder why people keep mentioning austin catching passes of any sort since that is the absolute worst part of his game.

 

[bud914]

i'm just looking for the 6 package