A statistical analysis...

[silverbear]

Of the Cowboys' first 3 preseason games... first, the not-so-good:

OFFENSE:

19th total offense
27th passing offense
6th rushing offense
T24th scoring offense
T27th giveaways
T4th turnover margin

Comments-- the Boys are running the ball pretty good, not throwing it well at all... but a closer look at the offensive stats reveals something pretty interesting, the Boys are 27th in passing ATTEMPTS, 3rd in rushing ATTEMPTS... this shows us pretty clearly just how close to the vest Parcells is playing it offensively this preseason, what a conservative game plan he's calling... now, for the really, really good:

6th total defense
14th passing defense
3rd rushing defense
FIRST scoring defense
T13th takeaways

Comments-- I'm actually right surprised at how effective this defense has been in preseason, with the switch to the 3-4 defense, and the absence of Jason Ferguson and Marcus Spears for most of the preseason... but we're talking about some REALLY stout run defense being played (the Boys rank 4th in rushing yards per attempt)... and of course, that scoring defense is a highly encouraging stat...

The special teams (other than Mat McBriar's brilliant punting-- he's 3rd in gross punting average and has put 7 of his 21 punts inside the 20) has been rather dismal, but of course the Boys have been looking at a lot of players who won't be making the 53 man roster on special teams... remembering that last year's special teams coverage units were pretty good, and that most of the guys from that unit will be returning, I'm not too worried about this... now, kicker DOES worry me...

I just thought I'd take a big picture look at the way the preseason has gone... comments are welcome...

 

[Rack]

A statistical analysis of preseason games is a waste of time. You know that, SB. The complete opposite can happen, and sometimes does happen, when the real games start up.


Not to mention, that 3rd in run defense is obviously messed up. The Texans were blowing us off the ball in the first half yesterday. The only thing that screwed them is penalties and anytime they called a pass play.

 

[silverbear]

A statistical analysis of preseason games is a waste of time. You know that, SB. The complete opposite can happen, and sometimes does happen, when the real games start up.

You couldn't be more wrong, Rack... for one thing, the statistical analysis tells us the main reason for the Cowboys' offensive struggles, which is an EXTREMELY conservative game plan...

We can also look deeper into the stats, and realize that when it's backups on backups, the Cowboys are kickin' butt... this tells us that we have built more quality depth than most teams in the NFL...

No, the statistical rankings in preseason are no guarantee of similar performance once the bell sounds for the first round (opening day), but there ARE things of interest, things of significance, to be found in looking at the numbers...

Not to mention, that 3rd in run defense is obviously messed up. The Texans were blowing us off the ball in the first half yesterday.

It's true, the Texans had more success running the ball than our first two opponents did... but you can't just blow off the run D versus the Cards and Seahawks... and you might want to consider that the Cowboys were at a disadvantage in terms of preparation time for the Houston game...

And of course, even the Texans only averaged 4.1 yards per carry... perhaps those big runs called back by penalties were big runs BECAUSE of those penalties, pal...

But hey, I'm sorry to have "wasted your time" like that... but at least you got to indulge your well-known fondness for snotty sarcasm...

 

[Rack]

Naw, just not in a mood to take gratuitous abuse for taking a look at the numbers

OMG. Gimme a break.

comments are welcome..

That was from your first post. Sorry, but I thought it REALLY meant "Comments are Welcome". It's you though so I should of known better.

OTOH, if YOU'RE looking for a fight, I think you know I'm always willing to accomodate... you come at me snotty, you'll get snotty back...

Whatever, Tough Guy.

I take it your date didn't go to well? Cuz you seem to be in one of your "Moods".

When I call somebody "pal", that's my attempt to be INoffensive... if THAT bothers you, then you're more thin-skinned than I thought...

And yet another

Yep, I was right, you are lookin' for a fight tonight.



And don't even try to act like the "Pal" thing is done out sincerity. Gimme a break.

I just got back from work. Not in the mood. You were right, I was wrong. Silverbear is ALWAYS right no matter what. There's no possible way he'll ever be wrong, yada yada yada ... goodbye.





One last thing and I'm done...

for one thing, the statistical analysis tells us the main reason for the Cowboys' offensive struggles, which is an EXTREMELY conservative game plan

Yeah, and the teams we've been facing have been looking all the way to the back of their playbooks.


No, you're right, the Cowboys have been "Extremely" conservative while our opponents have been pulling out all the stops against us. I should of known better. Silly me.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Wow, Rack makes a blanket statement in such a manner that it should be obvious to all that he is the king of football knowledge and doesnt understand how someone might take issue with it.

How completely out of character.

 

[Rack]

Wow, all I said is it's useless to analyze preseason games. Teams aren't running their whole offenses and defenses, but whatever. I guess since our team has looked good (in some areas) it's ok to believe that it's most definitely gonna carry over to the regular season. But if we were looking horrible in every aspect of the game I'm sure it would be "It's just the preseason, Folks, it doesn't mean anything".


And what a positive influence you've had on this thread, Fuzzy.

How completely out of character.

 

[silverbear]

Wow, all I said is it's useless to analyze preseason games. Teams aren't running their whole offenses and defenses, but whatever. I guess since our team has looked good (in some areas) it's ok to believe that it's most definitely gonna carry over to the regular season. But if we were looking horrible in every aspect of the game I'm sure it would be "It's just the preseason, Folks, it doesn't mean anything".

Where exactly did I suggest it was "most definitely gonna carry over to the regular season"?? All I did was point out some TRENDS, some CLUES as to how the team MIGHT be shaping up...

That's what you do in preseason, Rack... some of the time, you trust the evidence of your own eyes, but some of the time a look at the numbers can tell you some things to-- if you have an open mind, and are willing to look at a number of different angles, rather than dismissing them as a "waste of time"...

I also commented on the aspects of our game that were looking bad, and expressed my concerns about some of them (the kicking situation)... some of them, you're right, I DID say that it was just preseason, but I also offered some reasoning as to why we didn't need to be all that concerned just yet (the special teams cover units)...

And what a positive influence you've had on this thread, Fuzzy.

Coming from the guy who set out to piss on the thread right from the start, that's a pretty hypocritical criticism... YOUR influence on this thread has been to turn it into another flame war...

Does it anger you that somebody else had a problem with your snotty sarcasm here, Rack?? One of the Scottish poets, I always get Robert Frost and Robert Burns mixed up, said this:

Oh, what gifts would the gifties gi'e us
To see ourselves as others see us...

If the truth were known, I believe you're seen as a very knowledgeable fan afflicted with more than his fair share of arrogance and condescension... one who seems to think that he has all the answers, and anybody who dares to disagree with him is just wrong...

And I believe that I'm seen as possessing many of those same attributes, if the truth of the matter were known... got the attitude, got the in your face willingness to mix it up, and for added spice, I'm pretty vulgar... which may be why you periodically annoy the living crap out of me, the old saying is we most despise in others those things we see in ourselves...

 

[cml750]

Thanks for the analyses Bear. I sincerely hope the #1 in scoring defense keeps up in the regular season.

 

[Rack]

Your "comment" was an insulting putdown of the thread, plain and simple... you know it, and I know it...

I guess you don't really "Know it" since that wasn't my intention at all.

and I'm free to tell you you're bein' a d*ckhead when you're bein' a d*ckhead...

Wow. Such a classy guy.

When somebody insults me just 'cause I started a thread that I thought would be interesting, I tend to get a little confrontational...

I wasn't being confronational at all. You just get all worked up for nothing. You've always been like that as long as I can remember.

Believe what you want. It won't change the truth.

Then you shouldn't have acted like a jerk in your first response...

I wasn't. You certainly have been in all your posts since mine though.

you COULD have chosen to say something along the lines of "statistical analysis of preseason games isn't really an accurate barometer of how a team will play in the regular season"

I did.

"A statistical analysis of preseason games is a waste of time."

Sorry if it's not worded all nice and pretty for you, SB. But it means the same thing. I'm not gonna be overly careful with my words just cuz you tend to overreact to the extreme if you even remotely feel threatened by someone.

of course, if it really WAS such a waste of time, that leads to the logical question, why did you bother to respond??

Answer, you were feeling like indulging your snotty sarcasm, just as I said a few posts back

Again, that wasn't my intention at all.


And even if it were "Snotty Sarcasm" (which it wasn't) it still didn't warrant the reaction you gave it.

sometimes I let that kind of crap slide when coming from you, knowing that deep down, you really don't mean anything by it, but sometimes I get sick of it...

Well, like I said, there was nothing to "let slide" since nothing was meant by it. I can care less what you get sick of. You have issues, Man. You overreact to the extreme and you do it often.

Well, how 'bout we let those meaningless stats give us the answer to that one??

I never said they were meaningless stats. It's the games they were based on that are meaningless.

So, whaddaya think, Rack, who's been more conservative this preseason??

So a pass play automatically means it's not a conservative call? You understand there are basic pass plays and more "Advanced" Pass play, right? There's conservative route combinations and advanced route combinations. I'm sure you factored that in though.

But you don't have to rely just on those stats that you find such a waste of time, after the Cards game the mediots were all talking about how the Cards actually gameplanned for the game, while the Cowboys didn't... so now you have anecdotal evidence to refute your argument, as well as statistical evidence

So cuz the "Mediots" reported it it's "Evidence". If the mediots had reported that Bill Parcells is a homosexual would that be "Evidence" too?

Funny you refer to them as "Mediots" but call what they reported "Evidence".

Where exactly did I suggest it was "most definitely gonna carry over to the regular season"?? All I did was point out some TRENDS, some CLUES as to how the team MIGHT be shaping up...

And all I did was say analysing preseason games was a waste of time. Those were comments that you said were "Welcome". I don't know about you, but I don't "Welcome" someone into my home and proceed to throw a hissy fit if they say something I don't agree with.

some of them, you're right, I DID say that it was just preseason, but I also offered some reasoning as to why we didn't need to be all that concerned just yet (the special teams cover units)...

Proving the point I made in the earlier post.

Coming from the guy who set out to piss on the thread right from the start

Again, SB, you are just flat out wrong. I never intended that. And just cuz you're set on that being the case, does NOT make it the case. Try and cool off a bit and see the other side of it. You overeacted. Plain and simple.

Does it anger you that somebody else had a problem with your snotty sarcasm here, Rack??

Again, it wasn't "Snottish Sarcasm". If it were, I would of made sure it was obvious it was sarcasm. Again, just cuz you believe it, doesn't make it so.

If the truth were known, I believe you're seen as a very knowledgeable fan afflicted with more than his fair share of arrogance and condescension

Overall, that may or may not be the case, but it WAS NOT the case in this thread.

In truth, you're a bitter old man that takes his frustrations out on people on internet message boards. "You know it, I know it".

one who seems to think that he has all the answers, and anybody who dares to disagree with him is just wrong

This coming from the guy that threw a hissy fit cuz someone disagreed with him.


This coming from the guy that automatically went off on a guy cuz he thought he was a "Horns Hater" cuz he pointed out something about a former Horn, only later to realize he was completely wrong (did you even apologize to the guy?). I can only hope you realize the same in this situation. Something tells me you won't go 2 for 2 here.

which may be why you periodically annoy the living crap out of me, the old saying is we most despise in others those things we see in ourselves

Whatever negative attributes you may see in me, are ten fold in yourself SB. I'm not nearly as much of an a-hole as I was years ago when we use to go at it at that "other" board. Maybe you haven't realized that. I've grown up a little. You, obviously, have not. Which is sad cuz you're like 50 by now (and that wasn't sarcasm. I really am estimating you're about 50. I think you were around 45 when I first started off at the "Dictatorship" board).

Anyway, sorry you're thread is ruined. It wasn't my intention whether you want to believe it or not.

 

[Natedawg44]

yawn ZZZZZZ

 

[PaEagleHater]

Way, way too much time on your hands. How can you rank a team by players that may not even be on their roster come the start of the season?

 

[Sarge]

Way, way too much time on your hands. How can you rank a team by players that may not even be on their roster come the start of the season?

That's the same question Rack and I both have.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Ummmmmmmm.........preseason?????????

 

[followthestar]

thanks for the figures - i think it is looking like a pretty good run defense, and it all starts there. pass defense is more a total team defense, since the DL and secondary and LBs all play a part, whereas run defense is more a measure of the front 7. if i may read something else into those stats, it seems we may match up well mano-a-mano with other teams, but our timing isn't down yet. players don't know yet what to expect of each other - where they'll be, what their tendencies are, what their abilities are, etc - and this will only come through game experience together.
this looks like a top 10 defense to me...

 

[silverbear]

Wow. Such a classy guy.

It may give you some comfort to know that one of the mods PM'ed me to gently remind me about circumventing the profanity filter that way... he's right, of course, I should have found a less vulgar well to tell you how fond I was of your insults...

So, I'll just say "bite me", and wash my hands of you... instead, I think I'll focus on those who DID find something of merit to discuss in this thread... apparently, they don't think I've wasted their time...

 

[percyhoward]

the Boys are 27th in passing ATTEMPTS, 3rd in rushing ATTEMPTS... this shows us pretty clearly just how close to the vest Parcells is playing it offensively this preseason, what a conservative game plan he's calling...

Interesting analysis. Part of the explanation for the run-heavy offense may be about Parcells wanting to be conservative, but I think it's also the effect of him knowing who his top 3 WR's are, and not having a clue about who is #2 and #3 RB's are.

Barber, Thomas, and Thompson have all needed good long looks, and the only way to give them that is to run the ball. That's probably also why we didn't see Henson Sat night, Bledsoe has to stay in longer to get the work.

 

[cobra]

To Silverbear- :clap2:

To Rack- :thumbdo: :enough:

 

[jksmith269]

Of the Cowboys' first 3 preseason games... first, the not-so-good:

OFFENSE:

19th total offense
27th passing offense
6th rushing offense
T24th scoring offense
T27th giveaways
T4th turnover margin

Comments-- the Boys are running the ball pretty good, not throwing it well at all... but a closer look at the offensive stats reveals something pretty interesting, the Boys are 27th in passing ATTEMPTS, 3rd in rushing ATTEMPTS... this shows us pretty clearly just how close to the vest Parcells is playing it offensively this preseason, what a conservative game plan he's calling... now, for the really, really good:

6th total defense
14th passing defense
3rd rushing defense
FIRST scoring defense
T13th takeaways

Comments-- I'm actually right surprised at how effective this defense has been in preseason, with the switch to the 3-4 defense, and the absence of Jason Ferguson and Marcus Spears for most of the preseason... but we're talking about some REALLY stout run defense being played (the Boys rank 4th in rushing yards per attempt)... and of course, that scoring defense is a highly encouraging stat...

The special teams (other than Mat McBriar's brilliant punting-- he's 3rd in gross punting average and has put 7 of his 21 punts inside the 20) has been rather dismal, but of course the Boys have been looking at a lot of players who won't be making the 53 man roster on special teams... remembering that last year's special teams coverage units were pretty good, and that most of the guys from that unit will be returning, I'm not too worried about this... now, kicker DOES worry me...

I just thought I'd take a big picture look at the way the preseason has gone... comments are welcome...

Great post SB...

I've seen our D get better and better each week which is promissing, and our O after a few reps seems to get instride. It just seems to take a little while in the game and this past game was the first one they where really in the game long enough to hit that stride. and Bledsoe completing 9 passes in a row was a site for sore eyes....

 

[Rack]

Suckup.

That's the same question Rack and I both have.

Yeah and I got my head bit off for it.


If it were based on the first three games of the season this "Analysis" would still be useless (way too early for analysing anything at that point). But based on 3 PREseason games? Even more useless.