Analysis: Cowboys DL Scheme vs Player Ability

[xwalker]

Bad: The Rams exposed the flaws in Marinelli's scheme with regards to run defense.
Good: The players are better than they appear. The scheme is the main problem.
Good: Kris Richard is gradually changing the scheme. Much better vs Jets & Eagles.

I'm going to focus on 1-tech DT Christian Covington (#95) who started the Packers game.

He is a better player than it appears. He's not great but many of the plays where he appears to get blown up are things that didn't show up in game footage of him with the Texans.

The scheme often puts the DTs in positions where the OL have the leverage advantage.
- A DT flowing laterally has a dis-advantage in leverage.
- A DT attempting to penetrate is at a leverage dis-advantage.

An example of what the Rams were talking about when they said the Cowboys had "tells".
-You see the OC point to the 1-tech Covington.
-They know Covington is going to jump to the opposite side of the OC.

 

[xwalker]

The Cowboys 1-tech DT has a responsibility to get outside on outside runs.
- This type of chase to the outside by the 1-tech happens often.

 

[xwalker]

Christian Covington as the 1-tech can get push.
- The scheme more often has him flowing laterally.
- The Marinelli often makes the DTs look silly because of the lateral flow requirements.
- When not in the lateral flow mode, Covington can get push.
- Notice in the 4th video how the Packers OL is holding but it's subtle.

 

[xwalker]

Lateral flow requirements often make DTs look silly.
- Covington takes himself towards the RT.
- The OL just use his own movement to keep him there.
- Marinelli's scheme almost got the tackle for loss by Collins.

 

[xwalker]

Covington's assignment takes him out of the middle.
- He does not get driven out by the OL.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Richard is changing Marinelli's DL scheme?

 

[kskboys]

Interpretation: This scheme only works against certain opponents.

 

[CCBoy]

X, some good focus...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Interpretation: This scheme only works against certain opponents.

As in any game, it's about match ups, you shouldn't use the exact same scheme to play everybody, sometimes seems like that's what the Cowboys do...

 

[kskboys]

As in any game, it's about match ups, you shouldn't use the exact same scheme to play everybody, sometimes seems like that's what the Cowboys do...

At one point we had an ordinary OL that shut down JJ Watt. Sometimes a scheme/player simply is a bad matchup for someone, and it's not always the best one. For instance, our D shut down the Seachickens run game in the playoffs. And then the Rams made us look stupid. Matchups.

 

[xwalker]

@ondaedg

 

[CouchCoach]

As in any game, it's about match ups, you shouldn't use the exact same scheme to play everybody, sometimes seems like that's what the Cowboys do...

That has pretty much been the plan in the past. This is who we are and what we do, beat us if you can. That worked much better when Garrett was playing than since he's been coaching.