News: Analyzing Linehan’s Use of Shotgun & Prescott’s Success (vs MIN)

[CCBoy]

Analyzing Linehan’s Use of Shotgun & Prescott’s Success (vs MIN)

http://cowboyszone.com/2016/12/analyzing-linehans-use-of-shotgun-prescotts-success-vs-min.html



General Observations and Stats

The Dallas Cowboys pulled off their most impressive victory of the season. Winning a game on the road when the offense struggles, players commit costly penalties, you lose the turnover battle and fail to control the time of possession is a luxury afforded only to well coached teams. Rod Marinelli and the defense deserve a lot of credit for holding the Vikings to a mere 15 points.

In terms of his stats, this was by far Dak Prescott’s least impressive performance of the season. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 139 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs.

For the season, Dak has completed 67.9 of his passes (243 of 358) for 2974 yards, 19 TD’s, 2 INT’s. He also has 217 yards rushing (47 attempts) and 5 TD’s.

Prescott has the 3rd highest QB rating at NFL.com (108.6) for a starting QB (after Brady and Ryan).

For the first time this season, ESPN has Dak Prescott rated as the best QB in the NFL. Dak has a Total QBR of 85.2, and Brady has fallen to 82.

PFF still has Dak as just the 10th rated passer at 84.6 (Brady leads the NFL at 95.4).

One of the criticisms of Dak is that he can not throw the long ball accurately. If that is true, then Prescott must be extraordinary on the medium throws: he is 2nd in the NFL in yards per attempt (8.3) behind only Matt Ryan (9.2), and he is a respectable 7th in yards per completion (12.2). Matt Ryan leads the league with 13.4 yards per completion.

Similarly, Dak doesn’t benefit from long runs after short throws as much as most people think. YAC account for 42.5% of his total yards passing, which means that 57.5% of his total passing yards are “air yards”. QB’s with that have a lower percentage of “air yards” than Dak (in descending order of “air yards”): Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Derek Carr, Drew Brees, Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers, Blake Bortles, Joe Flacco, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, and Eli Manning.

It is difficult to overstate how incredibly well Dak Prescott is playing. The offense struggled against the Vikings, but Dak never looked like a confused rookie, not did he make any rookie mistakes. He has thrown 19 TD’s, run for 5 TD’s, thrown just 2 INT’s, and lost four fumbles. He has been sacked just 18 times (Derek Carr has the fewest sacks with 12 amongst QB’s who have started all 12 games).

After 12 games, the Cowboys are:

5th in the league at converting 3rd downs (46%). Saints convert 50%.

• 4th (395.7 yards per game) in total offense after Atlanta, New Orleans and Washington.

• a sub-par +2 in turnover differential.

• 1st the NFL in time of possession (32:39).

• the 10th least penalized team in terms of yards (down from 6th a few weeks ago).

• 3rd in the NFL in points per game (27.8). Falcons still lead NFL with 32.2 point per game.

• 2nd the NFL in rushing yards per game (155.8), Buffalo averages 161.9.

• 2nd in rushing TD’s (20), Buffalo has 23. The 3rd place team has just 14.

• only Buffalo (18) has more runs of 20+ yards than the Cowboys 13.

• 2nd in the NFL in point differential with +105 behind the Patriots (+112). The 3rd place team is Seattle (+70). The Falcons, with all of their scoring, have a point differential of 55...

 

[CCBoy]

The Cowboys ran 51 plays against the Vikings. The previous low for the season was the 56 offensive snaps against the Commanders.

Dak Prescott lined up under center 31 times and in the shotgun 20 times.

Of the 31 times that Dak was under center, they ran it 23 times, attempted 7 playaction passes, and threw the ball once.

That one throw (no real drop-back, just a quick throw to the outside immediately following the snap) is something the Cowboys rarely do. They have never asked Dak to attempt a tradition 3-5 or 7 step drop from directly under center and throw the ball. Linehan has only called this kind of passing play 5 times so far this season on 1st down (11 times in total), and I am pretty sure this is the 1st time they have tried it to D. Bryant. Defenses expect a run or play-action when Dak is under center – Linehan broke that tendency and it resulted in a very significant touchdown.

Of the 20 times Dak was in the shotgun, they passed the ball 18 times, ran it 2 times, and did not try any play-action passes. This is the first time in several weeks that the Cowboys have not used the play-action at least a few times from the shotgun.

Coming into the game against the Vikings, the Cowboys had run the ball on more than 80% of the plays that Dak lined up under center. In Minnesota, the Cowboys only ran the ball on 58% of the plays that Dak was under center (7 play-action attempts on 31 snaps). More on the play-action aspect of Prescott’s game in an upcoming post.

http://cowboyszone.com/2016/12/analyzing-linehans-use-of-shotgun-prescotts-success-vs-min.html

 

[CCBoy]

Dallas Cowboys Win If:

This game will come down to the Cowboys’ ability to score in the red zone. In the previous meeting the Giants held this offense in check while in that portion of the field.

The Cowboys were only 33 percent in the red zone and 50 percent in goal-to-go situations. Since that last meeting, they are third in the league in successful red zone plays at 54 percent and fourth at 66 percent in touchdown efficiency.

On the other side of the ball, the Giants still are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to playing red zone defense. Their defense has only allowed opponents to score a touchdown 43 percent of the time, which ranks them second in the league. What makes the Giants so difficult in the red zone is that they don’t allow opponents to convert third downs once they get down there to continue drives. The Giants have held opponents to just 30 percent, while the league average is 38 percent to convert those situations. Another factor in their red zone defense is that they only allow opponents 2.6 yards per play, which is top 10 in the league.

There were opportunities for the Cowboys to score, but a missed pass and later a negative rush left the offense in a position where they were forced to kick field goals and that was the difference in the game.

The Cowboys need to flip the script on the Giants in the red zone in order to win this game Sunday night...

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...one-efficiency-rushing-attack-will-be-crucial

 

[xwalker]

The Cowboys ran 51 plays against the Vikings. The previous low for the season was the 56 offensive snaps against the Commanders.

Dak Prescott lined up under center 31 times and in the shotgun 20 times.

Of the 31 times that Dak was under center, they ran it 23 times, attempted 7 playaction passes, and threw the ball once.

That one throw (no real drop-back, just a quick throw to the outside immediately following the snap) is something the Cowboys rarely do. They have never asked Dak to attempt a tradition 3-5 or 7 step drop from directly under center and throw the ball. Linehan has only called this kind of passing play 5 times so far this season on 1st down (11 times in total), and I am pretty sure this is the 1st time they have tried it to D. Bryant. Defenses expect a run or play-action when Dak is under center – Linehan broke that tendency and it resulted in a very significant touchdown.

Of the 20 times Dak was in the shotgun, they passed the ball 18 times, ran it 2 times, and did not try any play-action passes. This is the first time in several weeks that the Cowboys have not used the play-action at least a few times from the shotgun.

Coming into the game against the Vikings, the Cowboys had run the ball on more than 80% of the plays that Dak lined up under center. In Minnesota, the Cowboys only ran the ball on 58% of the plays that Dak was under center (7 play-action attempts on 31 snaps). More on the play-action aspect of Prescott’s game in an upcoming post.

http://cowboyszone.com/2016/12/analyzing-linehans-use-of-shotgun-prescotts-success-vs-min.html

Romo rarely passed from under center.

 

[Seven]

My head is spinning...... Dallas is 11-1 right?

The rest is football. Enjoy it. Screw the meaningless stats, numbers and percentages......Dallas is #1 in all of the NFL record-wise.

There's a stat for ya.

No offense, CC.

 

[CCBoy]

My head is spinning...... Dallas is 11-1 right?

The rest is football. Enjoy it. Screw the meaningless stats, numbers and percentages......Dallas is #1 in all of the NFL record-wise.

There's a stat for ya.

No offense, CC.

There is nothing wrong with just wanting to watch what one sees on the field...but that can be a bias as well. Not in what is seen there, but what goes on to make things work there.

There was years of complaints and name calling around the turn around when it occurred, back at the point of the lock up. Instead of seeming to be seen as nothing more than futility, the Cowboys actually, as an organization again, learned how to truly evaluate qualities in their team and to take hardLoo decisions and waiting out the pain of transition. Both Jerry and Stephen made directional changes, and the organization took roots and again became strong. They were both unpopular to many of the fan base, right here on site...and fans who took shelter and bunkered down for the long haul...saw direction and kept faith. It took a ton of reasons for that growth...but to claim keeping tract of the time required growth is lacking in heart, just is naïve - alone.

It took, both guts and heart for the team to have traveled that road. If you don't like talking about the growth...just stay out of the conversation then. The position now, has NEVER been missed as well. Don't assume a cherry picking gives yourself, an improved view of what is on the table. Hey, I played the sport myself and love it for the challenge and fight required. This team never gave up, and that quality, nurtured by Jason Garrett, is exactly what has brought this team to here. I'm not going to say we are the World, due to a record that is still growing.

Why do you think that the team cracked and fell apart just prior to Jerry purchasing the Cowboys? Well, they lost the heart of a champion. They have it back now...but there is more that shows the elements at battle today. Hey, enjoy the victories, but the team still has to meet challenges as they grow and change, and that is why an OP as was provided here, is provided. It shows beyond challenge and individual plays of victory. It shows how it is approached and accumulates more of a representation of how success and talent is directed for individual games. That IS relevant as well...but only if one really wants more than a stereotype response pool to talk about the team.

As to number one, the team still has goals that have to be meet, and paths that will have to be walked to get there.

An article as this, shows the curious, just how those goals are being fought...but they also can show more depth as to talent and how that talent meets a changing picture for success.

Root for the Cowboys, but don't then be insultive of someone spending the time to give indicators in just how the team goes about to challenge their own fate.

The team knows that just such methods are necessary...and believe me, this time, they won't miss destiny. But for the reasons they chose.

 

[CCBoy]

Romo rarely passed from under center.

Under center helps to strengthen the running game, and also how it is adapted and used to stretch the field when chosen, as well.

Tony was more able to see the field and monitor opponent defensive developments to make offensive calls from. The team again added a dominant element to the running game, but was also able to move on at the quarterback position. The team has learned how to be timely and not miss opportunity, afraid to make reasoned and real changes in performance players now.

In the process, the team may just have learned how to be great again...but for the record, I still love me a Tony Romo, the player and the heart in the game.

 

[DandyDon52]

dallas will have to do better in red zone or in just scoring td's this time.
they need to score 27 or more .

 

[roughneck266]

dallas will have to do better in red zone or in just scoring td's this time.
they need to score 27 or more .

I don't want to say it's a given they will be better. The Giants defense is in no way comparable to the Vikings. At least not from what I have seen. Also the loss of JPP is going to be devastating to them both in the run and pass defense.
I am expecting more of what we have done to the rest of the league this far, slow methodical time killing offense with touchdowns at the end.

 

[DogFace]

Interesting article @CCBoy

Thanks

 

[CCBoy]

The Dallas Cowboys ability to stay balanced offensively is premised on their ability to run the ball for 4+ yards on 1st down, even when defenses are expecting it. Scott Linehan has stayed devoted to running the ball on first down since week 2.

Coming in to the Minnesota game, the Cowboys had run 325 plays on 1st down. Dak was under center 225 times and in the shotgun 100 plays.

Of the 225 times Dak lined up under center on 1st down, they ran the ball 178 times (79.1%), threw it 5 times, and tried play-action passes 42 times (18.6%).

Of the 100 times that Dak was in the shotgun on first down, they passed the ball 75 times (75%), ran the ball 13 times, and tried 8 play-action passes.

Adding both formations together (325 plays), the Cowboys ran the ball 191 times on 1st down (58.7%), threw the ball 80 times (24.6%), and tried 50 playaction passes (15.3%). There were also 4 designed runs by Dak Prescott off the play-action (all from shotgun).


There is a direct correlation between the inability to run for 5+ yards in 1st down and the fact that the Cowboys were a dismal 1 of 9 on 3rd down conversions despite coming into the game converting 46% of their 3rd down attempts.

The Dallas Cowboys ran 27 plays on 1st down in Minnesota. The only game in which they had fewer 1st down plays was Cincinnati (25).

Dak was under center for 22 of the 27 plays on 1st down: 17 runs, 1 quick pass, and 4 play-action passes.

Dak was in the shotgun for 5 plays on 1st down: 0 runs, 5 passes, 0 play-action passes.

3rd and Short

The Dallas Cowboys were an uncharacteristically dismal 1 of 9 on third down attempts.

The Cowboys only faced 3rd and short twice, and both plays resulted in negatives: one was the fumble by L. Whitehead, the other was a botched snap that almost resulted in a turnover.

Play-action

After running the ball effectively on 1st down, one of the biggest keys to the Cowboys offense success is their ability to use the play-action pass when Dak lines up under center. Scott Linehan and Dak Prescott continue to use the play-action to both move the chains and get big chunks of yards.

Using the play-action with Dak under center continues to be effective for three main reasons: the Cowboys are successful most of the time they run the ball out of that formation, the Cowboys run the ball almost 80% of the time they are in that formation, and Dak is executing the play-action skillfully.

The most play-action attempts in one game was in Washington (12) and the fewest was in Green Bay (6).

The Cowboys ran 7 play-action plays against the Vikings. I call them “play-action plays”, not play-action passes, because Dak took off and ran, after surveying the field and/or being pressured, on 3 of the 7 plays.

Linehan continues to run the play-action mostly when Dak is under center (zero attempts from shotgun this week). The most play-action plays the Cowboys have called from the shotgun in one game was 7 (Washington), but the only other time the Cowboys failed to try play-action at all from the shotgun was against San Francisco.

Linehan continues to use play-action predominantly in three specific situations: 1st and 10, 2 & goal, or 2nd & long. (In the past, he has also used it in 3rd or 4th &1).

This week, 4 of the 6 play-action plays were on 1st & 10, while 3 of them were on 2nd & long.

Dak was 2 of 4 for 28 yards on his play-action throws, but the three times he took off running after finding no open receiver on play-action netted 27 yards.

In total, the Cowboys gained 47 yards on 7 play-action plays (2 incompletes).

On the season, Dak Prescott has 65 completions on 90 play-action attempts (72.2 completion rate) for 913 yards, 3 TD’s, at least one fumble (maybe 2), zero interceptions. Dak has 2974 passing yards, so 30.6% of his total passing yards have come off of play-action.

69 of the 90 play-action attempts (75.5%) have come when Dak is under center (21 from shotgun)...

http://cowboyszone.com/2016/12/cowboys-struggle-on-1st-down-and-with-play-action-vs-min.html

 

[JJHLH1]

PFF still has Dak as just the 10th rated passer at 84.6 (Brady leads the NFL at 95.4).

PFF is the same outfit that said "Buyer beware" when drafting Dak Prescott.

"After an underwhelming Senior Bowl, Prescott should only be considered towards the end of the draft."

Dak was MVP of the Senior Bowl, lol. I don't know what PFF's methodology is, but it's obviously flawed. It's hard to take them seriously.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-buyer-beware-when-drafting-these-3-quarterback-prospects/

 

[CCBoy]

PFF is the same outfit that said "Buyer beware" when drafting Dak Prescott.

"After an underwhelming Senior Bowl, Prescott should only be considered towards the end of the draft."

Dak was MVP of the Senior Bowl, lol. I don't know what PFF's methodology is, but it's obviously flawed. It's hard to take them seriously.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-buyer-beware-when-drafting-these-3-quarterback-prospects/

Just a shallow view isn't fatal...agendas are another thing

 

[BAT]

insultive is not a word, but believe I understood the gist of your point. How they are doing it is interesting but that they are doing it is more so. Let's all just enjoy the ride.

 

[CCBoy]

insultive is not a word, but believe I understood the gist of your point. How they are doing it is interesting but that they are doing it is more so. Let's all just enjoy the ride.

Consult a dictionary before jumping...with insultive phrase of one's own.


Insultive
If one is using an insulting word. They are being insultive.
ex. I find your words to be very insultive.

An insult is an expression, statement (or sometimes behavior) which is disrespectful or scornful. Insults [1] may be intentional or accidental. An insult may be factual, but at the same time pejorative, such as the word "inbred".[2]

Moving on now...

Stating that one is impressed that the team has accomplished success, is from a vantage of scorn or disbelief. Not a limitation on the accomplishment...which stands on merit instead.