Better Third-Down Situations Will Help Prescott, Offense Get Back On Track

[waving monkey]

FRISCO, Texas – Dak Prescott isn’t focused on outside chatter about the offense’s recent struggles, having scored a combined 24 points in the last two games after averaging 28.7 in the first 11.

“It just wasn’t my best game,” the rookie starting quarterback said Wednesday coming off a season-low 45.4 passer rating in the Cowboys’ 10-7 loss to the New York Giants that snapped an 11-game win streak. “I didn’t play clean at all.”

All Prescott and the offense can do is focus on better execution – and a major component is third down.

The Cowboys have dropped from second to 12th in third down efficiency in the last two weeks (48.5 to 42.3 percent) after converting 2-of-24 against the Minnesota Vikings and Giants (1-of-9 and 1-of-15, respectively)

We’ve been one of the better third-down teams in the league all year long,” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. “It’s been a strength of ours; it’s been one of the reasons we’ve been able to stay on the field as much as we have. But there’s no question the last couple of weeks it’s been an issue, so you go back and you look at it and see if you can find something about what we’re doing, about how we’re executing, about what position we’re putting the players in and you make the adjustments if you need to.”

link/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...ons-will-help-prescott-offense-get-back-track

 

[DandyDon1722]

This was expected from a lot of people including Parcells. Ray Lewis and Chris Carter.

Teams now have a body of film they can use against Dak. Nobody gets through unscathed, especially a rookie.

He can change everything with a good performance against TB.

But if he struggles again, then there are some hard decisions coming up. We could be only one game up on the Giants if we lose and they win and if a slide does happen there are scenarios where we could end up the fifth seed.

As Steve Young said if there's a change don't worry about the locker room - they'll be fine if it's warranted. They all want to win a Super Bowl.

I would not bet against Dak to turn it around but Im glad we have an ace in the hole. I think we'll be okay.

 

[Plumfool]

Spread teams out earlier in games and throw short quick passes.

 

[percyhoward]

Cowboys avg distance to go on 3rd down (NFL rank)
games 1-11
6.4 yards (2nd)

games 12-13
8.6 yards (30th)

Avg gain, run on 1st or 2nd down
games 1-11
4.8 yards (3rd)

games 12-13
4.9 yards (7th)

Avg gain, pass on 1st or 2nd down
games 1-11
7.7 yards (2nd)

games 12-13
5.6 yards (20th)

 

[manster4ever]

Spread teams out earlier in games and throw short quick passes.

That won't work IMO because they are all crowding the LOS. THey're stacking the box to stop Zeke and Dak isn't hitting anything down field. We must go vertical more to back them off and it isn't happening. Maybe now that the next two games are inside he'll get back on track. Fact of the matter is he and Dez both looked and played half froze on Sunday night.

 

[gmoney112]

Cowboys avg distance to go on 3rd down (NFL rank)
games 1-11
6.4 yards (2nd)

games 12-13
8.6 yards (30th)

Avg gain, run on 1st or 2nd down
games 1-11
4.8 yards (3rd)

games 12-13
4.9 yards (7th)

Avg gain, pass on 1st or 2nd down
games 1-11
7.7 yards (2nd)

games 12-13
5.6 yards (20th)

Penalties wrecked our 3rd down distance against the Vikes too. We had 4 drives starting with 1st and 15+ yards to go. Then we had a drive where we converted, and Zeke got called for a hold that made it 3rd and 18. Another drive had Elliott's big play called back, and Lucky converting then fumbling on 3rd down. Another had a botched center exchange on third down. Penalties really did us in that game. You can see it there in that average distance to go on 3rd down, and the avg pass on 1st or 2nd down where we're trying to get any yards to try and get some yardage back from penalties, becoming a little more 1 dimensional as well against the best pass D in the NFL, in my opinion.

The Giants just had our number.

 

[AdamJT13]

Cowboys converson rate on 3rd down and 7+ yards to go (NFL rank)
Weeks 1-12
30.5% (8th)

Weeks 13-14
6.7% (31st)

 

[percyhoward]

Penalties wrecked our 3rd down distance against the Vikes too. We had 4 drives starting with 1st and 15+ yards to go. Then we had a drive where we converted, and Zeke got called for a hold that made it 3rd and 18. Another drive had Elliott's big play called back, and Lucky converting then fumbling on 3rd down. Another had a botched center exchange on third down. Penalties really did us in that game. You can see it there in that average distance to go on 3rd down, and the avg pass on 1st or 2nd down where we're trying to get any yards to try and get some yardage back from penalties, becoming a little more 1 dimensional as well against the best pass D in the NFL, in my opinion.

The Giants just had our number.

What's interesting is that our 1st- and 2nd-down passes were just as successful as our 1st- and 2nd-down runs over the first 11 games.

 

[superonyx]

Penalties wrecked our 3rd down distance against the Vikes too. We had 4 drives starting with 1st and 15+ yards to go. Then we had a drive where we converted, and Zeke got called for a hold that made it 3rd and 18. Another drive had Elliott's big play called back, and Lucky converting then fumbling on 3rd down. Another had a botched center exchange on third down. Penalties really did us in that game. You can see it there in that average distance to go on 3rd down, and the avg pass on 1st or 2nd down where we're trying to get any yards to try and get some yardage back from penalties, becoming a little more 1 dimensional as well against the best pass D in the NFL, in my opinion.

The Giants just had our number.

I agree. The only part I may not agree with is the Giants just had our number.
I feel like I have been watching JG coached teams (Romo and Dak) getting shut down when defenses play us like the Giants played us. I don't know if Romo or Dak was really put in a position to succeed in these games where they have looked awful. This style of lining up and just beating your man seems to collapse when under this kind of pressure.

 

[percyhoward]

Cowboys converson rate on 3rd down and 7+ yards to go (NFL rank)
Weeks 1-12
30.5% (8th)

Weeks 13-14
6.7% (31st)

Passing, 3rd (or 4th) down & 6 + yards to go
2016: first 11 games
37.3% (1st in NFL)
Prescott 101.7 rating
2016: last 2 games
0% (32nd in NFL)
Prescott 34.6 rating

 

[AdamJT13]

0% (32nd in NFL)

Hey, we're only 30th (tied with two other teams).

At least our defense is No. 1 over the past two weeks at 7.1 percent on third-and-6+ passes.

 

[Plumfool]

That won't work IMO because they are all crowding the LOS. THey're stacking the box to stop Zeke and Dak isn't hitting anything down field. We must go vertical more to back them off and it isn't happening. Maybe now that the next two games are inside he'll get back on track. Fact of the matter is he and Dez both looked and played half froze on Sunday night.

I agree with the stacking but teams are stacking to stop the run not the pass. 5 yard passes keeps the team ahead of chains and allows for easier third down conversion.

 

[DandyDon52]

I don't know if Romo or Dak was really put in a position to succeed in these games where they have looked awful. This style of lining up and just beating your man seems to collapse when under this kind of pressure.

True, it doesnt work well against a good defense.
plus we tend to do what they expect, which makes it easier to defend.

I also get the feeling, that coaches have told dak to look for the deeper throws, which eliminates the short throws, which were
making the long drives possible.
So they havent had the long drives lately, and when they did, penalty's,sacks or turnovers killed them.
They need to let dak throw to the 1st open guy he sees, and have him run occasionally , and run elliot 25-30 times a game.
Also pass to elliot when he slips out of backfield, not the designed plays we saw in this last game.

They need the long drives, with short passes, and runs.

 

[Q_the_man]

Cowboys avg distance to go on 3rd down (NFL rank)
games 1-11
6.4 yards (2nd)

games 12-13
8.6 yards (30th)

Avg gain, run on 1st or 2nd down
games 1-11
4.8 yards (3rd)

games 12-13
4.9 yards (7th)

Avg gain, pass on 1st or 2nd down
games 1-11
7.7 yards (2nd)

games 12-13
5.6 yards (20th)

This stat would be better if we ran the ball more on 1st and 2nd like we did earlier in the year but now watching the game I see run on first, pass on 2nd and 3rd.

 

[kramskoi]

I agree. The only part I may not agree with is the Giants just had our number.
I feel like I have been watching JG coached teams (Romo and Dak) getting shut down when defenses play us like the Giants played us. I don't know if Romo or Dak was really put in a position to succeed in these games where they have looked awful. This style of lining up and just beating your man seems to collapse when under this kind of pressure.

Well Romo never looked as bad against the Giants as Prescott did last week. He is 6-1 vs. the Giants since 2012...5-0 since 2013 (29.8 ppg average). Prescott was clearly rattled by Spagnuolo and we must hope that he learns from the sweep this year.

 

[superonyx]

Well Romo never looked as bad against the Giants as Prescott did last week. He is 6-1 vs. the Giants since 2012...5-0 since 2013 (29.8 ppg average). Prescott was clearly rattled by Spagnuolo and we must hope that he learns from the sweep this year.

Maybe not against the Giants but Romo has looked awful against a pressure defense the last game he played vs the Panthers. Romo hasn't played this version of the Giants. Maybe he would have played better than Dak has. In fact we may have won both games with Romo in there. But I also can't pretend that this style of defense has seemed to destroy our offense regardless of who was playing QB.

The Giants have a dangerous confidence against our offense right now. I'm hoping we don't see them again in the playoffs. If we don't get our offense back on track it won't matter who we play in the playoffs. We can't come out and have our 4th straight game with less than 200 yards passing and pretend it's not a problem.

 

[reddyuta]

I think Dak has to run,he should run on early downs if he has a lane even if its not for a first down ,we cannot get into 3rd and long situations which is hurting this team.

 

[CCBoy]

Passing, 3rd (or 4th) down & 6 + yards to go
2016: first 11 games
37.3% (1st in NFL)
Prescott 101.7 rating
2016: last 2 games
0% (32nd in NFL)
Prescott 34.6 rating

One would think that the past two weeks were pretty bad...

 

[SDCowboy]

I think Dak has to run,he should run on early downs if he has a lane even if its not for a first down ,we cannot get into 3rd and long situations which is hurting this team.

So much this. Dak needs to run more. I'd like to see him rolled out more so running is a realistic option in more situations.

 

[morasp]

I hope they turn it around Sunday. It only gets harder in the playoffs.