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The return of Tony Romo to the Cowboys is an anticipated event for many reasons, none greater than giving the team their best chance to snap the seven-game losing streak that has virtually halted the preseason Super Bowl hype. Romo’s presence on the field changes everything for the team in all three phases, and his impact will be felt in many ways.
Let’s take a look at some things that could show up in the Dallas game plan with Romo back in the fold this week.
Offensive Game Plan
The strength of the Dolphins defense is their front. Even with Cameron Wake on injured reserve, players like Ndamukong Suh and Olivier Vernon are very difficult in both the run and pass games. Tony Romo, Scott Linehan and this Cowboys offense are going to have to find ways to attack the Dolphins defense in order to keep them honest allowing maximum room for running the ball between the tackles on the disruptive players Miami plays up front.
A couple of ways the Cowboys can neutralize the effectiveness of the Miami defensive line is to use play action in the passing game, as well as misdirection in the running game.
A few things the Cowboys have done on offense over the past couple of months could help them accomplishing this task.
One of these is using rookie wide receiver Lucky Whitehead in Jet motion across the formation. The Cowboys showed this wrinkle for the first time in the Week 7 game against the New York Giants, and continued to do so throughout Romo’s absence.
Using this type of action with a player of Whitehead’s ability, immediately creates conflict in the defense, which is what you have to do against players of the quality that this Miami team deploys on the defensive front. You can exploit this conflict by using the jet sweep to create misdirection, open up inside rush lanes or get the ball quickly to the edges of the defense.
Another thing the Cowboys have done that should be a part of their game plan in the running game, is pulling their athletic offensive linemen around the formation to get Darren McFadden started on the edges. With guards like Zack Martin and La’el Collins you have two special athletes who are capable of getting out in space and blocking linebackers and defensive backs.
If Linehan can put his tight ends, or even wide receivers in position to block down on the defensive ends and outside linebackers in the Eagles’ 3-4 defense, and seal those guys to the inside, they could spring some big plays with McFadden running downhill in space with a lineman or two out leading the way.
In the passing game, Tony Romo will likely use play action in order to test the Dolphins linebackers and create space for easy completions underneath, especially on early downs.
Defensive Game Plan
Defensively for Dallas, it all starts with slowing down Lamar Miller. Since interim head coach Dan Campbell took over after Joe Philbin was fired earlier in the year, Miller has been a much more heavily used member of the Miami offense. The Cowboys linebackers played very well in Week 10 against Tampa Bay, and they did well covering the Buccaneers running backs downfield in passing routes.
The Dolphins have been creative in how they use Miller, sending him out of the backfield on multiple routes, as well as motioning him out wide and sending him downfield on a double move against the linebacker covering him on one play against the Eagles in Week 10. It will be another test for the Cowboys linebackers to deal with the speed that Miller possesses both running to the edges, and catching the ball in space with opportunities to make plays.
Other than Miller, the most important weapon the Cowboys will have to account for in the passing game is second-year receiver, Jarvis Landry, who Tyler Patmon will have to deal with out of the slot for most of the game.
Landry is a very good underneath player who is dangerous with the ball in his hands. Patmon has done a good job when asked to play some of these difficult players in the middle of the field, and he will need to be up to the task against Landry on Sunday to give the Cowboys a chance to win.
Prediction:
Tony Romo will help the Cowboys regain their winning ways. Romo will throw for close to 300 yards and at least one touchdown, and the rest of the offense will be back to the high-scoring unit from years past.
The defense will continue to play well, although the Dolphins will do better than the 10 points that Tampa Bay put up. The Cowboys defense will finally get a chance to play with the lead, as their pass-rushers are designed to play, and they should contain the Miami attack.
Prediction: Cowboys 24, Dolphins 13
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
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Let’s take a look at some things that could show up in the Dallas game plan with Romo back in the fold this week.
Offensive Game Plan
The strength of the Dolphins defense is their front. Even with Cameron Wake on injured reserve, players like Ndamukong Suh and Olivier Vernon are very difficult in both the run and pass games. Tony Romo, Scott Linehan and this Cowboys offense are going to have to find ways to attack the Dolphins defense in order to keep them honest allowing maximum room for running the ball between the tackles on the disruptive players Miami plays up front.
A couple of ways the Cowboys can neutralize the effectiveness of the Miami defensive line is to use play action in the passing game, as well as misdirection in the running game.
A few things the Cowboys have done on offense over the past couple of months could help them accomplishing this task.
One of these is using rookie wide receiver Lucky Whitehead in Jet motion across the formation. The Cowboys showed this wrinkle for the first time in the Week 7 game against the New York Giants, and continued to do so throughout Romo’s absence.
Using this type of action with a player of Whitehead’s ability, immediately creates conflict in the defense, which is what you have to do against players of the quality that this Miami team deploys on the defensive front. You can exploit this conflict by using the jet sweep to create misdirection, open up inside rush lanes or get the ball quickly to the edges of the defense.
Another thing the Cowboys have done that should be a part of their game plan in the running game, is pulling their athletic offensive linemen around the formation to get Darren McFadden started on the edges. With guards like Zack Martin and La’el Collins you have two special athletes who are capable of getting out in space and blocking linebackers and defensive backs.
If Linehan can put his tight ends, or even wide receivers in position to block down on the defensive ends and outside linebackers in the Eagles’ 3-4 defense, and seal those guys to the inside, they could spring some big plays with McFadden running downhill in space with a lineman or two out leading the way.
In the passing game, Tony Romo will likely use play action in order to test the Dolphins linebackers and create space for easy completions underneath, especially on early downs.
Defensive Game Plan
Defensively for Dallas, it all starts with slowing down Lamar Miller. Since interim head coach Dan Campbell took over after Joe Philbin was fired earlier in the year, Miller has been a much more heavily used member of the Miami offense. The Cowboys linebackers played very well in Week 10 against Tampa Bay, and they did well covering the Buccaneers running backs downfield in passing routes.
The Dolphins have been creative in how they use Miller, sending him out of the backfield on multiple routes, as well as motioning him out wide and sending him downfield on a double move against the linebacker covering him on one play against the Eagles in Week 10. It will be another test for the Cowboys linebackers to deal with the speed that Miller possesses both running to the edges, and catching the ball in space with opportunities to make plays.
Other than Miller, the most important weapon the Cowboys will have to account for in the passing game is second-year receiver, Jarvis Landry, who Tyler Patmon will have to deal with out of the slot for most of the game.
Landry is a very good underneath player who is dangerous with the ball in his hands. Patmon has done a good job when asked to play some of these difficult players in the middle of the field, and he will need to be up to the task against Landry on Sunday to give the Cowboys a chance to win.
Prediction:
Tony Romo will help the Cowboys regain their winning ways. Romo will throw for close to 300 yards and at least one touchdown, and the rest of the offense will be back to the high-scoring unit from years past.
The defense will continue to play well, although the Dolphins will do better than the 10 points that Tampa Bay put up. The Cowboys defense will finally get a chance to play with the lead, as their pass-rushers are designed to play, and they should contain the Miami attack.
Prediction: Cowboys 24, Dolphins 13
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...