Bryant on pace for 148 targets

[xwalker]

I don't think the sample of plays with Dez out of the game is big enough to draw any conclusions from, but it's safe to say the sample of pass attempts to other receivers is.

No, statistically the sample size is too small, but from from studying the game footage it does seems that the offense has a better flow.

The overall stats do indicate they are force feeding him the ball. I think his catch rate and QB rating stats would be closer to the other receivers if they didn't force feed him the ball.

 

[CCBoy]

I was only a linebacker in college and a political science major...changing from electrical engineering, but I think way too much of the offense is wasted 'setting-up' trick completion/run situations. There is too little just beating the play of an opponent ... and getting open by receivers.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Dez, like Irvin in 97, is no longer good enough to handle such a heavy workload

I believe Irvin's catch rate was 48% in 1997

67% in 1995
62% in 1996
48% in 1997

When receivers go, they go fast

That's fake news haha

 

[Verdict]

It would be 5th-most by a Cowboy since 1994.

1 Irvin (1995) 165 tgt 103.6 (84.3) +19.3
2 Bryant (2013) 159 tgt 105.1 (89.5) +15.6
3 Irvin (1997) 157 tgt 81.7 (73.0) +8.7
4 Owens (2006) 150 tgt 97.1 (79.3) +17.8
*5 Bryant (2017) *148 tgt 74.1 (102.7) -28.6
6 Witten (2012) 147 tgt 95.0 (88.1) +6.9
7 Owens (2007) 143 tgt 98.9 (94.5) +4.4
8 Witten (2007) 141 tgt 100.3 (94.0) +6.3
9 Owens (2008) 140 tgt 71.5 (87.4) -15.9
10 Bryant (2012) 138 tgt 122.3 (81.0) +41.3

Player (year) targets, passer rating on those targets, (passer rating to all other players targeted), difference

*projection

Michael Irvin's 165 targets in 1995 are the most in a single season for a Cowboy since they started tracking targets. Aikman's passer rating (actually all Dallas QB's passer rating) on those throws to Irvin was 103.6, which would have won Aikman the passing title that year if he had matched it on his other attempts. All the other passes thrown to Dallas receivers that season resulted in an 84.3 rating. Because there was an advantage of 19.3 rating points when targeting Irvin, it makes sense that he had so many targets. It's the norm.

There are only two seasons on the list in which the player with the most targets had a worse rating than his teammates -- this year's projection and 2008. Romo, who missed 4 games in '08, had a 76.2 rating when targeting Owens, and a 96.6 to everyone else. The difference of -20.4 rating points is similar to what's happening through 9 games this year with Prescott and Bryant.

By the way, in the last 8 games Dak and Dez played together last year, Dak's passer rating was 122.8 to Dez, and 99.5 to everybody else.

Thanks for the info and the write up. The ball is being forced to Dez and it is really hard to watch.

 

[Verdict]

I was only a linebacker in college and a political science major...changing from electrical engineering, but I think way too much of the offense is wasted 'setting-up' trick completion/run situations. There is too little just beating the play of an opponent ... and getting open by receivers.

A receiver has two main jobs: 1. Open and 2. Catch the ball. Dez isn't doing either well right now and hasn't for some time.

 

[Verdict]

Yes, but the offense tends to stall at certain times like in the Atlanta game.

It "feels" like the offense has a better flow or rhythm when Dez is out. That includes the 3 games last season and some times this season that he has been on the sideline for various reasons.

It has a better flow when he is out because we aren't wasting a down by throwing him the ball and kllling a drive.

 

[Verdict]

there was a youtube video posted in the *other* Dez thread where it was said only 50% of the targets were catchable. I'll say this again, Dez is not and has never been the problem.

Well that clears that up.

 

[The Natural]

Well that clears that up.

You too damn old to be trolling

 

[Verdict]

Anytime Dez is 1 on 1 he's "open"

He is easily covered by a single decent corner these games.

 

[The Natural]

He is easily covered by a single decent corner these games.

See previous post, Yeller

 

[Verdict]

See previous post, Yeller

Yeah. I looked again. Dez is still covered. Just call Dez "Old 50 %er"!

 

[xwalker]

It has a better flow when he is out because we aren't wasting a down by throwing him the ball and kllling a drive.

The problem really does seem that simple.

 

[dwreck27]

I love dez. I have his jersey and go it signed by him last camp....

But yeah I think it’s time to move on and learn that you NEVER Pay top dollar for WR

WR is a dime a dozen and should always be replaced by a cheaper player...

 

[stilltheguru88]

you cant complain about # of targets then ignore the fact a large percentage of targets are not catchable

I’m hard on Dez but I do agree that Dak throws a lot of nonsense deep down the sideline. I’m always screaming (keep it in play at least!)

 

[Zman5]

Dez issue is another example of JG's inability to adjust to the players strengths. Dez's best routes are slants and digs currently. Dak's best throws are intermediate throws to the middle. Yet we keep sending Dez out on go and fade routes.

JG still wants to run this offense as though we have Romo as the QB and pre-2015 Dez. Romo's gone. Dak's the QB. Dez's been through multiple lower body injuries since end of 2014. We need to stop running Romo friendly pass offense and run Dak friendly pass offense.

 

[AmericanCowboy]

While some of it is on coaching, a lot of it is on Dez. It’s like he can’t make contested catches anymore. The fade to him in the end zone hasn’t worked in forever.

 

[Brooksey]

Let's look at it vs the rest of the league: Dez is more in the Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper range this year. Nobody is even close to what A.Brown and Hopkins are doing.

A Brown 114 for 70 TD 6
D Hopkins 107 for 58 TD 8
L Fitzgerald 88 for 60 TD 5
A Thielen 87 for 56 TD 3
Dez Bryant 84 for 42 TD 4
M Thomas 83 for 59 TD 2
D Baldwin 80 for 53 TD 3
D Thomas 80 for 48 TD 2
K Allen 80 for 44 TD 1
A Cooper 77 for 38 TD 3
J Jones 76 for 49 TD 1
Aj Green 76 for 44 TD 5
M Evans 73 for 40 TD 4
A Jeffery 73 for 38 TD 5

 

[CWR]

First of all, I am not a Dez hater, nor am I all in on Dez. Hes a really good, not great receiver imho.

What frustrates me to no end is the way we stubbornly force the ball to him. Often times this offense actually looks better when he isn't in the game.

Dak and the offense are better when we spread the ball around and get Beasley involved. Shame on our coaches for not figuring out a way to do this with Dez in the line up.

We should be better with him, than without. Last year was a perfect example. We were rolling without Dez. The game he came back we sputtered, insisting on forcing the ball his way. Obviously the defense we faced had a say in our struggle but nonetheless that is what my eyes saw.

 

[Verdict]

First of all, I am not a Dez hater, nor am I all in on Dez. Hes a really good, not great receiver imho.

What frustrates me to no end is the way we stubbornly force the ball to him. Often times this offense actually looks better when he isn't in the game.

Dak and the offense are better when we spread the ball around and get Beasley involved. Shame on our coaches for not figuring out a way to do this with Dez in the line up.

We should be better with him, than without. Last year was a perfect example. We were rolling without Dez. The game he came back we sputtered, insisting on forcing the ball his way. Obviously the defense we faced had a say in our struggle but nonetheless that is what my eyes saw.

Very good post. My disdain for Dez is much less when we throw the ball to Dez organically instead of forcing it. Of course he would only get about 5 targets per game and have about one or two drops out of those five targets and catch two or three balls but that would be fine. Just don't force him the ball. It's maddening.

 

[CyberB0b]

Romo threw to Dez no matter what. He gambled that Dez could go up and high point the ball or catch of his back shoulder.

Dak only throws it to open guys.

Dez has never been good at getting open.

Bad combination.

That's obviously false. Dez is on pace for 148 targets. What are you talking about?