BTB Vela: Spreading the Blame and the Pain: Cowboys Defensive Stats

[WoodysGirl]

by Rafael Vela on Sep 16, 2009 8:53 PM CDT

53 comments

It was rotisserie miscues for the Dallas defense. No single area that was putrid, but Dallas had lots of areas where one or two big mistakes added up to a large handful of Bucs explosive plays.
Cornerbacks

The halves are 30 minutes each, Terence Newman. Newman had an outstanding, healthy Terence Newman line (6 attempts, 2 completions, a microscopic 2.1 YPA) in the first 28 minutes of each half, but gave up two huge YPA-inflating plays in the waning moments of each half. Michael Clayton got behind Newman for a 47 yarder in the last ten seconds of the first half and Newman gave up a 19 yard pass on Tampa's final drive, when Dallas was playing a very soft prevent.

Player Attempts Yards YPA Success %
Terence Newman 8 79 9.9 50.0
Mike Jenkins 8 66 8.3 37.5
Orlando Scandrick 2 12 6.0 -

It's a fat line, but a bit misleading. Newman looks like the old, healthy Newman.

Jenkins had the same problem. He had two picks slide though his hands. One was nullified by an illegal contact penalty on Gerald Sensabaugh and a second literally slid though Jenkins hands in the 4th quarter. He had a brain freeze and gave Antonio Bryant the wide side of the field for a 30 yard gain, on a 1st and 10 play where the Bucs kept eight in to block and sent out just two receivers.

Were receivers whipping either of these guys repeatedly, I would be concerned. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt for now, especially Newman.

Rushes

• 4 men -- 27 plays
• 5 men -- 10 plays
• 6 men -- 3 plays
• 7 men -- 1 play

This was not your typical Wade Phillips game, which makes you wonder what he held in reserve for the Giants. Wade rushes 5 men roughly half the time. He only rushed five or more about a third of the time. He only called ten five man rushes and four of them were on Tampa Bay's last four plays from scrimmage.

Dallas put some fourth quarter pressure on Byron Leftwich, but to his credit, he stayed sharp despite being drilled four times in the final stanza by Stephen Bowen, Jason Hatcher and Marcus Spears, who had the strongest rushing game I've seen him have. Leftwich's sternum still has a tattoo reading "Marcus Was Here" right now.

Rush Defense

• Left: 2 attempts, 5 yards, 2.5 YPA
• Middle: 24 attempts, 142 yards, 5.9 YPA
• RIght: 2 attempts, 20 yards, 10.0 YPA

Not a pretty line, but an inconsistent one. The Bucs attacked the middle of the Dallas 3-4 and had a lot of success. Jay Ratliff pushed Jeff Faine all over the Bucs backfield, but the inside linebackers, Bradie James in particular, were confused and slow to get untracked. New Cowboy Keith Brooking was slow to react in the first 20 minutes but got faster at engaging plays run at him in the middle two stanzas.

James seemed confused by his gap duties and was slow to pursue early runs away from him. On Tampa's first drive, the Bucs ran a weakside Iso play at Brooking, who took on the Tampa fullback. The tackle was up to SS Gerald Sensabaugh and James, who should have pursued from the strong side. James dithered in his gap, and had no idea where the football was.

James got better at finding the football, but I'm troubled that he had a lot of trouble disengaging from guards when the play came directly at him.

Nonetheless, the Cowboys seemed to find their legs in the second and third quarters, when the Bucs punted on five drives and missed a field goal on a sixth, after taking an early 7-6 lead.

• Bucs first 10 runs: 86 yards
• Bucs next 10 runs: 25 yards

The Cowboys then got sloppy, with Brooking and James blowing an assignment on Derrick Ward's 22 yard run. I expect the Cowboys interior run defense to be sharper this week, but keep an eye on James. He needs to raise his play far above last week's level

Explosives

• Dallas -- 9 plays
• Tampa Bay -- 6 plays

The Bucs sprinkled their explosives across the offensive roster. Jenkins gave up one big pass. Newman gave up one. The big Ward run has been discussed.

Tampa earned three big ones, beating the Dallas nickel with a great pitchout call to Cadillac Williams, who hit the right sideline for 36 yards. Kellen Winslow beat the Dallas zone early for a 22 yarder, on the play where Demarcus Ware was injured, and Michael Clayton shook off a wicked Sensabaugh lick to gain 20 more in the third quarter.

 

[tunahelper]

I rewatched the game tonight and noticed James not filling after Brooking would take on the blocker in the hole. James really was a liability Sunday.

Another thing I noticed was several plays were the DE's would take the outside shoulder of the OT's in front of them? It was creating space for Tampa to run off tackle. Just seemed odd and I was wondering the idea behind the scheme?

 

[TD-33]

Evenif Newman was in Clayton's back pocket I can't see him defending that catch, the pass was absolutely perfect and Clayton made a great fully extended catch. It sucks but these things happen to the best sometimes.

 

[NextGenBoys]

After reading that, and having my previous overrated feelings I have for NYG, I'm going to predict a 35-13 victory. We're coming out freaking swinging.

Step up NY, cuz you're bout to get smoked.

 

[BAT]

I rewatched the game tonight and noticed James not filling after Brooking would take on the blocker in the hole. James really was a liability Sunday.

Another thing I noticed was several plays were the DE's would take the outside shoulder of the OT's in front of them? It was creating space for Tampa to run off tackle. Just seemed odd and I was wondering the idea behind the scheme?

I saw the same thing. Glad to have Vela, and others, validate my own observations even w/out a re-watch. You would expect the new guys to have difficulty w/their assignments but James is supposed to be the guy who lines everyone up, the coach on the field. More troubling is his lack of aggression, he does not attack the LOS on run plays (it could be due to his confusion tho).

Or it could be that James has become a bit enamored w/pass rushing and is not focused on his run stopping. I think the LB corps was embarassed a bit so I think it gets cleaned up against the Giants.

That said, the biggest liability against the run is not Jenkins, its Hamlin. The guy whiffs entirely too many tackles. James might overrun or get washed out at times, but Hamlin is just plain missing or not wrapping up.

 

[NextGenBoys]

I saw the same thing. Glad to have Vela, and others, validate my own observations even w/out a re-watch. You would expect the new guys to have difficulty w/their assignments but James is supposed to be the guy who lines everyone up, the coach on the field. More troubling is his lack of aggression, he does not attack the LOS on run plays (it could be due to his confusion tho).

Or it could be that James has become a bit enamored w/pass rushing and is not focused on his run stopping. I think the LB corps was embarassed a bit so I think it gets cleaned up against the Giants.

That said, the biggest liability against the run is not Jenkins, its Hamlin. The guy whiffs entirely too many tackles. James might overrun or get washed out at times, but Hamlin is just plain missing or not wrapping up.

If we have an uncapped year next year, the first move I want is to cut Hamlin, and get rid of him and his contract.

If Sense has a good year, I'd love to move him to FS and then start Mike Hamlin at SS

 

[Everlastingxxx]

I didn’t think anyone in the secondary was “outstanding” especially the guy that gave up a huge pass right before the half. But they seemed to play a ton of soft zone for some reason. Vela also is skewing some stats i think. What does he call a “middle” run? If a run goes between Spencer and Spears, is that a middle run?

He seems to pick on James and Brookings, yet Spencer and Ware didn’t play the run very well either. No gap containment.

And the explosive stuff is silly.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Another thing I noticed was several plays were the DE's would take the outside shoulder of the OT's in front of them? It was creating space for Tampa to run off tackle. Just seemed odd and I was wondering the idea behind the scheme?

...for ends taking on the outside shoulder is to maintain containment, keep your outside arm free, fight the pressure and funnel the backs into the LBs.

Even if they turn it back to the "B" or "C" gaps on a toss your LBs should plug those holes. Or at least that is what should happen.

 

[AdamJT13]

According to Pro Football Focus, DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer rushed the passer only 14 times apiece Sunday. PFF isn't always accurate, so I don't know if it's true, but might explain a lot if it is. I'll have to see what I come up with when I chart our defensive plays.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Wow. Great read. Initially I was one of the guys who while didn't overreact I was starting to feel a bit worried about this offense. And maybe we should still be worried but its comforting to know that the corners actually didn't play all that bad. I thought that Clayton play was just a great catch by Clayton. It happens. Jenkins was the one I was more worried about. I thought he looked lost at times. All in all, the lack of pass rush is what concerned me the most about Sunday's game. That's definately gotta change against the Giants. It doesn't matter how good your corners defend without a pass rush it makes the game 10x's more difficult than it has to be. Ask the Commanders last season.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Evenif Newman was in Clayton's back pocket I can't see him defending that catch, the pass was absolutely perfect and Clayton made a great fully extended catch. It sucks but these things happen to the best sometimes.

I don't think Leftwich attempts that throw if Newman is running side by side. For all the good he does, Newman does seem to have an issue with concentration problems at key times.

 

[Reality]

Evenif Newman was in Clayton's back pocket I can't see him defending that catch, the pass was absolutely perfect and Clayton made a great fully extended catch. It sucks but these things happen to the best sometimes.

I said the same thing during the game but it seemed everyone still wanted to have someone to blame on that play. Newman was in great position but the pass was thrown to the outside shoulder and the receiver made one heck of a finger tip catch on the ball.

The ball was just thrown absolutely perfectly and the receiver made an outstanding play. Outside of tackling him before the ball got there, there was nothing Newman could have done on that play.

 

[Reality]

I don't think Leftwich attempts that throw if Newman is running side by side. For all the good he does, Newman does seem to have an issue with concentration problems at key times.

So now we're blaming players because the other team threw a ball to the player they were covering?

I guess based on that criteria all of the cornerbacks we play against suck because Romo throws the ball to every receiver at least once or twice a game.

 

[tunahelper]

...for ends taking on the outside shoulder is to maintain containment, keep your outside arm free, fight the pressure and funnel the backs into the LBs.

Even if they turn it back to the "B" or "C" gaps on a toss your LBs should plug those holes. Or at least that is what should happen.

In a 3-4, if the A & B are unprotected like Sunday that leaves a lineman on each LB? The 3-4 DL have to control inside gaps or your off tackle is going to a wide alley. Notice Wade stated in the 2nd half we went back to basic play? The DE's stopped taking the OL outside shoulder.

Notice what gap is B and C and tell me if this what would be effective in the 3-4?
http://football.calsci.com/Positions8.html

 

[Temo]

I too thought James had a lackluster performance vs. the run and Spencer as well. I didn't personally grade out Brooking as below-average, though it seems Vela did.

I too was struck by the low amount of blitzing on the day by the Cowboys.

 

[THUMPER]

I said the same thing during the game but it seemed everyone still wanted to have someone to blame on that play. Newman was in great position but the pass was thrown to the outside shoulder and the receiver made one heck of a finger tip catch on the ball.

The ball was just thrown absolutely perfectly and the receiver made an outstanding play. Outside of tackling him before the ball got there, there was nothing Newman could have done on that play.

Not to mention that Clayton is like 6'4" and Newman is @ 5'11". The pass was high and to the outside, no way Newman could have defended it.

No CB can defend EVERY pass.

 

[CF74]

I rewatched the game tonight and noticed James not filling after Brooking would take on the blocker in the hole. James really was a liability Sunday.

I was concerned at the end of last year that Bradie's play would drop when Zach Thomas walked. I'm hoping this was just a bad 1st game for him and after reviewing film he'll get back on track, but yeah he looked horrible out there. I'm also hoping that Brooking's presence will elevate his game as well. I imagine it may take Keith a few games to get fully in sysnc with the team and the plan we have going forward, he's a solid vet and I expect great things from him.

 

[jterrell]

I didn’t think anyone in the secondary was “outstanding” especially the guy that gave up a huge pass right before the half. But they seemed to play a ton of soft zone for some reason. Vela also is skewing some stats i think. What does he call a “middle” run? If a run goes between Spencer and Spears, is that a middle run?

He seems to pick on James and Brookings, yet Spencer and Ware didn’t play the run very well either. No gap containment.

And the explosive stuff is silly.

yes, plays between the tackles are called inside. It's pretty standard to do so.

spencer and ware were plainly poor with ware's caveat being poor by his expected level of play but i suspect his being banged up caused a fair amount of that.

can't agree with the explosive plays complaint. that will always be a big issue for this defense and should be tracked.

jenkins needs to pay attention and not take plays off, not sure what happened with newman but he isn't a kid and should know better. newman giving up 8 completions while completely healthy just tells me he had a really poor game.

 

[jterrell]

Not to mention that Clayton is like 6'4" and Newman is @ 5'11". The pass was high and to the outside, no way Newman could have defended it.

No CB can defend EVERY pass.

That's certainly fair but he allowed 7 other completions which has to be just about his career high.

 

[Doomsday101]

Not to mention that Clayton is like 6'4" and Newman is @ 5'11". The pass was high and to the outside, no way Newman could have defended it.

No CB can defend EVERY pass.

That was a heck of a throw and catch. I tip my hat to Leftwich and Clayton on that play. It was a big league play