Can we reduce the Shotgun formation?

[Risen Star]

Dak would have to learn how to throw from under center without playaction. So don't hold your breath.

40 million doesn't get you what it used to.

 

[G2]

My beef with the "shotgun" is when we're in that formation for say, 3rd and 1 or less. And the QB hands it to the RB who is already 2-3 yards behind the LOS, and has to go 3 yards to get 1 yard!! But, what the heck do I know.

I'd run everything from play action. Unless it's a Hail Mary situation.

 

[jazzcat22]

Sooo, you're calling Coach Landry, Jethro?

I posted my response asking the same thing before I read down any further.

 

[Flamma]

KM gets predictable at times and tends to call a pass on first down, then a run on 2nd down if there is an incomplete pass on first down. If the RB is lined up right of the QB the run is going to be to the left or up the gut making things even more predictable.

I would be curious what the Cowboys ypc in shotgun vs under center was last season?

Yep, spot on. It's a pass heavy formation that does little to help the run game. I just wish the Cowboys used playaction a bit more.

You probably wouldn't get an accurate assessment from your question. As teams are usually in shotgun when coming back from a large deficit. If we can get that stat you're looking for, for just the first half, that would probably be more telling.

 

[Flamma]

I'd love it if the Cowboys brought back the delayed draw. But again, they need to pass more from under center for it to work.

 

[Doomsday101]

KM gets predictable at times and tends to call a pass on first down, then a run on 2nd down if there is an incomplete pass on first down. If the RB is lined up right of the QB the run is going to be to the left or up the gut making things even more predictable.

I would be curious what the Cowboys ypc in shotgun vs under center was last season?

I get that and think he has to do better but still in 3 years his offense has been #1 offense in the league 2 out of 3 years 2019 and 2021. I do think he has to do better about making adjustment over the course a game and the season as well but you don't end up #1 offense by luck or chance, he is doing something right.

 

[G2]

I get that and think he has to do better but still in 3 years his offense has been #1 offense in the league 2 out of 3 years 2019 and 2021. I do think he has to do better about making adjustment over the course a game and the season as well but you don't end up #1 offense by luck or chance, he is doing something right.

Fair point. And I think it had less to do with the run game.

 

[Doomsday101]

Landry. Landry. Landry.

Landry had a young QB and felt it would be a big benefit to have him in the shotgun, you may have heard of Roger Staubach. lol As Dallas had success it grew and is now pretty much base offense for every team in the league. But Shotgun was used back in the 40's Landry was smart enough to dust it off and bring it back

 

[conner01]

The shotgun formation provides a lot of options, you can throw or run. It allows the QB to make quicker reads. Don’t know why anyone would want to reduce the shotgun formation.

We are under center right at the league avg
About 38%
We pass 70% of those downs
About avg
No one is going back to 80’s football
It’s a passing league
The eagles had a great run game last year and was in shotgun much more than us
Under center or shotgun doesn’t effect the run game but passing out of the shotgun greatly helps the passing game. Which is why more teams use shotgun much more today

 

[jazzcat22]

Can less shotgun formations be more confusing to defenses as to not being so predictable?

That has always been Garrett, Linehan, Moore type offenses, very predictable.

 

[fivetwos]

He’s only one of the most productive passers in the league and you don’t want to feature him as a passer? Lol No offense but that’s a ridiculous comment you just made. He passed for almost 4500 yards last season with a franchise record 37 TD passes. We wouldn’t have won 6 games last season without him passing the ball. Our offense revolves around him and his ability to throw the ball. The fans that act like he’s a liability as a passer are being ridiculous!

I'm not getting roped into a typical 'Dak stinks/no he doesn't' debate. I like him, and I'm happy to have him.

Im just not of the opinion that you can cash in pretty stats for playoff success at seasons end.

We need a stronger running game (his own legs included) for the team to have success in my opinion.

If you think differently, all fine, but the closest we have come to team success with Prescott was 2016, when it wasn't all about him.

 

[fivetwos]

Sooo, you're calling Coach Landry, Jethro?

Not sure what you mean coach.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm not getting roped into a typical 'Dak stinks/no he doesn't' debate. I like him, and I'm happy to have him.

Im just not of the opinion that you can cash in pretty stats for playoff success and seasons end.

We need a stronger running game (his own legs included) for the team to have success in my opinion.

If you think differently, all fine, but the closest we have come to team success with Prescott was 2016, when it wasn't all about him.

I agree. I get why the coaches did not want Dak running like he had before coming off the injury but I do think for the success he will have to use his legs more when those opportunities open up. Get the 1st down and slide just keep the chains moving.

 

[slick325]

My beef with the "shotgun" is when we're in that formation for say, 3rd and 1 or less. And the QB hands it to the RB who is already 2-3 yards behind the LOS, and has to go 3 yards to get 1 yard!! But, what the heck do I know.

Or why they are always in shotgun inside the 5.

 

[KJJ]

I'm not getting roped into a typical 'Dak stinks/no he doesn't' debate. I like him, and I'm happy to have him.

Im just not of the opinion that you can cash in pretty stats for playoff success and seasons end.

We need a stronger running game (his own legs included) for the team to have success in my opinion.

If you think differently, all fine, but the closest we have come to team success with Prescott was 2016, when it wasn't all about him.

A QB can cash in with stats if they have a complete team around them and Matt Stafford prove that with the Rams. A productive QB can win a championship but they need a good team around them and solid coaching. I agree we do need a stronger running game but it’s still a passing league and you have to pass more than you run if you want to score enough points to win games. Running the ball repeatedly can keep your score down. Plus you need a real good defense that can keep opponents out of the endzone. Your defense is going to dictate what you have to do on offense. You have to be able to put enough points on the board and strike quick. All the rules are bent to favor the passing game. The NFL wants a lot of scoring. The rules have put defenses at a disadvantage and you have to take advantage of them.

 

[Haimerej]

Not sure what you mean coach.

Landry invented the shotgun.

 

[Ranching]

Not sure what you mean coach.

Landry made the shotgun famous....it's called the spread now, because of the way the game has evolved..Landry called plays from the shotgun and his QB ran it...with the spread, the QB has the freedom to change the play, depending on what he sees from the defense.

 

[Doomsday101]

Landry invented the shotgun.

No he brought it back, it was used in the 40's and Landry brought it back to the NFL

 

[nate dizzle]

I'm not sure about you, but I'm a bit tired of the shotgun formation and how often we use it. It seems when in doubt, just use it and stay in it.

Does anyone think that being in a more traditional formation would help a back like Zeke be more effective?

I felt they may have put Dak in the shotgun formation so much because it helps him see what's coming at him.

I'm not sure KM is willing to give this up, being the so called boy genius I'm sure he can cook up something. Maybe this is where Mike steps in and says hey if I'm going out, I'm going out using my plays etc. Please give your thoughts

I brought this up a lot last year. Constantly handing off out of shotgun is a complete failure by the coaches to utilize Zeke for what he is, a downhill, smashmouth running back. You are giving the defense at least 1 to 1.5 seconds to gain ground into the back field, meanwhile, you're asking Zeke to take the handoff basically from a standstill instead of having some momentum heading towards the line when he gets the ball.

Like someone else mentioned, you have to be able to throw from under center as well to make it work because always running when your QB lines up under center is just as useless as always running from shotgun. Having a QB that can quickly read a defense becomes even more important because they will obviously have less time to make reads when dropping back under center, and well...yeah.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Landry had a young QB and felt it would be a big benefit to have him in the shotgun, you may have heard of Roger Staubach. lol As Dallas had success it grew and is now pretty much base offense for every team in the league. But Shotgun was used back in the 40's Landry was smart enough to dust it off and bring it back

You got some footage from these so-called 40's showing them using the shotgun?

Landry invented the shotgun and zone coverage. I'm a Cowboys fan, so I'm going to put my Cowboys first every chance I get. Because it doesn't matter to me who was the first, I credit the person that made it popular.

Like I said Mike McGill is a nobody. I had to look him up to even know who he was. Tony Hawk is the man. Just like Landry.