CC: colts vs DALLAS COWBOYS game ?

[YosemiteSam]

I'm in the opinion that Dallas still follow it's normal pattern and drop at least 380 yards on the Colts. I suspect about 230 passing and 150 rushing. If Dallas breaks out offensively, I think we could see closer to 480 total yards with 170+ rushing and 310 passing. (by way of rushing opening up the pass and TO or Glenn or both going deep at least once.) If Glenn plays that is.

 

[ZeroClub]

I'm not confident that the Cowboys OL will be a road grating force on Sunday.

And even if the OL performs very well, the now customary penalties could keep the Cowboys offense in passing situations.

But having said all that, you've gotta ride the running game if it gets on track.

---
For whatever it is worth:

Only Atlanta averages more rushing attempts per game than the Cowboys. The Cowboys and Chargers are tied for the second most rushing attempts per game (32.6 per game).

... the Cowboys also average 33 passing plays per game. Turns out that the Cowboys run more plays than most NFL teams (the Cowboys are second only to the Packers).

 

[FLCowboyFan]

They are also 8th in the league opponents' yards per passing attempt. Combined with the high completion percentage, you've got to figure that they are essentially taking away anything deep and allowing completions underneath. Against bad offenses, their strategy probably works well, but Dallas is very capable of 12+ play drives, and they are also one of the best in the league at scoring TD's in the red zone (never thought I'd write that again).

Makes sense. The picture becomes clearer as you add the categories. Teams run the ball on them to slow down the game and becuase it is affective. They also are dinking and dunking against them most like for the same reason (ball control) and maybe becuase they are good against the deep stuff.

add to it that they are 18th in points given up (which is middle of the road) at 21 pts and you see that teams are scoring on this D but not lighting them up. I still say alot of this is the "eat the clock" mentality that coaches use in their game planning. It's not to say that Indy doesn't invite it, just that it fits in nicely.

 

[percyhoward]

It makes my point earlier. They give up the most rushing yards because everyone plays the same way against them. Run to kill the clock and keep Manning off the field. At least that is what it looks like to me.

There's no correlation between rushes allowed and yards per rush allowed. No team gives up more yards per rush than the Colts.

 

[mwj473]

Score and score often. There is no way we are going to keep them out of the endzone. Open up the offense is the only key to winning IMO

I think it goes a little beyond that. I think we will move the ball and get into the red zone. The key to me is turning those drives into 7, not 3. We have to put it into the end zone.

 

[percyhoward]

I expect this game to be a high scoring affair, and the winner will be the team that can stop their opponent on third down (assuming that either team can actually force a third down). For that reason, I think the matchup favors Dallas, but only slightly.

I agree, and I'll add that the winner will also be the team that scores TD's as opposed to FG's. Assuming we take away the big plays, both teams will move the ball into the red zone, and the team that can punch it in the most times will have the big advantage.

That's why I hope to see Barber in the backfield all game long when we're inside their 20. Not just in the second half like we have been doing.

 

[percyhoward]

I think it goes a little beyond that. I think we will move the ball and get into the red zone. The key to me is turning those drives into 7, not 3. We have to put it into the end zone.

Beat me to it.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Zoners: Thanks for all the input....after reading all of these......I believe most of us agree we better put up at least 31 pts to beat the COLTS!

Thanks

 

[Oh_Canada]

I would run at Freeney every chance I get.

 

[sonnyboy]

Our own pass to run ratio is as close to 50/50 as it gets. Interesting thing is that it's not who we are. This has been an unusual season. Our average margin of victory has been 22.8 points a game. Our narrowest margin of victory was 17 points. That's unheard of for a 5-4 team. 3 of our 4 losses have been very close.
Point is our passing attempts have only been inflated by one large deficit while our running attempts have been inflated by 5 large 4Q leads.
WE ARE A PASSING TEAM. That is our strenght.
We have a white hot QB and need to ride him. I don't think you should go into any game with a preconceived idea on a run/pass ratio.
I think you go into it with an aggressive or conservative mind frame on both sides of the ball based on how you feel you match up.

I'm not nearly as respectful of the Colts as most on this board. We've actually outscored them this year 250-249. Our passing game with Romo and our skill players is every bit as potent as theirs.

I like our defense against them just a little more than their defense against us. I think we are a bigger, more physical defense that can bang them around. I like our three CB's against thier WR's more so than theirs'.

As far as strategy goes.
We need to change up the rushers. I'd go with as few as 2 and seldom more than 5. For the most part, I'd back off the blitz. Play coverage on these guys. Makem go 7-9 plays. Come up and punish the skill players after the catch. Believe me, they want us to blitz. They want open field for those WR's. Manninig can and will beat the blitz. What they don't want is for Newman Henry Davis and of course Roy to come up and put a hurtin on those not so big WR's over and over and over again.

I'll let someone else work with the Offense.

 

[BourbonBalz]

We do need balance. What we can't afford to do is start trying to match them pass for pass. Even if we aren't running the ball well early, we can't abandon the running game. Indy knows we're gonna try and run on them so they'll be expecting it. However, if we keep at it, we'll wear them down. We also need to take some shots downfield to keep them honest and off balance.

 

[smarta5150]

I know the run game has been very popular and I agree fully. We really should look early to go RIGHT AT Freeny... this guy does nothing but over pursues EVERY TIME. He is always trying to make a play on the QB, a nice little delay/draw to his side shoud be there all day until they are forced to make an adjustments.

I think we have all criticized BP on here for some of his coaching decisions and play calling but this week I am hoping he steps up and out coaches someone. It seems like his coaching style will be perfect against this team.

Keep the ball out of their hands with the run, a big defensive game, and work the play action pass to hit the homerun ball.

 

[koolaid]

I think it depends on our defense
if we can stop the colts 50% of the time we wont need to pass as much, but if it looks like our defense is going to get torn a new one, all we can do is pass to keep up with them, even though that would be playing to their strength.

edit: just found out this game will be on cbs
im stoked for two reasons:
1) i can watch it now instead of the freakin lions
2) CBS is old skool, running game will be more important

 

[sonnyboy]

We do need balance. What we can't afford to do is start trying to match them pass for pass. Even if we aren't running the ball well early, we can't abandon the running game. Indy knows we're gonna try and run on them so they'll be expecting it. However, if we keep at it, we'll wear them down. We also need to take some shots downfield to keep them honest and off balance.

I hear you on the balance.
I think when they size us up thier going to see a team that run blocks better than it pass blocks. They may think we're looking to run to shorten the game. And most of all, they will be concerned with their own run defense and how they match up with our front.
They will be looking for run big time. That's why we need to come out gunning. First 7-8 plays pass. Get them on thier heels. Then mix it up and stay one step ahead of them.
We can't fear this team. We need to attack thier defense. Very aggressive.

 

[sonnyboy]

That's the formula for this game.

Discipline and patients on Defense. Little blitzing, lots of people in coverage. Hit the snot out of everything that moves.

Attack attack attack on Offense. Get them on thier heels and keep them guessing. Take the inititive.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Our OT Flozel "the hotel" has looked much improved over the past two weeks, however, this week he is going up against Freeny (only 1.5 sacks) this year.

I am worried about the speed of Freeny which these types of DE causes the most trouble for the Hotel!!

 

[Aikbach]

Score early, run late. Build a 17 point lead and run, run, run.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Score early, run late. Build a 17 point lead and run, run, run.

Man, I would love to see us get 17 pts ahead of Manning early in the ball game.......but, this is not fantasy football.

But, I sure hope you are right......and I like the way you are thinking

 

[Clove]

When you have an opportunity to score, just do it. If it's in the air, so be it. We need to do what we need to do on offense, whether thru the air or ground.

On defense, we need to stay in a dime package, no less than the nickel. I would put Newman on Reggie Wayne, Glenn on the slot guy, and Henry (to jam and be shadowed by Watkins) on Harrison.

Burnett playing any backs coming out the back field, and Roy on the TE. I will not blitz, since we can't get there anyways.

Ware rushes the passer period, he does not ever fall into coverage.

 

[percyhoward]

Our own pass to run ratio is as close to 50/50 as it gets. Interesting thing is that it's not who we are. This has been an unusual season. Our average margin of victory has been 22.8 points a game. Our narrowest margin of victory was 17 points. That's unheard of for a 5-4 team. 3 of our 4 losses have been very close.
Point is our passing attempts have only been inflated by one large deficit while our running attempts have been inflated by 5 large 4Q leads.
WE ARE A PASSING TEAM. That is our strenght.
We have a white hot QB and need to ride him. I don't think you should go into any game with a preconceived idea on a run/pass ratio.
I think you go into it with an aggressive or conservative mind frame on both sides of the ball based on how you feel you match up.

I'm not nearly as respectful of the Colts as most on this board. We've actually outscored them this year 250-249. Our passing game with Romo and our skill players is every bit as potent as theirs.

I like our defense against them just a little more than their defense against us. I think we are a bigger, more physical defense that can bang them around. I like our three CB's against thier WR's more so than theirs'.

As far as strategy goes.
We need to change up the rushers. I'd go with as few as 2 and seldom more than 5. For the most part, I'd back off the blitz. Play coverage on these guys. Makem go 7-9 plays. Come up and punish the skill players after the catch. Believe me, they want us to blitz. They want open field for those WR's. Manninig can and will beat the blitz. What they don't want is for Newman Henry Davis and of course Roy to come up and put a hurtin on those not so big WR's over and over and over again.

I'll let someone else work with the Offense.

Outstading post. The offensive part is easy, (easy to say)--We just play our game, without getting either too cute or too conservative. Unless they are absolutely giving us the run, don't come out run, run, run. Instead get Romo into a rhythm. Nothing fancy, just let him find the open man. The Colts can't cover everybody. Avoid turnovers and penalties, because no defense can stop us the way we can stop ourselves. We wouldn't let the Colts D dictate what we were going to do offensively, and we shouldn't let their offense dictate what we do offensively either.

The key for us offensively is success in the red zone. The Colts red zone D is allowing 63% TD's, which puts them at 29th in the league. Dallas is 8th in red zone offense, and Barber leads the league in red zone yards per rush. We need to use Barber in these situations, protect the ball, avoid mistakes, and things will take care of themselves.