Cole Beasley: How Cowboys can be more Dak-friendly after Prescott was asked to be 'Superman' in 2017

[WillieBeamen]

here's what gets me about some of you, regardless of what our own players say you all still know "more". Brice Butler said they only ask Dez to run the same routes, which makes it easy to cover him, Beas said we didn't make any or the right adjustments after defenses adjusted, our own players have stated that other teams are calling out our plays and some of you just ignore all this. It would be hard on any QB if defenses knew what you were going to do. Do you honestly think that if teams knew Gronk only ran 3 routes and basically knew what formations he ran those routes out of, TB could still get the ball to him. You are fooling yourself. Defense Coor. and players who study film aren't that dumb. Read this:
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2018/02/26/tipping-the-pitch-10-revealing-stat-tendencies-of-cowboys-offense/

Yea, its not like the players on the team arent biased about their own teammates.

I wonder if they supported Garrett & the scheme, would you still take their words as gospel...

 

[slick325]

i dont know.
if the coaches self-scouted enough, they would not be calling rushes 100% of the time out of certain sets in opponent 35 yard line or more.
i hate to say it but it appears that coaches did not do their job.
players were complaining to the press right after the season and perhaps even during the season about how predictable we were.

That goes along with having a frustrating season and an unsuccessful one. Coaches definitely need to adjust better, self scout better, be more creative, etc. But that doesn't absolve players.

 

[Proof]

Beas is talking way too much. They will begin to call him a cancer and he'll be traded.

i think it's ok if ... well

 

[Birch_Wood]

A quick glance at NFL.com's scouting report on Dak gives great insight into him as a player and I still think a good deal of it is applicable. Defensive coaches know it and Dallas' coaches do as well:

Good info, thanks for posting.

 

[Proof]

I know Waldo, but as I'm sure you know, Coaches scout players (even their own) extensively. They know better than even the players what plays will maximize a players talents and which will expose the team and the player if they run them.

It is my contention that the Coaches wanted to limit the reads Dak had to make. Limit the adjustments he was allowed to make simply because they didn't believe he could successfully execute certain things.

A quick glance at NFL.com's scouting report on Dak gives great insight into him as a player and I still think a good deal of it is applicable. Defensive coaches know it and Dallas' coaches do as well:

ANALYSIS

Strengths
Thick, muscular frame. Has proven over last three seasons that he can withstand a pounding. Has enough natural arm strength and hip snap to fit throws into an NFL window. Stands tall and delivers a tight spiral with over-the-top delivery. Very little windup and gets ball out with the flick of a wrist. When pocket is clean, can deliver accurate strikes around the field. Played with improved vision and care for football this season and eliminated many of the ill-fated throws that turned into interceptions in 2014. Still a work in progress, but continues to show a level of growth as a passer. Threat with his legs, scoring 37 rushing touchdowns over last three seasons and had 94 rushes of ten yards or more during that time. Can be used as goal-line rushing option. Willing to extend plays outside of pocket with legs but look to finish the play with his arm. Mentally tough enough to carry a heavy offensive burden for the Bulldogs over last three years. When protected better in 2014, showed an ability to challenge deep and strike with accuracy and touch.

Weaknesses
Beat up this year thanks to poor protection. When he wasn't being sacked, he was being hit hard. Not as competitive a rusher in 2015. Sacks and usage in run game might be taking a toll. Increase in short pass attempts from 86 to 208 this year reason for higher completion numbers. Accuracy on intermediate and deep throws dropped sharply. Pocket poise has been compromised. Hyper aware of pressure around him and lacks awareness to slide and find temporary shelter to make throw. Concern over pressure too often trumps ability to get through progressions. Must speed up the pace of his reads. Footwork is a mess. Slight stride onto stiff upper leg with little weight shift. Restricted follow through and too often tries to muscle throws with upper body. Throws to target rather than leading or throwing them open on short/intermediate throws. Too respectful of underneath coverage and must be more willing to challenge the defense. Needs to improve anticipation.

Dallas Coaches were able to hide the weaknesses in 2016 because the rookie had no real film out. Now the Coaches AND Dak have to go back to the drawing board. Just reading Garrett's comments from the owners meeting yesterday tell me that he is laying some blame at Dak's feet as well.
“We just need to get better in our passing game,” Garrett said. “One of the best things we’ve done around here for a long time is throw the football. And we’ve been a very good running team the last few years and last year we didn’t throw the ball as effectively as we needed to as consistently as we needed to. We have a history of being a very good passing team. We want to be able to get back to that. We want to add the kind of players who allow us to do that.”

Everyone needs to improve and adjust Coaches and players. Dak included.

what i take from that after getting sacked 6 times by the same guy in one game, he reverted to bad tendencies and didn't recover.

 

[slick325]

what i take from that after getting sacked 6 times by the same guy in one game, he reverted to bad tendencies and didn't recover.

That's very possible Proof. Leaving Green on an island is the fault of the Coaches. But, can't it be said that the QB didn't show mental toughness in being able to recover?

No one took a beating like Aikman in years 1 and 2. He was a tough SOB and kept on improving. Romo took a beating during the Costa and Nate Livings years...he was a tough SOB and kept improving. Dak is a tough kid. No question about that. So mentally...he has to be just as tough IMO.

Coaches failed him in Atlanta and throughout the season at times but players still are accountable for their performance.

 

[Proof]

That's very possible Proof. Leaving Green on an island is the fault of the Coaches. But, can't it be said that the QB didn't show mental toughness in being able to recover?

No one took a beating like Aikman in years 1 and 2. He was a tough SOB and kept on improving. Romo took a beating during the Costa and Nate Livings years...he was a tough SOB and kept improving. Dak is a tough kid. No question about that. So mentally...he has to be just as tough IMO.

Coaches failed him in Atlanta and throughout the season at times but players still are accountable for their performance.

Yeah absolutely. I'm just saying that, his scouting report clearly says that once protection breaks down, once he starts getting hit a lot / beat up, that his mechanics fail, his pocket awareness is gone, he's skittish etc. We saw that bare out last year, and I'm not sure why that's not the first thing people look at when trying to diagnose his issues last year, or when looking at his scouting report. It's like what the Broncos coach said before our game last year, we know what they're going to do, everyone knows what dallas is going to do, but it's still hard to stop. I know teams focused on taking away the underneath etc, and were fairly successful, but I think the majority of it is that Dak got beat up and the wheels fell off.

 

[Hennessy_King]

I wish people would go back and watch those last games. The Coaches failed the team. Not any particular player. I've never seen a team lose 2 all pros on one side of the ball and not make a single adjustment. It's a travesty. The other team's d coordinators were probably laughing to eachother like they can't believe their eyes. Cole hit the nail on the head those 8 games Dak was trying to be superman no run game, o line couldn't protect, and receivers underperformed. We didn't have a single receiver in the top 50 last season according to PFF, just saying. Watch the first 8 games the kid balled like he did last season. I don't care who was the QB the last 8 games they would have struggled.

 

[waldoputty]

That goes along with having a frustrating season and an unsuccessful one. Coaches definitely need to adjust better, self scout better, be more creative, etc. But that doesn't absolve players.

no one is absolving players.
but players dont call plays with 100% repeatability from certain formations.
that is not self scout better, it is not self scouting at all.
and the rollouts were shut down because there were no counter for the defense adjustment.
that is no adjust better, it is not adjusting at all.
teams like chiefs and rams had those plays.
if the coaches are too dumb to figure them out, at least copy?
green was left to die by himself in atlanta, taking dak with him.
it is as if the coaches were not even in the game.

 

[kskboys]

It's even less complicated. Two steps.
1. Build the D up. That means a pocket pushing NT and S's who can play.
2. Get some WR's who are great route runners.

Simple NFL 101 stuff.

 

[BlindFaith]

Yep...8 games with less than 200 yards passing ain't going to cut it. Not even close. Romo never had more than four in any regular season as a starter (except 2007 against Washington where he didn't play the full game)

Romo also didn't play for his first 3 and a half years.

 

[Ace-is-high]

Man I would hate to see Beez go, the cowboys coaching staff is never been creative.. the can usually come up with decent game plans going into a game but fail to make 2nd half adjustments when opposing teams counter their game plan, Dak came into his second season looking like he was given the keys to the franchise making Romo/ P.Manning type audibles at the line and looking like he was way over his head.. How do you think Bill Parcells would handle Daks second year? He'd say "put away the inointing oil" or something like that and treat him like a second year player that still needs to earn more leash. Where Parcells is John Wayne Garrett is Don Knotts standing on the sidelines with his bullet in his pocket.. doubt players fear ol Barney Fife, and all that spitting doesn't make him look any tougher.. this team is at a severe competitive disadvantage with Jerry tripling down on a bad coaching hire... sorry ranting off track abit.. whew

 

[starcity214]

Doesn't matter how many facts you throw out there, bro. There will always be a massive contingent that will line up the excuses for Dak.

It's such an interesting juxtaposition. With Romo, he could never do right by a ton of people. And with Dak, he can do no wrong.

I have noticed that Dak's greatest supporters were also Romo's biggest critics.

Look, I want to like the guy (Prescott) , but it's hard to because he plays like Alex Smith (a stat padder).



This is Prescott in a nutshell -

3rd and 9 , he drops back to pass...

He has Dez and TWill both in single coverage and they are running routes well beyond the first down marker..

The defense already know his tendencies, and double Beasley and give Witten space short of the first down marker to bait Prescott into throwing him the ball....



Dak will always throw the safe , easy completion despite the fact that he knows Witten will be tackled short of the first. Why? Because it looks good on the stats ( his supporters swear he is the most accurate QB ever) and it absolves him from getting blamed after a loss (Dak played great, no picks and high completion percentage leading to a high QBR )

Any other QB would take a chance on the one on one matchups on the outside. Sure, you aren't guaranteed a completion but the payoff is greater (chunk plays, pick up the first down, make defenses respect you and therefore open up the short intermediate passing game) than just throwing short of the sticks on every third down.

Defenses have caught up with Prescott. Blame the coaches, scheme all you want but Garrett can't throw the passes for him..

Not even a highschool / college offense will save Prescott. He has to learn to take chances. He has to learn to trust his arm.



That is why I dislike Prescott as our starting QB. It's purely football related.
Sure, I was a big Romo fan but I gave Prescott a fair chance but I just don't think he has what it takes ( mentally. He plays scared) to be our starting QB.

I

 

[America's Cowboy]

Yep...8 games with less than 200 yards passing ain't going to cut it. Not even close. Romo never had more than four in any regular season as a starter (except 2007 against Washington where he didn't play the full game)

Meh. Romo never threw for 300 yards and more than 2 TDs in a playoff game. Dak did it as a rookie in his first and only so far playoff game against an ex-SB Champ and playoff proven/Aaron Rodgers led Packers team. Brought the team back from being down 3 scores halfway through the 2nd quarter, all the way to tie the game at 31 points with only 34 seconds left. Too bad the Defense never helped. Romo never accomplished that in any playoff game. Eek.

 

[America's Cowboy]

I have noticed that Dak's greatest supporters were also Romo's biggest critics.

Look, I want to like the guy (Prescott) , but it's hard to because he plays like Alex Smith (a stat padder).



This is Prescott in a nutshell -

3rd and 9 , he drops back to pass...

He has Dez and TWill both in single coverage and they are running routes well beyond the first down marker..

The defense already know his tendencies, and double Beasley and give Witten space short of the first down marker to bait Prescott into throwing him the ball....



Dak will always throw the safe , easy completion despite the fact that he knows Witten will be tackled short of the first. Why? Because it looks good on the stats ( his supporters swear he is the most accurate QB ever) and it absolves him from getting blamed after a loss (Dak played great, no picks and high completion percentage leading to a high QBR )

Any other QB would take a chance on the one on one matchups on the outside. Sure, you aren't guaranteed a completion but the payoff is greater (chunk plays, pick up the first down, make defenses respect you and therefore open up the short intermediate passing game) than just throwing short of the sticks on every third down.

Defenses have caught up with Prescott. Blame the coaches, scheme all you want but Garrett can't throw the passes for him..

Not even a highschool / college offense will save Prescott. He has to learn to take chances. He has to learn to trust his arm.



That is why I dislike Prescott as our starting QB. It's purely football related.
Sure, I was a big Romo fan but I gave Prescott a fair chance but I just don't think he has what it takes ( mentally. He plays scared) to be our starting QB.

I

 

[kramskoi]

Meh. Romo never threw for 300 yards and more than 2 TDs in a playoff game. Dak did it as a rookie in his first and only so far playoff game against an ex-SB Champ and playoff proven/Aaron Rodgers led Packers team. Brought the team back from being down 3 scores halfway through the 2nd quarter, all the way to tie the game at 31 points with only 34 seconds left. Too bad the Defense never helped. Romo never accomplished that in any playoff game. Eek.

The Green Bay defense was porous bud. The Cowboys would have been humiliated otherwise. One game does not a trend make. The kid has much to do still...and giving him the trophy before he does anything of real significance is simply premature. If it were not for Elliot's stellar rookie season, Prescott might not even be the current starter.

 

[HungryLion]

 

[kramskoi]

Romo also didn't play for his first 3 and a half years.

Give it up dude...versus Prescott's "heralded" rookie season, which many went goo-goo fanatic about, this year was a disappointment to say the least...but we will see how he bounces back. He should...he must. Finally...you can spin it anyway you want to but Prescott is a risk-averse quarterback, especially in comparison to the man he supplanted. There are both pros AND cons to this.

 

[HungryLion]

Give it up dude...versus Prescott's "heralded" rookie season, which many went goo-goo fanatic about, this year was a disappointment to say the least...but we will see how he bounces back. He should...he must. Finally...you can spin it anyway you want to but Prescott is a risk-averse quarterback, especially in comparison to the man he supplanted. There are both pros AND cons to this.

You’re absolutely right, there are pros and cons to having a risk averse QB. And I would put Dak into that category.

As a matter of opinion, I prefer the risk averse style. Turnovers are killers. The top factor in winning or losing games.

Plus being high risk doesn’t make sense on a run-first team IMO.

 

[Buzzbait]

Dallas coaches did not change the game plan.

Man you got that one right. Ol' No Adjust Jason.