Cowboys Run Defense vs Rams: Solution

[xwalker]

Anatomy of a Play:

2ND & 1 AT DAL 43(02:03)
(2:03) (No Huddle)
C.Anderson up the middle to DAL 28 for 15 yards.

The initial formation:

 

[xwalker]

What happened:

Blocking and RB path indicate
Zone Run Outside (Offensive Left).

RDE (playside DE)
Has outside contain.
Blocked by LT (induced to jump upfield)

RDT (playside DT)
Lined up in A gap (playside).
Once the play flows outside he must flow to the outside.
Blocked by LG then OC on a hand-off block.
Blockers let him flow outside.

LDT (backside DT)
Lined up in backside B gap.
RG with inside position stalls him and hands-off to RT.
RG moves to 2nd level.

LDE (backside DE)
Must be aware of cut-back by RB or backside QB roll out, reverse, jet sweep.
TE aligned outside RT reach blocks him.

 

[xwalker]

Backside LB
Must be aware of cut-back or misdirection plays.
LG/LT blocking DT create a horizontal wall.
LB boxed out on the backside.

Playside LB (MLB)
Once the play flows outside he must get to the outside.
RB cuts inside, LG blocks his path back inside.

Safeties
Stay back because the Rams QB has tendency
to keep and roll out to the backside. Rams would
like to catch them over-committing to the run.

Result: 15 yard run.

 

[xwalker]

Why:
This is a scheme win by the Rams.
It's not a lack of physical ability by the Cowboys defense.

The Cowboy didn't do anything different than other
defenses would from this defensive formation.

They didn't get gashed because they were stunting.

They were not getting dominated in 1-on-1 match-ups per se.

Key Issue
LBs got boxed out.

The Rams run blocking is designed to get defenders
moving horizontally then block their path.

 

[xwalker]

Solution: Minimize Horizontal movement by LBs.
Flip the left side LB to the right side.
Move him up to the line.

Offset that change:
Flip the Nickel CB from right to left.
Slight DL alignment changes.
Alter DL gap responsibilies.

On the play described previously:
The right side LB would now have outside contain.
The RDE would play the run to the inside of the LT.
The RDT covers 1 gap back to the inside on the outside run.

The wall created by the RT/RG can’t box out the LBs now.
The LB up on the line allows tighter spacing on the DL.

 

[xwalker]

Possible Issues with new alignment:
Only 1 LB behind the DL now but...
Before 4 inside gaps covered by 2 DTs, 2 LBs.
Now 4 inside gaps covered by 2 DTs, RDE and 1 LB.

If pass:
The OLB obstructs inside path by WRs.
Zone: Play a 3 man zone on 2 WRs (OLB, CB and Safety).
Man: Safety/OLB hi/low on 1 WR. CB on the other WR.
OLB in good position to blitz.

 

[Whirlwin]

Possible Issues with new alignment:
Only 1 LB behind the DL now but...
Before 4 inside gaps covered by 2 DTs, 2 LBs.
Now 4 inside gaps covered by 2 DTs, RDE and 1 LB.

If pass:
The OLB obstructs inside path by WRs.
Zone: Play a 3 man zone on 2 WRs (OLB, CB and Safety).
Man: Safety/OLB hi/low on 1 WR. CB on the other WR.
OLB in good position to blitz.

Need to get back to the flex defense LOL good job explaining. I think we knew they were cutting back I didn't know we were over pursuing. Did looks like we were getting knocked off the ball

 

[Whirlwin]

I tell you what I noticed with our cornerbacks. We finally learned how to handle the two I receive is on the same site Crossing in the endzone we got burned on that place so many times until the new defensive backfield coach Richard

 

[ItzKelz]

Cut LVE?

 

[Big D]

so basically, Marinelli got schooled by McVay.

 

[Ranching]

In a nutshell......Garrett sucks.

 

[Bobhaze]

Why:
This is a scheme win by the Rams.
It's not a lack of physical ability by the Cowboys defense.

The Cowboy didn't do anything different than other
defenses would from this defensive formation.

They didn't get gashed because they were stunting.

They were not getting dominated in 1-on-1 match-ups per se.

Key Issue
LBs got boxed out.

The Rams run blocking is designed to get defenders
moving horizontally then block their path.

Nice work X...

The loss to the rams began in the days leading up to the game in Sean McVey’s film room. We got completely out prepped by the 33 year old offensive boy wonder. We ran our defense just as we had all season, and it had certainly been effective in most situations.

But this is where NFL coaching is ultimately exposed- in the playoffs. Garrett runs this team like a 1965 Vince Lombardi packers team. “Here is what we do, we’re going to it over and over, because that’s what we do, and we are going to out physical you with it”. The problem with that theory is multi-faceted. In today’s NFL that doesn’t work, and here’s why:

• In today’s game, scheme is just as important as physical skill. Why? Because the talent level in today’s game is much closer. You can’t physically dominate people consistently.
• In today’s game, it is critical to have multiple looks on both sides of the ball because it gives you an advantage beyond talent matchups. If you can out fox your opponent with different looks, you put them on their heels just as much as whipping them. It frustrates the opponent.
• In today’s game, there is a premium placed on coaching being able to adapt to changing situations with an opponent- in game and in season. If your scheme is getting torched, screaming at your players to “fight harder” isn’t enough.

That last bullet IMO is Garrett’s Achilles heel as a HC. He does several things well but his inability to adapt is an absolute killer in the playoffs. Which is where coaching matters most. If Garrett doesn’t correct this bad habit, he will continue to be a decent reg season coach who sucks in the playoffs.

Good work on this topic X. IMO, we got beat by the rams because they out coached us. It wasn’t as much physical as it was mental prep.

 

[EGTuna]

Also, and I think this is important, the DL and LBs played their you-know-whats-off the week before utterly shutting down the Seattle running attack, which had been getting better the 2nd half of the season. I think they laid it all out that game, and then didn't have much left in the tank for the rested Rams. Scheme obviously played into it as the original post demonstrated, but imo, the best way to beat the Rams's running attack would be to face it after 2 weeks of rest and not 1 week of rest against a physically demanding opponent like Seattle.

 

[Hennessy_King]

I don't know why you are spending time breaking down things that we already knew. We knew that our defense was outcoached in that rams game. This isn't groundbreaking.

 

[Montanalo]

In a nutshell......Garrett sucks.

I didn't see that coming.

 

[Number1]

They were not getting dominated in 1-on-1 match-ups per se.

yeah they were, particularly the DTs

 

[sean10mm]

Watch the Super Bowl to see how to stop that run scheme.

 

[Floatyworm]

Also, and I think this is important, the DL and LBs played their you-know-whats-off the week before utterly shutting down the Seattle running attack, which had been getting better the 2nd half of the season. I think they laid it all out that game, and then didn't have much left in the tank for the rested Rams. Scheme obviously played into it as the original post demonstrated, but imo, the best way to beat the Rams's running attack would be to face it after 2 weeks of rest and not 1 week of rest against a physically demanding opponent like Seattle.

Would be to have a QB that could sustain drives....and not have the Rams offense on the field @ all. That was the forumula that was winning us games. Problem is...Our QB is so inconsistant...you just never know what your going to get from series to series.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Some games the other team just has your number,,,, see Dallas vs New Orleans.

 

[DogFace]

Possible Issues with new alignment:
Only 1 LB behind the DL now but...
Before 4 inside gaps covered by 2 DTs, 2 LBs.
Now 4 inside gaps covered by 2 DTs, RDE and 1 LB.

If pass:
The OLB obstructs inside path by WRs.
Zone: Play a 3 man zone on 2 WRs (OLB, CB and Safety).
Man: Safety/OLB hi/low on 1 WR. CB on the other WR.
OLB in good position to blitz.

What did the patriots do? How’d they defend it so well?

And thanks for another great breakdown. I appreciate it