News: Dallas offensive philosophy refuses to follow the crowd

[ScipioCowboy]

It’s all good—as long as you’re passing more efficiently than your opponent.

 

[punchnjudy]

Having an ample turnover margin and finishing drives is a pretty good formula. We've come up short on the turnovers, particularly picks.

Also, the investment in the line isn't just for the running game.

 

[Jipper]

Why don't we look at the winners that had a top 5 rushing attack and top 10 defense..thats more likely what were going to have this year

 

[Super_Kazuya]

I have always thought they (and the fans) were more obsessed with having the best offensive line more than leading the league in rushing. I really, really hope our decision makers don’t believe that hogging the ball to win is a real thing.
Fortunately we are entering the new era of “route running”! You don’t even need good receivers... just a lot of them.

 

[Mr_437]

Problem is DAL didn't have a strong defense n 2014, 2016. Good running game n good defense are a potent combo. DAL just never had a complete team that's moreso been th problem. Hopefully those two components can whoop azz this season.

 

[TheCount]

Every time this team thinks they know better than the rest of the league, they crash and burn.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[buybuydandavis]

They have been putting draft capital into the defense. The problem has been, that they aren’t getting the same level of player with those draft choices. For whatever reason. Injury being a big part of the piece. IMO.

This.

Also, the defensive picks are more recent (which makes sense from a team building perspective to me), and not yet developed. Last year's draft, Jaylon, The Stoner, now LVE. Maybe Jones pans out at corner.

Even this year, that defensive investment may look a *lot* more substantial.

 

[northerncowboynation]

I guess I don’t understand what you’re getting at. Are you trying to say players like Ertz and Witten weren’t integral to many of their wins?

Engram hasn’t shown much in the few Giants games I’ve seen but no receivers did when Eli had to get rid of the ball in under 2 seconds. Unfortunately I think he may be a much bigger threat (as their entire offense would be) with a better O line.

I'm saying very few if any teams use one TE on 97% of their offensive plays. Personally, I hope we see more 10 personnel packages.

 

[northerncowboynation]

It's not the philosophy that's important it's the execution and design.

In 2014 we could of won it all with the emphasis on the run game and power offense.

The one thing we need is a real defense.

The giants won a sb against what would of been the best team of all time. Their philosophy on offense didn't matter. It was their defense.

You do remember the incredibly flukey helmet catch right and you do realize that the average points scored in the last 10 SBs is 53 points right and the last 3, 56 points. How about them defenses.. That's pretty much the same as the points scored per game in the 16 game season. Defense doesn't win SB's anymore than it wins regular season games, the Bronco's being the recent exception. Yes, the Bronco's SB winning team three years ago had a dominating defense... throughout the year. The following year same defense, suck arse offense. Bottom line, teams don't consistently win SB's without a strong offense and defense. The ones that have are one and disappear for awhile. Yes I'm sure as Cowboy fans we'd be happy with one SB . We aren't happy with 5 why would we be happy with 6

 

[aria]

I'm saying very few if any teams use one TE on 97% of their offensive plays. Personally, I hope we see more 10 personnel packages.

Gotchya but it’s hard for me to ignore how much some of the better TE’s in this league (ie Witten) can contribute and while our rivals are stocking up on high caliber TE’s and WR’s plus RB, we are going just RB and receiver by committee with a ? at TE. Advantage rivals.

I will say we have the best OL in the league, top 3-4 at worst and there’s a lot to be said for that. As we saw last year with the Giants, even though there was no Odiva, without an O line all those weapons don’t mean jack and are wasted talent.

 

[Jake]

Some interesting facts are

• No team has won the Super Bowl with the leas8mg rusher in 20 years
• The 1998 Broncos were the last to do it

Our leadership group are still stuck in the 90s, despite the rule changes this century benefitting the passing game.

It's like a college coach still running the Wishbone. You can still have success, but you're not using the new rules to your advantage.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

In theory it’s a good idea. Defenses are trending smaller to deal with 3-4 wide offenses. That should be susceptible to a dominant run game

that's a good point. IMO it goes in cycles....teams went to 3-4 defense to put pressure on QBs to defend against the pass, which mean smaller front 7, which now we are slowly seeing the pendelum swing back towards strong running games and RBs going in the top 10 on a regular basis.....and soon the defenses will follow and go to 4-3, to stop the run and it starts all over again...

 

[northerncowboynation]

Gotchya but it’s hard for me to ignore how much some of the better TE’s in this league (ie Witten) can contribute and while our rivals are stocking up on high caliber TE’s and WR’s plus RB, we are going just RB and receiver by committee with a ? at TE. Advantage rivals.

I will say we have the best OL in the league, top 3-4 at worst and there’s a lot to be said for that. As we saw last year with the Giants, even though there was no Odiva, without an O line all those weapons don’t mean jack and are wasted talent.

I think Witten was more a liability than an asset his last two years. I say that because in ways he prevented the development of young TE's on the roster. It's kind of like what happened in 2016 when Romo and Moore went down. Many fans clamored for a backup QB with experience. I believed wholeheartedly that it would prevent the development of the two young QB's we had on the roster (Dak and I forget the other QB's name). Eventually a team HAS to find out what they really have and throw caution in the wind a bit. Same scenario at TE on this team. I think Witt became a progress stopper over the last two years, now we're forced to throw caution in the wind. Witt was a great player here for many years. Future HOF'er. It really was time for him to retire. I wanted a TE drafted in 2017 TBH. Strong TE class

 

[Hadenough]

Maliek Collins round 3.

Chido Awuzie round 2.

Tyrone Crawford round 3.

They have been putting draft capital into the defense. The problem has been, that they aren’t getting the same level of player with those draft choices. For whatever reason. Injury being a big part of the piece. IMO.

Don't forget Claiborne was a #1 pick that they traded up for that never reached his potential.

 

[cowboyblue22]

quarter back play and coaching go a long way to winning a championship you need a good defense to but you need really good coaching and qb play and you cant make mistakes and coaching will help with that

 

[Pants]

I am not a "follow the crowd" guy, but it just seems like the Jones' want some success so they can get more media attention when others follow them...the problem is that they are WAY too one-dimensional on offense and the defense, while improving, wasn't quite there in 2017...I think that the D will be better this year and that the offense has potential to be very good...both units in top-10...enough to win it all?? I don't like those types of predictions (who would have predicted the eagles last year), but I am thinking playoffs and then anything can happen

 

[aria]

I think Witten was more a liability than an asset his last two years. I say that because in ways he prevented the development of young TE's on the roster. It's kind of like what happened in 2016 when Romo and Moore went down. Many fans clamored for a backup QB with experience. I believed wholeheartedly that it would prevent the development of the two young QB's we had on the roster (Dak and I forget the other QB's name). Eventually a team HAS to find out what they really have and throw caution in the wind a bit. Same scenario at TE on this team. I think Witt became a progress stopper over the last two years, now we're forced to throw caution in the wind. Witt was a great player here for many years. Future HOF'er. It really was time for him to retire. I wanted a TE drafted in 2017 TBH. Strong TE class

For sure, I didn’t mean to imply Witten in the past few years because I agree with you but he was critical to our success for most of his career.

 

[xwalker]

Yes there is and its reason # 1 just look below in your signature photo you know the guy wearing no 4....as our passing game is for the dogs...woof woof...

 

[SlammedZero]

I just think you need a good overall balance of everything. You want to run the ball? You can! You want to throw it? You can! You want to defend your field? You can!

I think the defense has been our major shortcoming over the last several years. With that said, I think it is going to start taking a better shape.

 

[Rayman70]

Actually, defensively speaking, we are following the crowd..FINALLY. Enter Kris Richard. His is a proven philosophy and will fit nicely here. Offensively...we ARE following the crowd ...look at the wideouts. We are following New Englands template. Zeke is just Zeke...and will get his touches,but this year we will see more of a committee at RB. We have a stable of studs at RB...and we are following the Philly template. They had Blount,Ajayi, and Clement. We now will try a combo as they did to complement each other. Scar,Zeke and Rod Smith...with some Tavon sprinkled in. So the title of this thread is pretty misleading. This is a new day and age starting this year...hence, no Dez,Witten and Scandy.