DC.COM: Healthy Barber Would Help Red Zone Offense

[WoodysGirl]

Posted by jellis at 10/20/2009 10:24 AM CDT on truebluefanclub.com

Last week the Cowboys acknowledged a couple sore areas they wanted to work on over the bye week - two-minute defense and red zone offense.

The Cowboys haven't been atrocious in the red zone, but they have left some points on the board. They are tied for 21st in red zone touchdown percentage (46.67 percent) and are 26th in goal-to-go situations, scoring touchdowns on just 53.85 percent of those chances.

That partially explains why the Cowboys have the league's second-best offense in terms of yardage accumulated (420.4 yards per game), but are only 11th in scoring (24.4 points per game)

"I just think our efficiency down there hasn't been as good as we need it to be," Jason Garrett said. "It's one of the things that we do in the bye is we go back and assess all the different areas, what's been good, what hasn't been good. We haven't executed as well as we need to, we've had some opportunities that we haven't taken advantage of. I think people see that, the players see that, we see that as coaches, we've just got to tighten it up."

In all fairness, the Cowboys haven't had their touchdown-hungry running back completely healthy, as a quad strain has been bothering Marion Barber since Week 2.

"It's knowing who to go to and how to get it done," Wade Phillips said. "In some cases it's the running game. Getting a strong enough running game down there can really make a difference because then they don't know whether you're going to playaction or run the ball. Because basically it's not a drop back area, it's a playaction area, and if you're a strong enough running team I think that help you.

"I think a little of it is our backs have been banged up a little bit. That starts it all."

 

[DaBoys4Life]

So now the lack of Mb3 is the reason why we can't score in the red zone.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

So now the lack of Mb3 is the reason why we can't score in the red zone.

Seriously, dude.

Are you willing to accept any explanation that isn't prefaced by "the Cowboys suck"?

Have you ever considered that an admission of "sucking" is not a reason in itself?

 

[superpunk]

I wonder if we might score more in the red zone if we ran some red zone plays for the league's best TE.

Just a thought.

 

[theebs]

I wonder if we might score more in the red zone if we ran some red zone plays for the league's best TE.

Just a thought.

With this stretch coming up, witten has to get some balls covered or not down in that area.

I havent had the time yet to really look closely at the falcons, but it looks like their defense is a bend but dont break, give up yards and then play well in the redzone and dont give up points type of defense.

have you watched their games? It seems they are a good matchup for us. Its pretty interesting jammal anderson has become a DT.

so if that is the case, get the ball to witten sunday.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Seriously, dude.

Are you willing to accept any explanation that isn't prefaced by "the Cowboys suck"?

Have you ever considered that an admission of "sucking" is not a reason in itself?

Just tacking note of all of the excuses ya know ?

 

[ScipioCowboy]

I wonder if we might score more in the red zone if we ran some red zone plays for the league's best TE.

Just a thought.

As good as Witten is (and he is very good), he's seldom been a prolific scoring threat. It's baffling to me. I'm uncertain whether Witten's lack of TDs relative to players such as Gates and Gonzalez is due to scheme or something else entirely.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Just tacking note of all of the excuses ya know ?

Sometimes, "excuses" are actually legitimate reasons. Even if the Cowboys truly do "suck", there's a reason for their suckage. Simply stating they suck is not overly constructive.

 

[Iago33]

So now the lack of Mb3 is the reason why we can't score in the red zone.

I don't think it has helped us that we have lacked his effective goal line running (due to absence or gimpiness), do you?

 

[Rampage]

an OC who calls to run the ball and throw to the qbs bff would also help the redzone offense.

 

[aikemirv]

I don't think it has helped us that we have lacked his effective goal line running (due to absence or gimpiness), do you?

I don't think there is any chance that we run the 2 fades in a row with a heathly Marion Barber!

 

[AbeBeta]

Shouldn't this be titled "Healthy Barber would help Offense"?

 

[landryscorner]

This thread should read...."Better playcalling by Garrett couldd help the redzone offense"