Did the route-running and playcalling improve?

[WoodysGirl]

i don't watch tape, or hold the analysis abilities, but on the surface it really seems to me that Zack was really hurting the line.

I think there's something to that... along with young Guyton whose been replaced Edoga (sp?).

The OL seems to be holding up better giving Rush more time.

 

[Whirlwin]

Cooper Rush put up a lot of lollipops yesterday. A lot of them pretty. Nice when the pressure is off. I said yesterday we’re going to win out and I still believe it.

 

[goshann]

It actually has worked better with Prescott second and third season. They called him the dink and dunk King. And then they opened it up because everybody wanted to be like the Kansas City Chiefs. And we started going backwards.

Yeah but we also relied on Dak’s legs early on
He doesn’t have them anymore
But I generally agree with your point

 

[Whirlwin]

Yeah but we also relied on Dak’s legs early on
He doesn’t have them anymore
But I generally agree with your point

I just think sometimes back ups play with a little bit more heart, I like what I’m seeing out there and I’m not complaining

 

[thunderpimp91]

Honestly I dont see a ton different in terms of routes or actual play calls. I think we are seeing some changes in formations being ran, but a lot of the same route concepts. What I think we are seeing is more variety with Rush at QB and better work presnap from your QB. Nothing Rush is doing is all that difficult, hes just really good at playing within the offense and sort of being that OC on the field.....honestly this is a guy that Jerry needs to look at locking up as his next Kellen Moore coaching project once he is done playing.

Some of the bigger throws last night:

• The 29 yarder to Cooks came from 2 TE formation with Rush under center
• 10 yard TD to Tolbert Rush pointed out the coverage pre snap and just threw the ball to the WR on LB matchup.
• 34 yard pass to Lamb was 2TE with play action...Rush simply slid away from his protection to have a clean throwing lane and got the ball out quick for a deep throw
• 14 yard pass to cooks....quick slant that Rush just reads the blitz, make a good presnap read and gets the ball out quick
• Lamb TD - Nothing special, he just got the ball out underneath to his best playmaker
• 21 yard pass to Ferg, Rush just identified the matchup and locked in on his TE for an easy throw
• 26 yard pass to Flournoy....Rush under center w/ tight formation...slips the WR past all the LBs in zone who were late to get to their spots because they were looking for the run reads first

Getting the QB under center has been huge. The Cowboys even last night seemed very split between run and pass, not because they ran the ball all that much, but they played in formations that led the defense to believe they could run. This is Mike McCarthy's style of running the football.

Dak has twice the arm talent Rush could ever dream of, but Rush is so much better in running the offense pre snap. Hes tough for the defense to confuse, he finds the matchup he wants and typically knows where he is going with the football as soon as its snapped. The first few games Rush took over he had a bad habit of not being able to get away from those throws if he read it wrong or the WR just wasnt there and had a few almost INTs, but has been really good recently of being careful with the ball.

 

[foofighters]

Honest question. Did the receivers start running better routes and creating more separation? Did McCarthy starting calling different plays? 8 different players caught a pass last night and even Fluornoy had a pretty solid game.

Because we've been playing top notch teams!!!!

 

[buybuydandavis]

He has some nice throws downfield. I just wish he did that more often.

Be careful what you wish for.
Rush puts nothing on the ball. The longer his ball is in the air, the more time DBs have to converge on it.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Honestly I dont see a ton different in terms of routes or actual play calls. I think we are seeing some changes in formations being ran, but a lot of the same route concepts. What I think we are seeing is more variety with Rush at QB and better work presnap from your QB. Nothing Rush is doing is all that difficult, hes just really good at playing within the offense and sort of being that OC on the field.....honestly this is a guy that Jerry needs to look at locking up as his next Kellen Moore coaching project once he is done playing.

Some of the bigger throws last night:

• The 29 yarder to Cooks came from 2 TE formation with Rush under center
• 10 yard TD to Tolbert Rush pointed out the coverage pre snap and just threw the ball to the WR on LB matchup.
• 34 yard pass to Lamb was 2TE with play action...Rush simply slid away from his protection to have a clean throwing lane and got the ball out quick for a deep throw
• 14 yard pass to cooks....quick slant that Rush just reads the blitz, make a good presnap read and gets the ball out quick
• Lamb TD - Nothing special, he just got the ball out underneath to his best playmaker
• 21 yard pass to Ferg, Rush just identified the matchup and locked in on his TE for an easy throw
• 26 yard pass to Flournoy....Rush under center w/ tight formation...slips the WR past all the LBs in zone who were late to get to their spots because they were looking for the run reads first

Getting the QB under center has been huge. The Cowboys even last night seemed very split between run and pass, not because they ran the ball all that much, but they played in formations that led the defense to believe they could run. This is Mike McCarthy's style of running the football.

Dak has twice the arm talent Rush could ever dream of, but Rush is so much better in running the offense pre snap. Hes tough for the defense to confuse, he finds the matchup he wants and typically knows where he is going with the football as soon as its snapped. The first few games Rush took over he had a bad habit of not being able to get away from those throws if he read it wrong or the WR just wasnt there and had a few almost INTs, but has been really good recently of being careful with the ball.

Yep, good post.

Mike and even Jerry (who of course gets it from the coaches, he doesn't know himself) have pointed out how good Cooper is reading things pre snap, getting them in the right plays, and staying within the offense.

They don't mean it as a shot at any other three-lettered QB on the team, but...

 

[DallasEast]

I think an argument can be made Cooper Rush is more decisive when releasing the ball--whether it is with protection or under direst by the pass rush--than Dak Prescott. The split-second decision-making can lead to mistakes committed by both quarterbacks but can also end up being good passes for receivers to make plays after-the-fact.

Any turnover is bad. Usually, conservative decision-making reduces mistakes.

However, sometimes you gotta let the ball rip. This is why quarterback/receiver timing and coordination is crucial. Holding onto the ball, for even a split second too long, can mean the difference between a completion and no pass play at all.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Be careful what you wish for.
Rush puts nothing on the ball. The longer his ball is in the air, the more time DBs have to converge on it.

Yeah Rush can throw it down field, but hes a guy you want to wait on the right matchups for and not try to force it. Its why he can play great with a lead, but it can get ugly when he falls behind to a team like Philly.

 

[starfan1]

Last night was about the most open rcvrs all year
TB sold out against the run

Tampas pass defense is ranked 30th in league the bengals are 27th

The line is blocking a bit better and cooper is playing well

 

[buybuydandavis]

Dak has twice the arm talent Rush could ever dream of, but Rush is so much better in running the offense pre snap. Hes tough for the defense to confuse, he finds the matchup he wants and typically knows where he is going with the football as soon as its snapped. The first few games Rush took over he had a bad habit of not being able to get away from those throws if he read it wrong or the WR just wasnt there and had a few almost INTs, but has been really good recently of being careful with the ball.

To be fair to Rush, he wasn't the guy getting starter snaps through camp and the weeks Dak started.

Backup QB is a tough row to hoe. You're not as good, *and* you're not given the same preparation. Now with half a season of preparation, we're seeing what Rush can do when he gets the preparation.

Not a lot of arm strength, and he had some big cringe plays, but he does seem to execute the offense a tick faster than Dak.

 

[MyFairLady]

Feels like Rush has settle in a bit to me. I am sure getting all of the reps in practice now is starting to show. Confidence us everything and I would suspect he has been putting in a lot of work. He is what he is. A pretty solid back up that you can win with given a full team effort.

 

[America's Cowboy]

There was literally 0 run game last night

Correct, but the attempts was still there. There was 20 rushing attempts which helped keep the Buccaneers D guessing enough to help the passing game.

 

[aikemirv]

There was literally 0 run game last night

Yep the only reason we ran the ball the last 3 weeks is because we were playing the worst run D's in the NFL!

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I think there's something to that... along with young Guyton whose been replaced Edoga (sp?).

The OL seems to be holding up better giving Rush more time.

They even said Rush is getting the ball out very fast.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Yep the only reason we ran the ball the last 3 weeks is because we were playing the worst run D's in the NFL!

And Bucs have one of the very best.

 

[gimmesix]

Honest question. Did the receivers start running better routes and creating more separation? Did McCarthy starting calling different plays? 8 different players caught a pass last night and even Fluornoy had a pretty solid game.

Multiple things go into it. It starts with protection. QB has to have time to get the ball to those open receivers. Then, there's the running game. If you don't have a running threat, defenses are going to play more coverage and limit open spots on the field. Then, there's Cooks' return and the development/use of players like Turpin. The more good players you have on the field, the harder it is to cover them all. A lot of the time what is viewed as bad playcalling is really just break downs in one or more of those areas.

I don't think McCarthy suddenly became a bad play-caller after doing a good job last year. He has a tendency to not focus enough on the running game, but has done a better job of that of late. I think we've just had issues that were affecting the play-calling, and some of those have been figured out/fixed. Playing two rookies in the offensive line, the Cooks injury, Lamb being slowed by his shoulder, Ferguson missing time, the OL shuffling, young receivers, figuring out the running rotation, etc., are among those issues. Not saying some of those things shouldn't have been figured out earlier or that every play McCarthy calls is a good one, just that there are a lot of things that contributed to the passing game problems.

 

[gimmesix]

i don't watch tape, or hold the analysis abilities, but on the surface it really seems to me that Zack was really hurting the line.

I think Martin was trying to go when his body just wasn't cooperating anymore. I give him credit for trying to be a warrior, but like with Zeke, the end of the line comes for everyone.

 

[Mr_437]

Honest question. Did the receivers start running better routes and creating more separation? Did McCarthy starting calling different plays? 8 different players caught a pass last night and even Fluornoy had a pretty solid game.

No one has said the WRs are creating more separation or running better routes.