ESPN Insider: Cowboys' offense tougher to defend with Dak Prescott at quarterback

[Bleu Star]

Because the goal isn't to win just in October? It's to beat the Patriots or the Broncos in January.

By the time January comes around, this Dak/Zeke train will be rolling 100mph and God help anyone trying to stop it.

 

[Bleu Star]

The great news in this situation is that we continue to get new information about Dak before being forced to make a decision. We're going to see him up against a fast, blitzing defense who is capable of blindsiding him Sunday night. How does he handle the blitz? The pressure off the edge? What does he do if we aren't dominant on the ground?

The answers to all of these questions help make "the decision" easier moving forward. If he continues to check the boxes and we keep winning, I believe it's difficult to make a change.

He'll continue to check every hyper critical box. No doubt about it.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Two QBs. At the same time.

 

[Seven]

Y'all know we have the longest ongoing/ running winning streak in the entire LEAGUE so far this season?

Didn't notice. Too concerned with the "lack" of QB accuracy. I really should start enjoying the game......

 

[rpntex]

The one thing about Dak, that I know being from SEC country Alabama to be exact is that I had the pleasure of watching him at Mississippi St., from his sophomore year, junior year, and senior year and each year his accuracy improved but the gripe about him coming out of college that is well documented was the spread shotgun offense he played in that didn't require him to play under center that much so far he's answered most of those questions he's a rookie and so in time he will be more accurate and cerebral with the football when he gathers more experience.

One thing I found out a few years ago was that the vast majority of receiver coaches teach their receivers to "run through" a man defense, but to "sit down" in between zones against a zone defense. It just so happens that most college team play a zone the majority of the time. QBs don't have to be as accurate since they are often throwing at a stationary target. Many spread QBs come to the NFL with mild accuracy issues for this reason, all not with the issue you mentioned. Footwork is an issue for almost every spread QB, since all they had to do in college was catch the snap, pivot, and throw. Dak's not alone in that club.

 

[ringmaster]

One thing I found out a few years ago was that the vast majority of receiver coaches teach their receivers to "run through" a man defense, but to "sit down" in between zones against a zone defense. It just so happens that most college team play a zone the majority of the time. QBs don't have to be as accurate since they are often throwing at a stationary target. Many spread QBs come to the NFL with mild accuracy issues for this reason, all not with the issue you mentioned. Footwork is an issue for almost every spread QB, since all they had to do in college was catch the snap, pivot, and throw. Dak's not alone in that club.

I agree with this most college QBs, especially those who run ZRO aren't really asked to read the entire field it's either a 1 to 2 reads and run so some of those types of QBs as you mentioned has some accuracy issues at the next level due to what you said about not having the proper footwork so that QB will have to learn how to develop those things and that is what helped Newton, Wilson, to some degree Kaepernick, and now Dak is getting a crash course on how to play NFL QB to read the entire field and one more thing about Dak, and I think he is learning this part of his game from Tony, who is excellent at doing this is looking off safeties and Dak is doing this very well and not many rookie QBs can do this as consistently as Dak does and he has former NFL QBs on the staff helping him along and they're doing a great job in getting him.ready the sky is the limit for this kid.

 

[mattjames2010]

There were TWO more. Butler in the end zone within inches..... touchdown, Matt. Another to Butler which was perfect and he dropped it. ....same game, and led to a later INT......Matt. Good God you're incorrigible. You even a Cowboys fan, Matt?

You're not impressing anyone, Matt.

Go Eagles.

Those weren't "precision passes", do you even know what that means? If we are going to be technical here

1. That ball int he endzone nearly led Bulter out of bounds

2. While Butler should have caught that second deep ball, it was slightly in front of him.

Glad we are going deep, it showed the accuracy and touch Dak has on deep throws. Precision passes, normally, in this league are described as perfect ball placement. Dak has not had to do this. Can you show me where Dak has fit a ball right over a defenders head to hit the hands of a receiver? Show me the back shoulder fades. Show me those tiny windows Dak has had to throw into

If you are stating Dak has done these things a lot, you are lying. Your examples show this.

And oh look, the "Ur a stupid meanie Eagles fan! WAAAAH!" counter.

 

[Nova]

Our offensive line is young and ascending. To think that our guys haven't gotten better in 2 years is silly.

Zeke is also a significant upgrade over Murray.

And again i'm looking at ppg. This Cowboys team only twice in six games have they scored over what we averaged in 2014.

That makes sense. I think the OL is definitely playing better.

 

[percyhoward]

That explains why your stats have really taken a nose dive this year. No offense.

Imagine his satisfaction at finding a way to put "this year" and "no offense" into the same line of text.

 

[robbieruff]

Cowboys' offense tougher to defend with Dak Prescott at quarterback

Been saying this all along. First they have not been falling behind early. When you dont fall behind you can stick to the script which a balanced offense. When the opposing D doesnt know whats coming you are harder to defend. These are very simple concepts. Plus when Dak throws, he is throwing to the open man and spreading the ball around instead of trying force it to anybody in particular.

What I thought the article did an excellent job of explaining is how Dak's physical diversity puts so much pressure on defenses. They have to accommodate for him in both the passing and the run game. Zeke's big run against the Bengals had everything to do with how Dak threatens a defense and how we scheme to exploit that. I particularly love that dimension to his game.

 

[Kevinicus]

There were TWO more. Butler in the end zone within inches..... touchdown, Matt. Another to Butler which was perfect and he dropped it. ....same game, and led to a later INT......Matt. Good God you're incorrigible. You even a Cowboys fan, Matt?

You're not impressing anyone, Matt.

Go Eagles.

Those two throws to Butler were good throws, but you cannot argue that he has had to make many throws into tight windows or under a lot of pressure. It just hasn't been the case.

 

[Hoov]

He hasn't had to make many precision passes. I think he's capable of doing, but he hasn't had to do it in his first 6 games.

The best precision pass I saw from him was in the red zone against the Bengals where he threw a dart to Williams to the like, 3-4 yard line. But accuracy has been a problem for Dak, it was one coming out of college. It will be criticized until he proves everyone wrong.

His completion percentage right now while it's good he's getting the ball to his receivers, it does not indicate the type of throws he had to make.

His long ball to Butler was a perfectly thrown pass that butler dropped - hit him right in the hands. So Dak cane throw deep and can throw it with accuracy.

 

[Hoov]

Dak is leading the league or very near the top in a lot of passing statistics and passer ratings. How much better could Tony be as far as passing statistics than where Dak is at the moment ? Maybe he could be at a similar level but how much room is their to move up when you are already at the top ?

 

[WillieBeamen]

I dont agree. The Giants had no problem stopping this offense.

A lot of the posters on here forget how great of a QB Tony Romo was/is...

 

[Zman5]

This offense scored more points in 2014 with worse talent around Romo than what this offense has done in 2016 with more talent around Dak.

I think having a QB who knows exactly what you're doing on defense is more difficult to contend with than a QB who might hit you with a bootleg 3 times a game for 3.4 yards per.

I don't know where you get the notion that there are more talent around Dak. Only different player from 2014 to this year is the RB. There isn't that great of difference between 2014 Murray and Zeke. And Dez didn't miss any games in 2014.

 

[WillieBeamen]

I don't know where you get the notion that there are more talent around Dak. Only different player from 2014 to this year is the RB. There isn't that great of difference between 2014 Murray and Zeke. And Dez didn't miss any games in 2014.

Not to answer for him, but this offensive line is way better now than it was in 2014. Twill is better, Beasley is better, and obviously teams fear Zeke more than they did Murray.

If you cant see there is more talent than in 2014, then idk what to say...

 

[ufcrules1]

Honestly, anybody who doesn't see our offense limited by the QB doesn't know what they're watching.

Keep up the reverse psychology man.. it is doing wonders for our team!

 

[ufcrules1]

Not to answer for him, but this offensive line is way better now than it was in 2014. Twill is better, Beasley is better, and obviously teams fear Zeke more than they did Murray.

If you cant see there is more talent than in 2014, then idk what to say...

Not sure that Twill and Beas are better... it seems like they are being targeted more now because Dez isn't in the picture. Also, not sure the line is way better either. The line was outstanding in 2014. I see Zeke similarly to how I see Murray except Zeke has the ability to take it to the house at any given time and has better vision for sure. Murray was very special behind this line in 2014.

 

[Zman5]

Not to answer for him, but this offensive line is way better now than it was in 2014. Twill is better, Beasley is better, and obviously teams fear Zeke more than they did Murray.

If you cant see there is more talent than in 2014, then idk what to say...

My point is the personnel is pretty much the same. It's not like we've added new better talent.

Maybe they are playing better because of the QB.

 

[Denim Chicken]