ESPNDallas: Matchup mishaps hurt Cowboys in red zone

[WoodysGirl]

October 19, 2009, 1:31 PM

By: Tim MacMahon


The Dallas Cowboys have scored touchdowns on only two of their last nine trips to the red zone.

Head coach Wade Phillips sees two issues that have prevented the Cowboys from being more successful in scoring territory: They're not running the ball effectively enough, and they're not doing a good job distributing the ball in the passing game.

"It's getting a feel for who to go to and when in the passing game," Phillips said. "We have to get a Witten or a guy matched up that we think we can beat somebody with and go to them. Witten's always been a guy, but getting a feel for all of the receivers and who can do what is important."

It's interesting that Jason Witten was the first name to come to Phillips' mind when discussing matchup advantages in the red zone. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett didn't give Witten a chance to run a route with the game on the line against the Denver Broncos, keeping the Pro Bowl tight end in to block on three goal-to-go throws.

The last two of those throws went to No. 4 receiver Sam Hurd, who was covered by future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey. That's a perfect example of Garrett doing a poor job of creating favorable matchups.

 

[Muhast]

October 19, 2009, 1:31 PM

By: Tim MacMahon


The Dallas Cowboys have scored touchdowns on only two of their last nine trips to the red zone.

Head coach Wade Phillips sees two issues that have prevented the Cowboys from being more successful in scoring territory: They're not running the ball effectively enough, and they're not doing a good job distributing the ball in the passing game.

"It's getting a feel for who to go to and when in the passing game," Phillips said. "We have to get a Witten or a guy matched up that we think we can beat somebody with and go to them. Witten's always been a guy, but getting a feel for all of the receivers and who can do what is important."

It's interesting that Jason Witten was the first name to come to Phillips' mind when discussing matchup advantages in the red zone. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett didn't give Witten a chance to run a route with the game on the line against the Denver Broncos, keeping the Pro Bowl tight end in to block on three goal-to-go throws.

The last two of those throws went to No. 4 receiver Sam Hurd, who was covered by future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey. That's a perfect example of Garrett doing a poor job of creating favorable matchups.

Witten on a hitch, Austin on a slant. Thats it. No fades, no hurd routes. Witten on a hitch, Austin on a slant! Make it happen!

Or just let MB3, Felix and Choice knock it in. Stop over-coaching Red!

 

[Chuck 54]

Witten on a hitch, Austin on a slant. Thats it. No fades, no hurd routes. Witten on a hitch, Austin on a slant! Make it happen!

Or just let MB3, Felix and Choice knock it in. Stop over-coaching Red!

Best play going is a fade to Roy W, but Romo has never thrown the fade pattern very well, imo. Even the crappy Brad Johnson managed a TD fade to Roy.

 

[RoadRunner]

From what I have seen, the lack of redzone TDs is NOT from a failure to run the ball effectively in goal to goal situations. Its from abandoning the run completely and trying to get cute with fades and other such nonsense play calls. The lack of redzone success is on Garrett. He's outsmarting himself.

 

[Muhast]

Best play going is a fade to Roy W, but Romo has never thrown the fade pattern very well, imo. Even the crappy Brad Johnson managed a TD fade to Roy.

Yea, thats why I said no more fades.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Just watched the PC and thought the exact same thing about Wade's comments. They asked about the red zone offense, and the first thing he talked about is getting a matchup we liked with Witten or someone else. But Witten was the first and only player he mentioned by name.

And remember that Wade said in his first PC here that his offensive philosophy was simply, "Get the ball to your best players."

Hate to beat the horse or our OC too much, but that is the exact opposite of what Garrett seems to think. At least, it's the opposite of what he said after the Denver game,

One thing that worries me about this team is a possible split in the coaching staff if things start to go south. Werder even mentioned on the radio last week that he's heard around the league of a possible rift here between the offense and defense. You never know when Werder is making something out of nothing, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Plumfool]

lately I've noticed Wade a lot closer to Garrett during games . Maybe he's giving more input on that side.

 

[Ren]

I can sum up are redzone troubles better then that article

Cowboys get in the redzone --> Flozell gets called for something --> cowboys no longer in the redzone

 

[craig71]

October 19, 2009, 1:31 PM

By: Tim MacMahon


The Dallas Cowboys have scored touchdowns on only two of their last nine trips to the red zone.

Head coach Wade Phillips sees two issues that have prevented the Cowboys from being more successful in scoring territory: They're not running the ball effectively enough, and they're not doing a good job distributing the ball in the passing game.

"It's getting a feel for who to go to and when in the passing game," Phillips said. "We have to get a Witten or a guy matched up that we think we can beat somebody with and go to them. Witten's always been a guy, but getting a feel for all of the receivers and who can do what is important."

It's interesting that Jason Witten was the first name to come to Phillips' mind when discussing matchup advantages in the red zone. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett didn't give Witten a chance to run a route with the game on the line against the Denver Broncos, keeping the Pro Bowl tight end in to block on three goal-to-go throws.

The last two of those throws went to No. 4 receiver Sam Hurd, who was covered by future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey. That's a perfect example of Garrett doing a poor job of creating favorable matchups.

I know that there have been some suspect play calls and also have seen some plays fail due to a lack of execution also.I agree that the red zone offense needs to get the train rolling for this team to be successful.But part of me doesn't like this article because it seems that Wade is throwing Garrett under the bus,sorta like Brian Stewart last year.I just believe this team has more problems than just red zone offense,how about creating some turnovers or better starting field position.

Craig

 

[NorthTexan95]

I kinda understand having Witten blocking but can't you let Bennett block and let Witten run a pattern instead of Hurd?

 

[StarHead69]

That's a perfect example of Garrett doing a poor job of creating favorable matchups.

What he said.


The genius talk seems to have gone to his head. Sometimes I think he avoids the obvious call so that he can be called a genius for calling a play that no one expected... like shotgun draws from the two yard line and two consecutive fades to the same corner of the endzone.

-Garrett reminds me of a younger thinner Andy Reid sometimes

 

[AdamJT13]

From what I have seen, the lack of redzone TDs is NOT from a failure to run the ball effectively in goal to goal situations. Its from abandoning the run completely and trying to get cute with fades and other such nonsense play calls.

It's been a little of everything, including the failure to run the ball effectively, costly penalties and passes not working.

Since we went 4-for-4 in the red zone against the Giants, here's what has happened on our nine trips into the red zone --

-- From Carolina's 13, Felix got stuffed for 1 yard, Romo got sacked for a loss of 10, then Romo threw incomplete to Choice on third down. Folk missed the field goal.

-- On third-and-goal from Carolina's 1, Choice got stuffed for no gain, then Phillips false-started on fourth-and-goal. Folk made the field goal.

-- Choice 5-yard TD run on first-and-goal.

-- From Carolina's 4, Choice ran for 3, then Romo threw incompletions to Williams and Bennett. Folk made the field goal.

-- Barber 1-yard TD run on second-and-goal.

-- From Denver's 16, Choice got stuffed for a loss of 1, Romo threw incomplete to Williams, then Romo's pass to Austin was intercepted.

-- From Denver's 8 in the final seconds, Romo threw to Crayton for 6, Romo spiked the ball to stop the clock, then Romo threw two incompletions to Hurd.

-- From Kansas City's 8, Barber ran for 4, then Romo threw incompletions to Austin and Hurd. Folk made the field goal.

-- From Kansas City's 9, Adams false-started, Choice got stuffed for 1 yard, Romo threw to Austin for 3, then Romo threw incomplete to Austin. Folk made the field goal.


As you can see, there's plenty of blame to go around. And there's one name that is a glaring omission from that play-by-play summary -- Jason Witten, the guy who has been thrown at more than anyone else on the team and has almost twice as many catches as anyone else on the team.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

Romo has shown me that the fade is not his best pass. He dows better when he had throw in between defends. I hope to see very little of the Fade's going forward.

 

[Iago33]

lately I've noticed Wade a lot closer to Garrett during games . Maybe he's giving more input on that side.

It's an optical illusion--it only looks like that because Wade is getting bigger and creating his own gravity field.

 

[wileedog]

Even the crappy Brad Johnson managed a TD fade to Roy.

He was actually throwing a bomb, the distance just worked out right.

 

[wileedog]

Hate to beat the horse or our OC too much, but that is the exact opposite of what Garrett seems to think. At least, it's the opposite of what he said after the Denver game,

That's a good pickup CL, especially with his comments about Bailey.

He seems to think every X and O on the diagram is equal to every other X and O. Could explain some of the weird personnel situations too with the RB touches - you almost get the sense no one is really paying attention to which one is out there and why.

 

[joseephuss]

Did anyone catch Steve Spurrier's play calling for South Carolina the other night? He kept calling the same fade route to the same guy. At least when Garrett did it he had two different targets.

 

[Hoofbite]

For some reason I get the impression that Wade is trying to say something to Garrett through the media.

In any case, he's right.

 

[Iago33]

For some reason I get the impression that Wade is trying to say something to Garrett through the media.

In any case, he's right.

Does he get lost in the hallway on the way down to Garrett's office?

 

[craig71]

lately I've noticed Wade a lot closer to Garrett during games . Maybe he's giving more input on that side.

The offense keeps fresh donuts on the sideline during the game....

Craig