vicjagger
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http://www.footballoutsiders.com/walkthrough/2010/walkthrough-secret-identity
by Mike Tanier, Football Outsiders
..... (Intro clipped)
That brings us to the Cowboys. They have a secret identity.
Show Some ID
What do you think of when you close your eyes and picture the Cowboys offense? A breathtaking Tony Romo highlight? That's freestyling, not an identity. Felix Jones in the Razorback formation (their Wildcat)? The Cowboys don't run that very often. You probably think of some Jason Witten crossing route, which is appropriate, as Witten is their leading receiver. But when you watch a Cowboys game, they don't seem to be scheming to get Witten open. They also don't seem to be featuring Jones or Marion Barber; in fact, for all their effectiveness, the running backs sometimes disappear from the game plan. Their top wide receiver is Miles Austin, but he isn't their go-to guy in the way Fitzgerald is for the Cardinals. In fact, he isn't on the field in most of their one-receiver sets; Roy Williams gets that honor, for some reason. When the Cowboys offense is playing poorly, as it did against many opponents early in the season, it almost looks like they are selecting their plays at random.
I watched footage of the Chargers game from Week 14, trying to determine what the Cowboys were trying to establish. As it turns out, the Cowboys do have a signature type of play that they run very well. Against the Chargers, it took them almost three quarters to find it. Now that they know what works best, NFC opponents have a real problem.
In their first drive of the game, the Cowboys drove 41 yards in 10 plays, running just three times for seven yards. Their second drive was a three-and-out, all passes. Their third drive consisted of 13 runs and one incomplete pass. It was the famous drive that ended with four straight handoffs to Barber from the 1-yard line, all fruitless. Still, the Cowboys drove 72 yards without a single passing yard, facing just one third down the entire drive before the final stand.
The next drive: incomplete pass, short run by Barber, incomplete pass, punt.
The next drive, at the start of the third quarter: incomplete pass, short run by Jones, incomplete pass, punt.
Do you see a trend? The Chargers have not had a good run defense this season, allowing 4.5 yards per rush entering Week 17. The Cowboys' most successful drive of the game was built entirely out of running plays. Yet they opened their next two drives passing the ball, switching to the run on second-and-10. The Cowboys averaged 3.7 yards per gain on second-and-long (6-10 yards) this season, so those runs all but guaranteed third-and-long. The Cowboys only trailed 10-3, so they weren't abandoning the run. They just mysteriously gave up on what was most successful for them in that 72-yard drive. This is an example of a team lacking "identity:" a run-first team like the Titans would have spent the next two drives slamming the ball down the Chargers throat, but the Cowboys looked like they wanted to do something else. What that was isn't clear, because they didn't do it.
The Freeze Draw
Figure 1: Cowboys Freeze Draw
Jason Garrett finally figures things out with the Cowboys pinned at their own 1-yard line. Barber gains 10 yards on a simple "iso" run from the I-formation. Then, Garrett begins to rely on a play that I think defines what the Cowboys do best: the freeze draw.
Figure 1 shows the Cowboys in first-and-10 from their own 11-yard line. As you can see, they are in a power formation and personnel grouping: two tight ends, two backs. At the snap, Romo drops one step and looks to his left to receiver Roy Williams. The Cowboys linemen appear to set for short pass protection. This pass action freezes several defenders, who have blue halos in the diagram. None of those three defenders move to fill run gaps until Romo turns back to Felix Jones. By then, the frozen linebacker (Stephen Cooper) is already in trouble: Andre Gurode (65) has peeled off his brief combo block and is already in position to attack on the second level. Leonard Davis (70) turns his defender inside, while fullback Deon Anderson (38) attacks the other inside linebacker. Jones makes a fine cut into a wide hole, and the outside linebacker doesn't make contact until Jones is already five yards downfield.
Plays like these take advantage of the quality of the Cowboys running backs, the power blocking of interior linemen Gurode and Davis, and the threat of Romo's quick release on short timing routes. The Cowboys routinely win the battle right over the ball at the snap, and Romo is at his best in the short passing game when he sets and throws immediately.
Figure 2: Witten Hot Route
Just two plays later, Romo demonstrates his quick-read, quick-strike ability. The Cowboys start in an I-formation, but rookie tight end John Philips motions wide. The Chargers' response to the motion reveals that they were in man coverage with a deep safety. Witten and Romo both guess, correctly, that outside linebacker Shawne Merriman will rush the passer. That makes Witten the hot receiver: once Merriman slips past him, he turns for a short pass. Sure enough, his defender in man coverage is Cooper (54), who is in no position to stop such a quick throw. Witten gains nine easy yards.
Note how these plays complement each other. In the first, the short pass action sets up a draw play. In the second, motion out of the run-oriented I-formation sets up a quick rhythm pass. Most importantly, these plays gain 8-10 yards on early downs, keeping the Cowboys out of third-and-long, where Romo's weaknesses (an inability to read defenses and throw from the pocket on a deep drop) can hurt them.
The Cowboys continue to mix runs and passes on this drive. They run for a short first down, and later produce a big play when Romo hits Roy Williams on another hot read. On first-and-goal at the 9-yard line, the Cowboys again execute their freeze draw. Figure 3 shows them in a bunch formation to the right. Romo again turns and stares down Williams for a quick slant, and again several defenders freeze, including the inside linebackers. The Cowboys lineman do an excellent job setting to pass protect on this play, making the Chargers linemen fan out to rush the passer. Davis again catches and steers his defender, and Gurode once again gets into great position to flatten Cooper. Philips folds into the B-gap to block the other inside linebacker, while Austin (19) stalks the safety. It's another combination of great blocking and great design, and Barber takes the ball to the one yard line. A false start penalty later, the Cowboys score on a play action pass and quick throw.
Figure 3: Cowboys Freeze Draw II
The Cowboys had a clear identity on this drive. They used quick passes and power runs to set each other up, maximizing the strengths of their personnel. They can be very effective running out of power formations, and Romo's skills as a quick passer and ball handler allow them to threaten opponents with draw plays, even on running downs from running formations.
Follow Up
The freeze draw was a major part of the Cowboys game plan against the Eagles. The Cowboys used plays nearly identical the ones diagrammed three times in the first half alone. I would diagram them, but that would require watching the game film over and over again. I am just not up for that.
The draws themselves weren't very effective, gaining a total of six yards. But the Cowboys I-formation running game was excellent overall, and the Eagles blitz was beaten several times on short set-and-throw plays, the kind the complement the draw game very well.
The bad news for the Cowboys is that they don't get to face the Saints run defense unless they reach the conference title game. Despite what we saw Sunday, the Eagles have a solid run defense. If the Cowboys win, they face the Vikings, who have a very good run defense, though it isn't as good as many of us thought it would be.
Still, the Cowboys enter the playoffs as a hot team with a clear identity. They aren't the team that loses in December. They aren't the team whose quarterback just returned from a tequila tasting tour. They're the team that mixes quick passes with I-formation runs, many of them draw plays designed to freeze the defense. That ID proved good enough to get them in the door, and it could take them further.
by Mike Tanier, Football Outsiders
..... (Intro clipped)
That brings us to the Cowboys. They have a secret identity.
Show Some ID
What do you think of when you close your eyes and picture the Cowboys offense? A breathtaking Tony Romo highlight? That's freestyling, not an identity. Felix Jones in the Razorback formation (their Wildcat)? The Cowboys don't run that very often. You probably think of some Jason Witten crossing route, which is appropriate, as Witten is their leading receiver. But when you watch a Cowboys game, they don't seem to be scheming to get Witten open. They also don't seem to be featuring Jones or Marion Barber; in fact, for all their effectiveness, the running backs sometimes disappear from the game plan. Their top wide receiver is Miles Austin, but he isn't their go-to guy in the way Fitzgerald is for the Cardinals. In fact, he isn't on the field in most of their one-receiver sets; Roy Williams gets that honor, for some reason. When the Cowboys offense is playing poorly, as it did against many opponents early in the season, it almost looks like they are selecting their plays at random.
I watched footage of the Chargers game from Week 14, trying to determine what the Cowboys were trying to establish. As it turns out, the Cowboys do have a signature type of play that they run very well. Against the Chargers, it took them almost three quarters to find it. Now that they know what works best, NFC opponents have a real problem.
In their first drive of the game, the Cowboys drove 41 yards in 10 plays, running just three times for seven yards. Their second drive was a three-and-out, all passes. Their third drive consisted of 13 runs and one incomplete pass. It was the famous drive that ended with four straight handoffs to Barber from the 1-yard line, all fruitless. Still, the Cowboys drove 72 yards without a single passing yard, facing just one third down the entire drive before the final stand.
The next drive: incomplete pass, short run by Barber, incomplete pass, punt.
The next drive, at the start of the third quarter: incomplete pass, short run by Jones, incomplete pass, punt.
Do you see a trend? The Chargers have not had a good run defense this season, allowing 4.5 yards per rush entering Week 17. The Cowboys' most successful drive of the game was built entirely out of running plays. Yet they opened their next two drives passing the ball, switching to the run on second-and-10. The Cowboys averaged 3.7 yards per gain on second-and-long (6-10 yards) this season, so those runs all but guaranteed third-and-long. The Cowboys only trailed 10-3, so they weren't abandoning the run. They just mysteriously gave up on what was most successful for them in that 72-yard drive. This is an example of a team lacking "identity:" a run-first team like the Titans would have spent the next two drives slamming the ball down the Chargers throat, but the Cowboys looked like they wanted to do something else. What that was isn't clear, because they didn't do it.
The Freeze Draw
Figure 1: Cowboys Freeze Draw
Jason Garrett finally figures things out with the Cowboys pinned at their own 1-yard line. Barber gains 10 yards on a simple "iso" run from the I-formation. Then, Garrett begins to rely on a play that I think defines what the Cowboys do best: the freeze draw.
Figure 1 shows the Cowboys in first-and-10 from their own 11-yard line. As you can see, they are in a power formation and personnel grouping: two tight ends, two backs. At the snap, Romo drops one step and looks to his left to receiver Roy Williams. The Cowboys linemen appear to set for short pass protection. This pass action freezes several defenders, who have blue halos in the diagram. None of those three defenders move to fill run gaps until Romo turns back to Felix Jones. By then, the frozen linebacker (Stephen Cooper) is already in trouble: Andre Gurode (65) has peeled off his brief combo block and is already in position to attack on the second level. Leonard Davis (70) turns his defender inside, while fullback Deon Anderson (38) attacks the other inside linebacker. Jones makes a fine cut into a wide hole, and the outside linebacker doesn't make contact until Jones is already five yards downfield.
Plays like these take advantage of the quality of the Cowboys running backs, the power blocking of interior linemen Gurode and Davis, and the threat of Romo's quick release on short timing routes. The Cowboys routinely win the battle right over the ball at the snap, and Romo is at his best in the short passing game when he sets and throws immediately.
Figure 2: Witten Hot Route
Just two plays later, Romo demonstrates his quick-read, quick-strike ability. The Cowboys start in an I-formation, but rookie tight end John Philips motions wide. The Chargers' response to the motion reveals that they were in man coverage with a deep safety. Witten and Romo both guess, correctly, that outside linebacker Shawne Merriman will rush the passer. That makes Witten the hot receiver: once Merriman slips past him, he turns for a short pass. Sure enough, his defender in man coverage is Cooper (54), who is in no position to stop such a quick throw. Witten gains nine easy yards.
Note how these plays complement each other. In the first, the short pass action sets up a draw play. In the second, motion out of the run-oriented I-formation sets up a quick rhythm pass. Most importantly, these plays gain 8-10 yards on early downs, keeping the Cowboys out of third-and-long, where Romo's weaknesses (an inability to read defenses and throw from the pocket on a deep drop) can hurt them.
The Cowboys continue to mix runs and passes on this drive. They run for a short first down, and later produce a big play when Romo hits Roy Williams on another hot read. On first-and-goal at the 9-yard line, the Cowboys again execute their freeze draw. Figure 3 shows them in a bunch formation to the right. Romo again turns and stares down Williams for a quick slant, and again several defenders freeze, including the inside linebackers. The Cowboys lineman do an excellent job setting to pass protect on this play, making the Chargers linemen fan out to rush the passer. Davis again catches and steers his defender, and Gurode once again gets into great position to flatten Cooper. Philips folds into the B-gap to block the other inside linebacker, while Austin (19) stalks the safety. It's another combination of great blocking and great design, and Barber takes the ball to the one yard line. A false start penalty later, the Cowboys score on a play action pass and quick throw.
Figure 3: Cowboys Freeze Draw II
The Cowboys had a clear identity on this drive. They used quick passes and power runs to set each other up, maximizing the strengths of their personnel. They can be very effective running out of power formations, and Romo's skills as a quick passer and ball handler allow them to threaten opponents with draw plays, even on running downs from running formations.
Follow Up
The freeze draw was a major part of the Cowboys game plan against the Eagles. The Cowboys used plays nearly identical the ones diagrammed three times in the first half alone. I would diagram them, but that would require watching the game film over and over again. I am just not up for that.
The draws themselves weren't very effective, gaining a total of six yards. But the Cowboys I-formation running game was excellent overall, and the Eagles blitz was beaten several times on short set-and-throw plays, the kind the complement the draw game very well.
The bad news for the Cowboys is that they don't get to face the Saints run defense unless they reach the conference title game. Despite what we saw Sunday, the Eagles have a solid run defense. If the Cowboys win, they face the Vikings, who have a very good run defense, though it isn't as good as many of us thought it would be.
Still, the Cowboys enter the playoffs as a hot team with a clear identity. They aren't the team that loses in December. They aren't the team whose quarterback just returned from a tequila tasting tour. They're the team that mixes quick passes with I-formation runs, many of them draw plays designed to freeze the defense. That ID proved good enough to get them in the door, and it could take them further.
