How do Cowboys fix red zone problems?

[Altestic]

Positives:
Frederick coming back
William's extra experience and weight
Replacing Linehan

Negatives:
Downgrading at slot
An extra year of touches on Zeke

Cobb >>>> Little Cole Beasley

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

They were 26th last year in the red zone and were 7th in 2017. How much did the absence of Witten play into the red zone woe's last year? I never really considered Witten to be a red zone threat but that's just my opinion. What do you think Moore needs to do inside the 20 that they failed to do last year? Think about how many points you leave on the field when your ranked 26th in the red zone and how that determines wins and losses. I do know that they need to get Zeke involved more and by that I mean catching the ball and so forth.........

Run Jarwin all day as a receiver, blocker and threat. Rest Witten and scold him for taking a roster spot.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

With Witten back and KM at the OC helm, the red-zone problems fixes itself. Some of you think Dak can't throw in tight windows but this season you'll find out that he actually can.

What a goof you are.

 

[Altestic]

Run Zeke and throw it to Gallup more. Gallup is a budding superstar who needs more touches and targets, both in the deep game, outside the numbers and on fade type routes in the end zone.

 

[JoeKing]

What a goof you are.

Why must you be so outwardly critical? If you find yourself in disagreement, just move on. Lashing out like that because you disagree solves nothing. Does it make you feel like a big man to call someone a "goof" on the internet? I come here to escape and read about my favorite team after a hard day in the real world. I don't appreciate you calling me a "goof", just for sharing my opinion.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Cobb >>>> Little Cole Beasley

Nope. Not at all

 

[jrumann59]

Can Kellen Moore make Witten a red zone threat?

really doubt it, witten is not really quick or fast at this point. Redzone defenses are more condensed so openings are smaller, the closer to the endzone you are I feel a guy like witten is less effective since he is easier to cover because he less area to go to.

 

[Whirlwin]

Dak Prescott, through Jason Witten his first-ever playoff touchdown. Also Dez Bryant but he's no longer with us. I believe Jason Witten will be a Red Zone threat this season I know he hasn't been much in the past cuz we've had many other options. Go Cowboys. Only time is going to tell what this new offense will look like

 

[Whirlwin]

At 37 years old I have my reservations

Who was it that threw Jason Witten his first-ever playoff touchdown catch

 

[OmerV]

I'm not that concerned with the problem because it hasn't been a perpetual problem. That's not to say the Cowboys can't or won't look at what they need to do better in the red zone. I'm sure they will. But because it doesn't seem to be a perpetual problem I'm not worried that it is an endemic issue that will be difficult to remedy.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Dak needs to run more. His feet are his best weapon and help keep the defense off balance. His performance against the Jaguars last year should be the blue print for the offense.

 

[kskboys]

We’ll see, then. Moore should be able to outperform Linehan pretty easily then, right?

Moore is a complete unknown to us fans, but there is a good possibility of that, yes.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Moore is a complete unknown to us fans, but there is a good possibility of that, yes.

Agreed. I hated going in house, but it's hard to see a scenario where our play calling goes backwards compared to 2018.

 

[kskboys]

really doubt it, witten is not really quick or fast at this point. Redzone defenses are more condensed so openings are smaller, the closer to the endzone you are I feel a guy like witten is less effective since he is easier to cover because he less area to go to.

He's not? When did Witten lose his quickness? He still had it last time he played. Maybe he's lost it, I don't know, but I don't see how you can say definitively that he has.

 

[kskboys]

Agreed. I hated going in house, but it's hard to see a scenario where our play calling goes backwards compared to 2018.

It appears many have forgotten how bad it was when we were 3-5. Threats came down, and suddenly we started running the ball more and quit the "cutesy" playcalling crapp.

 

[quickccc]

Improve the OL and overall blocking.

Improve the Skill Positions.

Improve the play calling.

Improve the play designs.

+1
You make several good points;

- one poster said " Dak himself has to improve in this area" yes, that's very true. He missed several open targets in end zone and he'd more run it in, or continue to attack outside or back
of end zone line.
- i'm counting on Kellen as OC to be creative in design, formation, motion and be able to identify and adjust to defense scheme in red zone.
- Witten's great routes/feel for pass game should help some in this kind of very short area and hopefully those frequent false starts of his won't hurt much.

- OL effect:
- Fredrick gets defender off the blocks, and great at cutting off pursuit;
- also Martin's knee was bothersome and couldn't overpower or move as usual.
- Williams was a rookie still learning OG role and didn't have anchor power, had to learn Alexander scheme; should be vastly more improved
-I believe the entire OL was a disaster under Alexander

- Gallup may be developing as a jump ball fade end zone playmaker (ala his TD seattle playoff game) getting better at physically contested for ball in tight space.
- Linehan got worse as red zone play caller, more eager to fool foes with the pass, than scheming plays for zeke near goal line, just too predictable and simple at times,
seemed slow to play to his strength of his personnel, imo.

- Cobb will have to step it up; his feel and ability to play both inside slot or outside flank gives options
- Cooper in a full season can help; has similar Beasley like footwork and re-direct skills

- I think Pollard use in a flex role as RB, WR, occasional slot could be very handy. could depend upon Kellen's design and Pollard adapting quickly.
also if we can use Pollard as a blocking WR, doesn't that threaten Noah's role and roster spot ?

- speaking of Brown, Linehan actually tried to use him around goal line but Dak's passes were badly thrown.
- i'm willing to bet that a lot that Kellen will try to do, will be mimic and based off what the Rams scheme do

- Wish we had stronger in-line blocking TEs, as it's not a strength of our TE unit vs what we used to have with Hanna/Swaim. and aging Witten has declined in that area as well. Doubt we used
Jumbo Looney and coaches will go with whatever there at TE.

- please no more of this Rico end zone ideas. dude was as stiff and non-agile as a jump ball receiver

 

[Typhus]

You have to be creative in the red zone,, being bull headed is not creative, you need to make Defenses think twice, even if you have the best OL and RB in the game.
Teams watch red zone tape, that's were the scoring is done. Getting TFred back and an improved OL means we should be able to just pound the ball in, but the Redzone is 20 yrds out. I have a different scoring zone,, lets call it the 5 zone,, that's where this team can bully up with a healthy OL and a playing Zeke, sure,, we should be the best 5 zone in the game.
A creative offensive mind knows that you have to show some creativity, some trickery, not all the time, but enough that defensive coordinators have to think about it, and they will not think about it if it is not successful within the red zone.
You can pull out a trick play, a reverse sweep, play action etc... within the redzone, but if its non effective, timing is off etc,, its a fail,, its not a consideration.
A few effective misdirection plays during the course of an entire season play a very substantial role towards being an effective offense in the red zone.
This is the area where I believe Dak should be unleashed, I understand trying to protect him, make him more of a pocket passer, but Dak is smart and strong,, those are two intangibles that most QBs in this game don't posses, but Dak does.
Unleash Dak in the Red Zone.. 20 yds out,, let him make the decision at the 20 to throw it or run it, just get us closer to the end zone, that's where this team strength should be this season this season. I see the Red Zone as being a party for this team this year.

 

[Number1]

What do you think Moore needs to do inside the 20 that they failed to do last year?

I kinda disagree with your premise, that it is basically play calling.

Sure there are things they could do to different. But games are won and lost in the trenches far more often than in the booth.

Our 2018 OL gave up 56 sacks and couldn't get Zeke 50y in a playoff game. Get them healthy and we can execute better.

 

[dallas72]

They were 26th last year in the red zone and were 7th in 2017. How much did the absence of Witten play into the red zone woe's last year? I never really considered Witten to be a red zone threat but that's just my opinion. What do you think Moore needs to do inside the 20 that they failed to do last year? Think about how many points you leave on the field when your ranked 26th in the red zone and how that determines wins and losses. I do know that they need to get Zeke involved more and by that I mean catching the ball and so forth.........

Getting pro bowl C back helps...plus playcalling was atrocious..very vanilla and predictable

 

[quickccc]

Points/offensive possession. Though I don’t recognize what you’re describing as particular failures for that 2016 offense, either. Every offense has its challenges, it that 2016 team was pretty consistent throughout. It was the defense that let us down in the playoffs again.

I do agree about the 2016 defense letiing us down in the playoffs but as far as the 2016 offense I thought a big key with that offense was the way we utilized Dak and Zeke and how it was new to defenses of the NFL world, they didn't and couldn't seem to be able to grasp and adjust to what we could do.

and they didn't have enough time to film tale study our offense to better adjust and counter scheme us.
that's why we tend to roll comfortably pass every defense except the New York Giants that year (and I won't even count that throwaway Sanchez finale game versus Philly)

But afterwards teams eventually had time to study more film and plan for us, they were better prepared for us, they spotted out predictable Tendencies, they scheme devised more ways to bracket coverage Beasley,
to take him out of the offense and add that to the decline of our outside wide receivers as they seem more exposed with their inability to separate from coverage, and that adds to the questions and concerns with Linehan,
that seemed to continue and he never seem to able to make counter adjustments himself both pregame and in game
and when you're hearing players and ex players questioning his ability to adjust ,expand instead of same formations same plays, never showing glimpses that things were never gonna change.