How Do We Get Better in the Redzone?

[Hoofbite]

Apparently you try what failed for 4-5 years.

Get an athletic TE.......and then have him do nothing but block.

 

[Risen Star]

Apparently you try what failed for 4-5 years.

Get an athletic TE.......and then have him do nothing but block.

Great value.

12 personnel. Like the Patriots. An offense designed to overcome a lack of talent outside at WR. Hello, Dez Bryant.

 

[Risen Star]

And he's right. The plays themselves are fine. The execution isn't. Pretty simple. When the field shrinks and the defense has a shorter area to defend, you have to be able to block, run the ball, get open and catch the ball. Not having to keep the TE in to help block wouldn't hurt. If you can't do that, the play itself doesn't matter. It could be the best play call in the history of the game. Won't matter.

Agreed. Too many on this board lump play calling into categories of "It worked so it was a good call" or "It didn't so it was a bad call" Poor logic.

Play calling matters, but execution is the name of the game. With the personnel we had, I think getting cute and using deception was the best recipe for success in the red zone, because we could not man up and get the job done.

Glad to see I have company. It's to the point now where a run seems like a give up play.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I agree with RS that offensive line needs to block better for the offensive to be more effective in the red-zone.

Frederick will help. LG needs to be better as does the LT spot.

 

[MapleLeaf]

...run or pass that makes your red zone offence effective.

It's controlling the line of scrimmage.

When you diagnose a play visualize a line of dominoes that are falling down. The first dominoes often are often associated with the contact on the line of scrimmage.

I define this not only with the o-line, but also the WR at the snap.

Linemen have to get the first step and gain blocking angles and assignments designed on the play. Receivers or backs have to get a release from their defenders or get into a blocking position.

Within 2-3 seconds the play is over. Win at the line of scrimmage up and down the line and you should have a successful play.

 

[dcstands4]

Keep Demarco healthy...

 

[burmafrd]

A running game would certainly help but it's tough running the ball in the redzone for a lot teams especially once you get inside the 10 yardline. For the Cowboys it comes down to not shooting themselves in the foot with stupid penalties that bog down drives that result in having to settle for FG's. Garrett has had a tendency to get conservative once the Cowboys get into the redzone fearing mistakes. Whoever is in charge of calling plays this season needs to be more aggressive in the redzone.

The team seems to get tight once they get into scoring position which has led to a number of pre snap penalties. Having success in the redzone is going to come down to protecting Romo and getting receivers open. Most TD's in the redzone are scored by throwing the ball hopefully Escobar helps in this area. If he's going to live up to his draft status he needs to put some TD's on the board. With Dez and Witten he's not going to make a big impact with the number of catches he has so he has to provide an element that will improve the team in the redzone.

Rrecognize one reason for penalties, by the way, is the physical or mental inability to get it done on the part of the player. Many penalties occur due to frustration or realization that you cannot get it done inside the rules.

once again that comes down to talent.

When you only try a handful of times in the season to run the ball inside the 10 you will be succesful strictly due to surprise a few times which will make the percentage look a LOT better then it should be.

BOTTOM LINE IS THAT TALENT IS NEEDED THAT CAN GET IT DONE

 

[KJJ]

Rrecognize one reason for penalties, by the way, is the physical or mental inability to get it done on the part of the player. Many penalties occur due to frustration or realization that you cannot get it done inside the rules.

once again that comes down to talent.

When you only try a handful of times in the season to run the ball inside the 10 you will be succesful strictly due to surprise a few times which will make the percentage look a LOT better then it should be.

BOTTOM LINE IS THAT TALENT IS NEEDED THAT CAN GET IT DONE

Some of the penalties are pre snap penalties it's metal lapses that are common amongst undisciplined teams that aren't well coached. If you're going to run the ball effectively in the redzone you need a solid OL and a back who can run with power. Barber put up 20 rushing TD's in 2006-07 which is one reason the Cowboys were a playoff team both seasons. Emmitt was a redzone nightmare for defenses during his heyday in the early to mid 90's. Running the ball into the endzone comes down to blocking, eliminating stupid penalties and having a back who can stick their head in there and run with power. All it takes is one stupid penalty to kill a drive in the redzone.

We've seen it over and over again with the Cowboys they'll be moving the ball great from one 20 to the next then get flagged for a false start or a holding call. Going from a 2nd down and 6 from the 8 yardline to a second and 16 from the 18 is going to force you to abandon the run and put the ball up unless you prefer settling for FG's like Garrett. The Cowboys only had 13 rushing TD's the past 2 seasons. From 92 to 95 Emmitt scored 64 rushing TD's which was due to a great OL that didn't commit stupid penalties inside the redzone and Emmitt's ability to run with power and maintain his balance.

The Cowboys last playoff team in 09 produced 11 rushing TD's. It's clear that a big part of the Cowboys struggles are due to not being able to pound the ball into the endzone. The playoff teams the Cowboys have had all produced double digit rushing TD's. Even the 03 playoff team led by Quincy Carter, Troy Hambrick, Aveion Cason, Eric Bickerstaff and Richie Anderson produced 11 rushing TD's.

 

[jobberone]

I'm surprised it took that long for such an obvious answer.

Play calling has nothing to do with it. That's scenery to distract from the real problem. Both Garrett and Callahan are good enough play callers. They just need talent.

Multiple posts in this thread have said the running game needed to improve and that called for improving line play.

 

[Doomsday101]

We sucked at it last year. It's one of Garrett's biggest flaws. How do we get better inside the 20 this year?

Simple be able to run the damn ball. When you take the run out of the option it is not hard to defend a pass when the DB have so little room to cover. We are not running well enough to make them play honest

 

[KJJ]

Multiple posts in this thread have said the running game needed to improve and that called for improving line play.

You also need a back who's not going to produce negative yardage by trying to cut back all the time. Murray gets a little cute with the cutbacks and reversing field he's made some big plays doing it but it also resulted in 17 carries for losses last season. He has to learn to go where the play is designed in the redzone and get what he can. Any negative yardage in the redzone can put you in a passing situation.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Simple be able to run the damn ball. When you take the run out of the option it is not hard to defend a pass when the DB have so little room to cover. We are not running well enough to make them play honest

I would also argue we should have the play action down in that area--a few boot legs and other short routes, of course. But mostly I'd like to see some play action and really work that 12 system. You guys are going to bag on me for bringing it up. But I really think Hannah is going to be the next Miles Austin in terms of he'll develop as a pass threat. Somehow I see him fitting better into our offense at them moment than Escobar, who I think will probably see more bench time than we think. At least I hope Hannah still has a shot to win the #2 TE spot. I also like him as the H-back, but we shall see.

 

[Doomsday101]

I would also argue we should have the play action down in that area--a few boot legs and other short routes, of course. But mostly I'd like to see some play action and really work that 12 system. You guys are going to bag on me for bringing it up. But I really think Hannah is going to be the next Miles Austin in terms of he'll develop as a pass threat. Somehow I see him fitting better into our offense at them moment than Escobar, who I think will probably see more bench time than we think. At least I hope Hannah still has a shot to win the #2 TE spot. I also like him as the H-back, but we shall see.

We have but no one is buying play action if they know you can't run. We have bootleg only to have the defender waiting on the edge for Romo.

Dallas limits themselfs when they can't run the ball.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

We have but no one is buying play action if they know you can't run. We have bootleg only to have the defender waiting on the edge for Romo.

Dallas limits themselfs when they can't run the ball.

I won't argue with that.