How This Team Goes Undefeated the Rest of the Way

[percyhoward]

I'm only kidding. Well, half-kidding. Maybe not even half.

I've posted on this subject before, but there's such a stark contrast here that it bears repeating and repeating:
We're 5-0 when...
Barber runs right 40% of the time or more
Barber runs right 4 or more times in the first half

We're 0-4 when...
Barber runs right 29% of the time or less
Barber runs right 2 or fewer times in the first half

WHOLE GAME
Opponent/% of runs to right/runs to right, out of total carries
at Cle 63% 10 of 16
vs Phi 56% 10 of 18
at GrB 54% 15 of 28
vs Was 25% 2 of 8
vs Cin 48% 11 of 23
at Ari 29% 5 of 17
at StL 24% 4 of 17
vs TB 40% 10 of 25
at NYG 26% 5 of 19

In those first three games, Barber ran right a disproportionate number of times. IOW, his runs to the middle and left combined didn't match his number of runs to the right. (33% in each direction would be normal, but Barber averaged 56% to the right in the first three games). It's important to note that it was Kozier, and not Procter, who spent most of the time at left guard in those 3 games. Even so, we ran away from his side most of time--with great success.

The big dropoff came against Washington at home. Barber only got 5 first half carries, but only one of those was to the right (for a first down, incidentally, when the safety was playing up on that side). We got back on track the following week, as Garrett went back to the run, and back to favoring the right side with Barber.

Since then, we've gone off on another track, especially in the first half of games...

FIRST HALF ONLY
at Cle 8 of 12
vs Phi 4 of 7
at GrB 11 of 15
vs Was 1 of 5
vs Cin 6 of 13
at Ari 2 of 10
at StL 2 of 14
vs TB 3 of 12
at NYG 1 of 9

Basically, the fewer times Barber runs to the right in the first half, the fewer points we score in that half. Our highest point totals in the first half were against Cle, Phi, GrB, and Cin. Those were the only games in which more than 25% of Barber's first half runs were to the right (and they were double--46% or more in every game). Of course a big part of the low first half point totals in the other games was Romo's absence. But Romo played against the Skins (1 Barber run to the right, 10 points) and Cardinals (2 Barber runs to the right, 7 points).

 

[Romo2Dez4six]

if we play like we can...then YES we could do it, but people need to step up and play like it.

 

[Romo2Dez4six]

and............... we need to see alot of FELIX and ROY...

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Romo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[THUMPER]

You need to forward that the Jason Garrett right away!

His playcalling has really gotten worse this season even though we have more weapons than we did last year.

 

[percyhoward]

Romo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Romo
2. Felix
3. play calling

 

[Romo2Dez4six]

1. Romo
2. Felix
3. play calling

i like it

 

[Chief]

Percy, you should fill the role of quality control coach.

Oh wait. Young Wes Phillips is providing his expertise in that role.

 

[percyhoward]

You put your finger on it, Chief.

A lot of quality, little or no control.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

We just need to worry about winning this weekend. Then we can worry about each week after that. I know people hate it, but I don't care, one game at a time folks. One game at a time.

I'll worry about the Niners when we get to that week and the Giants when we get to that game. Right now it's all about going into DC and beating the Skins.

 

[Velvet Jones]

We just need to worry about winning this weekend. Then we can worry about each week after that. I know people hate it, but I don't care, one game at a time folks. One game at a time.

I'll worry about the Niners when we get to that week and the Giants when we get to that game. Right now it's all about going into DC and beating the Skins.

+1

I don't want this team thinking about how to go undefeated down the stretch. I want them to worry about being beat again by their rivals. I want them worrying about how they are going to punish their running game after getting beat down by it. I want them to worry about handing Washington their second embarassing home loss in a row.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Big Red is fixing it right now!

 

[Seven]

.............There's an NFL BBQ tomorrow at Snyders house. EVERYBODY shows up. 'Cept us. There's an explosion...........................Huge explosion.

 

[kmd24]

Percy, great breakdown. I'm wondering if the reason we are running left is that opponents are stacking the right. It's painfully obvious even to the casual observer that Proctor is a weak link in the run game while Bigg and Columbo are the strength.

I know if I were facing the Cowboys, I would concentrate my run defense to the offensive right.

I suspect this is the case, because we have broken a couple of big runs to the left by exploiting defensive flow to the right side.

 

[sonnyboy]

We just need to worry about winning this weekend. Then we can worry about each week after that. I know people hate it, but I don't care, one game at a time folks. One game at a time.

I'll worry about the Niners when we get to that week and the Giants when we get to that game. Right now it's all about going into DC and beating the Skins.

No we don't! Why do people insist on making these annoying posts. We can spend the rest of this week discussing the 2009 draft if we want to and I can assure you it will have zero impact on the game.

The Dallas Cowboys need to, and I can assure they are, focus on the Commanders.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Like someone already stated, we need to focus on winning this Sunday.

The way this team has played this year, they shouldn't even be thinking about going undefeated.

Focus on the Commanders and worry about next week, next week.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Percy, you should fill the role of quality control coach.

Oh wait. Young Wes Phillips is providing his expertise in that role.

...aka Son of Fixit.

 

[percyhoward]

Percy, great breakdown. I'm wondering if the reason we are running left is that opponents are stacking the right.

Thanks for reading the OP. In a word, "no."

I've watched every game specifically looking for defenses consistently overloading our offensive right side, and it just ain't happening. I didn't watch the Giants game a second time.

We ran all over the Packers--to the right. In the next game after that, the Skins fooled around with bringing up the safety on that side a little bit (meaning 2 or 3 times the whole game), but like I said, the one time we ran right against it anyway--we got the first down. Remember Barber plowing over Horton on 3rd and short?

It's been suggested by others that the reason Garrett runs left so much is because he's afraid of the D doing exactly what you said. That theory doesn't hold water, because we've made defenses pay the very few times they've done it.

The only thing I can figure is that Garrett knows we can't run left, so he wants to run to the other side only as a surprise tactic in an effort to get a big play there where he can count on decent blocking. That's if there is any reason for it at all.

 

[dougonthebench]

we will go undefeated the rest of the way if.................
we simply score more points than we allow.with Romo back,that is a posibility.we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The only thing I can figure is that Garrett knows we can't run left, so he wants to run to the other side only as a surprise tactic in an effort to get a big play there where he can count on decent blocking. That's if there is any reason for it at all.

I agree with what somebody (maybe you) said... I think Garrett just outsmarts himself. "They know we're stronger to the right, so we'll run left where they won't expect it."

At least that's my guess.

What's weird is that Wade has always been big on getting the ball in the best players' hands and doing what you do best -- simple. But I get the idea Garrett pretty much handles the O all by himself.