Improve this and our offense will be dangerous again

[Bobhaze]

Scoring TDs in the red zone is a critical success component of teams who win. Last year, the Cowboys scored a TD only 48% of the time it was in the red zone. That was 29th in the league in 2018. The league average for red zone TD scoring in 2018 was about 62%. Even after the Cooper trade, our offense finished 22nd in scoring last year.

That MUST improve if we are going to compete for a championship.

What’s even more amazing is even with the best RB in football, and the best running NFL QB in the red zone (yes Dak haters, the last 3 yrs Dak has been the best red zone running QB- even better than Cam Newton) the Cowboys have not been good in the red zone since 2016. And its even more startling when you consider, we finished 32nd- dead last in the league- in scoring TDs from a first and goal situation.

Here’s some interesting notes about WHAT was happening in the red zone and why most problems are mostly on Scott Linehan and Garrett:

• On first, second or third and goal situations inside the ten last year, Zeke had 11 carries for 5 yards.
• Dak averages 4.4 yards a carry inside the ten. That’s the best avg per carry of any player who ran the ball last yr inside the ten yl and yet, Linehan rarely called his number.
• Pass plays inside the ten were run mostly from Jumbo TE packages, and the best route runners were on the sideline.

So how can this be fixed?

• Spread out. Occasionally run a 5 Wide empty backfield using Zeke as a wide out which forces the defense to respect that you have passing options, or run a 4 WR set with Zeke in back field. Again forcing the defense to have multiple things to worry about. Dak was deadly as a runner from the empty back set.
• Just a side note on the empty backfield sets- Dak has scored 5 TDs and 3 two point conversions from this set. It’s almost unstoppable for defenses yet Linehan almost never used it in the red zone.
• Stop always going into the “Jumbo” TE package, which makes it easier for defenses to stop the run game inside the ten because they can sell out against the run and have very little area to cover receivers.
• The best offenses in the NFL last year- Rams, Chiefs, Saints, etc, ran spread formations more than half the time inside the ten.

The bottom line is this: If we want to take the next step in being relevant in January, we must improve our red zone offense performance. That’s going to fall mostly on the young shoulders of Kellen Moore. Hopefully he’s learned some things about what NOT to do in the red zone from Scott Linehan. And let’s hope Head Coach Vanilla doesn’t hinder the creativity of his OC.

 

[conner01]

That is by far the easiest, simple fix that has the biggest effect
Just getting to avg is probably another 4-5 points a game
In a league where teams almost always play tight games, 4-5 more points a game is huge

 

[Jarv]

The threat of Dez on the goaline has is gone and it shows.

 

[jazzcat22]

Linehan was the biggest reason for this. That was the best off season move by far. Not sure about Moore yet, but he has to be far better that other dude.

 

[jazzcat22]

And even at his age, they will have to respect Witten inside the 10. This can help open up other options.

Having Frederick back will be a big help also. If Williams or whoever the LG will be, playing between Smith and Frederick will be good for him. This can cause the DL some matchup problems.

 

[Bobhaze]

That is by far the easiest, simple fix that has the biggest effect
Just getting to avg is probably another 4-5 points a game
In a league where teams almost always play tight games, 4-5 more points a game is huge

Good point. Last year, we surrendered tons of points inside the ten. The NFL has become a league where offenses must use multiple looks and formations to keep talented defenses honest. Garrett has for years acted like all we need to do is “fight”...just be more physical than the opponent. It’s good to be the aggressor but it’s not 1992. Defenses are much tougher to run on than they were when the Cowboys were great in the 90s.

 

[Jake]

What’s even more amazing is even with the best RB in football, and the best running NFL QB in the red zone (yes Dak haters, the last 3 yrs Dak has been the best red zone running QB- even better than Cam Newton) the Cowboys have not been good in the red zone since 2016. And its even more startling when you consider, we finished 32nd- dead last in the league- in scoring TDs from a first and goal situation.

Here’s some interesting notes about WHAT was happening in the red zone and why most problems are mostly on Scott Linehan and Garrett:

• On first, second or third and goal situations inside the ten last year, Zeke had 11 carries for 5 yards.
• Dak averages 4.4 yards a carry inside the ten. That’s the best avg per carry of any player who ran the ball last yr inside the ten yl and yet, Linehan rarely called his number.
• Pass plays inside the ten were run mostly from Jumbo TE packages, and the best route runners were on the sideline.

So how can this be fixed?

• Spread out. Occasionally run a 5 Wide empty backfield using Zeke as a wide out which forces the defense to respect that you have passing options, or run a 4 WR set with Zeke in back field. Again forcing the defense to have multiple things to worry about. Dak was deadly as a runner from the empty back set.
• Just a side note on the empty backfield sets- Dak has scored 5 TDs and 3 two point conversions from this set. It’s almost unstoppable for defenses yet Linehan almost never used it in the red zone.
• Stop always going into the “Jumbo” TE package, which makes it easier for defenses to stop the run game inside the ten because they can sell out against the run and have very little area to cover receivers.
• The best offenses in the NFL last year- Rams, Chiefs, Saints, etc, ran spread formations more than half the time inside the ten.

The bottom line is this: If we want to take the next step in being relevant in January, we must improve our red zone offense performance. That’s going to fall mostly on the young shoulders of Kellen Moore. Hopefully he’s learned some things about what NOT to do in the red zone from Scott Linehan. And let’s hope Head Coach Vanilla doesn’t hinder the creativity of his OC.

Jumbo is an antiquated concept in 2019. It's like still running the wishbone in college football.

Pittsburgh led the NFL in red zone TD percentage last season, and they didn't do it by bringing in 3 TEs and compacting the field. They did it by spreading out the defense.

 

[conner01]

Good point. Last year, we surrendered tons of points inside the ten. The NFL has become a league where offenses must use multiple looks and formations to keep talented defenses honest. Garrett has for years acted like all we need to do is “fight”...just be more physical than the opponent. It’s good to be the aggressor but it’s not 1992. Defenses are much tougher to run on than they were when the Cowboys were great in the 90s.

You can get away with being basic in the middle of the field some, but in the redzone it won’t work
Too compressed and everyone is fast to close on plays
You have to be creative in the redzone or you get a FG instead of a TD

 

[TexasHillbilly]

Scoring TDs in the red zone is a critical success component of teams who win. Last year, the Cowboys scored a TD only 48% of the time it was in the red zone. That was 29th in the league in 2018. The league average for red zone TD scoring in 2018 was about 62%. Even after the Cooper trade, our offense finished 22nd in scoring last year.

That MUST improve if we are going to compete for a championship.

What’s even more amazing is even with the best RB in football, and the best running NFL QB in the red zone (yes Dak haters, the last 3 yrs Dak has been the best red zone running QB- even better than Cam Newton) the Cowboys have not been good in the red zone since 2016. And its even more startling when you consider, we finished 32nd- dead last in the league- in scoring TDs from a first and goal situation.

Here’s some interesting notes about WHAT was happening in the red zone and why most problems are mostly on Scott Linehan and Garrett:

• On first, second or third and goal situations inside the ten last year, Zeke had 11 carries for 5 yards.
• Dak averages 4.4 yards a carry inside the ten. That’s the best avg per carry of any player who ran the ball last yr inside the ten yl and yet, Linehan rarely called his number.
• Pass plays inside the ten were run mostly from Jumbo TE packages, and the best route runners were on the sideline.

So how can this be fixed?

• Spread out. Occasionally run a 5 Wide empty backfield using Zeke as a wide out which forces the defense to respect that you have passing options, or run a 4 WR set with Zeke in back field. Again forcing the defense to have multiple things to worry about. Dak was deadly as a runner from the empty back set.
• Just a side note on the empty backfield sets- Dak has scored 5 TDs and 3 two point conversions from this set. It’s almost unstoppable for defenses yet Linehan almost never used it in the red zone.
• Stop always going into the “Jumbo” TE package, which makes it easier for defenses to stop the run game inside the ten because they can sell out against the run and have very little area to cover receivers.
• The best offenses in the NFL last year- Rams, Chiefs, Saints, etc, ran spread formations more than half the time inside the ten.

The bottom line is this: If we want to take the next step in being relevant in January, we must improve our red zone offense performance. That’s going to fall mostly on the young shoulders of Kellen Moore. Hopefully he’s learned some things about what NOT to do in the red zone from Scott Linehan. And let’s hope Head Coach Vanilla doesn’t hinder the creativity of his OC.

Can't we just send the coaching staff this information?

I am sure they already have all this. Question is, what are they going to do with it?

 

[Proof]

You can get away with being basic in the middle of the field some, but in the redzone it won’t work
Too compressed and everyone is fast to close on plays
You have to be creative in the redzone or you get a FG instead of a TD

fg opportunity*

 

[jujoboys]

The threat of Dez on the goaline has is gone and it shows.

I think it is more than that. The numbers did decrease from 2016 and 2017. In 2016 we scored TDs on 65.6% of our red zone possessions which was #5 in the league. In 2017 it dropped to 59.6% which was still #7 in the league. In 2018 it dropped drastically to 51.8% which was #26 in the league. I think there were several factors that led to the drop in production.

1) Jason Witten and Dez Bryant gone. Combined they accounted for 11 receiving TDs in 2017. It was time for Dez to go due to diminishing results and the substantial CAP hit but he was still better than what we had left on the roster until we waited 8 games into the season to trade for Cooper. We never really attempted to replace Witten.

2) The offensive line was not as good in 2018 in my opinion. Especially compared to the OLine we had in 2016.

That being said, going into 2019 I think we are closer to being back to where we were in 2016 that where we were in 2018. Our receivers right now look much better than what we had going into the 2018 season and our offensive line seems to have a lot more depth. Hopefully, Kellen Moore is an upgrade over Linehan.

 

[Stash]

Here’s what really held the 2018 Cowboys back, and what Kellen Moore’s 2019 offense must solve – Bob Sturm, The Athletic

Another deep dive from the Sturminator into the single biggest challenge facing new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

A branch off the red-zone tree makes them look even worse: No team (32nd) was more inefficient at scoring touchdowns after a first-and-goal than the Dallas Cowboys.

You mean to tell me with this running back and this offensive line (not to mention Prescottand Cooper) Dallas can’t punch in a first-and-goal? The Cowboys scored touchdowns after 52% of first-and-goals. The Saints led the league at 85%. Do you know how many points that accounts for? Seven different NFL teams were over 80% in this category! Minnesota was 19th in the league, and their rate was 75%!

If league average is 76% and you sat at 52% in a scenario you encounter at least 25 times per season, that means you left between six and eight touchdowns on the field last year. Let’s meet in the middle and call it seven. Since the Cowboys were so bad here, we can easily suggest that they kicked six field goals for 18 points, with the last attempt including a stopped fourth down or takeaway. That is a 31 point difference, roughly two points per game. Two points per game would vault a team from the 22nd-best scoring offense (where they finished the year) to about the 15th-best without changing a single other thing.

That illustrates how vital it is to be efficient in the red zone and inside the 10. You must take your chances and make them count. Yes, the Cowboys need a more explosive and diverse attack and that is being addressed in a number of ways. But the clearest and most obvious reason Scott Linehan was fired was that this offense was better at scoring from midfield than it was at scoring from the eight-yard line. And that is what Kellen Moore has been tasked with fixing.

https://***BLOCKED***/973039/2019/0...d-what-kellen-moores-2019-offense-must-solve/

 

[Hardline]

The threat of Dez on the goaline has is gone and it shows.

It didn't show his last year here.

 

[Doc50]

Hey, Kellen -- you reading this thread?

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

The threat of Dez on the goaline has is gone and it shows.

Linehan being gone will also show in a good way.

 

[Bobhaze]

Here’s what really held the 2018 Cowboys back, and what Kellen Moore’s 2019 offense must solve – Bob Sturm, The Athletic

Another deep dive from the Sturminator into the single biggest challenge facing new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

A branch off the red-zone tree makes them look even worse: No team (32nd) was more inefficient at scoring touchdowns after a first-and-goal than the Dallas Cowboys.

You mean to tell me with this running back and this offensive line (not to mention Prescottand Cooper) Dallas can’t punch in a first-and-goal? The Cowboys scored touchdowns after 52% of first-and-goals. The Saints led the league at 85%. Do you know how many points that accounts for? Seven different NFL teams were over 80% in this category! Minnesota was 19th in the league, and their rate was 75%!

If league average is 76% and you sat at 52% in a scenario you encounter at least 25 times per season, that means you left between six and eight touchdowns on the field last year. Let’s meet in the middle and call it seven. Since the Cowboys were so bad here, we can easily suggest that they kicked six field goals for 18 points, with the last attempt including a stopped fourth down or takeaway. That is a 31 point difference, roughly two points per game. Two points per game would vault a team from the 22nd-best scoring offense (where they finished the year) to about the 15th-best without changing a single other thing.

That illustrates how vital it is to be efficient in the red zone and inside the 10. You must take your chances and make them count. Yes, the Cowboys need a more explosive and diverse attack and that is being addressed in a number of ways. But the clearest and most obvious reason Scott Linehan was fired was that this offense was better at scoring from midfield than it was at scoring from the eight-yard line. And that is what Kellen Moore has been tasked with fixing.

https://***BLOCKED***/973039/2019/0...d-what-kellen-moores-2019-offense-must-solve/

Good stuff from Sturm. I’m not a subscriber to the Athletic but I heard Bob Sturm talk about this yesterday on the Ticket. Sturm is usually very insightful.

 

[Fletch]

Scoring TDs in the red zone is a critical success component of teams who win. Last year, the Cowboys scored a TD only 48% of the time it was in the red zone. That was 29th in the league in 2018. The league average for red zone TD scoring in 2018 was about 62%. Even after the Cooper trade, our offense finished 22nd in scoring last year.

That MUST improve if we are going to compete for a championship.

What’s even more amazing is even with the best RB in football, and the best running NFL QB in the red zone (yes Dak haters, the last 3 yrs Dak has been the best red zone running QB- even better than Cam Newton) the Cowboys have not been good in the red zone since 2016. And its even more startling when you consider, we finished 32nd- dead last in the league- in scoring TDs from a first and goal situation.

Here’s some interesting notes about WHAT was happening in the red zone and why most problems are mostly on Scott Linehan and Garrett:

• On first, second or third and goal situations inside the ten last year, Zeke had 11 carries for 5 yards.
• Dak averages 4.4 yards a carry inside the ten. That’s the best avg per carry of any player who ran the ball last yr inside the ten yl and yet, Linehan rarely called his number.
• Pass plays inside the ten were run mostly from Jumbo TE packages, and the best route runners were on the sideline.

So how can this be fixed?

• Spread out. Occasionally run a 5 Wide empty backfield using Zeke as a wide out which forces the defense to respect that you have passing options, or run a 4 WR set with Zeke in back field. Again forcing the defense to have multiple things to worry about. Dak was deadly as a runner from the empty back set.
• Just a side note on the empty backfield sets- Dak has scored 5 TDs and 3 two point conversions from this set. It’s almost unstoppable for defenses yet Linehan almost never used it in the red zone.
• Stop always going into the “Jumbo” TE package, which makes it easier for defenses to stop the run game inside the ten because they can sell out against the run and have very little area to cover receivers.
• The best offenses in the NFL last year- Rams, Chiefs, Saints, etc, ran spread formations more than half the time inside the ten.

The bottom line is this: If we want to take the next step in being relevant in January, we must improve our red zone offense performance. That’s going to fall mostly on the young shoulders of Kellen Moore. Hopefully he’s learned some things about what NOT to do in the red zone from Scott Linehan. And let’s hope Head Coach Vanilla doesn’t hinder the creativity of his OC.

Good post Bob.

I agree. I hated seeing us just inside the 10, with our usual predictable stack formation, wasting back to back downs only to have to throw into the teeth of the defense on 3rd and goal, which stalls a productive drive, and having to settle for 3.

 

[Whyjerry]

First and goal on the 5. Zeke is on the team. Ton of capital spent on the OL. Team lines up in a spread formation and throws 2 fades routes.

Line up and run it between the tackles. Zeke almost never gets taken down for loss or no gain. Bootleg or get Dak space to run it. It is very simple.

The whole red zone philosophy needed an overhaul.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Scoring TDs in the red zone is a critical success component of teams who win. Last year, the Cowboys scored a TD only 48% of the time it was in the red zone. That was 29th in the league in 2018. The league average for red zone TD scoring in 2018 was about 62%. Even after the Cooper trade, our offense finished 22nd in scoring last year.

That MUST improve if we are going to compete for a championship.

What’s even more amazing is even with the best RB in football, and the best running NFL QB in the red zone (yes Dak haters, the last 3 yrs Dak has been the best red zone running QB- even better than Cam Newton) the Cowboys have not been good in the red zone since 2016. And its even more startling when you consider, we finished 32nd- dead last in the league- in scoring TDs from a first and goal situation.

Here’s some interesting notes about WHAT was happening in the red zone and why most problems are mostly on Scott Linehan and Garrett:

• On first, second or third and goal situations inside the ten last year, Zeke had 11 carries for 5 yards.
• Dak averages 4.4 yards a carry inside the ten. That’s the best avg per carry of any player who ran the ball last yr inside the ten yl and yet, Linehan rarely called his number.
• Pass plays inside the ten were run mostly from Jumbo TE packages, and the best route runners were on the sideline.

So how can this be fixed?

• Spread out. Occasionally run a 5 Wide empty backfield using Zeke as a wide out which forces the defense to respect that you have passing options, or run a 4 WR set with Zeke in back field. Again forcing the defense to have multiple things to worry about. Dak was deadly as a runner from the empty back set.
• Just a side note on the empty backfield sets- Dak has scored 5 TDs and 3 two point conversions from this set. It’s almost unstoppable for defenses yet Linehan almost never used it in the red zone.
• Stop always going into the “Jumbo” TE package, which makes it easier for defenses to stop the run game inside the ten because they can sell out against the run and have very little area to cover receivers.
• The best offenses in the NFL last year- Rams, Chiefs, Saints, etc, ran spread formations more than half the time inside the ten.

The bottom line is this: If we want to take the next step in being relevant in January, we must improve our red zone offense performance. That’s going to fall mostly on the young shoulders of Kellen Moore. Hopefully he’s learned some things about what NOT to do in the red zone from Scott Linehan. And let’s hope Head Coach Vanilla doesn’t hinder the creativity of his OC.

Have seen many threads saying the same thing @Bobhaze and agree with yours and the others. Good post

 

[Bobhaze]

First and goal on the 5. Zeke is on the team. Ton of capital spent on the OL. Team lines up in a spread formation and throws 2 fades routes.

Line up and run it between the tackles. Zeke almost never gets taken down for loss or no gain. Bootleg or get Dak space to run it. It is very simple.

The whole red zone philosophy needed an overhaul.

I don’t disagree with your main point. But last year, Zeke had 11 carries for 5 yards inside the ten. This OL was not capable of just imposing its will on opponents inside the ten. The Jumbo blocking packages Garrett has favored over the years have not been effective the last two seasons. I like running the ball too but some new wrinkles are needed to open things up.