CFZ Individual Matchups/Execution Dictate Effective Play-calling

[Dre11]

Every week during a long season, many fans make the comment, “They need to run the ____ play that worked so well against Cincy”. Or when good plays happen, “Where was that against Tampa?” Or why don’t we run more ____plays that worked so well against _____?”

Well the correct answer to all questions is this: sometimes plays work and don’t work because of the individual matchups- and the players’ execution of those plays- not just because they are “great plays”. In other words matchups and execution matter. And sometimes a dominant player on the other side may dictate a lot of what you do or don’t do.

Think about what the giants are doing this week preparing for Micah Parsons. After watching the film on him, I guarantee there will be some plays they DON’T run because of what Micah Parsons can do. I promise you, many giants fans will be screaming at their tvs about why they aren’t running plays that worked last week. The correct answer to that is because the matchups are different this week.

Watching Cooper Rush hit on multiple passes that Dak didn’t the week before was a combination of Dak playing poorly coupled with a very tough Tampa defense. Look at what Tampa did to the saints last week. Rush played very well Sunday against Cincy but their defense isn’t the Bucs.

So in this long season, don’t be surprised if you scream at your tv for Kellen Moore to call that play that worked so well last week…and then it never happens. Because not every team has the same strengths and weaknesses. And individual matchups are often what dictates the play calls.

And honestly IMO play-calling is one of the most overrated parts of football. Sure it’s important, but sometimes the OC has made a great play call but the players didn’t execute it very well. Maybe a key block was missed or someone ran the wrong route.

Play-calling is about 25-50% of the success we see on Sunday. The rest is film study, preparation, and execution. And that coupled with great execution against the right matchups is what leads to success.

Been saying this for years on this board, All plays are designed to work, its about execution, whether the defense execute, or the offense execute the best. also, a lot of the plays that goes into the QB isn't the play ran when the ball is hiked.

 

[Dre11]

While I pretty much agree with all of this Bob, calling plays is an art. IMO I want the OC that doesn’t settle for stuff. I want the play caller that wants to attack and not be dictated. If they stop it? Try again. Sometimes the other players are just better. You should know this watching Tech with Mike Leach. He didn’t care what others said and people thought he was crazy.

Sometimes its not up to the coordinator, the QB(the good ones) get teams in the right plays

 

[Runwildboys]

Every week during a long season, many fans make the comment, “They need to run the ____ play that worked so well against Cincy”. Or when good plays happen, “Where was that against Tampa?” Or why don’t we run more ____plays that worked so well against _____?”

Well the correct answer to all questions is this: sometimes plays work and don’t work because of the individual matchups- and the players’ execution of those plays- not just because they are “great plays”. In other words matchups and execution matter. And sometimes a dominant player on the other side may dictate a lot of what you do or don’t do.

Think about what the giants are doing this week preparing for Micah Parsons. After watching the film on him, I guarantee there will be some plays they DON’T run because of what Micah Parsons can do. I promise you, many giants fans will be screaming at their tvs about why they aren’t running plays that worked last week. The correct answer to that is because the matchups are different this week.

Watching Cooper Rush hit on multiple passes that Dak didn’t the week before was a combination of Dak playing poorly coupled with a very tough Tampa defense. Look at what Tampa did to the saints last week. Rush played very well Sunday against Cincy but their defense isn’t the Bucs.

So in this long season, don’t be surprised if you scream at your tv for Kellen Moore to call that play that worked so well last week…and then it never happens. Because not every team has the same strengths and weaknesses. And individual matchups are often what dictates the play calls.

And honestly IMO play-calling is one of the most overrated parts of football. Sure it’s important, but sometimes the OC has made a great play call but the players didn’t execute it very well. Maybe a key block was missed or someone ran the wrong route.

Play-calling is about 25-50% of the success we see on Sunday. The rest is film study, preparation, and execution. And that coupled with great execution against the right matchups is what leads to success.

Or a defensive player read the play better than the guys the prior week did.

 

[Dre11]

How about in-game adjustments. He never seems to do or be able to make them.
Maybe he does and we don't see it as much, or the defenses made their adjustments to counter him. Hard to say.

Now last season the 1st 5 or 6 games, even the announcers and media was saying he put together some great game plans. And he did.
Then injuries and such, later on did not seem to go as well.
So was it more on Kellen, or more on the players.

Sometimes good / great players make average coaches look good / great.

exactly? I remember hearing Payton say Drew Brees made him look right a lot. Because Brees would change the call to the right play.

 

[Runwildboys]

How about in-game adjustments. He never seems to do or be able to make them.
Maybe he does and we don't see it as much, or the defenses made their adjustments to counter him. Hard to say.

Now last season the 1st 5 or 6 games, even the announcers and media was saying he put together some great game plans. And he did.
Then injuries and such, later on did not seem to go as well.
So was it more on Kellen, or more on the players.

Sometimes good / great players make average coaches look good / great.

Against Cincy, I was hoping Moore would get ahead of the defensive adjustments, and change up the game plan before they even took the field. If he did, it wasn't for the better.

 

[CowboyFrog]

Against Cincy, I was hoping Moore would get ahead of the defensive adjustments, and change up the game plan before they even took the field. If he did, it wasn't for the better.

No the minute they stop blitzing and went full coverage zone it stalled...this is a problem.

 

[Bobhaze]

So you are of the opinion then that when the opposing team knows your play before the snap that its the players fault for not executing it?

No not saying that. And I will agree with you this offensive scheme is still way too simple and predictable.

 

[G2]

To me match-ups are everything. Week 1 we were outmatched on the O line, but week 2 it improved a considerable amount. I think the play calling is still inconsistent in terms of momentum. Again, it improved in week 2, but only the 1st couple of drives. NY is a winnable game if we can lean on the defense but also get some turnovers to shorten the field for the offense. That would help Rush. They need to play offense with urgency and be a little more aggressive. NY has one solid CB and a couple of safeties, but the other CB has been exposed.

 

[doomsday9084]

Random comments:
- I suspect the typical fan would be rather surprised by the options that the team has both before and after the snap. The QB can go to a second play. Blockers have reads to make. Backs can block or go out. Receivers modify their routes based on coverage. This is part of the "execution" mentioned in the OP and goes beyond simply throwing the ball accurately or holding your block.
- There is a rock / paper / scissors aspect to playcalling. Defenses can't take everything away but they can take *something* away. If you keep trying to do what they are trying to take away, either your execution has to be flawless or you are going to fail. One HUGE issue KM has had is that he seems to rarely adjust to what the defense is giving him.
- The defense also isn't dumb. They can read and make adjustments. There have been countless reports that Dallas tips the play based on pre snap formation and movement. This gets to the preparation aspect in the OP. If the other team is prepared and you tip your hand, it almost doesn't matter what play you call.

Overall, I'm not a particularly big KM fan but that's just based on what he can control . . . which is far less than what a lot of people think.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

What linebacker are safety do y'all think can cover Pollard in the slot constantly?

Think about that, then tell how good Moore is at calling plays.

 

[RonnieT24]

What linebacker are safety do y'all think can cover Pollard in the slot constantly?

Think about that, then tell how good Moore is at calling plays.

Well to be fair we really don't know if Pollard can run the entire route tree. We've only seen him on the dumpoffs and on wheels and "Texas routes." I would wager most slot corners and free safeties can handle that but maybe only a hand full of linebackers. If indeed he can run true receiver routes then he becomes a much bigger problem for the defense. But watching Moore.. I doubt we'll ever find out.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Every week during a long season, many fans make the comment, “They need to run the ____ play that worked so well against Cincy”. Or when good plays happen, “Where was that against Tampa?” Or why don’t we run more ____plays that worked so well against _____?”

Well the correct answer to all questions is this: sometimes plays work and don’t work because of the individual matchups- and the players’ execution of those plays- not just because they are “great plays”. In other words matchups and execution matter. And sometimes a dominant player on the other side may dictate a lot of what you do or don’t do.

Think about what the giants are doing this week preparing for Micah Parsons. After watching the film on him, I guarantee there will be some plays they DON’T run because of what Micah Parsons can do. I promise you, many giants fans will be screaming at their tvs about why they aren’t running plays that worked last week. The correct answer to that is because the matchups are different this week.

Watching Cooper Rush hit on multiple passes that Dak didn’t the week before was a combination of Dak playing poorly coupled with a very tough Tampa defense. Look at what Tampa did to the saints last week. Rush played very well Sunday against Cincy but their defense isn’t the Bucs.

So in this long season, don’t be surprised if you scream at your tv for Kellen Moore to call that play that worked so well last week…and then it never happens. Because not every team has the same strengths and weaknesses. And individual matchups are often what dictates the play calls.

And honestly IMO play-calling is one of the most overrated parts of football. Sure it’s important, but sometimes the OC has made a great play call but the players didn’t execute it very well. Maybe a key block was missed or someone ran the wrong route.

Play-calling is about 25-50% of the success we see on Sunday. The rest is film study, preparation, and execution. And that coupled with great execution against the right matchups is what leads to success.

that's called game planning. you study your opponent. you find weaknesses. you find their strengths. you plan accordingly. you use plays from your playbook to "create" favorable match ups, based on play design.

at the end of the day its all about execution. but you as the OC are able to put the players in position to give them a better chance of executing.

this is not the 90s cowboys team, with 4 HOFers (or was it 6), that just lined up and executed and eventhough the opponent knew what was coming, they couldn't stop it.

 

[kskboys]

So you are of the opinion then that when the opposing team knows your play before the snap that its the players fault for not executing it?

Play calling is not rocket science. Figuring out what play a team is running isn't that hard.

 

[RonnieT24]

Play calling is not rocket science. Figuring out what play a team is running isn't that hard.

Especially not for guys who spend 80 hours a week studying the opponent. That's why the good OCs and QBs know themselves and know when to buck their own tendencies. At the precise moment they simply have to be playing 3 dimensional chess and be able to anticipate each move and counter move. But it bears stating.. every defensive player and coordinator will tell you, there is no defense for a perfectly executed play. A DB has no chance against a perfect throw.. meaning one that is placed exactly where the WR can get it but the DB can't. Same with a perfectly blocked running play. If every lineman, TE and WR blocks his man then the first guy with a shot at the tackle will be at the second level. Needless to say the play is already successful if that's the case. Now we know the vast majority of plays are NOT perfectly executed.. but the closer an offense can get to doing so the farther away they get from being stopped.. whether the defense knows what's coming or not.

 

[kskboys]

Y'all are silly.

It's blatantly obvious. It's both. Coaching and talent. Each is worthless w/o the other. And this has played out over the decades over and over and over. And then add in that you need a top 15ish QB.

 

[Bobhaze]

Y'all are silly.

It's blatantly obvious. It's both. Coaching and talent. Each is worthless w/o the other. And this has played out over the decades over and over and over. And then add in that you need a top 15ish QB.

The process for building a playoff ready team:

• Owner selects GM then delegates authority to GM to hire HC and develop vision.
• GM hires HC then delegates authority to HC to hire the right assistants.
• GM and FO scout college talent and NFL FAs that will be aligned to team philosophy and vision.
• Draft talent; sign some appropriate FAs.
• HC and staff develop talent INTO A COHESIVE TEAM. PLAYERS KNOW THEIR ROLES.

In short- hire a great GM who hires a great HC. Draft and acquire talent. Develop talent into a cohesive team.
I’m still amazed at how many fans think talent alone is enough or that hiring a great HC is enough. It’s both. It’s having a healthy organization. Which is what is killing the Cowboys right now. Organizational culture stinks.