Interesting data by FO on our run defense

[Sydla]

Football Outsiders breaks down run defense according to zones. Five total zones - Left End (Outside LT), over the LT, middle/guard, over the RT, Right End (Outside the RT).

- The chart ranks by Adjusted Line Yards (ALY) which is explained at the link if you have a Football Outsiders membership (it's free). Basically they adjust yards per carry by OL responsibility, down, distance, etc.

- When looking at the DL, a left end run would be to the right defensive end's side of the field.

Now, they also have argued in the past that the data can be a bit misleading early in the year so this will shake out more over the next few weeks.

But here's what their data shows:

• Cowboys rank 30th in ALY when teams run outside our right defensive end.
• Cowboys rank 9th in ALY when teams run at our right defensive end
• Cowboys rank 5th in ALY on runs essentially up the middle
• Cowboys rank 26th in ALY on runs at our left defensive end
• Cowboys rank 15th in ALY when teams run outside our left defensive end

Someone hinted in another thread that we really struggle on outside runs, and the data would bear that out. Surprisingly, we seem fine at runs up the middle but any runs that attacked our edges seem to be a real weak spot. It's a bit surprising in that we are supposed to be a team built on speed in Quinn's mold but maybe a little weak up the middle but this would seem to indicate that we hold our own up the middle but teams can get get at the OTs and outside the OTs with pretty good success.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/directional-defensive-line

 

[gimmesix]

Football Outsiders breaks down run defense according to zones. Five total zones - Left End (Outside LT), over the LT, middle/guard, over the RT, Right End (Outside the RT).

- The chart ranks by Adjusted Line Yards (ALY) which is explained at the link if you have a Football Outsiders membership (it's free). Basically they adjust yards per carry by OL responsibility, down, distance, etc.

- When looking at the DL, a left end run would be to the right defensive end's side of the field.

Now, they also have argued in the past that the data can be a bit misleading early in the year so this will shake out more over the next few weeks.

But here's what their data shows:

• Cowboys rank 30th in ALY when teams run outside our right defensive end.
• Cowboys rank 9th in ALY when teams run at our right defensive end
• Cowboys rank 5th in ALY on runs essentially up the middle
• Cowboys rank 26th in ALY on runs at our left defensive end
• Cowboys rank 15th in ALY when teams run outside our left defensive end

Someone hinted in another thread that we really struggle on outside runs, and the data would bear that out. Surprisingly, we seem fine at runs up the middle but any runs that attacked our edges seem to be a real weak spot.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/directional-defensive-line

Kind of weird on the left DE numbers because Lawrence has been really good at playing the run whether it's come at him or away from him. Of course, it just takes a few long runs this early in the season, like the one the other night, to skew the numbers. I'd have to go back and look, but I don't know if Lawrence was at left end on that run.

 

[Sydla]

Kind of weird on the left DE numbers because Lawrence has been really good at playing the run whether it's come at him or away from him. Of course, it just takes a few long runs this early in the season, like the one the other night, to skew the numbers. I'd have to go back and look, but I don't know if Lawrence was at left end on that run.

And again, 4 games isn't a great sample as even FO would acknowledge.

 

[stilltheguru]

B b but Bohanna sucks lol. Football dumb posters gon stay dumb

 

[gimmesix]

And again, 4 games isn't a great sample as even FO would acknowledge.

Yes. We've had a few longer runs on the edges that make those numbers look worse than they might over a full season. Of course, if we keep giving up runs on the edges, then they might look worse over a full season.

 

[JD_KaPow]

• Cowboys rank 30th in ALY when teams run outside our right defensive end.

Yeah, Washington killed us with those sweeps to that side.

• Cowboys rank 9th in ALY when teams run at our right defensive end

This surprises me, because I remember Fournette plowing right at our RDE with great success. I guess we've been better since? Or maybe those were considered outside?

• Cowboys rank 5th in ALY on runs essentially up the middle

Don't know if they count scrambles, but I sure remember the pass rush vacating the middle and letting Daniel Jones run up the gut for big chunks.

• Cowboys rank 26th in ALY on runs at our left defensive end
• Cowboys rank 15th in ALY when teams run outside our left defensive end

I haven't really noticed these as problem areas, at least the way I noticed the ones listed above, but that's why actual data is better than memory or anecdote. Interesting stuff.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Yeah rewatching games it's obvious that the biggest struggle the Cowboys have in the run game is on stretch plays and not sealing off cut back lanes. Gibson had several gains on cutting back weak side on Sunday, that's what happened on the Saquan TD against the Giants too.

Our DTs and middle backer arent the best in the league, but the hate on them I think is often times lazy analysis. We see big runs and those are the go to callouts.

My guess is our DEs are sack happy and not playing the run as tight. That may be a flaw with this team or it may be a trade off DQ is ok with....not really sure. Barr has really struggled the last couple weeks with filling the cutback holes. As good as he was weeks 1 & 2 his play had dipped the previous two.

 

[AsthmaField]

B b but Bohanna sucks lol. Football dumb posters gon stay dumb

You can look at that other thread and see the numbskulls who are saying Dallas is still bad at DT to tell who doesn’t really pay attention to the games. Or doesn’t know what they’re looking at.

 

[Sydla]

• Cowboys rank 30th in ALY when teams run outside our right defensive end.

Yeah, Washington killed us with those sweeps to that side.

• Cowboys rank 9th in ALY when teams run at our right defensive end

This surprises me, because I remember Fournette plowing right at our RDE with great success. I guess we've been better since? Or maybe those were considered outside?

• Cowboys rank 5th in ALY on runs essentially up the middle

Don't know if they count scrambles, but I sure remember the pass rush vacating the middle and letting Daniel Jones run up the gut for big chunks.

• Cowboys rank 26th in ALY on runs at our left defensive end
• Cowboys rank 15th in ALY when teams run outside our left defensive end

I haven't really noticed these as problem areas, at least the way I noticed the ones listed above, but that's why actual data is better than memory or anecdote. Interesting stuff.

Yeah not much detail on how they define an outside run and then an OT run. With regards to your comment about Jones' runs, the ALY are adjusted for down, situation, etc. So I am guessing that a QB scramble isn't viewed as a true run and therefore doesn't carry much weight as say a regular dive play.

 

[VaqueroTD]

Our edges can’t stop it because they are usually already in the pocket. LOL

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Not sure what they consider outside or inside. I consider off tackle runs to be middle because those are gaps the backers or DT are supposed to fill. Outside the hash marks is where i consider outside runs. So blaming our DEs i am not sure about if it is that bad. Team pursuit is usually pretty good. Whatever it is....Dallas does need to lower the run yardage per game.

 

[VaqueroTD]

Yeah rewatching games it's obvious that the biggest struggle the Cowboys have in the run game is on stretch plays and not sealing off cut back lanes. Gibson had several gains on cutting back weak side on Sunday, that's what happened on the Saquan TD against the Giants too.

Our DTs and middle backer arent the best in the league, but the hate on them I think is often times lazy analysis. We see big runs and those are the go to callouts.

My guess is our DEs are sack happy and not playing the run as tight. That may be a flaw with this team or it may be a trade off DQ is ok with....not really sure. Barr has really struggled the last couple weeks with filling the cutback holes. As good as he was weeks 1 & 2 his play had dipped the previous two.

Prob a little bit of everything. It’s a calculated trade off from Quinn but they can tighten it up. Prob help when JK comes back too. I don’t like having such an obvious weakness though, so it does bother me. Usually these are the things that get exploited in the Tourney by the good coaching staffs and rosters.

 

[TwentyOne]

Kind of weird on the left DE numbers because Lawrence has been really good at playing the run whether it's come at him or away from him. Of course, it just takes a few long runs this early in the season, like the one the other night, to skew the numbers. I'd have to go back and look, but I don't know if Lawrence was at left end on that run.

DFlaw is bad against the runs to his side.

He looks got with tackles to the other side or thru the middle because he always turns inside. Thats one reason we cant stop the run to the side where he plays.
And he cant hold the edge against tackles one on one. I guess he knows that and thats one reason why he is always cheating to the inside.

But i dont say its him alone. Parsons is not a DE but they play him exclusivly there. He is not build to stop the run as a DL player. He is a pass rusher.

 

[JohnsKey19]

The Bucs game was the only game where I felt the rush D was a consistent issue. Thy were good vs Cincy. NYG yards mostly came on one long Saquon run and a lot of Daniel Jones scrambling. After a porous 1st half, the D stiffened up when it mattered in the 2nd half vs Washington. I think this next game vs McVay's Rams will be a great test. Throw their meager rushing numbers so far out the window. He's going to do his best to control our DL with a steady running game.

 

[gimmesix]

DFlaw is bad against the runs to his side.

He looks got with tackles to the other side or thru the middle because he always turns inside. Thats one reason we cant stop the run to the side where he plays.
And he cant hold the edge against tackles one on one. I guess he knows that and thats one reason why he is always cheating to the inside.

But i dont say its him alone. Parsons is not a DE but they play him exclusivly there. He is not build to stop the run as a DL player. He is a pass rusher.

That's not what I see. When Lawrence is at left end, teams pay when they run at him. Everyone is going to get beat, but he consistently wins against runs. That's one reason teams attack the other side more when he's in the game.

 

[gimmesix]

DFlaw is bad against the runs to his side.

He looks got with tackles to the other side or thru the middle because he always turns inside. Thats one reason we cant stop the run to the side where he plays.
And he cant hold the edge against tackles one on one. I guess he knows that and thats one reason why he is always cheating to the inside.

But i dont say its him alone. Parsons is not a DE but they play him exclusivly there. He is not build to stop the run as a DL player. He is a pass rusher.

This doesn't necessarily prove my point about runs to his side, but shows that he's clearly a strong run defender.

From https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...been-a-reliable-elite-defensive-end-for-years:

Demarcus Lawrence in the run game

You likely don't need the same convincing for his defense against the run as his pass-rushing ability. But in case you are not aware that Lawrence might be one of the best run-stuffing DEs in the NFL, let's make the case.

To start, here is his ranking against the run since 2015, according to PFF:

• 2021: 1st
• 2020: 8th
• 2019: 7th
• 2018: 10th
• 2017: 11th
• 2015: 35th

Since 2017, he has not finished the year outside the top ten by PFF grading in stopping the run. That is four straight finishes as a top 9% run defender. The players that have finished ranked inside the top ten by this metric more than once since 2017: Khalil Mack, Carlos Dunlap, T.J. Watt, Cameron Jordan, Jadeveon Clowney, Arik Armstead, Von Miller, Chase Young. Not a bad group of edge defenders.

But here is the kicker, Cameron Jordan is the only one out of that group to make three appearances. The remainder only did it twice. Demarcus Lawrence has done it in four straight years.

Among defensive ends, he has the seventh most tackle for losses in the NFL since 2016. Since 2019, he is still at the seventh most tackle for losses in the league despite only playing seven games last season.

In the 2020 season he finished:

• 3rd among edge defenders by tackles in the run game
• 3rd by “stops” against the run (when his tackle constitute a failure for the offense)
• 2nd by “stop” percentage against the run
• 1st by forced fumbles against the run
• The ninth-lowest average depth of tackle (where his tackle occurred with respect to the line of scrimmage)

And if you think 2020 is just cherry-picking a good season, 2021 was even better. His PFF run-defense grade of 93.2 was the second-highest grade in this metric since PFF started tracking in 2006. But maybe the sample size was too small, maybe he is just getting better. Only 2022 will tell.

 

[Pass2Run]

Football Outsiders breaks down run defense according to zones. Five total zones - Left End (Outside LT), over the LT, middle/guard, over the RT, Right End (Outside the RT).

- The chart ranks by Adjusted Line Yards (ALY) which is explained at the link if you have a Football Outsiders membership (it's free). Basically they adjust yards per carry by OL responsibility, down, distance, etc.

- When looking at the DL, a left end run would be to the right defensive end's side of the field.

Now, they also have argued in the past that the data can be a bit misleading early in the year so this will shake out more over the next few weeks.

But here's what their data shows:

• Cowboys rank 30th in ALY when teams run outside our right defensive end.
• Cowboys rank 9th in ALY when teams run at our right defensive end
• Cowboys rank 5th in ALY on runs essentially up the middle
• Cowboys rank 26th in ALY on runs at our left defensive end
• Cowboys rank 15th in ALY when teams run outside our left defensive end

Someone hinted in another thread that we really struggle on outside runs, and the data would bear that out. Surprisingly, we seem fine at runs up the middle but any runs that attacked our edges seem to be a real weak spot. It's a bit surprising in that we are supposed to be a team built on speed in Quinn's mold but maybe a little weak up the middle but this would seem to indicate that we hold our own up the middle but teams can get get at the OTs and outside the OTs with pretty good success.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/directional-defensive-line

That's right. A lot of the runs at Parsons are going for considerable yards, because he's concerned with getting the sack.

They were talking about this on the Cowboys show, Jesse Hollie and Nate were talking about how Parsons is too focused on getting a sack, and not playing the run.

If you go back and look at those plays, they are using his aggressiveness against him at times.