Interesting stat from AdamJT13

[erod]

But Mahomes and Luck can move.

Dak has the ability to move as well.

He can play from the pocket but his problem is he is stuck in the pocket when he should be moving much more then he does. Extending plays and such.

They move, but they don't want to. They don't just tuck and run like Vick. That just doesn't work in the NFL.

 

[CATCH17]

They move, but they don't want to. They don't just tuck and run like Vick. That just doesn't work in the NFL.

I agree.

But Dak has the ability to be balanced. He's not even balanced. He's stuck in the pocket.

Romo didn't run a lot either but he extended plays all the time. Dak has the athleticism to do that but chooses not to.

 

[Future]

Or unless it's late in a close game, when he becomes much more aggressive.

Prescott's 15+ yard targets as a percentage of total attempts
4th qtr/OT margin 8 points or less
25.7% 26 of 101

all other situations
14.1% 83 of 589

15+ yard targets as a percentage of total attempts
4th qtr/OT margin 8 points or less
Prescott 25.7%
Mahomes 23.8%
Brees 23.2%
Goff 20.2%

This is pretty hollow when we don't know if the QBs are in the lead or not. A 6-point lead is not going to have the same passing offense as a 6-point deficit, and especially not when that shifts to 8. I'd imagine Mahomes, Brees and Goff were making plenty of safe throws with a lead. It's easy to be aggressive when you're trailing.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

This needs to improve as well:

Here’s the final point. Michael Gallup has many intriguing attributes both the Dallas Cowboys and their fanbase hope will develop into a more consistent, reliable option in 2019. But make no mistake, Gallup had a rough rookie season and should not be a lock for the starting role. He still has a lot to prove … as most second-year players do.

https://thelandryhat.com/2019/02/11/dallas-cowboys-michael-gallups-worse-think/3/

Yes, but the second year is the year most of the great wide receivers began to really improve, as in Calvin Johnson, from 756 to 1,331 yards and 4 tds to 12 tds. Or Jerry Rice, from 927 to 1,570 yards and 3 to 15 tds.

Not saying Gallup is in their class, but the NFL playbook is far bigger than college playbooks and everybody says the game is faster. That's a lot for a rookie receiver to learn in one year...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I agree.

But Dak has the ability to be balanced. He's not even balanced. He's stuck in the pocket.

Romo didn't run a lot either but he extended plays all the time. Dak has the athleticism to do that but chooses not to.

Or is told not to

 

[Zekeats]

This needs to improve as well:

Here’s the final point. Michael Gallup has many intriguing attributes both the Dallas Cowboys and their fanbase hope will develop into a more consistent, reliable option in 2019. But make no mistake, Gallup had a rough rookie season and should not be a lock for the starting role. He still has a lot to prove … as most second-year players do.

https://thelandryhat.com/2019/02/11/dallas-cowboys-michael-gallups-worse-think/3/

Dak?

 

[CCBoy]

Yes, but the second year is the year most of the great wide receivers began to really improve, as in Calvin Johnson, from 756 to 1,331 yards and 4 tds to 12 tds. Or Jerry Rice, from 927 to 1,570 yards and 3 to 15 tds.

Not saying Gallup is in their class, but the NFL playbook is far bigger than college playbooks and everybody says the game is faster. That's a lot for a rookie receiver to learn in one year...

 

[Keithfansince5]

Or unless it's late in a close game, when he becomes much more aggressive.

Prescott's 15+ yard targets as a percentage of total attempts
4th qtr/OT margin 8 points or less
25.7% 26 of 101

all other situations
14.1% 83 of 589

15+ yard targets as a percentage of total attempts
4th qtr/OT margin 8 points or less
Prescott 25.7%
Mahomes 23.8%
Brees 23.2%
Goff 20.2%

Why do you feel the need to limit this to an 8 point or less spread? So if a team is ahead by 10 points and still airs it out, ala Chiefs, why not show that too? Why 8 points? Why not 10 points? 14 points? Just curious.

 

[john van brocklin]

I remember something Troy said on his Ticket show this year. The hosts asked about Dak seeming to be overly cautious and what the team could do about it, and Troy said after a couple of years, when the QB knows the offense well, then it's all about the QB's personality. Said you can have two QBs with the same coaching and same play and they'd play it two different ways depending on the QB's mentality. Dak seems to be the natural game manager type who hates mistakes ("Mom hated interceptions" etc) and I doubt that changes unless you can scheme WRs *wide* open deep.

Problem is, is that when the wideout is wide open dak has a hard time getting the ball to them accurately

 

[yimyammer]

How do you know this?

I mean, he may be. But why do you state this as some sort of fact?

Fantuition?

 

[JD_KaPow]

I am not surprised. the game plan for dallas for wins was always, keep the game close. minimize mistakes and cash in opprotunities in the 4th quarter. running the ball a lot in the first half was part of the plan to manage TOP and tire out the Defensive team per se..... we just didn't have the fire power to get in a shooting match......

and this doesn't mean Linehan's game planning or play calling was any good.

The problem is that this is a terrible game plan for a good team. It's an okay game plan for an outmatched team that's trying to steal wins. But when you're the better team, you want to take it to the opponent, not let them hang around...because if you keep it close, it's the other guys who may steal the win at the end.

 

[TwentyOne]

I said in another thread, look for Moore to be bold and aggressive consistently trying to push the ball downfield. I'd be shocked if we don't see an increase in 20+ yards plays.

Adam too often gets lost in meaningless details to prove his point.

He is good when giving details about certain figures. But thats it.

 

[Crown Royal]

@AdamJT13 and @percyhoward are two of the greatest Cowboys Zone posters of all time.

I'd consider putting them above leotisbrown and Pittman4ever (or whatever his name).

 

[Wolfpack]

I just wish we’d see play action out of a run set on 1st down more than 4 times a season.

 

[percyhoward]

This is pretty hollow when we don't know if the QBs are in the lead or not. A 6-point lead is not going to have the same passing offense as a 6-point deficit, and especially not when that shifts to 8. I'd imagine Mahomes, Brees and Goff were making plenty of safe throws with a lead. It's easy to be aggressive when you're trailing.

When tied or trailing late in the game, none of those guys were as aggressive as Dak, and none of them were as successful either.

15+ yard targets as a percentage of total attempts
4th qtr/OT tied or trailing by 8 points or less
Prescott 26.0% (20 of 77) 135.4
Mahomes 20.8% (11 of 53) 103.2
Goff 22.6% (7 of 31) 111.9
Brees 20.0% (12 of 60) 56.6

 

[Alexander]

Percentage of team's pass attempts that gained 20+ yards

4th qtr/OT margin 8 points or less
Rams 11.9%
Chiefs 11.6%
Cowboys 11.4%
Saints 8.9%

All other situations
Chiefs 13.3%
Rams 12.2%
Saints 11.8%
Cowboys 6.5%

This just basically means they didn't get aggressive until their backs were to the wall.

They were more concerned about controlling tempo and ToP than they were about jumping into a lead.

That is what has been different since Prescott's rookie season, I strongly suspect. I don't have data to back it up, but in retrospect, it seems we tended to have more of a tendency to get the lead and then choke the opponent out with the run. But for some reason, we seem to get all hung up on the thrill of the comeback.

That kind of model is just not sustainable. We got away with it an awful lot this past year.

 

[percyhoward]

Why do you feel the need to limit this to an 8 point or less spread? So if a team is ahead by 10 points and still airs it out, ala Chiefs, why not show that too? Why 8 points? Why not 10 points? 14 points? Just curious.

I was just using the standard parameters of a "Late & Close" situation.

You can change the parameters if you want. Give me something specific and I'll check it out for you.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Prescott will always take the safer throw. He's a "protect the ball first" QB. What's Moore gonna do if Dak's mentality stays the same, get up on a stool and look him in the eye and rant. Not likely. Then again, any change is good right... isn't it?

 

[HungryLion]

When tied or trailing late in the game, none of those guys were as aggressive as Dak, and none of them were as successful either.

15+ yard targets as a percentage of total attempts
4th qtr/OT tied or trailing by 8 points or less
Prescott 26.0% (20 of 77) 135.4
Mahomes 20.8% (11 of 53) 103.2
Goff 22.6% (7 of 31) 111.9
Brees 20.0% (12 of 60) 56.6

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Dak?

If Gallup's struggles were Dak's fault, then how did he and Amari Cooper click right out of the gate?

A lot of rookie receivers struggle early on, and I think Gallup is going to have a huge year in 2019.