Lack of Screens

[Szczepanik]

From what I have watched in the past few years we barely run alot of RB screens.. We attempt to keep running WR bubble screens and such with no success. Last week we finally ran a FEW screens and they seemed to work. I have been wondering about this for a while, I know we don't have a Sproles type of player ( Dunbar is the closest we have) but I think the screen game would do wonders for our offense.

Our O-line is such a weakness on the team, and we have trouble facing teams with interior rushers. Would make sense for us to use screens more often... right?

Like when we played the obvious run on first down, run on second down against a stacked front against the lions that cost us a play each drive. Could of easily turned those into a few screens!

I hope this is implemented vs the Vikings, or we could struggle offensively against their interior.

 

[Corso]

I like what you're cooking, but I don't know if we have the right ingredients.

I have watched them run quite a few screens and they have, for the most part failed.

And failed miserably.

Good thought, but maybe they're incapable...

 

[CowboyStar88]

We need to get Dunbar in space this guy has good wiggle and speed

 

[Roadtrip635]

I like what you're cooking, but I don't know if we have the right ingredients.

I have watched them run quite a few screens and they have, for the most part failed.

And failed miserably.

Good thought, but maybe they're incapable...

It's not the players that are incapable, it's the coaching staff. You learn to run screens at the Pop Warner level, we surely don't have the only NFL players that never learned how. It would be nice to have a Sproles type RB to make them explosive, but we don't need that for them to be effective. It's more about how they're designed, executed and called. Romo sees a dbl A gap blitz, "kill" to a middle screen to take advantage of the void in the middle of the field. The coaching staff should have those type of blitz beating screens in place and teach the offense when to call and execute.

 

[Corso]

It's not the players that are incapable, it's the coaching staff. You learn to run screens at the Pop Warner level, we surely don't have the only NFL players that never learned how. It would be nice to have a Sproles type RB to make them explosive, but we don't need that for them to be effective. It's more about how they're designed, executed and called. Romo sees a dbl A gap blitz, "kill" to a middle screen to take advantage of the void in the middle of the field. The coaching staff should have those type of blitz beating screens in place and teach the offense when to call and execute.

Mucho props for a great answer,

Now what do the Cowboys do to improve this?

Coach better?

Or do they need new coaches who will coach it better?

The coaches now don't seem to be doing that.

Unless someone can dispute this...

 

[Szczepanik]

I feel like the coaches are stubborn and refuse to not implement it. They seem content running into an interior blitz with a dive play. I feel like the coaches know what our game plan will be before the game, and don't do TOO much to stray away from it to adapt.

Just my take on watching over the years.

I am not a fan of the WR screens, they don't work too often. The RB screens seem most effective in my opinion.

I don't know how the coaching staff will improve on it if they don't start running them more though sadly!

 

[Roadtrip635]

Mucho props for a great answer,

Now what do the Cowboys do to improve this?

Coach better?

Or do they need new coaches who will coach it better?

The coaches now don't seem to be doing that.

Unless someone can dispute this...

Honestly, I think it's about the coaching and offensive philosophy. This staff just seems slow to adapt and gets predictable. Usually what happens, Romo sees the blitz and "kills" into a quick slant or quick out. Teams know this and rotate the coverage and either try to jump the route or disrupt the timing by jammimg the receiver. I think the defense manipulates the audible at times knowing this, making easier for them. Romo very rarely "kills" to a screen, draw or rushing play.

 

[Szczepanik]

I don't see too many play actions either for the amount of failed runs we do. One would think we would play action more if we were going to run the ball for 1 yard or 2 yard gains.

 

[ConstantReboot]

From what I have watched in the past few years we barely run alot of RB screens.. We attempt to keep running WR bubble screens and such with no success. Last week we finally ran a FEW screens and they seemed to work. I have been wondering about this for a while, I know we don't have a Sproles type of player ( Dunbar is the closest we have) but I think the screen game would do wonders for our offense.

Our O-line is such a weakness on the team, and we have trouble facing teams with interior rushers. Would make sense for us to use screens more often... right?

Like when we played the obvious run on first down, run on second down against a stacked front against the lions that cost us a play each drive. Could of easily turned those into a few screens!

I hope this is implemented vs the Vikings, or we could struggle offensively against their interior.

Lack of screens is not a product of a bad oline. Its the product of not having it as part of the playbook. If its not part of the playbook how can you use it?

The real problem is the playbook and the lack of innovation that it presents to the team. Its not only lack of screen play. Its also the lack of motion plays, play action, slant and dig routes, bootlegs, draw plays etc.

It really chews me up inside when we run those reverse plays to the receivers that gain minimal yards. Yet, when you look back at the old film of our old film, we did things that we don't do that was was successful. This is why I question this offense. Why did we get away from plays that were successful? It just baffles me to no ends.

 

[bark]

It's completely ridiculous that an nfl offense cannot run an effective screen pass. I see Texas high school programs run them every Friday nite.
The number one problem this offense has is the ability to handle pressure and a screen is a great asset to counter the blitz.
That said , randle would be a perfect back to run the screen with. In fact, I believe one of his best gains sun came on a dump off/ semi screen play.

 

[Smith22]

It is a great weapon to counter the blitz and we rarely attempt to utilize it.

 

[coogrfan]

The reason we don't run screens is simple: to do so you have to have a certain amount of athleticism on the OL. We don't have that.

 

[cowboyschmps3]

I don't know why they didn't run some with Dunbar, I think he can really be good in space and has showed some good burst.

 

[dupree89]

I heard Aikman say, during an interview, the last Dallas team to run successful screens, Tom Landry was calling them and Staubach was throwing them.

 

[Szczepanik]

The reason we don't run screens is simple: to do so you have to have a certain amount of athleticism on the OL. We don't have that.

I find it hard to believe that our OL can't run a simple screen. I have faith that they can at least run a screen for a gain of 10 yards.

 

[MagicMan]

I heard Aikman say, during an interview, the last Dallas team to run successful screens, Tom Landry was calling them and Staubach was throwing them.

and Dorsett and Preston Pearson were running them....

as for why the Boys don't run the screen, I lay it on the coach and staff because this has to be in your playbook during preseason and practiced OFTEN in order to perfect it. Any good OC needs to have plays to counter the blitzes and this is play #1 . No clue as to why they don't do this.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

The OL has changed over 5 years and yet hardly any screens. So it is not due to the OL. Smith, Fredbeard, Waters, and Free are all more than athletic enough to run screens. The RBs are more than capable of running screens. Although, Murray seems a little late getting out for the screen a lot.

Therefore, it has to be the QB and/or the OC. Romo is not very effective throwing screns from what I have seen. By that, I mean screens are not one of his strengths. And I also think the OC never calls them in the proper down and distance. 3rd and long screens don't usually work but they can get you some yards safely and try to flip the field position. I just don't see the Cowboys using the screens much on 1st or 2nd down when teams would least expect it.

 

[Smith22]

The reason we don't run screens is simple: to do so you have to have a certain amount of athleticism on the OL. We don't have that.

Free and smith are athletic, the rest not so much.

 

[bark]

They would have been worth a try after the second and 5 run got stuffed every single time sun. A screen on second mid distance might have popped

 

[Nova]

I don't think we have the offensive line to run jailbreak screens, we telegraph bubble screen, and Romo doesn't seem to have the propensity of getting the ball to a RB who slips past the oncoming rush on screens... not that he's bad at it, but I always feel like it's a risky play when we run it with the way Romo delivers the ball.

But I would like to see a more effective attack out of the backfield.

That clear-out slant route Bryant ran to get Tanner (or was it Randle) free for a wheel route and easy first down last game was a thing of beauty.

If it had've been Dunbar, I think it may have been a TD.