News: Lions.com: Stats Pack: Detroit must capitalize on forcing Tony Romo into third-down situations

[WoodysGirl]

Chrissie Wywrot Staff Writer/Social Media

While Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo edges out Matthew Stafford in just about every statistical category, there is a glaring difference when it comes to passing on third down

If there is one thing Gunther Cunningham will preach to his defense this week, it will be to capitalize on forcing Tony Romo and the Cowboys' offense into third-down situations.

Romo ranks high in every statistical category, boasting a 101.6 overall passer rating (4th overall) and 15 touchdowns (T-2nd). Compare that to Detroit's Matthew Stafford, who has a 95.3 overall passer rating (6th overall) and also has 15 touchdowns (T-2nd). San Diego's Phillip Rivers is the other quarterback tied for second with 15 touchdowns.

(What should come as no surprise to anyone, Denver's Peyton Manning leads all quarterbacks with 25 touchdowns and a 123.3 overall passer rating.)

In fact, Romo and Stafford are almost mirror images when it comes to statistics, with Romo taking the edge in most. There is, however, one stat that shows a glaring difference between the two: third-down passing.

Read the rest: http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ar...tuations/04e61b0e-1a5d-46b1-bfdc-912e36f59259

 

[Doomsday101]

Easy we just skip 3rd down and do the damage on 1st and 2nd. lol

 

[Section446]

Romo has 61 attempts on third down, completing 55.7-percent of them for 423 yards and just two touchdowns. He ranks 23rd with a 67.9 passer rating, throwing three interceptions compared to zero for Stafford.

Wow, that's pretty surprising.

 

[Crown Royal]

Those three interceptions on third down:

1) Game one Vs. Giants, Terrence Williams runs the wrong route
2) Game 6 vs Washington, ball tipped at the LOS
3) Game 7 at Philadelphia, Tanner runs his defender into the path of the ball


I don't know that they want to live off that third down stat as really being an edge.

 

[Longboysfan]

Those three interceptions on third down:

1) Game one Vs. Giants, Terrence Williams runs the wrong route
2) Game 6 vs Washington, ball tipped at the LOS
3) Game 7 at Philadelphia, Tanner runs his defender into the path of the ball


I don't know that they want to live off that third down stat as really being an edge.

What's to prevent more bone head plays by our WR's? Or tipped ball from a middle push by the Lions defense?

 

[theebs]

Detroit lost its right tackle Sunday and he won't play this week, their backup tackle is banged up so they cut tony shefler to make room for tackle Barry Richardson today.

During the game they benched Chris Houston their number 1 corner for poor play and I think Rasheed Mathis got dinged.

For all the the talk about their incredible front four they only have 13 sacks.

F

 

[Crown Royal]

What's to prevent more bone head plays by our WR's? Or tipped ball from a middle push by the Lions defense?

Nothing I suppose, but that stat in context is not strong enough to suggest an edge for Detroit. Romo has thrown one more INT than Stafford, and you can call it even if you take away the hail mary. Just because his are coming on third down and stafford's are coming on 1st and 2nd isn't really that big a difference to me.

 

[Crown Royal]

BTW I'm not saying we are going to go in there and rout them. I just thought that was an odd statistic to pull out.

 

[SDCowboy]

If we didn't get so many holding calls in offense, I'm sure his 3rd down percentage would be significantly higher. Way too many 3rd and longs for this offense.

 

[Doomsday101]

In the words of Patton "May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't" lol

Or we can go with another of his gems ""A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." lol

 

[bayeslife]

Haha yeah, they should totally game plan around that.

 

[Crown Royal]

We are 17th in the league on third down conversion, though. Didn't realize that; needs to improve.

 

[arglebargle]

In the words of Patton "May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't" lol

Or we can go with another of his gems ""A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." lol

Or his buddie's classic wisdom; ".... I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." - Dwight D Eisenhower

 

[JD_KaPow]

What's to prevent more bone head plays by our WR's? Or tipped ball from a middle push by the Lions defense?

Nothing, but there's no particular reason those plays should happen on 3rd down rather than any other down. Which suggests that the discrepancy is more coincidence than anything else.

Also, in general, I would expect 3rd down passing numbers to be worse than 1st and 2nd down numbers, because you're forced to try lower-percentage passes, particularly in 3rd and long.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Those three interceptions on third down:

1) Game one Vs. Giants, Terrence Williams runs the wrong route
2) Game 6 vs Washington, ball tipped at the LOS
3) Game 7 at Philadelphia, Tanner runs his defender into the path of the ball


I don't know that they want to live off that third down stat as really being an edge.

NICE!!!

 

[Rack]

What's to prevent more bone head plays by our WR's? Or tipped ball from a middle push by the Lions defense?

Nothing. But that can happen on any down. That's the point.

 

[gimmesix]

Those three interceptions on third down:

1) Game one Vs. Giants, Terrence Williams runs the wrong route
2) Game 6 vs Washington, ball tipped at the LOS
3) Game 7 at Philadelphia, Tanner runs his defender into the path of the ball


I don't know that they want to live off that third down stat as really being an edge.

We do need to do a better job of handling the corner/linebacker blitzes from the outside in those situations, though. I believe the tipped ball came on one of those.

 

[Primetime42]

Same motivation that applied to the Giants and Commanders applies here.

We owe them a beating.

 

[CaptainCreed]

Shouldn't a defense want to force every offense into a lot of third downs?

 

[Red Dragon]

I wonder if this is perhaps because Stafford faces more 3rd-and-short downs than Romo does, and Romo faces more 3rd-and-long downs than Stafford does?