Mostly all Cowboy fans know where we need to improve

[CATCH17]

OK......as for pass protection.......did you see Budda Baker against TPollard? How about run blocking........scheme ain't working. Splash play here and there has everyone marveling about TPollard. Just sayin'. Let's do the easy......blame Zeke.

Oh.. So 1 play creates a whole narrative for you?

Our pass blocking is fine. I know some of y’all are looking for an excuse for Dak but pass protection ain’t it.

 

[RonnieT24]

I just noticed that the site https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/advanced-stats-qb.php

Also includes the amount of time QBs have.. They call it "time in the pocket before passing or being pressured."

They have Dak at 2.4 seconds.. because they include everybody it's hard to see where that truly ranks him among starters.. It looks like most QBs are at 2.5 and higher.. The old horses are a tick lower.. Rodgers, Brady are at 2.3. Big Ben is at 2.2. Again not sure what that tells us.. I'll have to think about it.. It does say that Dak holds onto the ball 0.1 seconds longer than Brady and Rodgers.. but he also throws fewer bad passes.. sooooo..

 

[McKDaddy]

It’s the NFL. If you needed perfection for your QB to operate then you shouldn’t have paid him 40 million.

If asking him to slide a step over and make a throw is too much to ask then maybe you should’ve gone a different route.

You are taking it a little too black & white IMO. The line is paid to provide him 2.? seconds protection. If the QB could do a better job of handling the pressure, I have no problem grading him for that as well. But it still doesn't change that the line didn't provide what they are paid to provide.

 

[Streifenkarl]

The line doesn’t consistently move defenders and create holes for Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in the running game. They don’t pass protect long enough for Dak Prescott to feel comfortable going through his reads and throwing deep. They commit way too many penalties — an embarrassing 52 as a unit — and if they can’t play any better than they did Sunday against Arizona then the Cowboys’ offensive woes will continue.

Prescott led the Cowboys in rushing, which should never ever happen. Elliott and Pollard combined for 25 yards on 12 carries. Embarrassing

That sounds like they wouldn't let him put in his tampon and write his diary. C'me on, yes we don't have a perfect pass protection, but which team does? He does have enough time on alot of snaps. Dak, dude, my one and only QB for the next couple of seasons: You need to make something out of nothing every now and then. At least once in a while. All the great ones do. So get your act together man. Just like in your first 7 games. And vs Atlanta.

 

[CATCH17]

You are taking it a little too black & white IMO. The line is paid to provide him 2.? seconds protection. If the QB could do a better job of handling the pressure, I have no problem grading him for that as well. But it still doesn't change that the line didn't provide what they are paid to provide.

And I disagree. Pass protection is more than fine and a lot of QBs would love to get the pass pro Dak gets.

If you want to criticize the run blocking than be my guest. They aren’t getting push.

Pass protection is quality.


What’s going on with this forum is you guys think a play or 2 a game where they don’t get it perfectly block allows you to build this false narrative that they suck at pass blocking. That’s no realistic or the reality of our situation.

 

[RonnieT24]

Oh.. So 1 play creates a whole narrative for you?

Actually off the top of my head I can recall three sacks when Pollard was in .. This one against the Cards.. he also whiffed on a block that led to a sack against the Ratscums.. and way back in week two he missed one that led to a sack against the Chargers.. Now I'm sure Zeke has missed some blocks too.. but I would bet a month's salary that on a percentage basis Pollard is missing his man way more often than Zeke does.. Even on the play where Dak fumbled remember Simmons came on a blitz and Zeke damn near de-cleated him which opened up a lane for Dak to run.. Simmons hustled in and punched the ball out from behind but if not for Zeke Simmons would have clobbered Dak in the pocket.. But hey, maybe Dak would not have fumbled right? So maybe Zeke should just let the blitzer through?

 

[RD21]

Too many fans see Dak shake off defenders and still make the throw and act as if that was "good protection." The other thing is that we have too many plays which call for the receivers to run to a spot and stop against 7 and 8 man drops. Yes, the QB is going to have a lot of time in those instances.. but there isn't going to be anybody open except the dumpoff. And that's by design.. because that's exactly what the defense wants..

Someone asked where they can find the numbers on QB pressures earlier.. I found this site..


https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/advanced-stats-qb.php

This site says Dak has been knocked down 47 times this season.. 10th most in the league.. It has him 15th in hurries with 44. He is #1 in times blitzed with 182.. His 81 "poor passes" sits him at 14th.. Brady is #1 with 128.. Mahomes (106) is #3.. Stafford (102) is #4, Rodgers (90) is #7. How is it that all these guys who everyone would say are better passers than Prescott have thrown more "poor" passes... Cowboys receivers have been credited with 29 drops.. 5th most in the league.. Somebody is being generous because I could swear they had that many in the four game stretch between Denver, ATL, KC and Vegas. In any case.. Do what you will with the data.. But anybody claiming Dak "has ample time" to throw the ball and is just a bad passer will need to explain these numbers.. Because they say different.. a lot different..

"What are advanced QB stats?
Advanced stats offer insight into a Quarterback's performance beyond the standard box score. These statistics provide a detailed view of how a QB accumulates passing yards along with the defensive pressure he faces."

Yup, & Dak is ranked 9th. Sounds about right to me.

 

[RonnieT24]

"What are advanced QB stats?
Advanced stats offer insight into a Quarterback's performance beyond the standard box score. These statistics provide a detailed view of how a QB accumulates passing yards along with the defensive pressure he faces."

Yup, & Dak is ranked 9th. Sounds about right to me.

Well to be fair I think the rankings are based on "fantasy points" which doesn't really have anything to do with anything. Still these numbers do help add some color to the picture..

 

[CowboyRoy]

It was starting to work and then he got away from it. We ran the ball three times in a row and got a first down

When was that? Not in the first two drives.

You realize we averaged like 2 ypc right?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Yeah.. His protection is fine. I stand by that.

He holds the ball a long time and a lot of you say it’s the protection and it’s not.

He’ll get hit sometimes but 1 or 2 plays is not a complete narrative like some of you make it out to be.

Our pass protection is good.

You think if you keep repeating it or say that you stand by it, that somehow it will magically make it true? LOL

 

[CowboyRoy]

As I said in the other thread:

Pollard is among the league leaders in yards per run. He wasn't even bad this past week, but didn't get chances and had an 8 yard run called back. The holes are there for Pollard.
Dak doesn't get sacked much and his time per throw certainly isn't short.

The problem is Zeke. He is slow to start with and he has taken to dancing before he hits the line. This is the NFL, not high school. Holes open and close fast. At least before he would hit the line with a head of steam and drive tacklers back a few yards. Now he just shuffles and falls over after contact.

Now that Zeke can't run, teams are backing off and forcing Dak to either take chances, throw it short or take sacks.

The line isn't fantastic anymore but its not terrible. When you look at the PFF grades, the sacks, the time to throw, Pollard's YPC, etc. it doesn't stand out as being terrible. The huge problem is Zeke's awful YPC and that's on Zeke.

Its more than Zeke as its the penalties. If zeke isnt forcing us into long downs, then we are getting penalty killing drives.

Line is solid, but far from great. What you DONT see in the PFF grades are the blocking by the TE's. They are NOT a part of those grades and they could be the worst blocking TE's in the league.

 

[RonnieT24]

When was that? Not in the first two drives.

You realize we averaged like 2 ypc right?

Yeah the running game never really got going Sunday.. every time we had a good run there was a holding penalty. We had at least 3 runs blown up in the backfield because we asked Schultz to block an all pro DE. Then there was one where Zack Martin's man knifed inside on him and blew up Pollard on a short yardage play. Our run blocking was horrid all around. What I don't understand is why Moore continues to refuse to run off tackle or outside. No matter which back is in, shotgun, delay handoff up the middle seems to be the only play that bubbles up to the top. Unless of course it's the Zeke at fullback short yardage play which the whole league knows by now is always going to be a handoff to Zeke.. Which might work if the line wasn't standing up and dancing doing the slide step instead of firing out.. But I digress..

 

[CATCH17]

You think if you keep repeating it or say that you stand by it, that somehow it will magically make it true? LOL

Your opinion doesn’t really matter. I’m right.

 

[blueblood70]

Only if you take off your wig

 

[RD21]

Well to be fair I think the rankings are based on "fantasy points" which doesn't really have anything to do with anything. Still these numbers do help add some color to the picture..

Sure. I don't disagree with that. I'm just saying, Dak deserves some blame for his poor performance of late as well. When I look at those numbers, I see the top QB's in the league taking plenty of sacks, hits, hurries, some with less time than Dak.

I think Dak is a good QB. I just don't think he's "great", & certainly not worthy of being the highest paid Cowboys of all time, or the 3rd highest paid NFL player of all time. I'd be a LOT happier with Dak as our QB, if he was making 10 mil/yr less. That seems to me anyways, were his skill level would align with his contract better.

It has NEVER been easier to be an NFL QB, than it is right now. At least not in my lifetime (1970-present). You can't touch em, & defenses can't touch receivers, or light em up. Look at the punishment our greats took years ago..? I think Roger took more savage hits in one game, than Dak has in his career...lol. Same with his receivers. While the NFL is still violent, it's soft compared to previous generations, especially for those involved in the passing game.

Many of today's players would never have survived in the 70's or even the 80's. Ronnie Lott would've sent Cole Beasley to the morgue...lol. LT would've ended many of today's QB's careers. Not necessarily with injury, but would've exposed their mediocre play.

My point is simply, I'm not impressed with passing numbers, & stats. Offenses have it too easy today, compared to their predecessors. Great players could play in any era. Any doubt what Montana could've done in this era..? How about Aikman..? Yet, I don't think Dak could've been a long term starter in the 70's, or 80's.

 

[glimmerman]

Why is it when we get a free play Dak makes a deep pass. And usually completes it. Why not other times. He has the arm. Earlier he was throwing some good touch passes down the sidelines.

 

[McKDaddy]

But anybody claiming Dak "has ample time" to throw the ball and is just a bad passer will need to explain these numbers.

That's why it is so hard to discuss in written form. There is some level of truth in almost any one statement. Bottom line for me is Dak often doesn't do enough with the time he has AND the line allows pressure on too many snaps and certainly snaps where defense knows you are throwing.

 

[nalam]

The line doesn’t consistently move defenders and create holes for Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in the running game. They don’t pass protect long enough for Dak Prescott to feel comfortable going through his reads and throwing deep. They commit way too many penalties — an embarrassing 52 as a unit — and if they can’t play any better than they did Sunday against Arizona then the Cowboys’ offensive woes will continue.

Prescott led the Cowboys in rushing, which should never ever happen. Elliott and Pollard combined for 25 yards on 12 carries. Embarrassing

converting 3rd downs and eliminating costly penalties when we are close to RZ.

 

[RonnieT24]

That's why it is so hard to discuss in written form. There is some level of truth in almost any one statement. Bottom line for me is Dak often doesn't do enough with the time he has AND the line allows pressure on too many snaps and certainly snaps where defense knows you are throwing.

The only thing I will put on Dak is his unwillingness to use his legs for most of this year.. I mean he has never been a take off and run 10 times a game guy but removing that element from his game altogether makes him easier to defend. Once teams realized that he absolutely positively isn't going to run you can see that linebackers are taking REALLY deep drops on passing plays.. With the safeties already deep there is no soft spot between the second and third level where a receiver could cut across or sit down. Dak can fix that by running for 5-6 yards and sliding every time he sees that look. We always need to keep in mind that early in games teams are overcommitting to stopping the run.. because they want you to panic and stop doing it. So you see teams bring a 5th down linemen up and run blitz a ton early on. Moore's solution to that has been the bubble screens.. which worked for a while but those always carry the risk of someone like Budda Baker reading it and jumping it. So he's got to find another answer. He tried the quick passes over the middle early against AZ but their line kept getting their hands up and batting balls down. What was it 5? in the first half? So now what do you do? If the line can't get the defense's hands down then you have to roll out.. But obviously when you roll out you are not really only making the defense defend half the field. Teams aren't playing man against this receiving corps so there won't be many times that Dak will roll out and see DBs with their backs turned. So Moore needs to bring him receivers across from the back side.. Sneaking a tight end or WR all the way across the formation is always a good call when rolling out. The defense is all looking at the QB.. that guy should be wide open.. Dak just needs to hit him.. When his mechanics have not been messed up Dak has been the best on the run thrower I've ever seen. If he can recapture that.. this team will go far in the playoffs.. because it's there..

 

[d_cowboy31]

I'm pretty sure Dallas had the number 1 ranked pass protection in the league last week against Arizona.

The excuses for Dak are never ending.