My meaningless thoughts on the game...

[dboyz]

To me, the key to defeating the Saints is getting pressure opposite Ware. If you get this done, all of a sudden, you don't need to blitz your LBs as much. You can play the flats and stop the little flares. The safeties are going to be a problem until we get one that can play. Everybody can continue to defend Roy in coverage but I think it's pretty clear what we have with him in coverage. We don't have a FS that can play right now so that too is a problem. However, if we can pressure the QB, the possability of giving up so many big plays in minimized. If you make the Saints have to run the ball, they can be beaten. McAllister rushed for 78 yards in the second half. In the first half, he has 33 yards on 9 carries. That's 3.66 YPC. Once the Saints were able to pound the ball, there running game got started. However, in the first half, they were not able to run all that effectively. To me, the key is another pass rusher.

Offensively, we totally screwed Romo in this game. We rushed the football 12 times. Not 12 times in the first half. 12 times in the whole game using RBs in a designed methode. If you discount the 77 yard run from JJ, in the first half, he ran 6 times for 32 yards (5.33 YPC). In the second half, JJ ran 3 times for 7 yards, all in the very first series of the third quarter. That's it. Even still, that's 4.33 yards a carry, if you don't add in the 77 yard TD run. Oviously, if you add that in, your talking 11.6 YPC. Barber rushed only twice the whole game. You want to look at why we lost this game? Look no further then the offensive game plan. We win games by controlling the clock, using a balanced, run oriented offense and taking care of the football. In this game, we went completely away from what we do best and I don't know why. We had very good success doing what we normally do early on and we just totally went away from it. Don't ask me why because it makes no sense to me.

The reason we went away from it, is because we got too far behind. Our defense killed us.

The first possession after Jones had his long run, we did the following:

-pass to Witten for 18 yards. I don't think you would complain about this pass.
-run to Julius no gain
-run to Julius for 4 yard gain
-incomplete pass.

The following possession after New Orleans had scored on a long possession we had:

-an incomplete pass
-interception

You could certainly argue they should have run it here (obviously better than an interception, but you also have to try to keep a team off balance). The real problem is Romo made a terrible decision.

The following possession after we were down 14-7, we had:

-run to Julius for 10
-run to Julius for 5
-Romo sacked
-incomplete pass

Again you could argue we should have run more but you also have to keep a team off balance.

The next possession, the following:

-run to Julius for 10
-Romo scramble for 1
-run to Julius for 3
-incomplete pass

Our last possession of the 1st half there was so little time it isn't worth looking at.

Our first possession of the 2nd half we had a nice drive with runs and passes, but of course had to settle for a field goal. We had it first and goal and ran on first down and then threw two incompletions.

After that drive the game was out of hand and it was pretty tough to run it much. I really don't see where we should have been running it a bunch more. Sure in hindsight you could say that we had a bad pass result here and there and it would have been better to run, but we were running it a quite a bit. We just weren't converting in the passing game, particularly on third down. To win you have to convert in the passing game.

Also, the Saints were hogging the ball and scoring touchdowns, not field goals. The defense just couldn't keep us in it.

 

[burmafrd]

Its really simple- run the ball untill they stop you; use short quick passes that work for some teams like running the ball. Pass to the backs more. All of that uses up time, keeps their O on the sideline.

 

[Rockytop6]

Call me a homer if you want, but I still believe this team should beat the Saints. In the NFL one game is just one game. As that broker commercial on TV says in its disclaimer, "Past performance doesn't guarantee future success." If the Cowboys play the Saints again, I expect a very different game.

Yeah. Next time they will probably score 50 points against us unless we wake up. Parcells continued to say leading up to the game that all the players knew what was at stake in the Saints game. If so, we are in deep doo doo.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The reason we went away from it, is because we got too far behind. Our defense killed us.

The first possession after Jones had his long run, we did the following:

-pass to Witten for 18 yards. I don't think you would complain about this pass.
-run to Julius no gain
-run to Julius for 4 yard gain
-incomplete pass.

The following possession after New Orleans had scored on a long possession we had:

-an incomplete pass
-interception

You could certainly argue they should have run it here (obviously better than an interception, but you also have to try to keep a team off balance). The real problem is Romo made a terrible decision.

The following possession after we were down 14-7, we had:

-run to Julius for 10
-run to Julius for 5
-Romo sacked
-incomplete pass

Again you could argue we should have run more but you also have to keep a team off balance.

The next possession, the following:

-run to Julius for 10
-Romo scramble for 1
-run to Julius for 3
-incomplete pass

Our last possession of the 1st half there was so little time it isn't worth looking at.

Our first possession of the 2nd half we had a nice drive with runs and passes, but of course had to settle for a field goal. We had it first and goal and ran on first down and then threw two incompletions.

After that drive the game was out of hand and it was pretty tough to run it much. I really don't see where we should have been running it a bunch more. Sure in hindsight you could say that we had a bad pass result here and there and it would have been better to run, but we were running it a quite a bit. We just weren't converting in the passing game, particularly on third down. To win you have to convert in the passing game.

Also, the Saints were hogging the ball and scoring touchdowns, not field goals. The defense just couldn't keep us in it.

The problem here is where and when we tried to throw the football. How much play action did we use? We feel in love with the deep pass in this game. Instead of trying to put drives together, we tried to go deep on these guys. We shortened the probability of success by trying to go deep too often. Rather then using the running game, which we were having success with and going to the TEs, using Ownes in the middle of the field, we tried for the big gains. This seriously undermind our ability to put drives together and control the clock. It allowed there offense to get back on the field quickly. The probability of success on deep routes is much less then the shorter quicker routes. Down 7 or even 14 is no reason to go away from the run. By abandoning the run, we simply allowed NO to wear down our defense even more and put our offense in an even more difficult position. We didn't help Romo IMO. We hurt his ability to make plays by calling the game we called.

 

[dboyz]

The problem here is where and when we tried to throw the football. How much play action did we use? We feel in love with the deep pass in this game. Instead of trying to put drives together, we tried to go deep on these guys. We shortened the probability of success by trying to go deep too often. Rather then using the running game, which we were having success with and going to the TEs, using Ownes in the middle of the field, we tried for the big gains. This seriously undermind our ability to put drives together and control the clock. It allowed there offense to get back on the field quickly. The probability of success on deep routes is much less then the shorter quicker routes. Down 7 or even 14 is no reason to go away from the run. By abandoning the run, we simply allowed NO to wear down our defense even more and put our offense in an even more difficult position. We didn't help Romo IMO. We hurt his ability to make plays by calling the game we called.

I think we see it a little differently. I posted those plays to show that we really did run it a decent amount until the game was out of hand.

I'd say we used a quite a bit of play action. I don't disagree that our passing game execution could have and should have been better. You mention those deep routes. It was obvious that we were trying to hit them deep. I think Romo might need to improve at dumping off to the back rather than heaving it deep if that's covered.

Anyway, my opinion is that it would have been great to run more, but the biggest problems were the passing game execution and the horrible defense.

 

[burmafrd]

We could have run more and use short passes instead of going downfield after it was getting obvious that Romo was having a bad day. NOT to mention we needed to give the D a rest.

 

[diehard2294]

well in the 3-4 we rush Ware, so the inside LB's have to line up properly and get there,which many times they dont,you see them caught up in the garbage and not getting there. I am always amazed how open other teams rb's are open in the flat.

 

[ringmaster]

I think the Saints provide a tough matchup for Dallas and we saw that on Sunday. With the Colts, Dallas has the advantage of size on defense over their smaller offense. But the Saints are pretty big on their O-Line, Deuce can pound it and Colston is a huge WR. Then you've got Bush who presents issues for Bradie and then Brees is so on fire right now and has been great with the deep ball. The best chance they have to beat them is by playing well on offense and keeping their offense off the field and forcing their offense into tough situations. In reality, the 77 yard run did more hurt than good. If we could've scored a TD on a 5 minute drive, that would've been much better.

I'm not the biggest Zimmer fan nor am I the biggest detractor. The passes to Karney were frustrating since after awhile he should've seen it coming. Why we can't find a FS that is serviceable is something that makes you shake your head. And I do wonder sometimes if Luis Castillo would be as good as he is in SD if we had drafted him instead of Spears.

It's not the end of the world, but I don't see us beating the Saints if we face them again this season.


YAKUZA

From a defensive stand point no but offensively we should've taken them to school considering that they were hell bent on stopping the Cowboys passing attack and that is why we had earlier success running the football.

But to say that we couldn't beat them again is a bit misleading if we play defense they way we played last night you bet we wouldn't beat them in the playoffs but they better fix this quickly because teams other than the Saints, will be doing the same thing this week we have Jerious Norwood, who is even faster than Reggie Bush, on screen, or flat passes.

I would love to face them again because it would be a different game like one poster said it's a week to week deal for every team.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think we see it a little differently. I posted those plays to show that we really did run it a decent amount until the game was out of hand.

I'd say we used a quite a bit of play action. I don't disagree that our passing game execution could have and should have been better. You mention those deep routes. It was obvious that we were trying to hit them deep. I think Romo might need to improve at dumping off to the back rather than heaving it deep if that's covered.

Anyway, my opinion is that it would have been great to run more, but the biggest problems were the passing game execution and the horrible defense.

I actually broke down every offensive possesion we had in the first half in another thread. We actually had 6 possesions in the first half. 21 offensive plays, of which, only 7 were rushes. Clearly we were much more succesful in the run but the offensive play calling was very disproportionate. We evidently saw something that we thought we could take advantage of deep but were unable to. We just didn't work the middle or the backs enough. We are a ball control offense, not a quick strike, big play team. No matter I suppose, I do agtee with you on our execution on both sides of the ball really. It was horrible.