Twitter: OC Kellen Moore addresses run game vs Bucs

[Cmac]

What was there to keep honest though? The offense was on fire. They offense screwed up in the red zone. You want to keep the defense honest so you can do some damage against them. The damage was done their defense couldn't stop their offense.

We have issues in the running game. We had them last year and we had them in week 1. I don't know if its going to be a issue that plagues us all year but this offensive line does not run block nearly as well as they pass block. They haven't in a few years.

1. This is the "honesty I'm talking about".....It don't take a good coaching staff w/ good players to take away or latch on to in-game tendencies.....sometimes the best way to combat the rush (though team did a fairly good job in pass protecting), you surprise with quick hitting plays (Pollard) or sling Zeke in between tackles....I don't think our run game never got a chance to be demoralized before it was abandoned.
2. The big issue became the inefficiency in the red zone again.....trying to pass into it (less field), all the time. And you just mentioned it. Last year, it was run on 1st down every time, sometimes 2nd down too, with poor blocking and stacked fronts (due to Dak injury), then face the 3rd and longs. Our OL is just not getting it done but we want to blame Zeke. Outside of ZMartin, we don't have one dog on the line (TSmith on the downside).
3. Let's watch the Charger game this week.....to get the 2021 trend, and come back to this. Watch the trenches.

 

[RonnieT24]

Those carries are good to you? You said he “only had” like it was productive…the run game sucked.

Yes the run game sucked.. but there are a lot of games when the run game takes time to soften a defense up. After the two best series running game wise, the opening drive of the game and then one in the third quarter, the Cowboys threw it like 13 of the next 15 plays ... They averaged 3.3 ypc on that first drive and then 5.3 on the one in the third.. after which they quickly left the running game in the dust. We know the Bucs have a great run defense.. but we simply conceded defeat up front without even challenging them. And again.. it's not about how MANY runs you have.. It's about knowing when to run and how to do it. The Cowboys needed to run after the two minute warning to help increase their chances of winning.. They had the ball in FG range.. at that point seconds > yards. So running and getting 1-2 yards but eating 25-30 seconds per play was WAY better than throwing it and risking a turnover or a penalty.. and as an added bonus.. stopping the clock. It's a feel thing.. some OCs have it.. some don't.. To this point Moore falls into the latter category.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

1. This is the "honesty I'm talking about".....It don't take a good coaching staff w/ good players to take away or latch on to in-game tendencies.....sometimes the best way to combat the rush (though team did a fairly good job in pass protecting), you surprise with quick hitting plays (Pollard) or sling Zeke in between tackles....I don't think our run game never got a chance to be demoralized before it was abandoned.
2. The big issue became the inefficiency in the red zone again.....trying to pass into it (less field), all the time. And you just mentioned it. Last year, it was run on 1st down every time, sometimes 2nd down too, with poor blocking and stacked fronts (due to Dak injury), then face the 3rd and longs. Our OL is just not getting it done but we want to blame Zeke. Outside of ZMartin, we don't have one dog on the line (TSmith on the downside).
3. Let's watch the Charger game this week.....to get the 2021 trend, and come back to this. Watch the trenches.

I mean on the infamous Jarwin/Zeke run that failed......I'd probably give blame to both parties. I feel like a professional tight end in the NFL should make that block and I feel like a back the caliber of Zeke should be able to make that guy miss.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Yes the run game sucked.. but there are a lot of games when the run game takes time to soften a defense up. After the two best series running game wise, the opening drive of the game and then one in the third quarter, the Cowboys threw it like 13 of the next 15 plays ... They averaged 3.3 ypc on that first drive and then 5.3 on the one in the third.. after which they quickly left the running game in the dust. We know the Bucs have a great run defense.. but we simply conceded defeat up front without even challenging them. And again.. it's not about how MANY runs you have.. It's about knowing when to run and how to do it. The Cowboys needed to run after the two minute warning to help increase their chances of winning.. They had the ball in FG range.. at that point seconds > yards. So running and getting 1-2 yards but eating 25-30 seconds per play was WAY better than throwing it and risking a turnover or a penalty.. and as an added bonus.. stopping the clock. It's a feel thing.. some OCs have it.. some don't.. To this point Moore falls into the latter category.

Its worth noting that Dak bailed out of a lot of runs because of the front the defense was showing. So its not like they didn't have runs dialed up.....Dak looked at the defense and could tell it was going to be doomed from start.

I just don't think you go into a game with a set number of snaps. Things change. I feel like that's what Garrett use to do....he was determined to go out there and give Zeke 20 runs regardless of how the game would be going. That's losing football.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

And then what happened when opposing teams saw more film on Garrett .. on Linehan.... and forced them to counter and make in-game adjustments, they could not respond, '
they came with the same ole ,,, same ole, with only all they know ...and we eventually paid the price for it.

There was no variations, no expanding or extension, ..same ole plays, same designs, same routes, and formations, same tendency, which became more simplistic and predictable,
and easier to defense. Then you're opposing teams smirk and taunt how we became easier to sniff out and defend, ..then we are hearing complaints from our own players
how bland and simple our offense is and easier to clue in on.

And if its' gets to a point where i cannot trust my personnel to perform and certain player(s) are more limiting this team, then it's probably best to upgrade to a more
complete player where i'm equally secured with both pass and run and don't have change out or limited myself to a soft, one dimensional buffed up WR – trying to perpetrate a TE.

oh, I don't disagree that garrett and linehan sucked at in game adjustments of any kind....they were solely focused on execution and pounded a square peg into a round hole no matter how many times they failed at it.

the moore offense is more diverse. we do have a great group of talent, so that helps mask any warts in the play calling and design.

Moore has room for improvement. he is very green. I think he got trusted into the role a little prematruely and didn't truly get mentored...even Payton or McVay paid their dues, came up through the ranks and learned from several coaches before becoming who they are and they are two of the best offensive minds in the league.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Redzone need to be improved and executed better I would not argue that. I don't think it is Moore mismanagement I think it is poor execution. I'm not satisfied in the least with losing this past game but I think a lot of good things came out of this game that this team can build on and yes some things need to be addressed and improved on. As for last year before Dak went Down Dallas was towards the top of the league in redzone, after Dak went down we fell towards the bottom.

i think its a combination of poor execution at times and poor play calling at others. when enough of each happens, you end up where we are....

and I agree, lots of good things came out, but what concerns me is we saw the same issues and warts we saw before, with inability to close games and I am not singling out the offense as there is plenty of blame to go on defense and coaches....its not the end results that worry me, its repetition of same mistakes that lead to losses....

 

[Doomsday101]

i think its a combination of poor execution at times and poor play calling at others. when enough of each happens, you end up where we are....

and I agree, lots of good things came out, but what concerns me is we saw the same issues and warts we saw before, with inability to close games and I am not singling out the offense as there is plenty of blame to go on defense and coaches....its not the end results that worry me, its repetition of same mistakes that lead to losses....

we saw that issue last season with a depleted OL and backup QB's As for the defense Quinn 1st game vs a Tampa Bay offense that avg 30 points a game.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

we saw that issue last season with a depleted OL and backup QB's As for the defense Quinn 1st game vs a Tampa Bay offense that avg 30 points a game.

we saw redzone issue the year before too.....its a continuous theme and its not one thing...its lack of execution at times. lack of play design at others and lack of play calling.....enough of each happens and it leads to bad redzone stats.

 

[Doomsday101]

we saw redzone issue the year before too.....its a continuous theme and its not one thing...its lack of execution at times. lack of play design at others and lack of play calling.....enough of each happens and it leads to bad redzone stats.

Yet last year prior to Dak going down Cowboys were hitting at 71% in the redzone. After Dak went down that redzone percentage went down a lot

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Yet last year prior to Dak going down Cowboys were hitting at 71% in the redzone. After Dak went down that redzone percentage went down a lot

2019?

 

[jnday]

Smart game plan… Patriots will run the ball 50 times one game and 10 the next. Depends on the match up.

I think that Moore is too quick to abandon the run in many games. The Cowboys seems to lose more games when they get away from having a balanced offensive attack.

 

[RonnieT24]

I think that Moore is too quick to abandon the run in many games. The Cowboys seems to lose more games when they get away from having a balanced offensive attack.

Moore's unwillingness to accept modest gains in the running game early to set things up for later worries me greatly. His inability to understand the value of letting our biguns lean on their biguns and how that pays dividends late in games is frankly frightening. The whole "yards are yards" quote highlights this deficiency in his understanding of how the game is played. People seem to delight in pointing out that the Cowboys have a poor record in Dak Prescott's last two plus seasons.. It might bear stating that the Cowboys have a horrible record since Moore took over the playcalling. What's the record? 14-19 since he got the reigns.. compared to 32-16 in the three years before with a combination of Lenahan and Garrett pulling the strings.. Makes ya go hmmmm.. don't it?

 

[Cmac]

I mean on the infamous Jarwin/Zeke run that failed......I'd probably give blame to both parties. I feel like a professional tight end in the NFL should make that block and I feel like a back the caliber of Zeke should be able to make that guy miss.

Fair enough.....Zeke's been a straight ahead runner since OSU, but no excuse, CB jumped on the angle quickly though....might been a run more for the quicker Pollard, perhaps.

But anyway.....let's see what lies ahead in the trenches this Sunday and the situational calls. Also, once this team latches on something, the creativity goes away, and its a repeat of plays from the previous week. We'll see.

 

[kevm3]

If we would have run the ball more we would have gotten spanked by Tampa Bay. The Bucs have the number one offense against the run and we've barely gotten any yards when we run, so what would we have gotten out of running more? Mahomes could barely score against the Bucs but we put up nearly 30 points against them, so the offensive game plan wasn't the problem. We'll mix in the run against other teams who are softer against it. "Balance" for the sake of balance doesn't work. What balance really means is you attack an offense based on their weakness, so if they are strong against the pass and weak against the run, that's when you start running the ball. It doesn't mean burning downs to run for running's sake.

 

[quickccc]

oh, I don't disagree that garrett and linehan sucked at in game adjustments of any kind....they were solely focused on execution and pounded a square peg into a round hole no matter how many times they failed at it.

the moore offense is more diverse. we do have a great group of talent, so that helps mask any warts in the play calling and design.

Moore has room for improvement. he is very green. I think he got trusted into the role a little prematruely and didn't truly get mentored...even Payton or McVay paid their dues, came up through the ranks and learned from several coaches before becoming who they are and they are two of the best offensive minds in the league.

In just Kellen's first rookie year as OC, in 2019.
- we were the No.1 ranked offense in total yards per game in the entire NFL, (thats even ahead of KC Chiefs)
- We were 2nd in NFL in passing yds per game
- we were 5th in the NFL in rushing
- 6th in the NFL in points scored per game with 27.1
- 2nd in the NFL in 3rd down percentage %

and that's a helluva accomplishment for a rookie OC, imo and i don't see anything premature about anointing him as OC.

 

[Cmac]

If Dak audibled out of many of KMoore's intended runs......maybe, just maybe......KMoore should take his rear up in the press box and get off the tablet. Think that would help everyone being on the same page?

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

9 times out of 10 on a not dysfunctional team that's a walk in. Seen it a million times.

easy block...big te on lil db


only only about 1000 times have i seen the rb get blamed.

usually blame people that can't block.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

In just Kellen's first rookie year as OC, in 2019.
- we were the No.1 ranked offense in total yards per game in the entire NFL, (thats even ahead of KC Chiefs)
- We were 2nd in NFL in passing yds per game
- we were 5th in the NFL in rushing
- 6th in the NFL in points scored per game with 27.1
- 2nd in the NFL in 3rd down percentage %

and that's a helluva accomplishment for a rookie OC, imo and i don't see anything premature about anointing him as OC.

we were 8-8. lots of empty calories. he mismanaged or should I say, he and garrett mismanaged several games....the NO game, the Minn game, the Bills game, the Jets game, the Patiots game were all games we should have won if not for mismanagement of the game. there were quite a few offensive hiccups in those games. no Moore was far from perfect and he was schooled by several defensive coordinators as I had mentioned as much before the season. does it mean he is a bad OC? no. its just that in the NFL you earn your stripes, you dont go from 3rd string QB to QB coach and OC and expect to be good and perfect...you will make mistakes and that's how you learn. Unfortunately his NFL mentors were Linehan and Garrett...

I have often argued there isn't much difference between the various schemes, plays and play designs in the NFL....there are only so many route types, so many blocking schemes. its what combinations you call and how you manage the game on game day that sets the difference between good ones and average ones. its how you manage crucial times of the game that makes a difference...its about what could/should have been. if we were 8-8 but should have been 11-8 or 12-4, then we left 4 wins out there we shouldn't have.....

btw, 2018 the second half of the season we were top offense in the league and top 5 in every category. we sucked in the first half of the season, basically because Allen Hurns was our #1 reciever. we got cooper and we caught fire. that was with Linehan and Garrett....

 

[CowboyRoy]

So do you deny that if the Cowboys had simply run the ball three straight times after the long Lamb completion and eaten up most of the clock and both of Tampa's timeouts THEN kicked the FG they would not have won? If so then you understand as little about situational football as Moore does.

So now you are completely changing the argument and making it seem like I dont agree? LOL

I see your typical moving of the goal posts tradition.

The Cowboys needed another first down and another 10 yards to get into reasonable FG range. Who knows if they would have made it. I highly doubt we pick up a first with Zeke running 3 times in a row. That being said there was a holding call on Williams that ruined the drive. No ones fault but Williams.

 

[ondaedg]

Moore's unwillingness to accept modest gains in the running game early to set things up for later worries me greatly. His inability to understand the value of letting our biguns lean on their biguns and how that pays dividends late in games is frankly frightening. The whole "yards are yards" quote highlights this deficiency in his understanding of how the game is played. People seem to delight in pointing out that the Cowboys have a poor record in Dak Prescott's last two plus seasons.. It might bear stating that the Cowboys have a horrible record since Moore took over the playcalling. What's the record? 14-19 since he got the reigns.. compared to 32-16 in the three years before with a combination of Lenahan and Garrett pulling the strings.. Makes ya go hmmmm.. don't it?

Moore is clearly not the issue. Al Michaels mentioned it during the broadcast: we had a historically bad defense last season and 2019 was pretty awful too. We dominated the TOP as if we were running the ball down their throat and our D still gave up 31. Coincidence isn’t causation.