OPINION: The Reason the Offense Isn't Firing On All Cylinders

[Stash]

I blame Proctor. It is hard to get off crisp throws when you are getting pressure up the middle.

I agree.

Not discounting Hostile's points as I think they're factors as well, but there seemed to be a noticeable dropoff in the offense when Holland went out and Procter came back in.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Romo has been wildly inaccurate on balls thrown down field and to the sideline. If this is true and teams find it, we could be in trouble. I can see DCs giving up that route in favor of coverage schemes that take away the short to intermediate and the center of the field. JMO

 

[Cowboyz88]

I'm not an expert on Tony's throwing motion over the years, so he may have always done it, but I have noticed lately that when he sometimes throws the ball, his pinky is out or extended. (Think of "proper" ladies sipping tea).

Again he may have always done it, but to me, it says that while it may not hurt as bad, he's at least thinking about it.

I also believe it's why some of his passes are sailing.

 

[Chuck 54]

I don't think there's any doubt that Romo's accuracy has been lacking all season for whatever reason.

His strength is that he can move around, keep plays alive, and find someone running relatively free to throw to. However, he has not been accurate enough to fit the ball into small windows, and I think his confidence in doing so is also shot. It's one thing to have some balls sail high, but almost every throw in Roy W's direction is thrown high, like "this is safe, and he can go up and get it."

I wouldn't trade Romo for Eli, but watching Eli thread the needle on some incredible throws to guys who were well covered last Sunday night only reminded me that I haven't seen Tony do that much, if ever, this year unless it's a really short pass.

Tony likes to see guys running free, and he does a nice job of waiting, moving, etc. until someone does. In the playoffs, with better defenses, guys don't always run free, and sometimes you have to throw the intermediate routes with both velocity and accuracy to avoid turnovers.

Despite a less accurate season, which isn't truly measured by QB ratings if they are finding wide open guys to throw to, I really like our chances in the playoffs better than last year. If the defense continues to perform the way they have in the past 3-4 weeks, this may be the best defense we've had in Dallas since way way way back to Doomsday. I'm not sure the super bowl defenses in the 90's were as good as what we've seen lately.

Run the ball, stop the run, play smothering hard-nosed defense....and when you add a play-extender/maker like Tony Romo with Witten and TO (I'm not adding Roy to that list until he actually starts doing something)...well, then you have the makings of a championship team.

I think we win out and make it to the NFC championship game....maybe further.

 

[Fletch]

Doesn't matter if we played the #1 and #3 defenses in back to back weeks. If we make the playoffs, all the defenses are going to be pretty dang good.

 

[Angus]

I think its because none of our receivers Owens, Crayton, Williams, and Witten are that fast, and that good at getting seperation. Austin has the speed to get some room, but thats about it.

Tony is forced to jam the ball in tight spaces with most of these guys. Thats why I'm hoping 11 isn't going to be another 19.

Austin should be playing instead of Roy Williams, IMO. I hope I am pleasantly surprised later, but for now I think the trade for RW was a very, very bad deal. Too much money for too little production, and keeps better, younger players from developing.

 

[Temo]

Exactly. Romo looked fine against Seattle and San Fran.

I seriously doubt the offense will roll this Saturday against another great defense... But maybe so.

Agreed.

 

[Doomsday101]

In the last game... This season doesn't just consist of the 'last game'... It took a meeting with Jason Garrett and all the WRs to get a TD to a wide-open Crayton...

One more thing:

When accuracy and rhythm is off, you shorten the routes to try and get your QB in a routine... That is sorely lacking in the great guru that is JG...

According to TO it was a meeting called by Garrett to begin with. Dallas throwing short passes has not been an issue losing our star QB was an issue and when teams knew that they could play press coverage on short routes because we were not able to attack down field it made matters worse. Heck Barber is our 3rd leading pass catcher and he sure as hell is not running deep routs. I will say you’re entitled to your opinion which has become the same old song and dance have fun in your misery.

 

[Chuck 54]

Roy Williams is mostly a decoy this season, partly due to a mid-season trade; partly because our offensive passing game runs through our #1, TO; but in large part because he's injured, playing on a bad foot.

I think we'll see an tremendous improvement and an impact player next season when that foot is healthy.

As for the game vs. Baltimore:

It's the same old story as Pittsburgh and NYG....all we have to do is take care of the football and not give them points. If we do that, it will be a certain victory.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Austin should be playing instead of Roy Williams, IMO. I hope I am pleasantly surprised later, but for now I think the trade for RW was a very, very bad deal. Too much money for too little production, and keeps better, younger players from developing.

I just think he's too slow to get seperation, with that said - I was all for the move. Now we just have to sit back and watch a 9 million dollar Keyshawn Johnson, minus the mouth.

 

[Hoov]

I say run the ball with choice and stick with it until he starts ripping off some big gains, wear the ravens down.

Our D will force a lot of 3 and outs, they are on the road, we can wear them down. I like to see a lot of runs out of the shotgun and some screen passes.

 

[khiladi]

According to TO it was a meeting called by Garrett to begin with. Dallas throwing short passes has not been an issue losing our star QB was an issue and when teams knew that they could play press coverage on short routes because we were not able to attack down field it made matters worse. Heck Barber is our 3rd leading pass catcher and he sure as hell is not running deep routs. I will say you’re entitled to your opinion which has become the same old song and dance have fun in your misery.

Your facts are just way off. They were playing press coverage prior to Romo going down. If you want to beat the jam, you don't have to run your WR right into the CB with a vertical route. You can run a quick slant when the CB. The CB is trying to get a good hit on the receiver. You also put your WR in motion and run quick slant routes.

Further, Marion Barber catches short passes because he is the check-down for Romo, when all the vertical routes have been taken away. It is the familiar scene of Romo looking downfield, not finding anything and going to Barber, who is waiting over top, on the check-down pass.

Also, your perception may be I am wallowing in misery, but that is nothing farther from the truth. One can give honest and brutal criticism and still be a happy camper. What is that saying, the truth shall set you free..

 

[Doomsday101]

Your facts are just way off. They were playing press coverage prior to Romo going down. If you want to beat the jam, you don't have to run your WR right into the CB with a vertical route. You can run a quick slant when the CB. The CB is trying to get a good hit on the receiver. You also put your WR in motion and run quick slant routes.

Further, Marion Barber catches short passes because he is the check-down for Romo, when all the vertical routes have been taken away. It is the familiar scene of Romo looking downfield, not finding anything and going to Barber, who is waiting over top, on the check-down pass.

Also, your perception may be I am wallowing in misery, but that is nothing farther from the truth. One can give honest and brutal criticism and still be a happy camper. What is that saying, the truth shall set you free..

Teams were playing a press with a safety over the top with Owens not across the board. I disagree with your take I think Garrett knows what he is doing and this offense is one of the top ranked offense. On slants yes you can run them but too often I see WR including Owens stop on the rout and that is a sure fire way to get picked. Romo takes a lot of heat for picks even the ones that were not his fault. As for your criticism that is your version of what you think not fact if it were fact then this offense would not be putting up the points they have.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I just think he's too slow to get seperation, with that said - I was all for the move. Now we just have to sit back and watch a 9 million dollar Keyshawn Johnson, minus the mouth.

Well, let me say this. A KJ, minus the mouth, is not a bad deal IMO. KJ was not a deep threat but he did make first downs. To this point, RW is catching passes and moving the chains. Honestly, he isn't dropping a lot of balls at all. The balls that are coming his way are either caught, most times for a first or are just poor throws that he has no chance at. Of the WRs we have right now, I'd have to say that RW has shown the best hands thus far. He does catch it if at all possible. Remeber that Mike didn't run away from everybody either. I think that RW will prove to be a very good pick up for us as time goes on. JMO

 

[jobberone]

Because with CBs jamming them at the LOS we aren't running slants. They are having to break to the outside to get open. A jam is designed to take away a slant route.

They aren't all being jammed at the LOS because some are blitzing. And Roy and TO should be able to defeat that on a hot read at least some of the time even if they don't come with the others..

I wonder if Tony doesn't have enough confidence and accuracy to complete it. The ball does need to get there fast and accurately.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Well, let me say this. A KJ, minus the mouth, is not a bad deal IMO. KJ was not a deep threat but he did make first downs. To this point, RW is catching passes and moving the chains. Honestly, he isn't dropping a lot of balls at all. The balls that are coming his way are either caught, most times for a first or are just poor throws that he has no chance at. Of the WRs we have right now, I'd have to say that RW has shown the best hands thus far. He does catch it if at all possible. Remeber that Mike didn't run away from everybody either. I think that RW will prove to be a very good pick up for us as time goes on. JMO

Did the player you just describe deserve a 45 million dollar contract and was worth a 1st and a 3rd?

 

[LeonDixson]

Really because I saw Crayton in the last game with 3 balls going to him. 1 for the TD, one for a 1st and 1 dropped. He also got the ball to Austin and he did go to RW on 3 different occations.

I agree with you, but I counted 4 to RW. Three that were overthrown and 1 that was behind him that he caught for about 5 yards.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Did the player you just describe deserve a 45 million dollar contract and was worth a 1st and a 3rd?

If that player helps us win a championship, do you think he deserves 45 million?

I know what I would answer.

 

[Hostile]

They aren't all being jammed at the LOS because some are blitzing. And Roy and TO should be able to defeat that on a hot read at least some of the time even if they don't come with the others..

I wonder if Tony doesn't have enough confidence and accuracy to complete it. The ball does need to get there fast and accurately.

No one blitzes on every play or jams WRs on every play or anything on every play.

We don't run many slants because there aren't many there the way Defenses line up on us. If the Safeties are 7 to 10 deep you're throwing into double coverage and a jump route.

You have to take what the Defenses give you, and they won't give us slants.

 

[jobberone]

No one blitzes on every play or jams WRs on every play or anything on every play.

We don't run many slants because there aren't many there the way Defenses line up on us. If the Safeties are 7 to 10 deep you're throwing into double coverage and a jump route.

You have to take what the Defenses give you, and they won't give us slants.

I was talking about the Giants game mostly but all season we haven't thrown slants much.

Also I wasn't talking about everytime. But the Giants and Pittsburg brought a lot of zone blitzes as well as safeties and corners. And we have a bad time of picking it up. It wasn't until Red beat them enough times that they stopped with it so much.

There is no reason why we can't get some hot reads on those. Not expecting them to beat it everytime or make that read and play everytime. And yes nothing always happens.