zrinkill
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Among the Cowboys' potential concerns coming into the season, the run defense was not particularly high on the list. Yes, there were breakdowns in this area in 2008, none more evident than in the losses to the Rams, Giants and Ravens in which the Cowboys allowed 218.3 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry. But with a solid performance through most of the other 13 games, it was easy to overlook.
No longer. Coming off a 34-21 win over the Buccaneers, the run defense became issue No. 1 — especially heading into Sunday's game against the Giants, one of the most proficient running teams the past three seasons.
Early in the win over the Bucs, the Cowboys were aggressive near the line of scrimmage, and they suffered from poor gap control in the process. The team ran a number of run blitzes at the Bucs, believing that their passing game was not a big enough concern. The problem was that RBs Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward were making the first men miss and bouncing to the second level, where the Cowboys were out of position. Williams had 77 yards rushing on only eight carries in the first half, and for the game the Buccaneers ran for 174 yards (5.6 yards per carry).
The big running lanes can be fixed. The Cowboys adjusted fairly well in the second half, though getting a lead forced the Bucs into more of a pass-first mode. Dallas did this by going back to its standard system, rushing four on most plays, which was what it did most often in the preseason.
It was a perfectly fine in-game adjustment, getting away from the run blitzing. But Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said the team will make that a focus this week with the Giants coming up. At the tail end of the five-game run last season in which the Cowboys played their best defense, allowing only 68 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry during that stretch, Dallas held the Giants to only 72 yards rushing on 17 carries. It did this in part by using the run blitz and by crowding Giants RB Brandon Jacobs.
With similar personnel to last season — the major changes are DE Igor Olshansky replacing Chris Canty and ILB Keith Brooking replacing Zach Thomas — an improvement can be made. The coaches don't appear worried about the lack of discipline in Week One, which is good when you consider that several teams with strong running games are coming up on the schedule.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/09/18/cowboys-first-chore-shore-up-run-defense
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No longer. Coming off a 34-21 win over the Buccaneers, the run defense became issue No. 1 — especially heading into Sunday's game against the Giants, one of the most proficient running teams the past three seasons.
Early in the win over the Bucs, the Cowboys were aggressive near the line of scrimmage, and they suffered from poor gap control in the process. The team ran a number of run blitzes at the Bucs, believing that their passing game was not a big enough concern. The problem was that RBs Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward were making the first men miss and bouncing to the second level, where the Cowboys were out of position. Williams had 77 yards rushing on only eight carries in the first half, and for the game the Buccaneers ran for 174 yards (5.6 yards per carry).
The big running lanes can be fixed. The Cowboys adjusted fairly well in the second half, though getting a lead forced the Bucs into more of a pass-first mode. Dallas did this by going back to its standard system, rushing four on most plays, which was what it did most often in the preseason.
It was a perfectly fine in-game adjustment, getting away from the run blitzing. But Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said the team will make that a focus this week with the Giants coming up. At the tail end of the five-game run last season in which the Cowboys played their best defense, allowing only 68 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry during that stretch, Dallas held the Giants to only 72 yards rushing on 17 carries. It did this in part by using the run blitz and by crowding Giants RB Brandon Jacobs.
With similar personnel to last season — the major changes are DE Igor Olshansky replacing Chris Canty and ILB Keith Brooking replacing Zach Thomas — an improvement can be made. The coaches don't appear worried about the lack of discipline in Week One, which is good when you consider that several teams with strong running games are coming up on the schedule.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/09/18/cowboys-first-chore-shore-up-run-defense
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