xwalker
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I'll start with a summary and move to the details.
This team can likely win with the current players on offense or with the current coaches/scheme but probably not both. They need a big play Star type player besides Zeke.
I don't think the coaches will be replaced; therefore I'm going to start focusing on the draft.
Fault ranking:
1a. Coaches/scheme
1b. Receivers (WRs and TE)
2. Refs
3. OLine
4. QB
The top problem I saw was that the defense appeared to know what play was coming. For instance on a roll right by Dak, the defense had flooded that side with defenders and had the bare minimum defenders on the opposite side.
I don't know if it's formation, down-distance, personnel or other clues, but it definitely seems like a problem. If Brown replaces Dez it is almost guaranteed to be a run and when Dez comes back in it's likely a pass. I'm sure if we plotted plays vs down-distance and personnel that it would show a clear pattern.
Another issue is that it appears that the coaches give Dak a primary target as part of the play call; however, it is obvious on many snaps based on the defensive formation which receivers will or won't have a chance to be open.
They should give Dak the option to choose his primary target instead of him looking first at a target that was unlikely to be open based on the defensive formation.
The routes should be sequenced. It does no good if everyone is trying to get open at the exact same time because the QB can only look in one direction at a time. Some teams run stacked depth routes in the same line of vision for the QB but the Cowboys rarely do that.
After coaches/scheme comes the receivers including TEs. They are are limited. Witten is slow,. Dez is inconsistent on routes, telegraphs his routes, rarely gets open at the right time and his probability of coming down with a contested catch has dwindled even when it hit his hands. TWill is the best route runner but is limited on where he can catch the ball. The ball gets on him too quickly on short routes and he is not a true deep-ball receiver. He needs intermediate depth in-breaking routes. Beasley is just a very small target. The ball must be right to him and can't be thrown around defenders because of his limited catch radius. Butler appears to run his routes incorrectly at times.
I think they have given up on having Dez run option routes where he has to read the defense and make a decision. This is a big limitation especially in this scheme.
I'm fairly certain that Butler made the wrong decision on an option route late in the game but Dak threw it anyway and it was intercepted.
There was an INT on a pass intended for Beasley. Dak likely throws that to high for an INT if Beasley was 5-11 instead of 5-7. Dak probably wouldn't throw that pass if the score was close.
On the 2-point play I think Dak expected TWill to move towards to back of the endzone but TWill moved horizontally taking himself towards a defender. Two steps back instead of two steps over by TWill and that pass is likely on target.
They can run the ball without Zeke but there is no big play threat for the defense to worry about; therefore, defenses play the pass and rush the passer and accept that the Cowboys will get some 8 yard runs.
Tyron did hold on the TD that was called back and that was too obvious to ignore but their OL was tackling the Cowboys pass rushers with no flags.
Dak was under a lot of pressure. The OL needs to be better; although there are limits when the defense is not worried about big plays. The Cowboys have zero big play players without Zeke. The scheme does not help the OL. They had 1 clever play design with a roll out from a run fake with a receiver rolling in parallel to Dak: however, they didn't do enough will Dak moving out of the pocket to slow down the rush. The jet sweep without blocking the end defender was stupid.
Dak does not have a compact delivery and his accuracy is affected by near-pressure because of it. He also tends throw high when he is moving forward in the pocket. That is simple coaching issue because it is basically physics that a QB has to backoff on throws when their body is moving forward. Romo or Aikman has discussed this concept on a broadcast in the past.
If Dak has an inaccurate throw there are two possible reasons. Either he was inaccurate OR the receiver ran the route incorrectly. Fans don't tend to consider the 2nd reason and assume that all bad throws are the QBs fault.
The Cowboys must add a big-time WR/TE or get a new scheme.
This team can likely win with the current players on offense or with the current coaches/scheme but probably not both. They need a big play Star type player besides Zeke.
I don't think the coaches will be replaced; therefore I'm going to start focusing on the draft.
Fault ranking:
1a. Coaches/scheme
1b. Receivers (WRs and TE)
2. Refs
3. OLine
4. QB
The top problem I saw was that the defense appeared to know what play was coming. For instance on a roll right by Dak, the defense had flooded that side with defenders and had the bare minimum defenders on the opposite side.
I don't know if it's formation, down-distance, personnel or other clues, but it definitely seems like a problem. If Brown replaces Dez it is almost guaranteed to be a run and when Dez comes back in it's likely a pass. I'm sure if we plotted plays vs down-distance and personnel that it would show a clear pattern.
Another issue is that it appears that the coaches give Dak a primary target as part of the play call; however, it is obvious on many snaps based on the defensive formation which receivers will or won't have a chance to be open.
They should give Dak the option to choose his primary target instead of him looking first at a target that was unlikely to be open based on the defensive formation.
The routes should be sequenced. It does no good if everyone is trying to get open at the exact same time because the QB can only look in one direction at a time. Some teams run stacked depth routes in the same line of vision for the QB but the Cowboys rarely do that.
After coaches/scheme comes the receivers including TEs. They are are limited. Witten is slow,. Dez is inconsistent on routes, telegraphs his routes, rarely gets open at the right time and his probability of coming down with a contested catch has dwindled even when it hit his hands. TWill is the best route runner but is limited on where he can catch the ball. The ball gets on him too quickly on short routes and he is not a true deep-ball receiver. He needs intermediate depth in-breaking routes. Beasley is just a very small target. The ball must be right to him and can't be thrown around defenders because of his limited catch radius. Butler appears to run his routes incorrectly at times.
I think they have given up on having Dez run option routes where he has to read the defense and make a decision. This is a big limitation especially in this scheme.
I'm fairly certain that Butler made the wrong decision on an option route late in the game but Dak threw it anyway and it was intercepted.
There was an INT on a pass intended for Beasley. Dak likely throws that to high for an INT if Beasley was 5-11 instead of 5-7. Dak probably wouldn't throw that pass if the score was close.
On the 2-point play I think Dak expected TWill to move towards to back of the endzone but TWill moved horizontally taking himself towards a defender. Two steps back instead of two steps over by TWill and that pass is likely on target.
They can run the ball without Zeke but there is no big play threat for the defense to worry about; therefore, defenses play the pass and rush the passer and accept that the Cowboys will get some 8 yard runs.
Tyron did hold on the TD that was called back and that was too obvious to ignore but their OL was tackling the Cowboys pass rushers with no flags.
Dak was under a lot of pressure. The OL needs to be better; although there are limits when the defense is not worried about big plays. The Cowboys have zero big play players without Zeke. The scheme does not help the OL. They had 1 clever play design with a roll out from a run fake with a receiver rolling in parallel to Dak: however, they didn't do enough will Dak moving out of the pocket to slow down the rush. The jet sweep without blocking the end defender was stupid.
Dak does not have a compact delivery and his accuracy is affected by near-pressure because of it. He also tends throw high when he is moving forward in the pocket. That is simple coaching issue because it is basically physics that a QB has to backoff on throws when their body is moving forward. Romo or Aikman has discussed this concept on a broadcast in the past.
If Dak has an inaccurate throw there are two possible reasons. Either he was inaccurate OR the receiver ran the route incorrectly. Fans don't tend to consider the 2nd reason and assume that all bad throws are the QBs fault.
The Cowboys must add a big-time WR/TE or get a new scheme.
,,, Edwin Rommel would rubber stamp this with his personal approval 
