Quinn has to figure out better answers defending the read-option

[Nova]

Mainly because players with the speed and moves of a Lamar Jackson, etc. were seldom quarterbacks but rather receivers or running backs.

Now you have a defensive end who runs a 4.5 chasing a quarterback who runs a 4.3, and who has moves, the defensive end has precious little time to get to the quarterback before he's cleared the edge. Defensive players have to be able to decipher the play almost instantly, and with all the motion, etc. in the West Coast offense that's not always possible.

Going to take some running quarterback like Jackson getting smashed by a defensive player more often to stop it...

Guys like Jackson are especially difficult, because he's really quick and slippery and can avoid big hits. Kyler Murray, also.

In Jackson's case, I think you just run more zone because he's not going to beat you with his arm.

With Kyler, the focus isn't really there to capitalize on his passing ability combined with his phenomenal speed consistently.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

To be fair, the Wildcat was stupid.

RO is much tougher to defend because it's not smoke and mirrors. It actually creates a numbers advantage along the LOS for the offense by making the QB an active football player.

But yeah, to me the best way to defend it is to "win the war" and stop worrying about the battle.

Get a good clean run at the QB and bury him in the dirt every time early in the game. They'll get yards on the toss, but they'll probably reduce the frequency of RO.

Ain't happening these days, that play will get you a roughing penalty too often....

 

[Nova]

Better tackle play helps a lot. For the past 15 years the DT have been so bad you see all manner of LB and DE selling out trying to get to the ball carrier. Play action and read options are designed to make teams pay for selling out like that.

The key to beating both is gap and read discipline.

For us in particular that is a major problem.

 

[Nova]

Ain't happening these days, that play will get you a roughing penalty too often....

Maybe you're right, but the rules as of right now are that a QB is a runner if he is running the read option.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Maybe you're right, but the rules as of right now are that a QB is a runner if he is running the read option.

True, but the NFL views the quarterback as central to the viewership, doesn't matter if he is a runner or not, he gets the ball 98% of the time on the snap, if he gets hurt there goes the NFL's prima donna...

 

[Flamma]

Not just the Cowboys, but teams throughout the league struggled defending the read-option. Fields, Hurts, Jones even Driskel had major success running the read-option against our defense. DLaw looked totally lost at times defending it, both Wilson/Kearse had their struggles as well. 20 years ago, teams wouldn't dare run the read option as their QB's would get killed, but these new age QB's are coming into the league bigger/stronger and more athletic.

In the past, you give top DC's a year to figure it out, they will devise a scheme to counter. Will Quinn come up with the answers to defend this attack?

How did Tennessee do it against the Ravens in the 2019 divisional round? All season teams were getting gashed by Lamar Jackson and that read option. Jackson himself would feast on teams cheating up to stop the run, with one of the best years he's had as a passer.

In come the Titans. Somehow they were able to stop the run without selling out.

 

[JayFord]

the option has been around for over 100 years because it works at every level...

now in the NFL the QB is almost untouchable, but..if you smack a 100 million dollar qb everytime he does it no matter if he hands it off or keeps it only 2 things can happen

penalties and the other team stops running it

 

[baltcowboy]

How did Tennessee do it against the Ravens in the 2019 divisional round? All season teams were getting gashed by Lamar Jackson and that read option. Jackson himself would feast on teams cheating up to stop the run, with one of the best years he's had as a passer.

In come the Titans. Somehow they were able to stop the run without selling out.

Tennessee made Lamar throw the football. I think he had a big yardage day passing but I think he completed only 50% of his passes. You would rather Lamar have to throw on 3rd and long then have a 3rd and short and beat you with his legs. I think you have to play Hurts the same way.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Better tackle play helps a lot

Funny you say this.........read a tweet suggesting may finally start valuing the DT position again. At least 4/5 elite DT have signed huge long-term deals. The Eagles have used 1st rounders on the position for the last two years. Hell, we even used the 1st one for the first time in 20+ years. I don't it's a coincidence at all.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Tennessee made Lamar throw the football. I think he had a big yardage day passing but I think he completed only 50% of his passes. You would rather Lamar have to throw on 3rd and long then have a 3rd and short and beat you with his legs. I think you have to play Hurts the same way.

This^^^^^100%........it's exactly what I think teams wanna do. But not just throwing but throwing in tight windows.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Not just the Cowboys, but teams throughout the league struggled defending the read-option. Fields, Hurts, Jones even Driskel had major success running the read-option against our defense. DLaw looked totally lost at times defending it, both Wilson/Kearse had their struggles as well. 20 years ago, teams wouldn't dare run the read option as their QB's would get killed, but these new age QB's are coming into the league bigger/stronger and more athletic.

In the past, you give top DC's a year to figure it out, they will devise a scheme to counter. Will Quinn come up with the answers to defend this attack?

Yet alone #11 who thinks every play is a pass play leaving wide lanes open for stuff like this!

 

[Flamma]

Tennessee made Lamar throw the football. I think he had a big yardage day passing but I think he completed only 50% of his passes. You would rather Lamar have to throw on 3rd and long then have a 3rd and short and beat you with his legs. I think you have to play Hurts the same way.

Well sure. It's getting that kind of running team into 3rd and long that is the problem. Making him throw into coverage is what you want to do. They're usually throwing against run defenses in early downs, or like you said, they have a 3rd and short where they can do anything. Tennessee did a good job in getting them into 3rd and long.

 

[T-RO]

Not just the Cowboys, but teams throughout the league struggled defending the read-option. Fields, Hurts, Jones even Driskel had major success running the read-option against our defense. DLaw looked totally lost at times defending it, both Wilson/Kearse had their struggles as well. 20 years ago, teams wouldn't dare run the read option as their QB's would get killed, but these new age QB's are coming into the league bigger/stronger and more athletic.

In the past, you give top DC's a year to figure it out, they will devise a scheme to counter. Will Quinn come up with the answers to defend this attack?

I usually like your posts Cowboyny, but this is
CRAZY WRONG. GARBAGE FICTION.

It makes me angry as you are calling out coaches and players when you are dead-wrong. Silly wrong.

-Eagles couldn't run against Cowboys in game one or game two. Philly averaged 3.5 yards a carry in game one and 3.0 yards a carry in game two. Hurts was maybe 4.0 running on us.

-Giants? Looking at the two games combined Daniel Jones was credited 79 yards rushing, but the majority of that came on pass plays that turned into scrambles. Jones -- again in two games combined -- only had 4 non-scramble rushes for 23 yards.

-Bears? Cowboys were way ahead that whole game. They invited Bears to run and burn the clock, which is what Chicago did.

Houston/Driskell...Jeff had 5 true carries for 25 carries. Big Whoop.

 

[Corso]

I usually like your posts Cowboyny, but this is
CRAZY WRONG. GARBAGE FICTION.

It makes me angry as you are calling out coaches and players when you are dead-wrong. Silly wrong.

-Eagles couldn't run against Cowboys in game one or game two. Philly averaged 3.5 yards a carry in game one and 3.0 yards a carry in game two. Hurts was maybe 4.0 running on us.

-Giants? Looking at the two games combined Daniel Jones was credited 79 yards rushing, but the majority of that came on pass plays that turned into scrambles. Jones -- again in two games combined -- only had 4 non-scramble rushes for 23 yards.

-Bears? Cowboys were way ahead that whole game. They invited Bears to run and burn the clock, which is what Chicago did.

Houston/Driskell...Jeff had 5 true carries for 25 carries. Big Whoop.

Dang. That's strong.
The response.

 

[TheFinisher]

It’s not hard to figure out, just commit your “read” defender to tee off on the quarterback. If a team values the health of their quarterback, they’ll stop running it.

Quarterbacks are free game on option plays whether they keep it or not, these should be free shots with your DE putting his facemask in their chest.

 

[CCBoy]

I usually like your posts Cowboyny, but this is
CRAZY WRONG. GARBAGE FICTION.

It makes me angry as you are calling out coaches and players when you are dead-wrong. Silly wrong.

-Eagles couldn't run against Cowboys in game one or game two. Philly averaged 3.5 yards a carry in game one and 3.0 yards a carry in game two. Hurts was maybe 4.0 running on us.

-Giants? Looking at the two games combined Daniel Jones was credited 79 yards rushing, but the majority of that came on pass plays that turned into scrambles. Jones -- again in two games combined -- only had 4 non-scramble rushes for 23 yards.

-Bears? Cowboys were way ahead that whole game. They invited Bears to run and burn the clock, which is what Chicago did.

Houston/Driskell...Jeff had 5 true carries for 25 carries. Big Whoop.

What you reference is a direct to watch...

Playing behind the smaller, more athletic defensive tackles Dallas has deployed over the years in the trenches, the Cowboys LB corps has had to fight through a lot of trash.

Now with the addition of Mazi Smith, along with Jonathan Hankins, Leighton Vander Esch and Company will now be playing behind the protective wall of sorts. No longer will they have to worry about stacking and shedding blockers or fighting through trash on every play. They can just read and react, using their athleticism and speed while playing to sideline to sideline.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...nse-micah-parsons-dan-quinn-johnathan-hankins

They will restrict straight down the middle of the field, and that will leave the sidelines open for Parsons and Lawrence.

 

[CCBoy]

It’s not hard to figure out, just commit your “read” defender to tee off on the quarterback. If a team values the health of their quarterback, they’ll stop running it.

Quarterbacks are free game on option plays whether they keep it or not, these should be free shots with your DE putting his facemask in their chest.

Make them pay for success, make them pay!

 

[CCBoy]

Dang. That's strong.
The response.

Like your displayed and team supportive attitudes...

 

[CCBoy]

For us in particular that is a major problem.

This boils down to a tendency to clog the center of the field into mid secondary depth and design pushing things towards the side lines.

At the line of scrimmage are Lawrence and Parsons outside and in the secondary, strong cornerbacks and safeties now make teams pay in downs not successful.

None injury, this defense can lineup against all comers.

 

[CCBoy]

What you reference is a direct to watch...

Playing behind the smaller, more athletic defensive tackles Dallas has deployed over the years in the trenches, the Cowboys LB corps has had to fight through a lot of trash.

Now with the addition of Mazi Smith, along with Jonathan Hankins, Leighton Vander Esch and Company will now be playing behind the protective wall of sorts. No longer will they have to worry about stacking and shedding blockers or fighting through trash on every play. They can just read and react, using their athleticism and speed while playing to sideline to sideline.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...nse-micah-parsons-dan-quinn-johnathan-hankins

They will restrict straight down the middle of the field, and that will leave the sidelines open for Parsons and Lawrence.

Mazi Smith’s sheer size alone naturally draws all eyes in his direction, but what he brings to the table the football field has the potential to be something opposing defensive coordinators have to game plan around.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...nse-micah-parsons-dan-quinn-johnathan-hankins

Make the opposing offense have to think, speeds up the Dallas defense!