Twitter: Scoring first was the key in Cowboys wins last year

[KJJ]

That all starts with our bad running game. I think we would have lost more games last year if teams simply didn't fear our early lead, and kept running the ball. The book is out, and only teams with bad coaching that wasn't paying attention last season will miss that. Our run defense will be even worse this season as it looks right now.

Some of those early leads we got were from turnovers. We had several special team and defensive scores. When our defense was forcing turnovers and scoring we looked unbeatable. When our defense didn’t play well we sucked!

 

[Stash]

Any team that plays the Cowboys in 2024 should run the ball down our throats. Any team that does not do this has bad coaching. Even mid level backs can dominate this defense. Even if the Cowboys jump out to a lead, teams should still insist on running it. It will work nearly every game.

Hopefully it’s not the case with Zimmer’s defense. Otherwise, we’re all in for a long season.

 

[Bobhaze]

I remember more than just the Green Bay game where Quinn’s defense failed to show up.

We were a team of extremes. Either we blew teams out, or we GOT blown out.

Our average margin of loss in 6 losses was 14.8 points per game. In 4 of the 6 losses, the average margin of loss was a whopping 20 pts per game. When we lost, most of the time it was big.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Most definitely. But at least Quinn’s defense improved over Marinelli’s outdated mess in big play areas like sacks and turnovers. We won’t even get into the disaster that was Mike Nolan.

+1 but something lost a bit we nearly led the league in interceptions in 2022 and 2023 but did not do a good job converting those to 7 points. In other words, there were times our defense provided the offense with opportunities to get back into games.

 

[Stash]

Our average margin of loss in 6 losses was 14.8 points per game. In 4 of the 6 losses, the average margin of loss was a whopping 20 pts per game. When we lost, most of the time it was big.

Oh yeah. And I remember in some cases - like San Francisco - they called off the dogs early. Those losses could have been even worse!

 

[birdwells1]

Any team that plays the Cowboys in 2024 should run the ball down our throats. Any team that does not do this has bad coaching. Even mid level backs can dominate this defense. Even if the Cowboys jump out to a lead, teams should still insist on running it. It will work nearly every game.

This right here!!!! I don't know why teams got behind and got impatient, if I was behind 10 points in the third quarter I would have still ran on this defense

 

[plymkr]

Buffalo took the opening kickoff and rammed it down our throat on the ground as did the cards, niners and the packers in those losses. When you’re behind, if you can’t stop the run, it’s curtains.

Once that happened our offense just shrunk. All stats and numbers aside our offense fed off of our defense as far as energy and emotion. When our defense got scored on first our offense came out flat.

I still remember watching the first drive of the Buffalo game and their RB pushed our whole defensive line a couple yards for a 1st down. I said out loud, “we lost”. It was over, I knew this team didn’t have the stomach to bounce back. Same thing when Green Bay scored first.

If you go back and watch the swagger and body language of our offense when they score first or the defense gets a TO or score, it’s pretty staggering the confidence the offense plays with when it has momentum. It’s pretty scary watching our offense play from behind.

We need our defense to stop the run. That’s the key to our whole team IMHO.

 

[HonoluluCowboy]

It clearly indicates without a lead our D can not get us back in the game.

It also clearly indicates that once we are Behind Chokota's Doe eyes get bigger and bigger

 

[Chasing6]

It also clearly indicates that once we are Behind Chokota's Doe eyes get bigger and bigger

Please explain how you close the lead when you defense keeps giving up points after every drive?

 

[DandyDon52]

As NFL writer Warren Sharp chronicled in his Twitter post, scoring first in the NFL matters a lot. In the last decade, NFL teams that score first win 64% of the time. Last year, that was even more true for the Cowboys.

In the 2023 season, it was very obvious that the Cowboys almost had to score first to win. The Cowboys were an amazing 10-0 last year when they scored first. Including the playoff loss to GB last January, the Cowboys were 2-6 when the opponent scored first.

Here are some reasons why scoring first mattered so much for Dallas in 2023:

• When the Cowboys were ahead, especially if they led by 10 or more, it allowed our defense‘s strengths to step forward which was rushing the passer. When we got behind, stopping the run became critical and that has been our Achilles heel on defense for years.
• Daron Bland’s 5 pick six TDs last year all happened when the Cowboys were ahead. Four of them happened when we were ahead by two or more scores.
• In the Cowboys six losses last season, teams were able to run the ball almost at will. Buffalo took the opening kickoff and rammed it down our throat on the ground as did the cards, niners and the packers in those losses. When you’re behind, if you can’t stop the run, it’s curtains.
• This defensive problem puts pressure on the Cowboys offense to always score first. Sometimes an NFL offense is going to start slow. Look at the chiefs offense in the SB. They scored 3 in the first half but their defense kept them in the game until the offense could get going.

So based on the above info, in 2024 will this team be able to win if they fall behind early? Will we once again have to score first to have a realistic shot to win?

This is a flawed philosophy and stat.
It is just usually the case that the team that scores first , their offense is going to dominate the other teams defense.
But even that is wrong, as I see many games where the team that scores first, even a td , doesnt score again till late in the game.

Dallas dominated many of the teams they beat.
Look at the home game record last year, that stat almost guaranteed a dallas victory over GB, but then look what happened !
Dallas almost lost to detroit, if not for that one odd play.
That showed that a team dallas cant dominate can win in dallas.

As you said yourself, dallas has been weak stopping a good run game, and score first or not those teams will beat dallas most of the time,
if they are smart enough to run alot.

I would not want my players thinking if they score first, they automatically will win the game now ! lol recipe for disaster .

 

[DandyDon52]

Please explain how you close the lead when you defense keeps giving up points after every drive?

If that is happening, it means your being out coached by the other team.
It also means your team has issues that the other team is exploiting. Coaching again.

In any game, the dallas offense needs to match points with the other team, and at some point score more than the other team.

Remember the dallas denver game? no punts just the offenses scoring point, and at end denver scored more than dallas.
Maybe the defense makes 1 stop that helps win the game.

 

[Chasing6]

If that is happening, it means your being out coached by the other team.
It also means your team has issues that the other team is exploiting. Coaching again.

In any game, the dallas offense needs to match points with the other team, and at some point score more than the other team.

Remember the dallas denver game? no punts just the offenses scoring point, and at end denver scored more than dallas.
Maybe the defense makes 1 stop that helps win the game.

Well will all now we only played pass defense no matter what the scenario was. At least we started drafting CB that like to tackle.

 

[leeblair]

As NFL writer Warren Sharp chronicled in his Twitter post, scoring first in the NFL matters a lot. In the last decade, NFL teams that score first win 64% of the time. Last year, that was even more true for the Cowboys.

In the 2023 season, it was very obvious that the Cowboys almost had to score first to win. The Cowboys were an amazing 10-0 last year when they scored first. Including the playoff loss to GB last January, the Cowboys were 2-6 when the opponent scored first.

Here are some reasons why scoring first mattered so much for Dallas in 2023:

• When the Cowboys were ahead, especially if they led by 10 or more, it allowed our defense‘s strengths to step forward which was rushing the passer. When we got behind, stopping the run became critical and that has been our Achilles heel on defense for years.
• Daron Bland’s 5 pick six TDs last year all happened when the Cowboys were ahead. Four of them happened when we were ahead by two or more scores.
• In the Cowboys six losses last season, teams were able to run the ball almost at will. Buffalo took the opening kickoff and rammed it down our throat on the ground as did the cards, niners and the packers in those losses. When you’re behind, if you can’t stop the run, it’s curtains.
• This defensive problem puts pressure on the Cowboys offense to always score first. Sometimes an NFL offense is going to start slow. Look at the chiefs offense in the SB. They scored 3 in the first half but their defense kept them in the game until the offense could get going.

So based on the above info, in 2024 will this team be able to win if they fall behind early? Will we once again have to score first to have a realistic shot to win?

This, like other stats, doesn't tell the whole story.
While I agree with most of the commentary, there is a huge part of this equation that is left out. When the Cowboys faced tougher teams, the opponent scored first because our offense wasn't producing at all. This put pressure on the defense, and didn't allow them to play to their strengths.
When the offense is not producing, it changes the scheme of the game.
Likewise, when our defense was overpowering the opponent, the opposing defense became weaker.
These are men,and the intangibles take over when it is clear that one team has the advantage over the other. They stop believing they can win, and don't play up to their best effort.
Any coach who ignores the intangibles is missing over half of his game planning ability.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The defense was built to play with a lead.

It's been that way for years.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Well we were 10-0 last year when scoring first. 2-6 when the opponent scored first.

Who were the 2? Without looking I'd surmise it was likely the Giants or Commanders or Panthers or some other weak team.

If you don't know let me know and I'll check it out....

 

[Big D]

Same with the offense, Dak is not the guy to play from behind and win you the game. If the defense can stop the run and better yet not freaking quit, they are a top 8 unit.

Dak , or any qb for that matter, is not the guy to play from behind when your defense can't get a stop but when defense pitches in he seems to do ok.

 

[Bobhaze]

Who were the 2? Without looking I'd surmise it was likely the Giants or Commanders or Panthers or some other weak team.

If you don't know let me know and I'll check it out....

Chargers and Lions. And we were very lucky to win the lions game.

 

[CowboyoWales]

• This defensive problem puts pressure on the Cowboys offense to always score first. Sometimes an NFL offense is going to start slow. Look at the chiefs offense in the SB. They scored 3 in the first half but their defense kept them in the game until the offense could get going.

So based on the above info, in 2024 will this team be able to win if they fall behind early? Will we once again have to score first to have a realistic shot to win?

You're not wrong, but I thought this premise/gameplan is well established throughout the NFL.....hit Dallas hard and early. However, the ability of that team getting a lead and running isnt the sole problem. Running the ball just lessens the time (and therefore) enhances the 'perceived' pressure on Dak', who (to most of us) struggles when pressure is on his shoulders.

If we didnt have a QB that shows (certainly on the eye) a marked differential between Dak with a lead and Dak chasing a deficit, then the importance of scoring first wouldnt be so great.

Every opponent is aware of the Cowboys/Dak's pro's/cons......they are playing on Dak's weakness......because if you dont he's likely to kill you ala Buccs 2022.

The resolution to this, is as much calming Dak down (when facing a deficit) as it is a Defense that stops giving up the first score(s). I go back to the GB game, where our running game wasnt to blame (it was working), it looked like Dak was moved out of his comfort zone and tried to expedite the deficit asap as he realizes as the clock ticks he cant play his natural game.

Then again this, for me is another example of why Dak needs to take that 'career ending' contract, as a 3/4 contract isnt going to give us the ability, to restructure funds to create a Defense that he needs to help him play his game (outstanding QB with a lead).

 

[DuncanIso]

As NFL writer Warren Sharp chronicled in his Twitter post, scoring first in the NFL matters a lot. In the last decade, NFL teams that score first win 64% of the time. Last year, that was even more true for the Cowboys.

In the 2023 season, it was very obvious that the Cowboys almost had to score first to win. The Cowboys were an amazing 10-0 last year when they scored first. Including the playoff loss to GB last January, the Cowboys were 2-6 when the opponent scored first.

Here are some reasons why scoring first mattered so much for Dallas in 2023:

• When the Cowboys were ahead, especially if they led by 10 or more, it allowed our defense‘s strengths to step forward which was rushing the passer. When we got behind, stopping the run became critical and that has been our Achilles heel on defense for years.
• Daron Bland’s 5 pick six TDs last year all happened when the Cowboys were ahead. Four of them happened when we were ahead by two or more scores.
• In the Cowboys six losses last season, teams were able to run the ball almost at will. Buffalo took the opening kickoff and rammed it down our throat on the ground as did the cards, niners and the packers in those losses. When you’re behind, if you can’t stop the run, it’s curtains.
• This defensive problem puts pressure on the Cowboys offense to always score first. Sometimes an NFL offense is going to start slow. Look at the chiefs offense in the SB. They scored 3 in the first half but their defense kept them in the game until the offense could get going.

So based on the above info, in 2024 will this team be able to win if they fall behind early? Will we once again have to score first to have a realistic shot to win?

That 4-2-5 nickel was always weak vs run.

Plus the LBs needed help after we lost LVE.

Pollard wasn’t much help either. Our ground game was not strong.

 

[Chasing6]

You're not wrong, but I thought this premise/gameplan is well established throughout the NFL.....hit Dallas hard and early. However, the ability of that team getting a lead and running isnt the sole problem. Running the ball just lessens the time (and therefore) enhances the 'perceived' pressure on Dak', who (to most of us) struggles when pressure is on his shoulders.

If we didnt have a QB that shows (certainly on the eye) a marked differential between Dak with a lead and Dak chasing a deficit, then the importance of scoring first wouldnt be so great.

Every opponent is aware of the Cowboys/Dak's pro's/cons......they are playing on Dak's weakness......because if you dont he's likely to kill you ala Buccs 2022.

The resolution to this, is as much calming Dak down (when facing a deficit) as it is a Defense that stops giving up the first score(s). I go back to the GB game, where our running game wasnt to blame (it was working), it looked like Dak was moved out of his comfort zone and tried to expedite the deficit asap as he realizes as the clock ticks he cant play his natural game.

Then again this, for me is another example of why Dak needs to take that 'career ending' contract, as a 3/4 contract isnt going to give us the ability, to restructure funds to create a Defense that he needs to help him play his game (outstanding QB with a lead).

Majority of our losses are when we give up 28 points or more. When is the last time we lost a game giving up 17 points?