Scouting the Lions

[Jarv]

I’ve never liked the “resting starters” thing. I think it often backfires. Besides if the Cowboys win Sat they still have a shot at a better seed IF they get some help. Not likely but still possible.

Agreed.

 

[Tabascocat]

Which is exactly why I believe we win since the Lions will do the same Saturday (rest starters) after clinching last week.

Detroit literally controls their own destiny for the #2 seed. If SF drops a game, they get the #1 seed. In no way do they rest starters for this game.

 

[Doomsday77]

They are not resting starters that are healthy they believe this is a big game for whatever reason nobody goes into a game losing on purpose there sometimes you have to rest players like tyron Smith and hankins are not ready to play you don't go out let them read aggravate it this close to the playoffs but you still bring every single person you can to help you win this game but you don't risk the ones that are on the bubble health wise like tyron Smith for example and the reason they're not activating Rico dawdle and not rushing back hankins for good reason but the rest of them need to come in and play like this is a Super Bowl...

And I mean that for both teams I believe they're gonna play to win neither one of these coaches typically rest a lot of players down the stretch they they play every game to win

All good points and I stand corrected now that I realize they (Lions) can still potentially gain the #1 seed.

 

[Motorola]

Here’s a look at a very good 11-4 lions team we desperately need to beat Saturday night.
BASICS:

• Lions are 11-4; they are an impressive 6-2 on the road including a season opening win at KC.
• Lions are currently the 3rd seed but are still very much in the chase for the #1 seed.
• As a player, Lions Head coach Dan Campbell was a TE for the Cowboys for 3 years under Parcells, 2003-05.
• Surprisingly, the lions are -2 in turnover margin, which is unusual for a team with that record.

LIONS OFFENSE

• The Lions are 3rd in total offense at 394.1 yards per game.
• The Lions are 5th in points per game averaging 27.5.
• They are 5th in passing at 253 ypg.
• They are 3rd in rushing yards, averaging 141 ypg.
• QB Jared Goff is currently ranked 3rd among NFL QBs. He has 27 TDs vs 10 INTs. He’s very accurate and takes care of the ball.
• Rookie RB Jamir Gibbs has 872 yds, 9 rushing TDs, and leads the league with 10 rushes of 20+ yards.
• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is sneaky good, has 106 receptions (only 3 behind Cedee Lamb)

LIONS DEFENSE

• The lions average giving up 23.7 ppg, which means they have been in many close games.
• Lions defense is ranked 15th, averaging giving up 325 ypg.
• They are 23rd against the pass, avg giving up 234 ypg.
• They are better against the run, ranking 4th, giving up only 91 ypg.
• DE Aidan Hutchinson is good young player with 6.5 sacks, 7 TFLs and an interception.
• Rookie LB Jack Campbell is a tackling machine and really good against the run.
• Overall their defense is talented but very young.

KEYS TO WIN

• Score first. The Cowboys are 9-0 when scoring first and 1-5 when opponents score first.
• The lions have been in a lot of close games, so if we can get up on them by 2 scores early, they tend to throw away their run game, making them much easier to defend.
• The lions are sneaky good running the ball. Jamir Gibbs is very quick and if we don’t seal the edge, he can be an instant long run or TD threat. Stopping the run is job 1 for our D.
• The Cowboys avg 36 points at home so if we can score 30 or more, we should win.
• As always, turnovers will be huge. The lions -2 in TO margin so they may be vulnerable there.

I expect the Cowboys to win. The lions are a very good team but looking closely at them they probably aren’t as good as it would appear just looking at their record. They have won a lot of close games. Should be a fun game. Go Cowboys!

Bobhaze- outstanding analysis (as usual) about the upcoming opponent.. will segment the breakdowns in your post and put in my

 

[Motorola]

Bobhaze- outstanding analysis (as usual) about the upcoming opponent.. will segment the breakdowns in your post and put in my

opinion on each phase.

 

[kuyyo_morro]

Lions vs Browns superbowl is possible this season. Someone with that bet beginning of the year of $10 can make a million.

 

[CCBoy]

Fundamentally offensive line gaps (spacing between linemen) are often used to determine in scouting a team what type of plays are about to be run. For example wider gaps often indicate runs with pulls or traps or tighter ones a pass play or outside run. Offenses try to gain advantages without the gaps being too obvious to opposing defenses. Defensive scouts try to pick up on any patterns


Through film study or analysis, defensive coaches will pick up on this so they can give their team tells/reads for plays.

Buffalo’s O-line created a very wide split with the left tackle and left guard. Then the left guard would crash down to the right on pull plays creating gaping holes on the left side as the Cowboys DE would rush the outside edge. Then when the DE would try to compensate Buffalo worked the outside.

There were no changes in the D-line scheme to compensate for this obvious gap wrinkle and Buffalo took advantage all night.

It would appear that an adjustment such the MLB lining up to shoot the gap is one possible solution. Quinn seemed not to change scheme and they blamed tackling as a reason for the running game success but you could say tackling is more difficult if you are out of position because of Buffalo’s scheme in the run game using this gap strategy. They needed to go bear with 3 DL and two DE to stop this.

https://cowboysfanzone.com/buffalo-offensive-line-gaps-x518763/

 

[CCBoy]

1. The fiasco with Bell and Clark


Now I keep hearing people say that Bell and Clark are undersized, and can just be rammed over by heavy linemen. But I found myself wondering…….why didn’t the Eagles do it if that was the case? Eagles have the best offensive line in the NFL. Anything the Bills O-Line can do, I’m pretty sure the Eagles can do as well. Bell and Clark played linebacker vs the Eagles too.

Now I’m in agreeance with the majority that they ran right at Bell and Clark the whole game. Thinking if their O-Line put against our small linebackers, they’ll win that matchup. But why didn’t the other teams do that if the Bills did it? I don’t it’s as simple as power. The Eagles have as much power as the Bills probably more, but they always play the Bills well. The Eagles seem to always struggle against the Cowboys. Conversely, Seattle isn’t a team we associate with power but they own the Eagles. But the Cowboys in the last 2 contests against the Seahawks have scored on 70% of their possessions. So we play Seattle and the Eagles well, and seem to always struggle against the Bills. Eagles play the Bills well (won their last 2 against them), but don’t play well against the Cowboys and Seahawks. What gives here?? Ultimate randomness?

https://cowboysfanzone.com/evaluation-defense-against-the-bills-x518784/

2. Donovan Wilson

Film also showed Donovan Wilson didn’t do his job many times. Many times Cooks was his responsibility, but he was not in position to make the tackle. It looked like he was caught inside much of the time while Cooks ran outside. Was his mind thinking Allen instead? I think Dan Quinn needs to really put him in the corner this week, because you can’t let Cooks get outside so easily, untouched. These are plays that can be made if he sets his mind straight on what he needed to do.

But either way, their safety Rapp did a far better job on Pollard than Wilson did on Cooks. I don’t think it’s a physical thing. He was just on top of the play. We didn’t account for his late rotation on that 2nd and 1 screw up near the 11 yard line. That was a lowkey huge play in the game.

 

[CCBoy]

Penalties

I think we helped them tremendously by shooting ourselves in the foot with those 3 personal foul penalties. Every TD they scored to get to their first 21 points were off of personal foul penalties. Every personal foul penalty we commit, we have to defend the run for an additional 10 more plays. That plays into what we don’t wanna do, and what Buffalo wants to do. What Buffalo doesn’t wanna do is have to pass because they fear our pass rush. They know all about the great Parsons. Parsons was involved in 6 out of 49 of Buffalo’s run plays. So we helped make the game way easier for them. Not to mention, that carries over to the 2nd half. Buffalo is gonna call more run plays if the score is 21-3, so that’s even more plays to defend in the 2nd half. You can’t just reset in the 2nd half.

https://cowboysfanzone.com/evaluation-defense-against-the-bills-x518784/

 

[Captain43Crash]

Crazy how we will lose our last four games after clinching a playoff spot.

Crazy, what dumb comments are seen on this blog.

You sound like a Philly fan.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds058]

Love there TE LaPorta.

 

[coult44]

Here’s a look at a very good 11-4 lions team we desperately need to beat Saturday night.
BASICS:

• Lions are 11-4; they are an impressive 6-2 on the road including a season opening win at KC.
• Lions are currently the 3rd seed but are still very much in the chase for the #1 seed.
• As a player, Lions Head coach Dan Campbell was a TE for the Cowboys for 3 years under Parcells, 2003-05.
• Surprisingly, the lions are -2 in turnover margin, which is unusual for a team with that record.

LIONS OFFENSE

• The Lions are 3rd in total offense at 394.1 yards per game.
• The Lions are 5th in points per game averaging 27.5.
• They are 5th in passing at 253 ypg.
• They are 3rd in rushing yards, averaging 141 ypg.
• QB Jared Goff is currently ranked 3rd among NFL QBs. He has 27 TDs vs 10 INTs. He’s very accurate and takes care of the ball.
• Rookie RB Jamir Gibbs has 872 yds, 9 rushing TDs, and leads the league with 10 rushes of 20+ yards.
• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is sneaky good, has 106 receptions (only 3 behind Cedee Lamb)

LIONS DEFENSE

• The lions average giving up 23.7 ppg, which means they have been in many close games.
• Lions defense is ranked 15th, averaging giving up 325 ypg.
• They are 23rd against the pass, avg giving up 234 ypg.
• They are better against the run, ranking 4th, giving up only 91 ypg.
• DE Aidan Hutchinson is good young player with 6.5 sacks, 7 TFLs and an interception.
• Rookie LB Jack Campbell is a tackling machine and really good against the run.
• Overall their defense is talented but very young.

KEYS TO WIN

• Score first. The Cowboys are 9-0 when scoring first and 1-5 when opponents score first.
• The lions have been in a lot of close games, so if we can get up on them by 2 scores early, they tend to throw away their run game, making them much easier to defend.
• The lions are sneaky good running the ball. Jamir Gibbs is very quick and if we don’t seal the edge, he can be an instant long run or TD threat. Stopping the run is job 1 for our D.
• The Cowboys avg 36 points at home so if we can score 30 or more, we should win.
• As always, turnovers will be huge. The lions -2 in TO margin so they may be vulnerable there.

I expect the Cowboys to win. The lions are a very good team but looking closely at them they probably aren’t as good as it would appear just looking at their record. They have won a lot of close games. Should be a fun game. Go Cowboys!

My only thing about this that everyone including this post fails to include. They have beat two teams with winning records. KC beginning of year and TB, who didn’t have a winning record when they played.
Nine wins vs. losing and mostly horrible teams. Who cares. But I promise you after the Boys slaughter them, everyone will show average they are.

 

[MoistMayonnaise]

Crazy, what dumb comments are seen on this blog.

You sound like a Philly fan.

I'm entitled to my opinion as much as you are to yours. I just have little confidence in this team.

 

[CWR]

St. Brown is a stud, Gibbs is a stud and Montgomery runs hard. He would've been an excellent pick up for us to replace Zeke. Smh.

We will have our hands full for sure.

 

[CWR]

I’ve never liked the “resting starters” thing. I think it often backfires. Besides if the Cowboys win Sat they still have a shot at a better seed IF they get some help. Not likely but still possible.

Yes the idea of resting anyone after the last 2 weeks makes me want to puke.

Like you said we still have to play it out and hope for home field advantage, thankfully.

 

[CWR]

I'm entitled to my opinion as much as you are to yours. I just have little confidence in this team.

Except you don't actually believe it do you? Because I'd be happy to wager screennames. We aren't losing our last 4 period. That's just you licking your wounds.

 

[CCBoy]

This is important context, because the offense operates the way Campbell wants it to operate, but Johnson is the man in control. The relationship between Campbell and Johnson, one that goes nearly a decade back, is the foundation for what this Lions offense has become. Campbell’s offensive philosophy is heavily influenced by his two coaching mentors, Bill Parcells and Sean Payton: he wants a physical offense that can punch a defense in the mouth while still being explosive.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...ons-offensive-scheme-ben-johnson-dan-campbell

 

[HMJYay]

They are certainly a talented young team. But what’s wrong with Jared Goff? He’s already a top 10QB who has won an NFC championship with the rams. Seems to me they are set with Goff for a few more years.

Goff is just as good as Dak lol, but makes less. It was a silly comment. Not sure how Dak can be idolized, but Goff isn’t good enough lol.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds058]

Detroit literally controls their own destiny for the #2 seed. If SF drops a game, they get the #1 seed. In no way do they rest starters for this game.

This, they are not resting starters this game for sure and not knowing how the Niners would fare the next day.

 

[Air2theThrown]

• DE Aidan Hutchinson is good young player with 6.5 sacks, 7 TFLs and an interception.

He also leads the league in QB pressures. He’s very good at driving the OT back into the QB. Like Parsons opponents hold him a lot and it’s rarely called.

• The Cowboys avg 36 points at home so if we can score 30 or more, we should win.

The Lions offense is averaging over 30pts a game on turf and indoors. Goff also has a 120+. QB rating indoors. The Lions offense has 3 players who have 4.3 speed (Gibbs, Williams, Raymond) and when on turf they play very fast and score a lot more points than on grass where they are averaging around 24 pts a game.