Screen passes, Cowboys and Madden

[lurkercowboy]

The Cowboys under Tom Landry were great at screen passes. Since Johnson took over, the Cowboys have been poor at screen passes. Why? Madden said last light that he could not coach screen passes. What is the story?

 

[Hostile]

The Cowboys under Tom Landry were great at screen passes. Since Johnson took over, the Cowboys have been poor at screen passes. Why? Madden said last light that he could not coach screen passes. What is the story?

Simple, Landry was a genius.



In all seriousness, Preston Pearson was a fantastic weapon for Landry. So many thing shave to be right for a screen to work. You have to sell the Defense and make them over pursue, then get the big nasties out in front of the RB. Zone Blitz schemes have made the Screen less effective than in Landry's days because it is hard to read who is dropping back instead of charging forward.

It really is a finesse play. Coaches who simply want to grind it out rather than outsmart the other team often struggle with teaching it. Lot of discipline recquired.

 

[jobberone]

Didn't hurt Landry to have guys like Dorsett, Walker, Preston, and Reeves and Hill before that either. Plus remember that our OL in those days were definitely not the size these guys today are.

I think another reason is that is was a staple of the Cowboys for so long that once the team was successful at it there was a trickle effect to the newcomers and eventual replacement starters. They learned from successful players who could pull off the screen play. And the Landry regime was a very long and very successful one.

It may just be harder for an entire team to learn how to run that play especially with those huge offensive lineman. Just a guess.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

Madden had his facts messed up ... we were good at the screen when Richie Anderson was here. That's a fact.

 

[bobtheflob]

Emmitt was always better at navigating through heavy traffic, he was never much of a speed guy. Screen passes to the outside just weren't his thing. Since then, we've just never had a quick enough offensive line.

 

[Hostile]

Madden had his facts messed up ... we were good at the screen when Richie Anderson was here. That's a fact.

A very valid point. A lot of the success depends on the RB selling that he is in to pass block. Richie was good at that too.

 

[Doomsday101]

The Cowboys under Tom Landry were great at screen passes. Since Johnson took over, the Cowboys have been poor at screen passes. Why? Madden said last light that he could not coach screen passes. What is the story?

My own personal believe is because we have much bigger lineman who are not as agile, some teams go for a bit smaller quicker line who tend to be much better at blocking in space.

 

[Hollywood Henderson]

IMHO it is a play that takes ALOT of practice and timing to make work...

 

[Rack]

We weren't good with screen passes even with Anderson. We were "ok" at times, but were never "Good" with Richie Anderson running the screen.

 

[joseephuss]

Madden had his facts messed up ... we were good at the screen when Richie Anderson was here. That's a fact.

I have to disagree. Anderson was a good screen back, but Dallas as a whole still wasn't good at running the screen. A few decent plays does not take away from how inconsistent the team has been at running the screen since Parcells arrival.

Obviously, iIt goes back further than that. The team truly hasn't been a good screen team since Landry. I state Parcells because when he arrived he stated that Dallas would be a screen team. I guess he didn't say a good screen team.

Certain backs are better at running the screen than others. Anderson had a knack for it, but the reason the team isn't good is the linemen. They aren't good at selling the screen and getting out to block anyone. The linemen are as equally important to the screen than the running back. I don't see Flozell and Larry getting any better. Al Johnson could be good and Rivera already is a good screen lineman from his Packer days. I just don't think Dallas will be good at it any time soon. They need a couple of other lineman to step in to make it work.