Short Yardage Numbers, 2010

[percyhoward]

I was tempted to put 95% but decided to play it safe.

I'm going to try and post all the goal line short yardage plays by personnel group and formation tomorrow.

 

[28 Joker]

Does anyone remember the San Diego fiasco in 2009? That was the game on the goal-line. You hold S.D. to 20 and lose at home, because three straight runs behind RG can't get it done. That could have and should have been a 12-4 team. Plus, that was one of the best drives of the season. Felix Jones got the highest percentage of yards on that drive but didn't receive the higher percentage of carries. This offensive line has no pop and is poor at blocking on the second level. See Felix Jones start hot against the Giants and Saints and watch the holes close. See the Eagles dominate Dallas' offensive line in game 2. See the holes close against the Colts and reopen...The average age will be 33 next year, and it will only get worse if not addressed. In 5 of the first 8 games, there was literally no where to run.

1. Tyron Smith OT USC
2. Stefen Wisniewski C Penn State
3. Jason Pinkston OG Pittsburgh

Those three players could go a long way to fixing this old and fading fast offensive line. Smith is a perfect fit for Dallas and the best pass protector in this draft and a very good run blocker. Wisniewski is ready to play, and he is the number 1 or 2 center in this draft. Pinkston will play at 24, and he could become a starter during 2011 at guard. He is an athletic OT who will be best at guard in the NFL. I'm hoping Pinkston's age forces him down to round 3.

Some people want to throw it every down and draft every round on defense and slot Pat McQuistan Jr. to Dallas in the 7th. Then, they want to know "what happened" in the divisional round of the playoffs. Your offensive line happened.

Vela wrote a real good piece on the offensive line draft philosophy going back to Jimmy Johnson and how Dallas' right and left sides don't match up.

Nate Newton, Erick Williams, Larry Allen...

How some in the Madden generation don't get it...

The Cowboys need difference makers up front, and they need players who excel in space and on the move and on the second level. They need strong, young, talented, and athletic linemen to block the blue-chip pass rushers on both edges. They need three guys like the three listed above in order to win at the point of attack, get a good push, get to the second level, and to get Felix Jones in space and to the edge and to the second level. Those three players listed above are Tony Romo and Felix Jones friendly.

Larry Allen and Nate Newton and Eric Williams were three of Dallas' best players, ever...They played OG and RT. Nate Newton was a converted OT. He wasn't Robert Brewster, a phone booth player. Larry Allen made the Pro Bowl at LT. Eric Williams dominated Reggie White and everyone at RT before he had that wreck. He was a potential Hall of Fame player. I don't think Newton gets nearly enough credit. I think he is Hall of Fame worthy, imo.

You look at this team, and those areas are big time negative problems, imo.

People can talk about how much the offense scored last year in order to justify drafting heavy on defense, but they will conveniently leave out all the interceptions and interceptions for touchdowns and the fumble recovery for a touchdown. They forget a certain WR fumbling Thanksgiving Day away or that same WR putting coal in Jon Kitna's stocking. Austin slipped on a bad field, but Williams didn't compete for the football.

Until the offensive line is addressed properly though the daft, this team will not break the glass ceiling of the divisional round. The Packers have set the foundation for a dynasty. The Giants, Eagles, and Commanders are going to address their offensive lines.

Dallas is in a perfect position to do the same, but will they get it right. That answer will determine this team's fate.

 

[Hoofbite]

As regards running, that is MOSTLY on the O line. Get no push, open no holes. Then on having davis or someone else PULL. Dumb. Then MB is no longer a power back. TC never was. Put it all together and there you are. O line, play calling, no power back.

One thing that constantly had me wondering throughout the season was the desire to go with these large packages in short distance. I know that's the typical idea but when you have an entire side of an OL that is worthless, I gotta believe that preventing a team from putting 8/9 in the box would be a good start.

If the Dallas OL lived up to it's billing as being one of the biggest road mauling units, I'd have no problem with lining up so tight and telling them to run people over.

The Dallas OL however was just pathetic at times. Guys had trouble blocking the man in front of them and there would be absolutely no room for the RBs to go.

I would have liked to see a few WRs out there to pull a couple guys out of the box.

 

[28 Joker]

Felix Jones did some very good running in the redzone last year, and I have no doubt that even Dallas' old offensive line would have finished the tired Saints on a short week in that game. Jones was hot in the redzone in that game, and Dallas was getting TDs late in the game.

Look at Felix 2/3.

Replacing Mark Colombo (with a great young talent like Smith) would open up the playbook and the field for Felix, and it would allow Jason Witten to go out for passes more. Tony Romo gets more time to go down field to his WRs, and he doesn't have to rely on Colombo's old, bad legs to keep him upright and clean.

Felix Jones putting up 800 yards rushing (185 carries) and 1250 total yards (450 receiving) behind that line and with a third QB during most of the last 2 games was a very good accomplishment. Jones had single digit carries in 6 of the first 8 games, and again, in 5 of the first 8, there was literally no where to run.

 

[burmafrd]

gee, 41, could you tone down your man love for Smith. Its really getting annoying.

 

[28 Joker]

26th in the league in short yardage, for the second straight year.

Like you and Eskimo said, we were much worse near the goal line, although it's normal for teams' goal line numbers to be much lower than from farther out on the field. Still, "dismal" sums it up.

Last year I researched the red zone short yardage stats for every single team, just to see if we were dead last, as I suspected. Turns out we were 31st, ahead of Oakland by tenths of a percentage point. I don't plan to do that research again for 2010, but I'm sure we're bottom 5 again.

Here are the goal line numbers for the last two seasons:

2010 32.4%
11 TD on 34 plays from 2-yard line or closer
18 runs
Barber 3 TD's on 10 attempts
Choice 1 TD on 6 attempts
Jones 0 TD on 1 attempt
Kitna 0 TD on 1 attempt
TEAM: 4 TD on 18 attempts (22%)

16 passes
Romo 2 TD on 3 attempts
Kitna 5 TD on 13 attempts
TEAM: 7 TD on 16 attempts (44%)
___________________________________

2009 27.2%
6 TD on 22 plays from 2-yard line or closer
14 runs
Barber 4 TD on 12 attempts
Choice 1 TD on 2 attempts
TEAM: 5 TD on 14 attempts (36%)

8 passes
Romo 1 TD on 8 attempts (13%)

The first thing that jumps out is that we had a lot more goal line plays in 2010 than in 2009. The main reason is that we scored TD's from farther out on the field much more often in '09. For example, Romo had 11 TD passes from outside the red zone in '09, while Kitna had just 3 in his nine games in '10.

The other big difference is the run/pass ratio on the goal line. In '09, it was 64/36 run. In '10 it was 53/47 run. If Romo had played the whole year, we might have ended up passing more than running on the goal line. The ratio was 50/50 when he was still playing, and this is consistent with the high numbers of pass attempts early in 2010.

22 of our 34 goal line plays in 2010 came in the last 8 games of the season. So we had as many goal line plays in games 9-16 as we had in all of 2009. Two reasons for this: Our lack of big plays (ability to score from farther out), and our high percentage of possessions that started in opponents' territory because of all the takeaways we were getting in the second half of the season.

Oh, and a third reason. We kept getting stuffed, and setting up another short yardage play.

Bump..

 

[percyhoward]

http://i443.***BLOCKED***/albums/qq152/percyhoward/HollandFB.jpg
Jumbo Package with "Fullback" Montrae Holland. This play was stopped for no gain.

Goal Line Plays by Personnel
"11" (shotgun)
1 back, 1 TE, 3 WR
total goal line plays: 12
success rate: 67%
run: 2 of 3
pass: 6 of 9
The preferred package (winning out by one play), and by far the Cowboys' most effective package in goal line. And it should have been even better. Two of the three incomplete passes were end zone drops by Roy at Green Bay, and by Hurd at home against the Commanders.

From the shotgun, with the defense spread out, Barber converted on 2 of 3 short-yardage plays near the goal line. He converted just 2 of 8 from tight formations with QB under center.

Barber was in the backfield for 4 shotgun plays near the goal line, and 3 of the 4 were runs. Choice was in the backfield for 8 shotgun plays near the goal line, and all 8 were passes.

Witten caught all 3 of his goal line TD from shotgun.

"23" (jumbo)
1 RB, 1 FB, 3 TE
total goal line plays: 11
success rate: 27%
run 2 of 8
pass 1 of 3
Two-thirds of all the Cowboys' goal line plays in 2010 were from one of two personnel groups: 3-Wide or Jumbo (3 tight ends, no wide receivers). We ran almost an equal number of goal line plays from each set, but the results were anything but equal. The injury to John Phillips in the preseason left us looking at 4 different players as the 3rd TE for short yardage (Spears, Chandler, Barron, and Rucker). To paraphrase an old saying about quarterbacks, when you have four 3rd tight ends, you really don't have any.

The most exotic it got was a couple of plays from the 1-yard line against Jacksonville that we ran from what was actually a "14" package. On the first play, a 3rd down, we put Barron at TE left, Bennett at TE right, with Witten flexed behind him, Chandler in the backfield in a FB position, and a pulling Costa at LG just for good measure. The play was stuffed for no gain. The next play on 4th down we simply flipped the formation and got the same result, this time with Barber and Kitna running into each other for dramatic effect.

About Gronkowski, he was injured that week. It might not have mattered anyway. We really missed Anderson's blocking this past year, especially out away from the goal line. Obviously, Gronk is a better receiver than he is a blocker. We threw 3 passes from jumbo near the goal line, all to Gronkowski. After the goal line debacle in Indy, when four plays with Gronk at FB resulted in minus 1 yard, he was replaced by Montrae Holland as our jumbo FB (at least on the goal line) the rest of the season.

Rest of the Personnel Groups on Goal Line
"21"
run 0 of 2
pass 0 of 3

"22"
run 1 of 4
pass 0 of 1

"12"
run 0 of 2
pass 0 of 0

When we had at least two TE in the game on goal line, we ran 14 times and passed 4 times. None of the 4 passes was to a tight end. We converted on 3 of the 14 runs, and 1 of the 4 passes.

When we had a FB in the game on goal line, we ran 14 times and passed 7 times. We converted on 3 of the 14 runs, and 1 of the 7 passes. Our conversion rate on goal line from tight or bunched formations with a fullback in the game was 19% (4 of 21).

Our conversion rate on goal line from spread formations without a fullback in the game was 57% (8 of 14).

 

[28 Joker]

http://i443.***BLOCKED***/albums/qq152/percyhoward/HollandFB.jpghttp://i443.***BLOCKED***/albums/qq152/percyhoward/HollandFB.jpg
Jumbo Package with "Fullback" Montrae Holland. This play was stopped for no gain.

Goal Line Plays by Personnel
"11" (shotgun)
1 back, 1 TE, 3 WR
total goal line plays: 12
success rate: 67%
run: 2 of 3
pass: 6 of 9
The preferred package (winning out by one play), and by far the Cowboys' most effective package in goal line. And it should have been even better. Two of the three incomplete passes were end zone drops by Roy at Green Bay, and by Hurd at home against the Commanders.

From the shotgun, with the defense spread out, Barber converted on 2 of 3 short-yardage plays near the goal line. He converted just 2 of 8 from tight formations with QB under center.

Barber was in the backfield for 4 shotgun plays near the goal line, and 3 of the 4 were runs. Choice was in the backfield for 8 shotgun plays near the goal line, and all 8 were passes.

Witten caught all 3 of his goal line TD from shotgun.

"23" (jumbo)
1 RB, 1 FB, 3 TE
total goal line plays: 11
success rate: 27%
run 2 of 8
pass 1 of 3
Two-thirds of all the Cowboys' goal line plays in 2010 were from one of two personnel groups: 3-Wide or Jumbo (3 tight ends, no wide receivers). We ran almost an equal number of goal line plays from each set, but the results were anything but equal. The injury to John Phillips in the preseason left us looking at 4 different players as the 3rd TE for short yardage (Spears, Chandler, Barron, and Rucker). To paraphrase an old saying about quarterbacks, when you have four 3rd tight ends, you really don't have any.

The most exotic it got was a couple of plays from the 1-yard line against Jacksonville that we ran from what was actually a "14" package. On the first play, a 3rd down, we put Barron at TE left, Bennett at TE right, with Witten flexed behind him, Chandler in the backfield in a FB position, and a pulling Costa at LG just for good measure. The play was stuffed for no gain. The next play on 4th down we simply flipped the formation and got the same result, this time with Barber and Kitna running into each other for dramatic effect.

About Gronkowski, he was injured that week. It might not have mattered anyway. We really missed Anderson's blocking this past year, especially out away from the goal line. Obviously, Gronk is a better receiver than he is a blocker. We threw 3 passes from jumbo near the goal line, all to Gronkowski. After the goal line debacle in Indy, when four plays with Gronk at FB resulted in minus 1 yard, he was replaced by Montrae Holland as our jumbo FB (at least on the goal line) the rest of the season.

Rest of the Personnel Groups on Goal Line
"21"
run 0 of 2
pass 0 of 3

"22"
run 1 of 4
pass 0 of 1

"12"
run 0 of 2
pass 0 of 0

When we had at least two TE in the game on goal line, we ran 14 times and passed 4 times. None of the 4 passes was to a tight end. We converted on 3 of the 14 runs, and 1 of the 4 passes.

When we had a FB in the game on goal line, we ran 14 times and passed 7 times. We converted on 3 of the 14 runs, and 1 of the 7 passes. Our conversion rate on goal line from tight or bunched formations with a fullback in the game was 19% (4 of 21).

Our conversion rate on goal line from spread formations without a fullback in the game was 57% (8 of 14).

Great stuff.

It says a whole lot about the declining, poor state of Dallas' offensive line. RT is in really horrific shape, but the interior is not good at all, either. This line struggled in 2009 with short yardage, and missing your 3rd tight-end shouldn't kill your running game if your offensive line is worth anything.

Yep. This team lacks a thumper to clear the way for Felix Jones.

Getting Phillips back and getting a true FB shouldl help, but that interior offensive line is still going to have big trouble in these situations. They lack pop. Gurode still has some pop, but the guys next to him at guard really don't have it, imo. Colombo has no pop or mobility.

 

[percyhoward]

This line struggled in 2009 with short yardage, and missing your 3rd tight-end shouldn't kill your running game if your offensive line is worth anything.

26th in short yardage last season, even with Phillips and Anderson. But Phillips didn't really become a factor until late in the season, and where Anderson made the big difference was farther out on the field blocking for those second-level yards. I do think a healthy Phillips would have a made a difference to the goal line offense in 2010.

But I didn't mean to put it all on the FB and 3rd TE anyway, that's just where all the shuffling was. The real issue with the heavy sets is an OL that's slow getting to their blocks. The result is no push, and no seam for the runner.

 

[NextGenBoys]

http://i443.***BLOCKED***/albums/qq152/percyhoward/HollandFB.jpg
Jumbo Package with "Fullback" Montrae Holland. This play was stopped for no gain.

Goal Line Plays by Personnel
"11" (shotgun)
1 back, 1 TE, 3 WR
total goal line plays: 12
success rate: 67%
run: 2 of 3
pass: 6 of 9
The preferred package (winning out by one play), and by far the Cowboys' most effective package in goal line. And it should have been even better. Two of the three incomplete passes were end zone drops by Roy at Green Bay, and by Hurd at home against the Commanders.

From the shotgun, with the defense spread out, Barber converted on 2 of 3 short-yardage plays near the goal line. He converted just 2 of 8 from tight formations with QB under center.

Barber was in the backfield for 4 shotgun plays near the goal line, and 3 of the 4 were runs. Choice was in the backfield for 8 shotgun plays near the goal line, and all 8 were passes.

Witten caught all 3 of his goal line TD from shotgun.

"23" (jumbo)
1 RB, 1 FB, 3 TE
total goal line plays: 11
success rate: 27%
run 2 of 8
pass 1 of 3
Two-thirds of all the Cowboys' goal line plays in 2010 were from one of two personnel groups: 3-Wide or Jumbo (3 tight ends, no wide receivers). We ran almost an equal number of goal line plays from each set, but the results were anything but equal. The injury to John Phillips in the preseason left us looking at 4 different players as the 3rd TE for short yardage (Spears, Chandler, Barron, and Rucker). To paraphrase an old saying about quarterbacks, when you have four 3rd tight ends, you really don't have any.

The most exotic it got was a couple of plays from the 1-yard line against Jacksonville that we ran from what was actually a "14" package. On the first play, a 3rd down, we put Barron at TE left, Bennett at TE right, with Witten flexed behind him, Chandler in the backfield in a FB position, and a pulling Costa at LG just for good measure. The play was stuffed for no gain. The next play on 4th down we simply flipped the formation and got the same result, this time with Barber and Kitna running into each other for dramatic effect.

About Gronkowski, he was injured that week. It might not have mattered anyway. We really missed Anderson's blocking this past year, especially out away from the goal line. Obviously, Gronk is a better receiver than he is a blocker. We threw 3 passes from jumbo near the goal line, all to Gronkowski. After the goal line debacle in Indy, when four plays with Gronk at FB resulted in minus 1 yard, he was replaced by Montrae Holland as our jumbo FB (at least on the goal line) the rest of the season.

Rest of the Personnel Groups on Goal Line
"21"
run 0 of 2
pass 0 of 3

"22"
run 1 of 4
pass 0 of 1

"12"
run 0 of 2
pass 0 of 0

When we had at least two TE in the game on goal line, we ran 14 times and passed 4 times. None of the 4 passes was to a tight end. We converted on 3 of the 14 runs, and 1 of the 4 passes.

When we had a FB in the game on goal line, we ran 14 times and passed 7 times. We converted on 3 of the 14 runs, and 1 of the 7 passes. Our conversion rate on goal line from tight or bunched formations with a fullback in the game was 19% (4 of 21).

Our conversion rate on goal line from spread formations without a fullback in the game was 57% (8 of 14).

Thank you for all your work Perc.

I've been saying for two years now we should spread teams out and run on them, I am glad I have your research as evidence now.