Start Fast, Attack, Withstand

[Nova]

By your numbers, 40% of our opening drives (6 of 15) result in TDs. It follows that 31% of our remaining drives (42 of 134, after backing out the opening drives) result in TDs.

Similarly, as you point out, 53% of our opening drives (8 of 15) result in points, whereas 49% of our remaining drives (65 of 134, after backing out opening drives) result in points.

If we look at points per drive, using your numbers, our opening drives result in 3.2 points per drive (including extra points), whereas our remaining drives result in 2.7 points per drive.

We don't really have sufficient information to determine whether our first drive is "the easiest", but it's fair to say that there's a drop-off in production after the opening drive.

Of course, it hasn't mattered much. 13-2 is 13-2, no matter how you spread out the scoring. And all of us (you, me and the Lions fan) agree that this team seems to be very adept at starting fast and putting the opposition under pressure to catch up.

I don't think that's necessarily a fair conclusion to come to.

When comparing Opening drives vs All Others, the "All Others" category is way too vast to judge.

That includes kneel downs at the ends of halves. Drives with restricted time. Drives that don't really matter because we're ahead so far (think Mark Sanchez fill in time @ CLE).

 

[Hostile]

It was never called a "shift". It was known as the "hitch".

I am responding to this only so that anyone not sure can make up their own mind.

Not that I really care, especially about your opinion; but it has been called both things. I have heard "shift" more than "hitch," but I have heard both.

The OL except for the Center would come out of a 3 point stance to a 2 point stance, then back to their 3 point stance. The RBs would shift positions behind the upright line in hopes of confusing the Defense for a split second. Our Center goes up too, and since we only do it in Victory Formation the RBs do not shift, thus it is not a true "Landry Shift," but I still love it.

You call it whatever you want. I promise I don't care. Your opinion means less to me than things I flush. I prefer "shift" to "hitch," because the players did that when Roger would say "shift."

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/09/29/cowboys’-homage-landry-was-player-decision

“That’s one of the signature things of the Coach Landry teams, was the offensive line coming to the line of scrimmage and doing that when Roger said ‘Shift,’ and the backs would shift behind him,” said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. “That’s an image that we all have. It’s an iconic image in football.”

 

[DandyDon52]

I have noticed that most teams that win the coin flip defer to the 2nd half, wanting to get the ball first then rather than first overall.

This is actually the best thing to do, if you hold the other team to 3 and out you should get the ball out past the 25, and your first drive
is still your first, and you should have shorter distance to go.
If you dont return the kick, you start at 25 which is also the smart thing, returners very rarely make or go past the 25.

Cowboys did good on the first drives, and that is what helped them win games.
If the other team wins toss, and defers, nothing you can do but take the ball 1st.

If you do take it 1st and go 3 and out, then other team gets good Field position, and if you have a turn over, then they get short field.

 

[Bigdog]

Been a while. I still read here almost every day. I was asked by a couple of posters to share some of my thoughts. I've been sharing with them via PMs from time to time. Decided today was an okay day to do it. Good to see some of you folks. Hope you are all enjoying a great season. I sure have been. That isn't why I posted. I hope everyone has a great new year to go along with our 42-21 Merry Christmas.

Peace.

Same to you, Hos. It is good hearing from you. You are missed on this board and your posts are greatly appreciated. I hope you and your family had great Christmas and a very good new year.

 

[jobberone]

That up and down technique was used to disguise the shifting of the backs etc in order to create more confusion for the defense to read the offense presnap. But I don't care either what it is called. I still miss it although I realize it's only the nostalgia I miss.

 

[Clove]

What I do know is, we put a lot of pressure on defenses and often. When we're on offense, we are VERY aggressive. People seem to make the big throw a big deal, but we're more like a pack of wolves, we come at you all day long.

 

[big dog cowboy]

“That’s one of the signature things of the Coach Landry teams, was the offensive line coming to the line of scrimmage and doing that when Roger said ‘Shift,’ and the backs would shift behind him,” said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. “That’s an image that we all have. It’s an iconic image in football.”

Hell yes.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

More than any other season that I can remember, Dallas' opening drives this year have been about applying instant pressure to our opponents. This thread is spurred by this comment in "Trolling the Nation."

That was the Cowboys rehearsed drive. They won’t move the ball like that all game. First drive is usually the easiest of the night.

I am not 100% sure of what Mr. Lions fan was talking about. Dallas does not script their first 15 plays. Nevertheless, it got me to thinking about something. I have noticed that most teams that win the coin flip defer to the 2nd half, wanting to get the ball first then rather than first overall. Dallas has not followed this schematic. I do not know how many coin flips we have won or lost, but I do know that in 13 of our 15 games we have had the ball first.

I figure that there are 5 ways any drive can end. You can turn the ball over. I would include taking a Safety in that, and turning the ball over on downs. You can punt. You can miss a FG. You can make a FG. And you can score a TD.

Now, back to the Lions fan's assertion. Have our opening drives been easy? At times this OL and these rookies make it look pretty easy. Trust me, it is never easy. You know that. I don't have to tell you that, even though I have to post it or someone will remind me of it.

Whether we get the ball first or not, we have had success early and it has kept the pressure on. So as I said earlier, we have had the ball first 13 of 15 games. Here is a breakdown on how our first drives have gone. Our first 2 games we scored Field Goals. I mention this because the rookies didn't have their feet wet yet. We did not end our first drive with made FGs ever again after the first 2. We did have 2 games where we missed FGs on the first drive. 2 of Bailey's 5 misses on the year were on opening drives. We punted 4 times. Against the Steelers we turned the ball over on a strip sack.

If you did the math in your head while reading along you now know that means that 6 times, Including the Lions games, we have opened our first drive with a Touchdown. I find this to be a remarkable stat. I think the most likely conclusion to most drives are Punts. Let's take a look at this year for example.

Now, before I begin this I must make sure of one thing. This does not include game concluding drives where we do the Landry shift, nor drives ot end the half where we simply let the clock run out. I am talking only about drives where you are still trying to win, not drives where the win is set in stone.

With that caveat out of the way, Dallas has had 149 drives this season. There were 13 turnovers, and 4 failed 4th down conversion attempts that resulted in turnovers on downs. There were 25 Field Goals and 5 Missed Field Goals. There were 48 TDs. We punted 54 times.

Doing the math that means 36% of the time we punted. 32% of the time we scored TDs. 17% of the time we converted a FG. 3% of the time we missed a FG. 9% of the time we turned the ball over. 3% of the time we turned it over on downs.

Simply looking at that, the most likely conclusion to all drives is going to be a Punt. Yet on opening drives, we have punted only 4 times while we have scored TDs 6 times. Plus we added FGs twice. That means that an incredible 53% of the time this year we have started our first drive with points on the board applying instant pressure on the opponent. If you look at all drives, 49% of our drives we score. That Lions fan was way off diagnosing us.

I am not sure how many games ended with the Landry shift, but I think that is the only thing better than a score.

Great stuff as always

 

[JBell]

The man, the myth, the legend.

When I type in Cowboyszone in google, "Hostile cowboyszone" pops up.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Good post to the OP. As I stated in another thread...teams can do 1 of 2 things primarily...they can play their safeties deep and incur a blood bath in the trenches. Or they can stack the box and force Dak to beat you. As a coaching staff...you cannot get cold feet all of a sudden. You chose to go with Dak...and if the opposition chooses to force Dak to beat them...then you let Dak beat them. I am on board with the switch to Dak. He has EARNED it. But I truly believe this offense scores 31 points...easily with Romo. Don't know how many turnovers he would have...but he sure did not have a bunch when our running game was rolling in 2014. But again...I am all in on Dak. So I want the gameplan to reflect they are all in on Dak.

 

[Seven]

More than any other season that I can remember, Dallas' opening drives this year have been about applying instant pressure to our opponents. This thread is spurred by this comment in "Trolling the Nation."

That was the Cowboys rehearsed drive. They won’t move the ball like that all game. First drive is usually the easiest of the night.

I am not 100% sure of what Mr. Lions fan was talking about. Dallas does not script their first 15 plays. Nevertheless, it got me to thinking about something. I have noticed that most teams that win the coin flip defer to the 2nd half, wanting to get the ball first then rather than first overall. Dallas has not followed this schematic. I do not know how many coin flips we have won or lost, but I do know that in 13 of our 15 games we have had the ball first.

I figure that there are 5 ways any drive can end. You can turn the ball over. I would include taking a Safety in that, and turning the ball over on downs. You can punt. You can miss a FG. You can make a FG. And you can score a TD.

Now, back to the Lions fan's assertion. Have our opening drives been easy? At times this OL and these rookies make it look pretty easy. Trust me, it is never easy. You know that. I don't have to tell you that, even though I have to post it or someone will remind me of it.

Whether we get the ball first or not, we have had success early and it has kept the pressure on. So as I said earlier, we have had the ball first 13 of 15 games. Here is a breakdown on how our first drives have gone. Our first 2 games we scored Field Goals. I mention this because the rookies didn't have their feet wet yet. We did not end our first drive with made FGs ever again after the first 2. We did have 2 games where we missed FGs on the first drive. 2 of Bailey's 5 misses on the year were on opening drives. We punted 4 times. Against the Steelers we turned the ball over on a strip sack.

If you did the math in your head while reading along you now know that means that 6 times, Including the Lions games, we have opened our first drive with a Touchdown. I find this to be a remarkable stat. I think the most likely conclusion to most drives are Punts. Let's take a look at this year for example.

Now, before I begin this I must make sure of one thing. This does not include game concluding drives where we do the Landry shift, nor drives ot end the half where we simply let the clock run out. I am talking only about drives where you are still trying to win, not drives where the win is set in stone.

With that caveat out of the way, Dallas has had 149 drives this season. There were 13 turnovers, and 4 failed 4th down conversion attempts that resulted in turnovers on downs. There were 25 Field Goals and 5 Missed Field Goals. There were 48 TDs. We punted 54 times.

Doing the math that means 36% of the time we punted. 32% of the time we scored TDs. 17% of the time we converted a FG. 3% of the time we missed a FG. 9% of the time we turned the ball over. 3% of the time we turned it over on downs.

Simply looking at that, the most likely conclusion to all drives is going to be a Punt. Yet on opening drives, we have punted only 4 times while we have scored TDs 6 times. Plus we added FGs twice. That means that an incredible 53% of the time this year we have started our first drive with points on the board applying instant pressure on the opponent. If you look at all drives, 49% of our drives we score. That Lions fan was way off diagnosing us.

I am not sure how many games ended with the Landry shift, but I think that is the only thing better than a score.

.... Nothing but respect for you. Another great read.

Thanks, Hos.