Stop the Run!

[big dog cowboy]

The Cowboys drafted a DL with their first pick for a reason.

 

[Kaiser]

Big Woods blowing his shoulder down the stretch exposed us against the run game...

Woods got hurt early in the Rams game and tried to gut it out, then had surgery after the game. Maliek Collins was playing at about 80% most of the season and got hurt in practice the week before the Rams game, he tried to gut it out also.

I don't know if we beat the Rams with those two healthy, but the way it played out they were at 50% each and that was the entire reason we got killed in that game.

 

[Stash]

Woods got hurt early in the Rams game and tried to gut it out, then had surgery after the game. Maliek Collins was playing at about 80% most of the season and got hurt in practice the week before the Rams game, he tried to gut it out also.

I don't know if we beat the Rams with those two healthy, but the way it played out they were at 50% each and that was the entire reason we got killed in that game.

Sorry, but no it was not.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...sive-line-was-going-to-do-over-90-of-the-time

The biggest issue was a coaching one, not a player one.

 

[G2]

I thought so at first too, but that's really not the case. We were able to totally shut down Seattle's run game in the playoff victory and they led the league in rushing yards and were 5th overall in yards per attempt. And we were gashed by the Colts, who ended up 20th overall in the league. We also managed to shut down New Orleans who had the 6th ranked running game overall.

The Seattle game may have been part of the problem when we moved on to LA. The defense, specifically the DL were straight up gassed. We barely beat Seattle and I think it wore us out.

 

[Stash]

The Seattle game may have been part of the problem when we moved on to LA. The defense, specifically the DL were straight up gassed. We barely beat Seattle and I think it wore us out.

Myself, I believe that it was the result of those tells the Rams players spoke about much more than anything else. In looking at that Seattle game the week before, the Cowboys defense wasn't on the field all that long and didn't face that many snaps to wear they would be worn out. To say nothing of the fact that teams are conditioned to recover to play again in a week's time.

I chalk that loss up to getting exposed for your tendencies and tells and not having answers and getting outcoached.

 

[McKDaddy]

It wouldn't have mattered if they have multiple All-Pro DTs against the Rams.

The Rams out schemed the Cowboys with their running game.

I don't disagree at all just saying the first step to fixing the issue is getting players physically able to hold up to the top road graders. If we are only getting beat slightly at line of scrimmage, it gives the LB's a chance. We were so beaten & out of position they were barely in the tv picture.

 

[Stash]

It wouldn't have mattered if they have multiple All-Pro DTs against the Rams.

The Rams out schemed the Cowboys with their running game.

 

[BourbonBalz]

We had a lot of injuries on the DL last year. Not season ending injuries, but injuries that limited our players. In the NFL, a physically limited player is likely to get exposed.

 

[Fredbeard]

Although I agree the rams outcoached the cowboys
I think the quality of the offensive line the cowboys faced had A lot to do with the outcome of those two games . I’m not sure the colts knew when the cowboys were stunting but they just simply manhandled the cowboys d line. Quentin Nelson and the colts center played well Against collins and woods and John Sutton dominated woods at times during the rams game. Also I believe the Seahawks just got their two guards back from injury prior to the wild card game against the cowboys. It looked like the Seahawks oline was having communication issues since Both Collins and woods were basically left unblocked at times.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

While I feel very encouraged about the relatively strong finish and the player talent assembled on this team, as well as the change at offensive coordinator, one thing still has me concerned, the team's run defense.

For the most part, that area was strong and in most of their games, they stopped the run very effectively. But when they didn't? It essentially guaranteed a loss.

Take a look at the game-by-game results from 2018:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2018.htm

One of the best indicators of whether the game was a win or a loss can be seen in the rushing yards they gave up. With two exceptions - one a one point victory and the other an overtime loss - the line between a win and a loss was 100 yards rushing. Versus the Texans, the Cowboys did hold them to under 100 yards (88), but the game ultimately came down to a coaching decision. Versus the Giants, the Cowboys offense was able to rally for that 'miracle' pass and catch at the back of the endzone to capture that victory. The exceptions to the 'rule'.

But in all other cases, it was dictated by that 100-yard mark. If the Cowboys gave up less? They won. More than 100? and it was an 'L'.

And I don't think anyone can forget the two biggest defeats:

First to Indianapolis when it seemed like nobody even got off the bus, where they gave up 178 yards rushing. (bonus points if you can tell everyone exactly who it was that ran over them!)

And secondly, and most importantly, giving up 273 yards rushing in the playoff loss to the Rams, who claimed that they knew what the Cowboys would do "90% of the time".

Objective number one has to be to eliminate whatever tips and tells allowed the Rams to so thoroughly dominate your defensive line. If that isn't done, it won't matter what players they have on the field. Time for some self-scouting gentlemen! But objective two should be making sure that their run defense gets tightened up, and that it is made a higher priority for the 'Rushmen' on their way to all of these sacks that never seem to happen.

I am of the opinion that Marinelli had the defensive line stunting more than usual in an effort to improve the interior pressure that wasn't getting there otherwise. And I think that teams caught on to that change and ultimately made the Cowboys pay for it when it mattered most.

But for as much optimism as I have in many other areas, run defense remains among my biggest concerns. And the numbers show that when we can stop the run, we can win, and when we can't, we can't.

Looking simply at rushing totals and not understanding game situation is incredibly misleading. Teams that are ahead often run more and have a higher rush total. It's like the stats you see where it goes something like....when so and so running back gets 20 rushes that team is 20-3! Well then logic would dictate just run that rb 20 straight times and you guarantee a win right? Or teams that kneel the ball almost always win. So just kneel all game right?

In any case we know rushing efficiency is not correlated to winning.

 

[Diehardblues]

The Cowboys drafted a DL with their first pick for a reason.

Right because we knew losing Gregory was a big loss not to mention losing Irving and whatever effects there would be from Lawrence recovering from surgery.

Our DL was decimated . It becomes the biggest question mark coming into this season. Will Quinn and our 2nd round pick fill that hole ? And will Lawrence return at Pro Bowl level.

These questions place our entire defense in question if it can return to a top 10 level which carried our bottom tier 22nd ranked offense and 15th ranked QB.

 

[Kaiser]

Sorry, but no it was not.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...sive-line-was-going-to-do-over-90-of-the-time

The biggest issue was a coaching one, not a player one.

Sure, the Rams scouted Dallas well and executed their scheme very well. I'll change my post to say injuries were 100% of the issue to say 80%. You may know exactly what Aaron Donald is going to do but that is a small percentage of stopping him.

Look at the numbers -

Dallas finished 5th in the NFL in Rushing Yards Allowed with 94 yards per game

Seahawks playoff game - 73 yards rushing allowed

Rams playoff game - 273 yards rushing allowed

If the issue is coaching, it doesn't take 18 games for the rest of the NFL to figure it out. In the Rams game they literally gave up twice their season average in the first half.

 

[Kaiser]

The Seattle game may have been part of the problem when we moved on to LA. The defense, specifically the DL were straight up gassed. We barely beat Seattle and I think it wore us out.

I think that was part of the issue with Antwuan Woods, he got hurt in the game but even if he hadn't he had never played more than one game in a season before 2018 - and didn't play at all in 2017.

 

[Stash]

Sure, the Rams scouting Dallas well and schemed it well. I'll change my post to say injuries were 100% of the issue to 80%. You may know exactly what Aaron Donald is going to do but that is a small percentage of stopping him.

No, you know what he can do, not what he will do. Again, try playing chess while you tell your opponent 90% of your moves before you make them.

Look at the numbers -

Dallas finished 5th in the NFL in Rushing Yards Allowed with 94 yards per game

Seahawks playoff game - 73 yards rushing allowed

Rams playoff game - 273 yards rushing allowed

If the issue is coaching, it doesn't take 18 games for the rest of the NFL to figure it out. In the Rams game they literally gave up twice their season average in the first half.

Yes, and the Rams coaches and by extension their players were the only ones who broadcasted about the tells letting them know what they were doing 90% of the time. They figured that out and killed the Cowboys with it. That's exactly how you go from shutting one team down to getting run off the field in a week's time. Because they knew everything that was coming.

 

[Kaiser]

No, you know what he can do, not what he will do. Again, try playing chess while you tell your opponent 90% of your moves before you make them.

I still disagree. The best example is the Larry Allen story we have all heard, he would walk up to the line and make the choo choo train motion, like "I'm going to run over you with Emmitt coming through this hole, and there is nothing you can do about it".

And no one ever stopped it, even with Larry Allen telling them the play in advance.

 

[Stash]

I still disagree. The best example is the Larry Allen story we have all heard, he would walk up to the line and make the choo choo train motion, like "I'm going to run over you with Emmitt coming through this hole, and there is nothing you can do about it".

And no one ever stopped it, even with Larry Allen telling them the play in advance.

That was sheer power in Larry Allen's case. There's a distinct difference between sheer power and Aaron Donald's overall game. And again, nobody is succeeding when you know exactly what they plan to do. Certainly not an entire defensive line, who were ALL neutered. This wasn't one player, it was ALL of them. That's coaching and scheme.

Frankly, I'm amazed that some folks will try so hard to disregard the obvious staring them in the face. The Rams came out and told everyone exactly what happened.

 

[Kaiser]

That was sheer power in Larry Allen's case. There's a distinct difference between sheer power and Aaron Donald's overall game. And again, nobody is succeeding when you know exactly what they plan to do. Certainly not an entire defensive line, who were ALL neutered. This wasn't one player, it was ALL of them. That's coaching and scheme.

For the Rams game we are arguing about the dessert menu on the Titanic but the game was lost in the first half, and the vast majority of the first half yardage allowed was up the middle. That's all on Woods and Collins, who were hurt. The Rams scheme also schemed to get their OL get into the second level on LVE and Jaylon Smith, which was a big part of the problem also.

 

[Stash]

For the Rams game we are arguing about the dessert menu on the Titanic but the game was lost in the first half, and the vast majority of the first half yardage allowed was up the middle. That's all on Woods and Collins, who were hurt.

Really? Now there's a "Collins was hurt too!" excuse making the rounds? I did the homework, and I know exactly when Woods got hurt, the 11:20 mark of the second quarter to be exact. And the Rams had already amassed over 90 of their 273 yards. They were gashing us from the beginning of that game to the end. Injury excuses don't hold water. Stop ignoring the truth staring you in the face.

The Rams scheme also schemed to get their OL get into the second level on LVE and Jaylon Smith, which was a big part of the problem also.

That's great in theory, but they have to be freed up to get there. And knowing exactly where your opponents are going before the play begins helps a lot to get to the next level.

 

[Kaiser]

Really? Now there's a "Collins was hurt too!" excuse making the rounds? I did the homework, and I know exactly when Woods got hurt, the 11:20 mark of the second quarter to be exact. And the Rams had already amassed over 90 of their 273 yards. They were gashing us from the beginning of that game to the end. Injury excuses don't hold water. Stop ignoring the truth staring you in the face.

Woods was gassed and hurt. He was in his 18th game of the season after playing zero games the year before and one game the year before that.

Collins was playing through injury the entire year and aggravated it in practice that week. And remember the only depth we had was Daniel Ross and Caraun Reid, which was no doubt part of our draft strategy this year.

And being injured isn't an excuse, its a reason. Let Travis Frederick know he is just making excuses whenever his 2018 stats are mentioned.

 

[Stash]

Woods was gassed and hurt. He was in his 18th game of the season after playing zero games the year before and one game the year before that.

Collins was playing through injury the entire year and aggravated it in practice that week. And remember the only depth we had was Daniel Ross and Caraun Reid, which was no doubt part of our draft strategy this year.

And being injured isn't an excuse, its a reason. Let Travis Frederick know he is just making excuses whenever his 2018 stats are mentioned.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

You twist and contort to find any reason other than the one staring you in the face.