Sturm: Decoding Callahan - Week 4 - San Diego Chargers

[WoodysGirl]

From an offensive point of view, Sunday was an odd game to evaluate. On one hand, they protected the ball relatively well (until the fumble into the end zone), protected the QB reasonably well, and ran the ball impressively.

On the other hand, they only accumulated 317 yards of total offense, converted very poorly on 3rd Downs (3-9), and barely spent 25 minutes on the field. None of those generally lead to good things for an offense trying to win a road game.

Since 2007, the Cowboys are 6-16 on the road when they don't get over the 350 yard barrier of total offense. 400 yards is generally the bar in pro football for having a "successful", productive day of offensive yardage, and 317 doesn't normally get the job done. Oddly, the Cowboys won 3 of those 6 games in 2012 on the road with very low offensive production. The wins were at Carolina, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. The games against the Panthers and the Bengals were both won with 20 points or less and the Eagles game had 2 defensive touchdowns and 1 special teams touchdown.

In other words, you generally need yards to score, and points to win. And when the Cowboys go on the road, they seem to not ever expect to get to 24 points. That seems partly because they never expect to get to 400 yards. The game plan gets much more dialed back and careful. It seems that protecting the ball and the QB are emphasized more than attacking the defense and trying to push the ball down the field. Take the check-down, call the draw play, and get the punter out there.

Read the rest: http://sturminator.blogspot.com/2013/10/decoding-callahan-week-4-san-diego.html

 

[Staubacher]

Without drops we would have had a great 3rd down percentage, 400+ yards of offense, 24 plus points and a possible win. It's not complicated Sturm

 

[Zman5]

I remember we used to be one of the best 3rd down teams. It didn't matter what the distance was, it was almost a given that we will convert. Big part of that was Romo and Witten. We need to find that magic again.

 

[Hoofbite]

Since 2007, the Cowboys are 6-16 on the road when they don't get over the 350 yard barrier of total offense. 400 yards is generally the bar in pro football for having a "successful", productive day of offensive yardage, and 317 doesn't normally get the job done. Oddly, the Cowboys won 3 of those 6 games in 2012 on the road with very low offensive production. The wins were at Carolina, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. The games against the Panthers and the Bengals were both won with 20 points or less and the Eagles game had 2 defensive touchdowns and 1 special teams touchdown.

In other words, you generally need yards to score, and points to win. And when the Cowboys go on the road, they seem to not ever expect to get to 24 points. That seems partly because they never expect to get to 400 yards. The game plan gets much more dialed back and careful. It seems that protecting the ball and the QB are emphasized more than attacking the defense and trying to push the ball down the field. Take the check-down, call the draw play, and get the punter out there.

Read the rest: http://sturminator.blogspot.com/2013/10/decoding-callahan-week-4-san-diego.html

Interesting. Did a quick game finder look at PFR and there appears to be something to this.

Since 2007 Dallas has played 50 home games and 50 away games.

At Home: 383 yards/game, 27.26 points/game

Away: 355 yards/game, 21.16 points/game

Wonder what it looks like for other teams. Might have to check that out later.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Numbers from 2010 through 2012. Dallas is near the top in both home/road points and yards differential, but at least in points, they're closer to the big grouping than to the three teams above them. Hard to interpret without looking more carefully at who they played.

       PtsH      PtsR    YdsH  YdsR  PtsDiff YdsDiff
GNB    33.25    24.29    383    366    8.96    17
ARI    21.83    13.63    301    271    8.21    30
BAL    27.54    19.67    360    316    7.88    45
DAL    26.63    20.83    393    350    5.79    43
SEA    24.54    18.92    319    315    5.63    4
SFO    25.29    19.79    350    308    5.50    42
NOR    31.00    27.00    414    420    4.00    -7
NYG    27.33    23.38    389    358    3.96    31
MIN    22.63    19.04    341    313    3.58    28
STL    17.96    14.58    303    308    3.38    -5
BUF    22.46    19.17    341    325    3.29    17
DEN    25.25    22.00    375    334    3.25    41
DET    26.71    23.63    379    383    3.08    -4
OAK    23.33    20.79    384    335    2.54    49
ATL    26.92    24.54    356    369    2.38    -14
MIA    19.67    17.42    327    308    2.25    18
KAN    17.46    15.42    345    308    2.04    37
IND    22.46    20.67    329    358    1.79    -30
PIT    22.46    20.71    354    347    1.75    7
TEN    21.75    20.38    326    307    1.38    19
HOU    25.33    24.13    377    377    1.21    -1
WAS    21.96    20.79    357    348    1.17    9
CHI    22.71    21.54    302    307    1.17    -5
NYJ    21.79    20.92    318    323    0.88    -5
SDG    25.29    24.58    358    366    0.71    -8
CIN    22.29    21.75    319    336    0.54    -17
CLE    16.63    16.33    295    300    0.29    -6
NWE    33.17    33.00    410    403    0.17    8
TAM    21.21    21.17    342    337    0.04    5
PHI    22.96    23.50    377    384    -0.54    -7
JAX    17.08    18.38    295    305    -1.29    -9
CAR    18.00    21.96    326    347    -3.96    -21
                       Average Diff    2.53    9.67

 

[TheDude]

Numbers from 2010 through 2012. Dallas is near the top in both home/road points and yards differential, but at least in points, they're closer to the big grouping than to the three teams above them. Hard to interpret without looking more carefully at who they played.

       PtsH      PtsR    YdsH  YdsR  PtsDiff YdsDiff
GNB    33.25    24.29    383    366    8.96    17
ARI    21.83    13.63    301    271    8.21    30
BAL    27.54    19.67    360    316    7.88    45
DAL    26.63    20.83    393    350    5.79    43
SEA    24.54    18.92    319    315    5.63    4
SFO    25.29    19.79    350    308    5.50    42
NOR    31.00    27.00    414    420    4.00    -7
NYG    27.33    23.38    389    358    3.96    31
MIN    22.63    19.04    341    313    3.58    28
STL    17.96    14.58    303    308    3.38    -5
BUF    22.46    19.17    341    325    3.29    17
DEN    25.25    22.00    375    334    3.25    41
DET    26.71    23.63    379    383    3.08    -4
OAK    23.33    20.79    384    335    2.54    49
ATL    26.92    24.54    356    369    2.38    -14
MIA    19.67    17.42    327    308    2.25    18
KAN    17.46    15.42    345    308    2.04    37
IND    22.46    20.67    329    358    1.79    -30
PIT    22.46    20.71    354    347    1.75    7
TEN    21.75    20.38    326    307    1.38    19
HOU    25.33    24.13    377    377    1.21    -1
WAS    21.96    20.79    357    348    1.17    9
CHI    22.71    21.54    302    307    1.17    -5
NYJ    21.79    20.92    318    323    0.88    -5
SDG    25.29    24.58    358    366    0.71    -8
CIN    22.29    21.75    319    336    0.54    -17
CLE    16.63    16.33    295    300    0.29    -6
NWE    33.17    33.00    410    403    0.17    8
TAM    21.21    21.17    342    337    0.04    5
PHI    22.96    23.50    377    384    -0.54    -7
JAX    17.08    18.38    295    305    -1.29    -9
CAR    18.00    21.96    326    347    -3.96    -21
                       Average Diff    2.53    9.67

Look at NE

 

[Idgit]

Without drops we would have had a great 3rd down percentage, 400+ yards of offense, 24 plus points and a possible win. It's not complicated Sturm

I was going to say the same thing. Obviously, all QBs have drops, so that's not the point, but as a measure of whether or not Romo's become risk-averse, those three drive killers + SDs offensive effectiveness + the pick-six score took a lot of plays out of the game for us. I think we'd have seen a more productive yardage day from Tony. Either way, though, it's a huge positive that the guy's being careful with the ball on the road. Sturm's off-base if he attributes this to anything other than obvious design by Tony and the offensive coaches.

 

[Risen Star]

Callahan is a downgrade from Garrett as a play caller.

 

[Idgit]

Callahan is a downgrade from Garrett as a play caller.

I think so, too. But I do think we probably get some benefit from having Garrett as a walk-around coach that offsets that. Not thrilled with Callahan's play calls so far. Especially last week with the empty backfields on 3rd and 2 and 3rd and 3.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Callahan is a downgrade from Garrett as a play caller.

Just 6 months ago he was hailed as the man who would save our franchise from the awful play calling JG offered up.

 

[Sarge]

I remember we used to be one of the best 3rd down teams. It didn't matter what the distance was, it was almost a given that we will convert. Big part of that was Romo and Witten. We need to find that magic again.

How often does this team get a first down on SECOND down? I would really like to know where we stand there. It seems like we NEVER do.

 

[Risen Star]

I think so, too. But I do think we probably get some benefit from having Garrett as a walk-around coach that offsets that. Not thrilled with Callahan's play calls so far. Especially last week with the empty backfields on 3rd and 2 and 3rd and 3.

Hey, we agree on something.

Bro, the empty backfield stuff annoys me most of the time. At least make the defense respect a potential run.

 

[Risen Star]

How often does this team get a first down on SECOND down? I would really like to know where we stand there. It seems like we NEVER do.

Ya know, you're right about that. It does seem like if it's 2nd and 9, we get 7 or 8.

 

[Risen Star]

Just 6 months ago he was hailed as the man who would save our franchise from the awful play calling JG offered up.

Not from me.

I think he's a good OL coach. I don't want him any higher up than that.

 

[Tabascocat]

How often does this team get a first down on SECOND down? I would really like to know where we stand there. It seems like we NEVER do.

Eye test says not too often yet someone will come in with stats contradicting my visuals and say we are in the top 10 I am sure.

 

[TheDude]

How often does this team get a first down on SECOND down? I would really like to know where we stand there. It seems like we NEVER do.

According to PFR

SInce 2012 w ran #1 in convertg 1st downs on second down. 8th in yards to go at 7.83, 4th in TO % at 2.6%, 4th in % Passing at 66%. 2013 is 4th, 7th, 14h and 6th respectively.

And I am shocked as well

 

[JPostSam]

another outstanding article from sturm.

 

[Zman5]

How often does this team get a first down on SECOND down? I would really like to know where we stand there. It seems like we NEVER do.

That's a very good question. It seems like we never do. It's almost as though if we do well on first down and need 3 or less yards for first, we either get a penalty or have some weird play called that gets us nothing.

 

[visionary]

Callahan is a downgrade from Garrett as a play caller.

That may or may not be the case but when you are already starting from a low baseline, what is a couple of feet lower ?

 

[Risen Star]

That may or may not be the case but when you are already starting from a low baseline, what is a couple of feet lower ?

I don't believe it was a low baseline. I think Garrett was the scapegoat for a pathetic group of offensive linemen. There was nothing wrong with the play calling.