Sturm: Decoding Linehan - Green Bay Preview

[Sturm1310]

http://sportsday.***BANNED-URL***/d...linehan-gameplan-attacking-green-bays-defense

 

[jobberone]

Sturm's Decoding Linehan - Gameplan For Attacking Green Bay's Defense
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• COWBOYS

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GREEN BAY, WI - JANUARY 8: Julius Peppers #56 and Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers celebrate after recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter during the NFC Wild Card game against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field on January 8, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

By Bob Sturm, Special contributor Contact Bob Sturm on Twitter SportsSturm

Today and tomorrow, we are going to look at the matchups for Sundays divisional playoff against the Green Bay Packers and discuss what the Cowboys can do to reach the NFC Championship Game. We review the matchup in Week 6, look at the current affairs of each side, and try to imagine some objectives for Scott Linehan and Rod Marinelli.

I don't wish to spoil tomorrow's piece, but let's just say Linehan is going to have a much easier strategy session than Marinelli. The defense is going to have to figure quite a few problems out that they will be presented with on Sunday. But, the offense? They just have to be themselves.

Dallas has one of the best offenses in the NFL and if they continue to perform at those levels, there is no reason they cannot play in a Super Bowl in 3 weeks. You could argue they never played better than in this Week 6 battle in Green Bay, and you could also argue that this playoff game may resemble the Pittsburgh game in that both offenses were able to score at will - and therefore, the team with the ball last might be the one to win. This game could have a NBA feel to it. One stop might be enough to win the game.


But, let's focus on Scott Linehan's situation here for a moment. Some easy thoughts to start:

1) Green Bay is a high-risk defense. They will concede a ton of yardage and not seem to care, because the overall philosophy for Dom Capers up there for several years is that yards are just numbers. He is trying to find takeaways. The best way to get takeaways are sacks and pressure. And the best way to generate pressure is to leave your corners on islands. This often leads to a lot of chances for the offense, and he is playing the odds that if you are going to drive the ball, you will at some point either get reckless with the ball or fail on a 3rd down. The good news here is that the Cowboys were great in both regards this season. They never turned the ball over and were quite efficient on 3rd downs. The Cowboys were also able to chase the Packers out of their blitzes.

http://sportsday.***BANNED-URL***/d...linehan-gameplan-attacking-green-bays-defense

 

[jobberone]

Afraid this will be a shootout.

 

[reddyuta]

Almost 7 yards a carry and we are 1-3 against them.killer TOs and bad secondary did us in.

 

[jwooten15]

Love your work.

In other words, we need to run, run, run, run, and then run again.. Then some play action for the kill shot.

I just pray that Linehan doesn't overthink it and try to get cute.

 

[Stash]

Love your work.

In other words, we need to run, run, run, run, and then run again.. Then some play action for the kill shot.

I just pray that Linehan doesn't overthink it and try to get cute.

Same here. I hope he's learned from his mistakes and gotten it out of his system.

More Ezekiel Elliott, less Lance Dunbar. Do what you do well, don't get fancy and try to 'trick' anybody. You don't need to.

 

[Chuck 54]

There's a very good reason Zeke was rested so much over the past month. In the playoffs, they are going to ride him.....but you still have to pass when they stack the box or show run blitzes on first down. The offense has to stay balanced to avoid making the calls easy for GB.

 

[DogFace]

I'd like to see the 11 personnel with Collins as the other tight end.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Bob and I often spar on Twitter about Romo but I really like him.

Bob is also from Wisconsin and a life-long Packer fan so this has to be a tough week for him.

P.S. In case you're wondering Bob likes Romo, we disagree on certain aspects - all hypothetical - I don't want to derail the thread.

 

[manster4ever]

I'd like to see the 11 personnel with Collins as the other tight end.

Daaaaaaamn....that would be awesome. Looney has been the other tight end in that formation, correct? Collins is a road grader. My dream: Get Zeke 25 carries for about 125 yards or more and then get DMC about 6-8 carries for roughly 30 yards. That's 30-35 carries for about 155 yards or so which is pretty attainable against their D. It won't come easy and they'll stack the box which means Dak will have some early opportunities in the first qtr. to hit big plays down the field. I think we will win 28-24.

 

[Stash]

There's a very good reason Zeke was rested so much over the past month. In the playoffs, they are going to ride him.....but you still have to pass when they stack the box or show run blitzes on first down. The offense has to stay balanced to avoid making the calls easy for GB.

No doubt, but at the same time, don't let Green Bay dictate anything, much less whether you're running or passing. One think I very much liked about Dak's game is that he wasn't quick to audible out of a run at the first sign of a stacked box. It's not a popular opinion, but as much as I love Romo the player, the passer, and the person, I thought he was sometimes too quick to check out of run calls into pass plays.

This running game is so good, you should let little or nothing dissuade you from using it.

 

[Stash]

Daaaaaaamn....that would be awesome. Looney has been the other tight end in that formation, correct? Collins is a road grader. My dream: Get Zeke 25 carries for about 125 yards or more and then get DMC about 6-8 carries for roughly 30 yards. That's 30-35 carries for about 155 yards or so which is pretty attainable against their D. It won't come easy and they'll stack the box which means Dak will have some early opportunities in the first qtr. to hit big plays down the field. I think we will win 28-24.

Here's a tidbit from Gil Brandt:

'Since 1950, teams are now 37-0 when a player has 30+ rush attempts in a playoff game. Lamar Miller had 31 carries vs. OAK.'

 

[Aven8]

Here's a tidbit from Gil Brandt:

'Since 1950, teams are now 37-0 when a player has 30+ rush attempts in a playoff game. Lamar Miller had 31 carries vs. OAK.'

If they give Zeke 30 carries on Sunday we might be talking playoff records being broken!!

 

[Stash]

If they give Zeke 30 carries on Sunday we might be talking playoff records being broken!!

I hope to see it.


Steelers rode Bell to victory, Thomas Rawls and the running game finally showed up for Seattle, and the Texans won with Miller getting 30 carries. Green Bay was the anomaly.

But I think the formula for the Cowboys is clear. Ride your horses up front, and even some McFadden too.

Ride.

 

[Aven8]

I hope to see it.


Steelers rode Bell to victory, Thomas Rawls and the running game finally showed up for Seattle, and the Texans won with Miller getting 30 carries. Green Bay was the anomaly.

But I think the formula for the Cowboys is clear. Ride your horses up front, and even some McFadden too.

Ride.

GB knows this as well and is going to load up early. Bombs away!!!

 

[Stash]

GB knows this as well and is going to load up early. Bombs away!!!

That's probably what we'll see, but unless they're putting 7 or 8-men in the box, I'd still run it. Don't let them dictate what you do, you dictate to them.

 

[Crown Royal]

I have a fear that Linehan and Garrett will get cute, salivate over the passing game mis-matches, and come out with a passing attack early and often. Which could work, but I'd prefer to go with what we know WILL work.

 

[DeaconMoss]

Flea flicker first play.

 

[DeaconMoss]

That's probably what we'll see, but unless they're putting 7 or 8-men in the box, I'd still run it. Don't let them dictate what you do, you dictate to them.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

The two T's will decide the outcome of this game. TOP and TO's