The Deep Ball: 2011 vs. 2012

[percyhoward]

Bryant should have better numbers for 2012. With his height and athleticism, I'd rather see about 60% completion rate on the deep ball to him.

Where the deep ball is concerned, there aren't any 60% catch rates among receivers with as many targets as Dez got in 2012.

Going back the last five years, these are the highest catch rates for receivers with at least 24 deep targets:

Thomas DEN 2012 53.3
Cruz NYG 2011 51.9
Bryant DAL 2012 50.0
Smith CAR 2008 50.0
Smith CAR 2012 50.0
White ATL 2008 50.0
Green CIN 2011 48.5
Wallace PIT 2010 48.3
AJohnson HOU 2009 48.1
Marshall MIA 2011 47.1

 

[Idgit]

Those were Austin clips that were from a bygone era. He didn't look like that last year.

According to Romo, Austin was reportedly fairly hobbled all year in 2012. We'll see if this year is any different; hopefully it is because he's a weapon when he's not dealing with his hammies.

 

[DFWJC]

And yet Dez was 6th in the NFL in deep receptions, 4th in yards (on deep receptions), 2nd in catch rate at 50%, and tied for 1st in TD.

Beat me to it.
A 50% catch rate on deep balls is very good

 

[percyhoward]

Good stuff. Any way you have a breakdown of penalties drawn? I know Harris drew one late in that Browns game, and I think he may have drew another on a different deep ball. I remember he didn't catch many, but he put up fights.

Good question. Harris drew 2 DPI, both against the Browns.

Hard to believe Dez didn't get more of those calls. He was targeted 137 times, and was supposedly only interfered with twice. Defensive holding is another matter, but that penalty is hard to look up because the game books don't tell you who was held. Maybe somebody else has that info.

DPI accepted (declined or offsetting)
Austin 2
Harris 2
Ogletree 2 (1)
Bryant 1 (1)

 

[dez_for_prez]

DPI accepted (declined or offsetting)
Austin 2
Harris 2
Ogletree 2 (1)
Bryant 1 (1)

Man, we were getting no calls our way. I wonder how many we gave up.

 

[hairic]

According to Romo, Austin was reportedly fairly hobbled all year in 2012. We'll see if this year is any different; hopefully it is because he's a weapon when he's not dealing with his hammies.

It likely wasn't just his hamstrings. He got rolled up on multiple times and left the game after them a couple times. Also, one time he left the game after he took a cleat to the groin area. He probably had bruised muscles and minor sprains in both legs.

 

[percyhoward]

Man, we were getting no calls our way. I wonder how many we gave up.

About the same.

DPI by Dallas Defense (declined or offsetting)
Claiborne 3 (1)
Carr 1
Church (1)
Poppinga 1
Silva 1

 

[EchoBrain22]

Those were Austin clips that were from a bygone era. He didn't look like that last year.

Bygone era? Haha you need to pay closer attention to the games then. Two of those clips were from last season.

 

[Idgit]

...Also, one time he left the game after he took a cleat to the groin area...

So you're saying he's soft?

 

[dez_for_prez]

About the same.

DPI by Dallas Defense (declined or offsetting)
Claiborne 3 (1)
Carr 1
Church (1)
Poppinga 1
Silva 1

Yeah I guess most of the time they are calling holds and not PI

 

[Nova]

Good question. Harris drew 2 DPI, both against the Browns.

Hard to believe Dez didn't get more of those calls. He was targeted 137 times, and was supposedly only interfered with twice. Defensive holding is another matter, but that penalty is hard to look up because the game books don't tell you who was held. Maybe somebody else has that info.

DPI accepted (declined or offsetting)
Austin 2
Harris 2
Ogletree 2 (1)
Bryant 1 (1)

He's never been good at drawing those calls because he doesn't really sell it. He's just so strong its hard to tell that there was any effect the defender had with his interference. I knew it would be a 'problem' when I saw the no call in 2010 @ Houston. (When his lower half was pushed out of bounds on a bomb from Tony before the ball arrived, yet he made the catch).

He's regularly interfered with and it's regularly not called, in all situations.

 

[Crown Royal]

Where the deep ball is concerned, there aren't any 60% catch rates among receivers with as many targets as Dez got in 2012.

Going back the last five years, these are the highest catch rates for receivers with at least 24 deep targets:

Thomas DEN 2012 53.3
Cruz NYG 2011 51.9
Bryant DAL 2012 50.0
Smith CAR 2008 50.0
Smith CAR 2012 50.0
White ATL 2008 50.0
Green CIN 2011 48.5
Wallace PIT 2010 48.3
AJohnson HOU 2009 48.1
Marshall MIA 2011 47.1

Wow I stand corrected!

 

[Trueboysfan]

No matter what...a truly healthy Cowboys team will be any NFL team out there hands down...high hopes still in effect for the boys in 2013

 

[Sarge]

According to Romo, Austin was reportedly fairly hobbled all year in 2012. We'll see if this year is any different; hopefully it is because he's a weapon when he's not dealing with his hammies.

Ya but his hammies don't drop passes.

 

[Idgit]

Ya but his hammies don't drop passes.

We should throw to his hammies more, then.

 

[Sarge]

We should throw to his hammies more, then.

Whatever it takes to get him back to his old self.

 

[Picksix]

That tells me that Bryant was the only real succesful deep threat, Witten's injury really hurt him, and Miles just was nothing last year but a waste of space

For the one millionth time...

Miles Austin: 66 rec; 943 yds (25th in NFL); 6 TD

Look up any ranking system (NFL, ESPN, Fantasy, Football Outsiders, Pro Football Focus, etc.), and Miles is in the top 32. And that's for a guy who was primarily the #3 receiving option. Did he play up to his contract? No. Did he have trouble finding another gear on the deep ball? Yes. Total waste of space?