This may be a stupid question, but why can't

[Woods]

we disguise blitzes, flip flop Ware, play with high intensity on defense, and get consistent pressure on QBs on a more regular basis?

If we can do what we did versus the almightly Colts and Payton Manning, why can't we do this against sub-par offenses? I'm not trying to take anything away from our defense. We were ranked highly before this last outing and we have a very good defense.

However, from a coaching perspective, this last performance showed a lot of creativity,etc.

Does the coaching staff now better trust the defensive players to take care of assignments, or was it that this was a big game and we "went for it" with the defensive scheming, etc.?

 

[VACowboy]

I think it's because Ellis was bringing good pressure, so why flop sides? Parcells is just conservative that way.

 

[LD Fan]

we disguise blitzes, flip flop Ware, play with high intensity on defense, and get consistent pressure on QBs on a more regular basis?

If we can do what we did versus the almightly Colts and Payton Manning, why can't we do this against sub-par offenses? I'm not trying to take anything away from our defense. We were ranked highly before this last outing and we have a very good defense.

However, from a coaching perspective, this last performance showed a lot of creativity,etc.

Does the coaching staff now better trust the defensive players to take care of assignments, or was it that this was a big game and we "went for it" with the defensive scheming, etc.?

It looked to me like we sacrificed a little bit on stopping the run yesterday. I think this was intentional. In most of our earlier games, it looked like stopping the run was almost always the priority. Yesterday, it looked like we were willing to let a few run go and had more focus on the pass.

 

[joseephuss]

It looked to me like we sacrificed a little bit on stopping the run yesterday. I think this was intentional. In most of our earlier games, it looked like stopping the run was almost always the priority. Yesterday, it looked like we were willing to let a few run go and had more focus on the pass.

Looked like Dallas did a good job of stopping the run yesterday.

 

[LD Fan]

Looked like Dallas did a good job of stopping the run yesterday.

I would say good, not great or as well as in the past. I think it was a good approach to soften on the run a little to create more pressure in the pocket.

 

[Doomsday101]

we disguise blitzes, flip flop Ware, play with high intensity on defense, and get consistent pressure on QBs on a more regular basis?

If we can do what we did versus the almightly Colts and Payton Manning, why can't we do this against sub-par offenses? I'm not trying to take anything away from our defense. We were ranked highly before this last outing and we have a very good defense.

However, from a coaching perspective, this last performance showed a lot of creativity,etc.

Does the coaching staff now better trust the defensive players to take care of assignments, or was it that this was a big game and we "went for it" with the defensive scheming, etc.?

I think a lot of had to do with players themselves playing hard and executing the defense. I don't think it is just about the coaches players went out and made plays. I don't think the Defense like the fact most predicted that Manning and the Colts would be putting 40 points on them

 

[Doomsday]

Actually I heard an interview after the game with James on ESPN radio and he stated that Dallas main objective / gameplan was to take away the run and force the Colts to one dimensional and beat them with the pass. James said he was surprised when the coaches said the game plan was going to be to stop the run he stated he thought it would be the opposite. Either way I love the aggressiveness.

 

[Woods]

Actually I heard an interview after the game with James on ESPN radio and he stated that Dallas main objective / gameplan was to take away the run and force the Colts to one dimensional and beat them with the pass. James said he was surprised when the coaches said the game plan was going to be to stop the run he stated he thought it would be the opposite. Either way I love the aggressiveness.

I have to say I think the Colts RB Addai (sp?) played pretty well though. He seems to have a good all around game for a rookie, he can run, catch, and block. And he appears to be pretty fast and quick.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

we disguise blitzes, flip flop Ware, play with high intensity on defense, and get consistent pressure on QBs on a more regular basis?

If we can do what we did versus the almightly Colts and Payton Manning, why can't we do this against sub-par offenses? I'm not trying to take anything away from our defense. We were ranked highly before this last outing and we have a very good defense.

However, from a coaching perspective, this last performance showed a lot of creativity,etc.

Does the coaching staff now better trust the defensive players to take care of assignments, or was it that this was a big game and we "went for it" with the defensive scheming, etc.?

My theory is Zimmer/Parcells went into "Chaos" mode. Ware was now our only "proven" pass rusher, The Colts were 9-0 and an extremely good passing team.

Besides the defensive line, the guy I thought did an "excellent" job was Terence Newman. Those fake blitzes and cobra blitzes he was doing was really confusing Manning.

They were moving Ware around and sometimes Ware would be on the left with his hands down and Newman was in the slot either faking the blitzs or coming all out.

So you got a monster in Ware coming from one side, an athletic super fast cornerback coming from the other and the line was getting pressure...all made for "Chaos".

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I have to say I think the Colts RB Addai (sp?) played pretty well though. He seems to have a good all around game for a rookie, he can run, catch, and block. And he appears to be pretty fast and quick.

Yep.

There was one play where he flat out "Stoned" Demarcus Ware.

He is also from Texas so that is always a good thing :laugh2: .

- Mike G.

 

[superpunk]

I honestly don't think we did all that much different from usual. Two things, IMO, made it look that way.

(1) Better execution by the players. Ware would switch sides with Ellis, too. Maybe it didn't happen as often, but you better believe teams know where Ware is every snap. He played out of his mind, and so did the front three. Execution, baby.

(2) We showed blitz more and then backed out. They did not know when Ware was coming, and often when he was in the slot, Newman would show blitz and back out. That was the one thing I noticed we did different, that wasn't just execution. We'd show one thing, and do another. Previously, if we were showing, we were coming. Not so this week.

 

[Doomsday]

I have to say I think the Colts RB Addai (sp?) played pretty well though. He seems to have a good all around game for a rookie, he can run, catch, and block. And he appears to be pretty fast and quick.

I agree, I live in Indiana and have been having trouble figuring out why they dont use him more. They must be trying to make sure they dont burn him out before the playoffs.

 

[Clove]

IMO after rewatching the game, this is the best blitz package I've seen the Cowboys 3-4 play.

There was one play, where you had your 3 down line men, an extra LB (Ware creeps up to the line) then as the play clock winds down, Ayodele creeps up, then at the last minute before Manning snaps the ball, Newman (who was covering the slot receiver) whipped from the side to the right inside of the tackle and guard, and fired in untouched, and luckily Manning handed the ball off, or it would have been a huge sack and possibly and fumble, because Manning's back was still turned when Newman was right behind him.

That's what I've been wanting to see.

 

[joseephuss]

Yep.

There was one play where he flat out "Stoned" Demarcus Ware.

He is also from Texas so that is always a good thing :laugh2: .

- Mike G.

Maybe I am giving Ware too much credit, but it looked as if he let up on his blitz on that play and engaged Addai. Maybe Ware thought Addai was going to release out for an easy completion. Had he released, he had plenty of room to run if he caught a pass.

 

[Chuck 54]

Obviously, we could and should do it in every game...however, back when I was lamenting the fact that Ware wasn't being very effective at bringing consistant pressure and the front guys weren't doing anything, several posters floated the idea that Parcells was holding Zimmer back, wanting to be more conservative and play the base offense.

I'm guessing with the Colts in town, holding back seemed foolish...now that the players responded well to the situation, maybe he'll turn Zimmer and the players loose more often.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

We flip flopped Ware a little bit through the year. I haven't charted the game, so I'll take a look at how much we flip flopped him here.

As far as the disguise of the blitzes, I was asking the same thing. Especially considering the problems we had in the JAX, NYG, and second WAS games.



YAKUZA

 

[superpunk]

Maybe I am giving Ware too much credit, but it looked as if he let up on his blitz on that play and engaged Addai. Maybe Ware thought Addai was going to release out for an easy completion. Had he released, he had plenty of room to run if he caught a pass.

They were worried about the run and the screens, for sure. That one we sniffed out beautifully, awesome. If we had been palying a lesser QB he may have turned it loose for DeMarcus to pick off and return, a la Jason Taylor (what a freak, BTW. Gets my vote for DPOY). Manning scrambled, but we shut those screens down.

 

[Cbz40]

I was more than happy w/defensive scheme yesterday.

We diguised a few blitzes.

We even disguised our coverages.

We moved Ware around

It worked. Who was it that said our talent was not good enough to do such things. Ummm maybe it was our scheme that was just too vanilla. All I know is.....that I want to see yesterdays D & scheme, w/maybe a few more variations, showup for every game.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Seriously, why the hell do they only do this for the best team in the league. The defensive scheme should be like this every week. It's called coaching and scheming. Playing it safe with a vanilla 3-4 defense is not why you convert to a 3-4 defense in the first place. I hope they continue it. If it worked against the Colts who won't it work against?

 

[joseephuss]

Seriously, why the hell do they only do this for the best team in the league. The defensive scheme should be like this every week. It's called coaching and scheming. Playing it safe with a vanilla 3-4 defense is not why you convert to a 3-4 defense in the first place. I hope they continue it. If it worked against the Colts who won't it work against?

Maybe they didn't want to show their hand in a games against Houston, Tennessee or Arizona when they could win being very vanilla.