When TO is gameplanned

[LittleBoyBlue]

Why not throw the slant?
Aikman said it was there all game long.
I think that play has to be implemented to get us going. We spend very little time on the field in 1st half. That will be our undoing in the playoffs.

Why not put TO in motion to get away from his double/triple coverage? Atleast get him the ball in space?

 

[InmanRoshi]

I was baffled why we never threw the slant. They were playing the CB tight against the sideline with S over to protect the deep middle on the skinny post. Especially dumbfounding when it's maybe TO's best route to catch and run.

 

[deepBLUE]

Why not throw the slant?
Aikman said it was there all game long.
I think that play has to be implemented to get us going. We spend very little time on the field in 1st half. That will be our undoing in the playoffs.

Why not put TO in motion to get away from his double/triple coverage? Atleast get him the ball in space?

good point: i'm continually baffled as to why they don't throw the slant to owens more (something he excels at). they also didn't move him around much, either.........

 

[Mavs Man]

Didn't he drop one on a slant late in the game (final drive)?

That was his bread and butter in SF and Philly, though.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I would hate to Second guess Jason Garrett as I am only a layman and Garrett has been around football his entire life.

One thing I never really understand, and someone may be able to correct me on this is why we don't throw more Quick Outs or Wide Receiver Slip Screens to Owens when they are double and tripple teaming him?

Let him get the ball quickly on the LOS and try to make a play with his legs.

The point YoMick brought up about the Slant, I believe Aikman or Buck said that it was there all day after T.O. dropped that huge pass and they said the Cowboys just weren't taking it.

 

[superpunk]

For alot of the game they were dropping a LB underneath TO and keeping the corner on top of him. Sometimes, they even rolled a safety over, too. Why force it over there when they're determined to take it away, and let you kill them with passes to Witten and the backs?

 

[slick325]

I do recall Troy saying that the slant was there. However, I also remember him pointing out that the Lions OLB's were doing a good job of getting underneath routes to T.O. on comebacks, slants and outs. The last thing you want to do when a team is playing the coverage the Lions deployed is to throw a slant when the 230/240lbs OLB is popping underneath all day.

Dallas' running game can be an equalizer in that instance. If the running game is successful it will hold the OLB's for a split second and make the slant that much easier.

 

[slick325]

For alot of the game they were dropping a LB underneath TO and keeping the corner on top of him. Sometimes, they even rolled a safety over, too. Why force it over there when they're determined to take it away, and let you kill them with passes to Witten and the backs?

I was posting the same at the same time.

 

[FCBarca]

I think between that obvious issue and some of the other play calls both on offense and defense, really seemed like the coaches also took the week off or slept on this one...It's one thing to game plan a certain way but another when adjustments aren't made...More baffling since up until now, Garrett et al had been making terrific adjusments during the game...This game, there was an all too familiar Parcells-esque auto pilot feel to it.

 

[Parche]

Well, I dunno, but that´s not something that will make us out of contention or playoffs...
Its something "good" instead, I mean, If they double or triple coverage Owens, then Crayton, Witten or our Running Backs have to step up, and mainly they will get single coverage, so, while we have other weapons at offense, its not a problem, its an advantage that we have to thing bout to explode it.

 

[slick325]

I think between that obvious issue and some of the other play calls both on offense and defense, really seemed like the coaches also took the week off or slept on this one...It's one thing to game plan a certain way but another when adjustments aren't made...More baffling since up until now, Garrett et al had been making terrific adjusments during the game...This game, there was an all too familiar Parcells-esque auto pilot feel to it.

I agree with you. I think Wade and Stewart took the week off. It was apparent that the Lions were going to run the football and were not going to take too many 5 and 7 step drops with Kitna yet Dallas never adjusted. Dallas' corners were rarely in press coverage and not too many blitzes were dialed up when it became apparent that the pass rush was not going to get to a QB taking 3 step drops.

IMO, Dallas played too much soft zone coverage and made it easy for Kitna.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Who cares? They decided to stop T.O. and Witten had a career day because of it. Isn't this about the team and not individual players?

 

[Smith22]

Didn't he drop one on a slant late in the game

Yep. Sure did.

 

[thekavorka]

iirc, they threw one slant to TO yesterday. Romo threw it a bit behind him. Still should have been caught, but probably could have been a better throw.

 

[superpunk]

Who cares? They decided to stop T.O. and Witten had a career day because of it. Isn't this about the team and not individual players?

We had the 4th ranked scoring offense in the NFL last year, and all anyone could focus on was how TO wasn't being used correctly.

I think the answer has revealed itself.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Good reads... thanks...

I just dont like how we dont score enough early

OR

we dont impose our offense on defenses


I am all for "taking what the defense gives you".... but we have a good enough team where we can "break" teams... and we dont.

I hope Garrett is saving so "special" plays for the post season.

One of two things will be our demise in the playoffs....

1. Not scoring enough early
2. Our defense

It seems that number 1 is an easier fix....

 

[aikemirv]

I agree with you. I think Wade and Stewart took the week off. It was apparent that the Lions were going to run the football and were not going to take too many 5 and 7 step drops with Kitna yet Dallas never adjusted. Dallas' corners were rarely in press coverage and not too many blitzes were dialed up when it became apparent that the pass rush was not going to get to a QB taking 3 step drops.

IMO, Dallas played too much soft zone coverage and made it easy for Kitna.

I disagree on the offensive side. Romo did not have a ton of time during the day. He said himself that when you don't have a ton of time you can't wait for the deep stuff to open up because if you do then the short stuff will no longer be there.

With Columbo's issues early in the game I think Romo made a conscious decision that he was going to take the short stuff and not try to wait for the long stuff to open up. He took his buffalo experience and put it to good use all day.

The last drive for the game winning TD was a lot like the Buffalo drive for the late TD when he finally figured out that he was going to take what they gave him!

 

[aikemirv]

Good reads... thanks...

I just dont like how we dont score enough early

OR

we dont impose our offense on defenses


I am all for "taking what the defense gives you".... but we have a good enough team where we can "break" teams... and we dont.

I hope Garrett is saving so "special" plays for the post season.

One of two things will be our demise in the playoffs....

1. Not scoring enough early
2. Our defense

It seems that number 1 is an easier fix....

But the week before the offense score 27 points by the 9:00 minute mark of the 2nd qtr.

The defense in the first half is why we did not have a lot of points, I don't necessarily think it was the offensive performance.

With that said, we tend to score on the last drive of the 2nd half very often when we go to no huddle (the last drive of the game too)

I think we should mix in a no huddle drive in the first or early 2nd qtr.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

But the week before the offense score 27 points by the 9:00 minute mark of the 2nd qtr.

The defense in the first half is why we did not have a lot of points, I don't necessarily think it was the offensive performance.

With that said, we tend to score on the last drive of the 2nd half very often when we go to no huddle (the last drive of the game too)

I think we should mix in a no huddle drive in the first or early 2nd qtr.

The week before it was Brett Favre chucking INT's.

Its true that the defense was on the field too long in first half... I would have liked to see a score one of the first 2 drives.

Agreed on mixing in the no huddle... seems to be a strength.

 

[Doomsday101]

Even when team’s game plan TO Dallas still score points. Last game TO 3 catches but Dallas still puts up 28 points on the day and we still have scored the 2nd most points in the NFL with 423 points on the season. I really do not see many issues with the offense or how Garrett handles it.