Why does the offense get a free pass?

[Stash]

Because the box score nerds who are biased towards Dak and want him to sink us into mediocrity with his contract just look at how well they do after the game has gotten out of hand and the defense loosens up.

It's incredibly ironic that you of all people would suggest that it's 'other people' who have an agenda when it comes to Dak!

 

[Bullflop]

We are all well aware of the defensive struggles, but to be fair the defense is learning a brand new scheme, has many new starters, along with an abundance of injuries across the board.

The offense was kept pretty much the same. Same scheme, same playcaller, basically the same personnel, but they did add a legitimate top 10 talent at WR. Yes, this unit also has had it's share of injuries, but all the playmakers have yet to miss a single start.

This offense is pretty much getting the same results. Start off slow on a consistent basis, always playing from behind chasing the scoreboard. The team is -7 in turnovers and the offense is 31st in time of possession. This is the exact opposite way to protect a poor defense and is impossible way to be successful.

This league is a bottom line business, it's about winning. This team has been terrible in one score games since last season. Garbage time stats mean nothing, when the team is losing games. This unit is littered by 1st rd picks across the board, why are they getting a free pass?

If they're actually getting a "pass," it's probably because the OL and its inconsistencies are such that they're having all they can do to run and pass block. They've been on a steady downturn for the last few years. Losing Frederick and having to fill in for Tyron Smith when he's out and La'el, also, isn't doing this OL any favors. The OL coach is new and is desperately trying to get them settled and in sync.

I think it might be getting somewhat better, though, as he gradually seems to be figuring out what he has and how best to use them. Brandon Knight needs to spend more time at RT when Tyron is healthy and being used at LT. Steele is far from being consistent at RT when he's pass blocking.

Kellen Moore still needs to vary the play calling more on 1st downs. The old 1st down handoffs to Zeke are still fairly predictable, even though it's not quite as much so as it was in the past. Biadasz is making progress nicely at center, although, his pass blocking is still a work in progress. Hopefully, the OL will look a bit better when the Giants are in town. I think the offense will improve considerably, as the OL finally settles down. Here's hoping it does.

 

[CATCH17]

It's incredibly ironic that you of all people would suggest that it's 'other people' who have an agenda when it comes to Dak!

Because I don’t hate on him as a player..

I think he’s good.


My problem with Dak is he isn’t worth the money.. We’re 1-3 and you’re wanting to lock us into this team with that contract and tell me rookies are going to get us where we want to be anytime soon?

Id rather be terrible then stay on this path of mediocrity.

 

[Vtwin]

The previous worst defense in franchise history was the 2013 group. Team went 8-8.

In 2014 the team went 12-4 with no significant upgrade to the defense and without Ware, who had left for Denver.

2013 team rushing yards = 1504
2014 team rushing yards = 2354

2013 team 'won' the time of possession 7 of 16 games
2014 team 'won' the time of possession 11 of 16 games

 

[TexasHillbilly]

Because Dak has inflated stats. What his supporters are failing to recognize (or simply ignoring) is the reason why his stats are so high. When opponents get 20 plus point leads they tend to back off, and Baker Mayfield admitted the Browns were guilty of doing just that. When the defenses relax Dak is able to do more, which makes it appear as though he is leading this miraculous come back week after week when that really isn't the case at all.

If the games were lower scoring Dallas would have been able to run a more balanced offense and Dak's stats would be half of what they are now. But hey, lets go ahead and sing his praises for leading the #1 statistical offense and totally blowing off how he is getting these inflated garbage time stats.

Why do people think personal stats are more important than wins? It makes no sense. I would be perfectly happy if Dak was only getting about 200 yards a game if they had a 4-0 record and were well balanced and disciplined. This offense is nothing like that.

Perfectly happy.......Riiiiiigggggghhhhhhttttttttt

 

[Stash]

Because I don’t hate on him as a player..

I think he’s good.


My problem with Dak is he isn’t worth the money.. We’re 1-3 and you’re wanting to lock us into this team with that contract and tell me rookies are going to get us where we want to be anytime soon?

Id rather be terrible then stay on this path of mediocrity.

There's one guy on the roster earning his money right now - Dak Prescott. I'll find a way to get rid of anyone else I have to before I get to him.

He's the sole reason why this team isn't terrible and winless. And I'm not dumb enough to want to lose that one guy. Get over your anger over how much all of the top quarterbacks make because you're not changing the market. It's irrational.

 

[Clove]

The offense has to be perfect, that's the problem.

 

[CouchCoach]

The O is averaging 32ppg. If I told you that this O would average 32ppg through the first 4 games, what would you guess the record would be? No Cowboys O has ever started the first quarter of the season like that.

Now, If I told you the D was giving up 36.5ppg, what would you guess the record would be? Likewise, no Cowboys D has ever started any season like this.

The entire team, including coaching decisions, should be criticized. No team had an offseason, OTA's, preseason games, that is nothing more than excuse making.

 

[cowboyec]

i think the offense is performing better than last year.
seemed injuries bogged us down in spots last year...doesnt seem the case this season.
biggest issue to me is ball security.
but in terms of how this offense is functioning...even with back-ups and turn overs...they score a crap load of points,move the ball and have a shot at the end to win or tie.
stop turning it over early and i have 0 issues at all with this offense.
under garrett....1 injury to our oline crippled it.
this year...despite starting at one point this season 2 udfa OTs...the offense still functioned.
good on them.
i'd like to see us run the ball better...but the strength of this unit is Dak and WRx3.
protect the ball better.
but do not take your foot off the gas.

 

[Aviano90]

To further this point, here is a breakdown of scoring by Dallas per quarter:

1st 23
2nd 30
3rd 24
4th 49

Interesting. Had to see how we compared to the league to determine if this was good or bad. Here are our rankings in points per quarter:

1st quarter: Tie 14th with 1 other team
2nd quarter: Tie 12th with 5 other teams
3rd quarter: Tie 6th with 2 other teams
4th quarter: Tie for 1st with Chicago

Data can be found here: https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/1st-quarter-points-per-game

 

[Vandyr]

This isn't true at all...... years past many/several of his critics ( could dig up threads if mod allowed) were bashing his inability to pass for over 200 yards. I'm pretty sure you were one.......lol

Not during wins they weren't.

 

[Cowboyny]

Maybe because the offense leads the league in yards while playing with 2 udfa OTs for a big part of the season and a rookie 4th round pick at OC for about 1-1/2 games.

Yards have come when teams are playing prevent defense, hoping that they take time off the clock.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

We are all well aware of the defensive struggles, but to be fair the defense is learning a brand new scheme, has many new starters, along with an abundance of injuries across the board.

The offense was kept pretty much the same. Same scheme, same playcaller, basically the same personnel, but they did add a legitimate top 10 talent at WR. Yes, this unit also has had it's share of injuries, but all the playmakers have yet to miss a single start.

This offense is pretty much getting the same results. Start off slow on a consistent basis, always playing from behind chasing the scoreboard. The team is -7 in turnovers and the offense is 31st in time of possession. This is the exact opposite way to protect a poor defense and is impossible way to be successful.

This league is a bottom line business, it's about winning. This team has been terrible in one score games since last season. Garbage time stats mean nothing, when the team is losing games. This unit is littered by 1st rd picks across the board, why are they getting a free pass?

you just answered yourself. for years we complained about slow starts, etc...now we kept the same scheme, play caller, etc.....why do you expect different results?

and the OL has been decimated....we lost Smith a top 10 LT for two games. lost collins, the highest graded RT last year. we had two UDFA starting at either tackle spot, one of them actually a rookie. we lost looney and we lost the rookie RT in the middle of a game being forced to push the RG to play tackle, a position he had never played.

so its not like the offense hasn't had its share of injuries.....that's why zeke gets hit in the back field more often than not. he gets no creases to run through and once the crease is there, he has done a great job.

and Dak has been under pressure a lot. specially given that our defense makes zero stops and we are in passing mode the whole time. we can't even run a balanced offense.

with that said, its a 4 quarter game.

taking away two meaningless turnovers, in desparation throws with seconds to go at the end of last two games, we are middle of the pack in offensive turnovers....

where we are hurting is that we have no defensive takeaways, where the other teams do.

and not sure what your definition of garbage time is, but when you are within 3-7 points of the opposing team with 3, 4 minutes to go. its not garbage time. its called games in the NFL

so what's your real agenda?

 

[Cowboyny]

You do realize 3/5 of our line either retired or is injured. I would personally rather have our starting tackles then Cooper and Zeke. Garbage stats is when you have no chance to win games. We had a chance to win all 4 games this season. Also when you get behind teams will let you run the ball. Teams know the pass is coming so they tee of on the receivers and look for interceptions. Stop listening to the talking heads that have an agenda.

The team has been behind the entire season, they have held a lead for 7 plays all season long. The offense has been turning over the football in their zone, way too often.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

If the defense could have made some stops against the Browns when we were up 14-7, heck even at 14-14, the way the offense was scoring later, without the turnovers. It is a different game. Same for the Seattle game, same for the Rams game, even same for the Falcons game.

Just make a few stops with the score close.

This defense has been doing this for 20 years. With a few decent years here and there.

we gave up 7 scores in 8 drives against cleveland.

we gave up 300 yards rushing....let that sink in for a second. 300 yards rushing...

that has nothing to do with offensive being slow or turnovers......

do you job defense.....and obviously they are not.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The team has been behind the entire season, they have held a lead for 7 plays all season long. The offense has been turning over the football in their zone, way too often.

the defense hasn't been able to get takeaways or get off the field.

this offense has the WORST starting position in the league......

 

[xwalker]

Yards have come when teams are playing prevent defense, hoping that they take time off the clock.

The Cowboys are 3rd in points scored.

They've done that with chaos on the OLine.

Playing against prevent defenses does not move an offense that would otherwise be in the bottom half of the league up to 3rd in points scored and 1st in total yards and passing yards.

In passing yards they are ahead of the 2nd place team by 366 yards.

In total yards they are over 200 yards ahead of the 2nd place team.

The only problem on offense and it's a huge problem is turnovers.

 

[Cowboyny]

we gave up 7 scores in 8 drives against cleveland.

we gave up 300 yards rushing....let that sink in for a second. 300 yards rushing...

that has nothing to do with offensive being slow or turnovers......

do you job defense.....and obviously they are not.

WE know the defense has been terrible, but the turnovers have been killing them. This

Here’s our drives during CLE’s 34-0 run:

*3 plays, 1:44, turnover at own 34
*1 play, 0:00, turnover at own 25
*7 plays, 3:20, punt
*3 plays, 1:07, punt
*9 plays, 2:24, turnover on downs.

So in the 29:21 where CLE was on a 34-0 run, our offense had 23 plays, 8:35 in possession, 3 turnovers, with two on short fields, and 0 points. How is that not contributing to the loss? Bash the D all you want. They deserve it. But the offense is where most of our money is spent and that’s what you get for literally 50% of the game at home in perfect conditions. 23 plays, 8:35, 3 turnovers, 0 points. The offense is culpable for some of the points scored by turning it over on our side of the 50. They are culpable for having virtually no T.O.P.; and then of course for not scoring.

My point exactly!!

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

While the offense is putting up numbers, they get off to slow starts and that puts pressure on the defense as they are on the field for so long. The TOP difference is eye opening so far this season:

AVERAGE TIME OF POSSESSION (through 4 games in the 2020 season)

Dallas Cowboys 26:07

Opponents 33:53


So because the Dallas offense is either having too many stalled drives early on or scoring too quickly later in the game, the Dallas defense is on the field for over a 1/2 quarter more than their opponents......which taxes a defense's stamina.

That said, the Dallas defense simply is not playing well at all.....whether because of a new DC, a new defensive scheme, piss poor play, or because of plain lack of effort.

There are simply too many plays where it is obvious on both sides of the ball of players not giving effort and this seems to be a cultural problem in Dallas year in and year out.


So, until Dallas returns to the days of a Jimmy Johnson style led team where discipline is the name of the game, we will continue to see the kind of on field performance that has become all too common from the Cowboys.

the reason the TOP is tilted so much is that the defense can't get off the field. when you give up 4 straight games of 100+ rushing. and 300+ in another game....there is something wrong with the defense. when you allow for 50% conversion on 3rd and 4th downs, then you are stuck on the field. when you can't stop the other team from scoring, it forces the offense to go into a pass only mode ,which then again it impacts the TOP

scoring 14 points in the half is good enough to keep the games close. but not when you give up 31....it changes how you play offensively.....

this offense knows this defense is bad. so they know they have to make big play, after big play after big play just to stay in games. they have to play fast break basketball to keep games close. that's not a way to run an offense. and it leads to mistakes. when you drop back 50+ times, there is more chance of sacks. more chance of strip sacks. more chance of interceptions.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

WE know the defense has been terrible, but the turnovers have been killing them. This


My point exactly!!

the lack of takeaways has been killing us...

again, taking away those two last few second interceptions, there are 10 teams within one take away....there are

we are 30th in total takeaways...

while some of those same teams that have 8,7, 6 giveaways....have much more takeaways....

brady threw a pick 6.....and they won a game? because their defense held the other team to 31.......

bills have had 4 interceptions......yet they are 4-0. just look at the other side of the ledger and how their defense is doing.

this performance has nothing to do with offense. its all on the defense and special teams.

for gawd's sake we got cute trying to do two fake punts in a game that back fired. in the rams game, we decided to go for a 4th down, instead of kicking field goal and tie the game.

the coaching decisions have been pretty bad too.