Decoding the Offense - Week 7

Wow.

Quite a mess on the field from the offense and it was one of those classic cases in the game of football where things begin to happen because of reasons not directly related to the particular item at hand.

For instance, the Cowboys could not run the ball very well for a good portion of the game unless they were in the shotgun. The Rams crowded the line which allowed them to do two things. Stuff the run, and sit on Witten and the short crossing patterns. If Brad Johnson cannot keep the defense honest with a throw down the field on occasion, then there is no reason for the safeties to sit back in coverage. They did not, and as the game went on, there was really no way for the Cowboys to move the ball.

Expect that to get worse and worse unless Tony Romo can get back on the field…Pronto.
We saw the return of the rarely used “S01” package, which was the Cowboys way of giving Barber a rest and not inserting Tashard Choice in the shotgun (are they telling us something?). Anyway, this package offered an empty backfield and 4 WR’s (with Roy Williams joining 19, 84, and 81) and Witten. It works on paper, but with Johnson at QB, the Cowboys ran that formation 4 times for 14 yards.

Another rarity was the idea of seeing all 3 sacks out of the shotgun. That suggests a QB who could not find anyone open. And that suggests the Rams sat on the short routes and took their chances that Johnson would not keep a play alive long enough and then be able to deliver the ball down the field.

Here is what the Rams game gave us:

59 Offensive plays – (22 runs/37 passes) Here is how we break it down:

1st Down plays (27 = 6 different packages – 12 runs/ 15 passes)

“11” – 1 (1 run for -1 yard)
“12” – 8 (3 runs for 12 yards/5 passes for 12 yards)
“13” – 2 (2 runs for 36 yards, FD)
“21” – 4 (3 runs for 17 yards, FD/ 1 passes for 6 yards)

Shotgun

“S11” – 10 (3 runs for 35 yards, FD/ 7 passes for 60 yards, 3 FD)
“S01” – 2 (2 passes for 6 yards)

2nd Downs (19 plays – 5 looks – 7 runs/12 passes):

“12” – 5 (3 runs for 15 yards, FD/2 passes for 32 yards, FD)
“13” – 2 (1 run for 4 yards, FD, 1 pass for 0 yards, INT)
“21” – 5 (2 runs for 1 yard/ 3 passes for 10 yards)

Shotgun

“S11” – 5 (1 run for 2 yards/ 4 passes for 0 yards, INT)
“S01” – 2 (2 passes for 8 yards, FD, SACK)

13 3rd downs for the Cowboys – 5 looks (5 for 13, 38%)

“12” – 1 (1 pass for 35 yards, TD to Martellus Bennett) 1 for 1
“23” – 1 (1 run for 1 yard, TD) 1 for 1

Shotgun

“S11” – 8 (1 run for 2 yards, FD/ 7 passes for 48 yards, 2 FD, INT, Fumble) 3 for 8
“S11H” – 2 ( 2 passes for -23 yards, SACK, poor snap) – 0 for 2
“S12” – 1 (1 pass for 5 yards) 0 for 1


Regardless of Down and Distance, here are the yardage results for each personnel package:

22 runs - 37 passes

UNDER CENTER (29 – 16 runs/13 passes)

“11” – 1 (1 run for -1 yard)
“12” – 14 (6 runs for 27 yards, FD/ 8 passes for 79 yards, FD, TD)
“13” – 4 (3 runs for 40 yards/1 pass for 0 yards, INT)
“21” – 9 (5 runs for 16 yards/ 4 passes for 16 yards)
“23” – 1 (1 run for 1 yard, TD)

SHOTGUN (30 – 5 runs/ 25 passes)

“S11” – 23 (5 runs for 39 yards/ 18 passes for 108 yards, 2 INTS, Fumble, SACK)
“S11H” – 2 (2 passes for -23 yards, SACK)
“S01” – 4 (4 passes for 14 yards, SACK)
“S12” – 1 (1 pass for 5 yards)


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Personnel Packages Defined

“11” = 1 running back and 1 TE
“12” = 1 running back and 2 TE
“12w” = same as 12, just with both TE’s in the backfield in front of Barber
“13” = 1 running back and 3 TE
“21” = 2 running backs and 1 TE
“22” = 2 RB and 2 TE
“23” = 2 RB and 3 TE
“11H” = 1 RB and 1 TE, but Witten is playing the “H” of “F” back – which means he is lined up where a FB might normally be deployed.
“12H” = 1 RB and 2 TE, with Witten playing “H”.
“S11” = Romo in Shotgun, 1 RB, 1 TE
“S11H” = Shotgun, 1 RB, 1 TE, Witten playing “H”.
“S12” = Shotgun, 1 RB, 2 TE
“S21” = Shotgun, 2RB, 1TE
“31” = 3 RB’s and 1 TE. Jones, Barber, and Anderson.
“S01” = Shotgun, 0 RB, 1 TE, 4 WR –