Decoding the Offense: Week 14 vs NY Giants

Here are the numbers I ran from the final win of the Cowboys season, the home game against the Giants. This, of course, was the bizarre game that was played the week of the “rat” incident where Terrell Owens had the entire locker-room taking sides over his idiocy. That incident was the last moment I cared to have him on the team, by the way.

Anyway, the Cowboys in this game were reasonably productive in some phases, but 2 more disconcerting signs of problems:

• Another horrendous 3rd down effort (3 for 11)

• And, when running under center, the Cowboys tried 14 times for 45 yards. Of course, 38 yards came at the end of the game when Tashard Choice broke a TD run to seal the game. So, the other 13 carries against the Giants front yielded a very impressive 7 yards...TOTAL! Wow.

So, Jason Garrett was even more reliant on the shotgun, which put Romo back as a sitting duck, and the blitzes were on in S11. 3 more sacks in that formation.

But, in the rare game in which the Cowboys won the turnover battle, they grabbed what would be their last win of the season.

55 Offensive plays – (20 runs/35 passes) Here is how we break it down:

1st Down plays (25 = 6 different packages – 14 runs/ 11 passes)

“12” – 7 (3 runs for -3 yards/4 passes for 49 yards, 2 FD)
“21” – 5 (5 runs for 2 yards)
“22” – 6 (4 runs for 45 yards, TD Choice/ 2 passes for 3 yards, SACK)
“knee” - 1

Shotgun

“S11” – 5 (1 runs for 0 yards/4 passes for 29 yards, 2 FD)
“S12” – 1 (1 run for 4 yards)

2nd Downs (19 plays – 6 looks – 3 runs/16 passes):

“12” – 2 (2 pass for 14 yards, FD)
“21” – 3 (1 runs for 2 yards, FD, 2 passes for 25 yards, FD)
“23” – 1 (1 pass for 1 yard, TD to Anderson)
Shotgun

“S11” –11 (2 run for 41 yards, FD/ 9 passes for 96 yards, 3 FD, TD to Crayton, Sack)
“S12” – 1 (1 pass for 0 yards)
“S02” – 1 (1 pass for 0 yards)

11 3rd downs for the Cowboys – 2 looks (3 runs/8 passes) (3 for 11, 27%)
“22” – 1 (1 run for -1 yards) 0-1

Shotgun

“S11” – 10 (2 run for 11 yards, FD/ 8 passes for 13 yards, 2 Sacks, 2 FD) 3 for 10


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

20 runs - 35 passes

UNDER CENTER (26 – 14 runs/11 passes)

“12” – 9 (3 runs for -3 yards/ 6 passes for 63 yards, 3 FD)
“21” – 8 (6 runs for 4 yards/ 2 passes for 25 yards, FD)
“22” – 7 (5 runs for 44 yards, TD to Choice/ 2 pass for 3 yards, SACK)
“23” – 1 (1 passes for 1 yard TD to Anderson)
“knee” -1

SHOTGUN (29 – 6 runs/23 passes)

“S11” – 26 (5 runs for 52 yards/ 21 passes for 138 yards, TD to Crayton, 3 Sacks)
“S12” – 2 (1 run for 4 yards,1 pass for 0 yards)
“S02” – 1 (1 pass for 0 yards)