Football 301: Targets and Sacks - Week 5

Where is Tony Romo going with the ball? Who is catching those passes? Who is not? The answers are revealed below, as well as playing the "blame game" on pass rush.

Check it out:



Target Distribution:

Targets - Week 5 vs Kansas City

Name	Targets	Catches	Yards	FD/TD/INT
Austin	15	10	250	5/2/0
Witten	6	5	47	3/0/0
Crayton	8	4	44	2/0/0
Hurd	2	1	10	1/0/0
Choice	1	0	0	0/0/0
Barber	1	0	0	0/0/0
Bennett	1	0	0	0/0/0
Totals	34	20	351	11/2/0

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Our target study took quite a turn when Tony Romo, perhaps just 1 week after being frustrated with Miles Austin's efforts, locked in on #19 15 times. I believe that is the highest for any Cowboy since Terrell Owens famous 17 target effort at home versus Washington where he actually had 19 touches (2 handoffs) and still complained that he wasn't getting the ball. I love him.

Anyway, 15 touches is more than guys like Martellus Bennett and Sam Hurd have had for the season, and he did it in one memorable career day. And he delivered.

Season Target Distribution To Date:

Name	Targets	Catches	%	Yards	FD/TD/INT
Witten	33	28	85%	259	12/1/1
Crayton	32	15	47%	243	6/1/1
Austin	27	15	55%	331	7/3/1
Williams	25	11	44%	214	8/1/0
Choice	17	12	71%	92	5/0/0
Bennett	11	4	36%	40	3/0/0
Hurd	9	5	55%	89	3/0/1
Barber	5	4	80%	58	2/0/0
Jones	2	1	50%	20	1/0/0
Anderson	2	1	50%	5	0/0/0
Totals	163	96	59%	1341	47/6/4

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So, now as you look at the season targets, the numbers are crazy. As a WR, nobody makes catches as well as Austin, and he also has better yardage. It certainly was a day he will likely never duplicate, but Roy Williams has to be more productive if Miles Austin can catch and pass him in one game at Roy's normal spot.

3rd Down Target Distribution:

As you will see, 3rd downs are a mess right now. Ugly.

3RD Down Targets - Week 5 - KC

Name	Targets	Catches	Yards	FD/TD
Austin	5	3	78	1/1/0
Crayton	3	2	18	2/0
Hurd	2	1	10	1/0
Choice	1	0	0	0/0
Totals	11	6	106	4/1/0

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This is starting to reveal a trend that I am not crazy about here. For the 2nd straight week, Jason Witten did not have a pass thrown his way on 3rd down. Obviously, that is a bit of a concern, based on several years of being the best 3rd down option. Possible explanations: 1) Teams are not willing to let him beat them - which of course takes me back to the idiocy of not having Witten in a pattern at Denver at the end. 2) He is having to remain in on 3rd down to pick up blitzes. And 3) The 3rd Downs are at a distance where a TE route is not ideal.

We will have to follow this trend, but as money as he is, you don't want to forget about him on 3rd down.

3rd Down Targets - Season Totals

Name	Targets	Catches	%	Yards	FD/TD/INT
Crayton	10	5	50%	53	4/0/1
Austin	9	4	44%	80	1/1/0
Witten	6	6	100%	69	3/1/0
Williams	6	2	33%	29	2/0/0
Choice	6	4	67%	20	2/0/0
Hurd	5	2	40%	63	2/0/0
Bennett	3	0	0%	0	0/0/0
Totals	45	23	51%	314	14/2/2

Table Tutorial

SACKS

Despite the problems in Denver, the Chiefs did not have the ability to bring pressure like the Broncos did. Therefore, just 1 sack against the Cowboys offense, with the charges going to Leonard Davis for being beat by Gilberry. However, on this play, about 3 Chiefs met at the QB, meaning that the official scorer made it Davis' bust, but Tashard Choice was run over by Mays, too.

Otherwise, a rather clean effort for the most part.

We will continue to update this chart as the season goes on:

Week	Opponent	Sack	Blame
Wk 1	Tampa	Barber	Romo awareness
Wk 3	Carolina	Davis	Adams?
Wk 3	Carolina	Beason	Felix/Colombo
Wk 4	Denver	Dumervil	Adams
Wk 4	Denver	Hill	Garrett?
Wk 4	Denver	Williams	Romo
Wk 4	Denver	Dumervil	Anderson
Wk 4	Denver	Holiday	Adams
Wk 5	Kansas City	Gilberry	Davis/Choice

Table Tutorial