Week 1 - Targets and Sacks

This summary of all targets and sacks for the offense is a companion piece each week to the Tuesday study . Hopefully, a little more information will assist us in picking through the rubble of the 13-7 loss to Washington.

Part of tracking the offensive production is keeping track of where Tony Romo is going with the football. In week 1, these numbers will fall victim to sample size, but over the course of the season they will begin to tell a story. I have added Tony Romo's passer rating to each guy to help us see who is worth the money and who is not. If you are curious, here are the 2009 numbers to consider.

Dez Bryant with the most targets? Jason Witten just 3 for 8? It is early. But, it is what it is.


Target Distribution:

Targets - Week 1 at Washington
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Name	Targets	Catches	Yards	FD/TD/INT	QB Rating
Austin	11	10	146	7/1/0	149.1
Bryant	12	8	56	4/0/0	77.1
Witten	8	3	27	1/0/0	47.3
Williams	7	3	21	1/0/0	50.2
Jones	2	2	26	1/0/0	118.7
Barber	3	2	1	0/0/0	70
Choice	2	2	-2	0/0/0	79.3
Bennett	2	1	7	0/0/0	58.3
Ogletree	1	0	0	0/0/0	0
Totals	48	31	282	14/1/0	89.1

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This is likely the portion of the exercise where we point out that Miles Austin is amazing. And Tony Romo has no problem knowing where Austin is going to be and connecting with him.

Now, the same exercise on the money down. When they must get a big catch to move the chains, where do they go? Again, small sample after 1 week, but here they are.

3RD/4TH Down Targets - Week1 at Washington

Name	Targets	Catches	Yards	FD/TD	QB Rating
Austin	1	1	30	1/0/0	118.7
Bryant	4	2	20	1/0/0	64.4
Williams	2	1	10	1/0/0	64.6
Witten	3	1	13	0/0/0	118.7
Totals	10	5	73	3/0/0	74.1

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I also started to note his targets based on which defensive back he was "going after". Amazingly, my notes indicate that he was clearly looking for #23 - DeAngelo Hall on Sunday night. That could be considered all the more ironic since it was #23 who scored one of the more gutting Touchdowns that we can remember around here.

This is extremely unofficial and experimental. Obviously, there are a number of occasions where a defense is in a loose zone or passes off a receiver from one defender to the next. So, I note on each particular play which DB is appearing to be in coverage, and if there is not one - this happens plenty - then I do not mark down on any man's ledger. But, as you saw in the Monday Night game when Joe Flacco was chasing Kyle Wilson around the field, this often determines a QBs target as much as the receiver. A QB is looking for a match-up he likes.

Targeted DB	Times
23 - DeAngelo Hall	14
22 - Carlos Rogers	4
30 - LaRon Landry	4
31 - Phillip Buchanon	3
37 - Reed Doughty	2

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So, was Romo going after Hall? It appears so. Also, we should point out that Hall was the LCB (QB's right) which is all the more likely side for right-handed QBs to throw - especially if they are trying to get the ball out quickly.

SACKS

Only 1 sack against on Sunday night, but that was more a product of play-calling than great pass protection. Further, 3 Holding calls on your RT do not count as sacks against, but they are certainly drive-killers and game-losers. Anyway, we examine each sack during the season (I wonder if we should also look at holding calls) and try to determine who is at fault. Usually, this requires a certain degree of guessing, but since Jason Garrett won't write this column nor will he allow me into their meetings, we can never be absolutely sure of who was supposed to do what. Keep that in mind, please.


Sack #1 - 2Q - Play# 21 - 12 - 2/10/45 - McIntosh Sack




What Happened: 12 Personnel, and this is the beauty of the 3-4 defense. As we see in Dallas, you have to account for the possibility that 7 different men could rush (not all at the same time) and you have to determine who might be coming and plan for all possible scenarios. With 2 TEs, the Redskins are mindful of the possibility that this could be a run that is heavily blocked to the right with Martellus next to Barron. The Cowboys OL is preparing to pass protect and Free is ready for Orakpo. Orakpo drops with Witten into coverage, so Free rolls down to Haynesworth. Haynesworth is carrying out a basic 3-4 idea that if you run at the LT, then the middle LB can shoot the A-Gap and sometimes have a free run at the QB. Holland looks like he is not quite sure who to get, but, Gurode is ready for the A-Gap blitz from 52 McIntosh. Trouble is, he cannot stay squared in front of him, and ends up being overpowered and gives up the sack. It is possible that Holland will lose a grade in the coaching room, but I give this to Andre because he was there, and he was beaten. He also committed a holding penalty here that was declined.

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The Rankings for the season in Sacks Allowed among the OL: Gurode 1

Sack #	Down/Dist	Personnel	Sacker	Blame
1/1	2/10/D45	12	McIntosh	Gurode

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Here are the sack reports from 2009.