Monday, December 31, 2018
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 16: Cowboys’ conservative blueprint, Gallup’s emergence
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
conservative,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, December 24, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys clinch NFC East with their go-to recipe: winning ugly
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, December 21, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing: Week 16 vs Tampa Bay, and examining those wretched drive-killers
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Drive Killers,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 15: Cowboys miss tackles and lose battle at the line — and ultimately, the game
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 15: Offensive failure is wide spread, but blame begins up front
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan,
Offensive Line
Monday, December 17, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys walk right into trap game, fall meekly
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After,
Red Zone
Friday, December 14, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing: Week 15 at Indianapolis – and diagnosing the red-zone issues
Labels:
Red Zone,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 14: Cowboys’ constant pressure leads to Wentz and Eagles sputtering
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Blitz,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 14: Cowboys’ good plays outweigh bad moments in vital win
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
amari cooper,
Dak Prescott,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, December 10, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys outlast Eagles and their own mistakes to plant NFC East flag
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After,
Philadelphia Eagles
Friday, December 07, 2018
Tuesday, December 04, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 13: How the Cowboys shut down the Saints like nobody ever has
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli
Monday, December 03, 2018
Friday, November 30, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys defense stops streaking Saints with dominant performance
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Defense,
Morning After
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Cowboys Gameday Riffing: Week 13 Vs New Orleans; examining Garrett’s Cowboys as big underdogs
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 12: Cowboys defense aids the cause with gift of takeaways
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli,
turnovers
Monday, November 26, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 12: When you fix third downs, you fix the entire offense
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
3rd Downs,
Decoding Linehan
Friday, November 23, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys grab first place with another strong divisional win
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
amari cooper,
Morning After
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 11: Slowing Atlanta down suggests Cowboys defense is real deal
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
negative plays,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 11: Ezekiel Elliott and a big fourth quarter save the season
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan,
ezekiel Elliott
Monday, November 19, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys outlast Falcons to win yet another huge road test
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, November 16, 2018
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 10: Cowboys’ homegrown defense wins with game-changing plays
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 10: How Amari Cooper is making the Cowboys offense functional again
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
amari cooper,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, November 12, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys shock Philadelphia in unlikely underdog effort
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, November 09, 2018
Thursday, November 08, 2018
Marinelli Report, Week 9: How Titans dominated Cowboys in the third-down battle, and eventually the game
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
3rd Downs,
Defense,
Rod Marinelli
Wednesday, November 07, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 9: Tennessee takes line of scrimmage from Cowboys offense
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan,
Offensive Line
Tuesday, November 06, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys fail to measure up, and they’re running out of chances
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, November 02, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing: Week 8 vs Tennessee, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
amari cooper,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 8: Which coverages do the Cowboys use, and when do they use them?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
bye week,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 8: Why is the Cowboys offense desperate for a boost? Let’s take a look
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
bye week,
Decoding Linehan
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Marinelli Report, Week 7: Defense flashes but fails to contain weaponless Washington
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 7: On the Amari Cooper trade and what went wrong in Washington
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
amari cooper,
Decoding Linehan
Friday, October 19, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing: Week 7 at Washington, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 6: How the Cowboys defense made easy work of the Jaguars
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 6: Cowboys’ third-down precision makes all the difference
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
3rd Downs,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, October 15, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys unload frustrations by utterly dominating Jaguars
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, October 12, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing: Week 6 vs Jacksonville, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 5: Deshaun Watson shreds the Cowboys’ blitz plan
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Blitz,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, October 09, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 5: Offense struggles on the road – again
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, October 08, 2018
The Morning After: Garrett punts away the Cowboys’ chance at an ugly road win
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Jason Garrett,
Morning After
Friday, October 05, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing – Week 5 at Houston, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, October 03, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 4: Stafford and Tate attack Dallas with big plays, DeMarcus dominates
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
demarcus Lawrence,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, October 02, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 4: The “home stadium” game plan works well again
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan,
Home Field Advantage
Monday, October 01, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys outlast Lions with fourth-quarter fireworks
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, September 28, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing – Week 4 vs Detroit, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Marinelli Report, Week 3: Cowboys defense plays well, still must get better at situational football
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 3: Cowboys going in wrong direction on third down — and fast
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
3rd Downs,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, September 24, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys offense simply cannot do its job in Seattle
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
3rd Downs,
Morning After,
Offense
Friday, September 21, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing – Week 3 at Seattle, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 2: How the Cowboys blitz became a real weapon
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Blitz,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 2: Prescott’s feet lead to significant strides for offense
https://theathletic.com/531728/2018/09/18/decoding-linehan-week-2-prescotts-feet-lead-to-significant-strides-for-offense/
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Dak Prescott,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, September 17, 2018
The Morning After: Cowboys unleash full defensive attack on Giants
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After
Friday, September 14, 2018
Cowboys Weekend Riffing – Week 2 vs the New York Giants, and a Q&A
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
The Marinelli Report, Week 1: Cowboys defense puts up strong effort in Charlotte
https://theathletic.com/520083/2018/09/12/the-marinelli-report-cowboys-defense-puts-up-strong-effort-in-charlotte/
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Rod Marinelli
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Decoding Linehan, Week 1: How the offense crumbled against Carolina
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan
Monday, September 10, 2018
The Morning After – offense picks up where it left off in 2017
Labels:
Dak Prescott,
Jason Garrett,
Morning After,
Scott Linehan
Friday, September 07, 2018
Wednesday, September 05, 2018
Tuesday, September 04, 2018
Cowboys enter 2018 with nearly no margin for error in playoff quest
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
season preview,
The Athletic
Friday, August 31, 2018
The Morning After – How special teams determine the final cuts
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
keith oquinn,
Morning After,
Special Teams
Special Teams Snap Counts 2011-2017
Year | FGA | OppFGA | XPT | OppXPT | Punts | OppPunts | KO | Opp KO | ST Totals |
2017 | 29 | 25 | 39 | 35 | 66 | 70 | 80 | 73 | 417 |
2016 | 32 | 32 | 46 | 28 | 58 | 70 | 91 | 75 | 432 |
2015 | 32 | 36 | 25 | 38 | 69 | 74 | 73 | 83 | 430 |
2014 | 29 | 18 | 56 | 41 | 58 | 67 | 96 | 75 | 440 |
2013 | 30 | 29 | 47 | 48 | 77 | 61 | 91 | 89 | 472 |
2012 | 31 | 33 | 37 | 44 | 69 | 74 | 79 | 88 | 455 |
2011 | 37 | 33 | 39 | 35 | 71 | 72 | 86 | 86 | 459 |
Yr Avg | 31.4 | 29.4 | 41.3 | 38.4 | 66.8 | 69.7 | 85.1 | 81.3 | 443.6 |
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
Special Teams
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Has Mike White shown the Cowboys enough to win the backup QB job?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
2018 NFL Draft,
mike white,
The Athletic
Monday, August 27, 2018
The Morning After – Cowboys offer home fans a refusal of dress rehearsal
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Morning After,
preseason
Friday, August 24, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – imagine no preseason, it’s easy if you try
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
preseason,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Sorting through the Cowboys’ tight end options
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Blake Jarwin,
preseason,
Rico Gathers,
Tight Ends,
Xs And Os
Monday, August 20, 2018
Monday Morning After – Dallas starters control Bengals game
Labels:
Cowboys 2018,
Defense,
Morning After,
Rod Marinelli
Friday, August 17, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – schedules, Jaylon, and free safety
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
jaylon Smith,
Schedule,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
NFC East Divisional Digest – Eagles prepare to defend the belt
Labels:
NFC East,
Philadelphia Eagles,
The Athletic
Monday, August 13, 2018
Reviewing the Cowboys’ defense against San Francisco
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Defense,
Rod Marinelli,
The Athletic
Friday, August 10, 2018
Wednesday, August 08, 2018
NFC East Divisional Digest – Big Blue tries relaunch around Eli
Labels:
New York Giants,
NFC East,
The Athletic
Monday, August 06, 2018
Is there an NFL player with more at stake in 2018 than Dak Prescott?
Friday, August 03, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – how many jobs are actually available?
Wednesday, August 01, 2018
NFC East Divisional Digest – Washington tries to win now
Labels:
NFC East,
The Athletic,
Washington Redskins
Monday, July 30, 2018
Friday, July 27, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – sorting out the workload at linebacker
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Off to Oxnard: Dallas Cowboys 2018 training camp opens
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
The Athletic,
training camp
Monday, July 23, 2018
Friday, July 20, 2018
Monday, July 16, 2018
Attempting to find a home field advantage where one has been missing
Friday, July 13, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – Contextualizing the Cowboys’ numbers
Monday, July 09, 2018
Chidobe Awuzie’s rookie season should increase expectations for 2018
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Chidobe awuzie,
The Athletic,
Xs And Os
Friday, July 06, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing: The biggest problem of 2018 – by a mile
Thursday, July 05, 2018
The 2017 Cowboys OL Sack Register – Volume 4
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Offensive Line,
Sacks,
The Athletic,
Xs And Os
Monday, June 25, 2018
The 2017 Cowboys OL Sack Register – Volume 3
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Offensive Line,
Sacks,
The Athletic,
Xs And Os
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Examining the Cowboys’ salary cap approach in the Dak window
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Contracts,
Cowboys Contracts,
Salary Cap,
The Athletic
Monday, June 18, 2018
The 2017 Cowboys OL Sack Register – Volume 2 (feat. Adrian Clayborn’s big day)
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Offensive Line,
Sacks,
The Athletic,
Xs And Os
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Cowboys lock down Zack Martin through 2024, cementing continuity of offensive line
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Contracts,
The Athletic,
zack martin
Monday, June 11, 2018
The 2017 Cowboys OL Sack Register – Volume 1
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Offensive Line,
Sacks,
The Athletic,
Xs And Os
Friday, June 08, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing — Dez Bryant sees the market dry up
Labels:
Dez Bryant,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, June 07, 2018
Will Dalton Schultz be the tight end the Cowboys need?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
2018 NFL Draft,
Dalton Schultz,
The Athletic,
Tight Ends
Monday, June 04, 2018
Examining and reliving Tony Romo’s proudest performance
Labels:
Classic Cowboys,
Cowboys 2011,
The Athletic,
Tony Romo,
Xs And Os
Friday, June 01, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – what June means in the acquisition department
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Is Ezekiel Elliott’s workload a reason to worry about his future?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
ezekiel Elliott,
The Athletic
Friday, May 25, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – tackling various holiday weekend topics
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Cowboys betting they can produce another edge rusher in Dorance Armstrong
Monday, May 21, 2018
Friday, May 18, 2018
Monday, May 14, 2018
What adding Tavon Austin tells us about Scott Linehan’s redesign plans
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Decoding Linehan,
Scott Linehan,
Tavon Austin
Friday, May 11, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – closing the books on All Or Nothing
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 8: “Highs And Lows”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Wednesday, May 09, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 7: “The Edge”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Tuesday, May 08, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 6: “Thanksgiving In Dallas”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Monday, May 07, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 5: “What We Want To Be”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Friday, May 04, 2018
Jason Witten, the Y Option, and The Man In The Arena
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
jason Witten,
Xs And Os
Thursday, May 03, 2018
Wednesday, May 02, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 3: “The Writing On The Wall”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Tuesday, May 01, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 2: “D Is For Distraction”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Monday, April 30, 2018
Cowboys All Or Nothing episode recap – Ep. 1: “The team you want to coach”
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
All or Nothing Recap,
The Athletic
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Sturm’s Morning After – the Cowboys’ shocking morning and strong night
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
2018 NFL Draft,
jason Witten,
Morning After,
The Athletic
Friday, April 27, 2018
Sturm’s Morning After – without question, the Cowboys got their guy
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
2018 NFL Draft,
Leighton Vander Esch
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Draft day: Considering plans for pick #19 and beyond
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
2018 NFL Draft,
The Athletic
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 12 – five last defenders
https://theathletic.com/323947/2018/04/22/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-12-five-last-defenders/
Isaiah Oliver
Josh Sweat
Nathan Shepherd
Lorenzo Carter
Malik Jefferson
Isaiah Oliver
Josh Sweat
Nathan Shepherd
Lorenzo Carter
Malik Jefferson
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 11 – tackles & tight ends
https://theathletic.com/316286/2018/04/18/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-11-tackles-tight-ends/
Mike McGlinchey
Connor Williams
Hayden Hurst
Dallas Goedert
Mike Gesicki
Mike McGlinchey
Connor Williams
Hayden Hurst
Dallas Goedert
Mike Gesicki
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Draft Prospects,
The Athletic,
Tight Ends
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Sturm’s Morning After – the release of Dez Bryant
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Dez Bryant,
Jerry Jones,
Morning After,
The Athletic
Friday, April 13, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – featuring your draft questions!
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Mailbag,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 10 – Quarterbacks
https://theathletic.com/304889/2018/04/12/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-10-quarterbacks/
Sam Darnold
Josh Rosen
Baker Mayfield
Lamar Jackson
Josh Allen
Sam Darnold
Josh Rosen
Baker Mayfield
Lamar Jackson
Josh Allen
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Draft Prospects,
Quarterbacks,
The Athletic
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
The DFW Playoff Chart
Year | Cowboys | Stars | Mavericks | Rangers |
1994 | NFC Champ | 2nd Round | OUT | NO PLAYOFFS |
1995 | NFL Champions | 1st Round | OUT | OUT |
1996 | 2nd Round | OUT | OUT | 1st Round |
1997 | OUT | 1st Round | OUT | OUT |
1998 | 1st Round | 3rd Round | OUT | 1st Round |
1999 | 1st Round | NHL Champions | OUT | 1st Round |
2000 | OUT | Lost in Finals | OUT | OUT |
2001 | OUT | 2nd Round | 2nd Round | OUT |
2002 | OUT | OUT | 2nd Round | OUT |
2003 | 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | OUT |
2004 | OUT | 1st Round | 1st Round | OUT |
2005 | OUT | NO SEASON | 2nd Round | OUT |
2006 | 1st Round | 1st Round | Lost in Finals | OUT |
2007 | 1st Round | 1st Round | 1st Round | OUT |
2008 | OUT | 3rd Round | 1st Round | OUT |
2009 | 2nd Round | OUT | 2nd Round | OUT |
2010 | OUT | OUT | 1st Round | Lost in W Series |
2011 | OUT | OUT | NBA Champions | Lost in W Series |
2012 | OUT | OUT | 1st Round | Wildcard |
2013 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT |
2014 | 2nd Round | 1st Round | 1st Round | OUT |
2015 | OUT | OUT | 1st Round | 1st Round |
2016 | 2nd Round | 2nd Round | 1st Round | 1st Round |
2017 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT |
Totals | 11 of 24 | 14 of 23 | 15 of 24 | 7 of 23 |
Labels:
Ask Sports Sturm,
DFW Playoffs,
Playoffs
Monday, April 09, 2018
How badly do the Cowboys need a top linebacker in this draft?
https://theathletic.com/304698/2018/04/09/how-badly-do-the-cowboys-need-a-top-linebacker-in-this-draft/
This has miles of Jaylon Smith material and review.
This has miles of Jaylon Smith material and review.
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Anthony Hitchens,
jaylon Smith,
Linebackers,
Sean Lee,
The Athletic
Friday, April 06, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – What do college stats tell us about QBs?
Thursday, April 05, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 9 – Running Backs
https://theathletic.com/297997/2018/04/05/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-9-running-backs/
Saquon Barkley - Derrius Guice - Ronald Jones - Sony Michel - Rashaad Penny
Saquon Barkley - Derrius Guice - Ronald Jones - Sony Michel - Rashaad Penny
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Running Back,
The Athletic
Monday, April 02, 2018
Will Cowboys keep investing where they've spent the most?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Offensive Line,
The Athletic
Friday, March 30, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – How Ryan Leaf made me a draft nerd
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 8 – Offensive Line
https://theathletic.com/241364/2018/03/29/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-8-offensive-line/
Quenton Nelson - Isaiah Wynn - Will Hernandez - Billy Price - James Daniels
Quenton Nelson - Isaiah Wynn - Will Hernandez - Billy Price - James Daniels
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Offensive Line,
The Athletic
Monday, March 26, 2018
Friday, March 23, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – Answering Your Cowboys Queries
Labels:
Emails,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 7 – Cornerbacks
https://theathletic.com/279817/2018/03/22/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-7-cornerbacks/
Denzel Ward, Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson, Mike Hughes, Minkah Fitzpatrick
Denzel Ward, Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson, Mike Hughes, Minkah Fitzpatrick
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Cornerbacks,
The Athletic
Monday, March 19, 2018
Pondering The Present And Future Of Jason Witten
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
jason Witten,
The Athletic
Friday, March 16, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – Splash Plays And Schrutebucks
Labels:
splash plays,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 6 – safeties & more
https://theathletic.com/269615/2018/03/15/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-6-safeties-more/
Derwin James, Ronnie Harrison, Hercules Mata'afa, Josey Jewell, Leighton Vander Esch
Derwin James, Ronnie Harrison, Hercules Mata'afa, Josey Jewell, Leighton Vander Esch
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Linebackers,
Safeties,
The Athletic
Monday, March 12, 2018
Why Is DeMarcus Lawrence so under-appreciated by his own fanbase?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
demarcus Lawrence,
The Athletic
Friday, March 09, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – Free Agency cometh, Garrett's lack of deferrence
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, March 08, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 5 – Edges & Linebackers
https://theathletic.com/261448/2018/03/08/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-5-edges-linebackers/
Duke Ejiofor, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Roquan Smith, Tremaine Edmunds, Rashaan Evans
Duke Ejiofor, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Roquan Smith, Tremaine Edmunds, Rashaan Evans
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Edge Rushers,
Linebackers,
The Athletic
Monday, March 05, 2018
Can Jason Garrett keep up with Doug Pederson?
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Doug Pederson,
Jason Garrett,
The Athletic
Friday, March 02, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – And Some Other Topics, Too
https://theathletic.com/257997/2018/03/02/weekend-cowboys-riffing-and-some-other-topics-too/
Andy Benoit and Emails
Andy Benoit and Emails
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
The Athletic,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, March 01, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 4 – Edge Rushers
https://theathletic.com/253945/2018/03/01/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-4-edge-rushers/
Bradley Chubb, Harold Landry, Marcus Davenport, Sam Hubbard, Arden Key
Bradley Chubb, Harold Landry, Marcus Davenport, Sam Hubbard, Arden Key
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Defensive Line,
Edge Rushers,
The Athletic
Monday, February 26, 2018
Friday, February 23, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – Stacking The Positions By Importance
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Volume 3 – Defensive Tackles
https://theathletic.com/246010/2018/02/22/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-3-defensive-tackles/
Vita Vea, Maurice Hurst, Taven Bryan, Da'Ron Payne, Harrison Phillips
Vita Vea, Maurice Hurst, Taven Bryan, Da'Ron Payne, Harrison Phillips
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
Defensive Line,
The Athletic
Monday, February 19, 2018
Why Byron Jones Is Being Moved Out To Corner – Again
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
Byron Jones,
The Athletic
Friday, February 16, 2018
Weekend Cowboys Riffing – Featuring The Aikman Scouting Report
Labels:
The Athletic,
troy aikman,
Weekend Cowboys Riffing
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Cowboys draft digest: Volume 2 – more wide receivers
https://theathletic.com/235100/2018/02/14/cowboys-draft-digest-volume-2-more-wide-receivers/
Michael Gallup, DJ Moore, Marcell Ateman, Dante Pettis, Daesean Hamilton
Michael Gallup, DJ Moore, Marcell Ateman, Dante Pettis, Daesean Hamilton
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
The Athletic,
Wide Receivers
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Monday, February 12, 2018
Cowboys Draft Digest: Vol 1 – Wide Receivers
https://theathletic.com/225015/2018/02/12/cowboys-draft-digest-wide-receivers-volume-1-ridley-kirk-sutton-miller-washington/
Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Anthony Miller, Courtland Sutton, and James Washington
Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Anthony Miller, Courtland Sutton, and James Washington
Labels:
2018 NFL Draft,
The Athletic,
Wide Receivers
Inventory of a pivotal offseason: Top issues the Cowboys need to address
The Incredibly Perplexing Case Of David Irving
Labels:
2018 Cowboys,
David Irving,
The Athletic
Thursday, February 01, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Thursday, January 04, 2018
Marinelli Report - Week 17 - Eagles
https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2018/01/04/marinelli-report-season-good-attendance-allowed
The Marinelli Report
When we put the finishing touches on analysis for the 2017 Cowboys season -- and try to sort out just how well the defense played -- I think we should consider a few of the following numbers:
-- The Cowboys were 9-0 when they held opponents under 21 points.
-- Therefore, they were 0-7 when the opponent scored 21 or more points.
-- They were eighth in the NFL in fewest yards allowed. In a league where games saw the average team gain 334 yards per game, the Cowboys allowed 318.
-- Dallas was eighth against the run (per game), 11th against the pass (per game) and 10th in yards allowed per play. Flirting with top-10 status in all of these departments is pretty solid.
-- The Cowboys also were second in negative plays! That is a huge development that we will explore a bit later. Sixth in conceding explosive plays, second in opposing field position (not really a defensive stat, but it does really matter), and second in the entire league at winning on first downs.
-- They were 13th in the NFL in points allowed. League average was 21.7 allowed per game, and the Cowboys conceded 20.8. Right about at the average. They also finished with 21 takeaways, which was slightly off the league average of 22.
-- Dallas was average in sacks per pass attempt (16th) and first downs allowed (16th). Rushing yards per play, it ranked 18th.
-- Finally, the Cowboys were at the bottom of the league in interception rate (27th); third-down defense (29th); successful plays allowed (30th); against third and short (32nd); and second-down rushes (32nd).
That all adds up to about what you would expect.
Decent defense. Promising developments at some spots. Still lacking a few premium playmakers, but there are some pieces in place that suggest there is some good stuff happening below the waterline.
The Cowboys missed starts of significance because of the following: David Irving missed eight games (four to suspension/four to injury), Orlando Scandrick missed five, Sean Lee missed five, Anthony Hitchens missed four and Chidobe Awuzie missed about 10 (if we consider him a starter, which I think we should). Add in one absence for Jeff Heath, and this cumulative total of 33 missed starts (out of a possible 176 for defensive starters) may not sound like anything extraordinary, but in a hard-capped league where depth is rare, 81 percent attendance is not considered excellent. For instance, the Minnesota Vikings have the best defense in the industry -- but also the healthiest. They had 98 percent attendance from their 11 starters this season, which certainly demonstrates some luck that their offense did not receive.
But for the Cowboys, it seems rather clear. When you don't have blue-chippers all over your defense, you need those you do have to stay on the field. A dependence on Lee was likely the difference between making and missing the playoffs this year, from a defensive standpoint. And, without question, losing a destroyer like Irving for all of September and all of December pretty much sunk their ship.
WEEKLY DATA BOX - AT PHILADELPHIA
I really don't want to spend too much time on the defensive play from Sunday. The Eagles had no quarterback play at all and did not seem too concerned about anything other than getting the game over with. The Cowboys certainly padded their stats for the year and left feeling great with a shutout.
They ended the year with seven different performances in which the opposition did not even pierce the 300-yard mark, which is some very impressive work, to be fair.
Again, this shows you how no linebacker finished in the top seven in snaps. That is a real issue because the defensive line is not trying to get high snaps, but rather a deep rotation. We are used to defensive backs dominating snap counts, but not this much. And Irving played significantly fewer snaps than Taco Charlton and Benson Mayowa.
BLITZ RATE BY WEEK
Just when you thought the Cowboys hardly blitzed, they took it down even further and further this season -- 17 percent is a new low, even for a team that already never blitzed. In a league where the average sits at about 30 percent, blitzing is just not something Rod Marinelli is interested in doing.
SPLASH PLAYS - WEEK 17
Not sure we have ever seen this, but the drop from DeMarcus Lawrence to the rest of the team was absurd in 2017. It didn't help that the next two players -- Irving and Lee -- each missed significant time. It also may demonstrate that the Cowboys have a lot of players on defense, but not a lot of playmakers. So when you are missing your two difference-makers, the defense becomes ordinary very, very quickly.
The story of the 2017 Cowboys defense is this: It had three playmakers and two missed significant time.
Therefore, you need to find more playmakers for this defense to have a chance to improve.
By the way, your only consistent playmaker who had consistent attendance in 2017 is now out of contract.
SPLASH PLAYS - SEASON TOTALS
We have known this for weeks, but here are your annual splash play champions since 2011, when I started tracking this number. We wondered if we would see our first 40-splash season, but Lawrence fell just short, tying DeMarcus Ware's 2011 season. But, look, he did it in 209 fewer snaps! That is clearly our tiebreaker, so, in the history of the splash play index, we have a new top season ever.
I don't believe there is any chance Lawrence goes anywhere this offseason. He will either get a long extension or get franchised. We should not rule out either because the Cowboys certainly could talk themselves into a short-term solution, but I would just get that four-year, $60 million offer out there and get it over with.
Lawrence is very good and Irving is right there with him. It is up to them to put their suspensions behind them and give this team a full 16 games next year and beyond, because those two, along with some nice pieces -- Charlton for one -- should have the defensive line in a spot where it just needs a run-stopper in the middle to bring it all together.
The D-line was one of the league leaders in negative plays. Lots of sacks and tackles for loss all season long. Really great stuff up front, but it was surrounded by too many situations when the opponent was able to recover and move the chains by kicking the Cowboys' rear on third downs.
The wild card remains Randy Gregory, but I will not discuss that at this time because there is so much unknown.
At linebacker, you have Hitchens without a deal and Lee in a familiar spot for him: one of the best in the sport for 10 games a year. It is a weird proposition and his is an odd career to evaluate. But, wow, does he make a difference when he is on the field.
And then you have the wild card of the linebacking corps, Jaylon Smith. He improved as the season went on and played a lot of snaps. It is reasonable to think his 2018 will be that much better, but if ever there was a wild projection, it would be that.
Then, in the defensive backfield, you have optimism stirred by Awuzie's final month and Jourdan Lewis' season. I have always rated Awuzie higher, but both are quite capable. Byron Jones is still a piece, albeit with a lower ceiling than we hoped for, it appears. Scandrick's future is in question, as his body has been through plenty and he is getting up there in age. They can still use a playmaker back there if the draft smiles down on them. Perhaps getting an "ace" back there (your own Earl Thomas-type) could make the whole rotation make sense.
You have pieces on defense. You need more. It is a league of extraordinary talent beating ordinary talent every week. The Cowboys simply need a little more extraordinary to bring this side of the ball together.
Labels:
2017 Cowboys,
David Irving,
demarcus Lawrence,
Rod Marinelli,
Sean Lee
Tuesday, January 02, 2018
Decoding Linehan - Week 17 - Eagles
https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2018/01/02/decoding-linehan-evaluating-went-wrong-2017
Decoding Linehan
The 2017 Dallas Cowboys season ended in more disappointment. Sure, the record books will reflect it ended with a shutout win over a divisional rival that had a wonderful year, but let's not kid ourselves. That 6-0 win over the Eagles will serve to push the Cowboys down the draft order and do little else to soothe the wounds of a season that will be remembered as a massive underachievement.
As we look back to how the season will be remembered, I find it rather safe to point to the week of Nov. 5 as a good dividing point. And since symmetry makes things a bit more digestible, it should be noted that this halfway point in the season means eight games fall on each side of the dividing line.
On Nov. 5, the Cowboys smoked the Kansas City Chiefs (then 6-2) at home in a game that was thoroughly impressive. Everything they did that day seemed to work, and after dismantling one of the league's early-season contenders, Dallas looked more than poised to continue to challenge for a fine playoff spot and, perhaps, a run to Minneapolis.
Two things of great significance happened that week, with one getting all the headlines and the other drawing mostly crickets:
1.) Ezekiel Elliott's last motion for an injunction in his legal battle with the NFL was denied, and his six-game suspension was immediately reinstated that Thursday. He would miss the next six games in full and end up playing in just 125 (24 percent) of the possible offensive snaps the rest of the season.
2.) Tyron Smith aggravated his groin against Kansas City and missed five games either in full or in part through the remainder of the year. Sometimes it was the groin, others it was the back, and then the knee was listed on the injury report, but after playing in 529 snaps in the first half of the season, he would drop to 229 in the second and be replaced by some very poor performances from reserves.
Now, one could engage in some spirited debates over which one you would rather have, which one you are better equipped to replace and which one is an overall rare talent in today's NFL. But, know this, in any ranking of Cowboys assets, you would definitely place Smith and Elliott in the top five and, perhaps, as the top two. They are both in the top handful of players at their position and are both among the league's best players. One plays a glamorous position and does so with no fear of a camera, while the other seems to be far more anonymous in fan circles -- but make no mistake: they both are rare gems, and to lose them both will certainly be felt.
This much, though?
Above you see the realities of the two halves of the Cowboys season. Sure, they were only 5-3 through the first eight weeks and 4-4 in the second half, so books will not be written about the two halves being strikingly different. But if you watched the season -- as you no doubt did if you are reading this -- then you know they always appeared to be in the mix during the first half of 2017 and never seemed close once the Atlanta game kicked off, signaling the second half was beginning.
They easily were a top-10 offense and most of their offensive statistics in the first half of 2017 matched those in 2016. But then they lost Smith and Elliott.
Instead of playing a total of 993 snaps in eight games, the two talents combined for just 354 snaps in the next eight games. If you want to quantify the difference, it is all in that graphic.
They went from 28.3 points per game to 16. They went from being the eighth-most productive offense to 26th. They went from the second-best pass protection team to 25th. They turned the ball over, guys couldn't get open and drives were no longer sustainable.
Everything changed.
Yes, the NFL is a quarterback-driven league and Dak Prescott went from a reasonably able quarterback to a guy who didn't have a clue. He went from being a guy who had all the confidence a young quarterback could have to one whose fan base no longer believed he was glittering gold.
He had a 24-game track record of competence and then instantly lost all ability to play quarterback at this level? And you are telling me that quarterback can't play at precisely the same moment his two most valuable pieces vanished from his offense?
Is it possible the attendance record of his two most important offensive talents might have something to do with this? Can we explain much of the 2017 decline by the quarterback with the fact that, instead of getting sacked 10 times in eight games, he was sacked 22 times in eight games? Or that teams did not treat the understudies of Smith and Elliott the same way they would those two?
Smith missed two games against the Falcons and Eagles in which Prescott was sacked (often hard) 12 times in eight days. Is it possible that this affected him greatly -- his poise, composure, pocket presence and overall ability to orchestrate an NFL offense?
Look, I am not trying to tell you that Prescott is not a concern. I am not trying to tell you this offense is still one of the best in the sport. There are issues, and some of them are getting worse.
But you are telling me that I have 32 games of evidence with which to evaluate this offense. We have two groups: In Group 1, I have 24 games of evidence where almost everything looked really impressive and the offensive pieces fit together in a way that made us discuss their resemblance to the Cowboys' old dynasty (and they went 18-6) ... and in Group 2, I have eight games of evidence where the All-Pro left tackle and All-Pro running back were gone for almost all of it and the offense looked lost without a compass. Now, which should I weigh more heavily in my evaluation?
Before we decide to clean house and replace everyone as soon as possible, should we take a few breaths and consider things carefully?
I think there are some real issues. This team has been horrendous at generating big plays through the air and yards after catch over the past two seasons. That must improve. And for that reason, I think the coordination of the offense -- scheme and personnel -- should be looked at closely. That is an evaluation of 32-48 games that goes all the way back to the "Dez Catch," to be honest.
But to conclude that the "214" era of the Cowboys cannot work moving forward seems to miss the fact that when it is assembled, it has worked very well.
Smith and Elliott are wonderful talents. Losing one of them could wreck your offense's ability. Lose them both simultaneously, and perhaps you should expect everything to crumble.
I don't think we should spend too much time on Sunday's game, unless you wish to depress yourself further with the truth that as bad as the offense was -- and make no mistake, it looked absolutely atrocious -- it generated the third-best yardage production of the season's second half.
Let that soak in for a moment -- 301 yards of offense in that ridiculous game in Philadelphia was better than the offensive production against the Falcons, Eagles, Chargers, Redskins and Seahawks.
Everything seems broken right now.
Let's look at some season totals for the personnel groupings rather than give Week 17 anymore attention:
And then here's this chart from my guy, John Daigle, which shows how much they ran each grouping relative to the past several years:
The offense had a really tough year and slid back in many statistics. It has a rather stale scheme in terms of creativity and inserting new components/personnel, but as we stated above, stale is when you are losing. When you are dominating, we describe it as "sustainable and repeatable" and a battering ram that shows no mercy to opponents.
I don't think I can explain why Rico Gathers and even Ryan Switzer were not considered for much use. Hopefully we will soon be told the truth behind the Gathers situation. Was he concussed so badly that he disappeared completely, or are the Cowboys just reluctant to put him out there because they don't think he is that good? Switzer, even in the meaningless game against Philadelphia, showed he had an awful lot of elusiveness that should be used as a weapon moving forward. Basically, it looks like the offense lacks athleticism, but those two players are already in the building and seem to have athleticism for days.
I would strongly consider examining the play-calling and modifying route combinations to attack more horizontally and vertically. Everyone wants vertical, but horizontal attacks are needed just as much. Each play seems to result in hooks and comebacks, and those do not lend themselves to many yards after catch.
I also need better teaching for my quarterback. If that means veteran backups or a different quarterbacks coach, or just more deliberate methods that might include asking him to do less orchestration of the offense himself, then it is OK to slow down the desire to give him the keys to the Tony Romo offense. Let Prescott climb the ladder because in 12 months time, you must know if he is your quarterback or not for 2019-25, as he will get much more expensive then. You don't want to sign a regrettable $100 million deal with a guy you aren't sure about. The next 12 months need to make you sure.
You also need better depth on the offensive line and prepare for the possibility that Smith's most durable years are behind him. You can hope you are wrong, but you had better prepare to be right.
There is plenty of work to be done. But I would not reach for the dynamite.
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