'13 Rewind: Week 6 Dwayne Harris Beats Washington

Throughout the first few weeks in August, we will carefully review the 2013 season week by week. I do this as a matter of habit during every training camp because the offseason allows too many things to fall from my memory banks and I think as I get older, that issue becomes bigger. But, since I write about this team daily and I forget most of the details, I thought perhaps you would like to take this trip as well. Some of you will, I assume most of you will pass on this endeavor, but the blog space is free so don't say that I didn't offer. 

Here is Week 6's Win Over Washington:

October 14, 2013

For every point of football beauty that we pontificated about for a week straight after the Denver-Dallas ballet from last Sunday, we should have known that there would be a bit more brutality the next time a game was played on that field.  Especially when the Broncos' record setting offense was replaced with the Redskins, a team that has been searching for its 2012 groove for over a month now.  It was going to be a trench war and a test of the resolve of the Cowboys from man 1 to 45 on the game day  roster.

It wasn't pretty, but football often isn't.  It is the ability to do what you can with what you have and to force the other team into undesirable situations that can then be exploited.  It is the ability to beat down a hated rival with a few timely plays that snuff out a game in perhaps unpredictable ways.

Last week, the Cowboys depended on its highest-compensated player to rewrite the record books and duel to the finish with one of the best in the history of the sport.  Last night, the Cowboys were all asked to do their part and show last year's division champion that this team has more resolve when it counts and will not concede an inch.

And this week's performance left with a very important divisional win over the Washington Redskins, in a game that will not present nearly the awesome highlight segments, but will do a better job of getting this Dallas team where it wants to go.

It was a test of wills last night, and although the Cowboys paid quite a price to enforce theirs - with costly injuries all around - they surely left the stadium with an assortment of players who can feel that they contributed and earned their spots this week.  And that is what is often missing from this franchise in recent years.  Everyone feeling like they can make a play and then efforting to do so.  It is not easy to affect games if you are not one of the focal points, but you every time you step on the field you are either trying to turn the game or you are wasting everyone's time.  Thankfully, there are a lot of players who realize that opportunity cannot be wasted in this line of work, and many with stars on their helmets  who understand that this is their chance to grab on and to make a name for themselves.

The Cowboys won this game because they received contributions from all over the field and all over the roster.  There will be plenty today who complain about lack of yardage and proper statistics like QB rating, or total yards, or total plays, or run/pass balance.   I am sure those same people will not remember that they argued that those numbers do not matter just last week when all the statistics in the world were not enough to get a victory.

That is the game of football in a nutshell.  The only objective is to leave with the victory, and if these last two weeks do not demonstrate that truth, then we might consider watching something else.  The Redskins swept the Cowboys last season because when the game was on the line, they could force the Cowboys into spots of discomfort on both sides of the ball.

Make no mistake, that Redskins defense presented a test of blitzes (17 of them) that were just as lively and complex as what they threw at Tony Romo last December, but this time, the Cowboys burned them just enough times to put points on the board.  That is what was so frustrating about week 17 last year.  They blitzed the Cowboys into mistakes and then kept blitzing.  The Cowboys conceded sacks and interceptions and found no real big plays of great substance.  Now, whether it was when Haslett sent 6 on Romo's amazing TD pass to Terrance Williams where he had to beat an untouched corner and sustain a linebacker hit to make a lofted throw into the corner of the end zone, or when Haslett sent 7 and Romo had to count on Cole Beasley to be where he needed to be to get the 1st Down, the Cowboys did what an offense should do to a blitz.  Make it pay.  Easier said than done.

But, they found just enough points and moments to burn the Redskins to stay ahead in a game that was hanging in the balance for much of the night.  A loss would have been demoralizing and devastating, but if the Cowboys don't make those 2 key plays against Haslett's aggressive blitzing, then this outcome might not be achieved.  Make a play like that last December, and you win the NFC East.  Don't make plays like that and you hear from 10 months how Jim Haslett made you look bad.  He tried again last night and although it was only a few, the Cowboys should be credited with making enough of them to earn their win.

It helps, though, when this game isn't just about offense.  Last week, the offense put up 48 and it wasn't enough.  We talked about all of the records they set in defeat.  But, this week, the special teams proved special again and just like last season in Philadelphia, you could make the case that Dwayne Harris won a game by himself.  The 2011 6th Round pick was a fringe roster guy just 2 years ago, but now has demonstrated how important it is to have a play-maker on returns.  The Cowboys have thought that Dez Bryant can be that guy, but hesitate to use him very often on returns for fear of injury.  In steps Harris and after being waived in October of 2011 and on the practice squad for much of his rookie season, is now an indispensable player who can put a charge into the stadium.  His 18.1 yards per punt return average since the start of the 2012 season leads all return men in the NFL.  All of them.

Defensively, it will never be easy to deal with what Mike and Kyle Shanahan's offensive plans as orchestrated by the dangerous Robert Griffin III and his cast of playmakers.  It appears Griffin is returning to fitness, and on this night was actually far more willing to put the game back on his legs at certain moments to an extent we have not seen since his major knee injury.  At almost 9 yards a carry, he was showing his ability to keep and run, but the reason the Cowboys won on Sunday might boil down to their specific ability to hamper his ability to move the ball through the air.  Even with DeMarcus Ware lost to injury with what appears to be a quad, the pass rush was able to trouble him into some difficult spots and even get home for 3 sacks.  When they couldn't, the mostly man coverage behind them on the edges was sound and battled all night with the corners all having nice evenings - Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, and Orlando Scandrick - and making plays on the ball at given moments.

Carr, in particular, looked the part of a top corner who was challenged by Pierre Garcon and it took Washington 15 passes for the rather pedestrian return of 69 yards when trying to find their primary receiver with that coverage on the scene.  But, this was a very physical game that required physical answers by the Cowboys defense.  Barry Church, in fact, was called for personal fouls on two occasions, but overall, the Cowboys seemed willing to battle defensively for every yard.  And in the end, the Redskins amassed 433 of them, with many coming in the final quarter against softer Dallas defense.  But, raw yardage only takes you so far.  As the evening went along, this undermanned Dallas defense was able to hold the Redskins to 0-3 on red zone TD percentage and then found 2 takeaways late that put the game in the win column.

The first might have been the signature moment of the game - if that is not reserved for the Dwayne Harris highlight film - on a 2nd and 19 from their own 11 yard line following a Redskins' hold.  This featured a 4-man rush made up of backup Cowboys players primarily from the waiver wire against 5-man protection.  Nick Hayden fired in the A-gap and attracted the double team from the center and the left guard, meaning the other 3 rushers would have a man-to-man opportunity.  First Drake Nevis was able to push RG Chris Chester back into Griffin's path, and then Chester falling helped knock RT Tyler Polumbus off of George Selvie.  Selvie cut back inside and forced Griffin to back up, and when he did Kyle Wilber was arriving from behind after beating the great LT Trent Williams to the edge and blindsided Griffin for the hat-trick bounty of sack, fumble caused, and fumble recovered at the 3-yard line.  Wilber was the most renowned of the 4 rushers on that play, but his roster spot was very much in doubt at the end of camp 6 weeks ago.  To see that group of no-names and castaways make that play that put this game on ice is rewarding to every man on the roster or practice squad about staying ready.

A few snaps later, Joseph Randle was forced into the end zone as big Travis Frederick arrived at a struggle and pushed his man in for a touchdown despite a host of defenders trying to prevent it.  And from there, the game was done and dusted.

So, that is really the theme of this division win - a game in which just about every player in uniform had to do what needed to be done.  The price for the evening might be severe as we await the prognosis of both DeMarcus Ware and DeMarco Murray's injuries.  It is a physical game and the toll tests resolve and depth on every roster.  But, it does seem that this year, with all of the roster turnover, the Cowboys are a bit more fortified to ask the bottom half of their roster to perform to the maximum levels of their ability.

Don't confuse that with the idea that those injuries won't hurt, because they most certainly will.  Especially, if like Anthony Spencer and Jay Ratliff, they end up being a way bigger deal than first anticipated, but the good teams in this league demand that every player in a uniform step up when needed.  The good teams have a "next man up" mentality which requires that those who are able figure out a way to stay on target with performances, despite undesirable absences.  There is a reason that certain players make more money than others, but in a brutal sport, we cannot act like injuries are a surprise.  Deal with them as best as you can and keep playing.

Teams are not going to have ideal conditions very often in the NFL.  Once the season starts, attrition takes away important pieces and requires a team to figure things out on the fly.  The teams that can find ways to win in less than ideal settings go to the playoffs.  This requires the personnel department to churn the roster and the coaches to not make excuses or settle for them.  When I see the Cowboys find a way to generate sacks without properly heralded rushers and then to design an offense for a team that has very little at running back, I sense that this team might be more prepared to deal with adversity than some previous versions.

The sport is analyzed from every angle and digested all week long.  But, the objective is to out-last your opponent and leave with the victory by any means necessary.  This game could have turned on a number of plays last night, but the Cowboys made sure that despite any statistical shortcomings, they had to make THAT play at THAT time.

At certain points, it was Kyle Wilber or Dwayne Harris or Travis Frederick or even Cameron Lawrence.  At others, it was Brandon Carr or David Carter or Joseph Randle or Terrance Williams.  The point is, after a demoralizing loss 7 days prior, the Cowboys got back on their feet because the entire roster was ready to contribute when called upon.

And those are giant stones to build upon as they head to Philadelphia at 3-3.

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Decoding Callahan - Week 6 - Romo beats Haslett Just Enough

Kiffin Report - Week 6 - Sean Lee's Great Moment

Xs and Os - Week 6 - The Dwayne Harris Show

Next, Week 7 in Philadelphia might be Monte Kiffin's best game

Issues In Oxnard: Balancing Offense Helps Romo

A few days ago, I spent a lot of time discussing running the ball and how the Cowboys have talked about rushing more for years but this year they claim they are double serious and intend to do it.  They have given lip service to the idea of becoming more of a power team that will attempt to control the game and the clock more by taking their talented offensive line and ramming the ball right at the defense.

There are all sorts of reasons to want to do this (and an equally long list of reasons to be cynical about the Cowboys actually doing what they say they plan on doing), but as we have said a number of times, maybe the best reason to want to do this is to help protect your defense from having to play so many more snaps than the offense did in 2013.

If you have not read the first piece in this series, I would invite you to go back and catch up with that by clicking here.

But, today, I want to visit about a few more concepts about getting the offense more in balance.  Remember, nobody wishes the Cowboys to turn into a Veer offense or the wishbone.  Rather, the entire agenda here for my hopes to want to see Dallas run the ball more is two-fold.  First, the idea that you turn from a finesse offense to a strong and powerful offense is vital for me.  As mentioned in the first piece, Seattle and San Francisco really hurt and punish their opponents while attacking the defense.  I think passing too much causes your offensive line always to move backwards at the snap (to pass protect) rather than firing forward in run blocking.  Imagine a boxer who is always defending versus one that is attacking.  The differences is are stark.

But, the other reason this team needs to run is the most important reason of them all - Tony Romo absolutely is a better passer when the Cowboys have a run threat.

That last paragraph may require a second read for best emphasis.

I will not speak on this from the perspective of 31 other teams and countless other franchise QBs, but there is zero doubt that the Romo who runs a balanced game plan is a substantially better passer than the Romo who drops back and throws it 40 times in a game.

We can theorize as to why this is all day.  My favorite theory is that a balanced offense requires a balanced defense to counter.  When you run a personnel group onto the field, the defense counters with its plan.  If you are constantly running 3WR and a flexed TE, they are switching to nickel or dime with all sorts of DBs.  But, if you stay in with 2TE or sometimes even 3TE, the defense cannot allow themselves to get out-sized, so they are going to go big in personnel with more LBs.  This just makes coverage more difficult for them and mismatches with speed easier for Romo to find.

Some offenses can kill you regardless of your personnel groupings.  But, we follow the Cowboys here, and when they go all spread-shotgun for too long, they get into trouble.  Here is some proof, based simply on volume of pass attempts in a game:

WHEN TONY ROMO THROWS LESS THAN 30 ATTEMPTS IN A GAME:

	QB Rating	TD	INT	YPA	Record
Career	109.6	86	26	8.64	29-9
Since 2010	117.8	32	3	8.06	10-3
2013	106.8	9	1	7.03	2-2

Those numbers should make your jaw drop.  If they don't, then let's compare them to by just changing one small thing - his pass attempts.

WHEN TONY ROMO THROWS MORE THAN 35 ATTEMPTS IN A GAME:

	QB Rating	TD	INT	YPA	Record
Career	86.9	85	60	7.16	19-31
Since 2010	88.3	54	39	7.35	10-21
2013	95	17	8	7.35	4-4

And if you think it gets better with more throws, think again:

WHEN TONY ROMO THROWS MORE THAN 40 ATTEMPTS IN A GAME:

	QB Rating	TD	INT	YPA	Record
Career	84.4	45	38	6.90	9-17

I assume we all believe that the best version of Tony Romo is the one with a passer rating up near 110 - which would basically putting him with the elite in the game - rather than a position where at 84.4, in 2013 he would rank with Arizona's Carson Palmer and Tampa Bay's Mike Glennon.

So, now back to how this all fits together for the 2014 Cowboys.  They have hired Scott Linehan.  They have drafted powerful offensive linemen.  They are talking the talk:

"We believe in being a physical football team.  I feel like for the first time in a little while on offense we can be that and control the game and the line of scrimmage." - Jason Garrett - Aug 5, 2014

But, can a tiger change his stripes?  As we wrote on that piece linked at the top, the Cowboys seem to be pretty good at running the ball, but equally unaware of that point.  

Additionally, they also have a very odd relationship with one of the best offensive weapons in football, historically, as no team has run less play-action passes in the last 2 seasons than the Dallas Cowboys (according to Pro Football Focus).  See this handy chart that includes the entire NFC and a few select AFC teams:

Dallas is 32nd in the league for 2 years running.  It might be more than that, but Pro Football Focus has been keeping track since 2012, so that is all we can prove.

I asked the coach about whether we should expect to see more in 2014, and he answered as a guy might who isn't interested in sharing his thoughts with the world:

"Play Action has always been part of what we try to do and some years we have done it more than others.  You want to feature the schemes and players that help you win most, and certainly play action can be an effective tool for the offense."  - Jason Garrett - Aug 5, 2014

Now, they we have been down this road before.  Last year, in New York, we were amazed at how much play action they used in their win against the Giants.  It appears that the mysterious changes that happened after Week 10 also seemed to include using more play action like this play:

The funny thing is that most people will tell you that you must run the ball to be able to run play action fakes and make them effective.  I can tell you that the film does not confirm this.  Yes, it helps and maybe even improves the effects, but they are still absolutely there.  

If the the whole point of play action is to get the Linebackers and Safeties to believe for a brief instant that it is a run play and this allows that small opening for a incisive pass down the field, then watching game tape proves that they fall for it even from teams that can't run the ball much.  Think of it as a cat to yarn.  It is almost instinctual for a player who has spent so much time on a football field since he was a boy.  The split second decision cannot be computed without relying on instincts.

So, here are the Cowboys results in running the fewest play action passes in football in the last 2 seasons, sorted by week.  As you can see, at the end of 2013, it was almost as if they discovered that this all works together.  Running the ball helps the pass; play action fakes help both the run and the pass (balanced offenses work!!!); and it all helps keep the 3rd Down situations manageable with 3rd and shorter.

So, the annual lip service has been given.  For at least 3 camps in a row, we have now heard how this year we are running the ball and trying to be a physical offense.  

The numbers confirm the wisdom of this and that the rest of the league believes in these concepts more than the Cowboys.  Will 2014 reap new results?

September cometh.

'13 Rewind: Week 5 The Unforgettable Day With Denver

Throughout the first few weeks in August, we will carefully review the 2013 season week by week. I do this as a matter of habit during every training camp because the offseason allows too many things to fall from my memory banks and I think as I get older, that issue becomes bigger. But, since I write about this team daily and I forget most of the details, I thought perhaps you would like to take this trip as well. Some of you will, I assume most of you will pass on this endeavor, but the blog space is free so don't say that I didn't offer. 

Here is Week 5 - Manning Versus Romo:

October 7, 2013 - The Morning After

There may never be a more absurdly amazing game ever played in that sun-drenched, indoor stadium than the one that was witnessed on October 6, 2013.

It will be measured as a simple loss for many, in a season where they have now lost 3 out of 5 out of the gate, and are on their way to what could be another season that finishes at the break-even record of 8-8.

But, those people would be missing the many elements of one of the most unique sporting events most of us will ever witness.

All losses are not created equal, nor are their effects equally felt.  There are, contrary to the win-demanding portion of the fan base that still believes Dallas to be a favorite to win the Super Bowl every season, defeats that can offer hope for what lies ahead.

And I believe that October 6, 2013 - otherwise known as the day Peyton Manning and Tony Romo put on a show for the ages - is a game in which this Dallas team may have learned their true identity moving forward.

More on that in a moment, but first, let's discuss the unique and fantastic characteristics of this 3 hour and 13 minute football masterpiece.

It featured 48 Dallas points, which accounted for the 2nd highest score ever by a losing team - in the history of football.  If you consider how many games have been played in the history of the sport, the fact that only once has a team exceeded the Dallas production from yesterday and still lost, you likely have to appreciate the shootout in Arlington.

As far as Cowboys' history goes, the team has scored 39 points or more 48 times in their franchise history - going back to 1960.  And, again, yesterday was the first time that of those 48 instances in which they did not win the game.  47-1 is now the record for those occasions.

Manning and Romo each accounted for 5 Touchdowns, with a combined passing line of 58 completions on just 78 attempts, for 920 yards, with 9 TD passes and 2 INTs.  This combined passer rating of 141 is just short of perfect, but only by an eyelash.  Manning also ran for a TD and the two teams in 22 drives combined for 1 punt.

It was not exactly the smash-mouth football that some of us desire, but rather an arena-football style of offense where the defense looked several letter grades below the offenses.  This is, in some ways, a perfect description of the modern game, where we know that points attract audiences and therefore do everything possible to aid that cause.  But, this was well above that.  This was arguably the greatest QB of the generation being met volley for volley by one who on his day can sling the ball with just about anyone.  And both Manning and Romo stood tall in the middle of the stadium in this instant classic.

In the end, Romo finally cracked and threw a pass he could not afford to throw on a cross to Gavin Escobar that was intercepted by Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan.  Replays show that he had no ability to step into the throw as his protection was collapsing, and although it was 2nd and long, he should have taken the dump down to DeMarco Murray rather than trying to thread a needle.  He knew that punting it back to Denver is likely conceding the contest, and he tried to do something he had done all day - make something out of nothing.  But, in the end, he brought defeat on too easily as Denver took over in field goal range and Dallas would never touch the ball again.

And for many who already have written their narratives before the game, this defeat - like so many before it - fall squarely on the fact that they have a choke-artist, 2nd-hand Quarterback.  He did yesterday what he has done so many times before, which is to come up short when it matters most.

Those people are certainly welcome to their silly opinion, but perhaps on this day they should stand down, and wait for a more appropriate opportunity where facts won't dispute their story-line so easily.

Nobody would dispute that ultimately he finished 2nd on this day.  But, how did he finish 2nd and who did he finish 2nd to?  If someone considers that for one minute, they likely arrive at the conclusion that this was a game where neither QB was going to really have much to feel badly about.  Two worthy adversaries that battled with the whole football world watching, and in the end, one broke serve to determine the winner.

So, if I may work in golf analogies (which always seems appropriate when discussing certain NFL QBs), you can shoot a 63 and the fact that you are playing against Tiger Woods in his prime and he shoots a 62 to beat you doesn't mean that you are a choke artist and can never do anything right.  It means that you played your butt off, maybe had the performance of your career, and just got beat by a living legend showing why he is known as such.

To the rest of the readers who understand what has already been said, let's move on to more topics this day, as in the realities of the Cowboys defense in 2013.  Obviously, in 2 weeks of playing against savvy, NFL veteran QBs, we can see while very few opponents will resemble Peyton Manning each week, but also very few will resemble Sam Bradford.  Now that the tape of the last 2 weeks is out for all to see and I imagine smart coaches like Mike Shanahan and Chip Kelly are going to have some ideas about how to attack the myriad of issues that appear to be springing up on the defense.

They simply were unable to trouble Philip Rivers or Peyton Manning with any level of consistent pressure and in 85 pass attempts only found 1 sack.  That, after finding 13 sacks in the first 140 pass attempts (sack every 10.7 passes) in the 3 games to begin the season.  Yes, they get rid of the ball quickly, but they are also racking up 9.6 yards per attempt, so you can see how this is damaging every single thing the defense wants to accomplish.

There are some promising pieces on this defense, and I am confident that they are doing the best with what they have, but at some point I imagine that we have to look at the personnel that is available, rather than finding another defensive coordinator to blame.  It appears that Rob Ryan and Wade Phillips have been able to regain their reputations with the first job they took after leaving Dallas.

But, with regards to the positives from yesterday that I think might set this team on their way in the next stretch of games, I am very interested in the offense's ability to see what they are capable of.  Much of last week, we investigated the way the Cowboys see their offense and concluded a few things.  1) That their overall disposition entering the game seems to depend on their best guess about how many points they might need to win the game.  This means that they do not always enter the game in full attack mode.  They often play games on the road with careful caution, and home games with their mind on attacking.  This is unlike the true elite offenses in the league who plan on trying to get 5 touchdowns every time they step on the field, and will certainly not limit themselves in doing so.  And, 2) That Sunday we would see the Cowboys attacking to the fullest of their potential.  As I noted on Friday in this very space:

this Sunday they are at home and likely have believed all week that they only way to deal with Denver is to score 35 points.  I expect the Cowboys offense to throw every trick in the book out there to manufacture offense because they know 17 won't win.  They will throw deep passes and play with their aggressive meter maxed.  But, that might only serve to frustrate those who believe, as I do, that they have 2 different play books, based on the QB and the HC deciding when they can play carefully or aggressively.

Again, this stuff is sometimes easy to predict.  It doesn't take a genius to know that Garrett and Romo have been doing this, and if any lesson was learned yesterday, it should be that the best part of this football team has to be where their investments are placed.  They showed us on draft day that they didn't want to fix the defense.  Instead, the first 3 premium picks all went to make their $100 million QB more comfortable.  More weapons and more protection were the biggest changes from the 2012 version to the 2013 model.

Then, what frustrated most observers was that Romo stopped rolling the dice.  Through 4 games, he had his highest QB rating of his career, but his lowest yards per attempt.  The throws were safe and proper, rather than aggressive and scary for the opponent.  Why pay a QB that amount of money to do his best Alex Smith impression?  Romo may not be Manning, but he can sure find players all over the field and keep plays alive.  If the Cowboys are going to maximize their resources, they need yesterday's offense and yesterday's version of Romo.

The number of plays he made by halftime yesterday exceeded the number of plays he made in the first month of the season.  He was looking to attack Denver and they obliged him.  He has weapons everywhere and we saw yesterday that even Terrence Williams and Cole Beasley are both useful players who can create matchup problems as well.

This is the way the game needs to be called here.  Sure, you have to know when to go into safe mode, but you cannot enter games like that.  Playing it too safe allows mediocre offenses with mediocre QBs to stay in games with you, when they shouldn't be able to do so.  Romo is going to throw mistake passes, but gambling on a no-name defense to carry you is silly.  Romo demonstrated yesterday that this offense has a chance to be very dangerous if they simply decide to attack.  And there is no other way for them to get to 10 wins than to do that immediately.

Tony became a household name because he was gun-slinging and could defy the Xs and Os on a given play by making something happen.  Nobody denies that sometimes those impulse decisions end in flames, but until this organization can address its shortcomings, they require someone to try to make up the differences on Sundays.  And the only way to do that is to take this weapon-filled offense and to trust it's big-time QB to either succeed or like yesterday, get shot down in a blaze of glory.

I wonder if Jason Garrett, Bill Callahan, and Romo agree with this conclusion.  Most coaches say that you find your identity in the first 8 games of the season.  If that is the case, then we have 3 more weeks or so to see if the team realizes that the defense is going to only be capable of so much.  They want to apply pressure with the front 4, but are trying to do so with DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher, and a band of retreads.  This leaves all the pass defenders exposed in unfavorable situations for too long.  The entire scheme is based on pressure, and the Cowboys have 1 sack in 85 attempts.

This screams that the offense has to take the posture of out-scoring its opponent from week to week.  This is done in many NFL cities with elite offenses, where they assume it will take 28-31 points to win when they take the field.  They don't expect their defense to do much more than try to get a few takeaways at the right moments.  And they pay their QB an absurd amount of money (over $1 million for each start) because he is the great equalizer.  Is Dallas able to figure this out?

So, can you learn from a loss?  Can you take from your experience and stumble upon a solution for the bigger picture?  Can a team figure out its identity, even when the public is depressed and mad at the singular reason they were still in the game to begin with?

Let's hope so.

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Additional blogs from that game:

Decoding Callahan - Week 5 - The Offensive Record Books

Kiffin Report - Week 5 - Trying to deal with Peyton Manning

Xs and Os - Week 5 - The Denver Broncos Pick Plays

Tomorrow: The Redskins Game In Arlington

Issues In Oxnard: Running The Ball

Back in January, when Scott Linehan was being hired by the Cowboys, I wrote the following:

Linehan is a coach who has his plusses and minuses of course.  Every coach - especially those who are easily available at this time of year - are not going to have such a glowing resume that we run to his arms in January and he comes in and fixes everything.  Rob Ryan had a list of doubters who said he had never won anything.  Monte Kiffin's doubts were based on his last several years of work.  Bill Callahan still had to answer for Super Bowl 37 and his very odd relationship with players.  Rod Marinelli coached a team that went 0-16.  The list goes on and on.

Well, in Linehan's case, my initial concerns are based completely on my over-riding issues with the offense.  I have long thought that the Cowboys offense is too finesse and does not value the ability to (at times) bully the defense into submission with clock-controlling, demoralizing, and punishing football that shows the opponent that this is going to be a very long day.  I think that it seldom hurts to defend against the Cowboys and that they run only as an afterthought.

Now, I do not believe in the wishbone, the veer, or any ridiculous running to extreme that is sure to anger any advanced metrics folks.  In fact, I consider myself one of them.  But, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the sport of football is one of disposition and attitude at its core.  You cannot watch the Seahawks and 49ers take over the NFC with this bully-football and ignore it.  There has to be some recognition that physicality is still alive and well in the NFL and it is still a blocking and tackling league.

I am sorry, but dropping back into shotgun and pass protection play after play is like a boxer who is never allowed to attack.  He must simply accept punishment as an offensive lineman and never dish it out.  I don't like that and I never have.  I also don't believe that many great coaches believe in it either.  Yes, this is a passing league and the numbers have never been higher.  So, why then, did Seattle and San Francisco take over the conference without a QB who can throw for 200 yards on a regular basis?

Smash-Mouth-Football.  Offensively and Defensively.  They are going to make you cry.

Can the Cowboys mimic this?

Or should they do just the opposite?

Here is the run/pass balance for the last 5 season for Scott Linehan in Detroit, Jason Garrett in Dallas, and the NFL average for playoff teams.  We should obviously dig deeper on this topic, but here are just broad, general numbers based on the question, does this team run the ball?

Well, by rankings, many of them between 30th-32nd in the league, Linehan might be one of the few NFL coaches that values the run less than even Garrett.  Now, there, of course, are personnel considerations and you can see how Reggie Bush being brought into Detroit affected their conviction level substantially, but overall, you can see that these guys feel like the running game is an overall nuisance as it pertains to their ideal view of football.

Year	Linehan - Det	Garrett - Dal	NFL Playoff Avg
2009	39.4% Run	42.7% Run	44.3% Run
2010	38.0% Run	41.4% Run	43.9% Run
2011	33.6% Run	40.1% Run	43.5% Run
2012	33.7% Run	33.8% Run	45.2% Run
2013	40.4% Run	35.1% Run	44.3% Run

My dreams of smash-mouth football with Travis Frederick, Tyron Smith, and even Doug Free capable of dishing out running game punishment looks unlikely, to be honest.  

On the other hand, if you consider the lack of creativity and insistence on getting the ball to Dez Bryant, we can look on the bright side and imagine Linehan bringing all of his tricks on how to use Megatron and his mates to create match ups around the field and get his monster the ball at any and all times.

Also, unlike Callahan, there is reason to believe that Garrett and Linehan consider themselves friends and share agendas and loyalty and even football philosophy.  So, from that standpoint, I can sell this idea to myself quite easily.

But, overall, if you, like me, consider the Cowboys finesse approach to offense to be one of the consistent weaknesses that you would like addressed, just know that Linehan wants to pass even more than Garrett and did not really harness Matthew Stafford's impulse throws very well.

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I wanted you to read that (perhaps for the first time) to capture my over-view of frustration as it pertains to what has won the NFC the last few years, versus how the Cowboys brain trust might see the sport.

An easy counter to that discussion, however, is this:  If the Cowboys do really want to pass the ball 2 of every 3 plays (65%+), then why did they spend so much on an offensive line?  In other words, maybe the coaching philosophies of Mr Garrett and Mr Linehan are based on what they had rather than what they wished they had.  Now, if the Cowboys have invested in physicality, can we hope that they are ready to attempt to blow teams off the ball like the Seahawks and 49ers have been doing?  Can we expect the Cowboys to attempt to dominate an opponent physically at the point of attack?  And most importantly, can we hope that Dallas is finally ready to kill off a game that they are leading in late in the 4th Quarter because they are finally equipped to run a proper 4-minute drill?

So, were the Cowboys a good running team in 2013?  In many respects, no.

* 29th in the NFL in 10 play drives

* 24th in the NFL in 5 minute drives

* 24th in the NFL in 10 yard rushes

* 24th in the NFL in rushing Yards per game

* 31st in the NFL in rushing attempts

And yet, they were 8th in the NFL in Yards per carry.  What gives?  

Well, in a nutshell, they ran the ball well only in 2 games before November.  St Louis and San Diego. Then, after the New Orleans game - when the play calling changed as well as the right guard, combined with the return to full strength of DeMarco Murray - they ran like one of the best teams in football.  In fact, from Week 11-Week 16, do you know who the best rushing team in football was in 2013?

Your Dallas Cowboys.  137 carries for 734 yards, or 5.36 yards every single time they tried.  That, after 10 weeks of 3.87 yards per carry.  

Look at the week-by-week for yards per carry from 2013:

Now, let's review the 2013 factors that may or may not have entered into evidence:

1) - DeMarco Murray missed action from the Washington Game in Week 6 until the Minnesota Game in Week 9.  Those games were Joseph Randle doing pedestrian work in Philadelphia and Detroit and then the Cowboys electing to run almost no rushing plays against Minnesota at all.

2) - Tony Romo threw so many passes - 127 in 3 games - that the team was pushing its defense right back onto the field and of course, exposing them to horrid situations where they spent the majority of the game trying to defend.  If the best defense is a good offense, then the Cowboys were not getting the memo.  Yes, they beat Philadelphia, but the loss to Detroit was inexcusable.  Then, they barely beat a horrible Minnesota team in the final seconds at home, only to be humiliated in New Orleans.

3) - This led to big issues in the offensive brain-trust after the New Orleans debacle and during the bye week.  Many of us believe the play-calling went back to Jason Garrett and the removal of Bill Callahan from any sort of authority (making it even more puzzling after learning about the friction between Garrett/Callahan was Jerry insisting that Callahan stay in Dallas during the offseason and honor his contract).

4) - For whatever it is worth, Brian Waters was lost in Detroit at Right Guard, and Mackenzy Bernadeau graded quite well for the remainder of the season in the wide-zone game and being on the scene for many of those big performances.

Now, this, below, is the important chart for me.  A physical team has a few attributes that are key for me.  The most significant is separating the runs down to those that are not tricks.  I think shotgun runs are finesse runs and work primarily because in pre-snap you have the defense thinking pass.  So, below, I separated out the under center runs by week and show you all runs from 11, 12, 13, 21, and 22 personnel.  Look at these results - especially after New Orleans:

As you can see they could line it up and grind it.  It was a beautiful thing in those final weeks.  Then, in the final week with no Romo, the Eagles brought it to a stop.  But, I assume if he had been there, the results likely would have been there, too.

So, now, after 2013, they invested again by taking Zack Martin in the 1st Round.  Now, 3 offensive linemen in the 1st round (not to mention dropping $100 million on Tyron)!  They simply cannot be sitting at 65% pass anymore.  The league says physical football wins in January and actually gets you there.  If playoff teams are around 55%, you have to be pretty stubborn to convince yourself to ignore that and keep doing what you are doing.  And, to lose two games at least because you had no plan in the 4th Quarter of a game you had the lead - At Detroit and Green Bay - has to shake you out of your delusions.

This week at camp, I visited with Jason Witten on this very topic and he seemed to agree with my premise:



So, will they pick up where they left off and become that physical team that their purchases seem to indicate they aspire to?  If not, the next coaching staff certainly will see these assets and demand that this team becomes more like the Seahawks, 49ers, or even the 1990s Cowboys and pound the rock to set up shorter passing situations, dish out punishment to opponents, and protect a fragile defense.

It all makes too much sense.

'13 Rewind: Week 4 Another Road Disappointment In San Diego

Throughout the first few weeks in August, we will carefully review the 2013 season week by week. I do this as a matter of habit during every training camp because the offseason allows too many things to fall from my memory banks and I think as I get older, that issue becomes bigger. But, since I write about this team daily and I forget most of the details, I thought perhaps you would like to take this trip as well. Some of you will, I assume most of you will pass on this endeavor, but the blog space is free so don't say that I didn't offer. 

Here is Week 4 - Another frustrating road performance in San Diego:

September 30, 2013 - The Morning After

Sometimes, despite our inclination to complicate things, football is not complicated.  We want to talk about strategy and tactics and ideas.  We want to point at the men who make decisions on the sidelines or in the executive boxes.  We want answers for whoever decided that this plan was a good plan.

But, sometimes, like Sunday, it isn't complicated.  It is a matter of players just catching a football that is thrown at them.  It is a matter of one man tackling another when given the opportunity.  Or, one man just being faster than the man asked to defend him.  The higher powers in a football organization assemble the best talent for days like this, and sometimes the best talent that you have was not good enough to leave with a victory.

In other words, you guys got beat.  And any effort to make it bigger than that, absolves highly-compensated and highly-celebrated athletes of their only real job.  When the moment comes, the team is counting on you to make a play.

And on Sunday, in San Diego, the Cowboys lost because the players that they deployed to handle a Chargers side, that was certainly not highly regarded across the league, simply did not do their jobs.

Certainly, blaming the players does not satisfy the enjoyable urge to put everything on the two most popular targets for Cowboys' anger - the coach and the owner.  In both cases, they have earned and received their share of criticism, but to place what happened on Sunday at their feet is a stretch of the highest order.  And that likely applies to the other popular piñata, quarterback Tony Romo.  On this day, Romo's biggest mistake might have been assuming a sack was coming and bailing to the ground a moment before he had to.  Otherwise, his throws were strong and on the mark for the entire afternoon.  San Diego dared him to beat the coverage, and Romo put the ball in a spot where a catch has to be made.  And too often, the ball hit the ground on 3rd Downs.

When catchable balls are not secured on 3rd Downs in this league, you lose.  It is just that simple.  And whether it was Dwayne Harris, Jason Witten, or the unstoppable Dez Bryant, they all took turns allowing balls to hit the ground on catches we have seen them make.  All 3 turned into drive stopping moments, and when you only get a few drives because your defense is allowing the Chargers to stay on the field the entire game, well, you understand how the Cowboys took a double-digit lead just before halftime and turned it into a 2-score loss.

It was a full demonstration of the team aspect of the sport, and the idea that blame should not be reserved for only the easy targets.  Because, in this particular case, sometimes, the easy targets are not the proper targets.

In many ways, the game did mirror the Kansas City game of Week 2.  In the first half, Tony Romo and Dez Bryant were able to make the opponents' efforts to contain them appear comedic.  Bryant dominated a jump ball fade in the end zone and then cut across the field on an equally impressive deep-in route that seemed to place the Cowboys in a spot where they would have questions that the Chargers simply would not be able to answer.  But, when that 2nd Bryant score occurred with 2:35 left in the 2nd Quarter, who would have guessed that would be the final time the offense would score a single point on the afternoon?

After Jason Hatcher and Sean Lee provided a deflected interception for a score, the Cowboys found themselves with a commanding lead.  They now had a cushion to operate with and enough success on offense to believe that this game could be had.

But, that is where the plays stopped.  The defense could not get off the field the rest of the day.  And the offense failed to mount a meaningful drive that did not implode at the end.  The combination of both units falling on their face at the key juncture of a tight matchup was impossible to over-come.  In Kansas City, the defense held tight for most of the game and tried to keep the offense afloat in the 2nd half.  This time, both units were just being defeated with regularity.

Defensively, it was a Philip Rivers clinic.  It seemed to be a formula of simply asking the Cowboys to defend the whole field.  Short gains were accepted and any time the Cowboys thought they had someone to run with Danny Woodhead, the Chargers were happy to watch the speedy match-up run right by Bruce Carter.  Then, as Carter was taken off the field for Ernie Sims, they moved over to a man-to-man matchup of Sean Lee trying to run with Antonio Gates.  Gates, of course, ran past Lee and 56 yards into the end zone for a fantastic job of offensive strategy.

It was, quite simply, to find the match-ups that most appealed to the Chargers game plan (Woodhead-Carter, Gates-Lee, the shallow zones underneath Morris Claiborne, the deep zones over the LBs and in front of the very deep safeties) and expose it repeatedly.  It can only be exposed if it is recognized and then executed, and the Chargers hit on enough of those to reap the points that your preparations all week set up.

And that should start to alert us in a disconcerting way.  It seemed that much of the rhetoric about the scheme change defensively was based around the idea of building a defense that best showcased the ability of the two young linebackers, Sean Lee and Bruce Carter.  The idea, as you may recall, was to show that they could duplicate the Lance Briggs/Brian Urlacher partnership in Chicago or the Shelton Quarles/Derrick Brooks duo in Tampa Bay.  Instead, through one month of the season, we have seen several occasions where the opponents are seeming to target those two in coverage.  Sometimes in zone, and sometimes in man to man, it sure seems that the middle is a high-traffic place where the QBs know they can accomplish some things against Dallas.

We should absolutely expect an adjustment period and growing pains, but this presents us with a few things we did know when this was announced back in January.  1) That the Cowboys were trying to run a scheme that some people think went out of style in the last decade because teams learned how to attack it and find favorable match-ups all day long.  The simple cliche that you might here is that NFL offenses are simply too good to not flood the middle of the field and attack the attackers.  And 2) That the Cowboys were trying to run a defense that relied heavily on a duo of safeties, despite not having that as a position of strength.

This leads me back to something I was told at camp by a scout, "the last thing you need to worry about is Lee and Carter.  They will be fine."  And I am sure they will be, but after seeing Eli Manning, Alex Smith, and now Philip Rivers repeatedly find a way to isolate Carter and Lee to a point where Carter is being taken off the field so the pain stops, you can understand the trepidation before Peyton Manning comes to town.

Then, back to the offense where they were only going to get a few chances to regain control of the afternoon in the 2nd half.  After the Woodhead wheel-route TD, it was Dallas 21, San Diego 20 and the Cowboys took the ball for the first time in 44 minutes of real time and 23 straight plays from scrimmage for the Chargers.  I don't know if the long layoff caused Dez Bryant to drop a 3rd and 11 play that was thrown into his hands on the sideline, but a catch there puts the team near FG range.  He can make that catch in his sleep, but on this occasion, he didn't and the drive ended.

The Chargers then began the 4th Quarter with another drive that stalled at the 7 yard line, but took the lead on a chip-shot field goal and were up 23-21.

This required another drive from the Cowboys and a real chance for them to lose patience with their play-calling.  Yet, on this occasion, they didn't.  They stayed "under center" and balanced and moved the ball out to midfield with a series involving Murray and Bryant.  But, the drive-killer occurred when Ron Leary pulled down Corey Liuget from behind and a gainer to Cole Beasley was negated and required a 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 44 to keep the drive going.  On this occasion, the Chargers locked Eric Weddle up on a seam route with Jason Witten, and Witten had the advantage as the two battled for a lofted pass that appeared to hit Witten right in the 8 on his chest.  It was a very difficult play, but one that Witten has made dozens of times.  But on this occasion, he didn't and another drive ended.

A few minutes later, the Chargers found their Hall of Fame tight end in a 1-on-1 seam route as well, but the play was executed by Rivers and Gates to perfection and all Sean Lee could do is a desperation dive in the end.  He missed and the Touchdown put the Chargers now up 30-21.  One side made a play and the other side came close, but didn't.  The story of the afternoon.

The Cowboys kept battling, including a 3rd and 8 conversion when Romo just tucked and ran for the 1st Down inside the Chargers 10, but 2 plays later, rookie Terrance Williams caught a shallow cross and tried to hold the ball out over the goal-line in a very reckless and naive fashion, was hit, and the ball rolled to a Chargers defender in the end-zone ending the afternoon for Dallas.  It was a play he could have and should have made, but on this occasion, he didn't and another drive ended.

Sure, there are moments where you can 2nd guess the coach (the long FG try comes to mind), moments where Romo might have put a better pass out there (although he played one of his better games with quality throws all day), and issues that do go all the way to the top with Jerry Jones (as always), but to arrive at a conclusion other than placing this one on many reliable members of the roster would be stretching the truth.

Bryant, Witten, Lee, Carter, Ware (let's not forget a horrid offsides) and the entire gang share in this loss, which brings the narratives back about .500 football and updates the statistics of 285 games (regular season and playoffs) since Super Bowl 30 when Aikman and company won their last Super Bowl.  The win-loss tally since that day in Tempe?  142-143.

They are a team that has many positive attributes, but it is days like this that retard that growth and self-belief about what the potential of this team truly is.  And what put them here?  In some ways, the inability to make the plays that they are capable of making when it matters most.

The Cowboys had a wonderful chance to shake their critics and show that the 2013 version is different than those teams that secured this reputation.  Unfortunately, for them, they did the same thing they did in Kansas City earlier in the month.  They had their moments, but overall, failed to execute at a level that puts wins away against beatable opponents.

Next, they can hear all week how they have no chance to beat Denver at home.  In some ways, it might be just the type of week that might be perfect for them.  But, at some point, talk and hype are worthless.  There will be a moment or five during the game where they can either make that play or not.

Yesterday, they didn't make the plays that they had to make.  And for that, they got what they deserved.

Another painful defeat.

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Additional Blogs from that Game:

Decoding Callahan - Week 4 - The track record of the offense on the road under Garrett

Kiffin Report - Week 4 - Rivers attacks Bruce Carter and Mo Claiborne

Xs and Os - Week 4 - Cowboys Use of Play Action and Barry Church lost in coverage

Tomorrow - Denver and Peyton come to town.

'13 Rewind: Week 3 Cowboys Sack The Rams

Throughout the first few weeks in August, we will carefully review the 2013 season week by week. I do this as a matter of habit during every training camp because the offseason allows too many things to fall from my memory banks and I think as I get older, that issue becomes bigger. But, since I write about this team daily and I forget most of the details, I thought perhaps you would like to take this trip as well. Some of you will, I assume most of you will pass on this endeavor, but the blog space is free so don't say that I didn't offer. 

 Here is Week 3 - a pounding of the St Louis Rams in Arlington:

There are a number of cliches in the sports world that attempt to convey the relative merits of coaching. The one that I catch myself referencing quite often is that "you cannot win the Kentucky Derby on a donkey."

This saying attempts to capture the idea that the jockey surely matters, but not very much if the animal on which the jockey rides is not of the proper quality to win against those of the highest regard.

I use this cliche at times to offer a normal helping of cynicism when a team attempts to alter the coaching staff, but at the same time keeping the players on the field the same as they were when the failure prompted the change to begin with. I am generally on the side that coaching definitely matters, but only to a reasonable distance. This silliness about a great coach like Bear Bryant or Don Shula being worthy of the "He can take his'n' and beat you'rn', and he can take you'rn' and beat his'n'" quote is amusing for dinner parties, but it is a wild insult to the actual players on either team.

Coaching matters. But, in the NFL, hopefully everyone agrees that special players make a far greater difference.

But, clearly, the early returns on the new coaching staff - especially on the Cowboys' defense - seem to indicate that there is a very new feel to a unit that appears to be largely the same guys. While very early in the campaign, it would be quite foolish for anyone to say they don't see a distinct difference between what we have seen in 2011-2012 with Rob Ryan and what we have seen so far in 2013 from Monte Kiffin and his nearly equal partner, Rod Marinelli.

Those two have been given almost no investment upgrades in personnel and so this point look like they have assembled an attacking defense that is able to make the opponent uncomfortable and fairly ineffective in important scenarios.

In a trouncing of a young and reasonably-talented Rams offense on Sunday, the Cowboys conceded only 18 yards on 22 plays in the entire 1st half. The domination was a thing of beauty as the offense put 17 points on the board and the 2nd half was merely a formality.

The defeated Rams barely had the morale to continue into the 3rd Quarter and the Cowboys attacking defense had plenty to do with it. Let's detail a few of the better moments - almost all on 3rd Downs.

- Rams 1st Drive, 3rd and 7 from their 23: Sam Bradford appears to have Jared Cook for a chance to move the chains after the QB is chased on a twist stunt between Jason Hatcher and George Selvie. Selvie has Bradford on a full sprint to the right sideline and he finds a space to lay a pass out to Cook who is then smashed by a hit by Barry Church that causes the ball to fall incomplete. The Rams must punt.

- Rams 2nd Drive, 3rd and 8 from the Dallas 32: Bradford tries to spread out the Dallas defense, but Kiffin sends Orlando Scandrick from the slot on a CB Blitz. He is unaccounted for and the receiver he leaves is not seen in time. Sack for Scandrick on Bradford - who had not been sacked in 5 games. This also is a sack that knocks the Rams out of field goal range, so despite a turnover on a punt return, the score remains 0-0.

- Rams 3rd Drive, 3rd and 6 from their 24: This time, there is no blitz. This is just the front 4 of the Cowboys all getting the green light and trying to "affect the passer" as Jason Garrett might say. Well, not a problem in that department as DeMarcus Ware ran over Jake Long in a way that looked like an unfair matchup between a Hall of Famer and a kid on a try-out. Long is obviously a player of great regard and doesn't look this bad very often, but to see Ware run him over for a sack was just a thing of beauty and it looked like Jason Hatcher was about to get there as well. Another 3rd Down and another big play from the defense.

- Rams 4th Drive, 3rd and 11 from their own 17: At this point, the Rams are almost conceding that bad things are going to happen on 3rd down and are now just looking to stay away from another sack and make room for yet another punt. But, even on what was going to be a safe dump down to their RB, new Cowboys edge rusher Edgar Jones is able to tip the ball into the air at the line of scrimmage before it gets to Isaiah Pead and the ball is nearly picked off. Another defensive lineman showing great awareness and getting in Bradford's throwing lanes.

- Rams 5th Drive, 3rd and 6 from the Rams 38: This time, the Cowboys are confident that their front 4 can get to Bradford in passing situations, and they do it again. This time, Selvie and Hatcher run a stunt where Selvie is trying to free Hatcher up by smashing the right guard, Harvey Dahl, and passing Hatcher over to Joe Barksdale. Well, Selvie does such a fine job of moving Dahl that he finds himself able to wrap up Bradford all by himself. Selvie, a former Rams pick, has been such a find this season that it demonstrates these new coaches ability to know what they seek and how to get the most of their players.

- Rams 6th Drive, 3rd and 6 from their own 16: The Rams keep protection in to give Bradford a chance and he is finally able to get a clean throw off on a money down. A dart to Austin Pettis looks like it might finally get the Rams out of their hole, but here comes Barry Church to meet Pettis at the ball and to break up another play. Church even thought he had a chance at the interception, but the collision brought on yet another punt and another stop on 3rd Down.

- Rams 7th Drive, 2nd and 1 from their 22 - Last play of 1st Half: This admittedly is not a 3rd Down, but since it made the Rams just go to the locker-room, let's include it. This time, Jason Hatcher bull rushes former 1st Round pick and left guard Chris Williams right to the side and crushes Bradford one more time. 4th sack of the half - all drive stoppers and the Rams are demoralized.

The Rams would finish the day 1 for 13 on 3rd Downs (8%) and would concede 6 sacks after having given up 0 before coming to Dallas. It was a showing where you looked at the Cowboys defense and began wondering if they are one of the surprises of the early season across the league.

Think about it, they have received nothing from Jay Ratliff and Anthony Spencer (the bad news is that we are not sure how much they actually will receive from that tandem this season) and lost Tyrone Crawford on the 1st day of camp. And yet, through 3 games, they have been getting consistent pressure on the QB with 4, they have been taking the ball away, and they have been generating a number of aggressive situations where the Cowboys defense appears to be in attack mode.

And besides Marinelli and Kiffin, what did they add, exactly?

- Justin Durant, a 28-year old linebacker from Detroit on a 2-year deal for $2.4 million.

- Nick Hayden, a 27-year old defensive tackle who was out of football on a 2-year, $1.3m deal.

- George Selvie, a 26-year old defensive end on his 5th team, on a 1-year, $630k deal.

- and Edgar Jones, Caesar Rayford, and Will Allen as discards of their respective squads.

and a few draft picks in 3rd rounder JJ Wilcox, 4th rounder BW Webb, and 6th rounder Devonte Holloman who have all played a bit so far.

In other words, a number of bodies. But, none they really had to fight to get on the free agency market. In fact, Selvie was not even in any NFL camp when training camps opened. And given that almost 3,000 players were, that really says something. And since he looks like what you would hope a 1st round pick might look like, we are left scratching our heads on how he slipped through the cracks.

And, with only those replacement level additions all for almost no money or real pick investment (save for Wilcox), we look at the Cowboys defense and consider them at the very least to be meeting all expectations or well above all expectations.

Which leads me back to the cliche about coaching. Perhaps, these jockeys are reaching this group of Cowboys defenders in a way Rob Ryan wasn't. Or, maybe we are seeing a different approach to losing players to injury and "next man up". We likely need to let this season develop more before making any bold proclamations, but the early returns are quite impressive.

I have been assured by many from around the league that these two guys - and Marinelli in particular - can routinely pull off projects like Hayden and Selvie. They describe him as a coach who will absolutely push defensive linemen to be the very best version of themselves that they will ever be. And have you ever seen Jason Hatcher look like this? I cannot believe he has been here since 2006 and we are just starting to see what they must have hoped he would become back then.

And if we consider the things that a Kiffin defense is known for: splash plays, pressure on a QB, and getting off the field on 3rd Downs, we would have to feel pretty strongly that this version looks promising.

I always thought Rob Ryan was handcuffed by the personnel issues he was handed and then the injuries that took away huge weapons like Sean Lee and Bruce Carter last season. And that is true, but the takeaways never happened and the team was horrendous on 3rd Downs. They have been in the bottom 3rd in the league at getting off the field on 3rd Downs since they were last in the playoffs in 2009. So, to see them 5th in the league through 3 weeks, especially without Spencer or Ratliff in the lineup is fantastic.

This Rams game will no doubt be remembered for DeMarco Murray showing the ability to bust some long runs down the field again and for a very efficient performance from the offense. But, to see the defense smother a team like they did and to hand the offense the ball with a short field over and over again was most impressive.

Add to that the idea that the NFC is upside down this morning and that 5 of the 6 2012 playoff teams have losing records (Atlanta, Green Bay, San Francisco, Washington, and Minnesota) it truly is appearing to be wide open for all comers. The Cowboys defense can key this run and with the exception of the late stages of the Kansas City game (basically one drive), the group has really impressed with their ability to limit damage.

Now, with Philip Rivers (8 TDs/1 INT/ 116 QB rating) and Peyton Manning (9 TDs/0 INT/ 130 QB rating) putting them to the test in the next two weeks, we will see this group asked tough questions continuously. Teams will scout their weaknesses and make them defend them. QBs will look for rookie safeties and use veteran tricks. And they won't get to play a team that will tap out like the Rams did very often.

But, when Kiffin and Marinelli joined this team and I admit that I expected a similar fate to Ryan's. Without significant player upgrades, you can bring in any coach you want and they won't be able to make this defense special, I thought. But, the Cowboys have found a number of players and they all seem to be buying into this system of 11.

It is early, but, I might need to rethink my cliches if this can continue. There are many tests ahead that will reveal that answer.
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Decoding Callahan - Week 3 - The less Romo throws, the better the record

Kiffin Report - Week 3 - Stunts lead to Sacks; Ware's bull rush brilliance

Xs and Os - Week 3 - Tyron Smith vs Robert Quinn Examined

Tomorrow - The trip to San Diego 

'13 Rewind: Week 2 Late Loss To Chiefs

Throughout the first few weeks in August, we will carefully review the 2013 season week by week. I do this as a matter of habit during every training camp because the offseason allows too many things to fall from my memory banks and I think as I get older, that issue becomes bigger. But, since I write about this team daily and I forget most of the details, I thought perhaps you would like to take this trip as well. Some of you will, I assume most of you will pass on this endeavor, but the blog space is free so don't say that I didn't offer. 

Here is Week 2 - a most frustrating 2nd half loss at Kansas City:

"We lost a game that we shouldn't lose" is a cliche that is thrown around rather easily on Mondays in the National Football League.  Sometimes, there are really cases of a massive favorite being upset by fluke circumstances that cause someone to rightly say it.

However, most times, it is two franchises and fan bases that both have a lofty feel for their own squad and therefore feel that they should beat their opponent, even though their opponent is across the stadium telling their fan base that they believe they should do the same thing to you for the same reasons of perceived superiority.

In reality, the NFL is as close in 2013 as it gets, with a few teams up top and a few teams down below.  But, in the middle, there are 2 dozen teams (or more) that are relatively within arm's length of each-other and every single time they take the field, the victory will belong to the team that can get just a few moments to go their way.  Any claim by their fan base that they should win a game on the road against a team in a similar talent neighborhood is often pure delusion.  The fact is, they might win and they could win.  But should?  Not very often in this league.  And certainly not very often for the Dallas Cowboys when they go play a team in a hostile environment like Arrowhead Stadium yesterday afternoon.

The Cowboys lost a game yesterday that feels like a game they should have won.  And below, we will make a case that they really let a golden opportunity get away.  But, I do think it is important to note that all week, in Kansas City, they felt like they had a team that "should be able to beat a mediocre Dallas team at home," and then, of course, they did.  I believe most neutral observers saw this as a fringe NFC playoff hopeful playing at a fringe AFC playoff hopeful, and therefore installed the Chiefs as slight home favorites.

This is the 21st time in the Jason Garrett era (2007-present) where his offense has played a road game and has failed to score 20 points at least.  In those 21 games, the Cowboys are 4-17, with 2 wins in Washington in 2008 and 2009, a win in Philadelphia at the end of 2010 when Stephen McGee was the QB and the Eagles had checked out, and a win last year at Carolina.  Conversely, when they go on the road and score 20 or more, they are 22-6.  So, pretty clearly, the object of the game is to figure out how to score at least 3 touchdowns when you play at a place like Kansas City in Week 2.  And frankly, it is why we wish to show a little frustration when it appears the offense has fallen into the familiar trap of conservatism.

This is not the time to detail chapter and verse the number of times where the Cowboys change their personality when playing on the road from attacking opponent's weaknesses to protecting your own, but it is a clear characteristic of the Garrett/Romo marriage.

The signs were there yesterday on a number of occasions.  The most frustrating would be the pivotal moment in the game in the 3rd Quarter where the Cowboys received the ball to start the 2nd half with a 10-7 lead.  They seemed composed and reasonably ok with protection and the huge numbers of blitzers that the Chiefs and Bob Sutton were throwing at them throughout the game to that point.  Romo had the offense on the march and on 3rd and 3 took a real nice chance to go at Terence Williams who was in man coverage and hit a 20-yard completion for a 1st Down into the red zone.  A Lance Dunbar 12 yard gain put Dallas at 1st and Goal at the 5.  And then, a combination of events conspired to leave valuable points on the field.

First, an interior communication issue between the rookie center Travis Frederick and right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau had them both turning away from that gap that giant nose tackle Dontari Poe occupied and he raced in to smash Romo to the ground.  Then, a false start to left guard Ronald Leary set up a 3rd and goal from the 9.

But here, on 3rd and goal is where one really has to show confusion about the entire philosophy of the Dallas Cowboys' offensive decision makers.  The offense deploys 11 personnel in a 3x1 formation that puts Dez Bryant in a 1-on-1 setting with Brandon Flowers - a player he had already proven had no answer for him all day.

Bryant is calling for the ball and Romo knows how this has worked all day.  We have seen Bryant beat Flowers on a fade, a back shoulder fade, and pretty much any route he wants.  This is what you dream of: a huge moment to get your most dominant player in a 1 play scenario where if you are successful, you take a double-digit lead.  And if you are not, you still settle for 3.  And yet, the offense decides to  throw it into the crowd over to the other side and Williams again on 3rd and goal on a hopeful wide receiver screen which loses 3 yards.  It confused everyone who follows this team and yet was painfully predictable if you are familiar with they way they conduct themselves in these games.  They play for 3 points and the safest percentage plays.  And in doing so, they keep the opponent in the game yet again.

This, to me, comes back to the odd issue the Cowboys have with their perennially under-achieveing offense.  They feel they have a franchise QB and pay him as such.   And, he performs that way most of the time.  But, it seems, when the chips are down in tight road games like this one and teams with franchise QBs would normally put it all in the hands of QB1, they seem to want to save Romo from high leverage situations by playing it safe.  On 3rd and long, they are likely to call a draw play or a safe throw behind the line of scrimmage, when coverages and situations seemed to plead for them to take their $100 million QB and their unstoppable wide receiver and shove a sword into their opponent with a will-breaking touchdown.

When looking at the throws that Romo does take down the field, it seems like the Cowboys are pretty comfortable with fade throws down the sideline in man situations and dump offs underneath.  But the "trust" throws in between the hash marks in windows that might require some precision and perfection, we just didn't see much at all, leading us once again down the road of speculation on whether his ribs allowed him to throw fastballs yesterday and whether the trust - internally or from the coaches - allows him to rip a throw into a tight space like his contemporaries must do in times like these.

Offensively, they allowed the defense to dictate much of the game to them.  They had a half-hearted attempt at running a conventional offense before scrapping it all and going all-shotgun, all the time.   They ran 13 plays from under center all day and 7 of those were "drive starters", meaning it was the first play to start each drive.  The other 47 snaps were from shotgun, and that is fine if you are going to use your weapons to create issues and opportunities all over the secondary.  But, instead, it was dump off after dump off and they played right into the pressure that the Chiefs were running at them again and again.  The Chiefs would keep pressing the secondary forward, and the space would shrink even more.  Before long, a 2 yard pass to Jason Witten on 3rd and 9 is impossible.  The Chiefs made the clock in Romo's head go off early, then took away his Witten security blanket, and he played right into their hands.

Then, Lance Dunbar fumbles late in the 3rd and Romo is blindsided and coughs it up early in the 4th and the Cowboys take a -2 on the road.  Since Jason Garrett has been head coach the Cowboys have never won a road game with a -2  (0-5).

Moments later, Romo lofts another deep perimeter pass over Flowers into the waiting arms of Dez Bryant yet again.  This time, however, he drops a perfect pass and another opportunity is wasted when the ball falls to the ground.

But, to put all of this on another chapter of frustrating play-calling and execution on the road in a hostile stadium is missing a few important topics.  Namely, the defense not generating takeaways (since 2010, the Cowboys are 0-11 in road games without a takeaway) and most annoyingly, the defense clearly gassed when the game was on the line and unable to stand up to the physical challenge late.

Dan Bailey hit another key kick with 3:50 left in the game to cut the Chiefs lead to 17-16.  Kansas City has not received anything on the ground from Jamaal Charles all day (8 carries for 8 yards) to that point.  Dallas also has all 3 of its timeouts and the Chiefs have had a poor return and start at their own 16 yard line.

To make matters worse, the Chiefs have no intention of passing in this drive as they run 2 RBs and 2 TEs in a kill the clock, 4-minute drill posture.  They give the ball to Charles eight times from this same formation and personnel grouping that declares run from the time they break the huddle.  And on those 8 carries, he puts the game away with 47 yards (5.87 yards per carry).  He even had another 7 yards called back on the illegal shift penalty, thus putting the Chiefs in a position to actually have to throw one pass - on 3rd and 10 - which turned into a pass interference on Morris Claiborne.  The call looked very touchy, but also one that often is thrown.  But, the damage had nearly already been done by a demoralizing sequence in which it appeared the Chiefs were going to try to get a 1st down from their RB that had not found success for the entire afternoon - and the Cowboys couldn't stop him.

Even before the pass interference, Charles had made the Cowboys burn all of their timeouts and flipped field position in a big way.  When the defense absolutely had to prove stout against the run, they were run over at the moment of truth.

So, a wasted opportunity in a game you really wanted once again.  It is painful, because despite the season being so young, the principles involved make you feel like you have seen this episode too many times.

They show they are talented but then play "not to lose" too much.   They trust their "franchise QB" to a point, but then admit he is not to always be trusted, it seems.  They put their fate into the hands of their defense, but then the defense shows you they are not of elite quality when the game is on the line.  They try to convince you they are better than 8-8, but then show you things that you see from 8-8 teams.

This is a very tight league with very tight games.  To win on the road, you cannot afford mis-steps.  And yesterday in Kansas City, they had a few too many.  And to get better than 8-8, they have to turn those gut-wrenching road defeats into victories more often.

Now, the urgency of getting out of September at 3-1 is felt with the Rams and at Chargers coming next.

This should be an interesting week at Valley Ranch (again).

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Decoding Callahan - Week 2 - Few Rushing Attempts Always Means A Loss/Throw to Dez!

Kiffin Report - Week 2 - Cowboys can't stop the 4 Minute Drill of the Chiefs

Xs and Os - Week 2 - Breakdown of Bowe TD vs zone/ Romo TD to Dez in Red Zone

Tomorrow: Week 3 versus the Rams

'13 Rewind: Week 1 Win Vs The Giants

Throughout the first few weeks in August, we will carefully review the 2013 season week by week. I do this as a matter of habit during every training camp because the offseason allows too many things to fall from my memory banks and I think as I get older, that issue becomes bigger. But, since I write about this team daily and I forget most of the details, I thought perhaps you would like to take this trip as well. Some of you will, I assume most of you will pass on this endeavor, but the blog space is free so don't say that I didn't offer. 

Here is Week 1, the home game against the Giants and the very generous Eli Manning:  

Takeaways!  Takeaways!  And more takeaways!

Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli coached it, the players listened, and look, in the season opener, there were more gifts given by the generous New York Giants offense than the Cowboys would normally get in a month!

Is all that glitters really gold?  Are the Cowboys now the Chicago and Tampa teams that made this scheme famous for its punishment and its constant theft of the ball?  And if all you have to do is emphasize it, what were all those other coaches doing around here?  6 takeaways left Eli Manning shaking his head, Tom Coughlin cussing up a storm, and it greatly assisted the Cowboys finally beating the rivals from New York in the new stadium in their 5th attempt, 36-31.

For one night, no one is goofing about the Kiffin hire and the potential impacts that could be felt in this tight NFC East.  If the Cowboys can go from their mark last season of 16 takeaways and move it up to the league average of 25, then doesn't it stand to reason that would be the difference in winning the division after coming up a game short (or a Dez finger-tip short) in 2012?

Well, maybe.  Actually, what people don't talk about when they look at takeaways is that the Cowboys have been reasonably close to the NFL average over the last stretch of years, despite perception.  In 2012, they were woefully bad in taking the ball away, but replacement-level players at most positions in the 2nd half of 2012 certainly didn't help that figure at all - nor the overall legacy of Rob Ryan.  But, a broader look shows that from 2007-2011 in a 5-season stretch, the Cowboys took the ball away 127 times which is under the league average mark of 133, but only by about one takeaway every 13 games.

In a league where the number of turnovers has diminished greatly over the last decade but still decides most games, your average NFL team takes the ball away 25 times a season.  And the Cowboys took the ball from the Giants 6 times last night.  That number is absurd and puts them on pace for 96.   But, if they can get a short field even twice a game in 2013, you will see a dramatic change in fortune for this entire squad, guaranteed.

We assume that Sunday Night was a beautiful confluence of events - some random, some not - that fell in the Cowboys favor.  Both teams fumbled multiple times, but the Cowboys recovered their two, and the Giants lost all three of their miscues.  That, we have learned from years of following the sport, is random.  There is no team that is better or worse at recovering fumbles over a large sample.

But, causing fumbles and interceptions?  Ripping the ball away from the carrier like Nick Hayden and Barry Church did that caused David Wilson to have a spot over on the sideline next to his coach?  Well, those are not random at all.  Those are players deciding that they aren't just trying to stop the ball carrier, they want to rob him, too.  And that flair is what any Dallas fan has to be excited about from a defense that is comprised of both star players and unknowns.  They attacked last night and showed an energy that was quite impressive.  The very optimistic idea that they could "get there with 4" actually happened;  the Cowboys front 4 - despite no Jay Ratliff or Anthony Spencer - generated a reasonable amount of pressure on the Giants banged-up OL all night, causing Eli some distress as he threw a giant yardage total - and 3 crucial interceptions.

There is so much more to discuss, but you simply have to lead with your defense shortening your field on a number of occasions and stopping the Giants enough - despite some very gaudy yardage numbers.  And if someone like me is going to blow off the idea of lots of yards - like the last meeting between these two teams when Romo and the offense rolled up plenty of yards but were foiled by too many giveaways, well, then we can easily see the parallels between last night and previous Giants' visits.

It was a game that might require multiple visits to fully digest, but maybe the difference in the game came down to a 3rd and 11 for the Cowboys at the Giants' 14 yard line late in the 1st Quarter.  It was a play that made many recall other prime-time affairs where Tony Romo and his receivers might not fully be on the same page with a play call or the intended route versus throw.  On this occasion, rookie Terrence Williams was receiving his first NFL throw, but he was not looking when the ball arrived.  Instead, he thought he was running a slant and go.  Romo was throwing for a slant.  Williams, thinking it was a fake, never crossed the face of the corner, and Prince Amukamara couldn't believe his good fortune as Romo threw the ball right at him.  The ball caromed off Amukamara and right to new safety Ryan Mundy who was off to the races at his own 8 and nothing but turf in front of him and a caravan of blue jerseys.  But 92 yards is a long run and despite having a substantial head start on DeMarco Murray - who was running a flair to the right of the play (the opposite side of the field) - was chased down barely at the 1-yard line.  Tremendous hustle by Murray that was then capitalized on in the next few snaps as Nick Hayden stuffed a run and George Selvie pulled down Eli for a sack and the Giants had to settle for a field goal - all thanks to DeMarco not giving up on a play.

And that is certainly not all Murray did last night by any stretch.  20 carries of hard running and 10 more targets from Romo in the passing game means that Murray wakes up a man with plenty of bruises.  But he also gave plenty of bruises out and ran with that style that makes you think he is the real deal.  I would take issue with those that suggest the run game was unproductive.  23 carries for 87 yards is not ideal, but it isn't horrid.  It also dominates time of possession, keeps your defense fresh, and displays a physicality that the Cowboys have lacked for a few seasons.

Which leads us to the offensive line.  I look forward to breaking things down much further as the week goes on and the coach's film becomes available, but my first impressions were quite passable.  I found the pass protection generally very solid, starting with Tyron Smith doing well against a banged up Jason Pierre Paul or whoever took him on.  But inside, with new left guard Ronald Leary and rookie center Travis Frederick, one would have to suggest that both played incredibly well.  Leary, in particular, has a ways to go to handle everything and everyone that is thrown at him from week to week, but the strength and battle that both of those guys appear to have is the most welcome of additions to this offensive group.

With no Brian Waters available for the opener, Mackenzy Bernadeau had to play at right guard, and Linval Joseph abused him on the way to a Romo sack late in the game, and Doug Free will get largely blamed for the play that might have broken a few ribs of Romo's in the 2nd Quarter - although I don't know if he is to blame at all.

Free was in pass protection and had Mathias Kiwanuka blocked pretty well, as linebacker Jacquian Williams blitzed on a rare occasion.  But, instead of running at Romo and being picked up by a waiting DeMarco Murray, he ran away from the QB and right at Doug Free in a unique stunt idea.  Free was knocked off his feet - as any tackle would be if blindsided by a sprinting linebacker while trying to block someone in a different direction and that left Murray to try to sort out what was happening and to pick up Kiwanuka which did not work out well.  Kiwanuka pushed Murray aside and then put his helmet/shoulder pads right into Romo's ribs and looked like he did some considerable damage.  You never see a WLB and a LDE stunt to that extent and there is no question that the element of surprise is what made that stunt work so well.  They never blitz, and they definitely never blitz/stunt.  Sometimes their scheme gets you, and they almost took out Romo in the process (medical exams pending).

It was a game that certainly did not come easily.  Right until Brandon Carr picked off and returned yet another interception for a touchdown, it seemed that the Giants were staying alive and threatening another gutting comeback - just like their win in Arlington in 2011 where they were down 2 scores in the 4th Quarter and still pulled everything off perfectly to win.

But, credit the Cowboys.  Credit them for playing with a lead for most of the night.  In fact, they led for 28:21 of the game, which may not be a number that impresses you until you hear this next stat.  In all of 2012, in all 8 home games, they led their opponent for a total of 36:36.  Trust me, last night was a rarity to lead for that long.

At different times, Romo, Dez Bryant, and Morris Claiborne all laid on the turf and appeared to be injured.  We don't know if any are serious, but Romo and Bryant both looked pretty serious when they happened, and so we are quickly reminded how physical this sport is when the regular season hits start happening.  Bryant, with 8 targets for 4 receptions and 22 yards, had a quiet night, but he will have plenty to say about this season as it goes.  For now, he is starting to see that teams like the Giants are going to hang a safety over his corner all night long and take their chances with making Miles Austin and the running game.

It was a fantastic win overall.  It was a divisional home game on a Sunday Night, so it felt bigger than 1 out of 16, because it is.  This team needs confidence and results quickly.  And with September maybe the easiest of the 4 months in terms of opponents and strength of schedule, it is vital to get out of the gates on a dead sprint.  Sure, the Giants were generous, but you must take advantage of that generosity, and that wasn't happening early in the game.

We knew there were going to be issues in the secondary, and the corner blitz by Orlando Scandrick that ended up with a 70-yard Touchdown to Victor Cruz demonstrated that quite clearly.  That growth will need to continue against what we assume will be lesser passing attacks until Denver comes to town.

But, when you withstand the weapons of New York, get a divisional win under your belt, and make key plays at key moments, you try to let yourself enjoy a win for a few moments before you worry about what lies ahead.  This team has a fan base that is excellent at seeing the cup half empty, but I would argue that there was plenty to like about last night and it starts with the overall swarming energy that the squad had for much of the night.  From Dwayne Harris and JJ Wilcox covering kicks and punts like madmen to previously out-of-work defensive linemen playing like they are not going to waste this golden opportunity.  I saw plenty to clean up, but after being reminded again yesterday how close the teams in this league are, there is never cause for excess negativity following a tough win like that over a hated foe.

Things need to continue to develop and the injuries obviously need to be avoided, but overall, that was exactly what the Cowboys needed last night.

They are out of the gates with a victory.

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Additional posts from Week 1 vs the Giants:

Decoding Callahan - Week 1

Kiffin Report - Week 1  - 6 Takeaways!

Film Room - Week 1 - Cruz 70 yard TD vs confused defense and Romo gets rocked.

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Coming Next - Week 2 vs Kansas City