Cowboys Tape Review: This is Not Your Father's Offensive Line
by Rafael Vela on Sep 30, 2009 1:15 PM CDT
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PrintBack in the summer, I got an advance copy of K.C. Joyner's run metrics for the Cowboys Annual 2009. (You can still order it by clicking the icon down the right column.) They showed an amazing disparity for last year's team according to run type. Dallas, despite having a jumbo offensive line, was poor at straight-ahead, inside running plays between the tackles. Here's the breakdown:
| Rush Type | Attempts | Yards | YPA |
| Draw | 71 | 441 | 6.2 |
| Counter | 88 | 439 | 5.0 |
| Toss/Sweep | 44 | 189 | 4.3 |
| Slant/stretch | 61 | 243 | 4.0 |
| Dive | 24 | 62 | 2.6 |
| Isolation | 33 | 80 | 2.4 |
| Off-tackle | 33 | 56 | 1.7 |
Notice how weak the '08 Cowboys were at the typical "muscle" plays, the type you see in short yardage and goal line. The type the '90s Cowboys lines could execute after a five pints of whiskey and a group afternoon nap.
The character of the current line is very different. It performs better when it blocks on the move, which explains why Jason Garrett called so many runs from shotgun and spread packages. People complained about seeing the shotgun inside the five last year, but the numbers explain why.
Based on these stats, I suggested Felix Jones start, since he had team-best averages on the draws, tosses and counters and had the speed to make these plays explode. On the flip side, I suggested that improvement on power runs was going to be a big task for Hudson Houck and his linemen.
Dallas has just finished a two game stretch where it has amassed close to 500 yards rushing. Do we see more interior run muscle in the Cowboys '09 arsenal?
No.
I give you the metrics from the Carolina game:
| Rush type | Attempts | Yards | YPA |
| Draws | 14 | 80 | 5.7 |
| Counters | 5 | 55 | 11.0 |
| Toss/sweep | 3 | 28 | 9.3 |
| Traps | 2 | 12 | 7.0 |
| End arounds | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| Isolations | 2 | 3 | 1.5 |
Dallas still can't run an off-tackle play effectively. So, Jason Garrett and Hudson Houck have decided not to bang their running back's heads against front-seven walls. The team ran two token iso's last week. It has put dives and stretch plays in mothballs.
The coaches have decided to go all out calling and improving the execution of the plays the line does well. This Cowboys line, for all it's size, pulls well. It cross blocks well. All the linemen, even the big tackles, can get out on the perimeter and lead tosses and end arounds. And with a pocket bomb like Felix Jones at your disposal, and shifty backs like Tashard Choice in the mix, this team attacks perimeters.
There is one similarity between the current group and the Emmitt-and-Moose led bludgeon-ball team -- the lead draw. It worked well for the Triplets Cowboys and it is this team's best interior-running play. Garrett has added some tweaks to make it that much more effective. On Tashard Choice's 3rd quarter TD run, Dallas lined up in an I, but Tony Romo faked a pass to his right, before turning and handing the ball to this back, who had an obscenely big running lane, by NFL standards, to prance through. The pump fake to Jason WItten's side cleared out the linebackers, who assumed Dallas would throw first in close.
The blend might change a bit with Marion Barber returning to the lineup and Jones sitting with a sprained knee. I doubt it. This line is what it is. Get used to more shotgun inside the ten. To more shotgun draws on third and four.
As long as the calls continue to favor the line's and the backs' strengths, and as long as the rush average stays among the league's best, that's fine with me.
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But what I wanted to type.....
I love the way we are running the ball this year, been a long time since we have had such a consistent running threat.
+1 it has been a while.
And thanks for that picture on this article…. I see Austin actually did play in the game.
by Road Warrior on Sep 30, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions
That's something to watch for
The team played an amazing number of two back, two TE or three TE, one back sets.
If you were a WR not named Roy Williams, you didn’t get a lot of snaps in that game.
Let's hope Felix is 'back' soon
Thanks Ralph for the breakdown. It’s good to know that the offensive coaching staff is playing to the strengths of the players. Do you believe that it took Hudson a bit of time to determine what he had in his huge offensive line, and is now coaching them accordingly??
Yeah Ralph. jk
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
I'd imagine that has a lot to do with it
I’m sure there was a lot brain storming and number crunching between Hud and Garrett during the off season. What you’re seeing now is definitely the result of that. Let’s just hope it continues, and that there’s many more tricks up their sleeves.
Summarizing the Dallas Cowboys in two words; inconsistently amazing.
I hope that Barber is back this game.
But this just goes to show what having a RB comitee can do for a team. If AP goes down, the vikings are in serious trouble.
Not as much as you think
Between Chester Taylor and Percy Harvin, with that o-line, they could muster up a run game.
I agree......
not to take anything away from Peterson, but Chester Taylor could be the starter on many teams. He’s very good.
Chester got 1200 yds.
The season before the Vikes drafted Peterson. I’m sure he’s got a little left in the tank.
Ian Johnson
The kid out of Boise St. would probably get some carries too.
Man, that Boise St./OU game was a great game.
I will never forget
watching that game with my wife. We went nuts. After 3 calls to the front desk at the hotel we were staying at, we got the boot. It was weird because in general we are rule followers, but that game brought out the nut job in both of us.
Ich bin ein Berliner--JFK
C. Washington...
… has got quick feet, gets through da crease fast, and possess another gear once he gets into the open field.
Check it.
Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/
was he drafted?
I remember hearing his name few times playing at SC
7th round of 2008 NFL Draft
Jags drafted him.
Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/
Wow, that music was annoying. Is that a requirement on YouTube?
by Baked Potato Soup on Sep 30, 2009 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions
yeah, i hated da music too, bps. that's why i muted it and just watched the clips. sorry i didn't warn U guys...
Celebrity or Imposter?
YOU Decide...
http://www.xanga.com/metaltometal/689036052/celebrity-or-imposter/
I kinda enjoyed it
Almost as much as I liked Washington’s tackle breaking and feet churning ability. He looks pretty good, but here’s to never having to see him perform!
Summarizing the Dallas Cowboys in two words; inconsistently amazing.
I wouldn't mind them bringing him up for another option at KR.
After Miles, there’s nobody on the team that excels in that area—unless they activate Ogletree.
And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply ...
http://twitter.com/BloggingTheBoys
by Aaron Novinger on Sep 30, 2009 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions
option B!
I’m ready for Ogletree to overthrow somebody.
Summarizing the Dallas Cowboys in two words; inconsistently amazing.
Good stuff Raf.
I have been watching different shows that have been breaking down some of our running plays. That counter Felix ran on Monday night(and many other times) is a thing of beauty. Guys in space with great blocking, sealing the inside and pushing the corners and safetys to the outside, creating a beautiful lane. Lombardi is somewhere with a big smile on his face shouting “thats football right there men”.
That lead draw where Romo comes up acts like he is going to throw the quick pass, takes one hand off of the ball and then quickly turns and hands off is just as pretty. Sometimes it looks a little hokey from the sideline camera but to the linebackers its devastating. It gets them going in the wrong direction. Nothing slows you down more than changing direction.
KICK ASS every day!!!
I miss the play...
where Aikman would drop back with eyes downfield like he’s gonna throw, fake draw to Emmett as he’s dropping back, and actually throw (fake draw I guess). Can’t recall if Romo has done that too.
MB
Barber was so upset he was inactive, he didn’t even go the game. To me, it shows he is healthy. My guess is that he will practice all 3 days.
If he was healthy he would have dressed
He needed the rest. If he plays on that injury, he aggravates it every week and plays the rest of the season banged up. He may not have liked it, but the team did the right thing. It’s not as if he was missed very much.
I'm with both of you on this.
You have three really good backs, play the ones that are closest to 100%. A niners friend of mine (I’m not sure how we’re friends either, but it’s a good-natured feud) texted me and said how much he liked Choice.
agreed
Love the fire, but after the way he blew a tire, there is no way he was ready to play Monday. MB3 65-75% is not better then a healthy Felix and Choice. I agree with the announcers though, we miss his pass protection. Choice, Witten, and Marty are going have to chip Elvis on the way out this week. He is just to quick, our OT need to get there hands on him.
"No matter where you go, you are what you are playa"-Jay Z
Twitter Account
by Wmillion on Oct 1, 2009 12:21 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
wade said they gave him treatment during the game
and he didn’t want MBIII to be standing for four hours. I think this story about him stomping off (Nick Eatman, try using facts once in a while) has no truth to it.
Ich bin ein Berliner--JFK
I wonder how much
using the draw so much affects the play-action passing game. I would guess that safeties aren’t going to respect it too much, since it usually looks like we are going to pass, and then we hand it off. We would have to fake pass, then fake hand off, then throw. I don’t think that would work too well.
If they dont respect it keep running at 6 yards a pop.
If they cheat up, drop one over their heads.
KICK ASS every day!!!
Aikman would do it...
He didn’t pump though on the fake pass, he just looked downfield as he was dropping back like he was going to throw.
I don't like it...a little bit
On the 3rd and goal (preceding the first 3 pointer) we’re at the one and a half and TR goes shotgun. To me handing off in this situation gives the LBs a clear read of the play and they stuffed it. On the third goal-to-go TR goes I formation which is tougher to discern and boom, TD. I don’t see the logic in handing the ball to a stationary RB that close in IMHO.
We picked up a yard on that play but needed a yard and a half.
the good thing was we were going to go for it before the false start.
That isolation/dive play may be a little misleading because we only run it short yardage/goalline.
I wouldnt expect to be more than a yard or to anyway
KICK ASS every day!!!
agree.......
I don’t like handing off in the shotgun at the goal-line because, like you said, we are at a disadvantage because the backs are so far back with Romo. This allows the defense to stuff it a lot easier, plus with them so far back it makes it a lot harder to get the needed yards. I prefer TR to be up under center with RB set in closer.
On the other hand...
Shotgun at the goalline spreads the defense out. I remember my Dad bitching to me how obvious it is you’re going to run when you bunch everyone together at the line and don’t spread anyone out. This way the LBs can just come over the top of the blocked OL. I think Belicheck likes to spread the defense out near the goal line for this very reason.
I've also seen offenses
bunch everybody in close on the goal line, fake a run through the middle, and toss a TD to the TE out in the flat. – that’s cool
You would think this would be a big part of our playbook...
having our 2 talented TEs. Plus, the defense wouldn’t know what to guard against, pass or run with everybody bunched up.
Just a note
Romo doesn’t call the play or the formation they run the play out of.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
I love our offense in the shotgun
I wouldn’t mind us running out the shotgun for every play, both pass and run. Romo is the most effective from it and as Raf points out, our best running plays can be run from it.
In Romo we Trust
the team averages less than two yards a carry on iso plays at any point on the field
the defense gets packed in and run your worst play at them? Why? Habit?
Personally, I'd rather play action pass at the goal line
I think the play is virtually unstoppable at the goal line if executed properly.
In Romo we Trust
Mister Vela, I respectfully disagree
As usual, a fine post. I respectfully would like to disagree with your following statement.
“The blend might change a bit with Marion Barber returning to the lineup and Jones sitting with a sprained knee. I doubt it. This line is what it is.”
Looking at what happened on Monday night, it seemed obvious that the Cowboys were attacking the left side of the line with Felix Jones. Felix made some big plays by simply outrunning defenders to the edge.
As soon as Jones went out with his PCL strain, the Cowboys switched their focus to running up the middle. Without Jones’ speed to the perimeter, Dallas attacked the belly of the Carolina defense. The Cowboys ran up the middle 3 times prior to Felix’s injury, and 9 times following Jones’ exit from the game.
It wasn’t like the middle runs were more effective either. Yards per carry were much better to the edges (both right and left) than up the middle.
I expect to see Dallas run up the middle much more, with an occasional bounce outside until Felix returns. Injuries never happen at a good time, but Jones will be missed in Denver. The Broncos are a better match-up against the Cowboys than many believe.
For more on this, go to:
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2009/9/29/1061220/the-felix-effect
Felix might be missed, but let's remember
Barber was getting bit chunks of yards running the bend counters outside right on Tampa Bay. Choice’s best run was when he bounced a draw outside after Witten sealed off Julius Peppers.
They’re going to continue hitting the perimeters. I think you’re going to see a lot more counter, which was Garrett’s run of choice vs. the Bucks. He also put some plays under wraps this week. That counter iso Jones broke for 50+ against New York wasn’t called.
They are what they are. Marion may not get 40 if he hits the perimeter, but in their best game last year (Cincinnati) he that bend counter to the weakside popped a lot. Dallas had over 200 yards in that game and Barber had the vast majority of them outside left.
They’re going to run at Elvis Dumevill and they’re going to keep running wide.
Bronco poster from the MileHighReport (John Bena)
seems to think that the Cowboys should run up the gut on Denver, rather than attempt to run to the perimeter playing right into the hands of their very quick defense.
Do you agree?
personally, I don't...
Playing to your own strengths is usually more effective than playing to the opponent’s weaknesses, in my opinion.
by speedmetal on Sep 30, 2009 5:03 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Dummerville is a little undersized.
Run right at him is probably your best bet. Flo will be chasing his ass on pass plays. Let Flo have numerous chances to extract revenge running directly at him.
KICK ASS every day!!!
Finding an Identity
I think that’s what the team is doing. They’ve found a play/formation that they are finding success and are gaining confidence in it. And we have so many ways to counter this once they start cheating the defense to defend it better.
My thoughts exactly
I think this is a trick by the suddenly wise RHG, get a repetitive play down on film over and over for a defense to key in on during film study and then when they are least expecting it pop a long something or other out of the same formation, but hell if it keeps working there is no need to do anything different….right?
Curtis Johnson
Did I read correctly that Curtis reinjured his hamstring yet didn’t get any defensive plays in the game. Huh what does that mean? Did it happen in practice or warming up, rather strange.
Good post but my question would be then Why can't they run inside?
Is there a particular reason or a few, or do we not exactly know the reason we can’t run inside?
The weak link
Raf, I assume you have been watching all of the individual offensive linemen and my assesment has been for awhile that Gurode may be the weaklink. This is the reason why we have such a problem with running up the middle. He appears good on the passing situations but he also has help from Barber or another back.
The stars might lie but the numbers never do
I think most people disagreeing are doing so on the basis of “I wish we were a better up the middle team, therefore we should do it more”
by cwbys4evr on Sep 30, 2009 4:43 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
It may be a little bit of cognitive dissonance
This line looks like it should be great at the inside stuff and terrible at the pulling aspects and yet it’s the reverse.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
I know this...
if the defense can continue to stop the run, and the offense can continously tote the rock, there shouldn’t be a game that Dallas CAN’T win.
Now that doesn’t mean they will, but the fact is that sooner or later teams are going to start gambling against the run if the offense keeps slashing them apart with the run.
This should be a very interesting year.
BTW, remember all those posts that said, “without a downfield threat, every team will be stacking 8 men in the box”…. where’d that go?
by The Immortal Iron Fist AKA AFB on Sep 30, 2009 5:50 PM CDT reply actions
It will be especially because
of the emphasis for Romo to be more cautious. How that will play when they need to fling the ball around will really be interesting. I think he passed up some deeper throws last Sunday, but this is a movie and not a photo. I think he’ll start feeling his way to a point of balance where he’s able to take measured risks.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
Sorry if this is inappropiate for the blog guys
But this link is too funny. Not for the younger people on this blog, but look if you want. Viewer discretion is advised. No one gets murdered or anything, but is something rather funny that happened during the MNF game at Dallas Stadium.
http://deadspin.com/5370499/couple-christens-dallas-cowboys-stadiums-new-bathroom-stalls
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
The comments after the video were the best part..
“Why there isn’t a TV screen for him to still be able to watch the game from this position is beyond me. $1.2 Billion just ain’t what it used to be.” I had to clean up my screen..
On another CLEANER note...
I thank the football gods ant the front office / coaching staff that we took Tash last year. We have the ability to not only absorb injuries, but more importantly, let them heal without missing a beat. Good job to the scouting dept!!!!!!!!!
American by birth, COWBOYS FAN by the grace of God.
Great Write Up
Whatever the Cowboys are doing keep it up, Top 5 scoring O. The offense has moved the ball well this year, especially on the ground. Romo did a great job making plays when necessary last week- We all know he can win a game with his arm. . If we can get a our lineman on the smaller Denver LB’s, we will have another good game running the football.
"No matter where you go, you are what you are playa"-Jay Z
Twitter Account
tripping?
Where did alla this tripping come from ….
by alanTdot. on Oct 1, 2009 12:31 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I saw the video on Profootball.com......
it was when he was coming out of his stance. Peppers was trying to go around him. From what I saw,it looked more like he was just trying to get leverage and not intentionally kicking at him. It was really quick and it didn’t look like a kick to me. I don’t know the rule in depth but it seemed like they were trying to make something out of it. I may be a little biased but I’m wondering if he’s getting the fine because of the video that profootball.com put up.
I didn't see it...
But supposedly it was for “intent to kick”. Since when is the league predicting the future?
Joseph O. Garcia
Long time reader, first comment :)
I was actually thinking about the “obscenely wide” running lane on that 2 pnt conversion. As much as I hate to admit it (and I really, really hate to admit it), that plan wouldn’t have worked nearly as well without the two decisions earlier in the game to thrrow it on the one. That seemed ridiculous at the time, but as we saw it may have been the strategically better move. (tactically is, of course, open for much debate. Heh.)
God Bless Texas
I understand your point
I still wish that had run for it the 2nd time (instead of throwing the fade to Bennett)
The 7 point TD would be so much better than the 2 point conversion
Yeah...
So do I. Lol. Just saying that it may not have been a completely strait-jacket worthy call. Just mostly… shrug
God Bless Texas
by dwarfknight64 on Oct 1, 2009 10:27 PM CDT up reply actions
2,162 pounds should be enough
Adams 338
Kosier 307
Gurode 318
Davis 353
Colombo 318
Witten 263
Bennett 265
Total weight 2,162
Denver’s front seven weighs 1,913 combined
It’s like we have one additional BODY blocking: difference 249 lbs
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