Brief notes this week

In a week when Dallas was arguably outplayed, turnovers were enough tip the scales in the Cowboys favor.

Net Pass YPA

The table below summarizes Dallas’s net pass YPA for the period from 2007-2010.

As a basis for comparison, summarized in the table below are the maximum, median, average, and minimum net pass YPA for the NFL 2010 season

The Cowboys results through week 11 are summarized in the table below.

The Darkos results through week11 are summarized in the table below.

The offense produced a net pass YPA of 6.4 y/a. That’s right around average against an average defense. It’s worth noting that WAS was #9 in defensive run success rate and #18 in net pass YPA. In other words, WAS is above average against the run and below average against the pass. Note that Dallas rushed 30 times against WAS for 91 yards, or about 3 yards/attempt. Note that Dallas gained 59 yards on 1 pass to #82. 30 plays to get 91 yards, 1 play to get 59 yards. Anyway, the offense was slightly above average. Not a bad game but not up to their usual level of outstanding performance.

The defense allowed a net pass YPA of 6.7 y/a. That’s allowing a terrible offense to produce at an above average level. Not good. I’d say the DL/OLB is in line for some blame. WAS OL has been terrible, they allowed 10 sacks against BUF (you saw last week how non-existent the BUF pass rush is, BUF has 6 sacks in their other 9 non-WAS games). To my amateur eye, it appears that Dallas is having more difficulty generating pressure and sent more blitzes against WAS (the blitzes didn’t seem to be effective). I don’t find it surprising since Dallas only has two players who are consistently good at rushing the passer. Sacks for the season: 4,6,3,0,3,1,4,1,1,3. My take is that to be a great defense Dallas needs to improve the pass rush talent.

Early Thanksgiving

Two weeks ago after the SEA game I wrote

Take a minute to appreciate Romo. Dallas fans saw what a bad NFL QB looks like today: T-Jax. Romo is a good NFL QB.

So I whole heartedly agree with these comments from Bob Sturm

Sometimes, in order to appreciate what you have in life, you simply have to look at the circumstances that others deal with on a constant basis.

As the Cowboys travel to Washington to play the Redskins on Sunday, we are reminded that so much in football depends on the QB position. Washington teaches us this lesson on a year to year basis…

By the end of 2009, the Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell era in Washington had run its 2-year course and it was time to reload with Mike Shanahan. The Redskins have now have won 9 of 27 games under Shanahan - thanks in no small part again to mediocre QB play. Donovan McNabb has started 13 games, Rex Grossman 9, and John Beck 3.

During that stretch, the Redskins quarterback position has combined for a QB rating of 74.5, with 29 TD passes against 34 interceptions….

Meanwhile, here is Tony Romo. He is having the best passing season of his career according to the passer rating (97.7). But, on a year by year basis since he has been the Cowboys starter, Romo has put up these ratings: 95.1, 97.4, 91.4, 97.6, 94.9, and now 97.7.

A 90 QB rating is the benchmark for excellence. About 8-10 QBs a year have a rating at or above 90. Since 2006, do you know how many QBs can boast a QB rating of over 90 each year? Exactly 2. Peyton Manning and Tony Romo. Obviously, that number is about to shrink to 1 with Manning sitting out the year with injury.

Now, before I am reminded that Manning also has the Super Bowl ring that is so badly desired around these parts for the Cowboys, let me share one more number: 144. 144 starts for Peyton Manning to get to a Super Bowl ring. Not everyone waits that long, but since some wait longer (John Elway, 219), it is fair to say that Romo with 71 starts entering Sunday's action still has a chance...

I think you would also glance at the 20 or so spots around the league that would be thrilled to have the level of QB play Dallas has enjoyed since Romo was installed as starter. 44-26 as a starter in those 70 starts means that the Cowboys are almost always in the playoff mix when he at the helm.

Game Notes

1st play: easy 9 yard pass to #29. #29 is murder against LBs. Another easy 13 yard pass to #29

4&7 (35 yards from the end zone). Punt. Giving up the chance to convert a 4&7 (which is successful about 40% of the time) for 15 yards of field position. That’s a poor trade.

Did the first TD to Dez remind anyone else of Irvin’s TD in the Super Bowl against the Bills (@ the 4:27 mark below)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dcrHOvOK0g#t=04m18s

Special teams: 32 yard punt return allowed, 56 yard punt return allowed, holding, KO returns can’t get back to the 20. You can count on at least a penalty per game for the special teams unit.

#29: beautiful move on the screen pass to juke the first defender, that looked like it was going to be a big play

4&1 (40 yards from the end zone). This time they go for it. Yay!

#82: running away from Deangelo Hall, that’s fast for a 265 lb guy. #68: Nice blocking on that play to give Romo time.

#9: All time bonehead play … the Chris Webber. Goes to show that all fans care about is W/L. No one is upset about a genuinely terrible play.

Week 12

Miami is another good matchup for Dallas. Miami doesn’t pass well and doesn’t defend the pass well. Yay! Sparano, keep building your team to dominate the 1980’s. Let’s see how you do against a team that’s built to win in this century.