SPORTSDAY

Posted by JR @ 3:59 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

In general, conventional wisdom states you pressure a young, shaky QB and you sit back and play coverage vs. a solid one. Certainly appears to be proven right here, although with the Cowboys 4 man pass rush it might have been unavoidable.

Posted by Jrs2300 @ 4:14 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

This is why Dallas lost... things like this... Never Once did they rush 3 and Drop everyone else... I that would've did some help... People think that Brady can complete passes even if all 11 dropped... But it is not true.... Brady would've tucked it and ran.. OR... threw it away because he isn't like Romo.. he isn't going to try to force things that aren't there...

I can't believe that Wade, Brian Stewart and Todd Bowles believed they could stop that passing game..

BY THE WAY.. GREAT WORK BREER.. COULD YOU SHOW WHAT THE PATRIOTS DID .. DID THEY DROP 8... OR 7 ... SO WE CAN SEE HOW A REAL DEFENSIVE COACH DOES THINGS..

Posted by JP @ 4:22 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Albert...this is very good stuff. Thanks. More of you, Calvin, Todd and less of Tim and we may learn something!

Posted by Bill In DC @ 4:29 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Does the number in parenthsis indicate the number of passes/completions? If so, it says that the standard 4 man rush was more successful than when we rushed 5-6.

It suggests that more people in coverage is better than more people in pass rush against Brady.

We should file that away for when we play them in February. :)

Fake the 5 man and have them drop into coverage.

Posted by Charles - ATL @ 4:35 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Thanks Albert...very nice. I'm with Jrs2300, could you breakdown the Patriots in a sinmilar vein? Would be nice to see what they did that ultimately proved to be so effective.

Posted by scott @ 4:46 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

I still thought we should have had more in coverage then blitzing LB's all the time, we got caught like a virgin on prom night!!!!

Posted by Robert @ 4:54 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

I love the stats but Albert, make things easier and focus on the important stuff...

What percentage of the completion where in the middle of the field? Answer alot. Why? Because we where blitzing and playing man underneath with a 1/2 Safety shell.

Unfortunately, we used 6 to cover 4/5 and of those siz most suck in coverage.

Roy, Bradie and Akin can't cover. Not zone, not man. Name me the last pass they knocked down .... errr last year. Ellis, uh no even worse. Where where Burnett and Carpenter?

Now for the DBs we used, Jones is a career back-up. Hamlin is a SS -- not a FS. Watkins does not even have a season of snaps but there is hope. Reeves is learning and Newman is returning from injury.

Not exactly the ideal personnel play Cover 1 Man or Cover 2 Man.

Frankly, our coaches are idiots and arrogrant thinking blitz and pass rushing solves all problems. Maybe versus bad teams but not good ones with brains.

This explains Wade's dreadful Playoff Defense versus good teams. In 5 Wins gave up 19.4 ppg and 11 Losses gave up 28 ppg. You can not be so one-dimensional and stupid. Wade is being stupid. Boring stupid Parcells by design 9.8 PPG in wins and 25 PPG in losses.

SO ...... WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS PLAY ZONE PROPERLY WHEN YOUR COVER GUYS SUCK. Rush your best 4. Play 2 CB to bump, disrupt timing and settle into zone. Get the LB into coverage fast and get the safeties back (10/25 yds).

Why do this passive approach? Because Assuming your 4 get OK pressure you force the QB to squeeze the throws to the SIDELINES or make risky throws into coverage in the MIDDLE OF THE FIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you think the Pats do with such lousy cover backers and slow LBers? Even with all the injuries they play good coverage beause they play good zone D. Pack the middle of the field and force QB to throw difficult sideline routes. Sideline is your friend. And bobbles or tip passes in the middle of the field turn into INTs.

I am no coach but I am not stupid enuff to let the Pats score 42 points throwing the ball down the middle of the field every time while maning up players who can't play it.

All the points and yards where between the hash marks. I can't imagine what else an analyst would see. The pass rush stats are interesting but really irrlevant.

Do an analysis of the Coverage and the passing game efficiency of Brady. This is the heart of the matter.

Posted by BG82288 - Tampa @ 4:58 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Breer...welcome to the DMN. This is phenominal stuff for the football fan who considers himself educated or wants to gain more insight into football. Keep this analysis and breakdown coming week after week. And I'm w/ the other fellas...how did the Pats compare?

Posted by Larry @ 4:59 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

OK, thats all very interesting but its time to stop talking about the Pat game and start talking about a much more important game coming up this weekend.

I have said all along, the Viking game, being a conference game, and agains a team which might figure into the NFC playoff picture is much more important.

Now it is not only important, but critical, that the boys come thru on this one. To go into the bye with two straight losses and then to go on the road against Phili and The Giants, well, to say the least, that would not be good - And this is not to mention having to wait two-weeks to play after 2-straight losses.

On the other hand, a 6-1 record going into the bye, with the toughest game out of the way, and Tank and Henry coming back, and maybe even Glenn. That would make for a nice two-week layoff.

Ultra important game - Gotta have this one Cowboys.

Posted by John @ 5:01 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

This is all good stuff. I enjoy the thoroughness that Albert provides this blog. However, the bottom line is that we got beat by a better team. As Phil Simms mentioned at the end of the game, there is a whole other level that the Cowboys have to get to. It really seems that the NE-Indy rivalry can mirror the Dallas-SF rivalry of the 90s. Whoever wins that game is going to be the favorite/champion. However, if we can keep some core players around, and that starts with Romo, there is no reason this team can't emulate the Cowboys of the 70s. With one or two titles coming when the other conference's big boys don't make the dance or beat each other up.

Posted by Robert @ 5:05 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Our Base D versus pass happy spread offenses should be as follows 3 - 3 - 5

DL = Spears/Ellis--Ratliff/Ayodele--Hatcher/Canty
LB = Ware/Carp--James/Ayodele/R Williams--Spencer/Burnett(WLB)
DB = Reeves--Hamlin--Watkins--Newman--Jones

Once Henry is back out goes Jones......

Posted by Not So Crazy Ray @ 5:05 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Good stuff as always, Albert. And I really hope that those who have posted here that the Cowboys were too aggressive aren't the same ones who always complained that Parcells was too passive on D.

Posted by Jrs2300 @ 5:05 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

ROBERT .. YOU NEED TO BE A COACH... GREAT VIEW OF THINGS...

I am not Jumping off the Boat... I have been a fan since 1979.. BUT... I noticed from day 1 that Wade Phillips is a COCKY SON OF A SOMETHING.. and that's probably why he hasn't gotten more Head Coaching jobs...

Wade is the first guy to tell you his ACCOMPLISHMENTS !!! HE DID THIS HE DID THAT... THAT'S SORTA ANNOYING.. YOU NEVER HEAR BILL BELICHICK TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE HAS DONE.. if you didn't know any better you would think he's never won a game... and his players Respect that !!

So it is NO WONDER... WHY HE STUCK TO HIS WATER GUNS WITH HIS PRECIOUS PHILLIPS 3-4 STYLE...
HE IS SO STUBBORN WITH THAT STUFF... DO WHAT WILL WORK.. NOT WHAT YOU CREATED... GEEEZZZ

anyway... Here is what the PATRIOTS OFFENSIVE FORMATIONS VS. COWBOYS OFFENSIVE FORMATIONS

2 WR/2 TE/1 RB -- 36 of 80
3 WR/1 TE/1 RB -- 28 of 80
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 7 of 80
1 WR/3 TE/1 RB -- 4 of 80
4 WR/1 RB -- 2 of 80
3 TE/1 FB/ 1 RB -- 2 of 80
3 WR/1 FB/1 RB -- 1 of 80

AND THE COWBOYS PUT OUT THIS OFFENSE

1 RB/2 TE/2 WR 20 of 44 plays (8 /12)
1 RB/1 TE/3 WR 14 of 44 plays (10/4)
2 RB/0 TE/3 WR 5 of 44 plays (4/1)
2 RB/1 TE/2 WR 4 of 44 plays (2/2)
2 RB/2 TE/1 WR 1 of 44 plays (1/0)

Posted by Raff Hollister @ 5:15 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

I personally think most of you are nutts!

Not that you dont have good thoughts, but that you think you know more than the Coach on "how things should have been done"

Are you not remembering that the players are still learning the Phillips 3-4, and that the coach is still learning the players. Are you forgetting that the defensive and offensive coordinators are not only new to the Cowboys but are performing as coordinators for the first time.

Are you not taking into account that this is a brand new defense and that the offense is also changed quite a bit.

Are you forgetting that the defense has had to do without one of its two starting cornerbacks in every game, and the boys have had to deal with losing their starting nose tackle and their starting outside linebacker for most of the season. And are you forgetting that we are 6-games deep into a season where all this new stuff has simply not jelled as yet.

All you armchair QB's just need to settle back and not get your panties in such wadds over one lose to the best team in football.

Posted by Jrs2300 @ 5:22 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Everyone was saying how Sammy Morris got 100 yds vs. Cincy and Cleveland.. I put out a post that said Cincy and Cleveland gave up 100 yd runners weeks and weeks before going against NE.. so it wasn't Morris getting 100 it was Cincy and Clev giving up easy 100yds games.. Why didn't Dallas and Wade see this ??

I would've put a 3-2-6 out there.. keeping in mind that Roy Williams would play Crossing Routes and Quick Hits in the Middle... I would dare them to run... run.. and I wouldn't get out of that Formation... Reeves, and Newman can tackle well... They wouldn't run side to side because of the speed on the field.. and wouldn't really be able to pass... I would give brady all day to throw.. he wouldn't have gotten much !

3-2-6
Canty Bowen Spears
Reeves Ware James Newman

Roy Williams

Jones Hamlin Watkins

That is what they should've ran vs. Patriots..

Posted by Jrs2300 @ 5:30 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

RAFF.. PLEASE....
this is football... not science... even Wade Phillips said that No SECONDARY COVERAGES changes in his 3-4 Defense compared to Parcells 3-4..

players Jelling ?? yeah... add Hamlin and the whole group don't know how to play together..

Offensively it's about AGGRESSIVENESS.. do you remember the Offensive Gameplan vs. the Bears..

Why wouldn't Dallas say Hey.. I am putting out 4 Wr's and getting those Linebackers Off the field.. and give more chances for a Deep chance OR.. being able to run a crossing route without fear of Thomas, Vrabel, Seau, or Bruschi in the middle !! Sure they are old.. but they are super smart.. get your Dumb 4th Cornerback on the field like we did... See the Genius that Belichick did ...

Posted by Kirby Weather @ 5:36 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

With a 3-2-6 (this isn't Pee-Wee football BTW), Brady would have thrown the ball to Faulk & Morris every play, you knuckleheads and THEY would have been the heroes, and not Stallworth and Welker. Whether you want to admit it or not, our Boys got beat. If they had kept up the magic of the first 2 and a half quarters, it may have come down to the last drive. But it didn't. 5 or 6 mistakes were made late in the 3rd quarter and 4th - end of the game. Move on. Go back and re-watch the 1990 and 1991 Pokes games for a perspective on where they are right now. Or were you not of "TV age" in 1990-1991? I personally think they are ahead of where they were in 1991 right now.

Posted by SRVBob @ 5:47 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Raff,
Thank you for saving me the trouble.

SRVBob

Posted by Jrs2300 @ 5:51 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

KIRBY... WHO'S THE KNUCKLEHEAD... ISN'T THROWING TO FAULK AND MORRIS WHAT YOU WANT... I WOULD RATHER HAVE THAT THEN RUNNING PLAYS... OR THOSE 10 - 20 YDS CONSTANT COMPLETIONS TO WELKER,MOSS AND STALLWORTH..

AND YOU SAY MOVE ON.... OK... TILL THE REDSKINS, EAGLES, GREENBAY, THE GIANTS , AND DETROIT DO THE SAME THING VS. THIS SECONDARY...

US REAL FANS REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE SAINTS EXPOSED THAT SAME SECONDARY.. AND THAT SAME SCHEME...

OH AND BY THE WAY... KIRBY.. THAT SAME 3-2-6 PEE WEE FOOTBALL IS THE SAME EXACT 3-2-6 FORMATION BELICHICK USED TO BEAT THE RAMS FOR THE SUPERBOWL. !!!
AND THEY BLITZED MARSHALL FAULK LIKE HE ALREADY HAD THE BALL.. EVERY SINGLE PLAY....
THINK OUT OF THE BOX SOMETIME FOR THE RIGHT ANSWERS

Posted by Robert @ 5:51 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

The Wade 3-4? Gimme a Fing break .... Here is Wade 3-4 versus Playoff Teams (5-11)

In 5 Wins 19.4 PPG

In 11 Loses 27.9 PPG

Enuff arrogance from Wade. Worse than Parcells. Your version of the 3-4 sucks when it counts.... like with the Pats

MEMO TO WADE: maybe you should be less a Good Ol Boy and take a more a Flexible Thoughtful Analytical approach ..........

Playing Buddy Ryan 46 (this is the Wade 3-4) is not the answer when you don't have the Defensive Backfield for it.

Posted by Jrs2300 @ 5:56 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

KIRBY... WHO'S THE KNUCKLEHEAD... ISN'T THROWING TO FAULK AND MORRIS WHAT YOU WANT... I WOULD RATHER HAVE THAT THEN RUNNING PLAYS... OR THOSE 10 - 20 YDS CONSTANT COMPLETIONS TO WELKER,MOSS AND STALLWORTH..

AND YOU SAY MOVE ON.... OK... TILL THE REDSKINS, EAGLES, GREENBAY, THE GIANTS , AND DETROIT DO THE SAME THING VS. THIS SECONDARY...

US REAL FANS REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE SAINTS EXPOSED THAT SAME SECONDARY.. AND THAT SAME SCHEME...

OH AND BY THE WAY... KIRBY.. THAT SAME 3-2-6 PEE WEE FOOTBALL IS THE SAME EXACT 3-2-6 FORMATION BELICHICK USED TO BEAT THE RAMS FOR THE SUPERBOWL. !!!
AND THEY BLITZED MARSHALL FAULK LIKE HE ALREADY HAD THE BALL.. EVERY SINGLE PLAY....
THINK OUT OF THE BOX SOMETIME FOR THE RIGHT ANSWERS

Posted by Jeff L. @ 6:01 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

I think there's one very important thing being overlooked here. This cry for a scheme change sounds good, but you're all assuming that the extra DB's on the field would be able to cover somebody.

As I see it, it would have only added a few bodies for Moss, Welker and Stallworth to run past.

Posted by LL from Austin @ 6:10 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Too bad we couldn't trade Roy Willy before the trade deadline. A 7th round pick, a rusty Yugo, a bag of Chips, whatever we got would have been considered a win.

Posted by Rob from NB @ 7:26 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

I've been driven to my first post.

You guys amaze me, it's ONE game in an otherwise wonderful start. You want to fire the coach and change the entire lineup after a 5-1 start?

Where the hell have you been for the last 10 years?

We are a team just learning two new schemes (offense and defense) and while we didn't win against the Pats, we were certainly in the game up until the end of the 3rd / beginning of the 4th. Give our guys (both coaches and players) a bit of time to feel each other out and get some key players back from injury and we may have something we haven't had in 10 years, a team that can not just make the playoffs, but make a deep run into them.

Posted by larry giusti @ 8:02 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Check out the Cowlishaw article. It's really scary to know that Wade would play the Patriots the same way if they met again. Wade actually said he wants to stop the run and force Brady to throw. If they meet again in the Super Bowl, here's what I would do. Assuming all these guys would be healthy then, I would have four down linemen, Ware and Ellis at DE, Ratliff and Johnson at DT. On sure passing downs, you could bring in Bowen and Hatcher for Ratliff and Johnson. Williams and Davis at LB. Newman covering the slot receiver with no help. Henry and Reeves at corner, with Watkins and Hamlin at safety, helping Henry and Reeves. Don't let Brady beat you, make Morris or whoever the RB is beat you. I don't think the Patriots RB's are going to rush for 388 yards and score 5 touchdowns against the Cowboys.

Posted by Breer Fan @ 8:06 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Bill, The boys won't be playing in Febuary. Market it down Jr.

Posted by Larry @ 8:08 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

You are absolutely right Rob from NB.

The cowboy fans and press, and I am not sure which is the worse, but they are both harder on their team than any fans in America.

As Raff Hollister tried to point out earlier in a post very similar to yours, there are so many reasons why it is nothing short of amazing that the boys are sitting at 5-1 right now, but one negative game and cowboy fans go off the deap end.

This young team and these schemes need time to develop, and it may well be next year before we can realistically expect a Super Bowl, but so many so called Cowboy fans can't seem to ever look at the big picture. One loss and it fire the coaches, the general manager, and half the players. Rediculous.

Posted by Rodney in Nashville @ 8:10 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Robert, quit complaining. If you can't figure it out go back to special ed brotha.

Posted by Rodney in Nashville @ 8:16 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Jrs2300, quit kissing wade's butt. You are Clueless. Or is that too complicated for you?

Posted by Kirby Weather @ 8:19 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

JRS -

That button on the left side of the keyboard - the one marked "Caps Lock". Hit it. It won't make you any more knowledgable about Cowboy's history, but it will help you stop annoying everyone else that reads this blog.

Looking out for you,

Kirby

Posted by CB @ 11:55 PM Tue, Oct 16, 2007

Is it out of the realm of possibility that the Boys did not show much, in an effort to gauge their base defense against the NFL's best? It is early. It would be a genius move, thinking long term. Take the loss but know your weaknesses and how gurus like Belicheat will attack you in a meaningless game.

Posted by James Pate @ 10:03 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

While I am an avid Cowboys fan I am also realistic. I have seen this pass defense before, last year. I predict the Cowboys will go 6 and 4 in their last ten games. they are still good enough to win the division but not yet elite. They will be facing much better quarterbacks the rest of the way, Favre, NcNabb, Manning (again). Even the Detroit offense may outscore these guys. And the Redskins defense may be able to stop our offense. I hate to be doom and gloom but I have seen this defense before...

Let's not fall into the trap of believing injuries are holding our defense back. They are not good enough with everyone healthy. Roy Williams is a serious liability. I would let Patrick Watkins play more even though he gave up a touchdown Sunday by missing a tackle. We need better DB's to take the next step towards elite.

Posted by mike @ 12:39 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Have to agree on the Roy Williams liability he just cannot cover-not very cerebral should be a linebacker.There are alot of people whinning and complaining like we are the best team in the league, let's be real! We have to learn how to win and play in two new systems-off and def. we need to improve the secondary so we dont collapse like last season. Other than that we will be fine especially with the guys returning from injuuries including Glenn, Henry,and the addition of Tank.

Posted by mike @ 12:51 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

the New Englang Pats are a very oiled machine and realized there would be no more super bowls without upgrading the wide receiver positions

Not only did the upgrade with Stallworth, but the rest of the league sat and watched them add maybe the best deep threat receiver of all time for a 5th round pick? The owners and general mgrs were listening too much to the media who disliked R Moss.They deserve all the kudos for showing the courage to disregard the media pundits the same way Jerry did when signing TO.

We have to have the courage to get better at safety because we already have good run defense we need cover guys! Our saving grace will be the return of Terry Glenn who will make our off., even more prolific because of the deep threat. I think next year will be our year because theres no winning before going through the fire together.