5 thoughts from Cowboys' season-opening loss at Carolina

[Dodger12]

You don't quit on the run game because of zero or negative gain plays. You keep obstinately hammering. Then keep hammering some more.

Zeke should have had 30 carries and at least 10 receptions. You put the ball in the hands of your playmakers.

We didn't sustain any drives for Zeke to get 30 carries. I mean, we gave him the ball even on 2nd and long (17). In any event, teams are going to continue to stack the box and Zeke is going to continue to struggle until we can complete some passes downfield.

 

[dbair1967]

You don't quit on the run game because of zero or negative gain plays. You keep obstinately hammering. Then keep hammering some more.

Zeke should have had 30 carries and at least 10 receptions. You put the ball in the hands of your playmakers.

If he would have had 30 carries, he might have gotten to 90 yards. I would agree though he should have gotten more receptions.

They couldnt run the ball to save their ass. There was no push, there were no holes. At some point you have to adjust.

Throwing downfield some on 1st and 2nd down would help, but apparently that thought never crossed their mind.

 

[dbair1967]

We didn't sustain any drives for Zeke to get 30 carries. I mean, we gave him the ball even on 2nd and long (17). In any event, teams are going to continue to stack the box and Zeke is going to continue to struggle until we can complete some passes downfield.

This

 

[Doomsday]

If he would have had 30 carries, he might have gotten to 90 yards. I would agree though he should have gotten more receptions.

They could run the ball to save their ass. there was no push, there were no holes. At some point you have to adjust.

Throwing downfield some on 1st and 2nd down would help, but apparently that thought never crossed their mind.

Some draw plays would have helped a lot as well. Running into the teeth of 9 man fronts ain't the way in any event and that's not what I'm calling for. Play-action on 1st and 10 anyone? With a convincing fake to Zeke? They would tackle Zeke and get a defensive holding penalty just like Romanowski did in the NFC Championship game back in 92. Draw play on 3rd and 7? Gets popped for 30.

There's myriads of ways to punish them for keying on your RB.

 

[Doomsday]

When we did pass on 1st and 10 we telegraphed it with 5 wide. NO play-action. NO threat from our one threat.

 

[dbair1967]

When we did pass on 1st and 10 we telegraphed it with 5 wide. NO play-action. NO threat from our one threat.

Or they tried that PA bootleg out to the right which fools absolutely no one anymore. The two routes they run out of it usually have a FB or TE about 1-2 yds downfield and maybe a WR on the sideline 10 yards or so downfield.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

There's myriads of ways to punish them for keying on your RB.

Not in the Garrett beat your man mindset.

 

[dbair1967]

Not in the Garrett beat your man mindset.

Wish someone would ask Garrett when the last time someone beat his man here.

All I see is Garrett and Jones beating their meat.

 

[Swish of DC Legion IX]

No huddle hurry up offense!

Does anyone feel like we don't utilize the no huddle hurry up offense enough? It feels like when they do, they get into a better rhythm and it gives the offense a spark. I know you don't want to do that all game long, but I think they should implement this more into the offense to keep the defense on their heels a bit during the game.

 

[Dodger12]

Does anyone feel like we don't utilize the no huddle hurry up offense enough? It feels like when they do, they get into a better rhythm and it gives the offense a spark. I know you don't want to do that all game long, but I think they should implement this more into the offense to keep the defense on their heels a bit during the game.

It probably looks that way because when we utilize it, the D is in prevent and is willing to give up short passes. It's probably more indicative of the D more so than the efficiency of the offense.

 

[icup]

 

[Swish of DC Legion IX]

Good point.

 

[theoneandonly]

Does anyone feel like we don't utilize the no huddle hurry up offense enough? It feels like when they do, they get into a better rhythm and it gives the offense a spark. I know you don't want to do that all game long, but I think they should implement this more into the offense to keep the defense on their heels a bit during the game.

Sure but the Garrett mantra has always been if it works, abandon it quickly, so I can show I am the smartest guy in the room.

 

[Swish of DC Legion IX]

Sure but the Garrett mantra has always been if it works, abandon it quickly, so I can show I am the smartest guy in the room.

Yeah, it hets frustrating.

 

[Doomsday]

Does anyone feel like we don't utilize the no huddle hurry up offense enough? It feels like when they do, they get into a better rhythm and it gives the offense a spark. I know you don't want to do that all game long, but I think they should implement this more into the offense to keep the defense on their heels a bit during the game.

They likely don't know the real purpose of it, which is to trap the defense in one personnel grouping/one package and take advantage of the resulting advantages. What, you think we have knowledgable football people in charge.?

You think we have enough dicipline to pull it off without defeating the purpose of it with our bonehead penalties? False starts and crap? Illegal motion, illegal formations? Shit we can't even line up right much less go no huddle.

Thanks for the belly laugh though.

 

[dbair1967]

Does anyone feel like we don't utilize the no huddle hurry up offense enough? It feels like when they do, they get into a better rhythm and it gives the offense a spark. I know you don't want to do that all game long, but I think they should implement this more into the offense to keep the defense on their heels a bit during the game.

It doesn't seem like Prescott's strength is reading defenses or making play call adjustments to better take advantage of coverage or alignments, so I'd say no.

I don't like anything about our offense now to be honest. It has no identity or rhyme or reason to what they are doing. I hate the running game system they have now and as many have mentioned, the passing system is awful.

 

[Swish of DC Legion IX]

They likely don't know the real purpose of it, which is to trap the defense in one personnel grouping/one package and take advantage of the resulting advantages. What, you think we have knowledgable football people in charge.?

You think we have enough dicipline to pull it off without defeating the purpose of it with our bonehead penalties? False starts and crap? Illegal motion, illegal formations? Shit we can't even line up right much less go no huddle.

Thanks for the belly laugh though.

Yeah, the penalties do bite us in the ass and this team is lacking discipline.

 

[Swish of DC Legion IX]

It doesn't seem like Prescott's strength is reading defenses or making play call adjustments to better take advantage of coverage or alignments, so I'd say no.

I don't like anything about our offense now to be honest. It has no identity or rhyme or reason to what they are doing. I hate the running game system they have now and as many have mentioned, the passing system is awful.

I 100% agree with you that Dak can't read the defense and make adjustments.

 

[Ragnar]

It doesn't seem like Prescott's strength is reading defenses or making play call adjustments to better take advantage of coverage or alignments, so I'd say no.

I don't like anything about our offense now to be honest. It has no identity or rhyme or reason to what they are doing. I hate the running game system they have now and as many have mentioned, the passing system is awful.

Your second paragraph could not be more accurate. I'm not even going to blame Dak for this because he's being put in this situation. What the Rams ran last night is closer to what we should be doing. Instead we're all over the place. We make it painfully obvious when we're running or passing. We looked better on offense in 1989 for those that can remember.

 

[Scot]