cockstrong
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yimyammer
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Full article:
I am frustrated with the oversimplification of football analysis. As a cornerback, I am familiar with being blamed by media and fans for a deep pass caught on my side despite not being responsible for the deep zone. So this season, I will be watching the coaches’ video and analyzing the impact of all 22 players on the field and the coaches’ game plan.
On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys lost for the second time this season. And, as expected with “America’s Team,” the reactions from fans and analysts are all over the map. But none of their opinions matter to us. Let’s see what the coaches’ film shows us.
Good showing by the Cowboys’ defense
Is it possible that the Cowboys should feel better about their team today than they did before losing to the New York Giants on Sunday? As counterintuitive as that may seem, it is not crazy. So far this season, all of the credit for the Cowboys’ success has gone to their offense. We’ve seen their offensive line dominate opposing defenses. And we’ve marveled at the poise, intelligence and playmaking ability of rookie sensations Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. But so far this season, the Dallas defense has been almost as bad as the offense was good. Before Sunday’s game, the Cowboys ranked among the worst in several important defensive categories, such as yards per play, third-down conversion percentage and turnovers per drive.
But that wasn’t the case on Sunday. Of all of the NFL defenses that played that day, the Cowboys ranked near the top of the categories mentioned above. And they were second in points per drive, allowing a stingy 0.47. The raw stats are impressive, but they’re more impressive when you consider how little support they received from their offense. Going into this game, the Cowboys offense led the league in down-set conversion rate with 77.1 percent. That stat may not seem important. But it means that the Cowboys are keeping drives moving, which is a huge benefit for the defense. Those extended drives give the Cowboys’ defense the advantage of field position, time of possession and a lead on the scoreboard.
Against the Giants on Sunday, the offense’s down-set conversion rate was 50 percent, its worst showing of the season. So the defense didn’t have the advantages it’s accustomed to, but had its best showing of the season against a very talented offense. Maybe the Cowboys should be encouraged. If this disappointing offensive effort was an anomaly, and they can build on their powerful defensive performance, they will be unbeatable.
Romo Island
But, if they really want to take this team to the next level, the Cowboys should go back to Tony Romo. This is not an overreaction to one bad game from Prescott. I have been advocating for Antonio Ramiro Romo for months. I got receipts:
Check the date. I have long been a resident of Romo Island. To be clear, I am a Prescott fan, but I believe his limitations can cost the Cowboys in the playoffs. In this game, the Giants confused the Cowboys’ protections with zone blitzes, and dropped defensive linemen into the passing lanes of Prescott’s hot receivers. The blitzes weren’t particularly well-disguised. If Prescott were to ignore the pre-snap alignments of the D-line and linebackers and focus on the alignment of the secondary players, it would have been clear where the blitz was coming from. Especially as the game progressed, the cornerbacks and safeties were lining up steps behind the blitzers so they could pick up the vacated coverage responsibility. I could be wrong, but I believe that Romo, a 14-year NFL veteran quarterback, has seen every blitz that NFL defenses have to offer. In fairness to Prescott, the running game will suffer without him. On a couple of occasions during this game, I saw defenders step toward Prescott, respecting his ability to run the zone read, only to see the NFL’s leading rusher, Elliott, carry the ball into their secondary.
Prescott will be the starter again this week against the hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But if he has another bad showing, I would be surprised if Romo doesn’t start to get at least a few snaps.
Domonique Foxworth is a writer at The Undefeated. He is a recovering pro athlete and superficial intellectual.
ThoughtExperiment
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Good article there. And he's totally right about the defense. They're playing to their potential, which is all you can ask.
CompoundFracture
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I have to point out that the only reason anyone can entertain this conversation on any level is because the Cowboys are 11-2. If the Cowboys were 5-8, no one would give a damn if Romo got a start. Not a fucking soul. Or if he was even on the active roster.
Riddle me this. If the Cowboys thought Tony Romo could start now and be more effective than Dak moving forward, as many have suggested and bloviate about incessantly, why the fuck is Mark Sanchez still on this team in any capacity? But we all already know the answer to that. Don't we?
I don't know, man. People are milking this shit for all its worth. As expected, I guess. Still pisses me off.
Riddle me this. If the Cowboys thought Tony Romo could start now and be more effective than Dak moving forward, as many have suggested and bloviate about incessantly, why the fuck is Mark Sanchez still on this team in any capacity? But we all already know the answer to that. Don't we?
I don't know, man. People are milking this shit for all its worth. As expected, I guess. Still pisses me off.
theoneandonly
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So many people are jumping over the fact that Romo sucked when he played last year and acting like it never happened. I got a hunch there are few people in the FO that dont want that Romo to reappear and damage his trade value.
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Sanchez is still here for a few reasons:
1) His salary is fully guaranteed for the season.
2) He's the 3rd QB now, right behind a guy who has been injured multiple times the past few years and has a serious back issue currently. If Romo had to play because Prescott got injured, Romo MUST have a backup as well.
3) I think they like Sanchez and by many accounts he really likes it here with Prescott and this coaching staff. I think its likely he'll be retained as the backup QB next year after Romo is traded/released/retires.
CompoundFracture
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Thank you. THAT is my point. The Cowboys have to carry 3 QBs because they can't count on their present #2 (Romo) being able to make it through a game. Much less more than 1.
Bob Sacamano
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PFF noted that Dak actually played worse when the pocket was kept clean. Means he was both wildly inaccurate and confused as hell by the Giant's coverages.
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Yeah I saw that. Also saw some of the still photos of guys he missed who were side open and some all-22 analysis that was pretty bad.
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Yep and also, how RUSTY Romo is after time off, and how many dumb picks and how long it takes him to shake off that rust.
Bob Sacamano
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Link some of that all-22 analysis if you please...
Bob Sacamano
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The most glaring was when he tried to drop it over Witten and to Dez. But the pass was so bad Witten thought it was for him and Dez thought that as well.
If he threw an earlier, well-placed ball. Dez had a chance for a big play. He was wide open near the sideline with a defender some 5 yards away from him.
Bob Sacamano
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I don't think pulling Dak for Romo if he puts on another performance against the Bucs would be an overreaction. It would simply mean defenses have figured out how to contain the whole offense by hamstringing Dak. The Cowboys can't allow Dak to torpedo their championship aspirations.
Yes, you could say that we're primed for another run next year, but you never know. The Panthers going into this year looked to be doing the same thing that they got Kelvin Benjamin back and largely returning the same cast. Yet everything that could have gone wrong for them this year has.
They have to examine every possible scenario to get as much out of this year as they can. Which includes everything up to and including bringing Romo back as the starter...
...If Dak doesn't pull his head out of his ass. Hopefully he does and the Cowboys can continue where they left off.
Yes, you could say that we're primed for another run next year, but you never know. The Panthers going into this year looked to be doing the same thing that they got Kelvin Benjamin back and largely returning the same cast. Yet everything that could have gone wrong for them this year has.
They have to examine every possible scenario to get as much out of this year as they can. Which includes everything up to and including bringing Romo back as the starter...
...If Dak doesn't pull his head out of his ass. Hopefully he does and the Cowboys can continue where they left off.
Bob Sacamano
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Dak's starting to get a little testy:
"Everybody in this locker room doesn’t pay attention to [the outside noise]. Y’all get paid to do that, we don’t,” Prescott said.
"Everybody in this locker room doesn’t pay attention to [the outside noise]. Y’all get paid to do that, we don’t,” Prescott said.
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That leads to a question for anyone that wants Romo back in. How many games are you willing to lose waiting for Romo to shake the rust off? Because it's going to take time, 2-3 weeks at least. Are you willing to give up home field and that bye week? Are you willing to play the Giants again in NY? Because that likely would happen.
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That definitely was a bad pass. On the other hand, the pass to Dez on that last drive was perfect. He was driving the team and was close to putting the team in position to at least tie before the Dez fumble.
Personally I don't think Jason and Stephen feel the same way as Jerry. So I don't expect there will be a QB change. I think Dak would have to play horrible the next two games before they would go to Tony. I don't anticipate Dak playing that bad.
What do you guys think all this talk is doing to Tony's trade value? The perceived desire for the team to want Tony to replace a QB that has gone 11-2 on a legit SB contender has to help his trade value.
........lol good on him. NOthing wrong with that. Its the truth. The media are the voltures of society. ..
TheZoneSucks
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As a side note - I read a headline recently where Romo wants to be released rather than traded so he can optimize his options. Well, tough shit Tony. You don't get to make that call. You get traded to who we want you traded to so we can get some compensation for your greedy ass.
ThoughtExperiment
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Jerry will probably take a happy medium there and trade him where he wants to go.
He has mad love for Romo. And really, how can you blame him. He singlehandedly kept this team and Jerry's pet head coach afloat for years. No telling how many millions Tony made Jerry.
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That's not entirely true. He will have to agree to rework his contract for any team to take him on, so he will still have a say in where he goes in a trade. I agree though that it makes. Ore sense for the Cowboys to trade him and get the compensation.