Gameday Thread | Wildcard Weekend. Seattle @ Dallas

[Doomsday]

I didnt bother to look to see how some of the other better teams do, maybe I'll check out a couple and post.

I think you're going to find that blowouts per se really aren't the norm in the league.

 

[dbair1967]

Yeah I'm not nervous about it at all, just the one caveat I have is our dismal ST, I'm more anxious for it to get started than I am nervous at all.

The ST do worry me, but not much more than the rest of the team worries me. We could lay an egg and get blown out.

If we can hang in there and get to the 4th qtr in a close game, I do like our chances. But get behind by 14-17 pts fairly early and Dandy Don's gonna start singing.

They should really be trying to mimic the 1990 Giants under Parcells in their approach to beating San Fran and Buffalo that yr in the NFC Champ and Super Bowl.

 

[dbair1967]

Interesting read.

Destroying myths about eight 2018 NFL playoff teams in divisional round

The myth: The Cowboys have a great defense.

Even after Saturday's 24-22 win over the Seahawks, I find it difficult to make a case that the Cowboys have one of the league's best defenses. The win over Seattle was driven by a brutally anachronistic game plan from a Seahawks team that seemed to talk itself into believing its own press clippings. Facing one of the league's best run defenses, the Seahawks ran the ball 24 times for 73 yards. Outside of one Rashaad Penny run, Seattle's 23 other carries went for just 45 yards and four first downs.

When the Seahawks chose to pass, though, Russell Wilson lit up the Dallas secondary. Wilson went 18-of-27 for 233 yards with a touchdown pass and a passer rating of 105.9, dropping dimes over Chidobe Awuzie to both Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin. Facing a Seahawks line that is still far better in run blocking than pass protection, the Cowboys sacked Wilson only once and knocked him down three times across 28 dropbacks. He finished a low-scoring wild-card weekend as the only quarterback with a passer rating above 90.

Wilson was able to create opportunities in the passing game by attacking the biggest weakness in Dallas' defense. Despite possessing a pair of rangy linebackers in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, the Cowboys struggle mightily against play-action. During the season, the Cowboys posted a passer rating of 112.6 against play-action passes, the sixth-worst rate in the league. In the wild-card game, with his running game doing absolutely nothing, Wilson went 9-of-10 on play-action for 109 yards and a passer rating of 117.1.

If there's an offense you wouldn't want to face when you struggle with play-action, it is the very opponent the Cowboys will go up against Saturday night. The Rams went with a play-fake on more than 35 percent of their dropbacks this season, the highest rate in football by a considerable margin. Sean McVay's team ranked sixth in yards per attempt (9.9) and seventh in passer rating (114.5) when it ran play-fakes, and while its numbers definitely declined after Cooper Kupp went out, even the post-Kupp Rams should give the Cowboys problems with play-action.

As much as the story has been that the Cowboys are surging, much of that improvement has come on offense. Dallas ranked sixth in scoring defense, but it was ninth in DVOA and 11th in weighted DVOA, which emphasizes performance toward the end of the season. The Cowboys allowed 35 points to a Giants team without Odell Beckham Jr. or anything to play for in Week 17. They recovered five of the six fumbles they forced on defense over the past month of the season. Defenses typically recover about 44 percent of fumbles.

The Cowboys certainly have a good defense. It's the best unit they've run out on that side of the ball since 2009, when DeMarcus Ware and Wade Phillips were in town. (The 2016 team had a great scoring average but didn't face many drives and subsequently didn't fare as well by advanced metrics.) The Cowboys faced a Seattle offense that was determined to win like it was 1978, which played into Dallas' strengths. This week, with a state-of-the-art offense looming, it might not be so lucky.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

Jerry has a new toy apparently.

Jerry Jones buys $250M superyacht that's as long as a football field - CultureMap Dallas

View attachment 4413

Thats pretty slick. I wonder where he'll keep it.

 

[dbair1967]

I'm thinking BB can do some creative pic editing with that one

 

[Doomsday]

Despite possessing a pair of rangy linebackers in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, the Cowboys struggle mightily against play-action.

That's typical of the younger guys especially rookies. Over-pursuit and over-commit. They'll learn.

The Cowboys faced a Seattle offense that was determined to win like it was 1978

Are you napping through the season? That's Seattle's entire M.O. this season. They simply, didn't deviate.

which played into Dallas' strengths. This week, with a state-of-the-art offense looming, it might not be so lucky.

It wasn't luck. We beat up a bully, simple as that. Came into our backyard and got its ass whupped.

 

[theoneandonly]

BTW weather forecast calling for a wet weekend in LA. Have to think that doesn't hurt a running team as much as a passing team

 

[NoMoRedJ]

True this defense has been much better than what we've grown accustomed to with the Clapper but it has been inconsistent at times. Gave up too many big pass plays against Seattle that just left you shaking your head. #31 looked clueless too many times.

 

[Scot]

BTW weather forecast calling for a wet weekend in LA. Have to think that doesn't hurt a running team as much as a passing team

When it rains here it “typically” only last for a couple hours. Plus when they predict rain that far in advance here in L.A. they are almost always wrong

I’d wait till Thursday before I considered any weather forecast as being anywhere near reliable

My weather app shows rain for Saturday right now. But anything more than 48 hours out and the reports tend to change more often than not

 

[Doomsday]

True this defense has been much better than what we've grown accustomed to with the Clapper but it has been inconsistent at times. Gave up too many big pass plays against Seattle that just left you shaking your head. #31 looked clueless too many times.

Yep I'm a little concerned about our shaky secondary too.

 

[Scot]

This seems to be a big concern of Rams fans

I’ve seen similar things pop up in my feed since they announced the Cowboys as the opponent for Saturday

 

[NoMoRedJ]

When it rains here it “typically” only last for a couple hours. Plus when they predict rain that far in advance here in L.A. they are almost always wrong

I’d wait till Thursday before I considered any weather forecast as being anywhere near reliable

My weather app shows rain for Saturday right now. But anything more than 48 hours out and the reports tend to change more often than not

I remember the Sat nite before Super Bowl XXVII Im at my aunt and uncle's in Costa Mesa and there were thunderstorms and even lightning I think and it was on the news like its a big deal. Im thinking these CA peeps are nuts. Its just rain. Ive been here and they dont react this much to earthquakes. But its raining and these people are freaking out.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

Liking Clemson so far tonite.

 

[Doomsday]

Liking Clemson so far tonite.

I like that #9 RB of theirs for sure.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

I like that #9 RB of theirs for sure.

Yea he's fun to watch.

 

[Scot]

I remember the Sat nite before Super Bowl XXVII Im at my aunt and uncle's in Costa Mesa and there were thunderstorms and even lightning I think and it was on the news like its a big deal. Im thinking these CA peeps are nuts. Its just rain. Ive been here and they dont react this much to earthquakes. But its raining and these people are freaking out.

You hit the nail on the head

The local news covers a damn rainstorm like it’s a national disaster, like other states would cover a flood or tornado.

But we have an earthquake under 7.0 and it barely makes the nightly news cast

 

[NoMoRedJ]

You hit the nail on the head

The local news covers a damn rainstorm like it’s a national disaster, like other states would cover a flood or tornado.

But we have an earthquake under 7.0 and it barely makes the nightly news cast

Perfect description.

 

[Scot]

Angelenos think they will melt in the rain. So.....

If it does rain on Saturday I’m setting up in the parking lot with a case of trash bags, a pair of scissors, and Rams/Cowboys stickers

I’ll be selling my custom handmade collectors editions playoff rain gear

I’ll be rich! Plus the Colosseum is only 15 minutes away. So I can make my money and be home before the game starts if I don’t end up getting tickets to the game

 

[Doomsday]

Angelenos think they will melt in the rain. So.....

If it does rain on Saturday I’m setting up in the parking lot with a case of trash bags, a pair of scissors, and Rams/Cowboys stickers

I’ll be selling my custom handmade collectors editions playoff rain gear

I’ll be rich! Plus the Colosseum is only 15 minutes away. So I can make my money and be home before the game starts if I don’t end up getting tickets to the game

You're not going home. You ARE going to the game!

 

[Doomsday]

That Clemson QB Lawrence is impressive too. Might be the next coming of Payton Manning in 2 or 3 years when he's draft eligible.