This is how you beat the Dallas Cowboys.
by thwalls on Jan 4, 2010 4:07 PM EST
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PrintThere are far too many Eagle fans saying one of the following things:
1. We NEED to catch the ball.
2. We need to tackle better.
3. We need to stop the run.
4. We need to...
Alright, we need to talk about something tangible, something that can actually be changed in a week. We can't go back to training camp to work on catching drills, but what we can do is install a defense that would get the job done on saturday, and McDermott if you're listening I may have some tips that might help do just that.
Here's how I'd beat the Dallas Cowboys offense.
I had a long discussion at my wife on the way home from my in-laws last night and I laid the groundwork to screw with the Dallas cowboys massive O-Line, bring pressure, and not stop but disrupt the run.
First off we can't match up in size with Cowboys in their O-Line, I know that this seems obvious but when you're sending 4 lineman straight up at the Cowboys O-Line constantly you're saying just that. From the outset, I would play a 3-Deep shell most of the night to prevent the big play and then I would leave 6 men at the line on every down filling the A-Gaps. I would motion people to line all night and then randomly drop those LBs in the A-gaps into coverage randomly, but I would make sure that they had to be accounted for on just about every snap.
To prevent the double teams, on running downs I would line my DTs up 1 yard off the LOS. Or alternate one of them to be off to force those fat O-Line man to tip their hands as to where the run is coming from on running downs.
I would bring back the one defense JJ was running last year where he brought out a modified nickel using 3 safeties, 2 CBs and 2 LBs with Mikell in the box to line up with Witten.
First and foremost I would Blitz, bring the overloads, bring the A-gap, feint the outside blitz by having the LBs taking 3 steps in then dropping back into coverage. But most importantly, I would show blitz 75% of the time. I would leave my DTs and my DEs wide, similar to how the Titans ran their Defensive Line when they still had Kearse. This would force the O-Line to work against their strength and move to match the pressure, that's when you'd be able to bring the Delays in the windows on passing downs.
I think the offense will take care of itself, our WRs were beating their CBs most of the night but we had these long developing plays that we've been lucky enough to run most of the year against the mediocre defenses. If you want negate pressure you do so by speeding up the delivery (especially if you don't feel like running). The shallow crosses were there all night, I would take em all night. Keep some of the screens in, but as soon as you see that CB line up deep on Maclin or D-Jax, I would audible to a smoke screen, especially when you have Avant set as the 3rd WR to that side to set up a block. Where were the swing passes at? Where were the short stick passes? If we work the 5-7 yard game in the first half, the deep passes will be there to nail the coffin shut. We have speed, we just need to use it.
So if I was the coordinator this week, that's how I'd beat the Cowboys. It's too late in the season to work on fundamentals, catching, throwing, tackling, now is the time to work on the plan - not how we play.
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The real trick
Sean McDermott needs to DISGUISE THOSE BLITZES and use them MORE OFTEN. We brought the house only twice last night, and both of those times Romo was forced into a crappy throw. Even if we don’t want to commit 8 to the blitz, we should be bringing at least 5 on say… 75% of the downs.
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
I actually agree with you...
the biggest match-up problem for us is they’re O-line v. Our D-Line… If we get them to try to reach block or slide farther away we will have the advantage I belive..
Never thought id be saying this...............
but we need to put Gocong back in and take Fokou out. At this point in the season who are we 2 trust between these 2 players???? Even tho he isnt that good in passing situations i think Gocong is way better than Fokou in stopping the run. And that is where that game got out of hand right in the beginning with Barber setting the tone with a couple nice runs.
+1
I’ve always liked Gocong against the run
"What did it feel like? That collision, I didn't feel nothing, because he was pretty much defenseless. It was like running through a cardboard box. Seriously. Cardboard box."- Sheldon Brown on his pounding of Reggie Bush in the '06 Playoffs
That's all good stuff..
but our defense really wasn’t the problem. We scored ZERO points. We gave up 24 to one of the best offenses in the league. With our offense, we would usually win that game. I’m just saying that while our defense wasn’t perfect, our offense is of far more concern to me.
"He wasn't an astronaut, he was a tv comedian! And he was just using space travel as a metaphor for beating his wife!"
Defense sets the tone for the offense though...
If we hadn’t gotten behind so quickly and needed to come back, we might have had more time to put into the run game and get momentum going. There also wouldn’t have been as much pressure. Once you get down by 17 points and you make a dropped catch…there goes all your momentum because you feel like you let everyone down. If its still 0-0…then there is always a lot more hope. Just some thoughts.
I disagree, with this team the Offense sets the tone, when their firing on all cylinders the defense picks up their intensity. Thats my opinion though.
"Season tickets for the Lakers? How is that economically possible?"
I don't think the offense even had a chance though when they were down so quickly.
I guess it doesn’t really matter though as we don’t know whats really going on in each players head.
I knew when the Cowboys scaored on the first possesion the game was over. I could just tell that we werent in the game, no emotion, no sence of urgency, they played like they were forced to play football that day.
"Season tickets for the Lakers? How is that economically possible?"
Defense needs to get off the field, offense needs to stay on the field
When they hold the ball and we don’t, it’s hard to get into a rhythm offensively. Who’s to blame? Both.
Exactly...
that fumble and batted passes didnt help any either. Our receivers looked like they were trying to run before they caught the ball. We had 3 big drops that i remember. The drops were huge and could’ve kept the drives going, and that overthrow was a guaranteed TD if 5 makes that pass. Does anyone else wanna see White on Witten as much as me? Hes fast as hell, and surely can cover Witten. Trott i love you man, but your legs just arent there on the passes, put him on the run plays.
Brian Dawkins for President
I wanna see White period. I want to see him on the field more.
"Season tickets for the Lakers? How is that economically possible?"
Dallas
would play a 3-Deep shell most of the night to prevent the big play and then I would leave 6 men at the line on every down filling the A-Gaps
Didn’t beat you with big pass plays 20+ yards down the field. You do play that 3 Deep shell and Dallas will run for 300 yards.
The shallow crosses were there all night, I would take em all night. Keep some of the screens in, but as soon as you see that CB line up deep on Maclin or D-Jax, I would audible to a smoke screen, especially when you have Avant set as the 3rd WR to that side to set up a block. Where were the swing passes at? Where were the short stick passes? If we work the 5-7 yard game in the first half, the deep passes will be there to nail the coffin shut
This would work, Dallas struggles vs drags and slants.
FEED THE BEAST!!!
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we had it a couple times
but guys would drop it, or McNabb and Reid wanna get greedy and hit the homerun every play.
I swear sometimes they think that if they just throw a bomb 10 times, it has to work once.
"What did it feel like? That collision, I didn't feel nothing, because he was pretty much defenseless. It was like running through a cardboard box. Seriously. Cardboard box."- Sheldon Brown on his pounding of Reggie Bush in the '06 Playoffs
Didn’t beat you with big pass plays 20+ yards down the field. You do play that 3 Deep shell and Dallas will run for 300 yards.
You play the three deep shell to prevent the big play for both runs and passes. If you run blitz heavy you’re going to get burned eventually during the game. Especially if you’re playing JJ’s old style of boom or bust defense. You keep 3 over the top as the shell or “umbrella” to keep that big play down if the runner gets through the front.
getting busted for 5+ yards a clip will kill you..
You might not see the 40+ yard run by Felix, but you would get killed in the run game.
FEED THE BEAST!!!
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That may work against the pass, but will suffer GREATLY against the run...
At first light, looking at the Cowboys OLine you would think that they are a power running Offense, but they really aren’t, their best plays are slow developing plays that include motion from 1 or 2 of the guys along the line… If it’s just about overpowering the guys in front of them they struggle, which is why their numbers in power running plays are so awful…
The additional space would only work in the Cowboys favor, giving them more time to reach their blocking in space positions. You guys saw Kosier, Free and Davis shooting up in space and blocking, that’s the Cowboys strength.
The problem for the Cowboys is execution, they have to be perfect to make the slow developing plays, your team D just needs to execute better out of their base D and you’ll have a scheme that works well against the run and against the pass.
Viva México! Go Cowboys!
What happens when they go into an even spread?
You can’t really go three deep against an even spread set. You could “shell” it but everyone knows that they would have to shift to some type of cover two or 2/man under.
It's Even Easier Than That
1) Spy Witten all day, all night, all decade etc etc etc with either Mikell or Samuel (Probably Samuel because Romo will throw the pick and we need Mikell’s tackling.) This is what Green Bay did to shut down Witten. Witten keeps Romo mentally stable. Take Witten away? You have the same Tony Romo. Confused
2) Keep Trotter in the middle, now that we have relieved him of covering the tight end. He is still the best run play disrupter the Eagles have.
3) If you are going to play 7 up front, spread them, use your speed advantage and shoot the gaps the fat guys can’t get to. We need good tackling.
4) Offensively, just execute and feature Weaver as the runner. We are still explosive!
They can’t beat us when it counts. I believe!
If you put Samuel on Witten
The Cowboys will run the ball 40 times for about 250 yards because Witten will destroy him blocking. When they throw the ball they will get Trotter matched up on the running back, either Felix or Barber. That’s a big mismatch. The Cowboys run a lot of 2 TE, 1 RB sets and John Phillips on the other side has become something of a mini-Witten, notice his play since the Saints game. The Cowboys would adjust and have him as the hot route. The Cowboys can also run a 3-Receiver set with a TE and a RB, spread the Eagles out and they often run the draw out of that formation and the Eagles have had difficulty stopping the draw. The Eagles have had a lot of difficulty running the ball in general and ESPECIALLY against 3-4 defenses.
"Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends."
by DatNguyenNguyenScenario on Jan 5, 2010 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
The Cowboys will run the ball 40 times for about 250 yards because Witten will destroy him blocking.
If Witten is blocking Samuel, then who is blocking Will Witherspoon? You’re retarded.
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
The Cowboys often a run 2 TE, 1 RB set
The Cowboys could use John Phillips or Martellus Bennett as the other TE in such a set. They pass the ball a lot out of that formation as well.
"Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends."
by DatNguyenNguyenScenario on Jan 5, 2010 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
Ah, you’d use Martellus Bennett’s formidable blocking ability against us? Oh wait…
Ahh! So you’d use Martellus Bennett’s formidable receiving skill agai… Oh, nevermind on that, too.
Philips is an average, respectable blocker from what I’ve seen, but not really a threat in the passing game as far as I can tell.
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
Phillips caught key plays in the game against the Saints
and against the Eagles. Martellus is an excellent blocker, he hasn’t been great as a receiver this year, but he’s graded well as a blocker, the Cowboys were top 10 as a rushing team this year, after all. The Cowboys aren’t perfect but that is how they would answer that play. In fact out of a 3 TE, 2 RB set the Cowboys have thrown the ball. They run out of pretty much every formation. You notice that Romo will often say “kill, kill, kill” at the LOS based on what he sees from the defense? That’s because he has 2 plays when he gets under center, one run and one pass. If you line Asante up against Witten for your defense, the Cowboys will either run the ball or pass the ball to whomever Asante isn’t covering, be it Miles or Crayton. Joselio Hanson showed he couldn’t cover Crayton. At all.
"Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends."
by DatNguyenNguyenScenario on Jan 6, 2010 11:42 AM EST up reply actions
I don't know about 3 deep
Safeties, this year, are our weakest position group. So why would we put 3 in the game? I’d rather see Joselio Hanson in the game as a nickel back than Demps/Harris/Jones.
Agree about showing blitz 75% of the time. Shoot the gaps and run more run blitzes. That worked extremely well against the Giants.
On offense, they need to run more drags and slants. The problem with quick throws is that it does not allow Maclin and Jackson to use their speed to create separation. They just have to beat the jam quickly and make catches in tight coverage. That is where Jenkins and Newman do well. HOwever, I don’t think we have any other choice if we want to neutralize the Cowboys’ pass rush
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