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saw this on another forum
More on our offense from DMN
The goal of any offensive coordinator is to ultimately fool the defense. In addition to running when the defense expects a pass and vice versa, plays themselves are often designed to trick the defense into getting out of position. Playaction passes, for example, are an attempt to deceive defenders into thinking a run is on the way. Similarly, counters show a run one way and then head in a different direction. Great offenses thrive on deception.
Perhaps the most perplexing phenomenon I’ve discovered in studying the Cowboys’ offense in 2012 is that such deception is almost non-existent. In terms of the design of Jason Garrett’s plays, what you see is almost always what you get. It’s apparent in Garrett’s use—or lack thereof—of playaction passes, screens, motion, double-moves, and counters.
Playaction
From 2009 to 2011, the Cowboys averaged 97 playaction passes per season. Amazingly, those passes almost always came on 1st and 10 and almost never in short-yardage situations. Actually, over the past three years, the Cowboys have run more playaction passes with 20-plus yards-to-go for a first down than with between one and four yards-to-go. In 2012, we’re seeing more of the same—66.7 percent of the Cowboys’ 23 playaction passes have come on 1st and 10. The team is on pace to run just 55 total play-action passes on the season.
Screens
The Cowboys have never been a big screen team, but their near-total abandonment of screens in 2012 is puzzling. They’ve run only 10 screens all season, four of which were to wide receivers. While a case could be made that playaction passes require superior pass protection than traditional passes, screens are designed to slow down the pass-rush. If Garrett believes his offensive line is weak enough that he can’t throw the ball downfield or run playaction, you’d think screen usage would increase, but it’s done the opposite.
Motion
In 2009, the Cowboys motioned on 42.8 percent of their plays. In 2012, the rate is down to just under one-fifth of plays. While excessive motion is unnecessary, Garrett can’t expect his players to always execute. There are times when motion can be utilized to obtain and exploit matchups on offense, but the Cowboys aren’t using it.
Double-Moves
Of the Cowboys’ 293 pass attempts this season, four (1.4 percent) have been on double-moves. Two of those passes have resulted in long touchdowns, and the ‘Boys were two Dez Bryant fingers away from making it three touchdowns. Double-moves require ample pass protection, but the offensive line isn’t so poor that the Cowboys can’t look downfield on double-moves on more than 1.4 percent of passes.
Counters
No stat exemplifies the Cowboys’ lack of offensive deception quite like this one; the team that has averaged 7.2 YPC on triple-digit counters since 2009 has run all of two counters in 2012. The Cowboys’ rate of 10-plus yard runs is twice as high on counters as other runs. The rate of runs of 20 or more yards is five times as high. With offensive tackles and running backs that are built to excel on finesse runs, the fact that we’ve seen just a pair of counters in 2012 is inexplicable.
Ultimately, the Cowboys’ offense is desperate for a dramatic boost in creativity. Too often Garrett runs dives or straight dropbacks from static formations, daring the defense to stop his offense. The problem is that there are professional football players on the other side of the ball. This isn’t the 1990s; the Cowboys can’t simply line up, telegraph their intentions, and still beat down the defense. Regardless of how much talent the ‘Boys think they have on offense, the players won’t always execute; they need to be placed in optimal positions to maximize the chances of success.
Right now, the lack of deception on offense is killing the ability of the players to succeed
More on our offense from DMN
The goal of any offensive coordinator is to ultimately fool the defense. In addition to running when the defense expects a pass and vice versa, plays themselves are often designed to trick the defense into getting out of position. Playaction passes, for example, are an attempt to deceive defenders into thinking a run is on the way. Similarly, counters show a run one way and then head in a different direction. Great offenses thrive on deception.
Perhaps the most perplexing phenomenon I’ve discovered in studying the Cowboys’ offense in 2012 is that such deception is almost non-existent. In terms of the design of Jason Garrett’s plays, what you see is almost always what you get. It’s apparent in Garrett’s use—or lack thereof—of playaction passes, screens, motion, double-moves, and counters.
Playaction
From 2009 to 2011, the Cowboys averaged 97 playaction passes per season. Amazingly, those passes almost always came on 1st and 10 and almost never in short-yardage situations. Actually, over the past three years, the Cowboys have run more playaction passes with 20-plus yards-to-go for a first down than with between one and four yards-to-go. In 2012, we’re seeing more of the same—66.7 percent of the Cowboys’ 23 playaction passes have come on 1st and 10. The team is on pace to run just 55 total play-action passes on the season.
Screens
The Cowboys have never been a big screen team, but their near-total abandonment of screens in 2012 is puzzling. They’ve run only 10 screens all season, four of which were to wide receivers. While a case could be made that playaction passes require superior pass protection than traditional passes, screens are designed to slow down the pass-rush. If Garrett believes his offensive line is weak enough that he can’t throw the ball downfield or run playaction, you’d think screen usage would increase, but it’s done the opposite.
Motion
In 2009, the Cowboys motioned on 42.8 percent of their plays. In 2012, the rate is down to just under one-fifth of plays. While excessive motion is unnecessary, Garrett can’t expect his players to always execute. There are times when motion can be utilized to obtain and exploit matchups on offense, but the Cowboys aren’t using it.
Double-Moves
Of the Cowboys’ 293 pass attempts this season, four (1.4 percent) have been on double-moves. Two of those passes have resulted in long touchdowns, and the ‘Boys were two Dez Bryant fingers away from making it three touchdowns. Double-moves require ample pass protection, but the offensive line isn’t so poor that the Cowboys can’t look downfield on double-moves on more than 1.4 percent of passes.
Counters
No stat exemplifies the Cowboys’ lack of offensive deception quite like this one; the team that has averaged 7.2 YPC on triple-digit counters since 2009 has run all of two counters in 2012. The Cowboys’ rate of 10-plus yard runs is twice as high on counters as other runs. The rate of runs of 20 or more yards is five times as high. With offensive tackles and running backs that are built to excel on finesse runs, the fact that we’ve seen just a pair of counters in 2012 is inexplicable.
Ultimately, the Cowboys’ offense is desperate for a dramatic boost in creativity. Too often Garrett runs dives or straight dropbacks from static formations, daring the defense to stop his offense. The problem is that there are professional football players on the other side of the ball. This isn’t the 1990s; the Cowboys can’t simply line up, telegraph their intentions, and still beat down the defense. Regardless of how much talent the ‘Boys think they have on offense, the players won’t always execute; they need to be placed in optimal positions to maximize the chances of success.
Right now, the lack of deception on offense is killing the ability of the players to succeed
