Archer: Why give rise to the Dak Prescott dink-and-dunkers?

Cotton

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Why give rise to the Dak Prescott dink-and-dunkers?
8:30 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

FRISCO, Texas -- Welcome to the first playoff version of Five Wonders.

Just about everybody is wondering if the Dallas Cowboys can beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday to advance to their first NFC Championship Game since 1995. But there’s more to wonder about than just that.

Away we go:

• I wonder where do people get this dink-and-dunk stuff with Dak Prescott? He’s not a dink-and-dunk quarterback. He averaged 8 yards per attempt. Tony Romo is at 7.9 yards per attempt for his career. Is going deep what Prescott does best? No, but the Cowboys had 38 pass plays of 20 yards or more. Not all 20-plus plays are equal, but did you really see a West Coast-type offense with short, quick passes? If you did, I saw a different offense all season. I think what has happened is some in the media have given voice to a small segment of fans who truly believe this even when presented with facts that state otherwise. Why give them a voice at all? And why get upset about it if you know it’s not true? If the Packers want to believe Prescott just throws underneath, then the Cowboys will be glad.

• I wonder if the Cowboys are happier to see the Packers than New York Giants. I’m not being a masochist. I understand how well Aaron Rodgers is playing at the moment, but I believe the Cowboys would rather be in a game in which they have to rely on their offense. Rely might be too strong, since they will rely on both units, but had they played the Giants, you can be sure the ghosts of 2007, the 2011 season finale and the two losses in 2016 would be talked about. The Cowboys scored 26 points in two losses to the Giants. They would not have been scared to face New York by any stretch, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo did a great job against Prescott twice. The Green Bay defense is without its top two corners. They have injuries at linebacker, too. The Giants had chances for big plays in the wild-card round and missed on too many of them.

• While I wonder many things, here’s something I don’t wonder about: I don’t wonder if the Randy Gregory saga will alter the Cowboys’ approach with off-field issues. Maybe it should, since he is looking at playing only 14 of the first 48 regular-season games of his career, but I don’t think it will. There is nothing Jerry Jones loves more than the art of the deal. Gregory was a calculated risk as a second-round pick in 2015. He was a first-round talent available at the end of Round 2. Jones couldn’t resist, especially when he felt he had a team that would have him picking in at least the late 20s in the first round for years to come. Jones believes he -- and his organization -- can help troubled players even if they don’t find success as much as you would think.

• I wonder if the Cowboys look into a long-term deal for David Irving. Nothing huge, mind you, but potentially a deal that could buy out his first year or two of unrestricted free agency. Because he was not drafted in 2015, the Cowboys can sign him to a multi-year extension. Irving is set to be an exclusive-rights free agent, which means he can’t sign anywhere else unless the Cowboys pass on tendering him a contract. That’s not going to happen. Irving will be a restricted free agent after the 2017 season, which means the Cowboys would have the right to match any offer made to him. With the way he closed the season you would think he would receive the second-round tender after next season. In the past they have done these kinds of deals with soon-to-be restricted free agents, such as Jeff Heath and Chris Jones. Irving makes some sense. It would be the buy low, sell high kind of deal Jones loves.

• I wonder if the Cowboys leave the roster spot created by Gregory’s suspension vacant for the time being. They already have used one of their four roster moves available in the postseason by signing Jonathan Cooper. Perhaps they add a player from the practice squad, but I don’t see someone who would be active on game day. To me, the best way to handle the spot is to leave it until La’el Collins is ready to play. He isn't ready now, but his 21-day practice window has started. If they add a practice-squad player, they could lose him if/when they choose to add Collins, who is on injured reserve, to the active roster. The Cowboys need seven inactive players each week. With only 52 spots on the roster filled, that’s down to six. They can roll with 52 for now.
 

Cotton

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Hmmmmm....
What are you hmmmm'ing about? He is arguing against what you have argued. He disagrees with you and stated the numbers to prove his case.
 

ravidubey

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What are you hmmmm'ing about? He is arguing against what you have argued. He disagrees with you and stated the numbers to prove his case.
If he doesn't want the media to give voice to something, it's best to leave it out of the title of his own article!

As for dink/dunk, I've called it dink/Dak, but you could also call it pass to "subdue". It's where we aim for 15+ gains that somehow reach a max of 20 yards and gain more than 25 yards mainly by accident. I've never seen a successful offense long-term built around this philosophy before.

I think it requires perfect execution and thus only works against NFL average or worse teams. It's a regular season cruise control kind of approach.

In Detroit we FINALLY went after the big play and the score showed the results.

Sure we've had some big pass plays throughout the year, but they weren't usually drawn up that way. It was Dak finding Dez in deep single coverage to beat a blitz, or Butler with a GB defender falling down, or Elliott breaking huge YAC on a screen, or Lucky Whitehead breaking away.

We didn't truly pass to kill until the 2nd quarter vs Detroit.

I want to pass to kill.
 

Cotton

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If he doesn't want the media to give voice to something, it's best to leave it out of the title of his own article!

As for dink/dunk, I've called it dink/Dak, but you could also call it pass to "subdue". It's where we aim for 15+ gains that somehow reach a max of 20 yards and gain more than 25 yards mainly by accident. I've never seen a successful offense long-term built around this philosophy before.

I think it requires perfect execution and thus only works against NFL average or worse teams. It's a regular season cruise control kind of approach.

In Detroit we FINALLY went after the big play and the score showed the results.

Sure we've had some big pass plays throughout the year, but they weren't usually drawn up that way. It was Dak finding Dez in deep single coverage to beat a blitz, or Butler with a GB defender falling down, or Elliott breaking huge YAC on a screen, or Lucky Whitehead breaking away.

We didn't truly pass to kill until the 2nd quarter vs Detroit.

I want to pass to kill.
Good lord. Just never mind.
 

ravidubey

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Good lord. Just never mind.
Rodgers completed four passes 25+ against the Giants and blew them away. He had another go for 23, and this was without Nelson.

Now I agree DRC missing had a lot to do with this, but the point is the Packers go for the throat.

And I don't think they are as good as we are.

We can go for the throat too, and better than they do.
 

1bigfan13

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If he doesn't want the media to give voice to something, it's best to leave it out of the title of his own article!

As for dink/dunk, I've called it dink/Dak, but you could also call it pass to "subdue". It's where we aim for 15+ gains that somehow reach a max of 20 yards and gain more than 25 yards mainly by accident. I've never seen a successful offense long-term built around this philosophy before.
Good lord, man. Did you not watch Brady and the Patriots prior to 2007? They weren't exactly airing it out. Yet somehow they managed to win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years.

Hell, as a matter of fact the YPR for Cowboys receivers/tight ends is practically equal to what the Patriots have been putting up over the past few years. So you can't even use the "it was a different era" excuse.
 

ravidubey

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Good lord, man. Did you not watch Brady and the Patriots prior to 2007? They weren't exactly airing it out. Yet somehow they managed to win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years.

Hell, as a matter of fact the YPR for Cowboys receivers/tight ends is practically equal to what the Patriots have been putting up over the past few years. So you can't even use the "it was a different era" excuse.
They had a great defense and stayed committed to the run. Their terrible division guaranteed them the opportunity for a deep run every year. And they still barely won each Super Bowl, in fact I believe they were allowed to cheat in the first Super Bowl with all the defensive holding non-calls (let alone the fing tuck rule)

Dallas doesn't have anything close to a Richard Seymour or Ty Law, and the competition is waaaay better than the Eagles and Panthers were.

Against the Packers, Falcons, and Pats/Steelers we WILL need our offense performing at a very high level.
 

data

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Good things happen when you sling the ball. Think Aaron Rodgers gets a TD before the half with a 10 yard Dak throw?

Within 15 yards of LOS, there are LBers, CBs and nickel/dime backs, safeties and sometimes huge linemen (zone blitz). Try walking around a minefield, let alone running around and catching a pass, without getting blown to smithereens. Now tell me me how many defenders there are 25+ yards down the field? Maybe two safeties. If we always send one receiver more than they have safeties...championship offense.
 

ravidubey

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Good things happen when you sling the ball. Think Aaron Rodgers gets a TD before the half with a 10 yard Dak throw?

Within 15 yards of LOS, there are LBers, CBs and nickel/dime backs, safeties and sometimes huge linemen (zone blitz). Try walking around a minefield, let alone running around and catching a pass, without getting blown to smithereens. Now tell me me how many defenders there are 25+ yards down the field? Maybe two safeties. If we always send one receiver more than they have safeties...championship offense.
Makes a lot of sense.

You have to at least TRY.

Championship football is just different.
 

marsbennett

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If he doesn't want the media to give voice to something, it's best to leave it out of the title of his own article!

As for dink/dunk, I've called it dink/Dak, but you could also call it pass to "subdue". It's where we aim for 15+ gains that somehow reach a max of 20 yards and gain more than 25 yards mainly by accident. I've never seen a successful offense long-term built around this philosophy before.

I think it requires perfect execution and thus only works against NFL average or worse teams. It's a regular season cruise control kind of approach.

In Detroit we FINALLY went after the big play and the score showed the results.

Sure we've had some big pass plays throughout the year, but they weren't usually drawn up that way. It was Dak finding Dez in deep single coverage to beat a blitz, or Butler with a GB defender falling down, or Elliott breaking huge YAC on a screen, or Lucky Whitehead breaking away.

We didn't truly pass to kill until the 2nd quarter vs Detroit.

I want to pass to kill.
You coulda just stopped with the first sentence. Hey, I like the throat grab with the bombs, but entertainment value reasons mostly. You can win exactly like they are doing it...the SuperBowl even. It may happen. I watched that second Cowboys SB with that offensive threat everywhere, but it was that defense and short/mid range pass that succeeded. Yeah, another era. But this team does have what it takes to win at that level. No question in my mind. With Dak. Or with Romo if called upon. Defense needs to rebrand itself as bad asses.
 

Cotton

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You coulda just stopped with the first sentence. Hey, I like the throat grab with the bombs, but entertainment value reasons mostly. You can win exactly like they are doing it...the SuperBowl even. It may happen. I watched that second Cowboys SB with that offensive threat everywhere, but it was that defense and short/mid range pass that succeeded. Yeah, another era. But this team does have what it takes to win at that level. No question in my mind. With Dak. Or with Romo if called upon. Defense needs to rebrand itself as bad asses.
Listen to what this gentleman has to say. He is wise in his thoughts.
 

ravidubey

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You coulda just stopped with the first sentence. Hey, I like the throat grab with the bombs, but entertainment value reasons mostly. You can win exactly like they are doing it...the SuperBowl even. It may happen. I watched that second Cowboys SB with that offensive threat everywhere, but it was that defense and short/mid range pass that succeeded. Yeah, another era. But this team does have what it takes to win at that level. No question in my mind. With Dak. Or with Romo if called upon. Defense needs to rebrand itself as bad asses.
You're right to cite the second Suprbowl. First off, I don't buy the "different eras" claim. Football was the same then as it is now.

Lineman size, LB speed, protect the QB rules, zone blitz, almost everything.

We were fortunate in that game to have had another dominant turnover-fest on defense. Hell James Washington alone turned the game around, let alone Leon Lett.

We don't have those types of playmakers on defense to win the game when your QB is still reeling from a concussion. Emmitt was great, of course, but it took a monster performance by the defense to win.

Hey maybe our D has a punchers chance of getting multiple back-breaking turnovers like that team did, but these exclusive 10-15 yard throws aren't going to win us three games in a row.

We have to unleash and put pressure on these defenses. They won't feel that with one or two carefully set up safe deep passes.
 
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