Sabin: How much did Cassel help the running game simply by where he stood to take the

Cotton

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How much did Matt Cassel help the running game simply by where he stood to take the snap?

By Rainer Sabin
Staff Writer

In a word, Matt Cassel's Cowboys debut could be described as uneven.

He threw three interceptions and made questionable decisions during Dallas' 27-20 loss.

But he may have played an important role in reviving the Cowboys' dormant running game simply by where he was positioned when receiving the ball from Travis Frederick.

On 69 of Dallas' offensive plays, Cassel lined up under center 42 times. In contrast, Brandon Weeden was in shotgun during 27 of the 49 snaps he took in his first start against Atlanta last month.

Why is this significant?

"Anytime you work under center and you can mix and match and have the run-pass option, I think it's huge because it keeps the defense a little more honest," Cassel said.

With Weeden, the Cowboys were shockingly predictable. Against the Falcons, twenty-four of Weeden's 26 passes were thrown out of shotgun while three of Dallas' 21 rush attempts came out of that look.

"In this shotgun age in 32 cities in the NFL, you're always looking at that," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "You look at run-pass tendencies, your ability to run the football from gun looks, how you want to do that, what looks a defense has presented to you and when you want to do that, so we do a lot of self-scout that way. If you look around the league that's a pretty consistent trend. We know that as a defensive team. We see great disparity between teams in the shotgun when they're under center so at times you use that to your advantage when you're on offense and when you have some strong tendencies that can be a beneficial for things, too. The goal is not always to be 50-50."

But by working from under center the Cowboys have a better chance to achieve the kind of balance they're seeking. In the NFL, it's simply easier to run the football when the mesh point for the handoff is closer to the line of scrimmage because defenders are so fast. It also opens the play-action game, which the Cowboys were featuring against the Giants.

Unlike Weeden did at Oklahoma State, Cassel grew up in a Pro-Style offense at USC. So, even upon entering the NFL in 2005, he was comfortable operating from under center.

That showed Sunday, when he threw six of his 27 passes from that setup as Dallas had its best rushing performance of the season - gaining 233 yards. Simply by where he was when he took the snap, he was able to keep the Giants' defense honest and the offense less predictable.
 

boozeman

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Interesting.

And probably true. Our running game is not designed to run out of a shotgun.

It is exactly that situation that is crippling Denver to an extent. They can't run out of the Pistol, but they can't trust Manning operating from behind center.
 

Texas Ace

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If Cassell can limit his mistakes, we can win each and every game between now and when Romo returns.

But he's going to need the defense to force a damn turnover for once too. Those bums need to help out this offense for once. Yes, they gave us a chance against the Saints and Giants by limiting points and yards and were impressive for a half against the Patriots, but winning defenses help offenses by making their jobs easier via field position and forcing turnovers.

This defense isn't helping in any one of those areas, and that has to change immediately if we want any shot to win this division when Romo returns.
 

Genghis Khan

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Interesting.

And probably true. Our running game is not designed to run out of a shotgun.

It is exactly that situation that is crippling Denver to an extent. They can't run out of the Pistol, but they can't trust Manning operating from behind center.
Philly has been talking about the same problem too.
 

GShock

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Remember how devastating we used to be with that draw Romo would run from under center?

Strum has pretty thoroughly documented Garrett's shotgun fetish. I imagine Romo is more comfortable in shotgun, because it allows him to see everything, including late-developing blitzes. He may be more comfortable in shotgun, but I don't know that he, or the overall offense, operates any better than under center.
 

Clay_Allison

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Remember how devastating we used to be with that draw Romo would run from under center?

Strum has pretty thoroughly documented Garrett's shotgun fetish. I imagine Romo is more comfortable in shotgun, because it allows him to see everything, including late-developing blitzes. He may be more comfortable in shotgun, but I don't know that he, or the overall offense, operates any better than under center.
the shotgun makes it harder to see late developing blitzes not easier. You have to take your eye off the defense to look for the ball.
 

Cowboysrock55

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The shotgun isn't the devil. It makes a lot of things easier on a QB. It does limit a running game though and that's where I think this article is spot on.
 

Clay_Allison

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The shotgun isn't the devil. It makes a lot of things easier on a QB. It does limit a running game though and that's where I think this article is spot on.
It gives the QB more time once the ball is snapped due to not having to take however many steps for a drop. So I agree it's not useless. It does lead to more blitzing and more hits on the QB though.
 

Cowboysrock55

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It gives the QB more time once the ball is snapped due to not having to take however many steps for a drop. So I agree it's not useless. It does lead to more blitzing and more hits on the QB though.
Brady for example is unstopable out of it. It also makes it a lot easier for a QB to see the entire field from the very beginging of a play. The short pass/screen game is also a lot easier to run from it. Just gives easier throwing angles for a QB to complete those passes.
 

Clay_Allison

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Brady for example is unstopable out of it. It also makes it a lot easier for a QB to see the entire field from the very beginging of a play. The short pass/screen game is also a lot easier to run from it. Just gives easier throwing angles for a QB to complete those passes.
Brady doesn't need a running game as much because that offense can kind of replace it with quick passes to backs and slot WRs.
 

p1_

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If Cassell can limit his mistakes, we can win each and every game between now and when Romo returns.

But he's going to need the defense to force a damn turnover for once too. Those bums need to help out this offense for once. Yes, they gave us a chance against the Saints and Giants by limiting points and yards and were impressive for a half against the Patriots, but winning defenses help offenses by making their jobs easier via field position and forcing turnovers.

This defense isn't helping in any one of those areas, and that has to change immediately if we want any shot to win this division when Romo returns.
And don't give a pass to the shit stain ST's effort weve been rolling out. I get why Hardy was pissed; he said what we were all thinking.
 

Clay_Allison

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And don't give a pass to the shit stain ST's effort weve been rolling out. I get why Hardy was pissed; he said what we were all thinking.
It was mind-bendingly dumb not to kick it out the back of the end zone in a tight game like that.
 

p1_

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Brady doesn't need a running game as much because that offense can kind of replace it with quick passes to backs and slot WRs.
You mean like we were trying to do with Weeden's lame ass? Nevermind that the short passing game is all Weeden offers.
 

ravidubey

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Brady doesn't need a running game as much because that offense can kind of replace it with quick passes to backs and slot WRs.
And Gronk. Plus the defense and st's always keeps them in the game and in decent field position.
 

Clay_Allison

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You mean like we were trying to do with Weeden's lame ass? Nevermind that the short passing game is all Weeden offers.
Yeah, things you can get away with when Tom Brady is your QB don't work when you pull your QB from the Life Skills class.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Brady doesn't need a running game as much because that offense can kind of replace it with quick passes to backs and slot WRs.
A lot of NFL head coaches have fallen in love with the shotgun though. It's also part of all the pick plays we are seeing in the NFL. The game has definitely changed. A lot of NFL teams are going to this type of an offense as opposed to the traditional, under center type offense we have seen in the past. Instead running pick plays and WR screens out of the shot gun instead of a traditional offense. Of course that is partially teams trying to copy cat Brady and Manning.
 

Clay_Allison

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A lot of NFL head coaches have fallen in love with the shotgun though. It's also part of all the pick plays we are seeing in the NFL. The game has definitely changed. A lot of NFL teams are going to this type of an offense as opposed to the traditional, under center type offense we have seen in the past. Instead running pick plays and WR screens out of the shot gun instead of a traditional offense. Of course that is partially teams trying to copy cat Brady and Manning.
Still takes an elite QB. Pats assistants like O'Brien and McDaniels haven't been creating offensive juggernauts.
 
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