2021 Season | Wildcard Weekend | Gameday Chatter Thread | 49ers @ Cowboys | 1/16/22

[Genghis Khan]

When do you think the Cowboys panicked and offense started getting away from their gameplan?

We obviously kicked it into oh-shit mode once it was 23-7 late 3rd quarter, but do you think we actually got away from our gameplan as early as the 10-0 or 13-0 deficit?

We had an offensive game plan?

 

[Simpleton]

Some of the problem too is that Zeke's cut back ability was all but gone by the end of the season. I know he had one good cut back against the 49ers but it was pretty wide open and a routine cut that any NFL RB should be able to make.

True, but that is also a coaching problem just in a different way. There's literally no excuse for Pollard only getting 4 carries, all on one drive (that ended in a TD!), with 0 the rest of the way.

That's coaching malpractice.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

True, but that is also a coaching problem just in a different way. There's literally no excuse for Pollard only getting 4 carries, all on one drive (that ended in a TD!), with 0 the rest of the way.

That's coaching malpractice.

Yeah, I feel like Zeke is a bit of a Jaylon Smith to our offense. Except I really think he is a great teammate and all that stuff. The problem is I think the coaches have convinced themselves that he is still a stud workhorse. He isn't. And you have Pollard there who is like lightening in a bottle. Why would you not use him? Baffles me.

 

[mcnuttz]

I think its clear now that Moore has no true desire and goal to be a running offense. I think hes a lot like Garrett in that he would pass on each and every play if he had his 'druthers. And thus a simple, rudimentary and pedestrian approach to the nuances of a sophisticated running offense.

I suppose that's fine if you have a QB who's not afraid to throw the ball once he's taken three steps backwards.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I think its clear now that Moore has no true desire and goal to be a running offense. I think hes a lot like Garrett in that he would pass on each and every play if he had his 'druthers. And thus a simple, rudimentary and pedestrian approach to the nuances of a sophisticated running offense.

That's probably true but you still have to be good when you do run the ball. McCarthy never seemed to care much about running it with the Packers either. But if you're going to run the ball sometimes you need to at least be effective at it. Hell, if you don't run it that much you should actually be really effective when you do it because the defense isn't expecting it.

Instead we put no effort into it and absolutely suck as a result. Which ultimately impacts the passing game. Everyone knows by now that Dak is unstoppable when he has a run game and not good when he doesn't. So figure it out.

 

[Shiningstar]

Random question...it's OT with plenty of time remaining and you just need a FG to win (ie other team ball first and punted).

Big play and you're now at opponents 2 yard line, 1st down.

You kick the FG or try to score the TD? What's the safest bet?

not enough variables, have we been moving on the D? has the D been stuffing us? do we use whats working for us? a lot of factors go into this

 

[data]

Probably depends on the confidence I have in the kicker.

If this were five years ago and we still had Dan Bailey, you would've answered differently.

Your response is 100% because we have Zeuerlein now.

 

[Cotton]

If this were five years ago and we still had Dan Bailey, you would've answered differently.

Your response is 100% because we have Zeuerlein now.

Yep, most likely.

 

[Genghis Khan]

There's literally no excuse for Pollard only getting 4 carries, all on one drive (that ended in a TD!)

Pollard wasn't doing great either, let's not act like that touchdown was due to Pollard.

 

[Shiningstar]

Pollard wasn't doing great either, let's not act like that touchdown was due to Pollard.

how do you know he couldnt break for some long runs? do a few runs tell the whole tale of what a running back will do during a game?

 

[Cowboysrock55]

how do you know he couldnt break for some long runs? do a few runs tell the whole tale of what a running back will do during a game?

Or maybe the defense actually had to worry about Pollard catching or running the ball and it impacted the way the defense played. I don't think defenses respect Zeke anymore. And why should they?

 

[boozeman]

Yep, if we fired McCarthy next year I'd be perfectly fine giving O'Connell a try, but Jerry will probably just rationalize that Moore is his version of O'Connell and promote him while we run inside zone 15 times a game.

Not sure about that. O'Connell is an outsider to those in this organization. They seem to have a thing for grooming from inside.

 

[Shiningstar]

Or maybe the defense actually had to worry about Pollard catching or running the ball and it impacted the way the defense played. I don't think defenses respect Zeke anymore. And why should they?

i agree. but i knew dallas would go to him as the savior and ignore what Pollard had a chance to do.

 

[Hoffa]

Its clear as day that Shanahan's/McVay's (Kevin O'Connell) system is far superior in approach and design.

The striking difference in this game was how easy Shanahan makes life for his quarterback. He consistently gets Garoppolo to his first read. He's scheming his playmakers open and getting the ball out of his quarterback's hands as quickly as possible. That's the complete opposite of what Moore is doing. Dak is routinely having to go through multiple reads because there is no one open, and no one has been schemed to get open.

Moore is living proof that being a successful play caller is about more than just spewing out exotic formations. He's got those for days. What he's lacking is the ability to package it all up in a cohesive way that makes the most of the playmakers at his disposal and takes the pressure off his quarterback's shoulders.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Or maybe the defense actually had to worry about Pollard catching or running the ball and it impacted the way the defense played. I don't think defenses respect Zeke anymore. And why should they?

That's some mental gymnastics right there. They weren't worried about Pollard and his 3.5 YPC in the game.

I don't think they were particularly worried about Zeke either, for the record.

 

[Shiningstar]

The striking difference in this game was how easy Shanahan makes life for his quarterback. He consistently gets Garoppolo to his first read. He's scheming his playmakers open and getting the ball out of his quarterback's hands as quickly as possible. That's the complete opposite of what Moore is doing. Dak is routinely having to go through multiple reads because there is no one open, and no one has been schemed to get open.

Moore is living proof that being a successful play caller is about more than just spewing out exotic formations. He's got those for days. What he's lacking is the ability to package it all up in a cohesive way that makes the most of the playmakers at his disposal and takes the pressure off his quarterback's shoulders.

also using that which puts his qb at better advantages, when dallas goes no huddle, Dak does well but than we never do it again.

 

[data]

By the way, our first offensive play out the gate...wtf was that?

Happened so quickly, we didn't properly bitch about it live.

I think it was a quick rollout sweep to a screen or some weird looking shit.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

That's some mental gymnastics right there. They weren't worried about Pollard and his 3.5 YPC in the game.

I don't think they were particularly worried about Zeke either, for the record.

It wasn't 3.5 you going into the game though. And 2 of those 4 carries went for 13 yards.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The striking difference in this game was how easy Shanahan makes life for his quarterback. He consistently gets Garoppolo to his first read. He's scheming his playmakers open and getting the ball out of his quarterback's hands as quickly as possible. That's the complete opposite of what Moore is doing

That's what I love about that offense. I've always thought Dak would be best in that kind of classic Shanahan offense, same as what Kubiak runs. Romo even said during the game that's what the Cowboys should do -- run and play action off that pretty much every play. He's not the kind to drop back deep and gun it all over the field, and he wouldn't have to in that offense. It would also take advantage of his mobility and move him around where the defense doesn't always know where the rush point will be.

 

[Simpleton]

Pollard wasn't doing great either, let's not act like that touchdown was due to Pollard.

Yea, he wasn't amazing in 4 whole carries, but he surely did well enough to get at least 1 single carry over the entire rest of the game, rather than force-feeding Elliott another 6-7 carries when he was providing even less.

The fact that Pollard is more of a home-run hitter than Elliott should've been even more reason to get him some touches given how much our offense struggled in the first half.