- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 120,761
Offensive style helps defense, too
Taylor By Jean-Jacques Taylor
ESPNDallas.com
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is doing a tremendous job with the Cowboys' defense, transforming a unit that seemed destined to be among the worst in the league into a group that's helping the Cowboys win games.
Playcaller Scott Linehan's work makes it all possible.
Everything about the Cowboys' offensive style this season -- run the ball, run the ball, then run it some more -- is designed to protect the defense.
It's among the reasons Linehan has remained committed to running the ball even on the few occasions it seems like DeMarco Murray is running into a brick wall. Murray leads the NFL with 913 yards on 187 carries.
The Cowboys have had the ball for more than 33 minutes in each of the past four games -- the first time that's happened since 1980. We all know it's pretty much impossible for a defense to give up points when it's chilling on the bench chugging Gatorade.
Not only does the rest keep them fresh, but it has the defense playing about 10 fewer plays per game than last season. Over the course of a season, that would be 160 plays or about three games.
Imagine that.
The defensive players have no problem giving maximum effort because they're well-rested -- and it certainly helps that much of the time this season they've been playing with a lead.
Linehan has done even more for the Cowboys' offense than he's done for the defense.
He's built the entire offensive attack around the talents of Murray and Dez Bryant. Sixty percent of the runs and passes he's called this season have been designed to put the ball in their hands.
On Sunday against the Giants, 41 of the 60 plays he called were for Murray or Bryant. Murray rushed for 128 yards and Bryant caught nine passes for 151 yards. They combined for four plays of 20 yards or more.
Their production has removed the pressure from Tony Romo and positioned him to make a handful of game-changing plays each week, which he's done.
This offense, built around the NFL's best running game, is an attack that's good enough to succeed in whatever elements the season brings.
It's an offense that Linehan's touch has made the best in the NFL, making the Cowboys a contender. And that's why Linehan is just a smidgen more important than Marinelli.
Taylor By Jean-Jacques Taylor
ESPNDallas.com
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is doing a tremendous job with the Cowboys' defense, transforming a unit that seemed destined to be among the worst in the league into a group that's helping the Cowboys win games.
Playcaller Scott Linehan's work makes it all possible.
Everything about the Cowboys' offensive style this season -- run the ball, run the ball, then run it some more -- is designed to protect the defense.
It's among the reasons Linehan has remained committed to running the ball even on the few occasions it seems like DeMarco Murray is running into a brick wall. Murray leads the NFL with 913 yards on 187 carries.
The Cowboys have had the ball for more than 33 minutes in each of the past four games -- the first time that's happened since 1980. We all know it's pretty much impossible for a defense to give up points when it's chilling on the bench chugging Gatorade.
Not only does the rest keep them fresh, but it has the defense playing about 10 fewer plays per game than last season. Over the course of a season, that would be 160 plays or about three games.
Imagine that.
The defensive players have no problem giving maximum effort because they're well-rested -- and it certainly helps that much of the time this season they've been playing with a lead.
Linehan has done even more for the Cowboys' offense than he's done for the defense.
He's built the entire offensive attack around the talents of Murray and Dez Bryant. Sixty percent of the runs and passes he's called this season have been designed to put the ball in their hands.
On Sunday against the Giants, 41 of the 60 plays he called were for Murray or Bryant. Murray rushed for 128 yards and Bryant caught nine passes for 151 yards. They combined for four plays of 20 yards or more.
Their production has removed the pressure from Tony Romo and positioned him to make a handful of game-changing plays each week, which he's done.
This offense, built around the NFL's best running game, is an attack that's good enough to succeed in whatever elements the season brings.
It's an offense that Linehan's touch has made the best in the NFL, making the Cowboys a contender. And that's why Linehan is just a smidgen more important than Marinelli.