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Decoding McCarthy/Zimmer Report, Week 15
Cowboys would love to play Carolina every week. Each side of ball graded very well.
Bob Sturm
Dec 17, 2024
Our objectives today:
The Offensive Overview vs the Panthers
Obviously, the big story from the offense was running the ball for 211 yards, which we talked about yesterday.
Running for 200 is impressive and it is the first time in over two years the Cowboys have done it. In fact, it is also the first road game of the Mike McCarthy era where this has happened:
Running the football this effectively is uncommon, but the idea that the Cowboys' offensive structure must return to a place where 140+ rushing yards on the road is achievable would change the math completely. Watching the Eagles and Packers both reach points this year where they rely heavily on their quarterbacks in road games due to a physical rushing attack has me thinking that is the path for 2025.
Here are the 140+ road games in the last five seasons for the Cowboys offense:
As you can see, just once a year in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, they accomplished it five times in eight games, so you know that team was ready to win it all. I will always wonder about that Terence Steele ACL injury in December and how things went wrong from there.
There is plenty to like here. The Cowboys did an excellent job of running an offense against a defense that doesn’t offer much to fear. Instead of taking unnecessary risks and rolling the dice, they focused on taking profits on every play. As they say in the QB room, “You won’t go broke by just taking profits.”
For me, though, the story continues to center on the offensive line. And by the offensive line, I also mean the wide receivers, fullback, and tight ends contributing to the blocking effort. I’m a big fan of how this team is running the football, so here’s our weekly montage of big runs:
The second run highlights Hoffman and Bass doing outstanding work. Then Bass pulls on the Turpin run and excels again. Guyton is out there delivering blocks. At :26, Dowdle showcases his ability to make defenders miss. I really like Dowdle’s patience and vision—he’s proving to have some impressive qualities. Later, Turpin gets around the corner again. The whole reel is a lot of fun to watch.
We should talk about Brock Hoffman’s contract future. I’m sure Dallas envisions him as a starter next year after this recent stretch, whether at center or guard. If Zack Martin doesn’t return, you can feel great about Cooper Beebe stepping into one of those spots. Even TJ Bass offers some promise on the interior. With Tyler Smith holding it down, I love where the team is at on the inside.
The Defensive Overview vs the Panthers
The overview here is pretty simple, so we don’t have to belabor it much. The defense destroyed the Carolina offensive line and didn’t really need a single blitz to do it. When you stop the run and affect the passer with just your front four, you win the day.
Will this work as well against the three remaining teams who are all in the playoff mix? We shall see, but on this day, the Cowboys defense looked like the strength of this team again.
All the green on there just confirms the day. Six sacks and four takeaways. No running game, no yardage (especially when you consider 83 yards were on one play), and no life for the Panthers who had started feeling good about themselves again.
Kevin Utz made us a 6-sack montage and just watch the destruction. It is beautiful.
The violence from Micah at 0:25 is terrifying. Honestly, 0:45 is pretty scary, too. The Cowboys' defensive line has been outstanding for six weeks now, and I’m ready to say this is what we always knew they could be.
The issue, as I mentioned yesterday, is this: On Sunday, the front four consisted of Parsons, Golston, Odighizuwa, and Lawson. Of those, only Micah Parsons is under contract for 2025. So, as good as these players are, you’ll need to re-sign anyone you want to keep, and that’s going to be an expensive investment. DeMarcus Lawrence might return, and Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams will be back, but overall, the biggest concern for the defensive line is the lack of depth.
There’s no time like the present to use some of that remaining 2024 cap space and lock in deals for players like Odighizuwa or Golston.
SPLASH PLAYS
And here is the season leader-board:
Plays that defined this game - Xs and Os breakdown
1Q - 2:52 - 1-10-DAL 18 - B.Young scrambles left end to DAL 15 for 3 yards (M.Liufau). FUMBLES (M.Liufau), touched at DAL 13, RECOVERED by DAL-M.Kneeland at DAL 14. M.Kneeland to DAL 14 for no gain (B.Young).
This play stands out because it made a significant impact early in the game and serves as a valuable lesson for a young player like Bryce Young: no matter what, never let your guard down in the NFL. This isn’t how you want to end a long drive early in the game when you’re trying to build confidence.
As we saw, Young managed to make Micah Parsons look human for once, losing him in space. But just as he created a highlight-worthy moment, he canceled it out by being careless with the ball. Marist Liufau took advantage, delivering another splash play by knocking the ball loose. That makes four splash plays for Liufau in his last two games (since DeMarvion Overshown’s injury). If he keeps this up, we’ll have to call him a playmaker, too. Excellent work forcing the turnover.
2Q - 13:14 - 3-8-DAL 25 - C.Rush pass short left to C.Lamb to DAL 45 for 20 yards
Finally, in the 2nd Quarter, the Cowboys started getting going a bit by getting the ball to CeeDee Lamb. If anyone ever tries to tell you that CeeDee gets his stats in “garbage time”, don’t believe a word. Here are his splits from 1st half to 2nd half from ESPN:
If anything, teams adjust to Lamb in the second half because they’re tired of being shredded by him, doubling him heavily as the game progresses. Regardless, this was the early drive where they needed to get him involved to jump-start the offense.
This play, a third-and-8 blitz from Carolina, gets countered by a perfectly timed tunnel screen. Timing is everything on a play like this, and McCarthy dialed it up beautifully. Rush delivered a well-placed throw, and Lamb did the rest with blockers leading the way. Excellent execution all around.
You can see this might have gone the distance if Jadeveon Clowney hadn’t chased him down (coming dangerously close to a hip-drop tackle). Credit to Clowney for hustling like that on a three-win team in December. Not every well-traveled veteran plays that hard in those situations.
2Q - 11:08 - 3-3-CAR 48 - C.Rush pass deep right to C.Lamb pushed ob at CAR 20 for 28 yards
Three plays later, they are in another 3rd down. This one only needs three yards and the Panthers will blitz out of a Cover 3. So, Rico Dowdle will need to pick up the oncoming safety and he does. From there, if you are Cooper Rush, you have two choices – Jake Ferguson and Lamb out of the slot who we know - if we identify Cover 3 - will be in man against the slot (20-Jordan Fuller). The Panthers have an ambush ready on a throw to Ferguson, so Rush is on it well and just lofts a pass in Lamb’s direction. It could certainly be a better pass, but in that spot, it doesn’t have to be. Lamb is such a weapon.
2Q - 9:07 - 3-4-CAR 14 - C.Rush pass short right to C.Lamb for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Same drive, three plays later, we’re looking at another third down. This one is at the 14-yard line, and they use motion to identify the coverage. Once they confirm Fuller is still on Lamb, you can see Rush knows he’s going back to the back-shoulder fade to No. 88.
It’s not an easy play to execute, but it’s exactly where you want to go with the ball. Rush does a great job stepping up in the pocket as Clowney beats Terence Steele and is closing in fast. And, as always, Lamb adjusts to the ball effortlessly, making it look simple.
2Q - 6:28 - 3-3-DAL 49 - B.Young pass short middle intended for A.Thielen INTERCEPTED by E.Kendricks (J.Lewis) [O.Odighizuwa] at DAL 45. E.Kendricks to CAR 48 for 7 yards (R.Hunt).
I put this on here to show a few things. The first is Jourdan Lewis is a wonderful pro who I never gave enough credit, but as his career continues to age, I just love how he competes. Here, he deflects a ball to Eric Kendricks for a 3rd and short interception and Young obviously has to throw a better ball. But, I think this also gives you a good look at 97-Odighizuwa and 99-Golston inside both rushing the passer from DT with 94-Kneeland and Micah on the outside. Big takeaway.
2Q - 0:45 - 3-1-CAR 14 - C.Rush to CAR 18 for -4 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by CAR-Dj.Johnson at CAR 17.
Cooper Rush has some flaws and this one is the biggest. He fumbles so much that I cannot believe it. I think it might now be in his head. Several of his fumbles have been on these 3rd and 1 plays where I think he is planning on keeping the ball but just gets a little excited or something. Regardless, a guy who has played so little should probably not be 3rd in the NFL in fumbles this year, but alas.
All these guys have played about twice as much as Rush, so you really have to address this issue. Baker Mayfield has played 918 snaps so far and Cooper is at 451. Very not good and everyone in Cowboys land saw that play and the next one as a proper description of 2024.
2Q - 0:42 - 1-10-CAR 17 - B.Young pass deep right to J.Coker for 83 yards, TOUCHDOWN [O.Odighizuwa].
One play later…
I have no idea how this Cover 3 coverage gets blown so badly in a situation where the Cowboys have to know the Panthers are looking for a sudden change play to jumpstart the day. Our friend Amani Oruwariye appears to be fooled on the switch release at the line as the outside guy and the slot receiver essentially try to mess up the coverage.
This is almost always the outside corner’s job. I am not sure exactly how this is coached, but in general, this is up to Oruwariye to decipher the vertical and outside threat and stay with him. Yes, the safety should help, but deep middle on a Cover 3 is a long way to go. Meanwhile, Jalen Coker, an undrafted free agent from Holy Cross, enjoys a fairly easy 83-yard touchdown that appeared to swing the game.
3Q - 14:56 - 1-10-CAR 34 - B.Young sacked at CAR 28 for -6 yards (O.Odighizuwa). FUMBLES (O.Odighizuwa) [O.Odighizuwa], RECOVERED by DAL-C.Golston at CAR 29.
How do you take over a game? On the first play of the second half, you power through and deliver a strip sack by overpowering Carolina’s left guard, Damien Lewis. Osa Odighizuwa is just entering his prime, and the Cowboys would be wise not to let him walk as a free agent in a few months. However, I haven’t gotten the impression that retaining him is a high priority.
I love this player and think he shows here that he’s a true bull in a china shop. With 21 splash plays this season, he’s proven he can consistently make an impact all year long.
3Q - 12:53 - 2-5-CAR 11 - C.Rush pass short right to J.Tolbert for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Here is the Cowboys favorite play for Cooper Rush. It is the rollout to the levels concept. So, you play-action fake and you will have a RB to the flat, a TE shallow, and the backside WR to the deep all running in the same direction as the QB. Then, Rush has always been comfortable rolling to his right, so he lofts a throw that Jalen Tolbert is able to grab for a touchdown. This is absolutely high on the menu for red-zone plays for Rush.
3Q - 7:05 - 1-10-CAR 17 - C.Rush pass deep right to J.Brooks for 17 yards, TOUCHDOWN [L.Ray].
Now, this one is different. This might be the best pass Cooper Rush has ever thrown and I say that because it is completely off schedule and he is just making this one up as he goes. The throw to the left is off, so he has to escape right and Jalen Brooks starts wide left and ends up catching the ball in the right corner. Can you imagine pulling this off? What a feeling it must be to the QB and the WR involved as both of them have worked hard and they now have a moment of brilliance where it all worked perfectly. You have to be happy for both of them. Cool moment and the dagger for this game.
Cowboys would love to play Carolina every week. Each side of ball graded very well.
Bob Sturm
Dec 17, 2024
Our objectives today:
- The Offensive Overview vs the Panthers
- 200-yard Rushing Day
- The Defensive Overview vs the Panthers
- Six sacks and four takeaways
- Plays that defined this game - Xs and Os breakdown
The Offensive Overview vs the Panthers
Obviously, the big story from the offense was running the ball for 211 yards, which we talked about yesterday.
Running for 200 is impressive and it is the first time in over two years the Cowboys have done it. In fact, it is also the first road game of the Mike McCarthy era where this has happened:
Running the football this effectively is uncommon, but the idea that the Cowboys' offensive structure must return to a place where 140+ rushing yards on the road is achievable would change the math completely. Watching the Eagles and Packers both reach points this year where they rely heavily on their quarterbacks in road games due to a physical rushing attack has me thinking that is the path for 2025.
Here are the 140+ road games in the last five seasons for the Cowboys offense:
As you can see, just once a year in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, they accomplished it five times in eight games, so you know that team was ready to win it all. I will always wonder about that Terence Steele ACL injury in December and how things went wrong from there.
There is plenty to like here. The Cowboys did an excellent job of running an offense against a defense that doesn’t offer much to fear. Instead of taking unnecessary risks and rolling the dice, they focused on taking profits on every play. As they say in the QB room, “You won’t go broke by just taking profits.”
For me, though, the story continues to center on the offensive line. And by the offensive line, I also mean the wide receivers, fullback, and tight ends contributing to the blocking effort. I’m a big fan of how this team is running the football, so here’s our weekly montage of big runs:
The second run highlights Hoffman and Bass doing outstanding work. Then Bass pulls on the Turpin run and excels again. Guyton is out there delivering blocks. At :26, Dowdle showcases his ability to make defenders miss. I really like Dowdle’s patience and vision—he’s proving to have some impressive qualities. Later, Turpin gets around the corner again. The whole reel is a lot of fun to watch.
We should talk about Brock Hoffman’s contract future. I’m sure Dallas envisions him as a starter next year after this recent stretch, whether at center or guard. If Zack Martin doesn’t return, you can feel great about Cooper Beebe stepping into one of those spots. Even TJ Bass offers some promise on the interior. With Tyler Smith holding it down, I love where the team is at on the inside.
The Defensive Overview vs the Panthers
The overview here is pretty simple, so we don’t have to belabor it much. The defense destroyed the Carolina offensive line and didn’t really need a single blitz to do it. When you stop the run and affect the passer with just your front four, you win the day.
Will this work as well against the three remaining teams who are all in the playoff mix? We shall see, but on this day, the Cowboys defense looked like the strength of this team again.
All the green on there just confirms the day. Six sacks and four takeaways. No running game, no yardage (especially when you consider 83 yards were on one play), and no life for the Panthers who had started feeling good about themselves again.
Kevin Utz made us a 6-sack montage and just watch the destruction. It is beautiful.
The violence from Micah at 0:25 is terrifying. Honestly, 0:45 is pretty scary, too. The Cowboys' defensive line has been outstanding for six weeks now, and I’m ready to say this is what we always knew they could be.
The issue, as I mentioned yesterday, is this: On Sunday, the front four consisted of Parsons, Golston, Odighizuwa, and Lawson. Of those, only Micah Parsons is under contract for 2025. So, as good as these players are, you’ll need to re-sign anyone you want to keep, and that’s going to be an expensive investment. DeMarcus Lawrence might return, and Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams will be back, but overall, the biggest concern for the defensive line is the lack of depth.
There’s no time like the present to use some of that remaining 2024 cap space and lock in deals for players like Odighizuwa or Golston.
SPLASH PLAYS
And here is the season leader-board:
Plays that defined this game - Xs and Os breakdown
1Q - 2:52 - 1-10-DAL 18 - B.Young scrambles left end to DAL 15 for 3 yards (M.Liufau). FUMBLES (M.Liufau), touched at DAL 13, RECOVERED by DAL-M.Kneeland at DAL 14. M.Kneeland to DAL 14 for no gain (B.Young).
This play stands out because it made a significant impact early in the game and serves as a valuable lesson for a young player like Bryce Young: no matter what, never let your guard down in the NFL. This isn’t how you want to end a long drive early in the game when you’re trying to build confidence.
As we saw, Young managed to make Micah Parsons look human for once, losing him in space. But just as he created a highlight-worthy moment, he canceled it out by being careless with the ball. Marist Liufau took advantage, delivering another splash play by knocking the ball loose. That makes four splash plays for Liufau in his last two games (since DeMarvion Overshown’s injury). If he keeps this up, we’ll have to call him a playmaker, too. Excellent work forcing the turnover.
2Q - 13:14 - 3-8-DAL 25 - C.Rush pass short left to C.Lamb to DAL 45 for 20 yards
Finally, in the 2nd Quarter, the Cowboys started getting going a bit by getting the ball to CeeDee Lamb. If anyone ever tries to tell you that CeeDee gets his stats in “garbage time”, don’t believe a word. Here are his splits from 1st half to 2nd half from ESPN:
If anything, teams adjust to Lamb in the second half because they’re tired of being shredded by him, doubling him heavily as the game progresses. Regardless, this was the early drive where they needed to get him involved to jump-start the offense.
This play, a third-and-8 blitz from Carolina, gets countered by a perfectly timed tunnel screen. Timing is everything on a play like this, and McCarthy dialed it up beautifully. Rush delivered a well-placed throw, and Lamb did the rest with blockers leading the way. Excellent execution all around.
You can see this might have gone the distance if Jadeveon Clowney hadn’t chased him down (coming dangerously close to a hip-drop tackle). Credit to Clowney for hustling like that on a three-win team in December. Not every well-traveled veteran plays that hard in those situations.
2Q - 11:08 - 3-3-CAR 48 - C.Rush pass deep right to C.Lamb pushed ob at CAR 20 for 28 yards
Three plays later, they are in another 3rd down. This one only needs three yards and the Panthers will blitz out of a Cover 3. So, Rico Dowdle will need to pick up the oncoming safety and he does. From there, if you are Cooper Rush, you have two choices – Jake Ferguson and Lamb out of the slot who we know - if we identify Cover 3 - will be in man against the slot (20-Jordan Fuller). The Panthers have an ambush ready on a throw to Ferguson, so Rush is on it well and just lofts a pass in Lamb’s direction. It could certainly be a better pass, but in that spot, it doesn’t have to be. Lamb is such a weapon.
2Q - 9:07 - 3-4-CAR 14 - C.Rush pass short right to C.Lamb for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Same drive, three plays later, we’re looking at another third down. This one is at the 14-yard line, and they use motion to identify the coverage. Once they confirm Fuller is still on Lamb, you can see Rush knows he’s going back to the back-shoulder fade to No. 88.
It’s not an easy play to execute, but it’s exactly where you want to go with the ball. Rush does a great job stepping up in the pocket as Clowney beats Terence Steele and is closing in fast. And, as always, Lamb adjusts to the ball effortlessly, making it look simple.
2Q - 6:28 - 3-3-DAL 49 - B.Young pass short middle intended for A.Thielen INTERCEPTED by E.Kendricks (J.Lewis) [O.Odighizuwa] at DAL 45. E.Kendricks to CAR 48 for 7 yards (R.Hunt).
I put this on here to show a few things. The first is Jourdan Lewis is a wonderful pro who I never gave enough credit, but as his career continues to age, I just love how he competes. Here, he deflects a ball to Eric Kendricks for a 3rd and short interception and Young obviously has to throw a better ball. But, I think this also gives you a good look at 97-Odighizuwa and 99-Golston inside both rushing the passer from DT with 94-Kneeland and Micah on the outside. Big takeaway.
2Q - 0:45 - 3-1-CAR 14 - C.Rush to CAR 18 for -4 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by CAR-Dj.Johnson at CAR 17.
Cooper Rush has some flaws and this one is the biggest. He fumbles so much that I cannot believe it. I think it might now be in his head. Several of his fumbles have been on these 3rd and 1 plays where I think he is planning on keeping the ball but just gets a little excited or something. Regardless, a guy who has played so little should probably not be 3rd in the NFL in fumbles this year, but alas.
All these guys have played about twice as much as Rush, so you really have to address this issue. Baker Mayfield has played 918 snaps so far and Cooper is at 451. Very not good and everyone in Cowboys land saw that play and the next one as a proper description of 2024.
2Q - 0:42 - 1-10-CAR 17 - B.Young pass deep right to J.Coker for 83 yards, TOUCHDOWN [O.Odighizuwa].
One play later…
I have no idea how this Cover 3 coverage gets blown so badly in a situation where the Cowboys have to know the Panthers are looking for a sudden change play to jumpstart the day. Our friend Amani Oruwariye appears to be fooled on the switch release at the line as the outside guy and the slot receiver essentially try to mess up the coverage.
This is almost always the outside corner’s job. I am not sure exactly how this is coached, but in general, this is up to Oruwariye to decipher the vertical and outside threat and stay with him. Yes, the safety should help, but deep middle on a Cover 3 is a long way to go. Meanwhile, Jalen Coker, an undrafted free agent from Holy Cross, enjoys a fairly easy 83-yard touchdown that appeared to swing the game.
3Q - 14:56 - 1-10-CAR 34 - B.Young sacked at CAR 28 for -6 yards (O.Odighizuwa). FUMBLES (O.Odighizuwa) [O.Odighizuwa], RECOVERED by DAL-C.Golston at CAR 29.
How do you take over a game? On the first play of the second half, you power through and deliver a strip sack by overpowering Carolina’s left guard, Damien Lewis. Osa Odighizuwa is just entering his prime, and the Cowboys would be wise not to let him walk as a free agent in a few months. However, I haven’t gotten the impression that retaining him is a high priority.
I love this player and think he shows here that he’s a true bull in a china shop. With 21 splash plays this season, he’s proven he can consistently make an impact all year long.
3Q - 12:53 - 2-5-CAR 11 - C.Rush pass short right to J.Tolbert for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Here is the Cowboys favorite play for Cooper Rush. It is the rollout to the levels concept. So, you play-action fake and you will have a RB to the flat, a TE shallow, and the backside WR to the deep all running in the same direction as the QB. Then, Rush has always been comfortable rolling to his right, so he lofts a throw that Jalen Tolbert is able to grab for a touchdown. This is absolutely high on the menu for red-zone plays for Rush.
3Q - 7:05 - 1-10-CAR 17 - C.Rush pass deep right to J.Brooks for 17 yards, TOUCHDOWN [L.Ray].
Now, this one is different. This might be the best pass Cooper Rush has ever thrown and I say that because it is completely off schedule and he is just making this one up as he goes. The throw to the left is off, so he has to escape right and Jalen Brooks starts wide left and ends up catching the ball in the right corner. Can you imagine pulling this off? What a feeling it must be to the QB and the WR involved as both of them have worked hard and they now have a moment of brilliance where it all worked perfectly. You have to be happy for both of them. Cool moment and the dagger for this game.