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Decoding Schotty Week1 - Good Not Enough
The run game delivered on campaign promises and Prescott was excellent vs Eagles.
Bob Sturm
Sep 08, 2025
For God's sake Sturm, this is a lot of words...
Here we go. Our objectives today:
For anyone who is new here, it is great to have you.
The Morning After piece each week is more for talking about who won and why. That is why we play the game, so the outcome is the outcome and there are reasons for it.
But, each week at #SturmStack (and several employers before it) I wanted to dig deeper to each side of the ball and come to terms with the idea that sometimes a team can win and play poorly on offense. Sometimes you can lose and that side of the ball played great. Other times, the nuance is vital as we say that these players did great and should be recognized, but these other players were very poor and also should be recognized.
That is what we do here. Now, given that I started this routine 18 years ago, I do know that many of you do know the lexicon and vernacular. But, if you don’t know what I am talking about, put it in the comments and we now have a community of folks (including me!) who will answer any questions to the best of our ability.
Leave no eager football mind behind!
DRIVE CHART
We start every game eval with this. It is the drive chart and each line indicates each quarter. So, you can see that there were very few drives in this game for both teams. The average is probably about 10 drives in a game, but the higher the plays-per-drive and the more the clock runs, the fewer the opportunitities.
As you can see at the bottom of the chart, Dallas averaged its starting position at its own 23-yard line. And then on the far right, you see the entire story of this loss to the Eagles that was, as my dad would say, “close, but no cigar.”
In the first four drives, Dallas scored four times. In the final four drives that made up the entire second half, the Cowboys didn’t score.
Fumble-Punt-Punt-Downs.
In a nutshell, that is how you start brightly and then end upset in an upset bid at your rival’s house.
Admittedly, that is not very complete analysis, of course. Why didn’t they score in those spots? We will get there. We are still in the game-overview and summary and here is where Josh Clevenger will help us this season with our “offensive report” visual:
OK, overall, we saw a lot of good out of the offense in this game, but those numbers in red with the X next to it will tell the story of the items that must be better:
It is that easy. And yes, that is usually how the teams do it, too, but they often use a color or a fancy name to make it even quicker on the sideline as players run on and off with only seconds to spare.
Here are the groupings from Week 1:
The majority of your plays will almost always be in 11 personnel (75% in Philadelphia in this era of pro football as offenses want three WRs on the field as much as possible). This is the offense used on nearly every third down, two-minute offense, and frankly some teams will use it all year until 3rd-and-1.
Yards per play is a helpful stat, but not entirely descriptive with some because “22 personnel” with 2 RB and 2 TE or “13” is usually very short yardage. Therefore, we should use success rate more than yards per play.
* Success Rate defined:
In general, the offensive evaluation from Thursday in Philadelphia is this: from my perspective, given the new scheme, the new personnel, and the challenge of playing the Super Bowl champions right out of the gate, I am reasonably pleased with what I saw.
This will come as no surprise to anyone that saw it, but Dallas played well. They ran the ball well, they protected well, and they had many big plays available.
But, they were shutout in the second half, dropped five passes that might certainly have changed the outcome, fumbled and lost a ball in the red zone, and left a fair amount of meat on the bone in a game that was being offered.
So, yes, they played well and showed some real promise. But, no, not good enough. They scored 20, were shutout after halftime, and came up one touchdown short of accomplishing the stated mission.
This is life in professional football. Not good enough is not good enough.
Let’s evaluate the Run Game:
Back in June, I did a big feature on the 2025 objective of run game variance by new OC Klayton Adams who was hired from Arizona that should lead to an improved run game.
It is a great story to check out if you want more on this topic.
https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/good-news-running-game-is-being-fixed
The short summary was that Dallas had most of their offense in very few zone concepts and Arizona believed in six ideas that they would run multiple times every game. If we were to make the threshold 12%, Dallas has 2 and Arizona 5. If we make the threshold 5%, Dallas had four ideas and Arizona had six.
So, does variance lead to success and would Dallas give us all six in Week 1?
Yes and yes?
Allow me to nerd out and take you on a journey through the many run concepts from Thursday here in the 22 total runs:
Six runs for 25 yards and a touchdown. Also a fumble. Javonte Williams was really strong here but obviously, Miles Sanders fumbled the ball and probably flipped the game. But, this was the concept they used the most, which is no surprise.
I think we can see there are a lot of ways to run outside zone and the Cowboys used a lot of it if you watch the tight ends and the motions to try to dress it up a bit. Four reps for 11 yards in this concept.
Power and Counter are the next two and Dallas is bringing this back to the offense this year. The best way to identify power and counter will be to see the backside guard leading the running back with power being the guard as the lead blocker. They ran this two times (both 52-Booker) and both times in short yardage. Williams knows what he is doing.
Power and counter are not that different, except counter, the pulling guard is usually getting the edge and there is a FB, HB, TE, getting the lead. So watch 40-Hunter Luepke or 87-Jake Ferguson on these 3 reps for 12 yards. Very fun stuff. Again, Williams knows what he is looking for and when to just get what he can get and not dance.
We saw two examples of pull-lead and that is the ball carrier following the LG and C to the left and they used Turpin for 5 yards and Sanders broke the big one for 49 on this play.
Here is a trap play where the DT is wondering why nobody is blocking him and then here comes 89-Spann Ford to get him and free up a lane for 3 yards.
And then two additional plays that don’t really fit in any of the first six categories so we will this one category seven. Two “trick” concepts with Kavonte Turpin in space with Williams leading him and then the pitch left.
13 of these plays were successes and a stunning 59% success rate (13 for 22) is a massive step forward. Yes, no Jalen Carter and such, but I am absolutely thrilled with what we saw from this run game imagination and execution. So, this was a very nice step forward in Week 1.
Tyler Booker and Tyler Guyton - How did they look?
I get asked this plenty and you know Josh and I are going to make you a reel to dive in together. So, let’s do this:
Tyler Booker is up first.
Here is every significant snap of Tyler Booker’s NFL Debut. He played hard, but you can tell that it took him a bit to get his wits about him. He had to be thrilled Carter got himself ejected, but I think in total, Booker’s performance was just fine. PFF did not smile upon him and I can see why as he over-shot several blocks, had poor technique at times, and has plenty to clean up. But, I will just say that this fog of war will serve him well. There is nothing that tells us he won’t be a high-level player soon (and he better be as the No. 12 overall pick and highest guard taken since Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson was taken by the Colts in 2018), so the journey is underway.
Tyler Guyton’s turn now.
The grades for Guyton and the performance was a bit less stellar, but I would also concede overall that it wasn’t horrendous at all and I still have plenty of hope. He is much more of a project and missing all of camp is not helping the cause in the slightest. That said, I thought he showed the battle level and strength to invest in and we will be tracking his progress with great interest. I have hope.
I will also say that the play that everyone suggests was Dak nearly “costing them the game” at the end of the reel shows the details in this sport. Guyton’s guy is hitting Dak’s arm as he throws. There are so many little things that lead to the big things in the NFL. Guyton is a work in progress and he got through Thursday and moves on.
The QB Play was pretty salty
Also, if you are new here, you should know that the Dak Prescott discourse from your author is going to not be like what you encounter at work or on Twitter.
The Dak Prescott discourse is similar to the Tony Romo discourse before it – we watch the tape, we point out the good and the bad. We judge based on performance, not narrative. And no, when we look at Week 1 in 2025, we are not going to be saying that none of it matters until the playoffs (or when he plays poorly).
So, just a little disclaimer there.
I think this team can go far in 2025 if Dak Prescott gives this type of performance 12 times in 17 games, I bet they will win 10 of them. But, yeah, this is one of the two other games where he played so well and it still wasn’t enough. Those will happen, but hopefully they are pretty rare.
NEXT GEN THROW CHART
What is CPOE? Completion Percentage Over Expected, or CPOE for short. CPOE measures how much higher a quarterback's completion percentage is relative to what we'd expect based on the types of throws attempted by the QB. Deep throws and throws to the sideline are generally completed at a lower rate. CPOE rewards quarterbacks for completing these types of difficult throws, while penalizing them for missing easy throws like screens and check downs.
So, essentially, despite five tough drops, he still exceeded expectations in this game. In other words, your QB was probably your best player in this game.
He had four big time throws (1Q 12:22, 1Q 0:58, 3Q 4:58, 4Q 2:47), five dropped passes (2Q 2:54, 3Q 4:58, 4Q 15:00, 4Q 2:47, 4Q 2:00), and just one turnover worthy play (4Q 2:57). Yes, that is excellent work throughout by QB1. And, he demonstrated throughout the game that he was a very emotional leader who is here to fight hard for the cause. Again, you would expect that given the contract, but it is great to see him embrace the challenge.
FILM STUDY
1Q - 12:22 - 3-1-PHI 33 - D.Prescott pass deep right to C.Lamb pushed ob at PHI 1 for 32 yards
12 personnel and it is 3rd and 1. This is screaming run at the formation, so you bust out in play-action pass and you have the Eagles cussing as Lamb runs. Single-high and Cover 3 with Lamb vs Adoree Jackson and this is stealing as long as Tyler Guyton can keep his man 58-Jalyx Hunt off Prescott’s blindside. He does, but barely, and it sets up 1st and goal at the 1.
Next play…
1Q - 11:52 - 1/G/1 - J.Williams left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
You just love to see this as Dallas runs power on the goal-line and punches it in. The blocking was not perfect and there are so many bodies flying around, but more than anything, I just love seeing this called and then executed. No shotgun goal-line at Philly on the 1st drive sends a message of intent. Also, Javonte Williams might be something. He runs so hard. Let’s see about durability, but he has that dawg in him in terms of disposition. Dallas is up 7-0.
1Q - 0:58 - 2-23-PHI 46 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep right to G.Pickens (Q.Mitchell).
PENALTY on PHI-Q.Mitchell, Defensive Pass Interference, 34 yards, enforced at PHI 46
Next drive, second-and-23 after a Tyler Smith hold puts Dallas in a hole, but they have two guys who can win on the outside. This one – which we know is not included in the stats because it ends up as pass interference – should absolutely be considered when we talk about the George Pickens debut and the Dak performance. That is a perfect throw. Perfect. And a winning route against an excellent corner in Quinyon Mitchell. That will be there all season, there is no doubt.
3Q - 6:21 - 2-10-DAL 40 - M.Sanders left end to PHI 11 for 49 yards (Z.Baun).
The biggest run of the night is helped by the orbit motion of Kavonte Turpin moving Zack Baun out of the screen to the right. More on Baun in a moment. Now, we saw this pull-lead concept above, but from this angle you see that it is all a numbers game. Once the motion takes the LB out, you see that the Eagles are understaffed back to the left. The pullers then clear a path and watch Terence Steele from RT come all the way across to dig out the safety with ease, 32-Blankenship. From here, you would like to think Miles Sanders is gone, but watch Baun from the snap. It is extraordinary effort and he runs Sanders down just in time. Football is amazing when you watch each piece to see what all goes into a huge play.
3Q - 4:58 - 3-22-PHI 23 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep middle to J.Ferguson (R.Blankenship).
This is one of Prescott’s big time throws. This is also a bad job by Jake Ferguson because he has to catch this. His bobble makes him a target for Reed Blankenship. We are reminded of what Drew Pearson always says, “you are going to get hit either way, so you might as well catch it.” This is 3rd and 22 and you have no chance, usually. But, Dak throws the ball and Jake needs to catch it and then hit the deck. Instead, he bobbles it and when he tries to recatch it, the safety arrives with violence. Down 24-20, this touchdown is probably the difference in the game. But, this might be the single biggest drop in the evening. This is the NFL and this has to be a touchdown even though you see what Ferguson endures. Great protection, great throw.
But, when you miss it, then even with the penalty, the next play brings pain.
3Q - 4:52 - 1-10-PHI 11 - M.Sanders left guard to PHI 10 for 1 yard (J.Campbell; B.Young). FUMBLES (J.Campbell), RECOVERED by PHI-Q.Mitchell at PHI 10. Q.Mitchell to PHI 16 for 6 yards (D.Prescott).
The very next play, they run the ball again with Miles Sanders. He tries to make a few more yards and instead the ball comes out. Killer moment and the Eagles nearly have a touchdown if Dak isn’t ready to try to fix things again with a huge tackle. What a moment for the only giveaway of the evening.
4Q - 2:52 - 3-5-DAL 23 - D.Prescott pass short left to G.Pickens pushed ob at DAL 38 for 15 yards
Big third down with under 3 minutes in the fourth quarter. Dak on an easy comeback to George Pickens for 15. Pickens is so big that this will always be available. I just wanted to show what a fun new toy is now available to this offense. It should be a huge year.
4Q - 2:47 - 1-10-DAL 38 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep right to C.Lamb (Q.Mitchell).
Probably the play of the game and it is one that is a mystery. Eagles look like Cover 6 and the Cowboys are 3x1 with the three all running verts. The spacing is very odd and it can be suggested that this pass is actually for Tolbert. In fact, our friend Babe Laufenberg has said exactly that, partly because it looks like Lamb is sort of making up a route that is called “time to make a play” and he almost does. Dak is getting hit so does he mean to throw it to Lamb and CeeDee is adjusting his path? Probably. Either way, it hits Lamb in both hands and the ball drops to the ground. Exhaustion? Focus? Who can say, but is this game won if he catches this? Fair questions all around. He has to make this play.
And finally…
4Q - 2:00 - 4-3-DAL 45 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep left to C.Lamb.
4th and 3. So the question quickly becomes, do I take Lamb on a great matchup or do I try to get a fresh set of downs? Eagles try to take the options away by blitzing heavily. They show six and blitz five with 30-Campbell dropping into Turpin in a double team over the middle. It was a trap, so Prescott made the right decision (could Ferguson have been a very late option?) Once you make the decision, you know Lamb is winning against his guy Cooper DeJean on the slot fade. Lamb wins every time and that is why he is so special. But, again, I think this is a play he makes most weeks. I have a list of excuses, but it was that kinda night for him and we are after midnight, so not sure. But, we know his career and we know he makes this play 80% of the time. This one wasn’t that sort of night.
Wow, this one was long. But, either way, I saw plenty of good and a lot of promising from Schottenheimer and his QB. I said this on Friday and I will say it now after watching the tape:
The run game delivered on campaign promises and Prescott was excellent vs Eagles.
Bob Sturm
Sep 08, 2025
For God's sake Sturm, this is a lot of words...
Here we go. Our objectives today:
- The all-new run game and the success that went with it.
- QB1 playing at a high level, let down by mates a bit.
- Evaluate the Offensive Line in Depth.
- Tyler Booker’s debut and Tyler Guyton’s return.
- Look at some All-22 film and see what we can see.
For anyone who is new here, it is great to have you.
The Morning After piece each week is more for talking about who won and why. That is why we play the game, so the outcome is the outcome and there are reasons for it.
But, each week at #SturmStack (and several employers before it) I wanted to dig deeper to each side of the ball and come to terms with the idea that sometimes a team can win and play poorly on offense. Sometimes you can lose and that side of the ball played great. Other times, the nuance is vital as we say that these players did great and should be recognized, but these other players were very poor and also should be recognized.
That is what we do here. Now, given that I started this routine 18 years ago, I do know that many of you do know the lexicon and vernacular. But, if you don’t know what I am talking about, put it in the comments and we now have a community of folks (including me!) who will answer any questions to the best of our ability.
Leave no eager football mind behind!
DRIVE CHART
We start every game eval with this. It is the drive chart and each line indicates each quarter. So, you can see that there were very few drives in this game for both teams. The average is probably about 10 drives in a game, but the higher the plays-per-drive and the more the clock runs, the fewer the opportunitities.
As you can see at the bottom of the chart, Dallas averaged its starting position at its own 23-yard line. And then on the far right, you see the entire story of this loss to the Eagles that was, as my dad would say, “close, but no cigar.”
In the first four drives, Dallas scored four times. In the final four drives that made up the entire second half, the Cowboys didn’t score.
Fumble-Punt-Punt-Downs.
In a nutshell, that is how you start brightly and then end upset in an upset bid at your rival’s house.
Admittedly, that is not very complete analysis, of course. Why didn’t they score in those spots? We will get there. We are still in the game-overview and summary and here is where Josh Clevenger will help us this season with our “offensive report” visual:
OK, overall, we saw a lot of good out of the offense in this game, but those numbers in red with the X next to it will tell the story of the items that must be better:
- Points (20 will almost never cut it in a game like this. Must get to 24, at least).
- Yards (307 is very close to threshold, but 337 is average).
- Time of Possession (25:08 will not cut it).
- Explosives (Looking for 5, got 3).
- Passing Success Rate (41% is under threshold, need 50%).
- Yards Per Attempt (5.5 would love 7 and settle for 6.5 most weeks).
It is that easy. And yes, that is usually how the teams do it, too, but they often use a color or a fancy name to make it even quicker on the sideline as players run on and off with only seconds to spare.
Here are the groupings from Week 1:
The majority of your plays will almost always be in 11 personnel (75% in Philadelphia in this era of pro football as offenses want three WRs on the field as much as possible). This is the offense used on nearly every third down, two-minute offense, and frankly some teams will use it all year until 3rd-and-1.
Yards per play is a helpful stat, but not entirely descriptive with some because “22 personnel” with 2 RB and 2 TE or “13” is usually very short yardage. Therefore, we should use success rate more than yards per play.
* Success Rate defined:
- 1st down: Gain 40% or more of Yds To Go
- 2nd down: Gain 50% or more of Yds To Go
- 3rd/4th down: Get the first down? Success!
- Success is only evaluated on offensive plays, not special teams such as field goals, punts, or kickoffs
In general, the offensive evaluation from Thursday in Philadelphia is this: from my perspective, given the new scheme, the new personnel, and the challenge of playing the Super Bowl champions right out of the gate, I am reasonably pleased with what I saw.
This will come as no surprise to anyone that saw it, but Dallas played well. They ran the ball well, they protected well, and they had many big plays available.
But, they were shutout in the second half, dropped five passes that might certainly have changed the outcome, fumbled and lost a ball in the red zone, and left a fair amount of meat on the bone in a game that was being offered.
So, yes, they played well and showed some real promise. But, no, not good enough. They scored 20, were shutout after halftime, and came up one touchdown short of accomplishing the stated mission.
This is life in professional football. Not good enough is not good enough.
Let’s evaluate the Run Game:
Back in June, I did a big feature on the 2025 objective of run game variance by new OC Klayton Adams who was hired from Arizona that should lead to an improved run game.
It is a great story to check out if you want more on this topic.
https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/good-news-running-game-is-being-fixed
The short summary was that Dallas had most of their offense in very few zone concepts and Arizona believed in six ideas that they would run multiple times every game. If we were to make the threshold 12%, Dallas has 2 and Arizona 5. If we make the threshold 5%, Dallas had four ideas and Arizona had six.
So, does variance lead to success and would Dallas give us all six in Week 1?
Yes and yes?
Allow me to nerd out and take you on a journey through the many run concepts from Thursday here in the 22 total runs:
- Inside Zone (6)
Six runs for 25 yards and a touchdown. Also a fumble. Javonte Williams was really strong here but obviously, Miles Sanders fumbled the ball and probably flipped the game. But, this was the concept they used the most, which is no surprise.
- Outside Zone (4)
I think we can see there are a lot of ways to run outside zone and the Cowboys used a lot of it if you watch the tight ends and the motions to try to dress it up a bit. Four reps for 11 yards in this concept.
- Power (2)
Power and Counter are the next two and Dallas is bringing this back to the offense this year. The best way to identify power and counter will be to see the backside guard leading the running back with power being the guard as the lead blocker. They ran this two times (both 52-Booker) and both times in short yardage. Williams knows what he is doing.
- Counter (3)
Power and counter are not that different, except counter, the pulling guard is usually getting the edge and there is a FB, HB, TE, getting the lead. So watch 40-Hunter Luepke or 87-Jake Ferguson on these 3 reps for 12 yards. Very fun stuff. Again, Williams knows what he is looking for and when to just get what he can get and not dance.
- Pull Lead (2)
We saw two examples of pull-lead and that is the ball carrier following the LG and C to the left and they used Turpin for 5 yards and Sanders broke the big one for 49 on this play.
- Trap (1)
Here is a trap play where the DT is wondering why nobody is blocking him and then here comes 89-Spann Ford to get him and free up a lane for 3 yards.
- Trick (2)
And then two additional plays that don’t really fit in any of the first six categories so we will this one category seven. Two “trick” concepts with Kavonte Turpin in space with Williams leading him and then the pitch left.
13 of these plays were successes and a stunning 59% success rate (13 for 22) is a massive step forward. Yes, no Jalen Carter and such, but I am absolutely thrilled with what we saw from this run game imagination and execution. So, this was a very nice step forward in Week 1.
Tyler Booker and Tyler Guyton - How did they look?
I get asked this plenty and you know Josh and I are going to make you a reel to dive in together. So, let’s do this:
Tyler Booker is up first.
Here is every significant snap of Tyler Booker’s NFL Debut. He played hard, but you can tell that it took him a bit to get his wits about him. He had to be thrilled Carter got himself ejected, but I think in total, Booker’s performance was just fine. PFF did not smile upon him and I can see why as he over-shot several blocks, had poor technique at times, and has plenty to clean up. But, I will just say that this fog of war will serve him well. There is nothing that tells us he won’t be a high-level player soon (and he better be as the No. 12 overall pick and highest guard taken since Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson was taken by the Colts in 2018), so the journey is underway.
Tyler Guyton’s turn now.
The grades for Guyton and the performance was a bit less stellar, but I would also concede overall that it wasn’t horrendous at all and I still have plenty of hope. He is much more of a project and missing all of camp is not helping the cause in the slightest. That said, I thought he showed the battle level and strength to invest in and we will be tracking his progress with great interest. I have hope.
I will also say that the play that everyone suggests was Dak nearly “costing them the game” at the end of the reel shows the details in this sport. Guyton’s guy is hitting Dak’s arm as he throws. There are so many little things that lead to the big things in the NFL. Guyton is a work in progress and he got through Thursday and moves on.
The QB Play was pretty salty
Also, if you are new here, you should know that the Dak Prescott discourse from your author is going to not be like what you encounter at work or on Twitter.
The Dak Prescott discourse is similar to the Tony Romo discourse before it – we watch the tape, we point out the good and the bad. We judge based on performance, not narrative. And no, when we look at Week 1 in 2025, we are not going to be saying that none of it matters until the playoffs (or when he plays poorly).
So, just a little disclaimer there.
I think this team can go far in 2025 if Dak Prescott gives this type of performance 12 times in 17 games, I bet they will win 10 of them. But, yeah, this is one of the two other games where he played so well and it still wasn’t enough. Those will happen, but hopefully they are pretty rare.
NEXT GEN THROW CHART
What is CPOE? Completion Percentage Over Expected, or CPOE for short. CPOE measures how much higher a quarterback's completion percentage is relative to what we'd expect based on the types of throws attempted by the QB. Deep throws and throws to the sideline are generally completed at a lower rate. CPOE rewards quarterbacks for completing these types of difficult throws, while penalizing them for missing easy throws like screens and check downs.
So, essentially, despite five tough drops, he still exceeded expectations in this game. In other words, your QB was probably your best player in this game.
He had four big time throws (1Q 12:22, 1Q 0:58, 3Q 4:58, 4Q 2:47), five dropped passes (2Q 2:54, 3Q 4:58, 4Q 15:00, 4Q 2:47, 4Q 2:00), and just one turnover worthy play (4Q 2:57). Yes, that is excellent work throughout by QB1. And, he demonstrated throughout the game that he was a very emotional leader who is here to fight hard for the cause. Again, you would expect that given the contract, but it is great to see him embrace the challenge.
FILM STUDY
1Q - 12:22 - 3-1-PHI 33 - D.Prescott pass deep right to C.Lamb pushed ob at PHI 1 for 32 yards
12 personnel and it is 3rd and 1. This is screaming run at the formation, so you bust out in play-action pass and you have the Eagles cussing as Lamb runs. Single-high and Cover 3 with Lamb vs Adoree Jackson and this is stealing as long as Tyler Guyton can keep his man 58-Jalyx Hunt off Prescott’s blindside. He does, but barely, and it sets up 1st and goal at the 1.
Next play…
1Q - 11:52 - 1/G/1 - J.Williams left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
You just love to see this as Dallas runs power on the goal-line and punches it in. The blocking was not perfect and there are so many bodies flying around, but more than anything, I just love seeing this called and then executed. No shotgun goal-line at Philly on the 1st drive sends a message of intent. Also, Javonte Williams might be something. He runs so hard. Let’s see about durability, but he has that dawg in him in terms of disposition. Dallas is up 7-0.
1Q - 0:58 - 2-23-PHI 46 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep right to G.Pickens (Q.Mitchell).
PENALTY on PHI-Q.Mitchell, Defensive Pass Interference, 34 yards, enforced at PHI 46
Next drive, second-and-23 after a Tyler Smith hold puts Dallas in a hole, but they have two guys who can win on the outside. This one – which we know is not included in the stats because it ends up as pass interference – should absolutely be considered when we talk about the George Pickens debut and the Dak performance. That is a perfect throw. Perfect. And a winning route against an excellent corner in Quinyon Mitchell. That will be there all season, there is no doubt.
3Q - 6:21 - 2-10-DAL 40 - M.Sanders left end to PHI 11 for 49 yards (Z.Baun).
The biggest run of the night is helped by the orbit motion of Kavonte Turpin moving Zack Baun out of the screen to the right. More on Baun in a moment. Now, we saw this pull-lead concept above, but from this angle you see that it is all a numbers game. Once the motion takes the LB out, you see that the Eagles are understaffed back to the left. The pullers then clear a path and watch Terence Steele from RT come all the way across to dig out the safety with ease, 32-Blankenship. From here, you would like to think Miles Sanders is gone, but watch Baun from the snap. It is extraordinary effort and he runs Sanders down just in time. Football is amazing when you watch each piece to see what all goes into a huge play.
3Q - 4:58 - 3-22-PHI 23 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep middle to J.Ferguson (R.Blankenship).
This is one of Prescott’s big time throws. This is also a bad job by Jake Ferguson because he has to catch this. His bobble makes him a target for Reed Blankenship. We are reminded of what Drew Pearson always says, “you are going to get hit either way, so you might as well catch it.” This is 3rd and 22 and you have no chance, usually. But, Dak throws the ball and Jake needs to catch it and then hit the deck. Instead, he bobbles it and when he tries to recatch it, the safety arrives with violence. Down 24-20, this touchdown is probably the difference in the game. But, this might be the single biggest drop in the evening. This is the NFL and this has to be a touchdown even though you see what Ferguson endures. Great protection, great throw.
But, when you miss it, then even with the penalty, the next play brings pain.
3Q - 4:52 - 1-10-PHI 11 - M.Sanders left guard to PHI 10 for 1 yard (J.Campbell; B.Young). FUMBLES (J.Campbell), RECOVERED by PHI-Q.Mitchell at PHI 10. Q.Mitchell to PHI 16 for 6 yards (D.Prescott).
The very next play, they run the ball again with Miles Sanders. He tries to make a few more yards and instead the ball comes out. Killer moment and the Eagles nearly have a touchdown if Dak isn’t ready to try to fix things again with a huge tackle. What a moment for the only giveaway of the evening.
4Q - 2:52 - 3-5-DAL 23 - D.Prescott pass short left to G.Pickens pushed ob at DAL 38 for 15 yards
Big third down with under 3 minutes in the fourth quarter. Dak on an easy comeback to George Pickens for 15. Pickens is so big that this will always be available. I just wanted to show what a fun new toy is now available to this offense. It should be a huge year.
4Q - 2:47 - 1-10-DAL 38 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep right to C.Lamb (Q.Mitchell).
Probably the play of the game and it is one that is a mystery. Eagles look like Cover 6 and the Cowboys are 3x1 with the three all running verts. The spacing is very odd and it can be suggested that this pass is actually for Tolbert. In fact, our friend Babe Laufenberg has said exactly that, partly because it looks like Lamb is sort of making up a route that is called “time to make a play” and he almost does. Dak is getting hit so does he mean to throw it to Lamb and CeeDee is adjusting his path? Probably. Either way, it hits Lamb in both hands and the ball drops to the ground. Exhaustion? Focus? Who can say, but is this game won if he catches this? Fair questions all around. He has to make this play.
And finally…
4Q - 2:00 - 4-3-DAL 45 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep left to C.Lamb.
4th and 3. So the question quickly becomes, do I take Lamb on a great matchup or do I try to get a fresh set of downs? Eagles try to take the options away by blitzing heavily. They show six and blitz five with 30-Campbell dropping into Turpin in a double team over the middle. It was a trap, so Prescott made the right decision (could Ferguson have been a very late option?) Once you make the decision, you know Lamb is winning against his guy Cooper DeJean on the slot fade. Lamb wins every time and that is why he is so special. But, again, I think this is a play he makes most weeks. I have a list of excuses, but it was that kinda night for him and we are after midnight, so not sure. But, we know his career and we know he makes this play 80% of the time. This one wasn’t that sort of night.
Wow, this one was long. But, either way, I saw plenty of good and a lot of promising from Schottenheimer and his QB. I said this on Friday and I will say it now after watching the tape:
