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DQ Report, Week 11 - Micah Parsons is Ridiculous
Cowboys swarmed Bryce Young, but allowed too many successful run plays
BOB STURM
NOV 22, 2023
With another game tomorrow, I wanted to put this Panthers game to bed with our weekly look at the defense.
There were so many incredible notes from the Cowboys press department about the defensive performance that I thought I would just offer them straight to you:
This defense is very good and it is really rolling now.
So much so that there was not really any point in using red ink.
Sacks, stops, limited yards, limited first downs, poor third down success. It was very close to perfect, right?
Well…..
First, let’s look at the drive chart:
For a game in which the other team had nothing going offensively, how in the heck did Carolina put THREE 10-play possessions together in the first three quarters? Now, we know the 17-play drive in the 3rd Quarter is partly due to a silly running-into-the-punter foul and we wish Sam Williams would be more careful there. But, still, Carolina converted three different 4th down conversions on that drive.
Well, the principle reason that the Panthers were causing our comments section from Monday’s Piece to find some aspects of the game that were not enjoyable. Here is an example from one of our loyal readers:
Yes, it is fair to be pleased with some aspects of the Cowboys mauling of Carolina on Sunday but still wonder how good this team is at stopping the run. We have talked about this for a long time when looking at Dan Quinn’s defense. He loves to go with speed and pass rushing and is willing to allow some run weakness to get it. He loves to play dime coverage the majority of the time, but are you stout enough to stop the run if you get too small?
In 2022, the Cowboys were 29th in the NFL in allowing 10-yard runs and 27th in the NFL in run plays against. They were 22nd in the NFL in yards per game allowed with nearly 130 per game so this was an offseason initiative that probably resulted in drafting Mazi Smith and securing Johnathan Hankins on an extension. But, Arizona, San Francisco, and now Carolina all had us thinking that the run is still vulnerable:
If you look here, you see that both teams ran the ball well, but Carolina ran it marginally better. Also, Carolina’s offensive line seemed useless in pass protection, but now they seem to be making huge holes for both Carolina running backs. Dallas had allowed 84 yards on the ground before halftime and almost all of it was on garden variety run plays right at the Cowboys defense.
Here are the seven runs that the Cowboys will be most upset about. Each of these runs yielded between 7-15 yards and almost all were before halftime. Let’s see what we can see in one big supercut:
I think there is plenty to see in these seven plays and a lot of it seems like bad run fits – the first play you see Donovan Wilson fly downhill and miss – or just getting moved up front. That is some disappointing work up front in guys getting washed out of lanes. What is particularly disappointing has to be that most of these runs are with your “run stopping” personnel out there and on base running downs. Particularly bothered by the work of 95-Hankins in these plays. We understand you aren’t going to win on double-teams, but you at the very least need to “make a pile” as they say and stack bodies rather than vacate the real-estate. Hankins has had moments of playing well, but this game was just not inspired. Mazi Smith is in there, too, but we expect more from the veteran who sets the tone.
I don’t want to put it all on him because you see several busts from Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams, and not seeing much run to convince me that Markquese Bell is a real linebacker. He still looks like a DB trying to play LB and that is a tough sell in the NFL.
Regardless, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to just make a reel and then move on to the good stuff, but it could not be ignored. Dallas can get you out of the run by using the scoreboard, but if they do not take a quick lead, then the opponent can keep running. Again, see Arizona and San Francisco.
So, yes, the Cowboys have improved versus the run this year, but something tells me that their improvement is largely based on being ahead by three touchdowns rather than actually having solved the trenches issue.
This, of course, is why the Colts releasing LB Shaq Leonard is particularly interesting to me. He was one of the better run stopping LBs in the game a few years ago and his contract went way up and the injuries hit him last year. But, he is still pretty young – ironically from Leighton Vander Esch’s class – and might be the type of guy this roster can use right now. I trust the relationships that Malik Hooker and Stephon Gilmore have with him from their time in Indianapolis could really help.
I did some cut-ups of Leonard and added it for you above.
He is certainly not the All-Pro he was, but he could pretty quickly be the best run-stopping LB this team has. Would love to get him signed this week.
NEXT GEN BRYCE YOUNG THROW CHART
As I stated in the pre-game piece, I still have high hopes for the future of Bryce Young, but when we talk about franchises harming their own assets by setting them up to fail, I don’t think we need to look much further than this situation. The pure audacity to trade five pieces for a rookie QB when you have nothing for him to play with and literally just traded Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore away (and were already bad with them) is malpractice of the highest order. I submit that Sunday is a greater indicator of a poor franchise than a poor franchise QB.
Dallas blitzed a dozen for 33%, but quickly noticed they were getting home with ease when they only rushed a normal four so it was not a particularly heavy blitz game.
Now, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for Micah Parsons and the pass rush starting to find its legs again. I will start with the beautiful sacks we featured on Monday because those were the ones to really enjoy:
SACK No. 1
When Carolina hit the 9:05 mark of the first quarter, they finally moved into a third and 6. Now, we still call that “3rd and medium” so it isn’t quite a code red, but third and medium is time to start gearing up your pass rushers to prepare to hunt. It was Dan Quinn’s first chance to release the hounds.
It would be one of their most frequent attacks. A four-man front where DeMarcus Lawrence is the lone player on the left side of the ball out beyond the right tackle. Then, Jayron Kearse lines up between Lawrence and the ball to occupy some thoughts that maybe he is blitzing, but he isn’t. From there, the Cowboys line up on the outside shoulder of the center (with Dorance Armstrong), the left guard (with Micah Parsons) and the left tackle (with Dante Fowler).
From here, they can do several things as a pass rush group, but the most common one appears to be the one opponents have no idea how to deal with. It is to get Armstrong to cross the face of the center and try to engage the right guard and the center on a double team. Meanwhile, Fowler is taking the tackle as wide as he can around the outside.
What this does – and what nobody can figure out how to stop so far – is to isolate Micah vs your left guard in a very large space. They widen out the battle ground so that an interior weak link – used to only fighting in phone booths – sees that he has open lanes on each side and no help in sight. Everyone is busy and engaged, but here you are against one of the most terrifying athletes in the universe. This is what rookie left guard Chandler Zavala had facing him on Sunday shortly after noon. So, how did it go?
Well, Parsons was by him so fast that Zavala barely touched his arm on the way. Parsons can move so quickly and so decisively at the snap that young Bryce Young cannot possibly look downfield before he sees an unblocked Parsons running right at him. In the blink of an eye, he is on the ground and the Panthers have lost nine yards and will punt.
SACK NO. 2
This time it was a third and 7 with 1:37 to go in the first quarter. Here, Carolina has planned all week to deal with this longer yardage with empty. If they go empty, perhaps they can space out Dallas and attack with quick game. Maybe even a short pass with room to run to move the chains, right?
Dallas sees empty and immediately adjust to five versus five. It really doesn’t matter which five, because they just want you to know there will be no helping eachother as Micah again lines up over the left guard, but is joined inside by DeMarcus Lawrence who is over the center standing. This time, Fowler is outside the right tackle and Armstrong is outside the left tackle. Again, they just need to get outside and occupy them.
Markquese Bell is to keep the right guard busy, but again, this is about Lawrence and Parsons against Zavala and center Bradley Bozeman. At the snap, Lawrence goes first and hits the A-Gap between guard and center and tried to allow both to take him, letting Parsons circle behind him and hit the opposite A-Gap and get home. When you see this work, you wonder how it can be stopped.
The raw speed and power is so ridiculous that it looks like they are just toying with NFL lineman. They are that good. He is that good. And the scheme they run yielded seven sacks again on Sunday.
SACK NO. 3
2Q - 2:18 - 3rd and 14
This one is pretty hilarious. First, you can see everyone on the defensive front is knowing they have to race each other if they want to get a sack on their resume. The explosion at the snap is scary that offenses are supposed to defend this and try to make plays into the end zone as it is happening. As you can see, this is a simple 4-man rush where the DT’s twist and Tank Lawrence pops the center so that Osa can go around him. Instead, Lawrence hits the center so well that he ends up with Young in his arms after Fowler and Parsons flush him inside. Gorgeous domination.
SACK NO. 4
4Q - 12:52 - 1st and 10
This is the Cowboys closing out the game. They just got their DaRon Bland pick-6 and it is now 30-10. It is first down and Dallas is done playing around after that long drive so they have Micah hitting the opposite A-Gap and Jayron Kearse blitzing in Micah’s spot on the edge. You can see their right tackle, 72-Moton trying to stay with Micah in the stunt rather than passing him off – we assume because he knows that the passing off has not worked all day. The boys are out and they're angry and they're looking for blood is the best lyric for this play as Parsons and Kearse meet at the QB and have to share the sack.
SACK NO. 5
4Q - 12:13 - 2nd and 18
This is the very next play. Again, they have decided it ends here. Here Osa and Golston are in the middle with Armstrong and Parsons around the outside. Bradley Bozeman is a very good center who has gone entire seasons without giving up three sacks, but on this day, he is charged with three sacks in one day. Here he again comes up against an inside game where one tackle picks him off and the other swoops in. But, as you can see, they are just both going right to the QB. The defenses have all been breached. The castle has been lost.
SACK NO. 6
4Q - 6:38 - 2nd and 8
This last sack should be called, “Coach gets QB hit again because he refuses to call a run play and end the game.”
I do not understand what Frank Reich is attempting to prove here as his line has put out one of the worst performances we have ever seen and he is still calling passes down 33-10 and his QB has been battered.
What are we attempting to do here? Teach the QB toughness? Insanity. Well, because the Panthers insist, here is further proof that their left guard has had no chance all day long. This time, Sam Williams looks like Micah Parsons and dances around him to punish Bryce Young one more time.
At the end, you just applaud Young for surviving and you load the plane to go take on Washington’s offensive line. Looking at the statistical matchup, there will be some opportunities to add more sacks on Thanksgiving.
11.5% sack rate allowed versus 11.7% sack rate is a fun matchup to monitor. As are the takeaways in this one. Should be fun.
I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving and I will get you a Morning After Friday before lunch. Thank you so much for being a subscriber!
Cowboys swarmed Bryce Young, but allowed too many successful run plays
BOB STURM
NOV 22, 2023
With another game tomorrow, I wanted to put this Panthers game to bed with our weekly look at the defense.
There were so many incredible notes from the Cowboys press department about the defensive performance that I thought I would just offer them straight to you:
- Dallas finished its day with seven sacks, tying a season-high that they set in the season-opener at the N.Y. Giants (9/10). The Cowboys seven sacks tied for the most since Dan Quinn arrived as the defensive play caller in 2021 (at NYG, 9/10/23; at Min, 11/20/22).
- Dallas has allowed 359 combined total net yards in its last two games (172 vs. NYG and 187 at Carolina). The last time the Cowboys allowed less yards in a two-game span was when they allowed 355 total net yards in the last two games of 2017 (at Phi, 12/31 - vs. Sea, 1/6/18).
- After limiting Carolina to 77 net passing yards, the Cowboys have held their last two opponents to 138 combined passing yards. The last time Dallas allowed less passing yards in a two-game span was in 1992, when they allowed 130 net passing yards to Philadelphia (106; 10/5/92) and Seattle (24; 10/11/92).
This defense is very good and it is really rolling now.
So much so that there was not really any point in using red ink.
Sacks, stops, limited yards, limited first downs, poor third down success. It was very close to perfect, right?
Well…..
First, let’s look at the drive chart:
For a game in which the other team had nothing going offensively, how in the heck did Carolina put THREE 10-play possessions together in the first three quarters? Now, we know the 17-play drive in the 3rd Quarter is partly due to a silly running-into-the-punter foul and we wish Sam Williams would be more careful there. But, still, Carolina converted three different 4th down conversions on that drive.
Well, the principle reason that the Panthers were causing our comments section from Monday’s Piece to find some aspects of the game that were not enjoyable. Here is an example from one of our loyal readers:
Yes, it is fair to be pleased with some aspects of the Cowboys mauling of Carolina on Sunday but still wonder how good this team is at stopping the run. We have talked about this for a long time when looking at Dan Quinn’s defense. He loves to go with speed and pass rushing and is willing to allow some run weakness to get it. He loves to play dime coverage the majority of the time, but are you stout enough to stop the run if you get too small?
In 2022, the Cowboys were 29th in the NFL in allowing 10-yard runs and 27th in the NFL in run plays against. They were 22nd in the NFL in yards per game allowed with nearly 130 per game so this was an offseason initiative that probably resulted in drafting Mazi Smith and securing Johnathan Hankins on an extension. But, Arizona, San Francisco, and now Carolina all had us thinking that the run is still vulnerable:
If you look here, you see that both teams ran the ball well, but Carolina ran it marginally better. Also, Carolina’s offensive line seemed useless in pass protection, but now they seem to be making huge holes for both Carolina running backs. Dallas had allowed 84 yards on the ground before halftime and almost all of it was on garden variety run plays right at the Cowboys defense.
Here are the seven runs that the Cowboys will be most upset about. Each of these runs yielded between 7-15 yards and almost all were before halftime. Let’s see what we can see in one big supercut:
I think there is plenty to see in these seven plays and a lot of it seems like bad run fits – the first play you see Donovan Wilson fly downhill and miss – or just getting moved up front. That is some disappointing work up front in guys getting washed out of lanes. What is particularly disappointing has to be that most of these runs are with your “run stopping” personnel out there and on base running downs. Particularly bothered by the work of 95-Hankins in these plays. We understand you aren’t going to win on double-teams, but you at the very least need to “make a pile” as they say and stack bodies rather than vacate the real-estate. Hankins has had moments of playing well, but this game was just not inspired. Mazi Smith is in there, too, but we expect more from the veteran who sets the tone.
I don’t want to put it all on him because you see several busts from Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams, and not seeing much run to convince me that Markquese Bell is a real linebacker. He still looks like a DB trying to play LB and that is a tough sell in the NFL.
Regardless, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to just make a reel and then move on to the good stuff, but it could not be ignored. Dallas can get you out of the run by using the scoreboard, but if they do not take a quick lead, then the opponent can keep running. Again, see Arizona and San Francisco.
So, yes, the Cowboys have improved versus the run this year, but something tells me that their improvement is largely based on being ahead by three touchdowns rather than actually having solved the trenches issue.
This, of course, is why the Colts releasing LB Shaq Leonard is particularly interesting to me. He was one of the better run stopping LBs in the game a few years ago and his contract went way up and the injuries hit him last year. But, he is still pretty young – ironically from Leighton Vander Esch’s class – and might be the type of guy this roster can use right now. I trust the relationships that Malik Hooker and Stephon Gilmore have with him from their time in Indianapolis could really help.
I did some cut-ups of Leonard and added it for you above.
He is certainly not the All-Pro he was, but he could pretty quickly be the best run-stopping LB this team has. Would love to get him signed this week.
NEXT GEN BRYCE YOUNG THROW CHART
As I stated in the pre-game piece, I still have high hopes for the future of Bryce Young, but when we talk about franchises harming their own assets by setting them up to fail, I don’t think we need to look much further than this situation. The pure audacity to trade five pieces for a rookie QB when you have nothing for him to play with and literally just traded Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore away (and were already bad with them) is malpractice of the highest order. I submit that Sunday is a greater indicator of a poor franchise than a poor franchise QB.
Dallas blitzed a dozen for 33%, but quickly noticed they were getting home with ease when they only rushed a normal four so it was not a particularly heavy blitz game.
Now, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for Micah Parsons and the pass rush starting to find its legs again. I will start with the beautiful sacks we featured on Monday because those were the ones to really enjoy:
SACK No. 1
When Carolina hit the 9:05 mark of the first quarter, they finally moved into a third and 6. Now, we still call that “3rd and medium” so it isn’t quite a code red, but third and medium is time to start gearing up your pass rushers to prepare to hunt. It was Dan Quinn’s first chance to release the hounds.
It would be one of their most frequent attacks. A four-man front where DeMarcus Lawrence is the lone player on the left side of the ball out beyond the right tackle. Then, Jayron Kearse lines up between Lawrence and the ball to occupy some thoughts that maybe he is blitzing, but he isn’t. From there, the Cowboys line up on the outside shoulder of the center (with Dorance Armstrong), the left guard (with Micah Parsons) and the left tackle (with Dante Fowler).
From here, they can do several things as a pass rush group, but the most common one appears to be the one opponents have no idea how to deal with. It is to get Armstrong to cross the face of the center and try to engage the right guard and the center on a double team. Meanwhile, Fowler is taking the tackle as wide as he can around the outside.
What this does – and what nobody can figure out how to stop so far – is to isolate Micah vs your left guard in a very large space. They widen out the battle ground so that an interior weak link – used to only fighting in phone booths – sees that he has open lanes on each side and no help in sight. Everyone is busy and engaged, but here you are against one of the most terrifying athletes in the universe. This is what rookie left guard Chandler Zavala had facing him on Sunday shortly after noon. So, how did it go?
Well, Parsons was by him so fast that Zavala barely touched his arm on the way. Parsons can move so quickly and so decisively at the snap that young Bryce Young cannot possibly look downfield before he sees an unblocked Parsons running right at him. In the blink of an eye, he is on the ground and the Panthers have lost nine yards and will punt.
SACK NO. 2
This time it was a third and 7 with 1:37 to go in the first quarter. Here, Carolina has planned all week to deal with this longer yardage with empty. If they go empty, perhaps they can space out Dallas and attack with quick game. Maybe even a short pass with room to run to move the chains, right?
Dallas sees empty and immediately adjust to five versus five. It really doesn’t matter which five, because they just want you to know there will be no helping eachother as Micah again lines up over the left guard, but is joined inside by DeMarcus Lawrence who is over the center standing. This time, Fowler is outside the right tackle and Armstrong is outside the left tackle. Again, they just need to get outside and occupy them.
Markquese Bell is to keep the right guard busy, but again, this is about Lawrence and Parsons against Zavala and center Bradley Bozeman. At the snap, Lawrence goes first and hits the A-Gap between guard and center and tried to allow both to take him, letting Parsons circle behind him and hit the opposite A-Gap and get home. When you see this work, you wonder how it can be stopped.
The raw speed and power is so ridiculous that it looks like they are just toying with NFL lineman. They are that good. He is that good. And the scheme they run yielded seven sacks again on Sunday.
SACK NO. 3
2Q - 2:18 - 3rd and 14
This one is pretty hilarious. First, you can see everyone on the defensive front is knowing they have to race each other if they want to get a sack on their resume. The explosion at the snap is scary that offenses are supposed to defend this and try to make plays into the end zone as it is happening. As you can see, this is a simple 4-man rush where the DT’s twist and Tank Lawrence pops the center so that Osa can go around him. Instead, Lawrence hits the center so well that he ends up with Young in his arms after Fowler and Parsons flush him inside. Gorgeous domination.
SACK NO. 4
4Q - 12:52 - 1st and 10
This is the Cowboys closing out the game. They just got their DaRon Bland pick-6 and it is now 30-10. It is first down and Dallas is done playing around after that long drive so they have Micah hitting the opposite A-Gap and Jayron Kearse blitzing in Micah’s spot on the edge. You can see their right tackle, 72-Moton trying to stay with Micah in the stunt rather than passing him off – we assume because he knows that the passing off has not worked all day. The boys are out and they're angry and they're looking for blood is the best lyric for this play as Parsons and Kearse meet at the QB and have to share the sack.
SACK NO. 5
4Q - 12:13 - 2nd and 18
This is the very next play. Again, they have decided it ends here. Here Osa and Golston are in the middle with Armstrong and Parsons around the outside. Bradley Bozeman is a very good center who has gone entire seasons without giving up three sacks, but on this day, he is charged with three sacks in one day. Here he again comes up against an inside game where one tackle picks him off and the other swoops in. But, as you can see, they are just both going right to the QB. The defenses have all been breached. The castle has been lost.
SACK NO. 6
4Q - 6:38 - 2nd and 8
This last sack should be called, “Coach gets QB hit again because he refuses to call a run play and end the game.”
I do not understand what Frank Reich is attempting to prove here as his line has put out one of the worst performances we have ever seen and he is still calling passes down 33-10 and his QB has been battered.
What are we attempting to do here? Teach the QB toughness? Insanity. Well, because the Panthers insist, here is further proof that their left guard has had no chance all day long. This time, Sam Williams looks like Micah Parsons and dances around him to punish Bryce Young one more time.
At the end, you just applaud Young for surviving and you load the plane to go take on Washington’s offensive line. Looking at the statistical matchup, there will be some opportunities to add more sacks on Thanksgiving.
11.5% sack rate allowed versus 11.7% sack rate is a fun matchup to monitor. As are the takeaways in this one. Should be fun.
I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving and I will get you a Morning After Friday before lunch. Thank you so much for being a subscriber!