This post comes from David Wieck:
It seems awfully early for Dallas week. I don't have that slow-building feeling of antipathy that percolates for a couple of months, builds through a Cowboy arrest or two, escalates with another Jerrah face-lift, and finally bursts into seething hostility when the game rolls around. No, this feels like just another game, albeit one of consequence.
The Eagles are catching Dallas at a good time. Dez is out, of course, and Ron Leary, and Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory, Ron McLain, and Orlando Scandrick. That's a lot of talent collecting Jerrah's money and sitting on the bench. Except for those suspended, of course, and what would a Dallas team be without a few suspensions?
One might have thought that, in an opening game against a weak opponent, Head Coach Jason Garrett would have kept his team somewhat under wraps. Didn't happen though. He threw everything at the Giants. They ran their staple Outside Zone, of course, and double tight end alignments but they also ran some very un-Dallas-like formations: trips, smoke screens, empty backfields, Wing-T, double stacks. Romo threw to everybody, not just Dez (five receptions) and Witten (eight) and an occasional toss to the other WR, Terrance Beasley (five). No, there were two to Escobar, including a TD, nine to Beasley, eight to Dunbar, and four to running backs. Romo was 36 of 45 - 80%. He was sensational.
Now, New York did a lot of what Atlanta did with us, drop seven, three deep safeties, make the other team walk up the field without making mistakes. And Dallas couldn't do it...until their last drive.
Dallas on Offense
So, let's take a look at Dallas on offense, starting with their staple, the Outside Zone.
Overloaded right, with a TE, a WR tight to the formation, and another TE in the slot. The slot TE will motion across the formation.
The Giants make no adjustments, so now Dallas has them outnumbered to their offensive left.
Classic zone blocking, with a double team at the point of attack.
Note the cut block on the back side. Tyron Smith has come off the double team and is hunting for the LB. The back has a nice lane.
Even though he plays for Dallas, you have to appreciate what a great player Tyron Smith is. Here he's pancaked the LB and the RB has a huge lane.
Think Garrett doesn't pay attention to Chip Kelly's offense? Here's a nice wrinkle:
Double stack, top and bottom.
Because the Giant DBs are farther off the line of scrimmage to their left, Romo goes that way. The two WRs are getting after their blocks...
That's Doug Free blocking two Giants, springing the receiver for a big gain.
Romo threw short the whole game and there was a recurring theme on some of his targets - late release. Here are two:
Romo starts out under center but will reset to the shotgun.
Play action. The LBs read it and drop out.
The back releases to the flat and the closest Giant to him is the DE. An easy pitch and catch for a nice gain.
Another variant:
McFadden to pass block?
Nope. He leaks out and runs a shallow cross while the WR runs off the CB and the safety.
Another easy pitch and catch for a nice gain.
Dallas on Defense
Dallas does not do many things on defense, or at least they didn't against the Giants. Basically a 4-3 with a Tampa-2 behind it. Like this:
Twin safeties. Showing some press coverage but they'll back out of it.
The MLB is taking a big drop - a key element of the Tampa-2 - the CBs are running with their men, and the safeties have spread out.
The Giant WR is running a crossing pattern and is wide open. Easy money, right?
I guess this is why New York pays Eli $21 million per. Eli decides to throw into what is now triple coverage. Just lucky it wasn't picked.
Reading the Tea Leaves
With so much talent missing, Dallas does not have a good shot at this one. Without Dez, they lack the one matchup that distorts defenses. The backs are leaving too much meat on the bone. They'll keep it close for a while and try to slow down the game but they don't have the guns right now, either to score or to rush the passer.
One more thing. Atlanta did a lot of scrape exchange stuff against us last week, as Ryan has so elegantly shown. There was a certain element of surprise there, particularly for the guards. On several plays, Barbe didn't know whom to block. There was lack of cohesion among the inside three. They weren't physically dominated, just confused. Working against the 3-4 front all through training camp didn't help. But the scrape exchange is a two-edged sword. You're asking two defenders to move a gap-and-a-half. The back who recognizes it can hit right in between them, as both defenders take themselves out of the play. Also, the Power negates the scrape exchange, because the O line is doing the offensive equivalent. I look for the O line to have a much better week.
The Pick
Eagles 38, Dallas 20.
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