Kiffin Report: Splash Plays - Week 1 - Giants

Every Wednesday we want to look at the defense and how things went in the previous game.  This is a work in progress, but we will try to make sure after we talk a little game theory that we always dive back into our bread and butter.  Splash plays and tracking the Cowboys use of bringing pressure.

First, this week, I thought I would cover the dangers of a good play-action team on a linebacker crew that is being trained to be aggressive maulers and to be flying around making a play.  What is the enemy of aggressive players?  Fakes.  And a veteran QB can manipulate your movement by a simple run fake.  When he does, you move.  Then, passing lanes go from small to huge and big plays happen behind you.  

Let's look at the most glaring example from Sunday:

Here is the 57 yard pitch and catch from Manning to Hakeem Nicks that caused most of you to yell at your television something along the lines of "That was way too easy!"  Because it was.  

Picture #1 shows us the 4-5 yard depth of the linebackers.  If it is a straight pass, Lee will get his drop to almost 10 yards pretty quickly and close windows across the middle.  But, with a run fake to Wilson, you will see in Picture #2 what happens.

Here is the result of a relatively half-hearted run fake.  Lee is at the 21, Durant is next to him, and Carter is engaged at the 20 and Barry Church is up there in run support, too!  8 Cowboys within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage means Nicks and Cruz have lots of room if protection holds up.  And it does, because the Cowboys aren't rushing their LBs.  They bit on the run fake and now they are trying to peel back (especially Lee).

Now, the ball is to Nicks and you can see that you could actually drive a truck through the gap in the zone and have no issues clearing the space.  Claiborne is playing so soft and with his rear to the sideline which screams that he believes he has middle help in a zone.  Allen is playing deep which a single-high safety must.  That is taking candy from babies, all off a 1st and 10 play where there was a simple run fake with a fullback and tight end in.  The Cowboys were sure it was a run and in an effort to dominate with aggressiveness, they were exposed.

57 yards later, lesson learned.  Careful on the run fakes.  

SPLASH PLAYS

Starting in 2011, we wanted to make sure the defense was covered in this space every week as well.  It, admittedly, is a far more difficult exercise, but I was interested in taking to defensive players about what they focused on as a defense.  

The same term was mentioned quite a bit inside locker-rooms, and when I heard it on the NFL Network when Davin Joseph was talking about 49ers LB Navarro Bowman, I took note of his quote:

"He's really starting to make a lot of splash plays. We don't like those on offense. But, a splash play is when you have a big hit. Big hit on a running back. Big hit on a wide receiver. Big hit on a quarterback. Or just making a tackle for a loss. Just making that impact play is what they call a splash play. He makes a lot of those."

That interested me quite a bit.  What if I kept splash plays?  What if I was the judge, jury, and executioner and tried to see who made the most "big plays" on the defense on a play by play basis?

So, I did.  

First, we had to try to define what we were looking for:

What is a splash play? Well, for purposes of this blog I believe a splash play will include the following: A sack, a pressure that forces a bad throw, and big hit on the QB, and a batted ball that may lead to an interception opportunity. Again, you can see how this leads to subjectivity, but a subjective breakdown is better than no breakdown at all, I have decided. In addition, a splash play will include tackles for loss, a big hit for a short gain, or a stop which is an open field tackle where a player is pulled down on 3rd down short of the marker because of an exceptional effort from a defender. An interception is clearly a splash play, but so is a defended pass that required a great effort. A major hit in the secondary could be a splash play, but I believe that the outcome of the play will determine that. Sorry, defensive backs, but standing over a guy who just caught a 15 yard pass because you think you hit him hard will not generally pass the test on this blog. So, stop doing it. 

I am trying to be careful about handing out too many splash plays per game. I am trying to be picky, but too extreme in either direction. When I log a splash play, I will put time of the game on the chart so that if you want to review the same game and challenge my ruling, you are welcome to do so. Also, if multiple players deserve recognition on a single play, we will try to see that as well. 

Basically, we are trying to assign a value to making plays on the defense. We don't want to just see sacks and interceptions. We want to see broader definitions of splash plays to assign credit to those who help the Cowboys get off the field in important situations. These rankings will not deduct for negative plays at this point. There are simply too many occasions where we are guessing, and for now, I want to avoid that for this particular idea.  

A splash play is a play that makes a major difference in the game. And by keeping it all season long, we will see which defenders are play makers and which are simply warm bodies. We already have our thoughts on both categories, but let's see if we can dig a bit deeper and actually have numbers to back up our claims.

Here are the final results for 2011 and here are the final results for 2012.

Basically, in the last two seasons, DeMarcus Ware has led the way with 69 and Anthony Spencer has had 67.  3-5 in 2011 was Sean Lee, Jay Ratliff and Orlando Scandrick.  In 2012, all 3 of those changed to Jason Hatcher, Mo Claiborne, and Bruce Carter.  But, in both seasons, Ware and Spencer are far and away the top two playmakers on the defense.  The best season to date was Spencer's 2012 when he averaged a splash play every 22.9 snaps.

WEEK 1 vs Giants

If you had George Selvie and Nick Hayden as two of the most impact-ful defenders in Week 1, you should go live in Vegas.  They both look like keepers that were found in the discard bin.  What a start for Hayden, in particular.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Player	Play
1-15:00	1/10/O20	Ware	Interception of Manning
1-12:24	2/10/D23	Allen	Pass Broken Up
1-11:41	1/G/D8	Church	Fumble Caused
1-11:41	1/G/D8	Selvie	Fumble Recovered
1-9:48	1/10/O31	Hayden	Run Stuff
1-8:58	3/10/D49	Allen	Interception of Manning
1-4:00	1/G/D1	Hayden/Durant	Run Stuff
1-3:25	2/G/D2	Selvie	Sack
3-13:13	1/10/O29	Carter	Sack
3-12:42	2/15/O24	Hayden	Fumble Caused
3-12:42	2/15/O24	Church (2)	Recovery and Return for TD
3-11:52	2/7/O23	Cohen	Run Stuff
3-9:15	3/1/O48	Carter	Run Stuff
3-2:03	1/10/D18	Scandrick	Pass Broken Up
3-1:53	2/10/D18	Selvie	Pressure/Tipped Pass
4-5:38	3/10/O45	Hatcher	Sack
4-2:00	1/10/O46	Carr (2)	Interception and Return for TD
4-0:18	2/1/D4	Lee	Pass Broken Up

Here are the game totals - and thus the season totals - for 2013:

Player	Splashes
Church	3
Selvie	3
Hayden	2.5
Allen	2
Carter	2
Carr	2
Ware	1
Hatcher	1
Lee	1
Durant	.5
Team Total	18

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Pass Rush/Blitzing REPORT

This segment of the defensive study is simply to find out how well the Cowboys are doing at getting pressure on the opposing QB.  We have spent a good part of the offseason talking about Monte Kiffin's philosophy that, like so many of the great 4-3 schemes, is based on using blitz as a weapon, not a necessity.  If you use the blitz as an ambush weapon that is always threatened but only used at the perfect times, you can often get free runs at the QB.  If, on the other hand, you must use the blitz because your normal pressure is not getting it done, then the offense usually is waiting for you and prepared - so even 6 rushers don't accomplish much.

Here, we look at the big plays for (Explosives are plays 20 yards and longer) and the big plays against each week (Sacks and Interceptions) and see what role (if any) was played by the defensive coordinator.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS ALLOWED

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Play	Rushers
1-13:04	1/10/O20	Manning to Nicks, +57	4
2-2:01	1/10/O30	Manning to Cruz, TD +70	5
4-12:10	1/10/O10	Manning to Randle, +20	4
4-10:49	1/10/O47	Manning to Randle, +22	3
4-2:14	3/5/O22	Manning to Randle, +26	5
4-0:48	2/10/D36	Manning dump off to Scott, +23	4

Above, we visited about the effects of play action and how it led to the big Hakeem Nicks pass, but the Cowboys will have to clean that up.  Also, in the 4th Quarter, and the Cowboys were up 30-17, there clearly was an adjustment to soften up coverage (I resist the urge to use prevent), but Manning picked that apart as you see most of his passing work and the big plays came in the 4th Quarter.  There were several more over 15 yards that also were issues.

But, with the exception of the long touchdown to Cruz - which we will deconstruct tomorrow in our Xs and Os blog, it was a reasonable night for getting pressure without the blitz and the Cowboys did not get stuck with their hand in the cookie jar too much - aside from the huge play.  And as we know, that 1 70 yard Touchdown bust could lose a lot of games.

SACKS AND INTERCEPTIONS

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Play	Rushers
1-15:00	1/10/O20	Ware Interception of Manning	5
1-8:58	3/10/D49	Allen Interception of Manning	4
1-1:35	2/G/2	Selvie Sack	4
3-13:13	1/10/O29	Carter Sack on big blitz	6
4-5:38	3/10/O45	Hatcher sack	4
4-2:00	1/10/O46	Carr Interception	4

Want to see something cool?  Here is what a 6-man blitz looks like - the only time they used it in the game - when almost everyone is winning their match-up.  Bruce Carter is winning the easiest (against Chris Snee), and he will be rewarded with a big sack here early in the 3rd Quarter.

As the game went along, Eli did a ton of damage - much down the seams.  In this scheme, your corners force to the safeties and the middle of the field.  All through the preseason, we saw giant gaps in the middle of the field - something that will certainly not work in the long run.

Here is Eli's game chart for the Full game:

Pass Rushers Against New York Giants - 49 pass rush/blitz situations:

Pass Rushers	3 Rush	4 Rush	5 Rush	6 Rush
Short (0-5 Yds To Go)	2	0	0	0
Second Level (5-10 Yds To Go)	1	18	2	1
Open Field (10+ Yds To Go)	0	2	0	0
Totals	3	20	2	1

Pass Rushers	3 Rush	4 Rush	5 Rush	6 Rush
Short (0-5 Yds To Go)	1	3	1	0
Second Level (5-10 Yds To Go)	0	7	1	0
Open Field (10+ Yds To Go)	0	0	0	0
Totals	1	10	2	0

Pass Rushers	3 Rush	4 Rush	5 Rush	6 Rush
Short (0-5 Yds To Go)	1	0	1	0
Second Level (5-10 Yds To Go)	0	1	1	0
Open Field (10+ Yds To Go)	0	6	0	0
Totals	1	7	2	0

And, here are the full season numbers to date:

Pass Rushers	3 Rush	4 Rush	5 Rush	6 Rush	Total
1st Down	3 - 11%	20 - 76%	2 - 7%	1 - 3%	26 - 53%
2nd Down	1 - 7%	10 - 76%	2 - 15%	0	13 - 26%
3rd Down	1 - 10%	7 - 70%	2 - 20%	0	10 - 20%
4th Down	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	5 - 10%	37 - 75%	6 - 12%	1 - 2%	49

The game by game pressure numbers:

Wk 1 - NYG: 7/49 - 14%

2012 Totals:  134/551 - 24.3%

We are just learning what Monte Kiffin is all about here in Dallas.  But, there is plenty for you to chew on after Week 1.

Tomorrow, we shorten things up with some Xs and Os.  The Cruz home-run and the blitz that almost knocked Tony Romo out.  

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Live From Oxnard: Can a Scheme Result In Takeaways

Often the press briefings here at training camp over the years are the perfect companion to the Pacific breeze for taking an afternoon nap.  There is a lot of talking, but aside from the occasional confrontation (more likely with Bill Parcells) or the interesting anecdote about the good ol' days, there is very little that comes from these briefings that shocks or alarms the listener.  They happen, the media covers, and the public either tunes in or tunes out depending on their level of addiction to football in July.  

However, if you listen closely, you can always hear a coach say and then repeat many coaching initiatives that he will be taking to the practice field.  He will say something, elaborate, field follow-ups, elaborate more, and then repeat as the journalists scribble away on their pads for their upcoming stories.

This year, like so many other years, the game theory initiative is clearly the familiar theme of turnovers. Generally, turn the ball over less and win more.  Take the ball away more and win more.  Combine the two and you are almost invincible.  Ignore the two and you almost have no chance.  This is something we talk about every year and as much as this game evolves, this truth never changes.

Of course, that does make you wonder if takeaways are the cause or the effect, but the correlation is difficult to dispute.

In fact, last January, before the Divisional Rounds, here is what I wrote about the stat as it pertained to the 2012 NFL season:

In 2012, the regular season turnover margin W-L record for the NFL was 162-42-1 (79%) for +1 or better, and a +2 or better got teams to 98-12 (89%).  There is little room for discussion here it seems on the questions about this stats importance.  The 2012 Cowboys, a team that had very few takeaways, follows this trend quite closely - They are 4-0 when winning the turnover battle, 7-1 when even or better, and 1-7 when they are a -1 or worse (with their lone win against Tampa Bay in Week 3). 

....of the 8 teams still remaining in the league, here are the rankings for fewest giveaways of each of the offenses:  t2nd, t2nd, t2nd, t2nd, 6th, t7th, t7th, and 16th.  Basically, Denver is the only team at league average with giveaways.  Every other team is ranked in the top 8.  Put another way, if you are ranked in the top 8, you have a 87% chance of playing this weekend.  If you rank between 9th and 32nd in the NFL in giveaways this season, you have a 4% chance of still being alive in the playoffs.

Giveaways are something that is difficult to regulate, especially if you have pre-determined that your offense is going to emphasize the pass far more than the run.  The Cowboys have determined that their offense is based on the arm of Tony Romo, and to then ask him to amass 4,000-5,000 yards, 30 Touchdowns, and numerous rallies - but never throw a pick - is just unreasonable.  There will be interceptions, partly because he is behind a lot and partly because he is under duress a lot.  Also, partly because he may not have quite the arm talent of the very top QBs in the league, but is asked to mimic their abilities.  Even though his draft evaluation was flat-out wrong, there are reasons QBs go in the 1st round and reasons why QBs go undrafted.  Whether it be build, footwork, or arm strength, we must assume there are some physical differences between Peyton Manning and Romo, too.

I said all of that to say that Giveaways are going to happen.  Limit them, but expect a playoff team to have about 20 a season.  The Cowboys had 29 in 2012.  That number is going to have to shrink considerably.  Thus, taking Travis Frederick and a few more weapons on offense so that Romo doesn't have to do so much on his own.

But, let's focus on defense.  That seems to be where much of the rhetoric lies.  That seems to be the copy point that most explains why the Cowboys went directly to Monte Kiffin and his scheme in the offseason.  It surely wasn't because the Cowboys had the perfect talent to fit his scheme as there appear to be many questions about the viability of that fit.  But, Kiffin teams get 2 things - chaos and takeaways.

This was no better on display than Super Bowl 37, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers steamrolled through the Oakland Raiders in San Diego.  It was the defense of Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli, squaring off against the offense of Bill Callahan and Marc Trestman (now the head coach of the Chicago Bears after disappearing from the NFL for almost a decade).

This was the #1 offense taking on the #1 defense.  This was strength versus strength and I watched the game carefully again last night to review how it all works.  The 2002 Tampa Bay defense might go down as one of the very best of this era, and during that time, they terrorized QBs.  Here are the season stats taken off a graphic from the ABC broadcast of the Super Bowl:

 If those numbers don't rock your world, I don't know what will.  That defense was dominant and tossed teams around the lot with ease.  They were best in the NFL in all 5 of those categories above.

Yesterday, Jason Garrett talked about the effectiveness of the scheme, "I think there is a compelling argument to be made that teams that play more zone than more man," he said for creating turnovers.

"Often times when you are playing zone, your eyes are back towards the QB.  Many times when you are playing man to man, your eyes are on the guy you are covering.  So your opportunity to see the ball and have it in front of you and to make a play on the ball is probably better when you are seeing it all of the time."  He went on to say that of course there are compelling reasons to play man to man, as well, and we can of course surmise that guys running free in your secondary would be one of those.

So, there you go.  Chicago runs their version of the Kiffin defense with Lovie Smith and Marinelli, and they forced 44 turnovers last season.  The Cowboys played plenty of man coverage in their Rob Ryan defense and forced only 16 turnovers.  It must be the scheme, right?

Well, of course, not completely.  That Tampa Bay team in 2002 had guys by the name of Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Ronde Barber and a number of less highly rated players who had the ability to whip the guy in front of them and make a play.

They had a 3 technique who flushed the QB out of the pocket, and 2 defensive ends who beat the guy who was blocking them.  Rice on one side, Greg Spires on the other.  They had 3 athletic linebackers who dropped and attacked with a cohesion and union that was quite a pleasure to watch.  They also had Barber as a nickel back who played at times like a linebacker in his speed and his joy of tackling in the middle of the field.

Then, they had a pair of safeties, Lynch and that Super Bowl's MVP, Dexter Jackson, who clued on the ball, jumped routes, and created turnovers by being aggressive and opportunistic.

I have heard plenty of people talk about whether the scheme itself has been outgrown by the league and I don't believe that to be the case.  Heck, just watch what the Bears can do defensively in the last few years and for that matter, what Seattle is doing is not that far away with their style of physical corners and a 4-man rush while dropping 7.

But, the question of this camp will be whether that scheme can fit these players and then can that result in way more than just 16 takeaways.  Surely, any team that finishes -13 and still has a record of 8-8 can say that this is the easiest road to 11-5 or 10-6.  Just get back to even in the giveaway/takeaway competition and there will be football in January in Arlington.

Cowboys Takeaways By Season

Year	Takeaways	Playoff Average
2008	22	27
2009	21	30
2010	30	29
2011	25	27
2012	16	27
Average	22.8	28

As you can see, only once did the Cowboys hit that playoff team average in the last 5 seasons.  

Can the same players simply have takeaways emphasized and see a huge improvement?  It does make you wonder when we talk about playmakers remaining consistent throughout their defensive careers.  Those players who find the ball seem to do it even when their uniform changes.

But, again, the thing that really jumped out in reviewing Tampa Bay and Chicago is that those fronts had dominating players blowing through the protection to put the QB on the run.  We have to wonder if the Cowboys have the proper version of Sapp or Tommie Harris to do that from the interior in Dallas at this point.

If they do, this number could shoot back up.  And the Cowboys are resting quite a bit of their hopes for 2013 on this single statistic getting fixed.  

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Cowboys by the Numbers: Defense

As we continue to examine 2012 as a primer for what needs to be accomplished heading into training camp of 2013 and beyond, we should follow up our breakdown of the offensive numbers with a thorough checkup of the statistics that the defense was responsible for.

Clearly, this is less relevant when you consider the wholesale adjustments to the defense moving forward.  They spent the offseason changing the coaching staff and the scheme of the defense and asking much of their 3-4 personnel to now simply switch to the 4-3.  Most NFL experts would argue that this is a very unwise endeavor as players are often identified as one or the other on draft day and yet now the Cowboys are asking their entire Front 7 on the defense - who were all drafted because they were tailor-made for the 3-4 scheme to not only learn but perform at a high level on the 4-3.

Much of this is also mitigated by the fact that the Cowboys did run a very multiple and versatile front with Rob Ryan in the last few years and that they have very talented players who should work in any scheme, but still, it is not a sure thing this will work when they have 6 of their projected 7 starters as hold overs from the old scheme.  Only newcomer Justin Durant, the projected SAM linebacker in Monte Kiffin's scheme has every played a snap in a 4-3.  That is a shocking reality of what the Cowboys are about to try to do.

On the other hand, what you are about to see are the statistics that the Cowboys defense has amassed in 2012 with their old scheme.  Now remember, health had a ton to do with another disappointing effort from the defense - so much so that the firing of Rob Ryan doesn't really seem fair based on 2012 performance - but, make no mistake;  we should not be too bothered with the Cowboys trying a new defensive strategy moving forward.

Trouble is, we know from experience that scheme doesn't make the team.  Players do.  Special ones.  And, honestly, I have significant doubts that the Cowboys can be a special defense based on a scheme that requires a team to get pressure with only the front 4 (The Tampa 2 seldom blitzes) and is based on the cognitive skills of safeties to orchestrate the entire secondary.  But, I will let the coaches sort through those issues in a long camp and see where it goes.

In the meantime, let's try our best to sort through those 2012 numbers.  When we did the offense, we found 5 great stats, 5 good stats, and 5 poor stats to analyze.  Unfortunately, finding 5 great stats from the 2012 defense will not be easy, so I am forced to relabel the categories.

Here we go:

5 Good to Great Stats from the Cowboys Defense in 2012

Opponents Quick Strike Drives:  Rated 9th in NFL with 28 drives of 4 plays or less.  NFL Average was 41 drives and Playoff Teams averaged 31 drives where points were scored in 4 plays or fewer.

3rd Down and Long 10 yards+ Conversions: 4th best in NFL with 15.9%.  NFL Average = 20.6%, Playoff Average = 21%

Opponents rushing for 4+ yards:  42% was 7th in NFL.  NFL Average = 43.5%, Playoff Average = 43.9%

Opponents rushes for 50 yards:  Allowed 0 plays ranked 1st.  NFL Average = 1, Playoff Average = 1

Opponents Drives Starting inside the 20:  5th in NFL, 56.  NFL = 48, Playoffs = 48


As you can see, I am really scraping the bottom of our barrel to find 5 stats where the Cowboys rank in the Top 10 in the league.  And let's be honest - none of them really seem to be a major category of excellence.  Rather, they are subcomponents of larger categories.  It is certainly good news that the Cowboys did not give up huge plays very often, but they did give up tons of other things - long drives and big time of possession ground and pounds.

You do have to like that they made teams work hard for rushing yards and did not allow 4 yards a lot relative to the league.  Also, it should be pointed out that the 5th stat I found - opponents' drives starting deep in their own territory is actually a stat that is reflective of strong special teams work - not defensive excellence.

Overall, as you can see, there just wasn't much at all that this defense was really good at.  So, we arrive back at the question of what is the argument for keeping the scheme and the coaching staff the same?


5 League Average Stats from the Cowboys Defense in 2012

Opponents Net Passing Yards Per Game:  230, 19th in NFL.  NFL Average = 231, Playoff Teams Average = 230

Opponents Red Zone Scoring:  54.5 TD%, 18th in the NFL.  NFL Average = 54.1, Playoff Teams = 53.1

Explosive Plays (Plays of 20 yards or more): 67, 22nd in NFL.  NFL = 60, Playoffs = 60

Opponents First Downs:  317, 16th in the NFL.  NFL Average = 318, Playoff Teams = 312

Opponents Time of Possession:  29:27 for 13th in NFL.  NFL Average = 30:00, Playoff Teams 29:23

Here we see that the squad did some things in line with the pack in the NFL.  They weren't killed with yardage through the air and did a reasonable enough job with the clock and limiting the first downs.  However, 67 explosive plays is at the low end of average and there just wasn't enough meat here to help when it mattered most.  They found themselves behind quite a bit early in games and that actually might lead to some misleading numbers through the air as well.  As you will see below, when QB's wanted to move the ball against the Cowboys, they didn't struggle to do so.


5 Very Poor Stats from the Cowboys Defense in 2012

Opponents Negative Plays (in yards):  Cowboys -295, 30th best in NFL.  NFL Average = -370, Playoff Teams -385

Takeaways:  16, which ranked 28th.  NFL Average = 25, Playoffs = 27

Opponents Passer Rating:  94.7, ranked 29th.  NFL Average = 85.6, Playoff Teams Average = 81.8

10 Play Drives Allowed:  32, 28th.  NFL Average = 27, Playoff teams = 28

Opponents Passer Rating vs Blitz:  106.1, 29th.  NFL Average = 83.4, Playoff Teams = 77.8


Holy Cow.

Look at those opponent's passer rating numbers. So, first, just look at all passes.  We have always talked about how 80 is the NFL average and 90+ is an elite QB.  As you can see, the Cowboys defense made their entire schedule to be elite QBs.

Then, with the blitz, they actually got even worse.  They somehow conceded a 106.1 QB rating when they brought pressure.  They also did not turn the ball over (again) and had fewer tackles for loss and sacks than almost anyone in the league.  This is particularly depressing given the monster investment in the cornerback position last offseason.

They just didn't make any plays on defense.  They didn't take the ball away, nor did they make the opponent lose yardage and set up longer plays.

They just didn't do much defensively that you can sink your teeth into.

Moving forward, we look to better health, a new scheme, and better safety play (gulp) to improve upon things.  But, looking at these numbers, you can see the reason some were scratching their heads when the Cowboys did nothing to address the defense of note in the early part of the draft or free agency.  These numbers are the argument for Shariff Floyd or players like that could have added a playmaker to the front 4.

But, they elected to look elsewhere and we will see if they end up regretting that.

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Newbury On the 4-3 Under

David Newbury, of Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket, has volunteered to walk us through some of the strategic points of the various defensive looks the Cowboys may be headed towards.  I think you will find this quite informative. - Bob

Since the Cowboy’s made the decision to hire Monte Kiffin,  I have heard different media sources speculate whether or not Dallas has the personnel to run Monte Kiffin’s Tampa 2.  Tony Dungy told the Dallas Morning News ’sports reporter, Rick Gosselin,  that the Cowboy’s are 2 drafts away from having the pieces Kiffin needs. So let me get this straight, Monte Kiffin took a defensive coordinator job in which he will not have the pieces to coach a successful defense until he is 75 years old?  Dungy might think the Cowboys are two drafts away.  The question is, “are they”?

By no means am I an expert.  I’m going to give you a brief introduction to the different fronts the Cowboys’ run.  I’m sure you have heard one time or another that the Cowboys’ run a hybrid 3-4. This is true.  I get the feeling that the national media thinks the Cowboys’ run a traditional 3-4.  They don’t.   Let’s compare the 3-4 the Cowboys’ run to the traditional 3-4 run by the Steelers’.

Here’s a picture of the Steelers’ 3-4 defense:

 Let’s start by focusing on the 3 defensive linemen that have their hands on the ground.  Notice how you can see the numbers on their back. If you look closely you can see that the NT Casey Hampton is barely putting any weight on his hand.  The defensive ends Brett Kiesel and Ziggy Hood have their weight on their heels. They do not look like they are going to fire off the ball in attempt to get in the backfield.  Notice that the three defensive linemen are not lined up in between offensive lineman in a gap.  Instead, they are lined up directly over the tackles and centers.  Hampton, Kiesel and Hood have positioned themselves to control a total of 6 gaps. For that to work, each man must control 2 gaps.  They do this by controlling the man.  Their goal is to hold their ground, look past the blockers, read what is going on in the backfield and then react.  These defensive linemen are selfless players.  They do a lot of dirty work that allows the linebackers around them to play more freely.

The goal of the 3-4 Defense is to create confusion each snap by disguising which linebacker or defensive back is blitzing and which is dropping into coverage.   To do this effectively each LB must rush the passer AND drop into coverage.   The best pass rusher often drops into coverage.  The best coverage player often blitzes.   The 3-4 Defense thrives on unpredictability. The 3-4 Defense can’t have obvious tendencies.  It’s easy for an offense to set their protection if they know which player is rushing the passer.

Now let’s take a look at the Cowboy’s 3-4:

Let’s start by looking at the 3 defensive linemen and compare them to the Steelers.  First of all notice how you can’t see the numbers on their back. They have their butts in the air and look like they are about to fire off the ball. Notice how they are not lined head up, instead they are positioned in gaps.  Their assignment on this play is to control 1 gap, the gap they are lined up in.

The major difference between the Steelers’ 3-4 and the Cowboys is DeMarcus Ware. As Bob Sturm notes, DeMarcus Ware rushes the passer 88% of the time.  The offense assumes every single snap that Ware is going to rush the passer. They treat him as if he were a defensive end in a 4-3.

The Cowboys 3-4 has a lot of one gap components to it. Their roster demands it. The best 2 gap players on the Cowboys’ roster last year were Josh Brent and Kenyon Coleman. Coleman missed the final 8 games and Brent missed the final 4.

This leads us to the 4-3 defense.  There are two primary 4-3 fronts that are still used today. The first is the 4-3 Under, perfected by Monte Kiffin during the 1970’s.  The second is the 4-3 Over perfected by Jimmy Johnson in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

The 4-3 under and over are both primarily one gap systems designed to attack the line of scrimmage.  Each defensive lineman is placed in a gap and is responsible for that one gap. This allows the defensive lineman to play very aggressively by attacking the gap and reading their keys on the run.  The defensive linemen do not have to read and then react like the defensive lineman in a 3-4 system.  You could argue that the 4-3 under/over allow the defensive lineman to defend the run while on their way to pressuring the quarterback.   

Monte Kiffin has run a variation of the 4-3 since his days at Nebraska and Arkansas. During the 1970’s college football was dominated by teams that could run the football and pass off the run.  Kiffin tweaked his 4-3 to better stop the run and pressure the quarterback.  The 4-3 Under has been one of the most popular fronts in football because of its ability to stop the run.

Take a look at what it looks like:

Let’s start by identifying where the tight end is. The defense will set their front based off the strength of the offense, often where the tight end lines up. On this play Witten is lined up on the right, the defense’s left.  In a   4-3 Under defense the 3  technique defensive tackle lines up on the opposite side from the tight end  in between the guard and tackle. He is responsible for the weak side B gap. Think Warren Sapp and Geno Atkins.  He doesn’t have to be big because he does not face that many double teams. The other defensive tackle is lined up as 1 technique (gap  in between the guard and centre) to the strong side.  The 1 tech DT (or nose tackle) is responsible for the strongside A gap.  He will face constant double teams, therefore needs to be big and strong.  The strongside defensive end lines up on the outside shoulder of the tackle.  He is playing a 5 technique.  He is responsible for the strongside C gap. The strongside defensive end is usually a good run defender. He needs to be able to hold up against double teams.  The weakside defensive end has more freedom and is usually the best pass rusher.  He lines up as a 5 technique (tackles outside shoulder) but has the freedom to widen out to get a better pass rush. However, he must still be disciplined. He is still responsible for the weakside C gap.  It is very important that he does not get kicked out or hooked.

The linebackers also lineup according to the strength of the formation.  The SAM linebacker lines up outside of the tight end. He can be on the line as a 9 technique or off the line (“loose” 9).  The SAM linebacker is responsible for the strong side D gap.  He, like the weak side defensive end,   cannot  get hooked or kicked out!  It is imperative that he sets the edge and spills the play back inside.  The SAM LB needs to be a special player. He must be big enough to take on blocks and fast enough to cover tight ends.   The MLB is responsible for the strongside B gap.  The WLB is responsible for the backside A gap. He does not have to be big because he is often protected by the big bodies in front of him.  The MLB and WLB are responsible for covering the running backs in man to man coverage.  The MLB and WLB are two gap players. Their responsibilities change once the ball is snapped. 

This is a basic introduction to the 4-3 defense.  A lot changes once the ball is snapped.  Everyone on the defense is on the same page. Each player attacks the play with his outside arm free with the goal of turning the play inside.  The MLB and WLB will make a lot of tackles in this system. The 4-3 Under is a great system that allows coaches to get the most out of their personnel. The biggest strength of the 4-3 Under,  is that it reduces the amount of thinking and therefore allows the players to fly around the field. The system demands unity.  If one player does not do his job then the system breaks down. 

The 4-3  Under is not as popular as it was 10 years ago because of the evolution of NFL offenses. Offenses are passing more and running less.  Defenses are trying to match up against multiple wide receiver sets.  As a result we are seeing more nickel and dime packages. 

The other popular 4-3 defense is the 4-3 Over.  The 4-3 Over gained a lot of popularity during the late 80’s and 90’s. Jimmy Johnson gave the 4-3 Over a makeover.  Johnson replaced the defensive tackles with defensive ends,  defensive ends with linebackers and linebackers with safeties.  The defensive line crowded the neutral zone and attacked the gaps. Johnson’s defenses attacked offenses and made the offenses adjust to them.   Let’s take a look at what the 4-3 Over looks like:

Where is the tight end?  He is on the defenses left.  Remember the 4-3 Over and Under are both one gap systems. In a 4-3 Under the 3 technique  is on the weakside and the 1 technique is on the strong side. In a 4-3 Over the 3 technique(black arrow) is on the strongside  and the 1 technique is on the weakside. The 3 tech DT is responsible for the strongside B gap. The NT (1 technique DT) is responsible for the weakside A gap.  The weakside defensive end’s responsibility is the same, weakside C gap. He can’t get hooked or kicked out.  The strongside DE has different responsibilities. He can’t line up as a 5 tech because the SAM LB is not lined up next to him.  The strongside DE is now responsible for setting the edge and containment.  As you can see in the picture above the defensive end has slid out wide and is playing an 8 technique. His responsibilities remain the same.  He absolutely cannot get hooked or kicked out. 

The SAM LB responsibilities are different. He is responsible for the strongside C gap.  If the strongside DE happens to get hooked then the SAM must take his place and set the edge. Some defensive coordinators will slide the defensive end back to the 5 technique,  walk their SAM LB up and have him play outside the tight end like he would  in an under front.

The makeup of the SAM LB in a 4-3 Over really depends on what the defensive coordinator prefers.  The SAM LB needs to be able to run if the DC wants to stay in base formation when the offense has multiple WR’s on the field.  If the DC wants to mix and match his personnel to the offense then the SAM might be a larger LB and a better run defender. The SAM is usually the LB taken off the field in favor of a nickel back.  

So let’s bring this full circle.  Compare what you now know about the Cowboy’s 3-4  defense  and compare it to Kiffin’s 4-3 defense.

Dallas “3-4 Over”,  Spencer is on the far right. You can see his arm.      

Atlanta’s 4-3 Over

Tampa’s 4-3 Under (below)                                                                                                            

Dallas’ 3-4(below)

Steelers 3-4                                                                                                                               

Dallas 2 Gap 3-4

In today’s NFL defenses must be versatile to have success.  Over the last 5 years we have seen the 3-4 and 4-3 slowly blend together.  We are starting to see more 2 gap variations of the 4-3.  When Dallas was in their base defense(and healthy) they ran the 2 gap 3-4 about 60% of the time.  Once Dallas lost Brent, Coleman and Ratliff they were forced to move towards a one gap system.  Once Dallas hired Monte Kiffin they made a commitment to continue moving away from a 2 gap system.  However, I don’t believe it will go away entirely.  I believe Dallas will run a 1 gap 60-70% of the time next year.  

There are pieces in place to make a successful transition to Kiffin’s 4-3. The defensive personnel needs to be tweaked not overhauled.  Dallas is not two drafts away from making a successful transition to Kiffin’s 4-3, and I can make you a promise, Jerry Jones doesn’t think so either.

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Splash Plays - Week 15 - New Orleans

What a truly bizarre game to consider - this late season loss to the Saints - which in retrospect, as far at the NFC East Divisional title had no bearing or significance whatsoever.

Normally, you are able to read about the splash plays on Wednesday, but because of the above fact of insignificance, travel, holidays, and family, I have delayed getting to this study until a few days later.  That has allowed me to consider the opinions of others when trying to summarize this game, and as usual, I have a hard time with some of them that I have observed.

Basically, the summary appears to be "what can we expect of the defense given the many injuries?"  That, of course, is spot-on in many regards, as they are a rag-tag bunch that does not resemble anything close to the squad that left training camp.  But since they will not cancel nor postpone the games, we still have to expect the Cowboys to offer some resistance on defense, and any resistance that we saw on Sunday against the Saints (what must go down as one of the best single-season offenses to not sniff the playoffs) was truly minimal.

They could not get off of the field until points were being added to the Saints totals, as there was seldom a stop any other way.  Third down defense was a struggle as Drew Brees and his offense could move the chains at will.  Even with a few blatant drops, they still converted 11 3rd Downs into a fresh set of downs and dominated time of possession.

The Cowboys conceded 91 offensive snaps which was the highest play count of 2012 by 21 plays!  The previous high was 70 snaps by Cleveland a month ago.  91 was the highest conceded by the Cowboys going all the way back to Tom Landry, and you can believe that it likely goes back to the inception of the franchise.

The 562 yards the Saints put up were not the most conceded all-time by a Cowboys defense, but it was the most since the Houston Oilers ran up 583 yards in 1991.  Before that, the Bengals had destroyed the Cowboys for 570 in 1985, but that is it.  The next highest yardage total this season was 453 by the Falcons.

And worst of all, the Cowboys had zero takeaways or sacks.  Zero.  That makes it the only game this season in which the Cowboys did not get to the Quarterback and the 4th game this season where the Cowboys defense had no takeaways.  The 4 games, against the Seahawks, Ravens, Falcons, and now, Saints were all losses.  That, of course, means that in games in which the Cowboys get at least 1 takeaway from their defense, they have a 8-3 record.  Whoa.

So, to consider all of these facts about that game on Sunday and then to observe plaudits being given to the defense tells you of the dire straights they are surely existing in these days.  If I would have told Rob Ryan in August that in a key December game against one of the NFL's best offenses that he would have a guy named Eric Frampton playing 52 snaps, Charlie Peprah 46, Sterling Moore 29, Brady Poppinga 25, and Michael Coe 17, then he might not mind that Dan Connor was out there for 66 snaps or Alex Albright for over 50.

Amazing, what they have had to deal with, and amazing that many of us think that group is capable of winning on Sunday night in Washington.

Brees gave out the blue-print for Robert Griffin - just run verticals with your Wide outs and allow your Running Backs to run for acres underneath against what the Cowboys have left at linebacker - which appears to be Anthony Spencer, a one armed version of DeMarcus Ware, and many other guys who are not real household names around here.

Now, the saving grace for the Cowboys is that Darren Sproles doesn't play in Washington, but we have already seen that they have plenty of things they can do with their prolific offensive display on Thanksgiving being all the proof anyone should need.

Scroll down for the blitzing report - which was an interesting study in trying to figure out a plan.

SPLASH PLAYS

Let's take a look at the "Splash Plays" from Week 15 vs the Saints:

Splash Plays are key impact plays from the defense.  Usually, they are obvious, but there are some that blur the line.  I have listed time and play of each one for those who want to double check my work.

For more, read a detailed explanation of this study here:  What is a Splash Play?


WEEK 14 vs New Orleans

Before we get into this study, I will admit that this is one of those weeks where we have splash plays, but we don't have the big ones.  And when you don't have the big splash plays, then the little ones look unworthy of tracking.  But, I think if we consider the big picture, we know that each play is its own story and we should understand the potential effects of any play made by the defense.  But, clearly, in this instance, we see that takeaways and sacks are vital.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Player	Play
1-11:11	1/10/D30	Ware	Strip
1-6:09	2/1/O21	Moore	Run Stuff
1-0:13	2/1/D18	Lissemore	Run Stuff
2-15:00	3/1/D18	Spears	Run Stuff
2-10:36	1/10/O17	Spencer	Holding Penalty Drawn
2-10:17	2/27/O7	Hatcher	Tackle For Loss
2-1:50	2/2/D24	Frampton	Pass Broken Up
2-1:44	3/2/D24	Poppinga	Pass Broken Up
2-1:17	1/G/D2	Conner	Tackle For Loss
2-0:06	3/3/D19	Claiborne	Pass Broken Up
3-8:35	2/5/O46	Spencer	Tackle For Loss
3-8:33	3/8/O43	Moore	Pass Broken Up
3-4:43	3/5/O43	Sensabaugh	Big Hit Breakup
3-4:16	1/G/D6	Claiborne	Pass Broken Up
4-6:49	1/10/D49	Carr	Run Stuff
4-2:06	1/10/O25	Hatcher	Run Stuff
5-10:43	2/9/D34	Claiborne	Strip

Here are the season totals through 15 games:

Player	Splashes
Spencer	34
Ware	30
Hatcher	16.5
Claiborne	16
Carter - OUT	15
Carr	13
Lee - OUT	10
Brent - OUT	9.5
VButler	8
Ratliff - OUT	6
McCray	6
Sensabaugh	6
Spears	6
Scandrick - OUT	5
Crawford	5
Lissemore	4
Conner	3
Jenkins	2
Coleman - OUT	2
Peprah	2
Frampton	2
Albright	2
Moore	2
Lewis - GONE	1
Church - OUT	1
Schaefering	1
Coe	1
Poppinga	1
Team Total	209

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BLITZING REPORT

The blitz reports for the Saints are a bit tricky, because we see that over the course of 53 passes, the Cowboys tried everything.  There are many who are frustrated by blitzing 3, but as you can see below, the Saints found 5 explosive plays, but none of them were against a 3 man blitz.  The idea is to keep many bodies behind the ball and then you can corner the mouse (a coaching point about allowing shallow passes and then surrounding the man with the ball) and bring him down.

Conversely, of the 5 big plays, you can see 4 of them were against a blitz that did not get to Brees in time.  Of course, broken tackles don't help either, but when you rush 3 you have 8 back in coverage.  If you bring 5 or 6, that leaves only 5 or 6 back, where a broken tackle can cost you 20 more yards like on the Sproles play late in the 2nd Quarter.

The Cowboys tried everything to try to shake up the Saints.  In the first half they brought pressure on 6 of 30 passes (20%), but in the 2nd, they tried to bring more and more - 9 of 22 passes (41%), but it really didn't make much difference.  Brees was hardly touched all day.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Play	Rushers
4-11:50	3/8/O37	Brees to Colston, +60	5
2-0:47	1/10/O30	Brees to Sproles, +44	4
5-10:46	2/9/D33	Brees to Colston and Fumble, +31	5
5-13:33	1/10/O26	Brees to Graham, +26	5
2-5:35	1/10/O10	Brees to Colston, +21	5

Below, we usually look at all of the big defensive plays from a blitzing standpoint.  But, since there were 0 big defensive plays on Sunday, this won't take long.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Play	Rushers

Pass Rushers Against New Orleans - 52 pass rush/blitz situations:

Pass Rushers	1st D	2nd D	3rd D	4th D	Total
3 Rush	5	7	5	0	17
4 Rush	6	7	6	1	20
5 Rush	4	3	5	0	12
6 Rush	0	2	1	0	3
Totals	15	19	17	1	52

And, here are the full season numbers to date:

Pass Rushers	1st D	2nd D	3rd D	4th D	Total
3 Rush	21 - 11%	29 - 15%	35 - 22%	1- 12%	86 - 16%
4 Rush	119 - 65%	111 - 59%	81 - 53%	5 - 62%	316 - 59%
5 Rush	37 - 20%	42 - 22%	29 - 19%	2 - 25%	110 - 21%
6 Rush	5 - 3%	6 - 3%	9 - 6%	0	20 - 4%
Totals	182	188	154	8	532

The game by game pressure numbers:

Wk 1 - NYG: 11/37 - 30%
Wk 2 - SEA: 10/26 - 38%
Wk 3 - TB: 12/32 - 37%
Wk 4 - CHI: 12/27 - 44%
Wk 5 - BAL: 10/27 - 37%
Wk 6 - CAR: 9/39 - 23%
Wk 7 - NYG: 2/31 - 6%
Wk 8 - ATL: 5/37 - 14%
Wk 9 - PHI: 7/43 - 16%
Wk 10 - CLE: 4/36 - 11%
Wk 11 - WAS 3/30 - 10%
Wk 12 - PHI 6/36 - 16%
Wk 13 - CIN 11/37 - 30%
Wk 14 - PIT 13/42 - 31%
Wk 15 - NO 15/52 - 29%

Totals:  130/532 - 24.4%

You can clearly see that late in the year, the Cowboys have realized they have no choice but to gamble.  They just don't have the personnel to play straight-up defense anymore like they did for a good part of the year.  Against better QBs, they have had to take big risks to have a chance.  And, to their credit, they have been in a position to win all 3 games since they have changed this approach.

But, now, it comes down to playing a Redskins side that is confident and sure of its objectives on offense.

The Cowboys will need a day where their secondary can hold up its end of the bargain and force big drives.  On Thanksgiving, they gave up 2 giants TD strikes from the other end of the field.  They cannot do that on Sunday.  They must cause a turnover or two and make the Redskins drive the field.

If they do that, they can pull off a very unlikely division title.  If not, their season will end like so many others - on the final week, at the stadium of a hated rival that will be taking great delight in your misfortune.

One game for all of the marbles.  This is going to be great fun.

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Splash Plays - Week 14 - Pittsburgh

The Cowboys have had a very odd year with regards to their defense.  So much so that at times you do just look at the personnel available and concede that to judge these players against a normal grading system is just unfair.

Then, you admit that injuries happen all of the league and there are no sympathy cards arriving in the mailbox.  You also see that you are in the middle of a playoff push and you make do with what you have.

Some of the most endearing characteristics of recent Super Bowl Champions is the "next man up" philosophy which basically says that every injury is "just a flesh wound" to the total body of the roster, and therefore, grab a new body and throw him out there.

Of course, we know that this is merely a band-aid and there is a reason that different players get different salaries - because the difference in ability levels between your starter and the free agent off the street that has to replace him in Week 15 is substantial.  Or, at least, you hope it is.

Regardless, the Cowboys have done an admirable job of hanging tough.  On Monday, I wrote the following about this defense and their uptick in play since being decimated with injuries:

late in the game, when everyone is tired and battered, the Dallas Cowboys have become a team that can find the 4th Quarter sack.  Think back to almost any win you would like, and you will almost always see some key moments late in the game that involved the Cowboys pass rush.  And sure enough, that can be proven in that the Cowboys are 2nd in the NFL with 4th Quarter sacks with 16.   

And from November on, the Cowboys are #1 in the NFL with 10 4th Quarter sacks.  You can almost name them all, including clutch moments last night as the Steelers were trying to find a winning score.  3 giant 4th Quarter sacks took down Ben Roethlisberger that started with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer sharing a sack, then Sean Lissemore popped through to get one, and finally, Anthony Spencer who did it again.  

Spencer is quite a story....in 2012, it seems that he doesn't need an advocate any longer.  He trails just JJ Watt and Aldon Smith in 4th Quarter sacks this season with 6, and many of them have been absolutely huge. 

In this space every week, we deconstruct the games and examine for "splash plays".  In your 14th game of the year, it seems absurd that there would be 3 different players registering their first real contribution of the season in that metric, but look:  Brian Schaefering, Michael Coe, and Eric Frampton all did just that as injuries and erratic play has pushed them on to the roster, and eventually on to the field.

Rob Ryan has taken his fair share of criticism in the last 2 years in Dallas - most of it brought on by his special brand of Ryan-family-bravado that makes him an easy target - so, I think it is only fair if we offer him a little congratulations for making sense of this group when the season is on the line and his defense keeps making game-changing plays late in these must-win December games.

In fact, against the Bengals and Steelers we have seen some very interesting increases in aggressiveness from the defense in terms of blitzing and bringing pressure.  This requires faith in your secondary and a risk that perhaps is a result of desperation.

You could make a strong case that this has ambushed these opponents because they see on film a huge chunk of the season where the Cowboys didn't blitz much at all.  So, perhaps they lulled their opponents to sleep. But, even when they dial it up more, they are still picking their spots.  And below, I want to look at a genius idea from Ryan that perhaps won the game:

=======

Breakdown of the Lissemore sack:

This is a real interesting moment of the game that in retrospect might have been the equivalent of a defensive "hail mary".  If you recall, DeMarcus Ware had just made a huge mistake when he belted Ben Roethlisberger in the back of his head with his right arm after Ben had hit Antonio Brown for 11 yards.  This moved the ball quickly near mid-field with over 1:30 to play and the Steelers had all of their timeouts.  It is reasonable to assume that if the Cowboys conceded any more real-estate, the Steelers would be squared away to attempt a game-winning field goal.

Now, Ware is off the field on this next snap, adjusting his arm brace with the equipment staff.  It is 1st and 10 from the Steelers 46 yard line.  Of all of the times to try your biggest blitz of the game, this would not be when your opponent would expect it.  No Ware and a 1st Down play.  This all tells Pittsburgh that this is a play to go look for more yardage.

But, Rob Ryan sends his 5th blitz of 6 men on 1st Down ALL SEASON.  That is in 167 possible situations.

But, with Pittsburgh in 11 personnel, that means you will have man-to-man underneath a single-high safety.  Gerald Sensabaugh will start the play at 20-yards depth, but at the snap, he is clearly headed backwards fast to a point where you cannot even see him on the "All-22".

On this first picture, check out Eric Frampton, the 2nd safety, charge to the line across from Heath Miller and that gets the attention of the RB to Roethlisberger's left to pick-up.  

Now, check the view from the endzone.  Here, if you include Frampton, is a 6-man blitz with 6 blocking.

See that Spencer is back on the inside and this will alert the Steelers since they surely broke down his impact moment in the Bengals game and are on guard when he moves in side.  Ryan will use this against them because he is asking Spencer on this play to attract as much attention as possible.  He will stunt him inside across the center's face and have Albright cut back around him in a twist.  

The key here will be getting 2 to stick with Spencer.  This will free up someone in a 6-on-6 scenario so that someone is running free at Roethlisberger.  But, it has to be quick.

Now, look what happened.  Spencer attracted all 3 interior Steelers.

It could not have worked better.  The Cowboys wanted one man to run free and instead the Steelers let 2 men run free.  You can see David DeCastro #66 can see what happens in this picture below as he tries to reach out to get Alex Albright, but nobody even touches Sean Lissemore.

Here is what is going on behind the pass rush as there doesn't appear to be anywhere for Ben to go with the ball quickly against this blitz.  If he waits, Miller might turn the corner on the wheel route to the left sideline (at the bottom of the screen), but that is a slow-developing route for sure.



He has to wait and when he does, Lissemore gobbles him up, with Albright and Victor Butler all right behind him.  Anthony Spencer was such a threat that the RG, C, and LG all keyed on him, and this does what the blitz should do - causes confusion and gets a man to run free.

Hard to believe a play like that can work with #94 on the sideline, but that is also a brilliant time to spring a trap.

The play lost 8 yards and Anthony Spencer then registered his 10th sack of the year on the very next play and the Steelers threat was over.

SPLASH PLAYS

Let's take a look at the "Splash Plays" from Week 14 vs the Steelers:

Splash Plays are key impact plays from the defense.  Usually, they are obvious, but there are some that blur the line.  I have listed time and play of each one for those who want to double check my work.

For more, read a detailed explanation of this study here:  What is a Splash Play?


WEEK 14 vs Pittsburgh

Clearly, this was Brandon Carr's best game of the season from a standpoint of showing up on film.

His aggressive plays all suggested that his history with Todd Haley was quite useful in knowing what to look for and what routes might be coming.

And the play he made in overtime was the type of game-winnnig play at just the right point of the season that justifies his salary.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Player	Play
1-14:15	2/4/O26	Carr	Pass Broken Up
1-13:36	1/10/O33	Carr	Pass Broken Up
1-13:27	2/10/O33	Frampton	Big Hit Pass Break Up
1-13:23	3/10/O33	Butler	Pass Batted Down
1-0:39	1/10/O8	Schaefering	Run Stuff
2-14:11	3/5/O13	Albright	3rd Down Stop
3-5:57	1/10/O40	Spears	Sack
4-14:56	1/10/D36	Spencer	Big Pressure
4-3:36	3/4/D37	Ware/Spencer	Sack
4-1:47	1/10/O20	Coe	Pass Break Up
4-1:34	1/10/O46	Lissemore	Sack
4-1:12	2/18/O38	Spencer	Sack
5-14:29	2/4/O26	Carr (2)	Interception/Big Return

Here are the season totals through 14 games:

Player	Splashes
Spencer	32
Ware	29
Carter	15
Hatcher	14.5
Claiborne	13
Carr	12
Lee	10
Brent	9.5
VButler	8
Ratliff	6
McCray	6
Scandrick	5
Crawford	5
Sensabaugh	5
Spears	5
Lissemore	3
Jenkins	2
Coleman	2
Peprah	2
Conner	2
Albright	2
Lewis	1
Church	1
Schaefering	1
Coe	1
Frampton	1
Team Total	192

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BLITZING REPORT

The Steelers found big plays with relative ease on Sunday, including a 60 yarder over the top that caused many of us to acknowledge that Danny McCray is a real target since it was very similar to the Thanksgiving bomb.  The Cowboys seem to realize that he is being attacked and are trying to limit his exposure in pass situations.  You have to stay deeper than the deepest man, but he is too likely to eat he cheese of a play-action fake.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Play	Rushers
3-5:23	2/12/O38	Roethlisberger to Wallace, +60	3
2-0:47	2/10/D30	Roethlisberger to Miller, +30 TD	3
4-1:42	2/10/O20	Roethlisberger to Brown, +26	4
3-0:53	1/10/O22	Redman left, +22	--
4-14:54	2/10/D36	Roethlisberger to Cotchery, +21	5
4-5:39	1/10/O36	Roethlisberger to Johnson, +21	4
4-0:18	1/10/O44	Roethlisberger to Wallace, +20	--

Blitzing did help lead to some big plays, so this might have been Rob Ryan's finest moment of the season to generate so much of a pass rush off blitzes when the game was on the line.

Q-Time	D/D/Yd	Play	Rushers
3-5:57	1/10/O40	Spears Sack	3
4-3:36	3/4/D37	Spencer/Ware Sack	5
4-1:34	1/10/O46	Lissemore Sack	6
4-1:12	2/18/O38	Spencer Sack	5
5-14:29	2/4/O26	Carr Interception	4

Pass Rushers Against Pittsburgh- 42 pass rush/blitz situations:

Pass Rushers	1st D	2nd D	3rd D	4th D	Total
3 Rush	1	2	1	0	4
4 Rush	11	9	5	0	25
5 Rush	2	5	5	0	12
6 Rush	1	0	0	0	1
7 Rush	0	0	0	0	0

And, here are the full season numbers to date:

Pass Rushers	1st D	2nd D	3rd D	4th D	Total
3 Rush	16 - 10%	22 - 13%	30 - 22%	1- 14%	69
4 Rush	113 - 68%	104 - 62%	75 - 55%	4 - 57%	296
5 Rush	33 - 20%	39 - 23%	24 - 17%	2 - 28%	98
6 Rush	5 - 3%	4 - 2%	8 - 6%	0	17
Totals	167	169	137	7	480

The game by game pressure numbers:

Wk 1 - NYG: 11/37 - 30%
Wk 2 - SEA: 10/26 - 38%
Wk 3 - TB: 12/32 - 37%
Wk 4 - CHI: 12/27 - 44%
Wk 5 - BAL: 10/27 - 37%
Wk 6 - CAR: 9/39 - 23%
Wk 7 - NYG: 2/31 - 6%
Wk 8 - ATL: 5/37 - 14%
Wk 9 - PHI: 7/43 - 16%
Wk 10 - CLE: 4/36 - 11%
Wk 11 - WAS 3/30 - 10%
Wk 12 - PHI 6/36 - 16%
Wk 13 - CIN 11/37 - 30%
Wk 14 - PIT 13/42 - 31%

Totals:  115/480 - 24%

Once again, how do you judge a defense that is down both defensive tackles, both inside linebackers, a safety, and a corner?

Given the circumstances and given what we saw the Steelers were capable of earlier in the game, it is tough not to congratulate the Cowboys for surviving a great fight where both the winner and the loser was going to take huge shots from the opponent.

But, who would survive at the finish line?  The Cowboys did.

Now, here comes the Saints to seek and find your weaknesses.  It is a tough job that Ryan has these days.

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