Panthers v/s Cowboys Wild Card Running Commentary

It takes getting up awful fucking early to beat some of y'all to the punch. I usually don't care and it's fun to make y'all feel silly about it, but it feels right. We're 19 hours from kickoff, and I'm a bit drunk and even more tired, so I need to get some things off my mind. What better place, than the running comm thread?

My biggest worry right now is the sustained Dallas drive. They really don't have a ton of big play potential - and I expect they'll scheme something in to create such things.
But right now, I'm more concerned with the underneath passes - the TE's killed us all year. The backs don't bother me much, because we're tackling a bit better. But we gotta put something on the TE. We gotta cover the underneath spots, because we're going to match up well deep in cover three. So they'll push the TE on us, they'll push the backs on us. The thing is, what they used to be able to do, they are having a hard time doing.

But past that, I worry a bit about Quincy getting the green light to run, something they've not allowed him to do a lot and something that obviously shows up as a problem if you look at a key game between the last Dallas game and now -Atlanta. With Atlanta we didn't tackle well, and we're doing better there, but nonetheless we didn't solve the QB rush and I expect we'll see it some.

Also, defensively, we need to consider more nickel packages throughout the game. If that means putting Cousin in the box because it's two wides, then that's what it means. They absolutely killed us last game because of outside matchups with corners on backs, and linebackers on receivers. We can't keep doing that, and honestly it's something I wouldn't have noticed if not for Jaws' analysis, which'd be a great print offering on espn.com BTW. Honestly, I think we can cover the run more than adequately if we had Cousin at the nickel and Minter up at around 10 yards (or shallower). We'd still be able to run cover three, and yet not give up matchups against the TE. I think this'll be a necessary adjustment and I hope we get to it in time, and it should help us v/s the backs as well. Honestly I don't know that Favors is that much a help in the pass defense that we'll be better - plus we'll be better prepared if they spread us - which is how I'd attack us. We're weaker in nickel. But if we're prepared for it, then swapping Wesley in isn't a big deal, and short of that a base nickel D to run on second and third downs is a hell of a way to scheme the Cowboys' underneath attacks and hopefully shut down the TE.

In that, I mean to suggest that we put a base of six men against six men, and then hang Cousin strongside and Minter even with center ten yards deep or four yards out next to Witherspoon. If they push the backs more, switch. By doing that, you're still in control of all gaps, can slide the line shaded strongside, and still have 8 in the box without giving up coverage. I'd also consider putting Morgan outside on the line, weakside, in the way we used to call for Fields (and similarly Allen in preseason), with Cousin posing as one of the linebackers.

I mean seriously...what are they going to do, check to the inside run? Yeah. Do it. Please.

Plus, it gives great zone blitz packages. We got to Vick because we blitzed guys he couldn't get away from - two DBs in the box is a taste of the Cowboys' own medicine. And the more they show double team on Peppers, the more I'd drop him to coverage strongside. I'd also play him weakside - Wallace left, Jenkins in between RG and C, Rucker inside on Allen, and Peppers shaded far enough outside LT that it's just a footrace. We can win that battle in the 10 or so times we use it, and at worst puts our four best linemen on the field.

If we can force Carter into throwing upfield more, we match up well, we've pulled down more balls in the last few games, and if we can pick off one we'll get into his head. He's young, he's wide eyed in big games, some pressure will be generated if they have to throw deeper and we will force him into bad decisions. We must make plays on the ball for this to work, and that basically just means Manning being in position and Howard being smarter with his arms.


On the front, we need to move Jenkins around if he can't do anything against Larry Allen. If that means nosing him up, then he can take Al Johnson. If that means sacrificing Burton against Allen, win/win. If that means stunts, it means stunts. We have to free up Jenkins, or else we're cooked underneath. Allen takes Jenkins head up means the center can shift, the guard/tackle take on Peppers and the back chips Rucker. That's six men, doubles on the outsides, and no worries in the pocket. That'll kill us, if they can get that again. We cannot allow that.

And that's the hard part - stopping the short pass, while still blitzing, and yet not exposing our chump corners to man coverage? Awful hard to figure, unless we do run man/free on the backside and run zone on the front side. It's been done, it was one of our base calls in 2002 early on. But Fox is a master of switching up coverage, disguising coverage, and so on, and that's where we'll have to outcoach.


Run Defense I feel better about. They've played a couple games where they weren't totally inept at times - they played solid throughout. The tackling, as I've noted, is better. Just sit back and play it - hell, I'm advocating a liberal dose of nickel base. I don't care about the run past the basic ideals of execution and staying in gaps. We can beat their running game, and I'm damn right confident about it.

And with Manning playing more, I feel like we match up better. But we have to involve the safeties in a more positive way.

 

Offensively:

Steussie needs help this game. Don't even mess around it. He's had some very good games, and at home he might not struggle. But we need someone either helping him, or from the RB position pivoting on the read between the two end spots.

I still think stretching them out is a good way to attack them. Doesn't mean we abandon the run, but I don't think it's a matter of run, run, spread pass, and pray. It gets them out of the run blitz, which is the only way a small team can beat us. They run blitzed us a lot, and I think an answer to that has to be pitching out more, and if that means we gotta use Foster, whatever. If that means we gotta use Foster INSIDE, whatever. We can run on them head up if they're playing base, so the goal has to be to get them into base situations. Force them out of the box, force them out of run blitzes, by making them pay. Pass out of base by streaking inside receivers.

One thing we need to revisit is the big play from amongst the secondary receivers. Pick a spot, send a back or TE deep after the pump fake to an intermediate receiver. Reasoning? Because we're probably going to see a lot of man, at best we'll be catching a safety near the line having to adjust to get to his backpedal. You can always run away (and by that, I mean in a diagonal) from anyone you have position on, provided you keep position. Exploiting the safeties - and Woodson's been a bit of a liability lately - will push them back some, which benefits us a ton in the running game.
Head up, we can run on them. That should be a goal. Establsh the pass, and that includes putting Davis in patterns if need be. Fuck them - you take what you can get and I'll take Davis' 11 yard average in the passing game.

As well, by passing more, we'll slow the run blitz, push the draw more, push the screen more, push the pitch out more. Nonetheless, we have to find seams and play smarter, or play more zone blocking schemes. Either way we can't totally back down from inside running, nor can we abandon running at the tackles with traps. With those type plays in mind, it may take full house and extensive motion out of zone blocking.

It may take more formations with 8 offensive players in the box and motion out of it, to set up mismatches. if it draws a linebacker out, great. If it doesn't, slant to the secondary receiver as the primary.

If I were to scheme the first ten plays?
1. Run. Set a tone with a good strong run. But I'd make it off tackle - we don't run nearly enough off-T and chances are good it'll offset the run blitzing.
2. two TE, Davis, motion of the second TE strongside, dump to Davis in the flat
3. two TE, twins strongside; motion U end to backside (most teams note a second, flanking end as U following the X, Y, Z tablature; a slotted player would be an E for some damn reason) with a pump fake short and going deeper but inside; max protect otherwise with the TEs taking the end, interior pair taking the tackle/watch blitz, center floating to help strongside. We do well in this protection when we can sell the run formation without the play fake. We also sell the pump enough to pull the safety up; whether Smith or Muhammad, I like us streaking deep but at an angle.
4. Three wide, off tackle from receiver motion inside.
5. pass from four wide; first read is crossing inside from outside receiver Smith; second is out route Muhammad.
6. Run, good old I isolation strong side. If necessary, start out with the I and finish with motion from a second TE into the broken I to give a different look. But initially, we need to see if we can just run head up, and that's what scheming plays determine - possibility of success.
7. shotgun - three wide, two backs, motion FB and send deep as second read. First read is
8. PA fake, roll out to dragging TE from backside. This is so basic, and yet we just neglect it. Second option - deep post to X
9. Toss sweep out of Z motion
10. I, twins weak, playaction back to the fullback strong side.
11. shotgun four deep - send three deep, cross fourth as bailout option
12. pump fake combo, weakside, with primary receiver being Davis on stretch pattern.

That neglects some of the deep seconary receiver streaks I suggested, neglects Proehl, and doesn't set up the short passing ball control I want. But it gives room to grow.

In the kicking game, I'd have at least every off-center kick ready to be pitched. Make them respect both returners on coverage. It's not terribly high risk.
Other than that, I'd hope that Goings has his head in the game on punt team, and if not, I'd replace him. I'd be ready for various kicking off schemes, including short schemes, but other than those two things, nothing special. Just fundamentals.


Dallas really did play a perfect game last time. They made Smart flubb the opening kick, they scored on fluke plays to the deep, deep reserve TE and the option play to the scatback. They outcoached us.
We have to be ready for just about anything, but we have to be ready to play our game as well. Dallas got us out of what we do best, and we can't allow that. If that means we dictate with the pass, whatever. Now's not the time to stand behind fundamentals in lieu of success.

It'll come down to us being confident, loose, and enjoying it. And playing to what the coaches want. I think we'll come away with a winning situation, this game anyway, just following the gameplan if it's set as I've noted above and growing from it.

 

I think that you are a wee bit obsessive

 

Damn. So do we win or what. lol

 

All we gotta do is show up.

Homefield advantage, Davis is healthier, and Morgan's back.

Quincy Carter has got to deal with the crowd, and Delhomme doesn't.


That is all

 

anybody got the cliff notes version of the Magnus keys to winning?

 

Something like: We play well we win.

 

better play calling by us, with a mix of pass and run.

get Favors off the field, he sucks

Help for our CBs, cheat Minter up to take care of the run

cover their TE

I'm drunk and don't want to go to bed yet

I think that covers it.

 

that was the most educational thing i ever read about playing the game of football.