Decoding McCarthy - Not easy, but it worked
The Cowboys got the A-game they needed from their QB
Tuesdays (even if today is a Monday) – since about 2008 – have been my day to evaluate the offense in this space. We have called it “Decoding” over those years and then the name behind the decoding is the man with the play-sheet calling the plays and hopefully putting them in an order to attack that week’s opponent. This is where the football nerd in me gets to figure out the tactical and strategic plot-lines of the game and get a feel for how well it worked out for that side of the ball. For those of you new here, two things: 1) ask questions of anything you don’t quite understand and 2) be aware that we do defense on Wednesdays.
Here we go. Our objectives today:
The Offensive Overview from Thursday in New York.
Dak Prescott plays his “A” game.
Rico Dowdle is easily a cut above the others.
Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe school of hard knocks.
Let’s get busy:
THE OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW
Nothing is terribly easy right now for the Cowboys offense. There are plenty of complaints that the scheme isn’t helping them, but I think it is more complex than our tried and true go-to move about the play-calling is stale.
To me, the Cowboys offense – which struggled again to get a very modest 20 points and very paltry 293 yards of offense – is dealing with many things at the same time and none of them are great news (but predictable!).
They don’t trust their offensive line yet and are trying to be very smart about what they are asking the rookies to do.
Therefore every play and concept has to be quick and that is making big plays down the field tougher to find.
And that is revealing that there might just be one “difference maker” at the skill positions.
Which is mitigated even more by the worst running game in the NFL through four weeks.