There is going to be a lot of outrage out there tonight. Dallas has a FANTASTIC offensive team and some great individual defensive players. They are far ahead (at this point) than the Pats, but as everyone saw this was a game where the Pats could have. won this game at several points in the ball game. I'm writing this almost immediately after the game because I can't do a midnight to 3am diatribe. Too much to do tomorrow.
I'm sure most of us are angry at this point an ready to point out the errors players and coaches made in this game. Lost in all th8is are the good stuff we are going to be quick to overlook, but it was there. Dallas is a top 3 NFC team and will be a hard out come the playoffs (they have no other competition in the NFCE). So rather than breaking it down in any organized fashion, I am going to just rattle off thoughts about the game that come to me. Hopefully they'll make sense in the end.
1. Mac lacks any escapeability in the pocket. The kid is great IN the pocket, but when it breaks down he has yet to learn how to escape and extend the play. He literally lives and dies inside that red X seven yards deep behind the C. Now for the most part it works for him, but for him to take the next step, he needs to know when land how to flee. Now granted he's no Kyler or Patrick back there but his combine results ARE almost identical to the QB we saw on the other side of the ball, when you compare their combine scores and sizes. They both ran 4.8 forties. they both are just over 6'2 2 and 220lbs and Mac's 3 cone time (short area quickness) was actually better (7.04 vs 7.12) The difference was Prescott was running for his life at Miss St. in the SEC, while Mac was living large behind an NFL ready OL and pro ready receivers. So this isn't something Mac CAN'T do, athletically but something that he needs to develop down the road, and that sadly will take time and a lot of trial and error that goes with being a rookie QB inn the NFL, even the most NFL guy ready in his class..
2. I sadly watched Dante Hightower closely on several plays over the course of the evening and then I stopped because it was getting sad. Yeah I know he had 4 tackles somewhere along the night, but too often I would see him glued to a OLman while a RB was cutting back into the hole he was SUPPOSED to be covering. The job of a LB (and I was one), when an offensive lineman comes out to block you was to hit through him and use that contact shock to RELEASE to the ball. Back in my day before you could extend your arms on offense, a forearm shiver to the head,, if delivered correctly, would allow me to get off the ball quickly to pursue the ball. All I saw today was High dancing with his Dallas partner, while the RB romped untouched through the gap I assumed was his.
Worse Dante just looked slow and plodding, and worse yet disinterested. There was none of the explosiveness that we had always expected from his game. We will always be consider an a good solid player who always upped his game during the playoffs. but not this year.....so far. KVN as well, but to a lesser degree. And while I'll give Jamie Collins a few games before I render judgement, the camera caught Bill having what looked like a "WTF were you doing" conversation with Jamie in the 2nd half. It left me wondering if Jamie part 3 will be the same old same old So needless to say when Jerome Bently is now your best ILB, then its time to start thinking of a LB redo. (and he was all over the field with 14 tackles)
Still talking about disappointing LB's, IF you told me last April I could get Micah Parsons and Davis Mills with my first 2 picks I would have been thrilled. I saw Parsons dismantle a SD back up OT over and over again one game and all I could say was WOW. Last night? Did you hear his name called ONCE? No you didn't and when I checked the stats, his name wasn't on it at all. So be careful what you wish for, Ken.
3. Contrary to the LB's the DL, I thought played its best game of the year. They did a good job vs the run (Is t was the LB's I blame for the big gains. The Goal line stand and the short yardage 3rd downs where what we hoped. Hard to use the word "great" when the opposition gains over 500 yds, but of the 3 defensive units the DL bears the least of the blame, at least IMHO. Given that all the Passing should have opened up the Run Game, Dallas' 3.9 ypc average over 31 carries seems pretty solid to me. The Pats on the other hand with their patch work OL averaged 4.4ypc on 27 carries.
4. I'm sure DKF will demand summary executions for the OL coach and several players, but the fact remains for all the noise, Dallas had just 2 sacks and 5 QB hits. It wasn't great, but not the disaster the Game Day board made it seem. (btw - when Jones learns to use his athleticism to escape more it will help his OL a lot. Prescott did it several times to much effectiveness. The Pats only managed 4 QB's on Prescott all evening. Which makes me wonder again, "where have you gone Joch Uche, a nation turns its lonely eyes on you". He looked so dynamic in preseason, I really thought we had a find and I stopped looking to have him play ILB, as OUR speed LB. If he can't learn to turn his speed and athleticism into pressures maybe we should look at him in the middle next year.
What this defense needs is a Devon White kind of LB who can both run sideline to sideline and cover as well. Won't CJ Mosely become a FA next year. I always liked his game (and he had a good one against the Pats. Mosley next to Bentley with KVN, Hightower and Collins all on a fishing trip next fall might be an improvement.
5 Coaching complaints: Aren't there always. Well I only have one really, and that was not going for something at the end of the half with 1:30 on the clock and one TO. We had the chance to make an announcement to the league that the training wheels are off our QB, and we trust him in pressure situations where you have to have it. In a game where we had SOOO few offensive plays and the one of the best offenses in the league was pretty much having their way, we gave up an offensive possession and a chance to put some breathing room between us and the Cowboys,.
YES I understand all the sound reasons for making that decision. Yes the offense hadn't generated a first down since the Meyer almost TD. Yes, you really didn't want to give the ball back to the Cowboys with a minute left if you went 3 and out, and YES it made some sense just to get off the field with a lead and get some much needed rest for the defense. And yes you didn't want to punt until you were SURE you corrected what allowed the blocked punt, which you know they did at halftime. But that would be playing not to lose, not playing to win. EVERY scoring chance was important for the Pats, especially when they knew they were going to be in a shoot out,, and they just gave it away.
They literally told the Cowboys it was OK to squeeze all the Pats short routes and crossers. They can blitz that CB because they won't have to pay for it. And they can load up against the run because the Pats offense is limited to a 15 yd box. Its like the Pats offense is playing in the red zone all over the field. Compressed.
6. How many impact plays did Deven McCourty make tonight. ZERO. Devon is one of the Pats best defenders yet the Pats RARELY move him out that single high safety position where he could impact some plays. How many times did the Pats give up big plays to the Cowboys on crossers INFRONT of Devon. He was never in position to make a play on any of them because he was so deep So one of the team's best secondary player was taken out of the game by a simple scheme, while we saw Bethel, Mills, and Jones trail Lamb, Cooper and Wilson over and over again. Just once I wanted him to take a leap of faith and jump that route ONE time. Never happened.
7.Only 4 targets and 3 catches for our 2 TE's. I looked at Smith as being our Kelce, more receiver than TE, but not a shabby blocker either. Lots of safe outs, and delays that can be run by them, but never seem get noticed. Both seem to want the ball. Lets run some plays specifically for them. Good things seem to happen when they do.
8. OK enough Kvetching, that's yiddish for doing a DKF.(just kidding) There, like the losses to Miami, and Buc's there was a lot of things that this team can build on. My goal is to see them at least at 5-5 and its something I think can be accomplished as they get some guys off the injured list and IR and Josh removes some of the restraints.
9. On the plus side the Pats did manage to get 2 TO, a pick and a fumble, they also gave up 2 with the pick 6 and blocked kick, so, like I said, it wasn't what they needed to win against a superior opponent. Lots of what if's, (actually too many to go into, and we all know them anyway) just that were a lot of them during this game. Watching that game film will be very painful because of so many opportunities lost.
OK that's all for now. Comments and addition welcome. I'll be back Monday evening to see what you all have to say.
10.
I'm sure most of us are angry at this point an ready to point out the errors players and coaches made in this game. Lost in all th8is are the good stuff we are going to be quick to overlook, but it was there. Dallas is a top 3 NFC team and will be a hard out come the playoffs (they have no other competition in the NFCE). So rather than breaking it down in any organized fashion, I am going to just rattle off thoughts about the game that come to me. Hopefully they'll make sense in the end.
1. Mac lacks any escapeability in the pocket. The kid is great IN the pocket, but when it breaks down he has yet to learn how to escape and extend the play. He literally lives and dies inside that red X seven yards deep behind the C. Now for the most part it works for him, but for him to take the next step, he needs to know when land how to flee. Now granted he's no Kyler or Patrick back there but his combine results ARE almost identical to the QB we saw on the other side of the ball, when you compare their combine scores and sizes. They both ran 4.8 forties. they both are just over 6'2 2 and 220lbs and Mac's 3 cone time (short area quickness) was actually better (7.04 vs 7.12) The difference was Prescott was running for his life at Miss St. in the SEC, while Mac was living large behind an NFL ready OL and pro ready receivers. So this isn't something Mac CAN'T do, athletically but something that he needs to develop down the road, and that sadly will take time and a lot of trial and error that goes with being a rookie QB inn the NFL, even the most NFL guy ready in his class..
2. I sadly watched Dante Hightower closely on several plays over the course of the evening and then I stopped because it was getting sad. Yeah I know he had 4 tackles somewhere along the night, but too often I would see him glued to a OLman while a RB was cutting back into the hole he was SUPPOSED to be covering. The job of a LB (and I was one), when an offensive lineman comes out to block you was to hit through him and use that contact shock to RELEASE to the ball. Back in my day before you could extend your arms on offense, a forearm shiver to the head,, if delivered correctly, would allow me to get off the ball quickly to pursue the ball. All I saw today was High dancing with his Dallas partner, while the RB romped untouched through the gap I assumed was his.
Worse Dante just looked slow and plodding, and worse yet disinterested. There was none of the explosiveness that we had always expected from his game. We will always be consider an a good solid player who always upped his game during the playoffs. but not this year.....so far. KVN as well, but to a lesser degree. And while I'll give Jamie Collins a few games before I render judgement, the camera caught Bill having what looked like a "WTF were you doing" conversation with Jamie in the 2nd half. It left me wondering if Jamie part 3 will be the same old same old So needless to say when Jerome Bently is now your best ILB, then its time to start thinking of a LB redo. (and he was all over the field with 14 tackles)
Still talking about disappointing LB's, IF you told me last April I could get Micah Parsons and Davis Mills with my first 2 picks I would have been thrilled. I saw Parsons dismantle a SD back up OT over and over again one game and all I could say was WOW. Last night? Did you hear his name called ONCE? No you didn't and when I checked the stats, his name wasn't on it at all. So be careful what you wish for, Ken.
3. Contrary to the LB's the DL, I thought played its best game of the year. They did a good job vs the run (Is t was the LB's I blame for the big gains. The Goal line stand and the short yardage 3rd downs where what we hoped. Hard to use the word "great" when the opposition gains over 500 yds, but of the 3 defensive units the DL bears the least of the blame, at least IMHO. Given that all the Passing should have opened up the Run Game, Dallas' 3.9 ypc average over 31 carries seems pretty solid to me. The Pats on the other hand with their patch work OL averaged 4.4ypc on 27 carries.
4. I'm sure DKF will demand summary executions for the OL coach and several players, but the fact remains for all the noise, Dallas had just 2 sacks and 5 QB hits. It wasn't great, but not the disaster the Game Day board made it seem. (btw - when Jones learns to use his athleticism to escape more it will help his OL a lot. Prescott did it several times to much effectiveness. The Pats only managed 4 QB's on Prescott all evening. Which makes me wonder again, "where have you gone Joch Uche, a nation turns its lonely eyes on you". He looked so dynamic in preseason, I really thought we had a find and I stopped looking to have him play ILB, as OUR speed LB. If he can't learn to turn his speed and athleticism into pressures maybe we should look at him in the middle next year.
What this defense needs is a Devon White kind of LB who can both run sideline to sideline and cover as well. Won't CJ Mosely become a FA next year. I always liked his game (and he had a good one against the Pats. Mosley next to Bentley with KVN, Hightower and Collins all on a fishing trip next fall might be an improvement.
5 Coaching complaints: Aren't there always.
Well I only have one really, and that was not going for something at the end of the half with 1:30 on the clock and one TO. We had the chance to make an announcement to the league that the training wheels are off our QB, and we trust him in pressure situations where you have to have it. In a game where we had SOOO few offensive plays and the one of the best offenses in the league was pretty much having their way, we gave up an offensive possession and a chance to put some breathing room between us and the Cowboys,.YES I understand all the sound reasons for making that decision. Yes the offense hadn't generated a first down since the Meyer almost TD. Yes, you really didn't want to give the ball back to the Cowboys with a minute left if you went 3 and out, and YES it made some sense just to get off the field with a lead and get some much needed rest for the defense. And yes you didn't want to punt until you were SURE you corrected what allowed the blocked punt, which you know they did at halftime. But that would be playing not to lose, not playing to win. EVERY scoring chance was important for the Pats, especially when they knew they were going to be in a shoot out,, and they just gave it away.
They literally told the Cowboys it was OK to squeeze all the Pats short routes and crossers. They can blitz that CB because they won't have to pay for it. And they can load up against the run because the Pats offense is limited to a 15 yd box. Its like the Pats offense is playing in the red zone all over the field. Compressed.
6. How many impact plays did Deven McCourty make tonight. ZERO. Devon is one of the Pats best defenders yet the Pats RARELY move him out that single high safety position where he could impact some plays. How many times did the Pats give up big plays to the Cowboys on crossers INFRONT of Devon. He was never in position to make a play on any of them because he was so deep So one of the team's best secondary player was taken out of the game by a simple scheme, while we saw Bethel, Mills, and Jones trail Lamb, Cooper and Wilson over and over again. Just once I wanted him to take a leap of faith and jump that route ONE time. Never happened.
7.Only 4 targets and 3 catches for our 2 TE's. I looked at Smith as being our Kelce, more receiver than TE, but not a shabby blocker either. Lots of safe outs, and delays that can be run by them, but never seem get noticed. Both seem to want the ball. Lets run some plays specifically for them. Good things seem to happen when they do.
8. OK enough Kvetching, that's yiddish for doing a DKF.(just kidding) There, like the losses to Miami, and Buc's there was a lot of things that this team can build on. My goal is to see them at least at 5-5 and its something I think can be accomplished as they get some guys off the injured list and IR and Josh removes some of the restraints.
9. On the plus side the Pats did manage to get 2 TO, a pick and a fumble, they also gave up 2 with the pick 6 and blocked kick, so, like I said, it wasn't what they needed to win against a superior opponent. Lots of what if's, (actually too many to go into, and we all know them anyway) just that were a lot of them during this game. Watching that game film will be very painful because of so many opportunities lost.
OK that's all for now. Comments and addition welcome. I'll be back Monday evening to see what you all have to say.
10.
