GDT [Wild Card Round]: Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks

[DaBoys]

Walt Anderson officiated the game against New Orleans. At that time, his crew had tossed more flags on average than any other crew in the NFL.

 

Not sure if that's changed.

 

I know Walt Anderson is from Texas. He went to college in Texas. The Seahawks fans are already calling foul.

[DaBoys]

In Russell Wilson's 5 games against us:

3 at Dallas. 2 at Seattle.

 

Whose stats do these remind you of?

 

 

Game 1 in Dallas:

15 of 20 - 151 yards - 1 TD - 0 INTs - 2 sacks - 2 scrambling first downs.

W(27-7)

 

 

Game 2 in Seattle:

14 of 28 - 126 yards - 0 TD - 1 INT - 1 RshTD - 2 sacks - 1 scrambling first down.

L(23-30)

 

 

Game 3 in Dallas:

19 of 30 - 210 yards - 1 TD - 1 INT - 0 sacks - 2 scrambling first downs.

W(13-12)

 

 

Game 4 in Dallas(in a do or die playoff-like atmosphere at the end of the season):

14 of 21 - 93 yards - 2 TDs - 0 INTs - 3 sacks - 3 scrambling first downs.

W(21-12)

 

 

 

Game 5 in Seattle(earlier this year):

16 of 26 - 192 yards - 2 TDs - 0 INTs - 2 sacks.

W(24-13)

 

 

 

 

Interesting points:

1. Russell Wilson has only thrown for over 200 yards(210) once against us.

2. Russell Wilson has 7 total TDs against us vs. 2 INTs.

3. We have sacked Wilson 9 times. That's about twice a game.This is as primed a pass rush as I've seen in a long time from Dallas. We may need 3 or 4 sacks in this one.

4. Russell Wilson has scrambled for 8 first downs in his 5 games against us. I'm willing to bet a large number of those were 3rd downs. We have to stop this. It's a back breaker.

[DaBoys]

It's interesting that this is our first playoff match. We have a lot of information on how these teams are going to stack up to each other. I mean, last year we were in a do or die situation week 16 against the Seahawks in Dallas. It was thought at the time that the winner of the contest would be playoff bound. It was certain that the loser would not. So, this is the second year in a row our season comes down to a do or die vs. Seattle in our home stadium. Also, we have met already once this season. The first game in Seattle the second game here. Which means Seattle is effectively a division rival for the 2018 season, having played them now 3 times in the last 19 games.

 

Daks two games vs. Seattle:

 

 

Game 1 in Dallas(playoff like implications)

21 of 34 - 181 yards - 0 TDs - 2 INTs - 4 sacks - 1 scrambling first down.

L(12-21)

 

 

Game 2 in Seattle(earlier this year):

19 of 34 - 168 yards - 1 TD - 2 INTs - 5 sacks - 2 scrambling first downs.

L(13-24)

 

 

Interesting points:

1. Dak has a 1:4 TD:INT against Seattle. Very out of character for him.

2. Dak has attempted the pass exactly 34 times in both games. Russell Wilson averages 25 attempts in his 5 meetings with us. Our record isn't great when Dak has 30 or more attempts. Bad play calling in both games?? We need to feed Zeke this time. If we want to win Dak needs ~25 attempts 

3. Dak has been sacked 9 times in his 2 games against Seattle. That's the same number of sacks Wilson has taken in his 5 games against Dallas. That's the difference of good pocket presence vs. No pocket presence. Because our OL has been consistently better than Seattle's.

 

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

3 hours ago, Matts4313 said:

I think I heard this wrong, but on GMFB I think they just said Dak has a 150.5 QB rating when tied or behind in the 4th quarter this year. 

Thats insane.

That’s definitely what was said, but I can’t seem to get anywhere close to those numbers when I pull the data. So I’m either messing up the parameters or that stat is incorrect.

[quiller]

The first game we never really got going penalties hurt one drive had terrible field position all game  the off Gallup hands interception at a key early point  when we finally got some yards killed another and had two sacks on our first 6 drives to also kill two drives a fifth was hurt by 0 yard rushes by Zeke the score was 17-3 before we really got it going 

this also was the ET game he played inspired against us to show us up didn’t play that much after he had the two interceptions 

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

PFF ranks Dallas as the worst team in the playoffs:

https://t.co/iHsob4HSrC

PFF is using a proprietary ELO system, which I personally find hard to believe is really in their wheelhouse.

FWIW, FiveThirtyEight also has their own ELO, which is likely more credible and robust. They rank us ahead of Houston and Indy. And it also favors us over Seattle because of home field.

[canadaluvsdallas]

On 1/2/2019 at 6:58 AM, Matts4313 said:

11 year old? 

More likely to be a Seahawks fan. They are all 13 years old after all. 

My ex turned into a seahawks fan when i tried to show her cowboy games. 1 year later after we broke up got to sit across from her in a bar and watch the game ending INT happen vs the pats while she was laughing at me cause they were on the goal line about to win a second SB. Top 5 most satisfying moments in my life.

[DaBoys]

12 minutes ago, canadaluvsdallas said:

My ex turned into a seahawks fan when i tried to show her cowboy games. 1 year later after we broke up got to sit across from her in a bar and watch the game ending INT happen vs the pats while she was laughing at me cause they were on the goal line about to win a second SB. Top 5 most satisfying moments in my life.

I knew you were the right man for the job.

[DaBoys]

NFL.com

"That's the case this Saturday, when Dallas' blitz-happy pass rush, led by DeMarcus Lawrence, could have a game-changing impact. When the Cowboys blitzed this season, they sacked the QB 14.4 percent of the time (second-best in NFL) and allowed just two passing TDs (second-fewest in NFL), per Pro Football Focus. That pressure figures to affect on Wilson on Saturday. The 'Hawks signal-caller averaged a league-worst 3.9 yards per attempt and saw a league-worst 77.8-point decrease in passer rating when pressured in 2018. So Seattle's offensive line will literally be under pressure to protect Wilson against Dallas."

"Dak Prescott: Dallas' signal-caller is not the engine behind what makes this offense move. That honor belongs to Elliott, who led the league in offensive touches. However, as quarterback of "America's Team" starting a playoff game in his building, the responsibility is Prescott's to shepherd the Cowboys into the next round. But for Dallas to take command of this game, which is begging to be close, Prescott must get off to a hot start, feed Amari Cooper and wear down Seattle's inexperienced defense. There's more than a Divisional Round berth on the line here, too. Prescott is entering the final year of his rookie deal. If the favored 'Boys flop yet again in Dak's second playoff game, his value when extension negotiations begin could decrease."

 

"Seahawks running backs vs. Cowboys linebackers:

Boasting the league's top running game, the 'Hawks have rushed for at least 150 yards in all but one of their last 10 games. Dallas has allowed over 100 yards rushing just six times, but lost all but one of those games."

[Matts4313]

34 minutes ago, DaBoys said:

NFL.com

"That's the case this Saturday, when Dallas' blitz-happy pass rush, led by DeMarcus Lawrence, could have a game-changing impact. When the Cowboys blitzed this season, they sacked the QB 14.4 percent of the time (second-best in NFL) and allowed just two passing TDs (second-fewest in NFL), per Pro Football Focus. That pressure figures to affect on Wilson on Saturday. The 'Hawks signal-caller averaged a league-worst 3.9 yards per attempt and saw a league-worst 77.8-point decrease in passer rating when pressured in 2018. So Seattle's offensive line will literally be under pressure to protect Wilson against Dallas."

"Dak Prescott: Dallas' signal-caller is not the engine behind what makes this offense move. That honor belongs to Elliott, who led the league in offensive touches. However, as quarterback of "America's Team" starting a playoff game in his building, the responsibility is Prescott's to shepherd the Cowboys into the next round. But for Dallas to take command of this game, which is begging to be close, Prescott must get off to a hot start, feed Amari Cooper and wear down Seattle's inexperienced defense. There's more than a Divisional Round berth on the line here, too. Prescott is entering the final year of his rookie deal. If the favored 'Boys flop yet again in Dak's second playoff game, his value when extension negotiations begin could decrease."

 

"Seahawks running backs vs. Cowboys linebackers:

Boasting the league's top running game, the 'Hawks have rushed for at least 150 yards in all but one of their last 10 games. Dallas has allowed over 100 yards rushing just six times, but lost all but one of those games."

Dont we blitz like bottom 5 in the NFL? How are we blitz happy? 

[DaBoys]

12 minutes ago, Matts4313 said:

Dont we blitz like bottom 5 in the NFL? How are we blitz happy? 

Under Rod we never blitzed but I'm pretty sure that changed when Richard took over.

 

Rod said something like, "he has a better feel for the backend of the defense and whether or not they will hold up if we send pressure."

 

The same article said Richard was "blitz happy." Or "likes to blitz." Or something to that effect.

 

But I haven't seen the numbers.

[Matts4313]

5 minutes ago, DaBoys said:

Under Rod we never blitzed but I'm pretty sure that changed when Richard took over.

 

Rod said something like, "he has a better feel for the backend of the defense and whether or not they will hold up if we send pressure."

 

But I haven't seen the numbers.

I distinctly remember reading an article that this year alone we blitz alot less than league average. Which makes sense when you think about what Rod has done with the front 7. A DL that can get there with 4. 2 LBs that can cover a TE/LB in both pass and run games. Jaylon/LVE blitz like maybe 1 or 2 times a game. Plus the occasional corner blitz. 

 

IIRC the league blitzes like 30% of the time and we were at 20%. I am pretty sure we are a bottom 5 blitzing team. Which is why our success is so high.

[DaBoys]

48 minutes ago, Matts4313 said:

I distinctly remember reading an article that this year alone we blitz alot less than league average. Which makes sense when you think about what Rod has done with the front 7. A DL that can get there with 4. 2 LBs that can cover a TE/LB in both pass and run games. Jaylon/LVE blitz like maybe 1 or 2 times a game. Plus the occasional corner blitz. 

I'd like to see the numbers. I think we are blitzing more this year(which isn't saying much, we were 17% last year). Seems like Jaylon gets sent a lot. When I went to that game vs. Tampa we were single high safety damn near the whole game. Surely we were blitzing. 

Rod on KR:

“He’s got a good feel pressure wise, can we hold up, all those things. The thing I’ve always believed in, and it’s one of our standards here, is it’s about the team. Everybody says the word, but the team to me is everything, every decision you make, is how you get the team better. And some of the things he can do, he makes us better.”

One thing that I like about it is, if you’re bringing five (rushers) you’re taking chips off guys,” Marinelli said."

 

 

 

 

And this article was written last year:

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2018/01/04/marinelli-report-season-good-attendance-allowed

"Just when you thought the Cowboys hardly blitzed, they took it down even further and further this season -- 17 percent is a new low, even for a team that already never blitzed. In a league where the average sits at about 30 percent, blitzing is just not something Rod Marinelli is interested in doing."

[D82]

It's looking like XSF is going to miss the game, so Williams will be starting. As such, found this interesting. 
 

 

[DaBoys]

Yeah I would say XSF is a better run blocker, but that's about it.