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Coach's Halftime Thoughts - Week 13


Dallas94Ware

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1. Jaylon Smith and Damien Wilson played the run fairly well on that opening drive. Aside from a missed tackle by a DL (Missed the number) on the 10+ run, they were key in defending Perine. They held their lanes and caused hesitation and indecisiveness.

2. Morris has to catch that. Yes the pass was slightly high, but it hit him in the hands with space to run. Got to bring that in.

3. Tyron missed an inside read on the sack. He blocked out but should have held ground and set up better to slow down the inside rush, then 45, would have had an easier job.

4. Lawrence's penetration on the TFL of Perine: outstanding technique won the day. Great hand placement, great footwork. Plant, hit, drive off the planted foot and seek the ball.

5. As a fan I dont mind the hit of Collins on Cousins. Hit him. Pound him. Make him hate dropping back. Make him dread your presence. But as a coach, cant do that on a third down. Hold up and Get off the field.

6. Red zone turnovers are huge. Good positioning by Heath, but he honestly did not have to do much. Reminiscent of several Dak ints this season. However, any coach will tell you - good things happen when you are in proper position. Heath didnt bite outside and didnt take the bait inside either. He held his zone and played at rhe goal line like the playcall designed, and the ball floated to him. Positioning was evrrything. Good discipline.

7. Someone has to protect Dak. On the third down completion short of the marker, Fredrick missed his man early, and both guards failed to hold up their end of the protection. Collins kicked him man out but was beat on the second effort. Sad effort all around.

8.  Another quarter of failure to separate by Dez. He makes a good plant and go consistently but doesnt drive through the route to finish with separation. He is still slow to break and it nearly caused an interception. Dak needs to hold onto that one, but at some point someone has to get open and catch a damn ball. No one is doing so, even our 14mil a year guy who was once considered a top tier wideout.

8. Hitchens is a very aggressive player. When he sees an opening he attacks. Technique wise, zero wasted motion. This allows him to play fast. He deserved that safety, too bad Perine saw the lane to cut back off tackle. And a great effort by Awuzie to get off his assignment and hold on to Perine and keep him short of the marker.

9. Daks first down run: Zero separation by all receivers. Dez had an opening but didnt drive and accelerate up field. No one else had any chance of finding an opening. Dak saw the protection go wide and he took it himself. On a more opinionated level, its so sad Dak is getting such little help. He needed to carry the team with Zeke gone, but man, can someone help him by doing...anything to make his life a tad easier?

10. Dez catch into the red zone: Forced pass by Dak who really had no options to throw to. Dez ran a sloppy route that broke way too flat to really have a chance against the hook zone in the middle. A contested ball that.Dez attacked and worked for, which is uncharacteristic of him lately. Good to see it again.

11. Td throw to Witten: Witten used his body to press out the defender and used his body to box him out as well on the in cut. Good route and catch. Good throw by Dak to have the patience and wait for Witten to finish the route and box out the defender. Had he fired it when Witten was breaking, its a much tougher catch to make.

12. Cousins tested Awuzie with the deep 50/50 on man coverage with Doctson. Awuzie held good position but failed to maintain the position when the ball was coming in. To Doctson's credit, he used his larger frame as a shield and gave himself a good chance, but Awuzie gave the second effort by standing in Doctsons space and putting his hands between Doctsons arms. Good overall effort and awareness by Awuzie, not the best or cleanest way to cover that throw, but not bad whatsoever either.

13. Lawrence didnt care about the sack on Cousins. He wanted the ball and he got it. Suggs said something earlier this week that Lewis used to tell him forget the sack, get us the ball. Lawrence went for that ball. And he did so on a second effort of the stunt design, where he was supposed to  clear out the inside trap for Irving (known to be beat by a trap due to over aggressiveness). Amazing and outstanding effort, awareness, technique and just damn good football.

14. Three turnovers but only 10 points will drive a coach mad, but at least the offense is pitching in on this defensive effort. Had Dak had more time on the third down that resulted in 3 pts only, he would have had an open back in the flat with a safety out of position to cover him.

15. Switzer had the vision and patience of a running back on that return. Held his pace to allow a block, the vision to find the small holes, and the burst and elusiveness to slip through those small holes. If he can see the field like that, hell, Id give him a a couple carries a game from a shotgun or pistol as a tailback. Because that was the best running this team has had since Zeke weeks ago.

16. Awuzie showing the overall coverage skills that could have landed him in the late first. That break up was a great read, a great break with the route, and a really aggressive attempt at batting the catch away. Not to speak too soon, but that style of coverage Ive not seen on this team since Terence Newmans earlier years. Of course hes not as fast and he isnt going to play isolated too often on top targets like Newman used to here, but gotta say, that aggressive tight man coverage we have not seen since back then.

17. Long pass and run by Crowder: Scandrick gave up on the coverage, likely thinking the play was over. This allowed Crowder to turn and put on the jets. Scandrick was left trailing. If not for Heaths special teams ability, of finding a man in traffic, thats a touchdown.

18. Touchdown to Grant: Scandrick misread the assignments. He didnt follow his man up field. It looked like.he played a flat zone, but he was supposed to.drop off in what seems at first look to be a cover 3. The defense was designed to.cover a goal line shot. Everyone else, in position. Scandrick? Played a cover 2 flat zone way out of assignment.

19. Daks final throw: That hand clearly hurts. It was released early and with poor grip, so it wobbled and went sailing. I know what a lack of grip on a throw looks like, and that was it.

My opinion? Dont be surprised for Cooper rush in the second half.Those last few throws were all arm with no thumb as guidance. The defense is playing well, but Scandrick cannot have another mental mistake like the two he had backto back, not with those youngsters out there.

 

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