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http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/17496576/how-defenses-attack-cowboys-qb-dak-prescott-nfl
During the preseason, Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott put together some impressive tape -- and he had the numbers to support it too. In games versus the Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks, Prescott threw for 454 yards, five touchdowns and completed 78 percent of his passes. This guy was dealing.
But with defenses now preparing for the regular season and scripting true call sheets, what should the rookie expect as he takes over for the injured Tony Romo as the new QB1 in Dallas? Today, let's discuss how opposing defensive coordinators will attack Prescott as the Cowboys get ready to open the 2016 season this Sunday versus the New York Giants.
Load the box
Think about the security the run game gives to a young, inexperienced quarterback. That leads to the ability to control tempo and manageable passing situations.
To take that away, you have to walk a safety down. Play Cover 1 (man-free) or Cover 3 (three-deep, four-under zone) and use that extra defender as the primary force player on the edge. The Giants have the perfect player to do that in strong safety Landon Collins. He's at his best playing.
Given the talent on the Cowboys' offensive line, and the skill set of rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, I don't see anyone completely shutting down the Dallas run game. That's a nasty combo. But can you limit the production on the ground? Absolutely. Plus, by using those eight-man fronts on early down and distances, you are daring Prescott to beat you with his arm.
I'll take that -- along with the one-on-one matchups outside for wide receiver Dez Bryant. If Prescott can beat you with 50/50 throws to Bryant, then tip your cap. But don't give Elliott and that O-line a soft run front to expose all day. That allows the Cowboys to put their young quarterback in very favorable game situations.
Late safety rotations
Last season, I talked to an NFL defensive coach about game planning against rookies Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. The first thing he said? Rotate your safeties late. Doing that versus a veteran quarterback isn't going to win you a game. They get it. But for a rookie who has seen mostly static looks during the exhibition schedule, moving your safeties can create some confusion with coverage reads.
I'm talking about dropping down from two-deep or rolling Cover 3 strong to Cover 3 weak. The same in man coverage. Show press-outside, bail the cornerbacks and then drop a safety underneath as a rover or hole player. Small things that create some confusion and force Prescott to make a mistake.
Disguise pressure
During the preseason the Seahawks showed Prescott a double A-gap look in a zone-pressure scheme. At the snap, one of the linebackers dropped out and the nickel corner came off the edge. Get a free runner at the quarterback, and drop a defender into the underneath throwing lane.
The double A-gap look is one way to get after the rookie, but defenses will have a lot of other options here. Think of 2-Trap pressures (cornerbacks squat outside) and single-high man pressures. Plus, you can play man-free with the linebackers and safeties adding to the front. If your coverage blocks, then go get the QB.
The goal here? Remind Prescott that this isn't some throwaway preseason game. Mix your pressures and force him to move off the spot or throw hot. That creates opportunities for your defensive backs to drive on the ball. And when you have a cornerback like the Giants' Janoris Jenkins, you can bait the QB into throwing you one.
Take away high-percentage throws
Backside slants, inside Hi-Lo combinations, snag routes (corner-curl-flat): You can't give Prescott clear lanes to throw high-percentage routes. Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ran Cover 2 and dropped a defensive tackle into the underneath hole against Prescott. Why? To erase the crossing route. The same with the backside slant. Play three-deep and drop the weak-side safety down at the snap -- right into the throwing lane.
I would expect the Cowboys to move Bryant around (slot alignment) and run him across the field on drag routes (with a pick inside) in some sort of Hi-Lo combo. Create space off the rub.
But you can't give that up. Use an inside "rover" to knock Bryant off the route. Or have a safety jump the crosser/inside break. You have options here to take away those quick reads from Prescott. Make Prescott throw flat routes and force him to challenge you in the intermediate passing game.
Find Bryant on third downs
I'm thinking 3rd-and-7 (or more) situations with Bryant. Where is he? And what is your plan to eliminate Bryant as the No. 1 option for Prescott?
I really like playing 3-Cloud in this situation. That gives you three-deep over the top with the cornerback rolled up. Get a jam on Bryant with a player sitting in the deep outside-third to play the quick fade. The same thing with combination coverages where the defense can bracket Bryant when he aligns in the slot or roll to half field 2-Man if he aligns at the X receiver (split-end).
Yeah, that's a lot of attention paid to Bryant, and you will have to really communicate in the secondary. But with Prescott playing quarterback, I'm going to make someone other than Dez beat me. Maybe that's Jason Witten, Cole Beasley or Terrance Williams. Fine. But I'm not going to turn on the film after the game and watch Bryant make play after play on my defense in critical game situations.
When it's time to get off the field on third downs, Bryant has to be accounted for. Take away Prescott's No. 1 and make him go somewhere else with the ball.
Respect Prescott's athleticism
Preseason tape isn't really a true indicator on where a rookie stands in his development, but defenses still have to respect Prescott's talent and what he brings to the Dallas offense.
Prescott can move. He showed that against the Dolphins. If you fail to rush with contain and you sit in man coverage all day (defenders with their backs to the quarterback), he can eat you up when the pocket breaks down. The same with the zone-read and RPOs. They're coming, and Dak has the size to break through arm tackles.
From the pocket, Prescott has a nice arm to thread the ball into tight windows, and he's pretty solid with his eyes. It's there on the tape: The rookie moves through his progressions with speed.
Prescott had a monster preseason, and that has to be talked about during defensive game planning sessions. Yes, he's a rookie. He's inexperienced. He has never seen a regular-season game plan or regular-season speed. That's a major jump for any first-year guy. It's lightning fast compared to exhibition games.
But if you don't take away what Prescott brings to the offense, respect his ability or eliminate his top target, you are asking for trouble. And you can't allow a rookie to dictate the flow of the game.
During the preseason, Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott put together some impressive tape -- and he had the numbers to support it too. In games versus the Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks, Prescott threw for 454 yards, five touchdowns and completed 78 percent of his passes. This guy was dealing.
But with defenses now preparing for the regular season and scripting true call sheets, what should the rookie expect as he takes over for the injured Tony Romo as the new QB1 in Dallas? Today, let's discuss how opposing defensive coordinators will attack Prescott as the Cowboys get ready to open the 2016 season this Sunday versus the New York Giants.
Load the box
Think about the security the run game gives to a young, inexperienced quarterback. That leads to the ability to control tempo and manageable passing situations.
To take that away, you have to walk a safety down. Play Cover 1 (man-free) or Cover 3 (three-deep, four-under zone) and use that extra defender as the primary force player on the edge. The Giants have the perfect player to do that in strong safety Landon Collins. He's at his best playing.
Given the talent on the Cowboys' offensive line, and the skill set of rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, I don't see anyone completely shutting down the Dallas run game. That's a nasty combo. But can you limit the production on the ground? Absolutely. Plus, by using those eight-man fronts on early down and distances, you are daring Prescott to beat you with his arm.
I'll take that -- along with the one-on-one matchups outside for wide receiver Dez Bryant. If Prescott can beat you with 50/50 throws to Bryant, then tip your cap. But don't give Elliott and that O-line a soft run front to expose all day. That allows the Cowboys to put their young quarterback in very favorable game situations.
Late safety rotations
Last season, I talked to an NFL defensive coach about game planning against rookies Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. The first thing he said? Rotate your safeties late. Doing that versus a veteran quarterback isn't going to win you a game. They get it. But for a rookie who has seen mostly static looks during the exhibition schedule, moving your safeties can create some confusion with coverage reads.
I'm talking about dropping down from two-deep or rolling Cover 3 strong to Cover 3 weak. The same in man coverage. Show press-outside, bail the cornerbacks and then drop a safety underneath as a rover or hole player. Small things that create some confusion and force Prescott to make a mistake.
Disguise pressure
During the preseason the Seahawks showed Prescott a double A-gap look in a zone-pressure scheme. At the snap, one of the linebackers dropped out and the nickel corner came off the edge. Get a free runner at the quarterback, and drop a defender into the underneath throwing lane.
The double A-gap look is one way to get after the rookie, but defenses will have a lot of other options here. Think of 2-Trap pressures (cornerbacks squat outside) and single-high man pressures. Plus, you can play man-free with the linebackers and safeties adding to the front. If your coverage blocks, then go get the QB.
The goal here? Remind Prescott that this isn't some throwaway preseason game. Mix your pressures and force him to move off the spot or throw hot. That creates opportunities for your defensive backs to drive on the ball. And when you have a cornerback like the Giants' Janoris Jenkins, you can bait the QB into throwing you one.
Take away high-percentage throws
Backside slants, inside Hi-Lo combinations, snag routes (corner-curl-flat): You can't give Prescott clear lanes to throw high-percentage routes. Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ran Cover 2 and dropped a defensive tackle into the underneath hole against Prescott. Why? To erase the crossing route. The same with the backside slant. Play three-deep and drop the weak-side safety down at the snap -- right into the throwing lane.
I would expect the Cowboys to move Bryant around (slot alignment) and run him across the field on drag routes (with a pick inside) in some sort of Hi-Lo combo. Create space off the rub.
But you can't give that up. Use an inside "rover" to knock Bryant off the route. Or have a safety jump the crosser/inside break. You have options here to take away those quick reads from Prescott. Make Prescott throw flat routes and force him to challenge you in the intermediate passing game.
Find Bryant on third downs
I'm thinking 3rd-and-7 (or more) situations with Bryant. Where is he? And what is your plan to eliminate Bryant as the No. 1 option for Prescott?
I really like playing 3-Cloud in this situation. That gives you three-deep over the top with the cornerback rolled up. Get a jam on Bryant with a player sitting in the deep outside-third to play the quick fade. The same thing with combination coverages where the defense can bracket Bryant when he aligns in the slot or roll to half field 2-Man if he aligns at the X receiver (split-end).
Yeah, that's a lot of attention paid to Bryant, and you will have to really communicate in the secondary. But with Prescott playing quarterback, I'm going to make someone other than Dez beat me. Maybe that's Jason Witten, Cole Beasley or Terrance Williams. Fine. But I'm not going to turn on the film after the game and watch Bryant make play after play on my defense in critical game situations.
When it's time to get off the field on third downs, Bryant has to be accounted for. Take away Prescott's No. 1 and make him go somewhere else with the ball.
Respect Prescott's athleticism
Preseason tape isn't really a true indicator on where a rookie stands in his development, but defenses still have to respect Prescott's talent and what he brings to the Dallas offense.
Prescott can move. He showed that against the Dolphins. If you fail to rush with contain and you sit in man coverage all day (defenders with their backs to the quarterback), he can eat you up when the pocket breaks down. The same with the zone-read and RPOs. They're coming, and Dak has the size to break through arm tackles.
From the pocket, Prescott has a nice arm to thread the ball into tight windows, and he's pretty solid with his eyes. It's there on the tape: The rookie moves through his progressions with speed.
Prescott had a monster preseason, and that has to be talked about during defensive game planning sessions. Yes, he's a rookie. He's inexperienced. He has never seen a regular-season game plan or regular-season speed. That's a major jump for any first-year guy. It's lightning fast compared to exhibition games.
But if you don't take away what Prescott brings to the offense, respect his ability or eliminate his top target, you are asking for trouble. And you can't allow a rookie to dictate the flow of the game.
