Gameplan Series: How to Stop the Dallas Offense

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In Week 8, the Eagles are scheduled for an epic Sunday night matchup against division rival and NFC-East leading Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys offense is entirely predicated upon run-game success. If their run game is ineffective, their offense disappears. In 2016, this has not been an issue, as Ezekiel Elliott has rumbled to an NFL-leading 703 rushing yards.

The Eagles will have to make the Cowboys one-dimensional by stopping the four base runs the Cowboys have used consistently this season.

The Dallas Rush Attack

Base runs:

1. Outside Zone 
2. Dive
3. Inside zone
4. Split zone 

These are all run schemes that have been around since the beginning of football. The Cowboys' supreme offensive line talent is directed by center Travis Frederick and anchored by all-pros Tyron Smith and Zack Martin. It is said that great cooking is by simply letting the flavor of superior ingredients shine -- no bells and whistles.  Well, this anecdote extends to the Cowboys line -- letting supreme talent execute a simple scheme better than anyone else.  After the staple outside-zone, the following are few wrinkles Dallas might hit the Eagles with.  

Outside-Zone

The staple of the Cowboys run game -- the key to stopping the Cowboys outside zone is recognizing that it morphs into an inside run most of the time. The cutback is key -- gap integrity from lineman and linebackers will be key to stop cutbacks.  Obviously, run blocking leverage is a strong-suit for Cowboys O-line. Backside pursuit will be key to neutralize the line's aggression in run blocking.

Counter



The backside D-end and 'Will' linebacker must not over pursue -- not only to prevent cutbacks in the play above but to above getting burned on the counter. This will be run a few times in the matchup --- you will start to see how many of the same schemes that the Redskins used to burn the Eagles exist in the Dallas scheme.  Was that game foreshadowing an even more devastating rush attack?

(Fake Jet Sweep) Toss-Crack



Lucky Whitehead runs motion threatening the Jet Sweep, which I suspect the Cowboys will run to keep the Eagles honest. In this place that freezes the linebackers in time for mobile LG La'el Collins to pull out on the toss. The safety on the play-side and the corner will have to make this tackle on the edge -- this run scares me a lot.


The Dallas Pass Attack
The Cowboys passing attack is predicated upon quick throws, getting the football out of Prescott's hands.  While the offensive line is top-notch and Prescott is an effective scrambler, the Eagles pass rush will still be important to unsettle the rookie signal-caller.  Here a few ways I think the Cowboys will attack the Eagles.

Gun X-Slant



Dez Bryant is back. This play starts with Ezekiel to Prescott's left in the backfield, he motions out wide, a linebacker follows and he knows he has man coverage. If not, this play is designed to beat the zone with the Witten option route. Usually, man coverage is the defenses' choice against '5-wide' formations, so they will probably try to get Dez Bryant in a favorable matchup in the slot. This is a Dez staple and I am sure will be featured in his return.

Gun Play-action Dig



As been the case when I watch the Cowboys, play-action has been a staple of early downs when the Cowboys are not doing one of their aforementioned staple runs. This particularly effective play-action sequence comes from a Gun Spread look. They fake an option with Elliott to the right and try to throw behind the linebackers on the square-in usually for first down yardage.

Gun 5-wide Tight Slot Stack



When you watch the Cowboys convert on 3rd downs, usually 5-8 "Junebug" receiver Cole Beasley is the culprit. This is a bread-and-butter play for the Cowboys, with Beasley lined up stacked behind Witten, forcing an inside-outside coverage scheme, which then determines Beasley's option route, depending on how the two defenders split the coverage. Prescott has developed a good chemistry with Beasley on this type of play -- crucial to sustaining drives.


Defending all this is clearly easily said than done -- the Cowboys offensive line is the catalyst to their offense.  Their potent run game opens up pandora's box in the run-action department, getting Prescott on the edge, and also hitting play-action for plays down the field.  Predictions and feedback are more than welcome.  Looking forward to to the game -- as always, go Eagles!