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Cowboys By The Numbers – Week 4

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Morris Claiborne

Every once in awhile it’s good to take a look at the numbers, the all important stats. The figures some patiently madly wait for after the game so we can disseminate what we just saw into digestible chunks of meaningful mathematics. It’s stats-junkie time. Let’s dive in.

Time of possession – Cowboys 36:27 49ers 23:33 – more than a 10 minute advantage.

RB Alfred Morris had 7 attempts for 34 yards in last weeks victory versus the 49ers. That’s a nifty 4.9 YPC average but the real story is when he produced those yards. At the beginning of the game when the running lanes were very tight Morris came in on the third series and spear headed a much needed Cowboys ground based attack with tough, inside running against a stacked box that produced a first down and helped set a tone. Morris is proving an excellent backfield partner for Ezekiel Elliott.

Speaking of excellent pairings, QB Dak Prescott put up a vintage Tony Romo 2014 stat line. 32 attempts, 23 completions, 245 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 114.7 QB rating. This is the precise type of performance they need from a QB that is to be paired with Tony Romo if they don’t want the offense to skip a beat when Romo goes down. They don’t and it isn’t while the rest of the league is taking note.

23 receptions by 7 different receivers. Brice Butler (filling in for Dez) got 9 targets to Terrence Williams 6 targets. As the team found out last year Williams doesn’t excel as the primary. Butler seems better suited to the role and much like the switch of Claiborne to CB1 and Carr to CB2 Williams is better suited as a WR2 and it showed on Sunday.

What a difference a play makes. Take away the one HUGE run Carlos Hyde had for 32 yards versus the Dallas defense and you are left with a quite pedestrian 14 attempts for 42 yards, 3 YPC average and 1 touchdown performance. Hyde is a top back with excellent vision and wheels that were quite evident in his 32 yard burst. The Cowboys defense largely kept him bottled up in a tight game often hitting him in the backfield before he could get going. The inside play of the defensive line was huge. Terrell McClain had another disruptive game (3 tackles) and is a great fit for the Marinelli scheme.

Defensive Stars

Sean Lee had 10 total tackles (9 solo 1 assist, 1 for loss). He and Barry Church (8 solo tackles, 2 for loss) were everywhere. Morris Claiborne however (6 tackles, 1 assist, 1 for loss, 1 pass defensed, 1 interception) was in almost every defensive stat category you can tabulate except fumbles and safety. Sean Lee is playing Sean Lee ball. If he’s on the field it’s expected. Barry Church is having the most fun he’s ever had finally being surrounded with talented players who know their jobs making his much easier and it shows.

Morris Claiborne is a player reborn. Rag him all you want with the bust label, it will fall on deaf ears. The man is in a zone. He’s not only playing the best ball of his career, he’s playing at an elite, All-Pro level. Mo is not alone. Brandon Carr is fully enjoying his new/old gig as the CB2 to which he is much better suited.

We’re not done! Rookie CB Anthony Brown (2 tackles, 2 PD) is proving all that he was hoped to be. The young defender is demonstrating the effect of hours of film study on game day as he’s continually in position to make plays. And make them he does with a swagger and jubilation that bodes well for a CB that has to challenge WR’s in the NFL.

J.J. Wilcox had 1 tackle and 1 pass defensed. Why is he getting mentioned? His PD was CRITICAL and he was in perfect position as he made the play. He combined that with 0 bad angles and 0 bad reads. That’s assignment sound football that’s been a long time coming. Part time duty seems a perfect fit for Wilcox at this stage in his career.

Byron Jones, Barry Church, Morris Claiborne, Brandon Carr, Orlando Scandrick, Anthony Brown, J.J. Wilcox – this is the best set of DB’s the team has had in 20 years. They are getting better by the game. The ability to let Scandrick fully rest/heal his dual hamstring injury and still get the job done has been huge. Jerry will have his hands full signing Mo to a long term deal this offseason.

Spotlight Moment – Mo Claiborne CB

2:53 on clock in 4th quarter. First and 10 with Gabbert in the shotgun. Inside fake to Carlos Hyde draws almost the entire Cowboys defense to center of the field as Gabbert does a nice job with the fake and trails off to the right side of the field looking back at Hyde. The WR on that side of the field goes down field hoping to draw Claiborne with him as he draws a bead on Church. Mo makes the read, passes the WR off to Church who is also closing, draws a bead on Gabbert and makes a solid tackle for a one yard loss. Gabbert tries in vain to run away from Mo but the DB wasn’t having any of it bringing down the bigger player with authority

1:56 on clock in 4th quarter. Fourth down, six yards to go. Gabbert again in the shotgun with a 3 WR, bunch right formation being pressed by Brown with Claiborne and Carr behind him. Hyde is in the backfield and TE Celek is split wide left with Byron Jones pressing him. When the ball is snapped Jack Crawford manages to somehow get past All-Pro LT Joe Staley while simultaneously Tyrone Crawford completes the “Crawford Pinch” splitting the RT and RG which collapses the inside of the pocket forcing Gabbert to his right to avoid being sacked and effectively cutting the available field in half. WR Torrey Smith has run an out pattern at the sticks with Morris Claiborne in tight coverage. Seeing his QB in trouble he does what he’s trained to do and runs towards him which brings his route short of the sticks. Claiborne, while in tight coverage is aware and safely tackles/pushes Smith out of bounds and the game is effectively over.

Next week the Bengals come to big D and the numbers will continue to accumulate.

What say you Sports Nation?

Another Left Coast Sports Post: on Twitter – Steven Van Over


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