IT’S FACETIOUS TO describe any NFL franchise as a one-man team but the simple fact is that, with Tony Romo as their quarterback this season, the Dallas Cowboys are 3-0. Without him, America’s Team is 0-7.
Romo was far from perfect. He completed 18 of 28 passes, finding eight different receivers with those throws.
The previous week, in a 10-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Matt Cassel completed 19 of 29 passes to the same number of receivers.
The difference is that Romo found the endzone twice against the Dolphins, including this game-clinching 15-yard effort effort to Dez Bryant at the start of the fourth quarter.
For those who didn’t see it, here’s how it looked on TV:
After a holding penalty on the penultimate play of the third quarter was followed by a three-yard quarterback scramble. Romo and the Cowboys are facing second-and-goal from the 17-yard line.
The Cowboys have their ’11′ personnel on the field with tight end Jason Witten (white) and running back Darren McFadden both lined up to the left of Romo who is in the pistol position.
Dallas is in its ‘Trips Right’ formation. This involves having three receivers — Dez Bryant (red), Terrance Williams (green) and Devin Street (yellow) — lining up on the same side of the field.
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The Cowboys have Witten running a corner route, Bryant moving across the centre of the field on the same, Williams taking a go route and Street putting a double move on his defender by faking a comeback before doubling back and running a post towards the endzone.
For more info on these routes and the rest of the the offensive ‘passing tree’ see below:
The42
The42
Pre-snap read defence
The Dolphins are in their 4-2-5 nickel defence and are showing blitz (red) with linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (#52).
Miami are playing Cover 1 which involves a singles free safety — in this case Walt Aikens (white) — defending a deep zone in the middle of the field, five players blitzing the quarterback and four defensive backs in man-to-man coverage.
The remaining ‘free’ player can be used to rush the quarterback, play zone or ‘spy’ Romo for any potential quarterback runs. In this case, strong safety Reshad Jones (green) drops into shallow zone coverage.
At the snap
With Dez Bryant lined up to the inside — rather than his traditional role outside the numbers — the Dolphins have a decision take. They can use their spare man Jones to shift over the Bryant’s side of the field and provide help.
Or they can allow linebacker Neville Hewitt (#46) — an undrafted free agent following the 2015 NFL draft — stay man-on-man with one of the best receivers to play the game, knowing they have safety help from Aikens (#35) behind him.
Miami chose the latter and it would come back to haunt them.
What happens next
Just before the ball is snapped to him, after he has correctly identified the coverage and that there is a blitz coming, Romo has one last glance in the direction of the Bryant v Hewitt match-up.
While Bryant puts on a masterclass of route running and just pure speed — the Dallas wide receiver’s 40-yard dash time was 4.52 seconds, Hewitt’s is 4.65 — it’s the accuracy of Romo’s throw that is the key here.
By leading his defender towards the back of the endzone, the throw is put into a position where only Bryant can catch it and does so without having to such much as stuttering, never mind break stride.
It may still be too late for the Cowboys to mount a late playoff bid — they face the undefeated Panthers this week on a very short turnaround — but there’s no doubt they are a far better team with #9 under centre than anyone else.
Analysis: Romo gives Cowboys slim playoff hopes a significant boost
IT’S FACETIOUS TO describe any NFL franchise as a one-man team but the simple fact is that, with Tony Romo as their quarterback this season, the Dallas Cowboys are 3-0. Without him, America’s Team is 0-7.
Romo was far from perfect. He completed 18 of 28 passes, finding eight different receivers with those throws.
The previous week, in a 10-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Matt Cassel completed 19 of 29 passes to the same number of receivers.
The difference is that Romo found the endzone twice against the Dolphins, including this game-clinching 15-yard effort effort to Dez Bryant at the start of the fourth quarter.
For those who didn’t see it, here’s how it looked on TV:
Pre-snap read offence
After a holding penalty on the penultimate play of the third quarter was followed by a three-yard quarterback scramble. Romo and the Cowboys are facing second-and-goal from the 17-yard line.
The Cowboys have their ’11′ personnel on the field with tight end Jason Witten (white) and running back Darren McFadden both lined up to the left of Romo who is in the pistol position.
Dallas is in its ‘Trips Right’ formation. This involves having three receivers — Dez Bryant (red), Terrance Williams (green) and Devin Street (yellow) — lining up on the same side of the field.
The Cowboys have Witten running a corner route, Bryant moving across the centre of the field on the same, Williams taking a go route and Street putting a double move on his defender by faking a comeback before doubling back and running a post towards the endzone.
For more info on these routes and the rest of the the offensive ‘passing tree’ see below:
Pre-snap read defence
The Dolphins are in their 4-2-5 nickel defence and are showing blitz (red) with linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (#52).
Miami are playing Cover 1 which involves a singles free safety — in this case Walt Aikens (white) — defending a deep zone in the middle of the field, five players blitzing the quarterback and four defensive backs in man-to-man coverage.
The remaining ‘free’ player can be used to rush the quarterback, play zone or ‘spy’ Romo for any potential quarterback runs. In this case, strong safety Reshad Jones (green) drops into shallow zone coverage.
At the snap
With Dez Bryant lined up to the inside — rather than his traditional role outside the numbers — the Dolphins have a decision take. They can use their spare man Jones to shift over the Bryant’s side of the field and provide help.
Or they can allow linebacker Neville Hewitt (#46) — an undrafted free agent following the 2015 NFL draft — stay man-on-man with one of the best receivers to play the game, knowing they have safety help from Aikens (#35) behind him.
Miami chose the latter and it would come back to haunt them.
What happens next
Just before the ball is snapped to him, after he has correctly identified the coverage and that there is a blitz coming, Romo has one last glance in the direction of the Bryant v Hewitt match-up.
It’s subtle, but it’s there.
Then Romo holds Jones away from the middle of the field by staring down Witten.
Indeed, he only turns towards Bryant a second before he throws him the football, by which stage he’s already beaten his man comfortably.
Conclusion
While Bryant puts on a masterclass of route running and just pure speed — the Dallas wide receiver’s 40-yard dash time was 4.52 seconds, Hewitt’s is 4.65 — it’s the accuracy of Romo’s throw that is the key here.
By leading his defender towards the back of the endzone, the throw is put into a position where only Bryant can catch it and does so without having to such much as stuttering, never mind break stride.
It may still be too late for the Cowboys to mount a late playoff bid — they face the undefeated Panthers this week on a very short turnaround — but there’s no doubt they are a far better team with #9 under centre than anyone else.
Read more in our Coaches Film series here
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