“Motion” has become a sore spot around the Cowboys, and for good reason. Fans keep seeing modern offenses lean on it, and they keep waiting for Dallas to do the same at a higher clip. That expectation only grew after Brian Schottenheimer said he would use it more when he got his current job.
Then came the loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and Schottenheimer’s explanation for the low motion rate drew even more attention. He said that once a team falls behind, the way he wants to call the game changes. It was the kind of answer that makes people stop and ask what exactly is going on in the thought process.
I had the chance earlier this week, through AWS and Next Gen Stats, to ask FOX’s Greg Olsen about that line of thinking. Olsen’s take was less about dismissing Schottenheimer and more about unpacking the football behind it.
“I don’t know if it’s necessarily like just that black and white like A and B. I do think there is an element to if you look at the teams that use motion at really high rates it’s a very specific style right.
It’s under center. They’re more condensed formations.
It’s in the play action game. It’s in the run game.
There’s pre-snap movement horizontally at the snap. You know, you, the offenses you think of are like the Shanahans and like that style right.
So when you get to shotgun spread just wide numbers to numbers, formations, shotgun, one back, right. Whether it’s 11 or 12 but let’s just say it’s 11.
There are a lot of teams from a protection standpoint and just from a coverage identification standpoint they don’t like changing strengths.”
“They don’t like bringing CeeDee Lamb from a three by one. He’s the number 2 receiver and all of a sudden we motion him to the left and now we’re in 2 by 2.
Well we just moved the nickel. We just changed where the safety was.
The offensive line now started this is a three by one now it’s a two by 2. What are our pass set rules?
So there is a conversation a lot of quarterbacks feel this way a lot of coordinators feel this way in more of those gun pass.”
“Now so if the assumption is “Hey we’re losing,” getting under center and running play pass all game doesn’t really help us ‘cause they’re gonna just play pass as we play catch-up. That certainly makes sense to me if that’s what.
Again I don’t know the quote from Schotty, I’m just going off what you said there is. So that would probably be my answer.
If you feel like you’re coming from behind and I just gotta operate 11 personnel, put Dak in the gun, CeeDee on one sid,e George on the other side, mix and and just go play pass offense. 7 on 7 to go win the game, maybe change of strength doesn’t really have the effect it does under center run play pass.”
“‘Cause what you’re trying to do under center run play pass is you’re trying to change gap responsibilities of the defenders in real time and oftentime the guy I’m bringing into the run fit I have guys running routes in his pass coverage responsibility. So you don’t really have that when you’re in 2minute mode spread gun play from behind.
So outside of motion just undressing man zone motion getting a free release where they can’t come up and jam me. Like there’s elements to that but it probably doesn’t have the greater effect it does in that other style of play which you wouldn’t probably do when you’re losing.”
That was more detailed than I expected, and it made the discussion a lot more interesting. Olsen laid out a pretty clear football case for why motion might matter more in certain structures than others, and why trailing in a game could change how much value a coordinator thinks he can squeeze out of it.
Olsen’s comments came as part of a conversation tied to AWS and Next Gen Stats, which now offers NFL League Trends through its work and technology. The Next Gen Trends tool, powered by AWS, is free for fans to use.
In Other News...
Cowboys Secondary Depth Is Suddenly Looking Like A Real Problem
The Cowboys defensive backfield has become one of the more unstable parts of the roster, and the ripple effects are showing up everywhere. Injuries have forced constant shuffling in the secondary, leaving Dallas to lean on less experienced players while first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker keeps trying to patch together a workable rotation.
Roster moves have only added to the sense that the room is being stretched thin. Dallas released cornerback Reddy Steward from the practice squad to make room for running back Kendre Miller after Tyler Goodsons injury, a reminder that the Cowboys are juggling needs on both sides of the ball while several key defensive backs have already missed multiple games. The result has been inconsistent coverage and a depth chart that looks a lot shakier than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Rookie Suddenly Faces Big Test With Defense Banged Up
A banged-up stretch on defense is opening the door for Jaishawn Barham, and the rookie linebacker is suddenly in line for a much bigger workload. Defensive coordinator Christian Parker said Barham will see increased playing time, a notable shift for a player who has been limited in recent weeks but has still managed to contribute 35 total tackles, four tackles for loss and one quarterback hit through nine games.
The timing matters with San Francisco next on the schedule, because Dallas needs bodies and production wherever it can find them. Barhams expanded role gives the Cowboys another young piece to lean on as the defense navigates injuries, and it also puts a spotlight on how quickly he can handle a heavier assignment when the snaps start coming his way. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Need Answers Fast On Joey Porter Jr's Latest Setback
Joey Porter Jr.s latest injury setback comes at a time when the Cowboys could use some stability on defense. Their pass coverage has been a problem, and Porter has already been part of the conversation around the team because of contract-related rumors that owner Jerry Jones has pushed back on. Instead of quieting things down, the ankle issue has only added another layer of uncertainty around a player the Cowboys would rather have available than discussing from the sideline.
Porter acknowledged the injury is serious and said he wants to get back on the field as soon as he can, but the timing is not ideal with San Francisco next on the schedule. He was held out of practice Wednesday, which leaves his status for the upcoming game in doubt and forces the Cowboys to keep looking for answers in a secondary that has already had enough problems. [Read more 🡒]