The amount of data crunching has been very large. We have not completed and compiled all of the grades from all of the positions yet.
While we are awaiting all of the returns from our staff, we coded every single play for many characteristics. As an example, we tracked different types of pass plays, and slants jumped out at us for their success quantitatively- these small ball plays made a large contribution to Romo’s success. Dallas was 5 for 6 on slants, for 58 yards. In an age where the NFL is about passing, the slant can move the team down the field. It also tires and frustrates pass rushers because they cannot key off of 5 and 7 step drops.
Early preliminary work by the grader of the Defensive Ends uncovered some trends which we will tie into the numbers this week…
Boley Pic: Giants rush 4. Kiwi rushes from Rt DE spot. JPP and Tuck in the middle and Osi outside. JPP and Tuck get great push up the middle and Romo, because Kiwi kept his lane integrity, he had to step left to throw.
TD #1: Tuck does a stunt from left to right leaving NO ONE to Romo’s right. Not sure if one of the DTs was suppose to stunt also. JPP has great pass rush from RT DE spot and flushes Romo to his right with no one there to stop him.
TD #2: Osi from the LT DE spot (Tuck’s usual spot) has great pass rush but Romo eludes him (not Osi’s fault, the other guys are great athletes also) Romo steps to his right and throws TD pass
TD #3: Romo has great pocket to throw from. He gets stupid lucky on a ball that should have been picked. WR can adjust to the ball because he is looking back.
3rd Down throw to end game on 3 and 12: Quick release pass from nice pocket for Romo. Justin Tuck drops back and is in coverage down field. Romo throws right into the blitz on the LB for an easy 12 yard pickup.
Some early data on Romo scrambling out of the pocket: he left the pocket 7 times, going 4 for 6 for 72 yards and 2 TDS on those passes and had 1 scramble for 9 yards and a first first down in the red zone.
Conclusion: Keep Romo in the pocket and unless he makes a great play or gets lucky you have a great shot at winning the game. Only time he makes great throw is on the last 3rd down of the game. Unless he got lucky and that was his first read he threw right into the area vacated by the LB on his blitz. Why with the game on the line Tuck is not one of the 4 rushing the QB we do not know. Would seem it is more coaching for this loss than the players. On 2 of the 4 biggest plays of the game bad playing calling might have been the cause. We say might because on the first TD we don’t know if the Tuck stunt was called and if it was did, the DT not do his job.
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