DALLAS - 2 TE sets hurt JJones in 2005 (1 Viewer)

[wannabee]

Cowboys | Two-tight end sets hurt Jones' rushing numbers

Published Thu Aug 3 11:42:00 p.m. ET 2006

(KFFL) Jean-Jacques Taylor, of the Dallas Morning News, reports Dallas Cowboys RB Julius Jones had 91 carries for a 3.0 average per carry with two tight ends on the field over his first two NFL seasons. Jones averages 4.5 yards per carry on 260 carries with one tight end on the field. Jones runs better with a fullback, such as FB Lousaka Polite. Jones said, "It's a little clearer picture for me when I'm in a one-back set, but when the fullback is in there, you know he's definitely going to clear things up. It doesn't matter to me, but I like having big Lou (Polite) in there because I know he's going to pound someone and create a hole for me. I know he's going to get one of the linebackers, and on a lot of the power runs, I feel more comfortable with the fullback in there."

 

[wannabee]

I posted this blurb since many on this board theorized that the drafting of a TE meant more 2 TE sets and that it would be a good thing for Julius.

 

[Sinrman]

Imagine that... he runs better with a FB!

 

[Bankerguy]

I've said all along that the switch to this offense will benefit the passing game. Look for BP to play to his strengths.....they will chuck the ball this year. JMO.

 

[Bob_Magaw]

i read this, too... when i thought about it at the time, i couldn't really think of a reason why...

one important point to remember is that having TO in the lineup could help JJ apart from this factor, & he wasn't there in 2005... TO far more explosive & dangerous than keyshawn, & absolutely will command more respect & attention from defenses, who will be forced to account for him in way that wasn't the case past few seasons with johnson...

couple thoughts come to mind in how the numbers & tendencies might be result of small sample group & could easily play out differently in future seasons...

JJ didn't break a lot of long runs last season but he did break a few... if they happened during the non-two TE set plays, that would drive up his average per carry relative to two TE-set plays...

a lot of RBs, if you started taking out several of their longest runs of the season it would impact on the average per carry... this isn't quite the same, but if JJ happened to break off a few long runs in one formation as opposed to another, due to some easily identifiable reason that can be pinpoined about the formation, we might infer something from that, but if they were flukey occurrences (defenders tripping leading to long runs), it might not necessarily be indictment of how JJ runs out of particular formation...

another indictment might be if barber did better (i believe he did)... but even that might be thrown into question, if for the same reason in reverse, if barber had a disproportionate number of long runs from two TE-set, not because there is something intrinsically better about it but because he just happened to break a few more long runs out of it, it is unclear what we can infer from this.

another issue that would be very interesting is how often they ran out of that set & how often they ran out of a two back, one TE set...

i don't know this is the case, but if two TE set is a power formation that they run out of a high percentage of the time, that would show up as a tendency that would tip there hand to defenses... harder to run if defense thinks it is coming... anyway, second rounder fasano (TE2 instead of since departed dan campbell), who has elicited comparisons of mark bavaro, may not be as good a blocker as his predecessor yet, but he is a more accomplished receiver & would really "weaponize" the two TE set... as i understand it, the difficulties it presents to defenses is that it creates mismatches & allows you to run AND pass from a position of strength on virtually any play & forces defenses to declare coverages early by dictating to them...

it would seem to be most effective in keeping defenses off balance if they throw from the formation often & not just run all the time (that said, parcells will always like to run a lot, too, but a balanced attack should help the run & passing game both)... & to do that, you need the threat of that & players who can back up that threat... with fasano, they are imo in the best position to pull off parcells vision since he has been with the cowboys...

again, though, in the end, to the extent it is possible to pull out single dependent variables out of a field of multiple variables that seem at times inextricably linked, TO may have the biggest impact on JJ if he enjoys a breakout season in 2006...

 

[Chase Stuart]

I'd need to see a few more stats before I was convinced that the 2 TE set hurt Jones. We don't know the down and distance and score of the game when Jones saw those carries. I'd imagine a significant amount of them were in third and short, near the goal-line, and towards the ends of games. And you'd expect to see a low YPC average there.

 

[duaneok66]

I'd need to see a few more stats before I was convinced that the 2 TE set hurt Jones. We don't know the down and distance and score of the game when Jones saw those carries. I'd imagine a significant amount of them were in third and short, near the goal-line, and towards the ends of games. And you'd expect to see a low YPC average there.

excellent point that most people (including me) glossed over when reading the above stats . . . JJ just has to go play; and more importantly, he has to stay healthy . . .FYI - Dallas was 26th in the league in running out of a 2TE set; so Chase is probably right . . .

 

[Sinrman]

If anything, I'd think 2 TEs would help spread the field more, and help TO down the field...

 

[KnowledgeReignsSupreme]

I posted this blurb since many on this board theorized that the drafting of a TE meant more 2 TE sets and that it would be a good thing for Julius.

It depends on the type of runner IMO.

 

[Bankerguy]

Here is the original article:

Cowboys' new offense utilizes two TEs, but backs prefer one

By Jean-Jacques Taylor

The Dallas Morning News

OXNARD, Calif. - The Dallas Cowboys have spent the off-season implementing a new base offense that will use two tight ends, two receivers and a running back.

Statistically, it's the worst fit for running back Julius Jones.

In his first two NFL seasons, Jones had 91 carries for a 3.0 average per carry with two tight ends on the field. On 260 carries with one tight end, Jones averaged 4.5 yards per carry.

Here's the problem: Jones runs better with a fullback than without one.

"It's a little clearer picture for me when I'm in a one-back set, but when the fullback is in there, you know he's definitely going to clear things up," Jones said. "It doesn't matter to me, but I like having big Lou (Polite) in there because I know he's going to pound someone and create a hole for me.

"I know he's going to get one of the linebackers, and on a lot of the power runs, I feel more comfortable with the fullback in there."

Now, don't expect coach Bill Parcells to buy into the data or Jones' personal opinion because he's fond of saying that any good player can play in any offensive scheme. That's one reason Parcells wants Greg Ellis, a defensive end by trade, to play linebacker for the first time in his pro career.

Injuries have limited Jones to only 21 games in his first two NFL seasons, but he has two of the four highest rushing totals (in a game)

in franchise history and four games with more than 140 yards.

He relies on quickness, acceleration and vision to make defenders miss, and once he gets into the secondary, he has the ability to score from long distance. His style works best when the field is spread and he can pick a hole.

Much of Jones' success as a rookie came on draw plays or delays, when the defense was spread and he had the autonomy to run wherever his instincts took him.

When Parcells is overseeing the installation of this new offense, even though Dallas used it quite a bit last season, the Cowboys must make sure they don't congest the field with their two-tight end scheme.

Two tight ends bring balance to the offensive line, but it also tends to bring the linebackers and safeties closer to the line of scrimmage because it's usually viewed as a running scheme, thus congesting the field.

Parcells likes the scheme's versatility.

Dallas can create matchup problems because two-tight end sets discourage opposing defensive coordinators from replacing a linebacker with a defensive back in some situations because the Cowboys might overpower them with the running game.

Leave the linebacker on the field, and the Cowboys can shift tight end Jason Witten into the slot and create a three-receiver formation, which spreads the field. Or the Cowboys can shift Witten or rookie tight end Anthony Fasano into the backfield as a lead blocker.

The problem is that tight ends usually don't block as well as a fullbacks, who are used to blocking moving targets. Tight ends usually block players who line up directly in front of them.

The Cowboys' shortest tight end is 6-4; Polite, the only fullback on the roster, is 6-0, making it easier for him to get low and create good leverage for blocking. A tight end simply isn't going to consistently be a better lead blocker than a fullback.

Jones will see that again this season.

 

[wannabee]

I posted this blurb since many on this board theorized that the drafting of a TE meant more 2 TE sets and that it would be a good thing for Julius.

It depends on the type of runner IMO.

agreed. But, having a FB really helps some RBs, and not others.

 

[Deuce'sWild]

I'd need to see a few more stats before I was convinced that the 2 TE set hurt Jones. We don't know the down and distance and score of the game when Jones saw those carries. I'd imagine a significant amount of them were in third and short, near the goal-line, and towards the ends of games. And you'd expect to see a low YPC average there.

I thought about this too, but don't most teams use a FB in goaline and short yardage situations. I would think you'd use 2 TEs more in between the 20's, to spread the field more. So, I don't think your excuse is valid.

 

[Chase Stuart]

I'd need to see a few more stats before I was convinced that the 2 TE set hurt Jones. We don't know the down and distance and score of the game when Jones saw those carries. I'd imagine a significant amount of them were in third and short, near the goal-line, and towards the ends of games. And you'd expect to see a low YPC average there.

I thought about this too, but don't most teams use a FB in goaline and short yardage situations. I would think you'd use 2 TEs more in between the 20's, to spread the field more. So, I don't think your excuse is valid.

Most teams use a FB and two TEs. A FB, two TEs, the RB, the QB, five OL and a WR is a pretty normal short-yardage set. But that doesn't matter much here, since Dallas didn't have a real blocking FB last year anyway. I've got no idea how much Lousaka Polite actually played, but I'd imagine not much. Glenn and Johnson, Witten and Campbell and Jones and Barber were probably the five non-QB/OL guys on the field most of the time.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Apparently, "Big Lou" wasn't as helpful as JJ thought.

Last year Jones averaged 3.5 YPC when running in the I-formation, and 4.8 when he was the lone setback. Of course, what really drives his YPC is how many defensive players are on the line.