Tag: 2019 NFL season

With Rashaad Coward ruled out, could we see Alex Bars vs. Vikings?

With Bears OL Rashaad Coward ruled out, rookie OL Alex Bars could get some significant playing time against the Vikings.

The Bears’ season finale could provide some opportunities to get a look at some of the younger players.

Now that the Bears have ruled out right guard Rashaad Coward for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, it could open the door for rookie offensive lineman Alex Bars to see some significant playing action.

Given that there’s nothing left for the Bears to play for other than pride, this season finale provides an opportunity for some younger guys to get some valuable reps headed into the offseason.

Bars is a player that the Bears have been particularly high on since signing him as an undrafted free agent this offseason, and they signed him to their practice squad.

When the Patriots came knocking — wanting to sign Bars to their active roster — Bars declined the offer to remain on the Bears’ practice squad, where Chicago had paid him more money to remain with the team.

He definitely looks to be part of the Bears’ plans for the future, especially with right guard Kyle Long’s future in doubt beyond 2019. And perhaps we’ll see him get some significant playing time against Minnesota.

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5 biggest plays of Cowboys much needed, 44-21 win over Rams

The Cowboys managed to pick up a much needed win against the Rams. Here are the biggest plays of the game with advanced stats via nflscrapR.

It was a much needed victory on Sunday as the Dallas Cowboys emerged with a 44-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to the start of the game, the Philadelphia Eagles briefly stood in first place in the NFC East after their narrow, 37-27 win against the Washington Redskins. This made the situation all the more dire for the Cowboys, who had been on a three-game losing skid.

Dallas rose to the occasion, retaking their lead in the division and returning to .500 with a record of 7-7. In a contest that was not particularly close, here are the biggest plays of the game using Expected Points Added (EPA) and Win Probability (WP) models from nflscrapR. EPA measures the value of a play based on down, distance to first downs and field position.

The Plays

No. 1 Dak Prescott pass deep middle to Amari Cooper for 19 yards

EPA: 3.1. DAL WP Shift: 50% to 59%

The Cowboys’ first big play of the game came on their second possession. Facing a third-and-10 situation, the Cowboys were able to convert thanks to a well placed pass from Prescott to Cooper for a 19-yard gain. On the play the Rams were in zone coverage, with cornerback Jalen Ramsey lined up on Cooper. Ramsey might have been expecting help on the play, as Cooper was able to find the void in the middle of the defense for a huge gain.

No. 2 Prescott pass short right to Jason Witten for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN

EPA: 3.7. DAL WP Shift: 58% to 71%

Following Cooper’s big catch the Cowboys’ second drive would end with a 19-yard touchdown from Prescott to Witten. The play featured Witten matched up against safety Marqui Christian. Witten was able to separate from the defender on a simple out route.

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His touchdown came on an impressive one-handed catch, putting the Cowboys up 7-0 near the end of the first quarter.

No. 3 Prescott pass deep left to Tavon Austin for 59 yards, TOUCHDOWN

EPA: 5.2. DAL WP Shift: 53% to 71%

The Rams picked up a touchdown on a short 2-yard pass from Jared Goff to Todd Gurley at the start of the second quarter. It wasn’t long before the Cowboys would regain the lead. On their ensuing drive it only took three plays for them to score on the most explosive play of the game, a 59-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Austin.

Austin ran a crossing route down the middle of the field, but two Rams defenders ran into each other, both being essentially knocked out of the play. It explains why this play is the most “open” deep completion of the season according to Next Gen Stats.

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No. 4 Johnny Hekker punts 67 yards to DAL 3-yard line

EPA: 2.0. DAL WP Shift: 78% to 69%

It is odd to see how one of the biggest plays of the game for the Rams is a punt, but that is exactly the case. Back at their own 30-yard line, Hekker unloaded a lengthy punt that was downed at the Cowboys’ 3-yard line. From where the Cowboys started their next drive the Expected Points from this part of the field was minus-0.8, meaning from this position, the opposing team was in better scoring position.

No. 5 Goff pass short middle intended for Robert Woods, INTERCEPTED by Sean Lee

EPA: -4.6. DAL WP Shift: 88% to 94%

After the huge punt from Hekker the Cowboys moved the ball down the length of the field. The drive spanned 14 plays, 97 yards gained and six first downs in total. It would end with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Ezekiel Elliott giving the Cowboys a 21-7 lead with the half drawing to a close.

When the Rams received the ball late in the second quarter their WP stood at a meager 13%. In order to have a chance, they needed to come away with some points on their next drive. However, any hope of a possible comeback would be short lived.

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On this play the Cowboys were in zone coverage, Lee was responsible for the middle zone. After the snap Goff appeared to be targeting Woods on a in-breaking route. Lee picked up on this and was able to jump the route for what would be a 25-yard interception return.

The Cowboys started their next drive with excellent field position at the Rams’ 9-yard line. After a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Elliott, the score was 28-7 to end the half. The Rams’ WP bottomed at 3% and the game was never competitive from this point on.

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Play-action chief among Rams key tendencies Cowboys must survive

The Rams have specialized in play-action passing under head coach Sean McVay. The Cowboys will need to adapt in their Week 15 matchup.

The Dallas Cowboys enter their Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on a three-game losing streak. The Rams however are on a streak of their own, winning two straight and coming off a 28-12 blowout victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14. The Cowboys currently lead the NFC East with a record of 6-7, while the Rams are fighting for a wildcard birth in the NFC West at 8-5. As it stands, both teams are riding a drastically different set of circumstances regarding playoff scenarios.

When looking at the Rams in 2019, it is easy to dismissIss their accomplishments at this point in the season. One year removed from a Super Bowl appearance, many analysts pegged them as a perennial championship contender. It is fair to say they have underachieved but nonetheless, they are still a formidable opponent and as the Cowboys will find out on Sunday, they certainly have a preference when it comes to play calling.

Play-action passing

The Rams are an interesting team to study. Simply put, their entire offense runs on the core principle of setting up an effective play-action passing attack. Head coach Sean McVay has built his team around this concept and after diving into some key stats and play tendencies this becomes even more apparent. First things first though, a look at the Rams’ favorite personnel package on offense.

In the modern NFL, most teams have favored 11-personnel, which features three wide receivers on the field. The Rams are no exception, opting to use the package on 418 of their plays in 2019. According to charting from Sports Info Solutions, this accounts for 83 percent of the Rams’ totals plays this season; one of the highest rates in the league. With this in mind, it is clear to see how the Rams present themselves to opponents. But while personnel usage isn’t a mystery, the real question is, how do they approach their play-action game? One of the answers could be in their play-calling tendencies.

From an under-center look the Rams have passed the ball 176 times. But out of 476 under-center playcalls, their preference has been to run the ball (300 plays). In 2019, the Rams have rushed from under center 63 percent of the time. In this aspect the Rams have rushed at one of the highest rates, but across the league, rushing from under center is heavily favored.

Overall, the Rams have been one of the best teams at utilizing play-action in the past. In McVay’s first year as coach the Rams ranked No. 2 in play-action usage (29 percent) and averaged 8.9 yards per pass attempt via Football Outsiders. Those numbers took a jump in the following season, with the team ranking No. 1 in usage (36 percent) and No. 2 in yards per attempt at 9.4.

In 2019, the Rams’ play-action output has fallen off a bit. Heading into Week 15, they have averaged 7.8 yards on play-action passes at a rate of 27 percent. Even so, play-action still remains a crucial aspect of their game.

To recap, here is a quick review of the Rams’ offensive tendencies,

  • Favor 11-personnel (83 percent of total plays)
  • Rush 63 percent of the time from under center
  • No. 2 in pass attempts from under center (176)
  • No. 9 in play-action pass rate (average 7.8 yards)

What stands out the most from this is the rush rate from under center. Conventional wisdom would suggest the Rams rush at a high rate to make play-action passing more effective. From an analytical point of view, the data suggests this is simply not true. Some studies show play-action passes work no matter how well a team runs the football.

This chart expresses a similar notion in regards to passing from under center and rushing volume. Teams that ran more from under center did not see a boost in passing efficiency. Efficiency here is defined as Expected Points Added per pass with data from nflscrapR. EPA measures the value of a play based on down, distance to first downs and field position. If this metric serves well, then the Rams are not seeing a return on their passing investments by choosing to rush at a higher rate.

The Rams try to show the same types of offensive looks to keep opposing defenses guessing. By dressing plays to look exactly the same from an execution standpoint, in essence, it could be enough to fool unsuspecting defenses. The Cowboys’ defense has proven to be unreliable as of late, but at the very least they should be prepared for what the Rams’ offense is capable of from under center.

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Bears-Packers Week is Leonard Floyd’s favorite time of the year

There’s just something about playing the Packers that brings out the best in Bears OLB Leonard Floyd.

There’s just something about playing the Packers that brings out the best in Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.

Floyd might as well be dubbed the “Packer killer” for the havoc he’s wrecked against the Bears’ rivals in the seven games he’s played against Green Bay.

In those seven games, Floyd had 7.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits. But in the 44 other games against everyone else, Floyd has managed just 11 sacks.

When the Bears opened the season against the Packers, Floyd had two sacks of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and it looked like he was poised for a breakout season. But since then — 12 games later — Floyd has just one sack.

ā€œItā€™s a division game against our rivals, so I donā€™t know, man. It just happens that I get home versus them than I do against other teams,ā€ Floyd said.

ā€œGetting those sacks against a great player like Aaron Rodgers, I guess I can be excited about that. But I take the same approach into every game. I get so close, so many times. It just so happens when itā€™s Green Bay, I always get home.ā€

If only the Bears could play the Packers every week. Not typically words you’d expect to hear. Maybe Floyd should visualize every opponent wearing green and yellow and every quarterback wearing No. 12, then maybe we’d see more consistent production from the fourth-year edge rusher.

Floyd would love to have more sacks, but he feels confident in the position he’s at in Chuck Pagano’s defense this season.

ā€œI had to learn a new defense. Had a lot more put on me ā€¦ [and] our defense still ranks in the top 10,ā€ Floyd said. ā€œI feel great in the position Iā€™m in. Iā€™m playing for a great organization. I got a lot more left in me, so Iā€™m just taking it one game at a time.ā€

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ESPN highlights where Josh Allen needs to improve

Bill Barnwell of ESPN, while acknowledging Allen’s improvements over last season, pointed out several aspects of Allen’s game that are still lagging behind.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has certainly made some improvements during his second season in the NFL. He has become more comfortable in the intermediate passing game, less likely to force the ball into dangerous situations, and reduced his number of turnovers. His passing yards per game has improved by 38 yards, and his adjusted yards per attempt has increased from 5.4 yards to 6.7 per pass.

These improvements have been a part of the Bills residing on the cusp of a playoff berth.

Nevertheless, there are aspects of his game that still need to be refined if the Buffalo Bills are to make a serious run into the playoffs this year. Their defense has shown itself to be among the league’s best, but the offense will need to increase their production and efficiency if Buffalo has a shot at winning their first playoff game in this millennium. This starts with Allen.

ESPN acknowledged Allen’s improvements over last season, pointing out several aspects of Allen’s game that are still lagging behind:

“When you give Allen time to throw in a clean pocket, he has improved his footwork and decision-making to the point where he can make an accurate pass and take advantage of his athleticism to create throwing windows.”

However, the Wyoming product has struggled to reproduce his success with the deep ball from the 2018 season. During this campaign, Allen is 31st in passer rating on passes traveling further than 20 yards in distance. ESPN highlights this figure is better than only two qualifying quarterbacks: Jared Goff and Kyle Allen. In addition, Josh Allen’s QBR is last among quarterbacks in the NFL.

In addition, Buffalo must find a way to help Allen become more comfortable against blitzes. Whether it’s pre-snap decisions, changes in blocking scheme, or better system of calling audibles at the line,Ā  Allen must be more efficient when opponents bring a variety of blitz packages against him. ESPN shares evidence on this front.

“QBR incorporates running and accounts for Allen making plays with his legs against blitzes, but when teams do send extra pressure, he ranks 28th in QBR at 38.4, ahead of only Daniel Jones, Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky. The Bills starter has the league’s worst completion percentage — 27.2% — when pressured.”

In addition, how Allen handles situations when he breaks out of the pocket and scrambles will need to be addressed. In a copycat league, the Ravens exposed one way to contain Allen. Baltimore usedĀ  “a second wave of defenders to chase him down as he scrambled.” The Bills signal-caller will need to be cognizant of this as teams work to limit his progress on the ground and throwing on the run.

If Allen can improve up these three aspects of his game, it will undoubtedly give the Bills a better chance at doing something they have not done in 24 years. This is a franchise that is longing for a playoff victory, as a postseason triumph has not happened since 1995.Ā  A postseason berth plus a playoff victory will have Allen as a replacement for Jim Kelly as the last quarterback to lead the Bills to a postseason win.

For Buffalo’s offense, it all starts will Allen.

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Which Bears players are having Pro Bowl seasons?

While the Bears haven’t lived up to expectations this season, there have been some players that have made their case for a Pro Bowl nod.

The Chicago Bears aren’t living up to their expectations this season, but there are several players that are playing some great football this season that should very much be in Pro Bowl consideration.

Here are 5 Bears that are having Pro Bowl years:

KR Cordarrelle Patterson

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

It’s an easy argument to make that Cordarrelle Patterson is the best kick returner in the league. Patterson is a threat every time he touches the ball, which he makes a point to do every chance he gets. And the numbers certainly back it up. After 13 games, Patterson has 755 kick return yards, which is the most in the NFL. His lone kick return touchdown against the Saints was 102 yards, the longest in the NFL this season. His 30.2 yards per return also ranks second in the NFL.

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Good, Bad, Ugly: How Brett Maher’s ineptitude submarined Cowboys yet again

A breakdown of the good, bad and mostly the ugly from the Dallas Cowboys’ crushing 31-24 loss at the hands of the Chicago Bears on Thursday.

The Dallas Cowboys’ crushing 31-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night was a signature game. The Cowboys have gone through various ups and downs during the 2019 season, but they are now riding a three-game losing streak at the hands of the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and now the Bears. Technically all is not lost as the Cowboys still hold first place in the woeful NFC East, despite their middling record of 6-7.

It has been an unfortunate turn of events for the Cowboys. The expectations of head coach Jason Garrett leading a star-studded roster into a Super Bowl run now seems like a pipe dream as the team again looked outmatched in every aspect. It was a bad scene and at times it looked liked many players were on the field reluctantly. Here is a breakdown of the good, the bad and mostly the ugly from Thursday’s primetime defeat.

The Good: The Opening Drive

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Cowboys looked like a dominant football team to start the game. Their opening drive was impressive as they gained 75 yards on 17 plays. It elapsed 8:57 of game time and the end result was a rushing touchdown from Ezekiel Elliott for an early 7-0 lead. It was the longest drive of the 2019 season and by the time the Bears got the ball on their first possession there was only 6:03 left in the first quarter.

The Cowboys effortlessly moved the ball at will, and if the opening drive was to be an indication, Cowboys Nation was sure in for a treat on Thursday night. As it would eventually turn out, that wasn’t the case. In truth, there is not many positives to gleam from the loss. Playoff hopes and scenarios aside, it seems like the product on the football field has not matched the hype.

The Bad: Brett Maher

Cowboys’ owner and de facto general manager Jerry Jones has already voiced his opinions about Garrett and the state of his football team. At this point, it is safe to say the entire coaching staff will be allowed to finish up the season uninterrupted with the team’s current playoff positioning. With that fans can likely, sadly expect Garrett’s continued dependency on kicker Brett Maher in crucial situations.

In fairness to him, he has made some long kicks in his two-year tenure. But a couple 60-plus-yard field goals do not make up for the plethora of misses that have plagued the team throughout the season.

For the second-straight week, Maher’s misses had a direct impact on Dallas’ late-game decisions, keeping them more than one-possession down late in the contest when they were finally able to put points on the board. The morale erosion when the offense makes headway only to come away not just empty handed, but gifting the opponent prime field position resonates throughout the sideline for a team barely hanging on to belief they can play a complete game.

To make matters worse in this contest, after Dallas was able to shrink the lead to 24-14 with a touchdown, Maher’s kickoff dribbled out of bounds, starting the Bears off at their 40-yard line.

The Bears went on to score in four more plays, their final points of the game and the final margin of victory; set up by the short field.

The conservative nature of Garrett and the inaccuracy of Maher has been the perfect disaster for a Cowboys team struggling to win in close games. But with three games left in the season the misses will continue to be a problem. Much like their current coaching situation, ownership seems adamant to stick with Maher for the remainder of the season in spite of the mediocrity. The Cowboys’ season in a nutshell.

The Ugly: The Cowboys’ Defense

AP Photo/Morry Gash

It was another poor outing for a porous Cowboys defense. They allowed the Bears, led by quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to score 31 points. In addition, the defense had trouble tackling all night, which led to some bonus yards after the catch opportunities for the Bears’ offense.

To put things into perspective, the Cowboys’ defense allowed Trubisky, who is an average QB at best, to pick them apart with surgical precision. To gauge Trubisky’s season from an analytical standpoint, ESPN’s Total QBR is a good measuring stick. According to their metric, Trubisky currently ranks No. 27 in the league with a a QBR of 43.0 for the season. A Pro-Bowl caliber player is rated with a QBR of 75. Against the Cowboys Trubisky produced a QBR of 80.6.

Another was to measure Trubisky and the rest of the Bears’ offensive efficiency is through the use of Expected Points Added (EPA). The nflscrapR package provides this data, with EPA measuring the value of a play given down, distance to first downs and field position.

This chart illustrates the Bears’ offensive efficiency, or lack thereof, over the course of the season. For the most part, the Bears have struggled to produce on the offensive end of the spectrum. Their EPA/play was usually well below zero, which means that the majority of their plays were unsuccessful.

Against the Cowboys in Week 14, they saw one of their biggest offensive breakouts of the season. The Cowboys’ defense surrendered 0.36 EPA per pass play, which is the Bears’ greatest mark of 2019.

Overall, this was a daunting loss for the Cowboys who were the road favorites against a Bears team led by Trubisky. There was hope the Cowboys would bounce back in Week 14 after their stunning defeat by the Bills on Thanksgiving. The team had a chance to prove they were a resilient bunch, able to withstand a string of losses. Now, after a three game losing streak and a record of 6-7, this team is treading the same old ground to end the 2019 season.

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Beasley’s Revenge: Former Cowboys WR stars in biggest impact plays of Week 13

A look at the Cowboys’ 26-15 loss at home against the Bills, through the lens of EPA and Win Probability metrics from nflscrapR.

The Dallas Cowboys 26-15 loss against the Buffalo Bills was not the worst Thanksgiving defeat in NFL history. That belongs to the Detroit Lions, who lost 47-10 against the Tennessee Titans in 2008. However, the Cowboys’ loss on Thursday seems surreal for a team that seemingly has all the tools be one of the best in the league. The Bills played a sound football game but they benefited from some careless turnovers from the Cowboys. On top of that, head coach Jason Garrett’s unwavering trust in kicker Brett Maher has continued to hurt the team.

It was a stunning loss for the Cowboys. After a score on their opening drive their offense was non-existent. On defense they had no answers for the dynamic duo of quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Cole Beasley. When looking at the biggest plays in the game, this couldn’t be more apparent.

Here is a look using Expected Points Added (EPA) and Win Probability (WP) models from nflscrapR. EPA measure the value of a play based on down, distance to first downs and field position.

No. 1 Dak Prescott pass short right to Jason Witten for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN

EPA: 2.1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  DAL WP Shift: 64% -> 71%

The game started out well for the Cowboys. On their opening possession they drove the ball downfield picking up 62 scrimmage yards and an additional 13 yards on penalties. The drive elapsed nine plays, but the team managed to pick up six first downs. The end result was a touchdown from quarterback Dak Prescott to Jason Witten on a well executed play-action pass.

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The score gave the Cowboys the early lead at 7-0, but it would be the last time they scored while the game remained competitive. Things only got worse from here.

No. 2 Josh Allen pass deep right to Cole Beasley for 29 yards

EPA: 4.2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  DAL WP Shift: 81% -> 69%

After a successful special teams play from the Cowboys, the Bills were pinned back in their own territory with abysmal field position. They began the drive at their own 2-yard line. In spite of the circumstances, the Bills made the most of the situation. Their biggest play of the drive came on an improbable pass from Allen to Beasley.

Allen was able to generate one of the biggest plays of the game thanks to some allusive movement in the pocket to avoid DeMarcus Lawrence off the edge. He delivered an accurate pass to Beasley and the play garnered 29 yards in total.

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The Bills were ultimately forced into punting the ball on the drive, but the play was a sign of things to come.

No. 3 Allen pass short right to Beasley for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN

EPA: 2.9Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  DAL WP Shift: 60% -> 53%

The Bills found the end zone on their third possession. They orchestrated their biggest drive of the game, gaining 85 yards and five first downs on nine plays. The drive was capped with a 25-yard touchdown from Allen to Beasley. It was a seamless play for the Bills as Beasley found the void in the Cowboys’ soft zone defense with relative ease.

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No. 4 Prescott pass short left intended for Tony Pollard, INTERCEPTED

EPA: -4.9Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  DAL WP Shift: 55% -> 40%

Beginning their fourth drive of the game, the Cowboys’ WP odds stood at 53%. The game was tied late in the second quarter and both teams managed to avoid some costly mistakes to this point. However, it was the Cowboys that would commit the first turnover of the game. The play was a designed screen pass with Pollard being the intended target.

The pass might have reached Pollard, but Prescott was backpedaling and got hit by linebacker Matt Milano at the time of his release.Ā  Following the interception, the Cowboys’ WP was 40%.

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No. 5 Prescott sacked for a 9-yard loss, FUMBLE

EPA: -5.2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  DAL WP Shift: 58% -> 43%

After turning the ball over the Cowboys’ defense was able to absorb the blow. They held the Bills to minus-3 yards on the ensuing drive. The Bills settled for a 50-yard field goal attempt from kicker Steven Hauschka, but it was no good.

The Cowboys could breathe easy knowing their costly turnover didn’t result in any points scored. Unfortunately, the relief was short lived. Their next drive only lasted three plays and ended with a forced fumble from rookie defensive tackle Ed Oliver.

Prescott appeared to be locked in with Michael Gallup running an in breaking route on the right, but the play was slow to develop.

No. 6 John Brown pass deep right to Devin Singletary for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN

EPA: 3.7Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  DAL WP Shift: 42% -> 26%

The forced turnover from Prescott was the biggest play of the game for the Bills. They were gifted with possession at the Cowboys’ 39-yard line. Later in the drive they flexed their creativity on a play that would give them a 14-7 lead. The Bills reached into their bag of tricks with a double reverse pass play with wide receiver John Brown throwing to a wide open Singletary along the sideline.

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After the score, the Cowboys’ WP dropped to 26%. From this point on, the Cowboys failed to get a hold on the game. The Bills never relented their lead and despite their defense giving up a touchdown late in the game, it was never really a close contest.

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Swing State: 3 plays epitomized Cowboys rough loss to Patriots

Analyzing the 3 biggest plays in the Cowboys’ 13-9 defeat to the Patriots using EPA and Win Probability metrics from nflscrapR.

It was yet another close defeat for the Dallas Cowboys, losing 13-9 to the New England Patriots on Sunday. The Cowboys are now 0-4 in games decided by four or fewer points in 2019. The difference between winning and losing came down to a few plays deciding the final outcome, the case in most close contests. The Cowboys needed to play their best brand of football in all three facets against the vaunted Patriots, and they fell short of the mark.

Here are the biggest plays of the game as measured by Expected Points Added (EPA) and Win Probability (WP) with data from nflscrapR. EPA measures the value of a play based on down, distance to first downs and field position.

No. 1 Chris Jones punt is blocked by Matthew Slater

EPA: -2.8. DAL WP Shift: 42% -> 37%

Neither team was able to gain much of an advantage through the first quarter. It was at the end of the Cowboys’ third drive when momentum would shift to the Patriots.

New England’s special teams unit proved to play a big part in the game and it started with All-Pro special teamer Matthew Slater. The blocked punt gave the Patriots perfect starting field position at the Cowboys’ 12-yard line.

The short drive was completed with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to rookie wide receiver N’Keal Harry to take an early 7-0 lead.

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No. 2 Dak Prescott pass short right intended for Amari Cooper INTERCEPTED

EPA: -4.6. DAL WP Shift: 26% -> 18%

It was still early in the game but after a touchdown by the Patriots the Cowboys might have felt pressed to score some points of their own. On this play Cooper ran a simple crossing route, but Stephon Gilmore is one of the best man-cover corners in the NFL.

It showed on this play as he basically ran Cooper’s route for him. Gilmore’s interception gifted the Patriots’ offense with ideal field position on their second consecutive drive.

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In spite of the turnover the Cowboys’ defense managed to hold the Patriots’ offense to a field goal try. After a successful kick the score was 10-0 early in the second quarter in favor of the Patriots. Miraculously, the Cowboys were very much in the game, but the early deficit was self-inflicted.

No. 3 Prescott pass deep left to Randall Cobb for 47 yards

EPA: 4.2. DAL WP Shift: 20% -> 36%

The Cowboys’ offenses has featured one of the most explosive passing attacks in the league. Cooper has been the team’s biggest contributing factor to this, but against Gilmore, his role was neutralized. It meant the team’s other receivers needed to have a big game in order for their offense to function as intended.

Those plays were few and far between.

The Cowboys’ biggest gain came on a 47-yard play from Prescott to Cobb in the fourth quarter. Cobb gained 42 yards after the catch but he would lose the ball on the play. He was able to recover the ball for some additional yardage, so altogether the play netted 59 yards.

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This was quite the swing for the Cowboys, but they would settle for a field goal on the drive. A successful attempt brought the score to 13-9; unfortunately for them it would become the final score of the game.

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6 players to watch over the Falcons’ final 6 games of the season

Atlanta’s playoff chances are razor thin at this point, but until the team is mathematically eliminated, things should be interesting at the very least.

The Falcons put themselves in a tough spot by winning just one game over the first half of the season. After two weeks of dominant, complementary football, it seems as if the team has moved past its 1-7 start and is simply focusing on what it can control.

Atlanta’s playoff chances are razor thin at this point, but until the team is mathematically eliminated, things should be interesting at the very least.

With six games remaining, here are six players to watch as the Falcons try to do the unthinkable and sneak into a wild card spot.

K Younghoe Koo

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta’s kicker Younghoe Koo had another good game in Week 11. He is 7-for-8 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra point attempts. Cutting veteran Matt Bryant was a controversial move with the season in complete disarray, but Koo has been solid in his first NFL game action in two years. The Falcons are likely to play in some tighter games over their final six weeks, meaning we should get a chance to see Koo in some high-pressure situations as he looks to lock down the kicker job long-term.

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