Tag: 2023 week 5

3 key matchups in Cowboys vs 49ers in Week 5 showdown

In the epic Week 5 clash between the Cowboys and 49ers, it will likely come down to the winner of these three key matchups. | From @ReidDHanson

In Week 5, the Cowboys travel to Santa Clara to take on the 49ers for what is possibly the game of the 2023 season. The early season matchup carries more gravity than most non-divisional games. It was San Francisco who ended the Cowboys’ postseason in the past two consecutive campaigns.

Dallas knows the road to the NFC championship runs through San Francisco. They are atop most power ranking and have been a virtual boogieman to the Cowboys. Both teams know each other well and with many carryover players and coaches facing off again in Week 5, it will be more than a grudge match but also a chess match.

The blueprint for the 49ers defense is clear: They want to slow down opposing offenses to a crawl and make them grind out drives.

The blueprint for the Cowboys offense is also clear: They want to methodically move down the field and grind out drives.

It’s strength against strength and the winner of the game will likely come down to who best handles a few key matchups. We look at three of those key matchups today.

A deeper look shows Cowboys’ red zone issues might be overblown

The Cowboys are near the bottom of the league in red zone efficiency but many of their issues will likely correct themselves in coming weeks, says @ReidDHanson.

The Cowboys have a red zone problem. Filed under “well, duuuh” in the self-help section of the local library, it’s an issue that everyone seems to be aware of, but nobody knows how to fix. One thing everyone seems to agree on is given the schedule ahead, it’s an issue that needs to be corrected immediately or the Cowboys will never clear the hurdle they’ve been tripping over the past two years.

Their current red zone rate of 36.84% ranks them 30th in the league. It’s a far cry from the league-leading 71.43% they boasted under Kellen Moore in 2022 and an early indictment of Mike McCarthy’s play-calling early into his tenure.

Dallas made a concentrated effort to correct their red zone issues in Week 4 against the hapless Patriots, but instead of climbing out of the hole, they fell further in, going just 1-of-4 in the red zone.

No one will deny the red zone is an issue at this point, but there’s reasons to believe the issues are overblown when a deeper analysis is made.

Cowboys-49ers Final Injury Report: Band back together for first time since ’21?

What started out as the worst week on the injury report has morphed into the best. A look at the game designations for DAL-SF Week 5. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Could it finally be happening? The Dallas Cowboys started off Week 5 with their longest injury list of the season, and by a wide margin. 11 players in total were either hobbled or completely missing from the practice field on Wednesday. And while five of those 11 were on rest days, three of the five still had ailments attached to their name.

It seems to be the case each week, the injured list grows on either Thursday or Friday, as someone new develops an issue that needs to be monitored or that knocks them out completely. Last week it was Peyton Hendershot’s ankle on Friday. The week before Trevon Diggs’ ACL. This week, heading into the biggest game of the season, not only was no one added, but there’s a ton of good news on almost every player who was listed initially. The Cowboys have only ruled out one player ahead of the SNF matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

And that player is not one of the offensive linemen, meaning that for the first time since 2021, Dallas’ intended starting unit will play in a game together. Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin and Terence Steele will take their Power Rangers act on the road to try and slow down the 49ers’ vaunted pass rush. The 49ers are in a similar boat, with their list of eight names being whittled down to one player out and another questionable.

Here’s a look at all of the designations for Week 5.

Cowboys-49ers duel could come down to left tackle

Both the Cowboys and 49ers rely on their LTs to win one-on-one matchups so the team who does it better in Week 5 may have a big advantage, says @ReidDHanson.

“You can’t double-team everyone,” is a mantra the Cowboys’ defensive pass rush lives by and it’s a reality all NFL offensive lines have to accept. As everyone knows, an NFL offensive line fields five blockers. Five blockers to open lanes and protect the passer. Regardless of how many on-ball defenders line up, it’s the job of those five linemen to get things done.

Both Dallas and the San Francisco 49ers are well versed in causing this conundrum, and in Week 5 both will have to solve the puzzle of the other side’s prowess.

When running the ball, it’s a total team effort. Look no further than the Cowboys Week 5 opponent, San Francisco.

The entire 49ers offense seems to embrace their roles as run blockers. From the offensive line all the way through the skill players, it’s all hands on deck.

In pass protection, things inevitably change.

Offensive coordinators can add RBs, TEs and even WRs to the run-blocking equation, but passing offenses need passing targets so it’s imperative as many potential targets get down field into their routes as possible. They can help with blitz pick up or various other blocking tasks in small doses, but more often than not, the onus falls on the offensive line to take on the majority of pass protection responsibilities.

This means some offensive linemen have to play on an island. Those linemen have to handle business alone because other linemen require help. Defenses search for mismatches.

The Cowboys will move Micah Parsons from side to side and San Fransisco will move Nick Bosa from side to side. Both teams also tend to leave their LTs on an island.

The Cowboys with Tyron Smith and San Francisco with Trent Williams sport some of the most frequently left-alone tackles in the game. They are also two of the most successful LTs in the game, winning over 95 percent of those battles.

It’s hard to hear this and not think of the Cowboys injury report. After missing the past two weeks, Smith’s status for Sunday is up in the air. If he can play, he can be trusted to hold up his end at LT, much like Williams is for the 49ers.

If Smith can’t play, the job falls back on Chuma Edoga who doesn’t play with anything close to the same proficiency or responsibility as Smith. Pro Football Focus places Edoga far below Smith as a blocker.

Based on pure pass blocking grades of tackles who have seen 60 or more snaps, Smith ranks No. 1 in the NFL while Edoga lands 49 spots below him at No. 50. It’s safe to say the Cowboys’ offensive blocking scheme changes considerably based on who is starting at LT on Sunday.

Does this mean Terence Steele, Dallas’ right tackle, will have to take on the lone blocker responsibilities instead?

That’s also an issue given Steele’s troubles in pass protection this season. His struggles are understandable given the major knee injury he’s rebounding from, but Steele is currently grading out nine spots below Edoga in 2023.

He’s no more suited for island play than the man replacing Smith.

With Parsons and Bosa as certified game-wreckers, the outcome of Sunday’s Week 5 matchup between the Cowboys and 49ers may very well come down to what happens at LT.

The 49ers are weak on the right side of their offensive line. They need to roll extra protection in order to hold up against the Cowboys’ pass rush. That’s why they need Williams to hold up on an island.

If San Fransico can occupy Parsons while Dallas struggles to control Bosa, that may be all that’s needed to tip the balance of this game. That’s why Smith’s status is so important.

It’s not doom and gloom if Smith can’t play, it just makes things much harder on the entire offensive line if he’s stuck on the sideline.

Both team’s success is tied to their LT play. Particularly their LT’s ability to win one-on-one matchups.

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How Pollard, Cowboys 4 other RBs stack up thus far in 2023

An analysis of the Cowboys different RB options looking at how they’re doing, how they impact the offense and their best role going forward. | From @ReidDHanson

For the better part of the season, the Cowboys’ run offense has been a one-man show. Tony Pollard has carried the lion’s share of the load since taking pole position on the Dallas depth chart. He’s is on pace to set career highs in most categories and up until last week, he was leading the entire NFL in carries and overall touches.

As the season drags on, the Cowboys will feel compelled to divvy out the workload. Pollard’s pace is probably unsustainable, and Dallas will want their top weapon to be in peak form once the postseason arrives.

The question is to who and to what extent should the carries be split. The Cowboys don’t have a proven entity or obvious answer waiting in the wings. They have a sixth-round pick and a couple undrafted free agents populating the ranks behind Pollard. Each brings a unique skill set to the table so ranking a true hierarchy is hard to do with such specialization. But certain traits have been shown and the numbers indicate some players should be given more chances while others probably deserve a few less.

 

Here’s why the Cowboys are underdogs for the 1st time in 2023

A deep dive into the stats notebook explains how to really look at DAL-SF, including DVOA, EPA, Toxic Plays, 3rd down over expectation and more. Dallas needs to punch up. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys aren’t used to being in this position in 2023. Through four games, the team has been a decided favorite in each of them. Despite stumbling against Arizona, the Cowboys have lived up to their billing for the most part, dominating three lesser opponents like great teams are supposed to.

The problem in Week 5 is that the San Francisco 49ers are certainly not lesser. In fact, the notebook shows the myriad of ways the 49ers have used to achieve their undefeated 4-0 record, and separated themselves from other clubs, even Dallas. Here’s a look at the ledger in terms of DVOA, EPA, QB metrics and of course the big-play metric of toxicity. How much of an advantage does San Francisco have?

Cowboys-49ers Initial Injury Report: Micah Parsons, Deebo Samuel headline long list

19 players were listed on the Cowboys-49ers initial injury reports, including high profile names like Micah Parsons and Deebo Samuel. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys’ injury report is as packed as it’s been in quite some time following Wednesday’s initial practice for Week 5. The team returned to the practice field at The Star coming off their dominating 38-3 win over the New England Patriots and more than ready to turn their attention over to the San Francisco 49ers who they’ll face on Sunday Night Football.

There were 11 players listed on the report, including eight who missed practice entirely for a variety of reasons. And while several of those eight were out for a veteran’s rest day, three of those five also had an injury noted which means they are nicked up, too. Meanwhile on the San Francisco 49ers sideline, things are a little cleaner, but not by much.

Six 49ers missed practice on Wednesday and two more had limited participation as they look to stretch their unbeaten streak to five to begin the 2023 season. Here’s a look at all the players who were given a designation.

Cowboys defense standing tall, but the gauntlet ahead is toughest in NFL

The Cowboys’ defense hasn’t been challenged much this year, but they now face the toughest offensive opponent schedule in the NFL. From @ReidDHanson

Through four weeks, the Cowboys defense has answered the bell. Dan Quinn’s unit is currently ranked second in EPA per play and fourth in success rate in 2023. Their pass coverage is tops in expected points and the defensive unit overall is second in total takeaways.

Few will argue they are one of the best, if not the best, in the entire NFL this season. Aside from a few lapses in run defense, they’re a complete unit, with depth and star power throughout. All of this will be put to the test in coming weeks.

Based on future strength of schedule, things are about to get much more difficult for the Cowboys defense. For as worthy as their opponents have been in the first four weeks, they’re about to face a murderer’s row of offenses.

Starting off in Week 5 against San Francisco, the Cowboys defense will be facing off against the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL.

The 49ers are the second-ranked offense in the NFL, with the Chargers coming in just two spots behind in fourth. Following those two matchups, Dallas takes on the eighth ranked Rams and the 10th ranked Eagles, giving them a four-game stretch against top-10 offenses (all EPA numbers per rbsdm.com).

After battling the seventh-ranked Seahawks in their post-Thanksgiving affair, the Cowboys defense faces the Eagles once again, followed by the No. 3 ranked Bills and No. 1 ranked Dolphins. That’s yet another four-game stretch against top-10 offenses.

Given the dominance of the Dallas defense this season it’s understandable if they feel confident taking on the best. But lest we forget, the Cowboys have only played one top-10 offense this season and that team had little issue beating the Dallas defense (Arizona is ranked No. 9).

The Cowboys’ three wins this season have all come against bottom-five offenses. It’s safe to say they haven’t been remotely tested this year.

That’s all about to change.

15 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through Week 5 per Pro Football Focus

Five games into the season, who are the highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners according to Pro Football Focus?

Football is a team game, but it’s made up of individual performances that enhance the whole. This season, the Sooners are playing well on both sides of the ball and have a top-five scoring offense and defense.

But what’s happening in 2023 is a change of pace from years past.

Of the Sooners’ top 15 highest-graded players, according to Pro Football Focus, nine of them are on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma has an elite offense but looks like they have an elite defense to match for what feels like the first time in forever.

Minimum Offensive Snaps: 99

Minimum Defensive Snaps: 89

Measuring Sticks: Jerry Jones wants to gauge Cowboys by 49ers standards

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones clearly sees this contest as a statement game for Mike McCarthy’s troops. | From @ChiefArmyW3

Two of the best teams in the NFL square off on Sunday night when the Cowboys travel to San Francisco in a battle for NFC supremacy.The 49ers have ended the Cowboy’s postseason dreams for two straight years and a win on Sunday night “would be inspiring,” according to Dallas’ owner Jerry Jones.

San Fransisco is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL with the other being the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas not only needs to win for playoff seeding but also to keep pace with their undefeated division foe. On his weekly radio segment with 105.3 The Fan, Jones had some interesting comments regarding this weekend’s highly anticipated matchup.

“They are, probably, the most likely team to go win the Super Bowl, but in order for them to get there, they have to go by us, hopefully two times if that’s the way it falls in the playoffs and we’re in the playoffs, of course.”

If they are to win on Sunday night, Dallas will need to find some sort of offensive rhythm which has escaped them in their prior playoff meetings. In the two postseason losses to the 49ers, Dallas has only been able to put up 29 points against their vaunted defense, total. So it’s no wonder Jones is looking forward to how this version of Dallas fares against the 2023 49ers. “You need the game to show you how you stack up against the best.”

Jones didn’t reserve all of his praise for the opponents, calling his own defense “hard to handle,” especially when the team can build a lead. That group will be tested as San Francisco’s offense has looked unstoppable at several times across the start to the season..

Jones’s measuring stick comments have come with mixed results. Back in 2019, a 6-4 Cowboys team played against a 9-1 Patriots and lost 13-9. The club went on to finish 8-8 and head coach Jason Garrett was fired at the conclusion of the season.

Last season, Jones made similar comments with different results. Dallas beat the eventual NFC representative in Philadelphia 40-34 in December, albeit with a backup quarterback.

While measuring the success of a team is not encapsulated by winning one game, walking out of Levi Stadium with a victory on Sunday night will go a long way toward the Cowboys mental state against a 49ers team that has had their number lately.