Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins: Breaking Down Washington's Game Plan
If it only means finishing 5-11, is doing the double over your hated enemy in the same season really something to be proud of? Washington Redskins fans likely won't care if beating the Dallas Cowboys again is part of the bargain.
Back in Week 8, the Redskins stunned the turnaround team of this NFL season. Washington won 20-17 in overtime in Dallas, though the game wasn't quite as close as that scoreline suggested.
Coaxing lightning to strike twice will require a commitment to a running game packaged with power concepts. But as well as Washington might run the ball, the Redskins must stop the groundhog Cowboys from doing the same.
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Here are some of the things Washington's coaching staff should introduce and emphasize for the season finale:
Heavy Sets in the Running Game
With the right use of personnel, the Redskins can wear down an aggressive, but lightweight Dallas defensive front. That should mean supplementing the offensive line with tight ends and using fullback Darrel Young.
Those are some of the things the Redskins did during last week's 29 rushing attempts against the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Jay Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay also introduced classic power concepts such as using pulling linemen.
This seven-yard Alfred Morris run on the game-winning drive was a great example of all of these things at work. Gruden and McVay overloaded one side of the O-line with two tight ends, Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen. Fullback Young also positioned himself in the backfield as Morris' lead blocker:
The eight-man run front gave Washington the numbers advantage in the trenches. But once the trenches were controlled, Morris would have two lead blockers: Young and right guard Chris Chester, who pulled around the corner:
First, it was Paulsen and Paul who made that advantage count. They secured defensive end Brandon Graham and the outside linebacker on that side of the formation:
The tight ends gave Washington five blockers against the Philly front four. Then Young and Chester secured their blocks at the linebacker level.
Young absorbed Mychal Kendricks, while Chester engulfed inside 'backer Emmanuel Acho:
Morris squeezed through the blocks and powered his way for a solid gain, one that helped set up Kai Forbath's decisive field goal.
The Redskins used power-based packages like this one throughout the game to help flatten the Eagles up front. The same ploy can work wonders against the Cowboys.
The Dallas defense is better than its reputation, but there's no denying the unit is light in the trenches, as this table shows:
| Player | Position | Height | Weight |
| Demarcus Lawrence | DE | 6'3" | 260 pounds |
| Jeremy Mincey | DE | 6'4" | 280 pounds |
| George Selvie | DE | 6'4" | 270 pounds |
| Anthony Spencer | DE | 6'3" | 265 pounds |
| Tyrone Crawford | DT | 6'4" | 285 pounds |
| Nick Hayden | DT | 6'4" | 303 pounds |
| Terrell McClain | DT | 6'2" | 300 pounds |
| Henry Melton | DT | 6'3" | 290 pounds |
Of course, the Washington O-line isn't exactly overloaded with super heavyweights. But stacking the front and including Young more often can give the Redskins ground attack a major advantage in terms of both strength and numbers.
Isolate Linebackers in Coverage
Getting Morris going will wear down the Dallas D. It should create plenty of opportunities for big plays off play action.
But there will also be ample big plays available if the Cowboys linebackers are isolated in coverage. Fortunately, the Redskins have the players to regularly craft and exploit this mismatch.
Specifically, "move" tight ends Jordan Reed and Niles Paul should be a matchup nightmare for the Dallas linebackers. While Reed needs to improve his production, Paul has been one of this season's pleasant surprises, catching 37 passes for 488 yards.
As a one-time wide receiver, Paul has the quickness and agility to easily outrun linebackers in coverage. He provided a great example of those skills in Week 15's 24-13 loss to the New York Giants.
The play started with Paul flexing into the backfield as a de facto fullback. He would be isolated against middle linebacker Jameel McClain:
Once Paul released through the line, he used a sudden and subtle move to turn McClain around and leave him trailing:
That positioned Paul to make a simple catch in space over the middle and on the run. Meanwhile, McClain struggled to get even remotely close to the tight end:
Because he had so much room, Paul also had plenty of time to turn upfield and convert a short pass into a long gain. McClain was barely in the picture as Paul gained 17 yards:
Washington's tight ends and running backs can exploit the Cowboys linebackers in the same way. Players such as Rolando McClain and Anthony Hitchens are quick, but both can be guilty of overplaying angles in run support and pass coverage.
That's something clever play-calling, featuring play-action passing and middle screens, can exploit for a host of big plays.
However, the real key to a second win of the season over the 11-4 Cowboys may be producing more big plays on defense.
Target the Edges of Pass Protection
Big plays weren't in short supply for the Washington defense back in Week 8. Most of the highlight reel-worthy moments came courtesy of a game plan based on heavy blitzing and man coverage.
Coordinator Jim Haslett must show the same commitment to bringing pressure. In fact, he should tailor his blitz schemes to target the edges of the Cowboys pass protection.
The Dallas O-line is simply too strong inside to consistently target the middle. Center Travis Frederick and guards Ronald Leary and rookie Zack Martin are the key to everything the Cowboys do well offensively.
But tackles Tyron Smith and Doug Free can be susceptible to edge pressure. That could mean sending extra blitzers or simply rushing five from Washington's base 3-4 front.
The Redskins did the latter in Week 15 against the Giants to earn a sack. Outside linebackers Trent Murphy and Ryan Kerrigan both blitzed:
Not only did they challenge both tackles, but the real targets were fullback Henry Hynoski (46) and running back Andre Williams (44). An outside rush linebacker against a running back is the dream matchup every 3-4 team craves.
Washington got its wish on this occasion. That was because Murphy proved too much for left tackle Will Beatty, easily beating him around the corner, forcing Williams to help in protection:
On the other side, right tackle Justin Pugh was occupied by five-technique end Jarvis Jenkins. That left Hynoski to come across to try to block Kerrigan, Washington's best pass-rusher.
Kerrigan took full advantage of his favorable matchup and beat Hynoski with pure closing speed:
Kerrigan soon chased down Big Blue quarterback Eli Manning, dropping him for a 12-yard loss:
Haslett must send plenty of outside pass-rushers at Cowboys passer Tony Romo, both from base and sub-package looks. It's a ploy that will keep plenty of pressure on the pocket and draw talented backfield receivers into pass protection.
Of course, Haslett's defense will only get into situations to send pressure if it first controls the dominant Dallas ground attack.
Overload for the Run
Corralling the league's second-ranked rushing attack will be no easy task. It will be tougher still if DeMarco Murray is on the field.
The star runner is barely two weeks removed from hand surgery but still took snaps against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16. Now ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer indicates Murray has taken first-team reps in practice this week.
That's an ominous sign for the Redskins, especially since Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett plans to play starters, per another report from Archer:
"There are some teams who are more mature, maybe they have been there before, they know how to handle that situation, rest and healing up might be more important to them. But our football team – we need to play. We need to go play and play well. It starts with practice. It starts with our preparation, and then when the game starts go play as well as you can play.
"
If Murray is on the field, Washington will have to contend with the NFL's leading rusher:
Haslett's unit won't stop Murray without committing extra bodies to the task. The Redskins should take a cue from what the Kansas City Chiefs did against dangerous Pittsburgh Steelers runner Le'Veon Bell last week.
Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star detailed exactly how the Chiefs overloaded the box against Bell:
Putting a lineman in for a defensive back worked wonders against Bell. It let the Chiefs match the Steelers' power in the trenches and fill all of Bell's cutback lanes.
Here's how it worked on the very first play of the game. The Chiefs showed the Steelers a four-man line featuring Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard at ends, with Dontari Poe and Kevin Vickerson inside at tackle:
Behind this sumo-style front, the Chiefs deployed their usual quartet of linebackers. Tamba Hali and Justin Houston bookended the front on the edges, while Joe Mays and Josh Mauga were stacked inside.
At the snap, Kansas City's 6-2 front matched up with Pittsburgh's run-heavy alignment, which included two tight ends, along with fullback Will Johnson. The Chiefs soon filled every available gap:
With every gap covered, Bell struggled to pick his opening and attack a hole:
Bell's hesitancy gave Mauga and Howard time to break through and tackle him for a short gain:
Kansas City's 4-4 approach limited Bell, the second-most prolific runner in the league behind Murray, to just 63 yards on 20 carries, at a pitiful 3.2 yards per rush. The Redskins need to make the same commitment to stopping Murray.
Adding an extra defensive lineman in place of a defensive back is a good idea in obvious running situations and on first downs. It's certainly something a lineman-heavy team like Washington can do.
The Cowboys love to run on early downs. Even if it's Murray, Joseph Randle or Lance Dunbar running behind their young and gifted O-line, the Cowboys ground attack is deadly.
But it's Murray who remains the main threat. He's been the catalyst for this team's success this season, as B/R analyst Jonathan Vilma has argued:
Slowing down the ground attack, whether it's led by Murray or not, will be the key to another Washington win.
The Redskins are playing for more than just pride. Winning a second game in a row against a talented division rival would show some progress, however slight, for Gruden's first year in charge.
That would engender optimism for both the offseason and Gruden's next campaign.
All statistics via NFL.com.
All screen shots courtesy of CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NFL Network and NFL.com Game Pass.
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