Scout’s Eye: Where Did The Run Defense Fail?

This is as tough as it gets for wide receivers in a game. Your team is down big early and the only way to get back in the game is to throw the ball. Give these receivers credit for the amount of running they did in this game – and to maintain it at such a high level the entire time. There was no drop off in their play and it was amazing to watch the number of routes they had to execute even to give them a chance to come back. That's credit to toughness of Sanjay Lal's guys and what's inside them.

I believe if Anthony Brown would have turned and looked for the ball, he would not have been flagged for pass interference. Brown's catch up speed at least gave him a chance, but when Geronimo Allison slowed up for the ball due to it being thrown short, it was too late for Brown to stop himself. Then, he was all over the top of him and the official made the call.

I thought the refs were going to get Amari Cooper for illegal motion for the out-and-up move he put on Jaire Alexander, but that wasn't the case. Cooper managed to start up the field right as the ball was snapped. What made the route work was that Alexander was peeking in the backfield at Dak Prescott. Once Cooper made that move as if he was throwing the out, Alexander was beat. Cooper did an outstanding job of working back to the middle of the field, which allowed Prescott enough room to fit the ball to him comfortably.

You would figure that Kerry Hyder had played against Aaron Rodgers enough to know that if you take a move to the inside, Rodgers is likely to break the pocket to that side. Hyder got trapped down inside and Rodgers went to the edge, where he found that Jimmy Graham had gotten loose from Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. Rodgers laid the ball over the top for a 23 -yard gain, buying his offense some room from his own end zone.

Great job by La'el Collins to keep Rashan Gary wide to allow Dak Prescott the opportunity to step up in the pocket and find Amari Cooper on the deep out. Cooper completely turned Jaire Alexander and lost him in coverage. Kevin King was to that side of the field attempting to help Alexander, but Cooper put himself in excellent position. He made the reception between the two cornerbacks before either of them had a chance to react.

Give the Packers some credit with the way they ran the ball against the Cowboys' front seven. They did a great job of not only securing the down linemen, but moving them off the spot. They got blockers up on the linebackers and were able to take advantage of their aggressive nature and use it against them. There were several snaps where they pushed Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith and Sean Lee past the hole, which allowed their backs all the room they needed. Wherever the backs wanted to make the cut, the opportunity was there. Gap control was lacking badly for the defense.

Cam Fleming got in trouble when he didn't move his feet. As I have written plenty of times, his overall technique can be a mess. It was as if he was tired and he lost his focus. It's disappointing that he's a veteran player, because that shouldn't have been the case. If he had just played with better footwork, then we wouldn't have seen Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith have some of the success they did.

The Cowboys' opponents are getting very creative with the way they're running their screen packages to slow down the Cowboys' pass rush. Matt LeFleur caught Kris Richard in man coverage and popped one to Marcedes Lewis off a motion as if he was going to block. As Lewis moved across the formation, Vander Esch followed him but ran into Joe Thomas who kept Vander Esch from getting to the outside in order to pick him up. With Vander Esch out of the picture there was nobody in position to keep Rodgers from getting him the ball for a sizeable gain.

Ezekiel Elliott did the best he could to give Dak Prescott a chance to get rid of the ball on third down right before the half. The Packers brought two blitzers off the weak side and Elliott took the first threat and left Prescott to deal with Adrian Amos. Prescott attempted to get the ball to Randall Cobb on the outside but unfortunately he missed Amari Cooper dragging underneath with no one around him. If finds Cooper not only does he have a first down but plenty more. Instead Jason Garrett goes for the field goal and Brett Maher misses.

It's just how things go for you defensively at times when you play Aaron Rodgers. Maliek Collins beats Billy Turner off the snap clean and is advancing toward Rodgers in the middle of the pocket. Collins is on the right arm of Rodgers and is going to bring him down for a sack. But Rodgers switches the ball to his left hand but pushes it forward Tra Carson. What should have been a sack for a five yard loss ends up being a eight yard gain on a play that very few quarterbacks would have attempted much less pull off.

Just a bad break for the offense down 24- 0 and driving for points, that Cam Fleming couldn't have held on to his block a little longer for Dak Prescott to find a wide open Jason Witten in the end zone. Fleming was driven back on the play and tripped over the left foot of Connor Williams. Prescott tried out run Za'Darius Smith to the outside but he was tripped up by Smith for a sack. The offense then missed on third down and forced to kick a field goal instead of getting the touchdown.

Not a bad game from Chidobe Awuzie and the way he played overall. I went into this matchup feeling as if he was struggle with the size/length of these Packers receivers. I was worried that Aaron Rodgers would pick on him being that there have been some games this season where opponents have decided to go after him. There were several snaps where Rodgers did challenge him but he was up to it. Especially admired the way that he carried Marquez Valdes-Scantling down the sideline on a fade where he was in outstanding position to defend the play. I also like the aggressive hit that he laid on Aaron Jones when he attempted to reverse field but Awuzie wouldn't allow it to happen.