I have seen little pre-snap motion this year. This puts so much pressure on our receivers to get open. Why not use motion and scheme to help out our skill players? It's frustrating to watch. – C.J. Wilson/Newark, DE
Nick: To be honest, it doesn't seem all that noticeable to me. I know why teams do it and it usually gets the receivers on the move to get open easier and also to figure out what the defenses are doing with their coverages. I think the Cowboys could. use all the help they could get in this department. Usually that stuff is harder to do in the early stages of an offense. But this is Year 2 in the system and most of the players are returning. So that wouldn't be an excuse. I think the motion would also help the running game. I wish I had a better answer for you. Again, it's not something that seems totally obvious to me, but at 2-2 and with a stagnant running game, I think the Cowboys should use whatever tools they've got.
Kurt: It does seem odd that the Cowboys have consistently ranked below league average in sending players in motion on offense while at the same time consistently struggling on defense to stop teams who use a lot of motion in their attack. According to the NFL's Next Gen Stats, CeeDee Lamb is currently tied for the seventh-lowest average separation from defenders at just 2.1 yards, which is actually the lowest mark among league players with at least 20 catches. Not faring much better, Brandin Cooks is at 2.1 as well, and Jalen Tolbert is at 2.6. Consequently, Dak Prescott leads the NFL in throwing into tight coverage at 27.5 percent, which is when there is a defender within one yard or less of the receiver. As Jesse Holley stated on our *Hangin' with the Boys podcast, sooner or later those tight throws become interceptions. So as you mentioned, why not make life a little easier for Lamb, Prescott and the rest of the offense by using motion to confuse opponents and also give your quarterback a better understanding of how they're trying to defend you? As so many other teams are proving, it seems to make sense.
