Greg Cosell's Film Review: How Dallas' run game is helping Tony Romo

The Dallas Cowboys’ success in the running game is trickling down to the passing game.

You are starting to see defenses react to Dallas’ running game, with their great offensive line and running back DeMarco Murray. The New York Giants did last week, and the Cowboys were able to throw the ball effectively.

The main way to see how the Cowboys’ run game affected the Giants was through Dez Bryant. The Giants’ focus was on stopping the Cowboys’ run game more than Bryant, as they played almost exclusively with eight-man fronts and single-high safety coverages. The second half featured Prince Amukamara on Bryant in one-on-one coverage most of the time, and Bryant got the best of it. He had nine catches for 151 yards.

Quarterback Tony Romo played well too, and we’ll look at his three touchdown passes. The Cowboys used some good concepts on each one, and Romo made good decisions. On the third touchdown, you’ll see a Giants defense that was impacted heavily by Dallas’ running game.

On the first touchdown, a 15-yarder to tight end Gavin Escobar, the Cowboys lined up in a three-by-one set with Bryant as the “X iso” to the boundary and tight end Jason Witten as the inside slot on the three-receiver side. The Giants played man on Bryant with Amukamara and zone on the three-receiver side. Two things on the three-receiver side happened to make the play. Witten hunted up middle linebacker Jon Beason and held him low, and then Terrance Williams and Escobar each ran verticals against Antrel Rolle, the single-high safety. With Beason held low and Rolle playing the midpoint between the two verticals, Escobar was wide open on a crosser away from Rolle and behind Beason.

The second touchdown was supposed to be a pass to Escobar too, but the Giants took that away and Romo adjusted well. The play was a double seam route with Escobar and Witten against the Giants’ single-high safety coverage. Witten was held up, so safety Quintin Demps cheated to Escobar and took away the design of the play. Romo had outstanding play extension and vision to hit Williams for an 18-yard score.

The third touchdown was really where you saw how the Cowboys’ running game is opening things up for Romo.

The Giants had three stacked defenders against Dallas’ three tight ends to the boundary. There was hard inside run action, and the Giants’ three stacked defenders attacked downhill. You see it on film, that Romo took just one step away from center and the three defenders were attacking the line of scrimmage, taking themselves out of defending Escobar's route. Escobar ran a “shake” route, Romo made a great throw and Escobar made a great catch for the score.

One of the stories of the season has been the Cowboys’ running game and how it has fueled Dallas’ good start. Now we’re seeing that the running game is helping Romo, Bryant and the passing offense as well.

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NFL analyst and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell watches as much NFL game film as anyone. Throughout the season, Cosell will join Shutdown Corner to share his observations on the teams, schemes and personnel from around the league.

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