Dak Prescott is giving the Cowboys the most effective passing assaults within the NFL

Welcome again to Set up the Enjoyable, the place soccer is enjoyable and I’m persevering with to ascertain that. We’re on the finish of the season, which is kind of frankly mind-blowing. Nevertheless, as groups put together to make a playoff push, extra gamers and items are stepping as much as elite ranges. Because the playoffs get nearer, we’ll see which gamers are in peak type and which items are taking part in at their finest, which is why soccer is enjoyable.

So let’s set up some enjoyable, beginning with an elite QB in Dallas.

Again with Dak

Since Cowboys QB Dak Prescott returned from damage in Week 7, Dallas hasn’t been held underneath 20 factors in a single recreation, and are fourth in EPA per play. Their success price on all dropbacks in that point span? Third within the NFL. Dak has been on fireplace, with an EPA/play of 0.262, third within the NFL over that timespan. Oh yeah, and he’s thrown 20 touchdowns to associate with it.

Towards Philadelphia in a pivotal recreation for the division, Dak was on one other degree after a pick-six early within the recreation. He shredded the Eagles protection, and within the course of confirmed why he is without doubt one of the finest QBs within the NFL, full cease.

Simply take into consideration this stat:

He didn’t. Miss. A. Go.

Towards zone protection, processing post-snap is essential, and that’s the place Dak is at his finest. He’s a pc at QB, and infrequently will get fooled. Towards the Eagles, he was on level in each side of the sport.

On this play, the Cowboys movement the RB over to the boundary aspect together with the TE and WR, with WR Ceedee Lamb within the slot (all of Lamb’s 120 receiving yards got here from the slot—most likely a difficulty!). This can be a stick idea with double slants to the bottom, however the Eagles are in Cowl 4, that means Dak has to affect the LB to maneuver away from the outlet Lamb is operating to. It seems easy, however watch Dak’s head from the tip zone view. He will get the LB to open up in the direction of Schultz and throws a rope to Lamb. This eye manipulation is all around the movie for Dak.

The primary TD Prescott threw to CeeDee Lamb was effectively designed and executed by the Cowboys. Dallas strains up in a journeys bunch formation, and the surface receiver runs an out route, the TE runs a hook route, and Lamb runs a nook. The Eagles attempt to idiot Dallas by spinning a security down submit snap and taking part in Cowl 3, however Dak does such a terrific job together with his eyes that he holds Darius Slay on the out route earlier than layering a throw not solely the place Lamb can get it, however the place Lamb can proceed to run away from the security.

An space the place Prescott has been inconsistent in for the Cowboys is throwing and dealing exterior the pocket. This 12 months, nonetheless, the Cowboys QB has the fourth most dropbacks exterior the pocket since 2018, and his completion proportion is the second highest of his whole profession. Dak has handled a number of decrease physique accidents in his profession, however now that he’s wholesome, you’re beginning to see an excellent combination of the Dak we see now and the cellular, operating QB Prescott was at Mississippi State. This TD is the right instance. This can be a QB taking part in the sport on simple mode.

Any debates about whether or not Dak Prescott is an elite QB must be put to mattress. He’s elite, in actual fact he’s taking part in like one of many eight finest QBs within the NFL proper now. The Cowboys are on a quick observe to the NFL playoffs, but when they wish to go to the Tremendous Bowl for the primary time in my lifespan, they’ll want Prescott to proceed taking part in at a excessive degree.

“Nevermore offensive yardage,” quoth the Ravens

Since Lamar Jackson went down with a knee damage, the Ravens are 2-1, but haven’t scored over 20 factors throughout that timespan. The explanation?

Their protection has lastly turned the nook.

Early within the season, the Ravens protection was riddled with protection busts and missed assignments. From weeks 1-9, Baltimore was twenty fourth in defensive EPA per play and 14th in whole defensive DVOA. Since week 9, nonetheless, they’re second in whole defensive DVOA and second in EPA/play. You actually can’t contribute all of it to just one individual as a result of protection is so unit-oriented, however one of many largest modifications for the Ravens protection got here in the course of the 12 months after they traded for Professional Bowl LB Roquan Smith.

Smith has not solely given them stellar play on the MIKE place, however he’s freed up everybody else on the staff to be of their finest spots.

Let’s begin with Smith, although. There’s not a lot else to say apart from he’s a rattling good soccer participant. Since making his approach to Baltimore, Smith is sixteenth within the NFL in whole tackles with a formidable Common Sort out Depth of 1.5. Smith has all the time been nice within the run recreation, utilizing his imaginative and prescient and pace to beat blocks. That is helped much more by the Ravens defensive position unit taking part in at an especially excessive degree. In contrast to Wink Martindale’s protection, Mike McDonald’s is extra reliant on hole management, and towards the Falcons that was on full show.

Atlanta tries to run a counter play with the Heart and FB pulling again away from the power, however Ravens LB Tyus Bowser stonewalls the pulling heart, preserving his exterior hand free. Broderick Washington overpowers the appropriate sort out, forcing the FB to select him up as an alternative of Smith. Travis Jones additionally overpowers the appropriate guard, and forces the RB to vary his path. Simply actual good run protection throughout.

The additional benefit of getting a Roquan Smith within the fold is permitting LB Patrick Queen to play extra to his fashion. Queen is rather more of a run and hit WILL LB than a learn and react MIKE. Having Smith means Queen could be freed as much as blitz and play extra downhill, the place he can use his pace. The Ravens name a hearth zone blitz, the place Queen provides on as a blitzer off the sting and Bowser drops into protection to the boundary. Queen will get a strain and a disruption on the move due to his pace and power to make use of energy and beat the blocking RB.

Then, this play is so good by Smith. The Falcons run a double in breaking route idea, with Drake London operating an over and Olamide Zacchaeus operating a dig behind him off play motion. Smith will get underneath the over by London, then will get eyes on the Zacchaeus dig and forces an incompletion. Not many off ball LBs are making this play within the NFL.

One other participant who has caught my eye through the Ravens run on protection is security Kyle Hamilton. Early within the season he was taking part in much more deep security, which he may do however it wasn’t the place he was simplest, and he struggled (see: week 2 vs. Miami). Nevertheless, now that the Ravens secondary is considerably wholesome, defensive coordinator Mike McDonald can use Hamilton extra within the field and across the motion. Professional Soccer Focus charts snap counts for gamers over the course of the season, and you’ll see when all of the Ravens DBs get wholesome based mostly on the place Hamilton strains up essentially the most that week.

Hamilton is a way more impactful participant across the ball, when he could make performs vs the run and canopy curl to flat areas of the sphere. On this jet sweep, Hamilton stacks the tight finish, and forces the play again inside to Hamilton’s teammates. He doesn’t get credited with the sort out right here, however he makes a pivotal play.

On this Ohio idea by the Falcons (exterior go paired with an out), Hamilton is ready to get on the within hip of the tight finish and use his size to get a PBU. His impression performs have come way more usually on this alignment.

Many individuals, together with myself, left the Ravens for useless after Jackson bought injured. Nevertheless, they’ve clinched a playoff spot on the power of their protection, and now that the protection is firing on all cylinders, Baltimore could be a harmful staff within the playoffs.

Carolina runs in the direction of the playoffs

(/checks NFC South standings)

(/squints)

Excuse me, what?

The Carolina Panthers, three months after firing former head coach Matt Rhule, management their future within the NFC South.

Which signifies that if the Panthers beat the Bucs on Sunday, then the Saints subsequent weekend, they’ll the playoffs.

That may be a actual factor I simply wrote.

In 2022.

The Panthers are using excessive after dashing for 320 YARDS towards the Detroit Lions final week, and every time you might have that a lot success on the bottom, you get Set up The Enjoyable’s consideration. Since week 12, the Panthers are second in EPA per rush and nineteenth in dashing DVOA.

Carolina’s offense is getting good inputs from everybody on the roster, and it’s making their run recreation work extraordinarily effectively. This can be a windback idea, a counter to all of the duo that offenses run. The offensive line run blocks like duo, however then a receiver will come again throughout the formation and the again will observe the receiver. Watch the block right here by Panthers WR LaViska Shenault. It helps spring this large run.

This time, the Panthers truly run duo, and watch how the double groups alongside the offensive line assist the road get vertical displacement. The road of scrimmage is on the 27 yard line, and the Lions defensive entrance will get pushed all the way in which again to the 30. That’s transferring individuals towards their will, one thing the Panthers have accomplished extraordinarily effectively within the run recreation.

Even after they’re not executing on the highest degree, they’re getting good play from one in every of their most necessary items: left sort out Ikem Ekwonu. Ikey has been taking part in at an especially excessive degree. He struggled early within the season, however as time went on, the Panthers have began to see the athleticism and nastiness within the run recreation. Watch him ship Derrick Barnes to West Virginia on this TD run.

One factor that I’m preserving my eye on is what number of run choice performs the Panthers are operating with Sam Darnold at QB. Darnold isn’t the very best athlete, however he’s athletic sufficient to run these ideas and add some taste to the Panthers offense. In line with Sports activities Info Options, the Panthers have run extra choice based mostly performs of their run recreation since week 12 than they’ve from weeks 1-11.

They scored a TD utilizing a pace choice with a “freeze” element. It’s designed to appear like inside zone to freeze the protection, after which they run the pace choice. It’s a extremely cool trick to run the choice that plenty of school offenses are operating now.

I don’t assume the Panthers are a staff to be feared in the event that they make the playoffs. Shoot I don’t even know in the event that they’ll beat Tampa on Sunday. However what they’re doing is creating offense that’s sustainable, whereas highlighting the best qualities of their finest gamers. And that’s enjoyable!