It seems these days everyone has been screaming for the Cowboys to change there style of offense. Whether you want to call it “Romo Friendly” or whether you just want them to utilize the “three headed monster” more effectively.
Jason Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys are listening to your cries! Through the first week of camp the Cowboys have installed and are growing more and more fond of what they like to call the “12 Personnel”.
The “12 Personnel” is not a very elaborate scheme (we all know how J.G. loves the complex schemes) it is so simple in fact that even I can understand it!
The “12” simply means: 1 Running Back and the 2 stands for the number of Tight Ends.
Now do not get caught up in who the back is in this equation because it really makes no difference! The thing that makes this scheme work is the Tight Ends.
The game of Football is a game of adjustments, and matchups. No matter how good a defensive unit is if the offensive team can repeatedly create mismatches, they will fall victim to the offense!
The 12 Personnel makes every player in it better. How? Well that is simple, let me explain.
The offense comes to the line with Roy Williams and Miles Austin out wide. Jason Witten and Marty B on either side of the line, and Felix Jones is the lone back. The defense now has to make a decision; do they try to cover Witten and Marty B with Linebackers? Or do they bring a Safety up to cover one of them?
Well if you designate linebackers to cover those guys the offense simply attacks those backers by forcing them to try to cover someone that they simply cannot stay with. If they bring a Safety up, now they are in real trouble! The offense can now attack in a multitude of ways. Keep the Witt, and Marty B in to block (do you know of a safety in the league that can handle a block from either of these guys?) for a sweep to Felix, or Now we got single coverage on the outside with no safety help! Or even a simple pass to the flat for either TE or Felix.
This scheme is so simple but yet so difficult to account for. The mantra of this scheme is simply “take what they give you” and no matter what they give you, you have options.
When they prepare for you to run, then you pass. When they suspect pass, you run!
There has been talk around San Antonio that this may even become the Cowboys base offense.
Many of us spent all of last year screaming at our television sets for this team to stop being so predictable. If the move is made for this to be the base package, there should be no need to scream about being predictable.
There however is one small problem with this. Can the fans of the Dallas Cowboys be okay with a simple ball control style offense?
This system is not going to put points on the board in the fashion that we saw in 07’. No, no this is a system of grinding games out, slow moving chains!
This is exactly what we have all been screaming for but can we handle it?
I think it’s a great thing. I mean not only do we have the line and running backs to pull off a possession scheme, but we also have the downfield threats to mix it up and keep from being too predictable.
It also matters that with this scheme and the problems it poses for opposing defenses it doesn’t matter as much if you’re predictable because the matchups are in our favor.
It’s a beautiful thing.