Next Gen Stats Preview
NEXT GEN STATS WEEK 4 PREVIEW: COWBOYS AT SAINTS
Best of Cowboys Notes
Dak Prescott
- Prescott leads all qualified QBs in Comp Pct Above Expectation (+9.9%) this season
> Prescott leads the NFL in Comp Pct (74.5%) despite attempting the 16th-most difficult passes by Exp Comp Pct
- Prescott’s pressure rate against has increased in each of the last three games (17.7% this season)
> Prescott was pressured only once in Week 1 vs NYG (3.1%), 5 times at WAS (16.1%), and 11 times vs MIA (33.3%)
> NO Defense: 34.2% pressure rate this season, 5th-highest in the NFL
- 155.2 passer rating on intermediate passes (10-19 air yards) this season, best among qualified QBs
> Prescott (Intermediate): 73.7% Comp Pct (2nd-highest), 3 TD, 0 INT on intermediate passes this season
Cowboys Offense
- Under new OC Kellen Moore, increased 11 personnel usage by almost 9% (2019: 72% | 2018: 63%)
> The Cowboys average +2.3 more yards/play in 11 personnel this season (7.8 vs. 5.5), 2nd-largest YOY increase
> 11 of 13 offensive TDs this season have come from 11 personnel (most by a team from single personnel grouping)
- Ezekiel Elliott: Targeted on just 13% of routes this season (26% of routes in 2018)
- Amari Cooper: 11.9% catch rate above expectation, 4th-highest among WRs
> John Brown (+19.4%), Terry McLaurin (+13.2%), Emmanuel Sanders (12.6%)
- Cowboys RBs have not been stuffed once on an inside carry this season
Cowboys Defense
- The Cowboys have generated pressure on 34.4% of dropbacks this season, 4th-highest rate in NFL
> Robert Quinn: 34.6% pressure rate, highest in NFL (min. 20 pass rushes) - 9 QB pressures in Wk 3 vs MIA
- Byron Jones: Forced tight windows on 67% of targets (12/18) as nearest defender, highest in the NFL
> Tight Windows are defined as instances where the nearest defender is within 1 yard of the receiver at pass arrival
Best of Saints Notes
Teddy Bridgewater
- Bridgewater averages just 5.1 air yards/attempt this season (2.8 air yards/completion)
> Bridgewater has attempted just 1 deep pass this season (81% of pass attempts traveled less than 10 air yards)
> Drew Brees: 8.0 air yards/att & 7.8 air yards/completion before suffering thumb injury in Week 2 at LAR
- Bridgewater has been pressured on 32.2% of dropbacks this season (Brees: 18.4% before injury)
> Brees has been pressured on 18.4% of dropbacks since start of last season, 2nd-lowest pressure rate among QBs
- Bridgewater has been more effective throwing between the numbers (than outside the numbers):
> Between Numbers: 29/40, 72.5% comp pct, 256 yards, 2 TD (105.8 passer rating)
> Outside Numbers: 7/14, 50.0% comp pct, 86 yards (69.3 passer rating)
Alvin Kamara
- 3.3 rec yards per route run when aligned in the backfield this season (most in NFL, min. 25 backfield routes)
> Kamara (This Season): 15 receptions, 161 yards, 1 TD, 127.5 passer rating when aligned in backfield
- Averages 10.15 MPH at the LOS on inside runs since 2018, fastest among RBs, min. 25 inside carries
Michael Thomas
- Thomas leads all receivers in Catch Rate Above Expectation since 2016 (+10.4%)
Saints Offense
- The Saints have used 14 unique offensive groupings this season, most in the NFL through Week 3
Saints Defense
- The Saints defense has used two primary personnel packages (4-2-5: 87% | 4-3-4: 12%)
> This Season: Saints defense has used 3-2-6 (Dime) on 1 play & 5-3-3 (Heavy) on 1 play- The Saints have generated pressure on 34.2% of dropbacks this season, 5th-highest rate in NFL
> Only team with 3 EDGE rushers with 9+ pressures (Cam Jordan: 12, Trey Hendrickson: 10, Marcus Davenport: 9)
Cowboys Offense vs. Saints Defense
Cowboys Offense by Player On/Off Field
- LT Tyron Smith: Dak Prescott has been pressured +8.1% more often when Tyron Smith has been OFF the field (35.1%) compared to ON the field (27.0%)
- WR Michael Gallup: Dak Prescott averages 3.32 seconds from snap to pass (12.1 air yds/attempt) when Gallup has been OFF the field this season (50 attempts) & 2.52 seconds (7.8 air yds/attempt) when Gallup has been ON the field
Saints Defense by Player On/Off Field
- EDGE Cameron Jordan: The Saints generate pressure when blitzing on 32.5% of pass plays when Jordan has been ON the field since 2016 (26.7% when Jordan has been OFF the field)
- LB A.J. Klein: The Saints allow a 45.7% rush success rate when Klein has been ON the field since 2018 (55.4% rush success rate allowed when Klein has been OFF the field)
- S Vonn Bell: Opposing quarterbacks have a 28.6% end zone comp pct against the Saints when Bell has been ON the field since 2016 (41.4% end zone comp pct when Bell has been OFF the field)
- Prescott leads all qualified QBs in Comp Pct Above Expectation (+9.9%) this season
> Prescott leads the NFL in Comp Pct (74.5%) despite attempting the 16th-most difficult passes by Expected Comp Pct
- Prescott’s pressure rate against has increased in each of the last three games (17.7% this season)
> Prescott was pressured only once in Week 1 vs NYG (3.1%), 5 times at WAS (16.1%), and 11 times vs MIA (33.3%)
- 155.2 passer rating on intermediate passes (10-19 air yards) this season, best among qualified QBs
> Prescott (Intermediate): 73.7% Comp Pct (2nd-highest), 3 TD, 0 INT on intermediate passes this season
Ezekiel Elliott Eased Back Into Form Post-Holdout
The Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott agreed to a new contract on the Wednesday before Week 1, leaving Elliott with little practice time after missing all of training camp. Elliott was eased back into a full-time role, seeing increases in usage (Week 1: 35 plays | Week 2: 51 plays | Week 3: 46 plays), in-play distance (538 yards, 768 yards, 870 yards), touches per snap (40%, 49%, 46%) and max speed (17.55 MPH, 17.28 MPH, 19.47 MPH) over the course of the first three games of the season.
Saints Offense vs. Cowboys Defense
- The Saints have used 14 unique offensive groupings this season, most in the NFL through Week 3
- The Cowboys have generated pressure on 34.4% of dropbacks this season, 4th-highest rate in NFL
Saints Offense by Player On/Off Field
- RB Alvin Kamara: Opponents stack the box (8+ defenders) on 20.5% of run plays against the Saints when Kamara has been ON the field since 2017 (40.7% stacked box when Kamara has been OFF)
- QB Taysom Hill: Since the start of last season, when Taysom Hill has been ON the field, the Saints are stuffed at the LOS on run plays on 11.4% of runs (20.5% run stuff rate when Hill has been OFF)
Cowboys Defense by Player On/Off Field
-EDGE Demarcus Lawrence: The Cowboys defense generates pressure on 33.2% of 3rd down pass plays when Lawrence has been ON the field since 2016 (24.2% pressure rate when Lawrence was OFF)
- EDGE Robert Quinn: The Cowboys defense has generated pressure on 57.7% of pass plays when Quinn has been ON the field this season (28.6% pressure rate when Lawrence was OFF)
- CB Jourdan Lewis: Opposing quarterbacks have a 76.5 passer rating when Lewis has been ON the field since the start of last season (100.5 passer rating when Lewis was OFF)
- Bridgewater averages just 5.1 air yards/attempt this season (2.8 air yards/completion)
> Bridgewater has attempted just 1 deep pass this season (76% of pass attempts traveled less than 10 air yards)
> Drew Brees: 8.0 air yards/att & 7.8 air yards/completion before suffering thumb injury in Week 2 at LAR
- Bridgewater has been pressured on 32.2% of dropbacks this season (Brees: 18.4% before injury)
> Brees has been pressured on 18.4% of dropbacks since start of last season, 2nd-lowest pressure rate among QBs
- Bridgewater has been more effective throwing between the numbers (than outside the numbers):
> Between Numbers: 29/40, 72.5% comp pct, 256 yards, 2 TD (105.8 passer rating)
> Outside Numbers: 7/14, 50.0% comp pct, 86 yards (69.3 passer rating)
The Differences in Tendencies Between Drew Brees & Teddy Bridgewater
When Teddy Bridgewater took over for the injured Drew Brees in Week 2 against the Rams, the Saints offense became focused around shorter passes with a reliance on YAC to gain yardage. Bridgewater averages just 5.6 air yards per attempt since the start of last season (Brees, 7.2), with 64% of yards coming from after the catch (Brees, 46%). Bridgewater has attempted just one deep pass attempt (on 57 pass attempts) this season, with his longest completion coming just 13 air yards downfield. Bridgewater’s tendency to hold (2.82 seconds) has led to a significantly higher pressure rate against (34.5%) compared to Brees (18.4%).
