Q: “Do you think the moment is going to be too big from this young/inexperienced Dallas team? Coaching staff has a lot of postseason experience, except for our OC. Possible slow start on offense? We can’t afford to wait until the mid-3rd quarter to start playing our A game on offense.”
- @DanielHinshaw5
A: I know it feels like this is an inexperienced group of players, mainly because two of their biggest contributors (Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs) are making their playoff debut, but the Cowboys actually have a decent amount of playoff experience.
Of the 21 players who started at least 10 games for the Cowboys this season, 15 of them have played a playoff game, and 14 of those have played in at least two playoff games.
I do agree with you about needing to get off to a fast start, however. You want to get San Francisco out of their running game. If you turn this into a track meet, you win. Simple as that. The 49ers can’t keep up with you if this becomes a shootout.
I know conventional wisdom says if you win the coin toss you defer to the second half, but I’d take the opposite approach with this game. If the Cowboys win the toss, I think they need to take the ball and try to get an early score. Put the 49ers in an early hole and try to force them into your style of play. Don’t let them get the ball to start the game and go on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that takes up 8 minutes of the first quarter.
Q: “Is the familiarity of Kyle Shanahan a benefit to Dan Quinn and the defensive game plan?”
- @ubathediplomat
A: Potentially, but as is often the case with these things, it cuts both ways. Kyle Shanahan is familiar with Dan Quinn as well.
For that reason, both Dan Quinn and Mike McCarthy described that type of familiarity as “a wash” in most instances.
When Quinn was asked on Monday how much of his defense will seem familiar to Shanahan, he said it would only be similar in a general sort of way.
“Some similarities in terms of framework, style, and hopefully a play style that comes across, but I would say that’s probably where it ends,” Quinn said. “What’s probably different from my end is just the way that we use some of the coverages, the way that we use some of the pressures, and there’s quite a bit that’s different on his end too.”
So it sounds like the familiarity might have given both coaches a head start on their homework, but it’s hardly an answer key.
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Q: “Do we see a bit more of Kelvin Joseph during this game in maybe a special role? He’s been very good at tackling in the opportunities he’s gotten and I feel we’re going to need that.”
- @Facey29
A: I really wanted to get to this question, because some variation of it was the most common question I got from you guys on Twitter this week. A lot of love for Kelvin Joseph, and rightfully so with how he’s played recently.
I think your top three corners are going to be the same that they’ve been all season: Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown, and yes, Jourdan Lewis. But that doesn’t mean opportunities won’t be there for Kelvin Joseph in this game.
Joseph has played really well overall the last three weeks, but I think you’re right on the money to notice his tenacity as a tackler. I wrote on 105.3 The Fan this week about the physicality that San Francisco plays with, so Joseph’s willing spirit in ball pursuit is certainly valuable.
I think it’s important, however, to remember that Jourdan Lewis doesn’t shy away from tackling either. He doesn’t have Joseph’s size, but he has the same toughness, and he’s played a lot of football for this team. His experience is valuable this time of year.
Kelvin Joseph played just 14 snaps through the first 14 games of the season before he filled in for Lewis during his COVID absence. Even when Lewis returned, Joseph still played 19 snaps against the Cardinals in Week 17, so it was clear that Joseph earned some trust and extra playing time from the coaching staff.
I think Joseph will definitely see a workload more similar to that Cardinals game than what he saw for most of the season, but I believe the job still belongs to Lewis.
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