Giants Country

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 Questions with Cowboys Country Reporter Harrison Reno

Let's tap into some intel from Cowboys Country reporter Harrison Reno about what the New York Giants can expect when they host the Dallas Cowboys this weekend.

Patricia Traina

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Let's check in with Cowboys Country reporter Harrison Reno, who answered five questions we have about the Dallas Cowboys, who visit the New York Giants Sunday night.

Giants Country: How much of a difference do you anticipate there will be with Mike McCarthy now calling the plays?

Harrison Reno: I believe, on the surface, not much will change when looking at the Cowboys' offense from a run/pass split perspective. But I believe there will be a difference when you get deeper into the weeds of the actual plays being called. For example, with McCarthy calling the shots, this Cowboys passing game will be more horizontal rather than vertical. So, you can likely expect to see a lot of passing concepts that have a slant route paired with a check down in the flats underneath it.

Giants Country: The Cowboys' run defense was an issue last year. Do you still see that as a weakness on the defense, or have they improved that unit?

Harrison Reno: Run defense is still a question for me despite the Cowboys shoring up their depth at nose tackle with the first-round selection of Michigan’s Mazi Smith. They also brought back Johnathan Hankins from last year’s mid-season trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, who certainly had an impact when he was on the field. So if Hankins can stay healthy, I suspect the Cowboys' run defense will be much improved from years past with that anchor in the middle of their defensive line.

Giants Country: Dak Prescott has had some ball security issues the last couple of years (25 INTs, 18 fumbles). What do you attribute that to, and how has he been addressing that?

Harrison Reno: A big problem for Prescott and the Cowboys passing game last year early on was not being on the same page with his receivers. After his thumb injury last season, Prescott had several interceptions in the games following his return where either the receiver ran the wrong route or he thought they’d run a different one.

Another issue was the amount of tight-window throws Prescott was forced to make. 19.8 percent of Prescott’s throws last season were into a ‘tight window,” where the defender was within one yard or less of the receiver.

As for how the Cowboys and Prescott improve that, one of the things that they talked about in camp was letting the receivers know how many steps Dak would be taking in his dropback for each play. If the receivers know how long they have to get into their route, it will help with the timing of the offense and potentially cut down on some interceptions.

Giants Country: What kind of new wrinkles do you anticipate Dan Quinn putting into his defense?

Harrison Reno: I don’t expect any major new wrinkles from Dan Quinn’s defense this season. Although, if I had to choose one, I think with the addition of cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the Cowboys could play in press coverage more, which is where he has thrived throughout his career. While it’s not a difference from last year, he enjoys disguising what he’s doing with multiple chess pieces, including Micah Parsons.

Giants Country: What changes are most notable in the Cowboys run game on offense besides the personnel?

Harrison Reno: Beyond Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn, this Cowboys run game could look a little different if McCarthy’s new offense transforms into a west-coast scheme as many expect. With a runner like Pollard and the popularity of wide zone runs in the NFL these days, the Cowboys could dial up more rushes where they want to get their backs out in space rather than in between the tackles.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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