This was a 1st and 10 am i right?
I'm no coach, but why would JJ cut loose on Dez knowing that the only other help available at all(deep or intermediate) was McLeod?
Two reasons:
1. Dez is running a post route which will lead him straight into McLeod; and
2. Williams is crossing wide open over the middle and about to head into Jenkins's zone so Jenkins is going to be able to position himself to undercut the route and pick it off if Romo goes there.
JJ knew that the Rams sold out vs the run and lost....so stick to your guy one-on-one.
Not man coverage, it's not his job to stick to him one-on-one.
I mean, JJ was already in position and covering Dez stride for stride. I understand the idea behind the "pass off" when routes dictate your coverage....but at that point i would think that JJ should just stick to HIS GUY and forgo any deep help...and hope that McLeod can just cover the rest of the field from deep in, which would include the WR crossing underneath.
In the context of the coverage responsibilities, this doesn't make sense. Dez's route leads him straight to McLeod. Terrance Williams is wide open. If Janoris hands off Dez to McLeod, he can set himself up to undercut the only option that Romo has on the play. Which means that Romo either has to eat it/throw it away or he throws a pick trying to get it to Williams.(keep in mind that Romo's deep ball has been really bad this year and has been hanging in the air due to his back injury)
Jenkins forgoing deep help is a bad move. McLeod is in better position to defend a deep ball because Dez is going to have a step on Jenkins once he makes his cut for the post due to Jenkins's position in bail technique.
Not sure i can fully blame McLeod here, and i don't know exactly what the coverage called for.
I'm open to any interpretations though.
McLeod doesn't deserve full blame. E.J. Gaines blew his assignment. He was supposed to cross with Terrance Williams. If he had done that, McLeod has no reason to come down and try to pick-up Gaines's man. However, in the context of who was supposed to cover Dez Bryant, that's squarely on McLeod. Jenkins did exactly what you're supposed to do on that play. McLeod didn't. He tried to cover for Gaines and ended up exposing us even worse because he didn't communicate to Jenkins what was happening.