How To Crush: A Dallas Cowboys Production
Monday, August 21, 2006 9:43 PM by wparchman
Talk about different beginnings.
Last week Tony Romo's first drive stalled on three plays and the Cowboys were looking vulnerable. After Bledsoe's start to this one, we won't have any such quandries this week. And I'm sure we'd all like to think this will shut ESPN up about there being some bogus "QB Controversy," but hey, sensationalism sells folks.
Romo's play last week was great because it chronicled, in effect, what the Cowboys could be someday down the road. That's nice. Drew Bledsoe's play tonight was great because it showcased the Cowboys offense of right now. That is more than nice. That was something else.
The problem with this game is that it is tough to gauge where to draw the line between the Saints' skill level and the Cowboys'. The 'boys played very well in this game, no doubt, but did the Saints just play that poorly? It's probably some place in between, but regardless, Drew Bledsoe looked strong. Very strong. His mobility still sucks and I cringe every time he so much as thinks of shuffling his feet in the pocket, but lucky for us we didn't see a whole lot of that, which was due in large part to the offensive line. I was critical of the line last week, but not in their capacity as pass blockers, and they held up once again. We can once again pass off the competition as the Saints and forget all about it, but that would be foolhardy. The Saints pass rush is not tops in the league, but guys like Smith and Grant are solid NFL ends, and Flo/McQuistan along with Jason Fabini were doing a good job of using their momentum against them and shoving them wide of the target, thus creating a nice pocket for Bledsoe to sit down in. Bledsoe was doing a ton with that extra time and was hitting his spots, really looking like he was in early season, 1st half form. We heard from Tony K. and Theeesman about how Terry Glenn and Bledsoe had found their rhythm early on, and it showed. Bledsoe and Glenn shared that rapport, and boy can we rest easy.
The run blocking looked like it took the Saints defense by surprise on the first drive, but it settled into a pretty predictable pattern thereafter. It seems to me like the issue is the initial drive off the line of scrimmage. There are some pretty large pockets for the runners to exploit, but they simply can't reach them because the line can't push the pile. I've just come to accept that unless he is one-on-one, Julius Jones goes down like a house of cards, which is not necessarily a terrible thing. Jones is more of a north-south back than most give him credit for, and when he's forced to high-tail it for the sidelines on most every play, he is gang-tackled and stuffed. He needs daylight, however small it may be, to flourish, and he isn't seeing enough. Marion Barber's problem is less severe, but I'm not sure if his skill level is as high as JJ's. MBIII doesn't need near as much protection as Julius does because he is able to power through or slip underneath big tackles, and it allows him to hit those pockets with higher frequency. I will point to the Cardinals game from last year as exhibit A. And I like Tyson Thompson a ton, but he is just too boring. He still hasn't developed any real moves and his blazing speed is mostly wasted because he refuses to avoid defenders. He is effective on sweeps and draws occasionally, but in a normal setting, he runs straight into the pack at full speed. And we wonder why he lost his job as a kick returner.
Elsewhere on offense, Sam Hurd looked better in the hands department as he didn't drop one all night (and how about that TD catch - boy this kid could be something), and Tony Romo finally busted out that big howitzer hanging off his right shoulder (okay, okay, quit laughing) and found workout warrior Miles Austin flying down the sideline for a touchdown. I'm not sure how close Austin is to holding onto his roster spot, but his snag-and-dash tonight certainly helped his cause, even if it was against the scrubs. And I don't care if his first quarter punt return only netted him four yards, I liked Skyler Green's thought to try and break it out. Creativity has been lacking on special teams for these past couple of years, and it seems Green is at least giving it a shot. And plus, he reeled off a nice (and his only nice) punt return in the second half, stepping through a bad tackle or two, making a beautiful cut and dashing towards the sidelines for a semi-big gainer. If that is what is being developed, I can't wait to see a more polished product.
Last week the defense played very well, especially the first-teamers, and we saw an even more impressive follow-up tonight. I know it's tough to say that when NO scored four more points than Seattle and the Saints fumbled on the Dallas one (props to Al Singleton for at least getting in there), but the first team production is what you needed to be paying attention to. The defensive line was still pretty static, but my goodness were the linebackers and defensive backfield everywhere. Spears looked solid and seems to be showing no ill effects from his surgery earlier this month and Ferguson improved as well. It was likely because of their play that the guys behind them were able to succeed. If the defense as a whole got a gold star for their play last week, DeMarcus Ware got his tonight. Ware simply looked unbelievable. He flashed his speed and chased down the "fastest RB on earth" in Reggie Bush (who, by the way, was completely shut down by this fantastic D), making a splendid open-field tackle on the rook and then welcoming him the NFL with what I'm sure were words of love, kindness and fuzzy thoughts. Ware also completely bull-rushed Saints starting left tackle Jammal Brown, knocking him completely over en route to a solid QB pressure. Ware's strength constantly amazes me. I know how fast he is - hell, I knew the second he was drafted that he'd be chasing guys down in the open field. But his strength is just something else. I never get tired of seeing it.
Greg Ellis had another great outing, and he is making a case that perhaps he can be a more consistent stand-up starter than we had previously thought. Personally, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know he is a strong football player and a great athlete, but he just wasn't meant to be in coverage, which is about half of a 3-4 linebacker's duties in Parcells' scheme, maybe more. Now I could be repeating this every week as Ellis continues to accumulate tackles and continues to improve at outside linebacker, but I fear the Cowboys moving Bobby Carpenter inside could have something to do with Greg Ellis playing a more prominent role on the edge. I sure hope they know what they're doing here, because that LOLB spot seemed perfectly suited for Carp as it was sure to be open competition. Instead we have him sitting behind free agent pickup (who had a great showing tonight) Akin Ayodele and Bradie James, who is the new leader of the front seven. The only reason I can see for the shift is that the Cowboys are not planning on renewing James' contract after this year, which I suppose is a very real possibility. I proposed earlier this summer that the Cowboys wait on James' season before they pony up the cash to keep him, so perhaps that is what they are doing now. Whatever the case, I just hope this shuffle is the right one.
Random notes: Bobby Carpenter blew coverage on running back Jamaal Branch in the early stages of the second half. Carpenter's coverage was decent, but he failed to account for the running back coming out of the backfield and his recovery time was slow. Maybe this is apart of the growing pains that come with switching to the inside. These are expected hiccups from a rookie, and especially in preseason, but it was still something Parcells and Pasqualoni will likely have a chat with him about... Aaron Glenn continues to see time with the lesser known guys, and he continues to shine. I don't know what it is about this guy that makes him so good, but he could be the most consistent player the Cowboys have (when healthy, of course)... I'm convinced that Lousaka Polite is a waste of a roster spot. He just isn't very talented. He can block alright, but with the two-tight end offense his services have become increasingly unnecessary, and every time he gets on the field, which isn't often, he further proves why some deserving candidate who was relegated to the practice squad is getting shafted because of the "need" for at least one fullback on the roster. Even when he was scoring touchdowns last year, i.e. against Philly, he neither dove for the pylon nor acknowledged that there was anybody on the field other than himself. Especially now with Fasano, Polite is as expendable. Maybe that's harsh, but I just never thought his role was involved enough to warrant a spot on the final 53. While he didn't make it to the active 46 very often, the Cowboys will probably have to risk sending a young, talented linebacker (like Hoyte perhaps) or a wide receiver (maybe Miles Austin) through waivers to put them on the PS, when they could just part with Polite and be done with it. I don't think the Cowboys offense would miss him too much.
If the Seattle game last week perked up my ears, this game got my attention with a roaring blast. It was tough to understand the Cowboys offense from last week because it wasn't realistic - it wasn't how we were going to see it on Week 1. Now that we've seen Bledsoe absolutely shred an opposing defense (and c'mon, the guy looked AWFUL during last years' preseason and he still put together a solid year - imagine this one) without dynamic Terrell Owens, we have a better idea of how this team will operate, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. I'll have some more next week, please.
Talk about different beginnings.
Last week Tony Romo's first drive stalled on three plays and the Cowboys were looking vulnerable. After Bledsoe's start to this one, we won't have any such quandries this week. And I'm sure we'd all like to think this will shut ESPN up about there being some bogus "QB Controversy," but hey, sensationalism sells folks.
Romo's play last week was great because it chronicled, in effect, what the Cowboys could be someday down the road. That's nice. Drew Bledsoe's play tonight was great because it showcased the Cowboys offense of right now. That is more than nice. That was something else.
The problem with this game is that it is tough to gauge where to draw the line between the Saints' skill level and the Cowboys'. The 'boys played very well in this game, no doubt, but did the Saints just play that poorly? It's probably some place in between, but regardless, Drew Bledsoe looked strong. Very strong. His mobility still sucks and I cringe every time he so much as thinks of shuffling his feet in the pocket, but lucky for us we didn't see a whole lot of that, which was due in large part to the offensive line. I was critical of the line last week, but not in their capacity as pass blockers, and they held up once again. We can once again pass off the competition as the Saints and forget all about it, but that would be foolhardy. The Saints pass rush is not tops in the league, but guys like Smith and Grant are solid NFL ends, and Flo/McQuistan along with Jason Fabini were doing a good job of using their momentum against them and shoving them wide of the target, thus creating a nice pocket for Bledsoe to sit down in. Bledsoe was doing a ton with that extra time and was hitting his spots, really looking like he was in early season, 1st half form. We heard from Tony K. and Theeesman about how Terry Glenn and Bledsoe had found their rhythm early on, and it showed. Bledsoe and Glenn shared that rapport, and boy can we rest easy.
The run blocking looked like it took the Saints defense by surprise on the first drive, but it settled into a pretty predictable pattern thereafter. It seems to me like the issue is the initial drive off the line of scrimmage. There are some pretty large pockets for the runners to exploit, but they simply can't reach them because the line can't push the pile. I've just come to accept that unless he is one-on-one, Julius Jones goes down like a house of cards, which is not necessarily a terrible thing. Jones is more of a north-south back than most give him credit for, and when he's forced to high-tail it for the sidelines on most every play, he is gang-tackled and stuffed. He needs daylight, however small it may be, to flourish, and he isn't seeing enough. Marion Barber's problem is less severe, but I'm not sure if his skill level is as high as JJ's. MBIII doesn't need near as much protection as Julius does because he is able to power through or slip underneath big tackles, and it allows him to hit those pockets with higher frequency. I will point to the Cardinals game from last year as exhibit A. And I like Tyson Thompson a ton, but he is just too boring. He still hasn't developed any real moves and his blazing speed is mostly wasted because he refuses to avoid defenders. He is effective on sweeps and draws occasionally, but in a normal setting, he runs straight into the pack at full speed. And we wonder why he lost his job as a kick returner.
Elsewhere on offense, Sam Hurd looked better in the hands department as he didn't drop one all night (and how about that TD catch - boy this kid could be something), and Tony Romo finally busted out that big howitzer hanging off his right shoulder (okay, okay, quit laughing) and found workout warrior Miles Austin flying down the sideline for a touchdown. I'm not sure how close Austin is to holding onto his roster spot, but his snag-and-dash tonight certainly helped his cause, even if it was against the scrubs. And I don't care if his first quarter punt return only netted him four yards, I liked Skyler Green's thought to try and break it out. Creativity has been lacking on special teams for these past couple of years, and it seems Green is at least giving it a shot. And plus, he reeled off a nice (and his only nice) punt return in the second half, stepping through a bad tackle or two, making a beautiful cut and dashing towards the sidelines for a semi-big gainer. If that is what is being developed, I can't wait to see a more polished product.
Last week the defense played very well, especially the first-teamers, and we saw an even more impressive follow-up tonight. I know it's tough to say that when NO scored four more points than Seattle and the Saints fumbled on the Dallas one (props to Al Singleton for at least getting in there), but the first team production is what you needed to be paying attention to. The defensive line was still pretty static, but my goodness were the linebackers and defensive backfield everywhere. Spears looked solid and seems to be showing no ill effects from his surgery earlier this month and Ferguson improved as well. It was likely because of their play that the guys behind them were able to succeed. If the defense as a whole got a gold star for their play last week, DeMarcus Ware got his tonight. Ware simply looked unbelievable. He flashed his speed and chased down the "fastest RB on earth" in Reggie Bush (who, by the way, was completely shut down by this fantastic D), making a splendid open-field tackle on the rook and then welcoming him the NFL with what I'm sure were words of love, kindness and fuzzy thoughts. Ware also completely bull-rushed Saints starting left tackle Jammal Brown, knocking him completely over en route to a solid QB pressure. Ware's strength constantly amazes me. I know how fast he is - hell, I knew the second he was drafted that he'd be chasing guys down in the open field. But his strength is just something else. I never get tired of seeing it.
Greg Ellis had another great outing, and he is making a case that perhaps he can be a more consistent stand-up starter than we had previously thought. Personally, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know he is a strong football player and a great athlete, but he just wasn't meant to be in coverage, which is about half of a 3-4 linebacker's duties in Parcells' scheme, maybe more. Now I could be repeating this every week as Ellis continues to accumulate tackles and continues to improve at outside linebacker, but I fear the Cowboys moving Bobby Carpenter inside could have something to do with Greg Ellis playing a more prominent role on the edge. I sure hope they know what they're doing here, because that LOLB spot seemed perfectly suited for Carp as it was sure to be open competition. Instead we have him sitting behind free agent pickup (who had a great showing tonight) Akin Ayodele and Bradie James, who is the new leader of the front seven. The only reason I can see for the shift is that the Cowboys are not planning on renewing James' contract after this year, which I suppose is a very real possibility. I proposed earlier this summer that the Cowboys wait on James' season before they pony up the cash to keep him, so perhaps that is what they are doing now. Whatever the case, I just hope this shuffle is the right one.
Random notes: Bobby Carpenter blew coverage on running back Jamaal Branch in the early stages of the second half. Carpenter's coverage was decent, but he failed to account for the running back coming out of the backfield and his recovery time was slow. Maybe this is apart of the growing pains that come with switching to the inside. These are expected hiccups from a rookie, and especially in preseason, but it was still something Parcells and Pasqualoni will likely have a chat with him about... Aaron Glenn continues to see time with the lesser known guys, and he continues to shine. I don't know what it is about this guy that makes him so good, but he could be the most consistent player the Cowboys have (when healthy, of course)... I'm convinced that Lousaka Polite is a waste of a roster spot. He just isn't very talented. He can block alright, but with the two-tight end offense his services have become increasingly unnecessary, and every time he gets on the field, which isn't often, he further proves why some deserving candidate who was relegated to the practice squad is getting shafted because of the "need" for at least one fullback on the roster. Even when he was scoring touchdowns last year, i.e. against Philly, he neither dove for the pylon nor acknowledged that there was anybody on the field other than himself. Especially now with Fasano, Polite is as expendable. Maybe that's harsh, but I just never thought his role was involved enough to warrant a spot on the final 53. While he didn't make it to the active 46 very often, the Cowboys will probably have to risk sending a young, talented linebacker (like Hoyte perhaps) or a wide receiver (maybe Miles Austin) through waivers to put them on the PS, when they could just part with Polite and be done with it. I don't think the Cowboys offense would miss him too much.
If the Seattle game last week perked up my ears, this game got my attention with a roaring blast. It was tough to understand the Cowboys offense from last week because it wasn't realistic - it wasn't how we were going to see it on Week 1. Now that we've seen Bledsoe absolutely shred an opposing defense (and c'mon, the guy looked AWFUL during last years' preseason and he still put together a solid year - imagine this one) without dynamic Terrell Owens, we have a better idea of how this team will operate, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. I'll have some more next week, please.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:34 AM
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