Offensive line is down, not set
Offensive line still in a bit of limbo heading into third preseason game
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – When the Cowboys left for training camp July 27, they were uncertain about their offensive line. The season opener at Jacksonville is now only 15 days away, but the uncertainty remains.
The offensive line you see in tonight's game against San Francisco at Texas Stadium might not have the same composition when the Cowboys play the Jaguars on Sept 10.
Coach Bill Parcells wanted to settle on his five-man unit earlier than the third preseason game, but circumstances and injuries have not allowed him to do it .
"I kind of wanted to know, but I'm not telling you yet," Parcells said coyly this week.
So if Marc Colombo starts his second preseason game, it does not necessarily mean that he has won the right tackle job. And if Andre Gurode starts for the third straight time at center, it doesn't necessarily mean Al Johnson will be a backup.
The other spots are secure – left tackle Flozell Adams, left guard Kyle Kosier and right guard Marco Rivera – but Adams might not play tonight because of a strained left calf.
Through two preseason games, Parcells called the line's play "fair" and "passable."
Quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo have been sacked only two times in 49 attempts. The Cowboys are averaging a staggering 10.8 yards per pass attempt, which means the line is giving the quarterback time and receivers are getting open.
The running numbers (3.0 yards per carry) are not as good, but Parcells is not alarmed yet. Starter Julius Jones has only 43 yards on 20 carries.
Since Parcells has been in Dallas, the Cowboys have not managed 4 yards per carry – the NFL average – for a season.
"We're making a few mistakes, but you've got to look at the film I'm looking at in the preseason," Parcells said. "Do you think the same things are troubling anybody else? ... I think we're making some improvements. It's not exactly where I want it, but ..."
More than any spot on the team, an offensive line needs time. Cohesion is as important as talent in some cases.
Gone are the days when lines grow together – like the Cowboys lines of the 1990s with Mark Tuinei, Nate Newton and Erik Williams as staples and mixed in with a Mark Stepnoski, Larry Allen and Ray Donaldson.
Two years ago, Kosier was in San Francisco, Rivera was in Green Bay, Gurode was a guard with the Cowboys and Colombo was in Chicago.
Adams and Allen, who returns to Texas Stadium with the 49ers, played next to each other for so long that they knew what the other was thinking as they came out of the huddle.
Kosier and Adams have had less than a half of work together in the preseason. They have spent time in meetings trying to accelerate the learning curve so that by the time the season starts, they can turn a quick look into a knowing nod.
"When you know what the other person is seeing, that helps," Kosier said. "I'm hopeful Flo and I will get it down."
Rivera does not know if Colombo, Jason Fabini or Rob Petitti (last year's starter) will be the right tackle.
"You get a feel for his body language, his playing style," Rivera said, "so you develop this tight-knit group even if it's a pass or a run."
Even if things were settled, Parcells is expecting problems tonight for his offensive line because San Francisco uses a different form of the 3-4 defense than the one the Cowboys have seen every day in practice during camp.
"This will be a little bit of a mental task for our quarterbacks and our offensive linemen here with thee guys," Parcells said. "They are doing a lot of stuff, and we really don't have a lot of time [to prepare]."
San Francisco at Cowboys, 7 p.m. today (Ch. 11; KTCK-AM 1310, KTDK-FM 104.1, KDBN-FM 93.3; in Spanish: KFLC-AM 1270, KFZO-FM 99.1)
THE FRONT-LINE SHUFFLE
How many offensive linemen will Cowboys coach Bill Parcells keep? Staff Writer Todd Archer's count:
LOCKS
LT Flozell Adams: Has been bothered by a calf strain and is coming off major knee surgery
RG Marco Rivera: Healthy again and playing better than he did in all of '05
LG Kyle Kosier: Free-agent pickup is replacing Pro Bowl guard Larry Allen
C Andre Gurode: Has worked with the starters since the first week of camp
C Al Johnson: Started 31 of last 32 games – but none this preseason
LG Cory Procter: His development led to the release of third-year player Stephen Peterman
NEAR LOCKS
OT Rob Petitti: Started every game at RT in '05 but seems forgotten
RT Marc Colombo: One of camp's biggest surprises, could start at RT
MIGHT NEED HELP
RT Jason Fabini
RT Pat McQuistan
PRACTICE SQUAD
C Matthew Tarullo
RG D'Anthony Batiste
RT Dennis Roland
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – When the Cowboys left for training camp July 27, they were uncertain about their offensive line. The season opener at Jacksonville is now only 15 days away, but the uncertainty remains.
The offensive line you see in tonight's game against San Francisco at Texas Stadium might not have the same composition when the Cowboys play the Jaguars on Sept 10.
Coach Bill Parcells wanted to settle on his five-man unit earlier than the third preseason game, but circumstances and injuries have not allowed him to do it .
"I kind of wanted to know, but I'm not telling you yet," Parcells said coyly this week.
So if Marc Colombo starts his second preseason game, it does not necessarily mean that he has won the right tackle job. And if Andre Gurode starts for the third straight time at center, it doesn't necessarily mean Al Johnson will be a backup.
The other spots are secure – left tackle Flozell Adams, left guard Kyle Kosier and right guard Marco Rivera – but Adams might not play tonight because of a strained left calf.
Through two preseason games, Parcells called the line's play "fair" and "passable."
Quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo have been sacked only two times in 49 attempts. The Cowboys are averaging a staggering 10.8 yards per pass attempt, which means the line is giving the quarterback time and receivers are getting open.
The running numbers (3.0 yards per carry) are not as good, but Parcells is not alarmed yet. Starter Julius Jones has only 43 yards on 20 carries.
Since Parcells has been in Dallas, the Cowboys have not managed 4 yards per carry – the NFL average – for a season.
"We're making a few mistakes, but you've got to look at the film I'm looking at in the preseason," Parcells said. "Do you think the same things are troubling anybody else? ... I think we're making some improvements. It's not exactly where I want it, but ..."
More than any spot on the team, an offensive line needs time. Cohesion is as important as talent in some cases.
Gone are the days when lines grow together – like the Cowboys lines of the 1990s with Mark Tuinei, Nate Newton and Erik Williams as staples and mixed in with a Mark Stepnoski, Larry Allen and Ray Donaldson.
Two years ago, Kosier was in San Francisco, Rivera was in Green Bay, Gurode was a guard with the Cowboys and Colombo was in Chicago.
Adams and Allen, who returns to Texas Stadium with the 49ers, played next to each other for so long that they knew what the other was thinking as they came out of the huddle.
Kosier and Adams have had less than a half of work together in the preseason. They have spent time in meetings trying to accelerate the learning curve so that by the time the season starts, they can turn a quick look into a knowing nod.
"When you know what the other person is seeing, that helps," Kosier said. "I'm hopeful Flo and I will get it down."
Rivera does not know if Colombo, Jason Fabini or Rob Petitti (last year's starter) will be the right tackle.
"You get a feel for his body language, his playing style," Rivera said, "so you develop this tight-knit group even if it's a pass or a run."
Even if things were settled, Parcells is expecting problems tonight for his offensive line because San Francisco uses a different form of the 3-4 defense than the one the Cowboys have seen every day in practice during camp.
"This will be a little bit of a mental task for our quarterbacks and our offensive linemen here with thee guys," Parcells said. "They are doing a lot of stuff, and we really don't have a lot of time [to prepare]."
San Francisco at Cowboys, 7 p.m. today (Ch. 11; KTCK-AM 1310, KTDK-FM 104.1, KDBN-FM 93.3; in Spanish: KFLC-AM 1270, KFZO-FM 99.1)
THE FRONT-LINE SHUFFLE
How many offensive linemen will Cowboys coach Bill Parcells keep? Staff Writer Todd Archer's count:
LOCKS
LT Flozell Adams: Has been bothered by a calf strain and is coming off major knee surgery
RG Marco Rivera: Healthy again and playing better than he did in all of '05
LG Kyle Kosier: Free-agent pickup is replacing Pro Bowl guard Larry Allen
C Andre Gurode: Has worked with the starters since the first week of camp
C Al Johnson: Started 31 of last 32 games – but none this preseason
LG Cory Procter: His development led to the release of third-year player Stephen Peterman
NEAR LOCKS
OT Rob Petitti: Started every game at RT in '05 but seems forgotten
RT Marc Colombo: One of camp's biggest surprises, could start at RT
MIGHT NEED HELP
RT Jason Fabini
RT Pat McQuistan
PRACTICE SQUAD
C Matthew Tarullo
RG D'Anthony Batiste
RT Dennis Roland
posted by The Gryphon at 6:24 PM
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