NFL: Cowboys's slow starts are cause for concern
Cowboys' offense knows it must do more early to keep winning.
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Start slow. Finish fast.
That's been the Dallas Cowboy way through four games this season, and at least one high-profile member of the team's top-ranked offense warns it could be a recipe for disaster.
"I can't put a finger on why we start slow," Terrell Owens said. "But at some point, we have to realize we're going to come down to a stretch of games where we play teams that are efficient on offense. The teams we have played as of late, they haven't really done anything offensively."
The Cowboys (4-0) have scored just six points — two field goals — in the first quarter. So far that hasn't been a problem, mainly because the defense has allowed only 12 first-quarter points.
And another slow start Monday night in Buffalo shouldn't matter much either, considering the Bills (1-3) are 31st in the 32-team league in offense.
But what happens in two weeks when Dallas faces the New England Patriots, who average 431.8 yards and 37 points per game, numbers that trail only the Cowboys' 440.8 yards and 37.8 points?
"We've got to be more productive early or that is going to hit us," owner Jerry Jones said. "We should work on that. We'll get in trouble, and we almost got in trouble the other day."
The Cowboys smashed the St. Louis Rams 35-7 last week, but the score was 7-7 late in the first half. Fortunately for Dallas, Tony Romo miraculously turned an errant snap into a 4-yard gain for a first down and then dashed 15 yards for a touchdown five plays later.
Romo's heroics sparked a club-record matching 21-point third quarter. The Cowboys have scored 21 points in the third quarter only five other times, most recently against the New York Giants in 1994.
"The Rams could have taken that bad snap in for a score and taken the lead," Jones said. "It could have been a loss."
Fortunately for Jones, his team's offensive play in the second half has been scintillating. Dallas has scored 107 of its league-high 151 points after halftime, more than the total point production of 26 other teams.
Romo attributes the second-half surge to an offensive line that averages 324 pounds. Battling all of that bulk wears defenses down, Romo says.
"They are fantastic," Romo said of Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo.
"I don't know that they could be playing any better than they are," Romo said. "They are doing a phenomenal job. They give us a chance to close out games."
Buffalo coach Dick Jauron also is impressed.
"They're very stout up front, very good pass protectors," Jauron said. "In the run game, they can overwhelm you. They pose problems for everybody."
So why isn't the line dominating early?
"Teams get behind and their defenses don't quite have the same energy in the second half," Romo said. "Plus, it's so hard to run the ball in the first quarter in the NFL. The defensive players are so emotionally charged up that they will throw their bodies around anywhere."
Still, Romo and other members of the offense say they know the unit must find a way to begin games firing on all cylinders or face the consequences.
"You get caught up being 4-0, but this team is really concentrating on these kinds of things," Jason Witten said. "Because you're not going to beat teams starting slow.
"I don't think it's one thing we're doing. We've just had some three-and-outs. We just haven't been able to get things going from the beginning."
Romo says one reason for the slow starts has been that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has seen some defensive looks he wasn't expecting.
"The Rams had some exotic looks," Romo said. "It took us awhile to adjust."
Witten agreed.
"We've been able to communicate across the board and adjust," he said. "Like we were able to come out after halftime in Chicago and throw the ball 20 times.
"But I think a fast start and really getting things going is something this team really needs to concentrate on."
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Start slow. Finish fast.
That's been the Dallas Cowboy way through four games this season, and at least one high-profile member of the team's top-ranked offense warns it could be a recipe for disaster.
"I can't put a finger on why we start slow," Terrell Owens said. "But at some point, we have to realize we're going to come down to a stretch of games where we play teams that are efficient on offense. The teams we have played as of late, they haven't really done anything offensively."
The Cowboys (4-0) have scored just six points — two field goals — in the first quarter. So far that hasn't been a problem, mainly because the defense has allowed only 12 first-quarter points.
And another slow start Monday night in Buffalo shouldn't matter much either, considering the Bills (1-3) are 31st in the 32-team league in offense.
But what happens in two weeks when Dallas faces the New England Patriots, who average 431.8 yards and 37 points per game, numbers that trail only the Cowboys' 440.8 yards and 37.8 points?
"We've got to be more productive early or that is going to hit us," owner Jerry Jones said. "We should work on that. We'll get in trouble, and we almost got in trouble the other day."
The Cowboys smashed the St. Louis Rams 35-7 last week, but the score was 7-7 late in the first half. Fortunately for Dallas, Tony Romo miraculously turned an errant snap into a 4-yard gain for a first down and then dashed 15 yards for a touchdown five plays later.
Romo's heroics sparked a club-record matching 21-point third quarter. The Cowboys have scored 21 points in the third quarter only five other times, most recently against the New York Giants in 1994.
"The Rams could have taken that bad snap in for a score and taken the lead," Jones said. "It could have been a loss."
Fortunately for Jones, his team's offensive play in the second half has been scintillating. Dallas has scored 107 of its league-high 151 points after halftime, more than the total point production of 26 other teams.
Romo attributes the second-half surge to an offensive line that averages 324 pounds. Battling all of that bulk wears defenses down, Romo says.
"They are fantastic," Romo said of Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo.
"I don't know that they could be playing any better than they are," Romo said. "They are doing a phenomenal job. They give us a chance to close out games."
Buffalo coach Dick Jauron also is impressed.
"They're very stout up front, very good pass protectors," Jauron said. "In the run game, they can overwhelm you. They pose problems for everybody."
So why isn't the line dominating early?
"Teams get behind and their defenses don't quite have the same energy in the second half," Romo said. "Plus, it's so hard to run the ball in the first quarter in the NFL. The defensive players are so emotionally charged up that they will throw their bodies around anywhere."
Still, Romo and other members of the offense say they know the unit must find a way to begin games firing on all cylinders or face the consequences.
"You get caught up being 4-0, but this team is really concentrating on these kinds of things," Jason Witten said. "Because you're not going to beat teams starting slow.
"I don't think it's one thing we're doing. We've just had some three-and-outs. We just haven't been able to get things going from the beginning."
Romo says one reason for the slow starts has been that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has seen some defensive looks he wasn't expecting.
"The Rams had some exotic looks," Romo said. "It took us awhile to adjust."
Witten agreed.
"We've been able to communicate across the board and adjust," he said. "Like we were able to come out after halftime in Chicago and throw the ball 20 times.
"But I think a fast start and really getting things going is something this team really needs to concentrate on."
posted by The Gryphon at 10:11 AM
<< Home