Dallas Cowboys turn up the heat on the Red Zone
By Dave Crome The 33 Sports
August 9, 2009
SAN ANTONIO, TX - But some of the images the defenders can't get out of their heads, having to start with a short field and still keep their opponent out of the end zone. Of course the offense and special teams have to share the responsibility for putting the defense into that position and all three of those areas have been a focus during the many practices this week.
Flimsy special teams coverage along with turnovers by the offense helped put the opponents in the Dallas red zone 56 times, a dozen more than 2007, that's quite a weight to lay on the shoulder pads of the defense and that's why they brought in Joe DeCamillis to lighten load. and has returned the special teams intensity to a special kind of level.
"He's all about playing fast and physical" said Bobby Carpenter who has stayed on this roster with solid play on the special teams the last three years. "His style is don't worry about making a mistake, go out there and be aggressive down the field and make them react to us instead of them reacting to our return" Carpenter said.
"We really want to establish a sense of urgency" said DeCamillas. "We want to put the importance on it, every single play out. The players have responded to that, trying to practice at a little faster pace during those periods. We're trying to upgrade the personnel, we have speed and competition at all positions."
That's music to the ears of the defense which overcame the short fields to turn in the NFL's sixth best percentage of holding teams out of the end zone when they got inside the 20.
"If the guys get 7 points hard to bounce back" said linebacker Bradie James. "When you hold them to field goals it's always good. In the red zone, the antennas go up and you have to stop them, so they don't put seven on the board" James said after drawing loud applause for stopping Marion Barber in his tracks near the goal line.
"When we're on the goal line we really gotta put our hard hats on" said Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware. "Having a guy, #56 , Bradie James, the hammer, laid the hammer down on Barber and stopped the touchdown."
James received congratulations from nearly every defender out there and took pride in pushing Barber backwards. "MB is known for scoring, I had to stick my head in there before he hits me back."
It's not Barber that James should look for. He's got some linemen upset they couldn't create the hole for the touchdown. "As a linemen you take pride in it " said center Andre Gurode. "You know what, you take pride in it, and I'll look for next shot, a free shot at the linebacker" Gurode said with a smile.
He will get several opportunities because built into many of the 11-on-11 practices are red zone sessions, and since there's no hitting allowed, it's as close to a live drill as you'll get until the first pre-season game on Thursday.
Ware plans on showing off some of the red zone intensity in that game against the Raiders. "With us being aggressive, getting on the other side of the line and making sure that we're there instead of letting them lean into the touchdown and make big plays, we have to stop them on the other side of the ball."
The key of course is not having to get into that jam and field position should improve leaps and bounds this year. The addition of DeCamillis along with kickoff specialist David Buehler who is expected to force touch backs nearly every kick. Mat McBriar says he feels great, so getting his punting yardage back should be a major plus.
Then there's the offensive turnovers in enemy territory. This this team has focused on that as well and this time it includes the green, fines. Nothing like getting the point across by being hit square in the pocket book.
August 9, 2009
SAN ANTONIO, TX - But some of the images the defenders can't get out of their heads, having to start with a short field and still keep their opponent out of the end zone. Of course the offense and special teams have to share the responsibility for putting the defense into that position and all three of those areas have been a focus during the many practices this week.
Flimsy special teams coverage along with turnovers by the offense helped put the opponents in the Dallas red zone 56 times, a dozen more than 2007, that's quite a weight to lay on the shoulder pads of the defense and that's why they brought in Joe DeCamillis to lighten load. and has returned the special teams intensity to a special kind of level.
"He's all about playing fast and physical" said Bobby Carpenter who has stayed on this roster with solid play on the special teams the last three years. "His style is don't worry about making a mistake, go out there and be aggressive down the field and make them react to us instead of them reacting to our return" Carpenter said.
"We really want to establish a sense of urgency" said DeCamillas. "We want to put the importance on it, every single play out. The players have responded to that, trying to practice at a little faster pace during those periods. We're trying to upgrade the personnel, we have speed and competition at all positions."
That's music to the ears of the defense which overcame the short fields to turn in the NFL's sixth best percentage of holding teams out of the end zone when they got inside the 20.
"If the guys get 7 points hard to bounce back" said linebacker Bradie James. "When you hold them to field goals it's always good. In the red zone, the antennas go up and you have to stop them, so they don't put seven on the board" James said after drawing loud applause for stopping Marion Barber in his tracks near the goal line.
"When we're on the goal line we really gotta put our hard hats on" said Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware. "Having a guy, #56 , Bradie James, the hammer, laid the hammer down on Barber and stopped the touchdown."
James received congratulations from nearly every defender out there and took pride in pushing Barber backwards. "MB is known for scoring, I had to stick my head in there before he hits me back."
It's not Barber that James should look for. He's got some linemen upset they couldn't create the hole for the touchdown. "As a linemen you take pride in it " said center Andre Gurode. "You know what, you take pride in it, and I'll look for next shot, a free shot at the linebacker" Gurode said with a smile.
He will get several opportunities because built into many of the 11-on-11 practices are red zone sessions, and since there's no hitting allowed, it's as close to a live drill as you'll get until the first pre-season game on Thursday.
Ware plans on showing off some of the red zone intensity in that game against the Raiders. "With us being aggressive, getting on the other side of the line and making sure that we're there instead of letting them lean into the touchdown and make big plays, we have to stop them on the other side of the ball."
The key of course is not having to get into that jam and field position should improve leaps and bounds this year. The addition of DeCamillis along with kickoff specialist David Buehler who is expected to force touch backs nearly every kick. Mat McBriar says he feels great, so getting his punting yardage back should be a major plus.
Then there's the offensive turnovers in enemy territory. This this team has focused on that as well and this time it includes the green, fines. Nothing like getting the point across by being hit square in the pocket book.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:15 PM
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