Seven Practices Later and What Do I Know?

Outstanding write up as usual.

You put the professionals to shame. Keep up the good work.

Great piece again Rafael. Did a little of the glass half empty Bill Parcells rub off on ya? One thing I disagree with is we will still see and use the 4-3. However, why practice it or run it in preseason. I meand Ferguson, Ellis, Glover, Ware, hey even Spears played both in College as did Canty although I agree he looks the part of a 3 man DE or 4 but he played a lot of 3 man fronts at UVA. At any rate there is no reason to line up the team in any of that as we convert to a 3-4. Ellis, Glover and the rest of those guys know that playbook by heart………so does Zimmer.

It is time to install and learn the 3-4 and evaluate the LBs. I still think come regular season we will see plenty of 4 man fronts. At least next year………after that and another draft……….who knows.

Maybe it is just me, but I ain’t that worried about RT. I mean LA is an option. It just seems to me that we have more talent along our offensive line now than in a long time. I think a rookie like Petitti might even be the answer. The kid sure looks hungry showing up slim and tim and big enough to cause and eclipse. I am looking forward to seeing him work against Seattle. Now if Rivera is still riding a bike come September then we might have problems.

It is refreshing to hear Patrick Crayton is doing well. We have gambled on low budget recievers and the head case A Bryant long enough. I hope Crayton and Copper can both step it up and give us some 3rd and 4th recievers. Nothing against Morgan all for him making a difference too. It would just be nice to go into next years draft with the option of not having to go after a 1st round WR……..maybe a 2nd or 3rd or maybe we find another OLB that is 250+ and has the Bill Parcells coveted size and strength. Move Burnett inside next to Dat……..then we might have something and a damn young front 7 to boot. Well we got a lot of football before the draft next year.

I still think this team can win 10 or 11 football games and be competitive. I see special teams improving, defense improving, offensive line improving, and our RUNNING GAME improving. If all those happen and we don’t ask Drew Bledsoe to force the ball or win the game in the 4th every week………I think this team can do very well.

we should trade greg ellis for a stud young WR or a FS. very nice reporting. if these OLBs can’t get to the QB, why not line up roy williams at LB sometimes, and let one of the other DBs play SS

Rafael,

Great analysis!

I fully agree about the linebacker position. Ware is a terrific pass rusher, but, out of the 3-4, he is unsure when to move to the QB. Singleton is a valued veteran, but is NOT a pass rusher of any consequence. Behind them, there is only youth and inexperience.

You are probably correct about the installation of the blitz packages, but I wouldn’t expect to see too much of them in ANY of the preseason games. The ‘good’ stuff will only come when the regular season starts. Let’s just hope that they can pull it off by then.

There is also a lot of talk about under-shifted and over-shifted 4-man lines. I expect them to install that behind closed doors too.

Jon,

They may know it, but you don’t go through three weeks of camp and not teach some 4-3 technique? The young guys don’t know how Dallas wants to run in in the pros.

I agree with you though that if there was one player you could pick that could make the defense explode it would be one more big OLB. And I would do exactly what you recommend, move Burnett inside.

The question we have to look at going forwards is how many players are already “in house?” On defense, the answers at FS and SOLB are not there, IMO. I hope Keith Davis makes me eat those words.

On offense, Petitti may be the answer at RT in time. I think the biggest need is getting a younger version of Keyshawn, a big guy with some burst.

QB, well, let’s see what Romo does. And Bledsoe for that matter.

Well I agree! Send Roy W. on a blitz from the linebacker position, and have one of the coners drop back into coverage, at least to keep the opposing offense honest!

THE DOCTOR

Dr. D.,

Be sure that you will see A LOT of Williams blitzing. But you shouldn’t
have to blitz him on every down to get a rush. Not if you’re a really good
team. Otherwise, opponents will just look for him and Ware and be done with it. You need as many rush options as possible.

I agree with all of you. Rafael, your writing is what is keeping me going. Forget DC.com and the morning fishwrap. Keep it up.

Jon, we have been a run left team for years. I see no reason for that to change, so RT is not a big problem if Pettiti can keep Bledsoe clean. I am also ready for some of the young WR to step up, starting with Crayton. We can’t spend 1st round picks on every position. Next year, we need LB or this defense will underperform forever.

rparr, Ellis may be ready to be traded (I was not in that camp at first), but why not for a young but experienced OLB? That seems to be our biggest hole right now, if Pettiti can play at all. Then, Burnett can come inside, and Fowler and Shanle can back up Burnett and Dat, who might get traded next year if one of them can light it up. James can back up outside or leave as a FA, if he doesn’t get it.

Mr Bill, I didn’t so much see tentativeness against AZ as willfully holding back. It wasn’t like Ware didn’t know when to go—he just didn’t go. He hung near the line. I expect to see the blitz package in the season, not now. Right now, the job is to learn to coordinate against the run and get as much push as possible with three men. The fourth and fifth (and . . .) will be added later. I also would not be surprised to see Roy at LB in the nickel a few times, just to scare the hell out of other teams who don’t know what he is intending to do.

I know d-line rotation is key. However, reading these responses has given me a trade possibility. Why not trade a guy like Ellis for WR Roy Williams of detroit. He is the type of guy who if healthy could develop into the next big thing. Detroit has depth at WR and a bad Defense adding Ellis makes them better right away. The Cowboys now have 4 WR in KJ, Williams, Crayton, Glenn and depth at 3-4 DE.

Rafael,

I am all for patience with Romo and Henson over the next 2 years. Bledsoe gives us time. Hey worse case we can add a Vinny or one of the other FAs later in the year if Bledsoe was injured.

I do indeed hope Davis surprises us at FS. I mean the kid does get to the ball. I agree we are sort of weak at that, but it beats not having an Anthony Henry and Aaron Glenn on the roster. CB is much improved and I personally think TNEW will respond to having an A Henry and A Glenn around.

Another KJ? You are probably right. But I would say another Irvin. After all Michael did it all too, and could still stretch a D.(since i am a Cowboys fan I will not make the push off argument for our many detractors) I definitely want a young 6’1" + WR that can go across the middle and make a difference in a game. You know that speedy guy can sort of be found but Mr. Reliabilty is tougher. I sure hope Terry stay healthy if so look out the passing game could be on fire. I think he can be found, Mike Willams sure looks like the next KJ with more Red Zone potential due to his size. But hey, we could not have had him anyway and I would rather have BP picking LBs than WRs.

I am actually liking the youth movement on the Cowboys. We sure need it. I mean we sucked in the draft for so long……….sure hope that continues to improve. I am all for Bill Parcells running our draft even after he retires from Coaching.

Another great piece. Any sports website would be crazy not to hire you. I digress..

Ellis for Roy Williams?? Are we forgetting that Greg Ellis will be 30 soon, while Roy Williams is 22 (I think) and showed he was extremely talented in the games that he played last year. Don’t get me wrong, I love Greg Ellis. He’s been Mr. Consistent for our D-line. However, he’s not nearly as valuable as say a ‘young stud WR’. Of all the defensivly starved teams, I’d look at Green Bay and Donald Driver. Heck, I still might be valuing Greg Ellis too high, but Green Bay is as starved as a team can get on D. Another team I’d look at is the Bengals. I think a TJ Houshmanzadah type player is about the value your looking at.

If anyone thinks that Det would trade Roy Williams for Ellis needs to lay off the crack pipe.

Phil,

Ellis will be 30 soon but he’s productive at a position of intense need. Now, I’m not going to push for trading him right now. I’d like a chance to see how he performs in games. And it’s not exactly like Dallas is overflowing with rushers either. But if he were to go to market Ellis would have value, being 30 or not.

Well, Rafael, what you wrote today confirms what I was concerned about reading your columns all week; that the mental part of learning and converting to a 3-4 has the potential to make the D worse before it gets better. Plus, we may not even have the right personnel yet. In the meantime, with the success of drafting linemen that would appear to be well-suited to a 4-3 (Canty, Spears, and even Ware) I still have to wonder: why do we have to switch to a 3-4? Because BP had success in the past coaching teams who used it? Ware may have played in a 3-4 in college, but he clearly didn’t do much more than rush the passer. He sounds like he could be the next Dwight Freeney. With Ferguson, we finally have the big run-stuffer to play next to Glover that you, Dr. V., have been coveting for years. Maybe, the truth is that our defense was bad last year because of lack of talent. We have better talent now, and we could have maybe a very good 4-3 defense this year. Or we could have a 3-4 with a position or two missing and a lot of growing pains.

Maybe the light bulb goes on for these guys in a few weeks. The one positive note that I’ll add is that I heard some Cardinals people talking after the first game last week, and they noted (full of excitement and hype) that Dennis Green has been modifying his offense this year to put in a lot more motion and complicated sets and formations — designed to confuse defenses. This Cardinal guy — one of their announcers or beat writers — said that against the Cowboys they had run an awful lot of this new (Landry-esque) trickery and motion and were very excited by how well it had worked. Of course, that would seem almost unfair under the circumstances, going against the Cowboys’ first time effort at extensive 3-4, and it could account for some of the problems the defense had while Warner was in there. One thing’s for sure, we didn’t stop Seattle much when we played them last year, so they ought to be a good test, too.

Very nice write-up – would you please add your assessment of the special teams unit?

Ellis isn’t going anywhere. .. For Roy Williams? No way, but it won’t be Detroit laying off that trade it would be Parcells. Good edge players like Ellis are very hard to come by. He rushes the passer well, but also holds the edge and contains the outside. It seems to me ever since fantasy football came onto the spot, people forget how to win in the NFL … DEFENSE. If Parcells figures out how to get his best defenders on the field and all playing to their strengths, its going to be a good year in Big D. There is talent all over on this defense, and instead of looking at position by position and finding the weak spots, look at the unit as a whole. You don’t need Pro Bowlers at every position to be a great defense. No team has ever had that! Legitamatly the Boys have 6 defenders that can make the Pro Bowl this year (Roy, Newman, Henry, Ellis, Glover, and Ware). They have a very good third corner. Dat and Fergie do a little more than hold their own. The way everyone is talking about Canty and Burnett, they too are play makers. Coleman seems to be a solid contributor, as does Beriault. Spears is a beast. With James, Singleton, and Davis as roll players – this defense is very talented and very deep (18 players that are going to contribute). … Remember the Patriots won with a WR playing their nickel corner, last year “The Year of the WR”. We won with Larry Brown and Isaac Holt as our starting corners, and Thomas Everett manning that same FS position that worries us greatly now. … I can’t believe people are actually worried about Ellis. He will be fine, probably have the best season of his career. Ware, Canty, Spears, and Ferguson will free Ellis up so Parcells can use him the way he wants to, and that will only make him better. … They all will make each other better …

GG,

Ware’s not a DE. He’ll line up there in obvious passing downs, when the team goes to a four man line. But EVERY teaching minute in camp was spent with the OLBs. That’s where he’s better suited to play. And the linemen they have are better suited, overall to the 3-4. Canty, Coleman, Spears and Ferguson are all perfect fits for the 3-4. Inside, Fowler, Shanle and even Burnett, in addition to Nguyen can run 3-4. James could play in either scheme. The move to 3-4 will work because in the end it’s easier to find people to run it than it is 4-3. They’re one good OLB from having it all in place.

They’re done a lot of improving to the defense. Henry is a huge addition. Canty and I assume Spears will be as well. Coleman was going nowhere in the 4-3 but he’s a player in the 3-4. Ferguson will be ready when the bell rings. Ware is green but his talent is immense. By year’s end he should be much better than he is now and his talent right now is amazing. Watching him improve week to week should be one of the real joys of this season.

I’m a believer in going the 3-4 route. But it’s clear the job is not done. I just think it would be unfair to criticize the team for not completing 100% of a complete overhaul in one offseason when they’ve accomplished about 85% of the job.

I don’t think we saw much of a pass rush, because bp didn’t want to put it in yet. however, i am hoping to see some monday night.
  my main concern is on offense. riveria is on the bike all the time. AGAIN however, i am hoping this is bp way of keeping his prize ol healthy and giving other gaurds some reps.
 this is also my thoughts of jergie being on the nose in some of these preseason games. trying to keep his prize nt healthy and to see how the other will do. and give glover some valuable time to get refreshed in the 3-4.
 i am no longer worried about our secondary. i think they will be fine. i am not to worried about our special teams either. i think crowder will be replacing davis there. crowder is faster than davis, and he too has a nose for the ball. and on the return game. i would put T Thompson to return everything. let him us his speed. just give him a lane and 3 seconds.
 as far as tucker is concerned. bp has him where he wants him. tucker has the size, and bp has him by the ass. i can see tucker not making so many mistakes. if tucker can stop holding and jumping off sides. he could be an awesome rt. (however, those are “BIG” if’s.) i bet every time that tucker farts; he asked if that was how it was suppose to be done.

Great blog Rafael. Thoroughly informative, and I agree with everything you say. I made 3 TC sessions in Oxnard, and concur with many of your thoughts. Roy certainly was pivotal in the blitzing schemes displayed, I also 2nd your statement that we seemed to be lacking a little in the coverage situations at LB.

I will be interested to see what happens on Monday.

PS. Great to meet you at camp. You were just as informative in real life!

Trade Ellis? Not when one of our biggest concerns is our pass rush. Ellis won’t get many sacks out of the 3-4 front, but he will when we go to a 4-man front. When one considers that the nickel and the other 4-man fronts could account for more than half the defensive snaps, we certainly don’t want to trade away our second-best pass rusher (assuming Ware is all we expect him to be).

I still think Ellis will man the OLB spot, part time, in the 3-4. Look around the league at the other teams implimenting the 3-4, most starters in that scheme range in the 4.60 – 5.05 in the forty yard dash. Take San Diego for example, Steve Foley is about the same size, about the same age, and was a tad faster than Ellis in 1998, the year both players were drafted. What Ellis lacks in speed (in this comparison), he makes up for in sauvy and football intelligence. .. Another blogger pointed out that Parcells has implimented linemen as LB before, and in one of BP’s books it was said that it was as if the Giants played with a 6 man defensive line. I see all the time how LBs move up to the line of scrimmage and what appears to be 5 or 6 man defensive lines. The scheme and idea would be the 3-4, but the personell would closer resemble the 4-3 or even a set with 5 down linemen. Imagine being an OT, Marcus Spears lined up to your inside and Ware comes up over your outside shoulder, and on the other side Canty on the inside and Ellis walks up to the line on your outside .. some plays they blitz others they drop back into coverage .. some plays they show blitz and back off .. some plays it will be Ellis, Burnett, and Roy blitzing one side .. how confusing will that be .. but part of the idea of the 3-4 and never knowing where the blitz is coming from .. and having your proven pass rusher on the edge shouldn’t hurt you. .. OK on a third and long Ellis walks up to the line outside the OT’s shoulder and burst past the OT pressures the QB into an errant throw. On the next 3rd and long Ellis does the same thing, but this time swim moves to the inside, but low and behold #31 blows by them both untouched and clobers the QB, he fumbles and Dallas recovers. .. Who else that they can put at OLB demands that type of respect? Kalen Thorton? Bradie James? Al Singleton? .. Ellis may be our best option there in some packages.

cowboy bert,

Parcells has discussed Ware’s tentativenes over the course of several press conferences, during which he has used such terms as ‘traffic cop’, ‘chasing cars’, and ‘lost’. To me, that does not indicate any kind of deliberately holding back on Ware’s (or the coaching staff’s) part. Also, the first thing they worked on in the first practice after the Arizona game was defensive ‘recognition’ — the ability to tell whether a play is a run or pass and react accordingly.

Everything that Parcells has said on the subject over the past week, indicates to me that he is concerned about the ability of his outside linebackers (which certainly includes Ware) to handle the mental aspects of the 3-4 defense by the start of the regular season. That is also why Parcells is spending so much thought on 4-man fronts, and trying to figure out how much of that he should use during a game.

EricR, that sounds more like Buddy Ryan than Bill Parcells. Not that there is anything wrong with having a terrifying defense like that.

At this point, you still have to say no to trading Ellis. The pups look okay right now, but it’s a long season, and we don’t know what’s going to happen.

EricR,

You’ve probably answered this is previous postings, but I’m curious about something. You have mentioned on numerous occasions, the idea of moving Ellis to OLB. I have gone on record as being opposed to the idea, but I do see ONE situation where I would be in agreement with the idea. In pass rushing situations, where Ellis would line up just off the line as the pass rushing LB. I should have asked you this in previous conversations, but are you talking about a complete position switch, or an occasional move in situations such as the one I just outlined?

I still think you have to say no to Ellis at OLB as a change of position. You’d be talking about a guy who is already 30 years old and not fast enough to play the position. He’d have to learn the position, just like some of the younger guys we’re putting in at OLB. I just don’t see him beating them out at a position he has to learn. I know his experience and field savy would work in his favor, but unless you’re talking about him lining up close for pass rushing situations, I don’t see it working out well. I think Ellis can be an effective pass rusher in either scheme, but I worry about the coverage aspect with him.

I’d be interested in your thoughts on this.

EricR, you are also right about Thomas Everett, Ike Holt, et al.

Quick—what dominant right tackles have the Cowboys ever had? Rayfield Wright. Erik Williams for about a year and a half. That’s it. They have always been a left handed team.

What dominant free safeties have they ever had? Cliff Harris. That’s it. Michael Downs was a decent pass rusher, but lousy in coverage. Nobody else was in the top half, league wide. Yet, the team went to more Super Bowls than any other.

The Cowboys are closer on defense than offense to getting all of the pieces, although maybe not in maximizing execution. If the team is going to win this year, it will have to be because of defense and special teams. McBriar may be OK. Crowder looks like he can cover kicks, but we will need a few more like him. We desperately need an outside linebacker. Maybe we could con somebody into taking James or Singleton straight up for someone who doesn’t quite fit their system. I’m not sold yet on either of them, especially in this scheme, and time’s running out on both.

Rob2,

Here’s the problem with standing Ellis up in a 3-4: you lose all the element of surprise. He hasn’t spent a minute with the linebackers in camp. Wherever he lined up in a 3-4 package, the o-line would assume he was coming because he’s not dropping back into coverage.

On the Ellis traded subject. Are you guys serious? The guy can play DE in the 3-4, won’t make a sack in the scheme, but Coleman won’t either. Canty is another subject, so as Spears might be. We don’t know about Ratliff, he certainly has the power, but might be more of a talented sub.

My defense on Ellis lies on the most probable fact that Dallas looks like will play the majority of the snaps in a front 4, be it in the 42 nickel or in a 4-3 formation, Parcells has been saying for a while now that he will play something close to 40% of the snaps in the nickel and the remaining snaps could be given equally to 4-3 and 3-4 schemes, which could mean something close to 70% of the snaps in a front 4. Are you guys willing to give up on your best rusher in the scheme yet? Imagine this, the RT is facing throughout the game Spears and Coleman, 2 heavyweights, and then in the 4th Qtr, along comes the 4-3 scheme with Ellis on the side, Ellis in the past has proven that he can make it against a fresh RT with TE support, I’d like much more his chances against a worked up Tackle and TE. And in the 3-4, the LT would need to change his techniques with the changing DE, I mean, you can’t make the same moves against a speedy and technically sound DE as Ellis as what you would make against a power based player as Canty is. And Ware will be making their jobs easier, taking the attention of the LT and leaving them against the LG.

Rafael,

You’re right about the element of surprise, unless of course, you rush Ware instead. I might consider trying that on occasion if I were Parcells.

I am not in favor of using Ellis as an OLB. I could see the situation I described as an occasional change of pace, but only in certain circumstances. I just don’t think he’s well suited for the position. I do believe, however, that we need to throw a stunt or two at some of these offensive lines every now and then.

Ellis won’t have double digit sacks, but I think he is smart enough to understand that the ends in the 3-4 dont collect the sacks, the LB’s do. Richard Seymour is arguably the best 3-4 end, and he only gets around 5 sacks a year. We just need Ellis to fight those double teams in the 3-4 and let Ware and the others in there. He will get some pressures and some sacks, but dont expect his numbers to be huge, but this doesnt mean he isnt as effective.

Also, DET would NEVER trade Roy Williams for Ellis.

And its good to see that we won’t have to deal with Gates in Week 1. Great great news.

Lou:

I can certainly see Ellis with double digit sacks. I can see him having a sack almost every game in the 4th Qtr, if healthy (which wouldn’t be a surprise as he’s one of the healthiest Cowboys in a while). In the paper, now there’re a lot of things that this team can do, they can alternate now 3 schemes, with interchangeable parts and looks solid, even those OLB’s in the 3-4, if they have limited playtime (like 1/3 of the snaps). I’ll post the Defensive fronts we could see on the fiels, if I’m right.

42 Nickel, will be played the majority of the snaps, more than any other scheme.
Ellis/Spears – Glover – Canty/Ferguson – Ware/Ellis
Nguyen – Shanle/Fowler

3-4
Spears/Coleman – Ferguson/Glover – Canty/Ellis
Burnett/Singleton – Nguyen/Fowler – James/Shanle – Ware

4-3
Ellis/Spears – Glover – Ferguson/Canty – Canty/Ware/Ellis
Singleton/Burnett – Nguyen – James/Ware

Don’t ask how much do I see Ratliff and “wannabe Pepper” playing, because if it wasn’t for inuries, instead of being 2nd strings they would be third stringers, I can see them making the roster, but at least one of them inactive for most games.

Oh, there is a rider on that Gates deal.

If he signs at any time, Tagliabue can lift the suspension – which the players’ union will push for him to do.

I think the best we can hope for is that he remains a hold out, or holds out long enough that he’s not in football shape for week 1.

Cundiff has hurt hip flexor out 3-4 weeks,our running backs coach got run over by drunk driver and in hospital…..sheesh

maybe charles rogers for ellis the lions might think about it but even that, as for saying the boys would`nt trade ellis for roy williams i disagree, no offense to ellis but they would have his bags packed and introducing roy williams before ellis had one foot off the ranch.

I believe an Ellis trade may be premature at best. The best proven pass rusher the cowboys have. I don’t think so. Now if something happens prior to game one and we see Ware being all that and other young studs making some noise then you might could package Ellis and James to get a stud WR. I am not convinced that we need a WR yet, but it could be a interesting scenario for Detroit to consider. I am really concerned about the RT position. The youngster may be the real deal, but he is going to take some lumps early in the year and unfortunately they may be lumps for a less than agile Bledsoe. He is a big boy and run blocking shouldn’t be a problem, because as many have stated we are predominantly a left run offense anyway. I had hoped to see some of that change with the addition of Rivera and one of the RT’s finally seeing the light. How dangerous would this offense be if the opposing defense wasn’t sure what side of the field to watch. I was watching something the other day about the 10 greatest teams in NFL history. Irvin made the statement that the opposing team knew what we where going to run and we knew what we where going to run and there wasn’t a damn thing they could do about it. It will be great to see that said about this team some day.

Eric R,

You imbecillic homerism never ceases to amaze me. If you think for one second that if Detroit was stupid enough to offer Roy Williams for Ellis and Dallas would turn it down, you are too stupid to live.

If any starter gets traded, Ellis or not. It should be for a proven vet RT. The trade bait should come from the RB posistion.

Rob2,

I look at the scheme, and it can come from the 4-3 set with Ware as OLB, but that is not his strength. It may have that look, but again the scheme will be based on the 3-4 and Ware will move outside the OT to play to his stregnth. … Ellis playing LB for in a part time roll is not saying he will have to do what the other LBs do. He has backed into coverage in zone blitz packages at North Carolina. I never suggested a position change, but I did suggest to use him for a # of snaps at LB. As far as his age or speed, just look at some of the LB that have played in the 3-4 scheme and some guys that do so today. Kirkland (2 Pro Bowls at ILB), Foley, and Haggins played in successful 3-4 defenses, and none are so much faster than Ellis, in fact two are slower than him. And they started and played the majority of the snaps there, not what we would be asking from Ellis. … I think with Ellis out on one edge and Ware roaming the other with three “pluggers” in the middle, the Cowboys create one on one match ups that favor their players skills. Why would it work? Well, as I pointed out, Singleton, Thorton, and James doesn’t put fear into opposing offenses. Lining up Spears – Glover – Canty + Ware – Dat – Burnett – and Ellis, I’ll ask you, would that scare opposing offensive linemen? I think so. Another reason is there are too many good players on the D-line, and to get Parcells’ “best players” out on the field, someone has to move. … But to answer your question, I think Ellis at OLB would be a part of a 1st down and zone blitz package, where he would play close to the line of scrimmage, and occasionally back into a zone coverage, limiting his LB responcibilities. … Add depth and much needed size to the OLB position, plus a proven pass rush presence. .. It also creates more playing time for better players, because the better players are on the D-line as compared with the LB corps.

Obviously, Ellis doesnt get traded for a 22 yr old potential superstar. But could he still fetch a r1? That is the ques. I hate to see him go, but a r1 would be a great way to get over the blues.

Mr Bill:

I agree with your facts about Ware and the other OLBs, but have a different interpretation of them.

Other than the WR the Vikings took, Ware always had the biggest risk/reward potential (both ways) of anyone in the top 20 picks or so. From everything we have read, it sounds like he is a flat-out stud as an edge rusher. That has never been the question about him.

When he was drafted, the Dallas mediots immediately thought “Charles Haley.” Haley was a ferocious edge rusher who San Fran made into a mediocre linebacker, before Dallas got him and made him an undersized DE. He carried the Dallas line for a few years, but blew up his back trying to take on 350 pound tackles and had to retire far too early.

Parcells told the mediots no, he did not foresee Ware taking on tackles every play as a down lineman like Haley, and compared him instead to “Number 56.” LT was a big linebacker, who had played LB at North Carolina before the Giants got him. He was a ferocious edge rusher—we all remember what he did to poor little loudmouthed Joey T—but he was a LINEBACKER. He ran sideline to sideline, hit like hell on running plays, blew up RBs who ran circle routes into his zone, picked off passes, dominated games, and generally redefined the position.

The issue with Ware has never been whether he could rush the passer. He will do that quite well, I’m certain. The issue is, and has always been, can he be successfully converted into a dominating linebacker? Will he chase ball carriers down from behind? Will he defend the pass? At this point, we do not know, and if all he ever becomes is a third-down pass rushing 4-3 (or 4-2) end, he will be a draft day bust, given where he was taken and the team’s huge needs at that time.

At this point in the process, I could not care less whether he gets a sack or not against Seattle. It’s preseason! We know he can rush the passer!

Right now, I want to know two things:
(1) Can he coordinate with the other linebackers and stop the run? That looked promising against AZ, but that was AZ. Let’s see him and the rest of the D against a real NFL running attack.
(2) Can he defend the pass? I will be much more sold on him at OLB the first time he picks a pass than I will be when he gets a sack. I will like it even better if the RBs and TEs that hit his zone keep getting blown up four yards off the line on third and six, just before they can tuck the ball. His pass rushing is a given, while the rest will show that he may have the skill set, physical, mental, and emotional, to make the transition.

For the AZ game, the D obviously focused primarily on coordinating against the run. I suspect in the Seattle game, the focus will shift somewhat. We do not know what the focus of camp was before Rafael’s arrival (unfortunately, apparently neither do Eatman and Spagnola, who were allegedly present), but as you point out, after AZ it became recognition. Let’s see how Ware does this week at that.

This is still preseason. There is no need to show your ultimate plans, but a real need, especially in Ware’s case, to find out if he can do the job this year, and further, if he will ever be able to do the job at linebacker. He has talent, but that is all we know thus far. We are still looking at baby steps here, not finished products.

As for the other OLBs—I am on record as saying none are worth much, and that side could be the weak link that haunts the team all year, much moreso than RT, WR, or QB. This team can win with a pedestrian offense, but not with a defense that keeps letting the other team move the chains because of key breakdowns at crucial times. CB has been solidified, but breakdowns at OLB will give the other team first downs that will wear out the D and make the offense play from behind. It will be like water torture.

It sounds like burnett is starting to look good. Cowboy bert, Are u saying you think he would be better suited as a full time down lineman?

Cowboy Bert,

I don’t remember LT being a LB that covered RBs and TEs. What I do remember is how teams tried to run to his side a lot, to tame his agressiveness and keep him back on his heals, instead of always going forward. Taylor was a great pass rusher, so explosive that it struck fear into the hearts of the QBs he faced. Excelled against the run? .. not that I remember. Excelled in coverage? … not that I remember. … Now if Ware breaks onto the scene and starts consistantly beating OTs, thus demanding a double team, then he makes everyone in the front 7 much more dangerous. You can’t double everyone, and if Ware can be that presence good luck blocking Glover, Ellis, Spears, and Canty mono-e-mono, offenses will have to pick their poison. I think Ware’s success will be attributed to something that made LT great. LT had an unbelievable motor. He could beat double teams with his constant fluid movement and aggression to the QB. LT can get doubled three times in a row, and still have the motor to get to the QB on the third play.

No. We just do not know yet if Ware will make a dominant linebacker. At #11, your pick had damn well better become dominant, whatever his position. Ware is a huge gamble, and the jury will be out on him for a while. I just want to see him linebacking before I make up my mind. I suspect Parcells and Jones feel the same way, although of course they are pretty invested in seeing him succeed, as much as they have put into him.

On draft day, I thought Spears would probably impact the team more this year than Ware, although Ware would show himself to have more upside for the years ahead. Now, it seems possible that Canty might outdo both this year. Even if Ware struggles for a while, getting Canty at the end of the 4th may make up for it. However, the team still needs to stop somebody, which means it needs consistent linebacking, whatever the scheme.

EricR, LT rushed a lot, but not every pass play. I recall a few times that he picked balls and headed upfield, and I also remember his blowing up some fools who got into his zone. I do not recall his trying to run with RBs 1 on 1 in pass coverage, but I do remember his playing zones, being good enough at it, and QBs not knowing for sure if he was coming or dropping. He might line up tight, then drop into a passing lane. That is what Parcells envisions for Ware. Now, we all need to wait to see if Ware delivers. I’m not anti-Ware; we just don’t know yet. Even Ware doesn’t know yet how good he can be.

cowboy bert,

You are right about Ware, and not knowing yet, but Parcells is a good judge of this and from what I ahve seen of him he looks the part.

here is his highlight reel:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/draft?round=1&dl=nfl

As I said before too, these players are going to make each other better as a unit, if they can undestand each others strengths and play to one another.

My point about LT … he will always be remembered for his ability to pressure the QB and relentless persuit.

EricR, I agree completely. Parcells knows more than we do about talent. He thinks Ware will be good, and I am pulling for him to be right. We also know that the draft is full of disappointments, though I expect Ware not to be, when all is said and done. I just have a problem with people getting impatient for him to be either a finished product or a sack machine in his 2nd preseason game. he needs to save some sacks for the regular season, and he needs a lot of work to learn how to play maybe the most vital position in the 3-4.

If he turns out to be our LT, who will become our Carl Banks, the 2nd most vital position in the defense?

cowboy bert,

I read (and reread) your post in search of differences in our interpretations. I didn’t find any.

Ware can do anything (absolutely, anything) from a physical standpoint that one could ask of a 3-4 OLB. The only question that remains is, how long it takes for him to actually learn how to play the position in the NFL. This is certainly no knock on Ware. It usually takes rookies a while before they ‘get it’, even those who are NOT trying to learn a new position in a new defense.

cowboy bert,

Do you know who reminds me of LT? … Dwight Freeny. I have seen his relentless pursuit wasted at times. Take for example the Jets playoff games a few years back. The Jets offense opened the game throwing quick short passes, and on the first 3rd and long the Jets called an absolutely beauitiful screen to him side, taking advantage of Freeny’s agressiveness, that screen went for a long TD. .. The rest of the Dallas defense is going to have to take away the quick passes for Ware to be most effective, because you can’t have him using his burst and not getting close to the QB, it would be very frusterating and probably lead to an overaggressive player. As I see it Ware has excellent instincts, and the ability to beat double teams … from his highlight reel I have seen him go sideline to sideline after sniffing out a trap play to the RB (on the opposite side of the field) and the tackle was made in the back field. .. He also looped around the OT a few times and one play he drew 3 blockers to him. First of all if this happens in the NFL, the coaches will blitz that gap that is created, and players like Roy and Burnett will go untouched to the QB. Secondly Ware beat the triple team.

Oh I have to disagree with Carl Banks as the 2nd most important player. Leonard Marshall would have a lot to say about that. Out of the trio of Spears, Canty, and Glover there should be some quick moves into the offensive backfield, if they can, they will reak havoc on offenses. .. Like I said, it will leave to many plkayers to double, and not knowing where the blitz is coming from is going to cause even more confusion along the offensive line. …. That is why I still see Ellis and Ware playing the edge, with 3 “pluggers” in the middle. It just creates favorable match ups across the line for Dallas. Whether it be 4-3 or 3-4, the scheme will be a zone blitz package (more associated with a 3-4 defense), and Ware will line up outside the tackle.

EricR:

Really, truly, Jim Burt may be the most important position, but I think we have that one filled. I’ll admit I don’t know much about Ferguson, but Glover beats anything the Giants ever had as a backup when Burt got hurt or needed a blow. Without a good NT, runs up the gut keep the chains moving.

Once that player is in place, the OLB are next in importance. In Landry’s system, the most important players were the “flex tackles,” and he had two great ones, Bob Lilly and Randy White. That is why the Cowboys were so strong for so long. In Parcells’ (Belichek’s?) system, the outside linebackers have to make plays and force plays. The line’s job, as in Landry’s system, is to free up the linebackers from the trash so they can make those plays. I don’t think Parcells ever had a D line as talented as the one he is putting together here when he coached the Giants. Mostly, they were just big and kept people off LT and Banks, who pursued and hit everything.

Mark my words, Jacob Rogers will never play a down for the Cowboys!!!

Also, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think Keith Davis is the answer at FS.