He’s been utterly engulfed by blockers. Frankly, It’s amazing he’s done as well as the stats indicate with the amount of protection teams are employing to stop him alone.
Look at Jared Allen in Minnesota. Teams are used to playing max-protect because they have a fearsome front line, and suddenly KC’s sack master is no longer the unstoppable force he looked like last year. Ware makes this team much better with his mere presence; tack on the productivity and he’s arguably been the best pass-rusher in football.
I do agree about the line’s lack of interior push, but they’re doing quite a fine job in pass protection. It seems like more often than not the big-name O-line coaches stress keeping the QB upright more than creating running lanes, and if this is the case Hud has been as advertised.
As much of a rational (translate:stat freak) fan as I am, I continue to be underwhelmed by the year Romo’s having. I’m still a believer, but the interceptions need to stop and I can’t believe Crayton has regressed this much in such a short span. Witten’s a phenomenal player and my very favorite Cowboy, but I think It’s very possible that Tony’s overrelying on his security blanket.

He’s third on the team in catches, and on track to catch 48 over the season, and 4 TD’s. That is doing his job. I’m sick of everybody bagging on Crayton like he hasn’t done anything. Didn’t he put the game out of reach last week while simultaneously pulling everybody darling Austin’s bacon out of the fire? Everyone here has unrealistic expectations of the #2 receiver, and your disrespect of Crayton is deplorable. Last year he had 50 catches, 7TD’s, and 750 yards. Go look into Cowboys history and you find me a more productive #2 receiver, go ahead I’ll wait.

Now that I’ve made my point about Crayton, let’s move on.

Everybody has purely lost their minds about the Cowboys. It’s really pitiful to watch all these otherwise intelligent fans devolve into defeated, finger pointing, ESPN watching morons. If we can win while playing this bad, then just imagine how good it will be when things come together.

My suggestion, everybody chill, and let the Boys work things out. This incessant need to “fix blame” is not helping.

But I disagree about Ware. I think if the DL were doing better, he would be his usual unstoppable self. As it is now, he’s the only guy that consistently gets pressure, except Ratliff in the 4 man line. Teams just figured out that they don’t really need to double up on any of our DL, so they can tee off on Ware instead. I also think Anthony Henry has not played poorly, and a lot of the secondary inconsistencies are due to not working together long enough yet/injuries, and scheme. Every zone has open spots if there is no pressure on the QB.

Henry has surely played poorly…to the point where he should be benched or moved over to FS immediately………..He’s missing tackles consistantly, lost or burned in most coverages, and flat out stinking up the joint….I’m not quite sure of what you’ve been watching, but i’ve seen him get burned more than once in every single game they’ve played…..I say Adam Jones and Mike Jenkins should be our starting CB’s, with Orlando Scandrick playing the slot (while Newman recovers)….Have them all play up at the line in press coverage….There would vast improvement in our defensive production…..Henry has played himself out of a starting job…imo

First one, Ware is playing great, I don’t get where this dumb rumor started, but let’s squelch it now. It’s ridiculous. He gets no help from Ellis or Spencer and still has to be taken into account by the opponents offense every time he’s on the field. He’s a beast.

Second, Hamlin has certainly not been playing up to the level he played at last season. Captain of the secondary is not playing very well right now.

I do agree on 2 points.

First, the running game is as advertised, can take over a game. I love it.

Second, Witten is the best player at his position in the entire NFL. There is no one close. He’s separated himself from the rest of the TE’s by a noticeable margin. I think he could be our team’s MVP right now.

Has been non existent- as far as I can remember. Isn’t that why we got some CB’s, to alleviate that problem? I agree, BoyzRback, Jenkins and Pac are our pressure DB’s, and Scandrick is doing fine. When Newman comes back from injury, and if they keep Henry out there, are you gonna be satisfied seeing the old “10 yards back off the reciever” waltz that has been going on for the longest time? I’m surprised we haven’t lost more games because of it.

10 INT’s
2 F Fumbles

I don’t buy the Ware apologists’ comments that he’s “playing great” or “getting engulfed by double teams” or “he’s getting no help”. That’s BS crybaby stuff and great players play great despite their situation. Watch the games more closely. The Skins didn’t chip him, he just didn’t get there. McNabb had 6+ seconds on a play where DeMarcus overplayed him (not like he hasn’t done it before with McNabb). And to make matters worse, he had 5 different opportunities to NAIL Palmer last week and wussed it. Sorry, but he’s been mediocre and it just seems like he’s out there on the field humming “head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes” instead of playing nasty and setting the tone on the field for the Defense.

If you watch Ware closely, he is avoiding the big, bone-crushing hits that other pass-rushing OLB’s love to deliver. I counted 9 opportunities to get to the passer in the last 4 games (i will review the 5th next week) where he took a terrible angle that was more toward the ball and not the QB’s center mass. Wussage…

Everyone is complaining about the pass rush. Well, right now, Ware has to BE the Dallas pass rush and make the Spencers and the Ellises around him better. I don’t care if he causes a strip and recovery. I want to see him use his speed to cause some pain. So let’s stop making excuses for players who need to elevate their play and aggression.

Where have you gone, Charles Haley?

and NO, he isn’t double teamed on every pass play….To his defense though, teams have the blueprint to beat our pass rush, (3 step drops and fire to wide open underneath WR’s and TE’s) cuz we are playing a soft zone, in our traditional 7-9 yards off the line, and have yet to adjust……….Charles Haley couldn’t even do damage with this scheme playing behind him…Of course you never saw Sanders or Smith playing that far off the receivers.

I think he’s a Pro Bowl NT right now. Hands down the best player on our defense so far.

Tank has been playing hurt, Spears has been playing far superior to what he has in the past, and you want to trade Spears?

Sorry but Spears is too valuable to trade for a WR. Especially with Tank hurt. If Tank reinjures that ankle worse, then we start Hatcher at DE and Rat back at NT? No thank you.

In Contract years, they better step up or except the discounted salary..

and see down the field when the OL is pushed back in his face. I think his committment to stand tall in the pocket, ala Brady, has hurt him in this regard.

Second of all, he’s not a Cowboy. Only the Cowboys get discussed by the national media (unless things are rosy of course).

The more and more I think about it Ratliff needs to replace Spears. Ratliff plays good at NT, but in the long run he would be more effective as a DE. We need more speed and quickness on that side. If we had it, Ellis would probably be more effective, because right now he is not as dominate as he was last year. Call it age, underperforming, Spears playing next to him, whatever. I think Ratliff along with Ellis and Spencer would be better. In the off season I would suggest drafting a wide body NT 330-340 lbs. to rotate with Tank or even moving Spears at NT permnatly to rotate with Tank. Next years starting lineup should be Spencer OLB, Ratliff DE, Tank NT, Canty DE, Ware OLB. That would be my optimal 2009 lineup. A change needs to be made, hopefully sooner than 2009.

He’s been good, but not great. He’s playing out of position. He would be a better DE with his size, speed and quickness.