Cowboys Offense: What's a #1 Wide Receiver, Really?

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 17, 2009 1:00 AM CDT in General Comment 90 comments

There has been a lot of talk this offseason about the Dallas Cowboys receiving corps. The receiver talk lately has been about whether or not Patrick Crayton can fend off Miles Austin for the #2 spot. However, the majority of the wide receiver talk in Dallas this off season has been centered around whether or not Roy Williams can be a #1 wide receiver. To answer that question, we must first make clear the definition of a #1 receiver.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the top wide receiver for each team in the NFL averaged 74 receptions, 999 yards and just over five touchdowns. The numbers lay a good outline for what you can expect from a #1 receiver as far as tangible production, but the value of a #1 receiver goes far beyond what shows up on a stat sheet.

A true #1 receiver has to be a player who forces opposing coordinators to alter game plans. A true #1 is almost as valuable without the football as he is with it, for the attention he attracts coverage wise opens the field for teammates. In my opinion, a #1 still has to has some success even when he is the focus of an opposing team's defensive strategy. A lead receiver has to beat a double team sometimes, and has to be uncover able man-to-man all the time. Still, a lot of a #1 receiver's success is contingent on the play of those around him. If the team's other pass catchers don't make defenses pay, the lead dog will see a heavy diet of double coverage until they do.

It is fair to say that there is at least some correlation between lead receiver production and overall team success. Here is a look at all of the teams who made the playoffs last season, and a statistical snapshot of each team's #1 wide receiver:

Atlanta- Roddy White- 88 receptions, 1382 yards, 7 TD

Arizona- Larry Fitzgerald- 96 receptions, 1431 yards, 12 TD

Indianapolis- Reggie Wayne- 82 receptions, 1145 yards, 6 TD

San Diego- Vincent Jackson- 59 receptions, 1098 yards, 7 TD

Baltimore- Derrick Mason - 80 receptions, 1037 yards, 5 TD

Miami- Ted Ginn Jr.- 56 receptions, 790 yards, 2 TD

Philadelphia- DeSean Jackson- 62 receptions, 912 yards, 2 TD

Minnesota- Bernard Berrian- 48 receptions, 964 yards, 7 TD

Tennessee- Justin Gage- 34 receptions, 651 yards, 6 TD

Carolina- Steve Smith- 78 receptions, 1421 yards, 6 TD

NY Giants- Domenik Hixon- 43 receptions, 596 yards, 2 TD

Pittsburgh- Hines Ward- 81 receptions, 1043 yards, 7 TD

Of the 12 teams who qualified for the playoffs, 9 got at least 900 yards out of their top wide receiver. The 3 teams who got less than 900 yards out of their lead receiver (Miami, Tennessee, NY Giants) were all bounced from the tournament in their first game. Of course, every team distributes the football differently, so I am not saying that these numbers suggest that force feeding your lead dog is beneficial. What I do think is that the teams who went far in the playoffs all had a receiver whom they knew they could count on when they had to have a play.

By this definition, I do think that Roy Williams will be a more than adequate #1 receiver for the Cowboys this season and on into the future. As I said before, a lead receiver can only be successful if the other receivers, tight ends and backs can keep a defense honest. Roy will be accompanied by another very capable receiver in Patrick Crayton, and a less experienced yet immensely talented wideout Miles Austin. Opposing defenses will also have to contend with the league's top tight end tandem (Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett), and quite possibly the league's best running back trio (Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice). All the while, the offense will be orchestrated by one of the league's better quarterbacks, Tony Romo. All things considered it will be tough for defenses to key on Williams too often.

I think Roy Williams can most definitely have the type of impact that is to be expected of a #1 receiver. Let's all hope that a good season from Roy will translate into a little playoff success as it has for other teams.

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Nice write up Carl..

WR is the biggest concern for me. Oline second.

Miles and Hurd already hurt? Stanback too?

Yeah, I have reason to worry. We need to add another, soon.

by torchindefenses on Jun 17, 2009 1:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

And Ogletree

by TCBinNYC on Jun 17, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah.. frrssssst!

by torchindefenses on Jun 17, 2009 1:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Roy will do fine.

Roy and Crayton will do fine. Crayton will hold the slot and catch his 7 TD’s and 7-800 yds. Austin, Hurd and Stanback are injury prone, that’s a fact. I’ll be pissed if these guys are injured again this season and JJ doesn’t add another WR before camp. Pissed!

by torchindefenses on Jun 17, 2009 1:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Matt Jones anyone?

Jerry loves his Razorbacks………….
nothing flashy here just someone who has had some playing time already

by Nink on Jun 17, 2009 6:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

not going to happen

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 17, 2009 6:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, Jerry really loves his razorbacks

considering Felix Jones is like the first one he has ever drafted.

WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 17, 2009 7:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

where does that idea come from?

Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey

by Seanrude on Jun 17, 2009 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One of those things that has a nice ring to it

but no truth

by StillHateTheGiants on Jun 17, 2009 9:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Roy's just a different WR then TO is...

He even said himself he’s not a deep threat, but he uses his size and athleticism to over match DB’s and he has proven when he’s the #1 option he can suceed in that role…He’ll need to run more slants, be used very similiar to the way the Broncos used Brandon Marshall, let him get the ball in his hands and get YAC.

I like the sound of him getting back to 212 and seeing him working hard is encouraging, and I think we should expect around 85/1200/10 if he can stay healthy…It’s already looking like it’ll be a shuffle at WR behind him, so from the looks him and Witten will get a heavy load of passes.

We need to account for Roy’s strengths though, they are different from TO, and that’s Garrett’s job and something Romo needs to get comfortable with…I’m excited for RW to step his game up and shut some of these haters up who are taking shots at his game because Jerry made a risky deal.

Having Austin healthy with the ability to stretch the defense for the big play will be crucial though, even if he doesn’t get the ball on alot of those plays.

by LonghornsLegend on Jun 17, 2009 1:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Roy will be fine

but it is the injuries that concern me. Stanback, Austin and Hurd are already hurt. What if RW or Witten get hurt for a short or extended period of time? We are in trouble. We cannot afford anymore injuries to any of our WRs this season, there are not enough to go around.

Again, Carl. Nice post, Dude!

by Boyz4Life on Jun 17, 2009 1:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I second that, don't even want to imagine if we loose RW for say 4-5 games, nightmarish!!!!!!

by dcfanz on Jun 17, 2009 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we can all agree that if Roy can find his form from a few years ago, it will be a big help to the 'Boys.

However, can that really be measured in his statistical production? From the original post:

“It is fair to say that there is at least some correlation between lead receiver production and overall team success.”

I don’t know that I agree with that statement. Of the top 35 receivers in 2008 (as measured by receiving yards here), only 12 went to the playoffs. That doesn’t seem like much of a correlation to me. And the receiver with the most yards, Andre Johnson, missed the playoffs as well.

“Of the 12 teams who qualified for the playoffs, 9 got at least 900 yards out of their top wide receiver. The 3 teams who got less than 900 yards out of their lead receiver (Miami, Tennessee, NY Giants) were all bounced from the tournament in their first game. "

I think this would have more meaning if you backed it up with the numbers from the non-playoff teams. Here’s my calculations for #1 wideout’s receiving yards on playoff teams and non-playoff teams:

Non-playoff teams: 19,787 total receiving yards / 20 teams = 989.35 yards per team 20228 1011.4
Playoff teams: 12,470 total receiving yards / 12 teams = 1039.16 yards per team

It seems that playoff teams did get slightly more production out of their #1 receiver, about 50 yards more per season. Keep in mind this is a really small differential though, only slightly more than 3 receiving yards per game. Also note that Johnnie Lee Higgins, the Raiders leading receiver, only had 366 receiving yards. If you take him out of the equation and instead include tight end Zack Miller (778 receiving yards), the Raiders’ real go-to target, the non-playoff teams average jumps to 1011.4 receiving yards per team. This is only 28 yards less than a playoff team gets, or less than 1.5 yards per game.

The conclusion that I would draw from this is that the #1 receiver’s statistics really have very little to do with the team’s success. This doesn’t mean that they are unimportant, their impact can be felt by other players as well, whether they allow other receivers to get open or keep safeties out of the box to improve the running game. Roy Williams has a ton of talent, but in 2008 he didn’t put it to good use, posting a 44% catch rate, the lowest of his career and third lowest in the NFL among qualifiers (only Braylon Edwards and Justin McCareins were worse).

He is going to have to take a HUGE step forward if he wants to be a valuable player again. If he does, he will make the offense a lot more efficient (less incomplete passes and interceptions, plus an effect on the running game) but it wouldn’t necessarily be reflected in his traditional stats, which are heavily influenced by how many passes come his way. Basically, if you are trying to judge Roy Williams, judge him based on his (hopefully improved) catch rate and the offense’s overall efficiency, not based on his yards and TD’s. The former two will be key in how the Cowboys fare this year.

by Brendan Scolari on Jun 17, 2009 3:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm not worried about RW at all

The fact is he’s never had a really good qb throwing him the ball his entire career until last season when he had to learn the playbook on the fly.

With a TC under his belt and one of the best QBs in the game throwing to him, he’ll be just fine as a true #1 WR in this league, no question about….provided he stays healthy of course..I know, big if.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 17, 2009 6:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good old Glass is always full Terry!

If the Cowboys could only play like a team with passion and unity like my beloved
Boston Celtics, I would be happy.

by Captain Comeback on Jun 17, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

…

by northtexan95 on Jun 17, 2009 7:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Roy's form.

He only has 1 1000 yard season.

I would like to know the last team to win a playoff game with 3 undrafted WR’s that make up there top 4.

by Sharksbreath on Jun 17, 2009 8:02 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If you want to know that look it up yourself. I can tell you who will be the next though.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 17, 2009 8:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Check your info buddy

Both RW, and Crayton were drafted.

I wont even get into the fact that Witten is one of the top 4 receiving targets, gotta get past the idea that only WRs impact the passing game.

by Tenaciousc924 on Jun 17, 2009 8:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crayton isn't undrafted.

it was weird, I... I mean you probably didn't hear about it because I went under the name of Mike Honcho. But I just wanted you to know that. If you can hear me, if it got into your brain somehow. That I spread my buttcheeks as Mike Honcho.

by AirforceBat on Jun 19, 2009 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Number 1 wide receiver

From where did all this “ranking” of wide receivers originate? Up until just a very short time ago, I don’t remember anyone talking about wide receivers in terms of being #1, #2, #3, Etc. It seems to me that wide receivers should be discussed in terms of where they play, such as X position, Y position, slot, Etc. instead of some sort of numbered ranking.

I recall many people writing that they didn’t think Crayton was a very good #2 receiver but was a better #3. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that Crayton’s play is better suited as the slot receiver rather than as the Y receiver?

just wondering about all this ranking of receivers and what, if anything, it really means?

by geth13 on Jun 17, 2009 8:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Goes back for some time....

I remember it as far back as Rice and Taylor. Rice was the “go to” guy and Taylor was secondary. Rice was the #1 guy and Taylor was the #2. Same thing with Irvin and Harper. It’s been around for awhile. Fantasy Football has made a big impact on this talk as well.

by Big50 on Jun 17, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have high hopes for Roy Williams

Someone a few days ago said it perfectly when they said Cory Proctor would start for the lions. The last three seasons the lions have given up 52, 54, and 63 sacks. They have also thrown 19, 22, and 22 interceptions.
From what I have read Kitna’s strength is his quick decision making and getting rid of the ball. Detroits O-line is the worst in the league and responsible for the 0-16 year last year. Jerry Rice would not fared any better on this lions team.
Even with the horrific play of the o-line Roy still made plays. I expect him to have a good year with the cowboys. The Cowboys are going to run the ball and use two tight end sets a lot, so his numbers wont be great be he will do what he is asked to do and do it well.

by Musiccitynorm on Jun 17, 2009 8:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree that he'll be better with the Cowboys

I don’t even think that’s a question there, but have you seen Calvin Johnson’s stats from last year as the Lions #1?

by sublimezg on Jun 17, 2009 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mediots

Wilcox on nfl network this morning said he thought the cowboys had fallen behind the rest of the nfc east and they would finish last in the east.

Taylor from DMN said on espn he thought Dallas would finish 8-8.

Has the rest of the nfc east past us up? I don’t think so. When healthy last year I thought we were the best team in the east.

Oh yea, Wilcox was also saying Roy Williams and Tank Jhonson were going to make Cincy a better team and they were big losses for Dallas. He really played up Tank.

by Musiccitynorm on Jun 17, 2009 9:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

NORM!

I have a post I’m saving until closer to training camp going over just this opinion, but you’ve hit the nail squarely.

We’re clearly better on defense and have only one change on offense (unless you consider getting Kosier, Flo, Felix, and Barber back healthy)…and we’re worse???

The Jints lost both their starting WRs, 1/2 their secondary, and have some serious injuries on their DL…yet they’re better?

The Iggles lose (arguably) the best safety in the NFC, 1/2 their starting OLine, Westbrook is under the knife for the second time this offseason, they lost their TE, and the LBs are still very iffy…yet they’ve improved?

The Redskins…please.

It’s either ABC analysis (Anyone But the Cowboys) or pure ignorance.

It's not personal, it's just business

by Fighter15 on Jun 17, 2009 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And Romo, Kitna for Brad is a good move too.

“We’re clearly better on defense and have only one change on offense (unless you consider getting Kosier, Flo, Felix, and Barber back healthy)…and we’re worse???”

I don’t get it either,

by Musiccitynorm on Jun 17, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Foreskins are the only team that is considerably better of the three

Pretty much the same team but now with Stompworth. I’m not going to overlook them again this year.

The others are going to be worse. The Giants won’t make the playoffs. Eli will have his worst year ever.

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
-Winston Churchill

by HudBaby on Jun 17, 2009 9:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would be enjoyable to see Manning have a down year

But I think the trend will continue – there will be no losing teams in the NFC East for at least the 3rd straight year

by AustonianAggie on Jun 17, 2009 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are underselling the Eagles

They made some improvements in their offensive line and their draft this year (Maclin, McCoy, and Ingram) could pay big dividends in a year or two. Losing Dawkins hurt in the leadership department, but the guy turns 36 this season. Not many effective 36 year old defensive backs these days.

by TCBinNYC on Jun 17, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So their rookies are guaranteed, but ours suck?

What’s so great about their rookies. The “could” be good, but 1st rounders have a 50% success rate overall and WR is barely 33%. Success is not only NOT guaranteed, but is unlikely.

OLine is not about talent, per se, but continuity. They will struggle, as all Olines that replace more than half the starters. That is nearly a guarantee.

As for the D, they have some talent, but much less than in the past. Dawkins was still performing at an All-Pro level last year. Who they got? Bunch of scrubs, if you ask me.

It's not personal, it's just business

by Fighter15 on Jun 17, 2009 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking the same thing about their Oline.

Its always said the key to a good line is familarity and longevity. This line has 3 new guys and a guy coming back from depression. They look great on paper but it seems a tad early to call them the best. Not to mention play the Dlines in the NFCbeast is murder row.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 17, 2009 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

NFLN

I saw that segment on NFLN and it was ridiculous. Apparently Tank Johnson was a great DT, Roy Williams is one of the hardest hitters in the NFL (not since he decided to shoulder tackle everyone), and Ware will struggle more with those guys not there to take the pressure off. I was just in awe of how bad Wilcott’s analysis was. Then, right when I have had enough, JJT comes on and says the Cowboys will go 8-8 if lucky. That’s hilarious considering our team sustained a 9-7 season through injuries and drama.

Oh, and JJT, if you are going to suggest that T.O. become the #2 reciever behind Roy after the trade, I hardly see how it makes sense to bemoan his loss as an impact player and wonder if Roy has what it takes to be a #1. When you pull obviously negatively-spun crap like that, it makes you look like an idiot.

If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.

by Cowboyfan729 on Jun 17, 2009 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Taylor

is a Skip Bayless wannabe.

Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.

by OskieOskie on Jun 18, 2009 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's an insult to Taylor

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 18, 2009 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Totally!

"Grow where you are planted."

by Aaron Novinger on Jun 20, 2009 1:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I still put us at #1

Call me a homer cuz I am, but being a homer, I know exactly what this team does and does not have. A mostly healthy season should get us into the playoffs. With my knowledge of the Cowboys and the rest of the NFCE I’ll rank the teams

1.Cowboys
2.Eagles
3.Gints
4.that other team

and 3 could flip flop but the #1 and #4 are pretty clear to me

by sublimezg on Jun 17, 2009 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn't worried about this before mini-camp

Now I am.

One thing Roy needs opposite him is a guy with long speed. Miles is supposed to be that guy. Miles is hurt (AGAIN!) and as a result, still can’t seem to get enough snaps to truly develop the right chemistry with Romo.

I am starting to believe that Miles Austin may be Mike Sherrard.

One thing about Crayton…the guy just keeps on going. He’s seldom hurt, plays through pain and has good rapport with Romo. The problem is that having two possession guys as your starters creates less of an opportunity to run without seeing an 8th in the box.

I’m not going to bust a blood vessel just yet, but there is a growing probability that Miles won’t make it through 16.

"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."

- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

by 5Blings on Jun 17, 2009 10:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He might not make it through 16 games

but….remember a guy named Jimmy Smith, I’m not saying that Austin will be as good as Smith, but he was also hurt a lot during his first 3 years in the NFL. Also he is not the only speedy guy that we have to run straight routes. I am pretty sure they are going to let Felix line up as a receiver. While I am a little concerned about the injuries, I still think they’ll be just fine.

by DCowboy on Jun 17, 2009 12:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Felix is hurt again as well...

I really hope that he is not about to become an injury bug player because if healthy he puts this offense on a whole nother level.

Demarcus Ware: The Beast of the East.
The L.A. Lakers are 2009 NBA Champions!

by gee-roj on Jun 19, 2009 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lets not worry yet.

All these “injuries” have been reported as nothing more then precautionary and everyone of them have said to be that they could play if it was the regular season.

I’d rather rest the guys until training camp, then if its going down, we can start worrying.

by AirforceBat on Jun 19, 2009 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 19, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually it came out that Austin and Romo have a good repoir from last year and that Romo has alot of trust in him

So much so that Austin is upset with all of this talk of him being a number 2. He is thinking number 1. thats a stretch for me with him being a 1 but I dam sure like his attitude and the fact that he has a chip. it actually might be a good thing he is there all the time so Roy can get the extra looks and catches normally going to Austin. Roy might have struggled more or been more frustrated if Austin is having way more chemistry than Austin.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 17, 2009 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

isnt there all the time

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 17, 2009 2:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

bad analogy

Mike Sherrod snapped his tibia, thus he was never the same receiver, Austin’s injuries seem very minor to me.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 18, 2009 7:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

5Blings... right there with ya man

JJ has to bring in one more WR before camp. I think that he will. Dallas needs some insurance.

“Wilcox on nfl network this morning said he thought the cowboys had fallen behind the rest of the nfc east and they would finish last in the east.”

The Cowboys may look weaker on paper but paper doesn’t win games. To predict what will happen never works. The Steelers won the Superbowl last year. It wasn’t predicted. Until the games are played out, there will always be people trying to guess.

Dallas’ defense could be downright scary this year. They will be better, without a dout. The offense is a lot harder to predict. They could be better, more cohesive and less predictable. If healthy, they could put enough points on the board each game to get 10-11 wins. Defense wins championships. The Ravens did it, the Steelers did it, who knows, may these Cowboys can do it. Time will tell.

by torchindefenses on Jun 17, 2009 10:34 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

MartyB stadium tour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-uXM2g8VfI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcowboysblog%2Edallasnews%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

by tyler2 on Jun 17, 2009 10:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good Post

I agree that it’s important to have a solid #1 WR. Look at the Giants without Burress. The point that you made about having a guy that you can count on is the key for me. Stats may or may not prove that a #1 guy is important, but look at guys like Hinds Ward. Not amazing numbers, but the guy is always there, he always makes the big catch. That’s when these Cowboys need. As good as TO is talent wise, he would often drop a big pass…RW needs to be that big time guy.

by Big50 on Jun 17, 2009 11:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Carl

I will admit that I never really understood the #1, #2 receiver talk. I wondered what exactly they were expected to do but I was always a little shy to ask, afraid of appearing a football moron (like ESPN).

I would enjoy another post with a tutorial on what the slot guy does, vs the Y guy, etc.

I’m free, I’ve admitted I don’t know everything. It’s so refreshing!

As far as the talking heads picking us last in the East or 8-8….good! We have them right where we want them, I hope everybody underestimates us all year long.

"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams

by Jim Vance on Jun 17, 2009 12:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Brandon Marshall about to be available from the Broncos

Would be nice to snag this guy — He is a beast — http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AuWr0IXuBok9vooFkrrnupJDubYF?slug=ms-trippintuesday061609&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

by hakrjak on Jun 17, 2009 12:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He's also a jackass

by AirforceBat on Jun 17, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How so?

Everything's looking up, Milhouse!

by accidental innuendo on Jun 17, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just

search Brandon Marshall E60.

He’s a great receiver, but he has ALOT of baggage.

by AirforceBat on Jun 19, 2009 7:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I’d rather bring back TO than consider marshall.

by foyesboys on Jun 17, 2009 9:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just saw someone mention

trading Tashard Choice for Marshall…pure speculation, I know, but I wouldn’t want that. In fact my stomach dropped when I read it. If you put a gun to my head I’d rather give up Barber for Marshall.

Then again, if you don’t like Matt Jones because of his criminal background, then why Marshall? Jones could be had for a lot less, to boot.

by DavidH22 on Jun 17, 2009 12:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Kevin Ogletree

Kevin Ogletree will be our number two receiver by the end of the year because of injuries

Just a prediction

by Staubach on Jun 17, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Funny...

but seriously doubtful.

by AirforceBat on Jun 17, 2009 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If we're down to Ogletree as our number two receiver......

we are in serious trouble.

by texstar on Jun 17, 2009 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we already are. Our receivers cannot seem to stay healthy.

by Staubach on Jun 17, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kevin Olgetree is also injured

by AustonianAggie on Jun 17, 2009 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Cleveland trades for Brandon Marshall......

anybody interested in Braylon Edwards?

by texstar on Jun 17, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not for the contract that he will want ($9M per) and what we will have to give up (1st & 3rd)

by TCBinNYC on Jun 17, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wont they trade the 2 malcontents straight up hoping a change of senery will do the trick.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 17, 2009 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I heard that Cleveland would send them Joshua Cribbs plus either one or two

draft picks. This in turn would make Braylon Edwards expendable.

by texstar on Jun 17, 2009 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great Post!

I’d be all about bringing in Jones if I was a fan of just about any other team.

If the Patriots signed him, it would be touted as brilliant.

If the Eagles or Giants signed him, the media would call it a good move, provided they didn’t give him a long term deal with a high signing bonus.

If the Raiders signed him (or anyone else for that matter), we’d all laugh at how they’re smitten by combine numbers…again

If the Cowboys signed him, it would be another example of Jerry being overinvolved and wanting to sell jerseys more than win. Not to mention the Razorback myth. I’m not sure why people are so quick to badmouth Jerry; you really can’t argue with three rings!

But…for these reasons, I would not want to sign Jones. We got lucky with the Sensabaugh signing not causing too much of a stir. The Cowboys are finally not the top story throughout the offseason, and I’d like to keep it that way. Let’s let the players focus on the season!

So pardon my disposition; why should I listen to a system that never listened to me?

by NICK L on Jun 17, 2009 2:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Such a sad commentary on the media and their bias, but a completely true commentary as well.

If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.

by Cowboyfan729 on Jun 17, 2009 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The media also harped on how Kobe Bryant could not win a title without Shaq…

Now that can’t go there anymore. The media will finally get off of Jerry’s back once he wins his 4th (and first as the true GM).

Demarcus Ware: The Beast of the East.
The L.A. Lakers are 2009 NBA Champions!

by gee-roj on Jun 19, 2009 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Landry had a string of near misses/cant win the big one from64/65 until 71. And during that season they were 4-3 before going on a roll.

P.S. I didnt include the years prior to that because they were a new franchise building.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 19, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great Article..Tired Topic

First, awesome well researched and thought out article. Brilliant writing. Can we have another topic please? Are we out of ways that we can write about T.O.’s absence?

F..Matt Jones…anyone who likes that guy just DOES NOT GET IT..LIKE JERRY KEEP FAILING TO GET IT. Dallas is getting a reputation for having a team of criminals..AND RIGHTLY SO…if you are going to be THE BEST..set your standards a little higher than the rest..and expect more of your players. New England doesn’t take crap from it’s players..they cause trouble…PEACE OUT. I hate to say it…but they are THE NEW AMERICA’s TEAM. Do you know how much that makes my blood boil?

Cowboys Passing game IS STACKED…beans and rice, plus our young receiving core and RB’s. If we do not have two #1 WR’s..we won’t be the only team in the league and certainly would not be the only Superbowl team without a solid WR core. But here in Dallas..we are all about a flashy season…to hell with the post season…it’s RBI’s, TD’s, and Basketball teams that score 100+. What about D-Fence? How about grinding the ball with our 3 awesome RB’s. HOW ABOUT HOLDING ON TO THE F-ING BALL ROMO!!!!!

Our O-Line is what all the media-heads articles and comments should be concerned about….but I know the more sexy topic is the absence of T.O. and our young receiving core…and whether or not Roy Williams can rise to the occasion…ahem..I mean actually have some balls thrown his way.

RUN THE BALL and let the guys we have on offense make plays…a balanced team.
If Kosier or another one of our O-Line starters goes down with an injury (which no doubt will happen at some point) this team is going to struggle bigtime unless we add some more line depth.

Would you rather pay big money against our cap to a free agent WR or bring in some O-line help?

by tb0n3 on Jun 17, 2009 2:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

America's Team

No matter how hard the Patriots and their lackeys at ESPN try to make them the “New America’s Team,” they will never be more than New England’s team.

If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.

by Cowboyfan729 on Jun 17, 2009 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly,

if our OL pulls a “Proctor” again this year it will be a long season indeed. Hopefully, Holland will be ready to step in or even win the starting job and have Kosier ride the pine. But, like my dad always said “hope in one hand and s%$t in the other and see which one fills up first”.

When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.

by GunsUp on Jun 17, 2009 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO!!!

"hope in one hand and s%$t in the other and see which one fills up first".

Demarcus Ware: The Beast of the East.
The L.A. Lakers are 2009 NBA Champions!

by gee-roj on Jun 19, 2009 9:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

The o-line was my biggest concern heading into the off season and I think it’s a real weakness on this team. As big and strong as this line is, it is a crime that have been so poor at blowing people of the line in the redzone. I still think that both Davis and Gurode can return to form but I’d still like to see some youthful depth across the entire line.

I’m really starting to think that Flozell’s better days are behind him. Now some may argue that he was playing hurt last year and that greatly contributed to his diminished performance but getting hurt is part of getting older and I fully except to see him play the remainder of his career with some type of on and off ailment. Also, the false start penalties are no longer cute. They’ve become downright infuriating. We all know it’s coming, probably in the first game of the season; the Cowboys will be facing a 3rd and manageable of some kind and Adams, right on cue, will pop out his stance early turning that situation into a 3rd and long.

Demarcus Ware: The Beast of the East.
The L.A. Lakers are 2009 NBA Champions!

by gee-roj on Jun 19, 2009 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

more than the yards/TD's

i think we need a consistent 1st down making machine. besides other contributions, that’s the biggest thing Irvin did for us was make the tough catches to keep the chains moving. you always knew back in the day that the slant to Irvin was coming but most of the time you couldn’t stop it.

by Scoobay on Jun 17, 2009 3:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That is what Roy say he is

Roy calls himself a possession receiver – the guy who will get you the first down

Apparently he was in the Cowboys media dept the other day persuading them to have a first down stat they can put up on the big scoreboard.

Issue is whether we have the Alvin Harper type – I guess this is what they are hoping Austin will be.

"Where's Woody? - We need another Darren Woodson

by BoyfromOz on Jun 17, 2009 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bad use of stats!

900 yards and a number of touchdowns in a season does not translate to success in the playoffs. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t even translate to making the playoffs. If you’re trying to say that Roy Williams can get 900 yards in a season, sure I agree. He is capable of getting 900 yards in a season. Can he be a #1 receiver? Sure! What I don’t agree with is translating that production into success.

Didn’t T.O. get over 1,000 yards and over 10 touchdowns each of his three seasons in Dallas? He sure did. Did the Cowboys have any success in the playoffs? Nope! The top ten receivers in yards last season had over 1,145 yards. Half of those top ten WRs made the playoffs. One of those five didn’t even get a victory last year (Calvin Johnson). As far as a specific number of touchdowns by a WR, it doesn’t make a difference either. Of the top 9 WRs in TD receptions (only counted 9 because there are 8 WRs tied for the tenth spot) last season, only 3 of them made the playoffs.

The bottom line is that football is a team sport, and the last time I checked no one player by himself can deliver success. I believe last season the Cowboys had one of the most talented teams in the NFL, but they didn’t maximize their talent at all. Who am I kidding? They didn’t even play nearly as good as they could have played.

I think the piece that the team was missing last year was team chemistry, leadership, the passion and desire to win.

Only time will tell if Roy can produce as a number one receiver. However, I rather he does his best, and it translates into team success.

by Raf's on Jun 17, 2009 3:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You're missing the point

Having a legit #1 wideout doesn’t guarantee you success. But all the successful teams had one.

Calvin Johnson is a terrible example. Yeah he got his…but what else did the Lions have.

My point is… you need a legit #1, but you better run the ball and play defense too. All the successful teams had a legit #1, among other things that made them successful.

WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 17, 2009 6:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As Brandon Scolari said above

the relationship between #1 wr stats and wins isn’t very strong. I think this has a lot to do with losing teams passing more and winning teams running late, which definitely skews stats.

Carl, I disagree with you – you don’t need a true number 1 to win. Baltimore, Pittsurgh and Philly hardly had true #1s, and they were 3 of the last 4 teams in the playoffs last year. This happens consistently. However, the majority of GREAT offenses do have one. The only exceptions I can think of in the last 10 or so years are the Pats because of Brady, the Chiefs and Chargers at some point because mostly of their run games, and the Saints with Drew Brees. The GIants had the best O scoring wise in the league last year before Plax went down.

by foyesboys on Jun 17, 2009 10:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Think about this statement

The GIants had the best O scoring wise in the league last year before Plax went down.

Yes, before he went down. How were they after that?

And Baltimore, Philly, and Pitt do have legit #1’s.

WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 17, 2009 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no they don't

Maybe Homles is a true #1, but no way is Jackson a #1 and Baltimore?? you gotta to be kidding.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 18, 2009 7:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They have ass kicking dominant Ds. They dont necessarily need dominant #1 WRs

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

by squidlo97 on Jun 19, 2009 9:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no they do not

by that regard, there are a solid 30 number 1s in this league.

Sorry, I didn’t make my point clear about plax- i was supporting you there, that is evidence that you need a number 1 for a great offense. And really, the pats weren’t a “great offfense” before they got moss and welker, though they were always good in the playoffs.

So I guess the only spectacular offenses in the last 10 years without a true number 1 were the Chiefs and Chargers, and it probably helps that they pay in a division thats generally not tough defensively.

by foyesboys on Jun 19, 2009 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Roy Williams will be a legitimate question mark until all is said and done next year.

But I tend to agree that he’s going to do just fine. The guy has great hands (better than Owens), athleticism, and size, and it shouldn’t be that hard to learn the routes and get on the same page as Romo after working together for an off season.

by krl97a on Jun 17, 2009 4:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Stats don't support the argument when you compare to non-playoff teams

Love your stuff Carl, but this particular analysis doesn’t work. Using the stats on NFL.com:

Average for #1 WR for a Playoff team: …… 4.8 TD’s; 69 Rec; 994 Yds
Average for #1 WR for a Non-Playoff team: 5.6 TD’s; 75 Rec; 982 Yds

So the #1 WR for a NON playoff team actually averages more TD’s and more receptions and about the same yards. So I don’t think the contribution of a #1 WR is much of a specific factor in making the playoffs. My guess is that strength of running game, defence, turnovers would have a much closer correlation with playoff success.

"Where's Woody? - We need another Darren Woodson

by BoyfromOz on Jun 17, 2009 11:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Calvin Johnson comparisons are useless

He’s a freak.

One of a kind. He’s 6’5, 230, runs a 4.3, has a 40+ inch vertical, and the league hasn’t seen a player like him since Randy Moss and even at his stature he puts Moss to shame.

So there is no need to bring up how good Calvin was in crap Detroit because he’s a different breed of WR and it’s fairly obvious Roy is not Calvin no matter how good Roy is.

I’m not ready to freak out about our WR depth, look at the Giants, they have to rely on guys like Sinorice Moss, Domenik Hixon, and two rookies…Newman takes out any one of those WR’s easily by himself and so does Scandrick, Eli is terrible vs the blitz so I see them having a hard time getting past us.

by LonghornsLegend on Jun 18, 2009 7:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It's not about the WRs, it's about the QB

Look at Brees, who in the hell does he have at WR that is so much better than our WR corp?? Same with Rivers. With very mediocre WR corps, Brees and Rivers still light it up and Romo will as well.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 19, 2009 7:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs