Dallas Cowboys Training Camp: It Just Feels Different This Year
by Jim Vance on Aug 13, 2009 12:00 AM CDT
in Dallas Cowboys Training Camp
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PrintI'm sure you've seen the old military movie scenes showing a parade of bright, shiny, smiling soldiers marching down Main Street lined with cheering crowds, ready to ship out for battle. Beautiful women throwing garlands, bands playing, and the troops confident in a triumph that they knew would be theirs.
That was last year's camp.
That camp, highlighted by Hard Knocks, gave the impression that the Cowboys were Super Bowl bound and everybody just needed to "..come on in for the big win." (To borrow a line from another military movie). Apparently the other teams in the league didn't get the memo. The Cowboys were bloodied and beaten during the regular season, at times appearing shell-shocked, before the eventual December collapse.
Did that early swagger contribute in some way to the swoon in December?
This year's camp reminds me of a scene from another military movie scene - the paratroopers in the plane, flying into D-Day. Serious faces, each man more introspective, thinking about his role when he hits the ground..
The current camp doesn't have the glitz and the showmanship that we saw last year. It's more like boot camp. You're there to learn your job, perfect your skills, and learn how to cover your buddies six-o'clock when the bullets are flying. Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett seem to be slugging it out with their best tactics, trying out what works and simultaneously preparing each others troops for the rigors of what will come.
The interviews are more subdued, the players and coaches seem more humble this year. I saw the usually boisterous Patrick Crayton being asked about his goals for this year in T.O.'s absence.
He said, (i'm paraphrasing) "we just need to win games. If we win enough games in the regular season we get to the playoffs. Then we need to win games there".
No personal goals. No talking smack. He boiled the attitude of this camp down to its most elemental form. Just win games.
There seems to be a sense of quiet determination on this team. I can't say if this will carry over to the regular season and result in more wins. I can't even accurately describe what I'm seeing and hearing. It just feels different this year.
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first..
Time our rbs take over and dominate will be fun to watch
I don't need a compass to know which way the wind shines....
by hashishkabob on Aug 13, 2009 12:12 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
I like the new approach
They seem to be going into this season knowing they’ll have to compete with every team on their schedule. Last year, even though they tried to play it down, you could tell they full expected to win the Super Bowl, and believed they’d crush anybody who stood in their way. Like they’d just pick up where they left off in ’07.
It’s as if they finally learned that they’ll have to play their asses off for every win. And it can’t hurt to have a chip on their shoulder. All the pundits have already counted them out, as far as the race to win the NFC East is concerned.
The humbled and pissed off Cowboys of ‘09 will hopefully do much better than the ’Boys of ’08. I don’t know what to expect either, but I do know this team is cut from an entirely different cloth than years past. Given the way those years ended, it’s reason enough for me to be a tad bit optimistic.
Epic Fail since 1985
The difference a year makes..
I’m glad for the lack of media coverage this year, the lack of “bulletin board” statements from the players, being sold as a 3rd or 4th finisher in the division, the lack of “circus” atmosphere..the list goes on. The feeling of this year compared to last year is so vastly different its almost surreal. I hope the results bare fruit and the team (and us) are rewarded for the different approach/style. I’ll say one more thing that’s probably not all that popular but I also would love to see Wade Phillips get a SB win. Just to get that monkey off of his back. I just can’t work up the hatred for that guy that most people seem to have.
I don't like the confused dough boy Wade.
I do like the focused, we are going to try you by fire and blitz you until you long to play another team Wade. The we really won a playoff game because we didn’t have to play the wildcard game can go somewhere else.
When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.
Well said.
"Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain
Superbowl
should be the goal of every team every year (well except maybe the Lions lol). For some it is a more realistic goal than others, but it is still the goal, and there’s every reason the team and the fans should have our sights set there.
But the only way we get there is to slog out the tough days of camp in August, and rack up the wins in the regular season, and then win one playoff game… and then another, and then another, one game at a time, through hard work, and focus and discipline, and team attitude. They’ve got the right attitude this year, so even though they aren’t and shouldn’t be talking about the Superbowl now, that is of course where all of us players, coaches and fans alike want and expect to end up.
Eagles fans
keep reminding us they make it to the nfc championship game. They seem content with that.
by Musiccitynorm on Aug 13, 2009 5:24 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm liking it.
Last December could be a blessing in disguise, if it makes the team better this season.
2009 Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
There were signs of greatness last year
Winning late in the game IN Pittsburgh. Coming back twice late in the game against the Ravens. They beat the Giants and Eagles last year. This team can do it. They just needed to clean up a few things. Every member of this franchise, player, coach, and owner, all seem like they know what they have to do. The tough part of this is the competition is no slouch. The Cowboys will have to earn everything they get this year. One thing I can say with absolute confidence….I am so….freakin….glad the loudmouths and troublemakers are gone. They hurt this team far more than any boneheaded play the Cowboys reeled off last year.
I don't believe in team motivation. I believe in getting a team prepared so it knows it will have the necessary confidence when it steps on a field and be prepared to play a good game.
Tom Landry
There were signs of awfulness too…
There was the 34-14 loss to the appalling Rams; the 35-21 no show against the Giants in the meadowlands and the 44-6, no-show, loss in Philly with the playoffs at stake. I realize that injuries played a part in some of those losses but other teams in this league seem to survive their injuries or least put up more of an effort. There were times during those 3 losses were the Cowboys looked like the worst team in the NFL.
That’s my issues with this team. I never know what their true identity is. Are they Dr. Jekyll or are they Mr. Hyde?
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
True, but
that was last year’s team. We’re not really close enough to know anything real about this year’s team until the games arrive.
Even if the roster were exactly the same, we all go through good and bad, some years more bad than good, and it can happen to a team as well. I like the changes that have occurred this offseason and I’m happy about training camp this year, but I’m sure there were folks who felt exactly the same way last summer.
We’ll start finding out soon (but not soon enough for me) when the season finally arrives.
"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin
Not too many teams survive losing their starting QB for a few games. Can you imagine the Colts without Manning or the Steelers without Big Ben? Like I said, there aren’t too many teams that can take a starting QB injury and keep going at the same pace. Only the Patriots last year showed a lot of effectiveness with Cassel and they still didn’t make the playoffs.
If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.
by Cowboyfan729 on Aug 13, 2009 5:13 PM CDT up reply actions
agreed
It is that last 10% that will make the difference.
Special teams excellence, good press coverage, o-line cohesiveness will get us what we were missing last year—field position, turnovers and a solid running game.
We have the makings of a great team—or another 9-6 team. It depends on if we can focus on the details that Jim and the others have been writing about. Most of the obvious distractions are gone (Jessica, TO, Pac, & Tank) now lets see what our guys are made of!
Go ’Boys
The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
-Winston Churchill
I want to get excited about this news…
…but the bitter sting of late season disappointments have soured my soul. Even if they were to get off to a hot start in 2009 I may still remain jaded (or at least exercise a reserved hopefulness) until I see this team clicking late in the season. I am encouraged to hear that the work ethic is more focused but I also remind myself that they are not the only team in the NFL that has an attentive, no nonsense training camp.
A major injury of some sort will occur at some point this season and it will be very interesting to see how the Cowboys respond to that.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
we had our share of "major" injuries last year, what makes you think we're due for more?
Doomsday returns... Wade Phillips style.
I just don't believe the universe…
…has some sort of karmic force built into it that silently observes the Dallas Cowboys while thinking, "You know, the Cowboys had plenty of injuries in 2009, so I shall bless them into perfect health this year." I’m not accusing you of, or think that you believe this either but most teams have at least one player that misses a majority of the year due to some type injury; it’s just the nature of the beast.
I’d be shocked if any team in NFL much less the Cowboys were able to get through an entire season without some sort of major injury but the really good ones keep on ticking despite that.
Now I’d also be just as shocked if the Cowboys were to have as many serious injuries as they did last year, (as the odds seem stacked against that happening for two consecutive years) but I’m highly confident that someone will get hurt at some point. I’m just hoping the Cowboys have the type of depth, fortitude, and smarts to get past it.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
you've obviously never heard or the Karmic Redistribution Department of Homeland Security
Don't believe everything you think.
Your causes are cute!!!
Does that mean
we have to take off our shoes to read this blog?
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
We actually made it through 2006 and 2007 almost scot free
We were one of the 2-3 the healthiest teams in the NFL those years, and then in 2008 we were the second most injured (behind the Seahawks).
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
But even in 2007...
The Cowboys were at the very least without Terry Glenn all that year. I would love to have seen what a healthy Terry Glenn could have added to that team (rather than the injured version of himself that limped onto the field for the first time in the post season). Not to mention that TO was nowhere near 100% for the post season either after his late season injury at Carolina.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
Maybe ease back a bit on the military metaphors?
Don’t want to be a grump, but it’s still just football. Comparing these guys to paratroopers dropping into D-Day seems to be a bit disrespectful.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
I disagree
The game of football has always had military metaphors since I can remember. Listen to the late great George Carlin’s differences between baseball and football routine to see what I mean.
http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=104
In Romo we Trust
Military movies.
"Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain
Tim, no disrespect intended.
I won’t go into the entire roster of my immediate family members who have served in conflict, past and present, most recently my youngest son just returned from Iraq. I will say that I have only respect, admiration and gratitude for those who have worn the uniform of our armed forces.
"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams
Yep, I'm in the same camp
Everyone seems okay with it, I’m probably guilty of overreaction.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
The military metaphor
is right on point, no disrespect at all.
Hell, football is a metaphor for war, always has been, always will be.
I like the contrast between young soldiers marching down Main Street versus troops preparing to parachute into a war zone. Perfect.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
And I haven't met any soldiers
who mind the comparison. In fact, interestingly, you hear a whole lot of football terms used by the military.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
good point... it's not like we're comparing golf to war ... football and war work together in my book
Doomsday returns... Wade Phillips style.
+1
The season begins in 3...2...
http://twitter.com/BloggingTheBoys
by Aaron Novinger on Aug 13, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Comparing these guys to paratroopers dropping into D-Day seems to be a bit disrespectful.
I agree with this completely. I know that games are referred to as ‘battles’ but that is total BS, especially when real soldiers are involved in real battles as we speak. I love football, but it is just a game. No players are ‘brave’ or ‘courageous’, none are ‘warriors’ and no game is a ‘battle.’
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
My father spent 30 yrs in the military, WW2, Korea, Vietnam
I have a brother that was in Vietnam, and one that was involved with Grenada, I was never in combat, but served in the military and I think America is just way to politically correct!
Give me a break! It’s ok to burn the flag, (which by the way doesn’t bother me in the least, as long as it’s an American doing it), but we can’t use certain words as adjectives to descibe something?
I agree, except for burning the flag.
I see someone burning the Flag of the United States of America outside of the retirement ceremony, and I might just do a little burning of my own.
When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.
I didn't say anyone could not use those terms, just that I disagree
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
The "it's okay to burn the flag" thing is the standard knee jerk reaction to anything involving freedom of speech...
…and it has nothing to do with this.
This isn’t political correctness, I just wondered if the metaphor was really an apt one.
As I said above, people seem fine with it, so I am likely guilty of being overly sensitive.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
Nonsense
I repeat, football is a metaphor for war. We bring the blitz and we throw the bomb and fight it out in the trenches. There is nothing disrespectful about using the D-Day metaphor.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
This team still hasn't forged its identity
Two years ago @ 13-3, we were an offensive juggernaut. But an aggressive scheme, talented D, shut us down in the playoffs. Last year, the joke was we suffered from the inevitable letdown of having been awarded the Championship during the pre-season.
I like several of the directions we’re headed:
- an ‘Unleash Hell’ style of D, that finally has cover corners who can complete the scheme
- play ST’s to an at least average level, which would be a huge improvement
- use the full talents of a diversified O, rather than force-feeding touches to a player on the decline
But for every positive, there are questions:
- sudden concerns about the health of our CB’s
- depth on both lines(I believe we’ll see DE’s shuffled at NT, rather than a waiver-wire acquisition for back-up NT)
- mindset of our QB, OC and HC in handling adversity, adjusting on the fly
Still, I wonder who we are as an O and a D. Can we impose that will on opponents, force them to react to us, confuse them and simply wear them down. That’s what I’m looking for
'Kade Out!'
warrior, maybe...
but stud, definitely. If he can stay healthy, teams will fear him the way they fear Chris Johnson.
I have noticed a new resurgence in Cowboy hating in 2007, which can only mean one thing- We're back.
He started
his rookie season scoring a TD in every game, until he was inexplicably benched (then injured).
If he ain’t a football warrior, he will do until the real thing comes along.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
He just barely made the cut..
By my definition a rookie warrior RB had to have at least 30 carries and average 8.8 yards per carry. Felix just eked by with 8.9 YPC.
"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams
Yep
don’t know how he dodged the practice squad.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
to play the devil's advocate...
there is a difference between all the potential and talent Felix exhibits, and the status of warrior, which comes with being there year in and year out.
Doomsday returns... Wade Phillips style.
You have
your definition of warrior, I have mine.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
anyone who plays professional football is one tough SOB
at least in my book, and I have no problem with calling any player a warrior.
In Romo we Trust
Even Barbie
What a loose definition of a warrior you have when the description that best describes him is finesse, and that’s being nice
by cow_fanatic on Aug 13, 2009 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions
I said he lacks physicality and toughness to be a 3-4 ILB, I never said he wasn’t tough or physical enough to play as a 4-3 OLB.
In Romo we Trust
I don't disagree with you
I just remember him being all over the place during that loss to Seattle in the playoffs, and the only consolation I took from one of the bitterest losses in my history of Cowboy fandom was that Bobby Carpenter was going to be a player. I have no idea what has happened since that game. The guy is Houdini
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
that's because he was playing OLB in that game
and with a DL protecting him from OL, I think he’s definitely athletic and talented enough to be a player from that position.
Inside however, he will struggle with shedding blocks from OL.
In Romo we Trust
remeber the Tuna left after this game
so new regime, new favorite players, on top of it WP drafted Spencer, he was never given the chance to play much after that
Then the term loses its value, doesn't it?
If everyone is a warrior, then it’s no longer a very impressive or meaningful thing to be called one.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
it's all relevant actually
In terms of everyone in society, pro football players are definitely warriors, in terms of just the players themselves standing alone, some are while most aren’t.
In Romo we Trust
I'd say it's all RELATIVE
But it’s certainly all relevant as well, given the topic of the post
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
Very Happy With The New Approach
Last season just seemed like the first training scene in Rocky III, where he danced around for the cameras and signed autographs only to be pounded like a sausage by Clubber Lang. We now have the full training montage playing and the team is serious and ready to play hard and win!
by GhostofGaryHogeboom on Aug 13, 2009 10:50 AM CDT reply actions
The team has nicknamed him Benjamin Button in the locker room
Seriously.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty
Since when do you have to risk your life to be considered brave or courageous? Come on, guys. No one’s downplaying the brass of those in the military. It’s just a metaphor. Next, we’ll have PETA attacking us for skinning cats in more than one way.
Speaking of battles...
Anyone else looking forward to seeing Colombo vs Ellis tonight?
TANSTAAFL - Lazarus Long
Ha!
That should be a nice matchup.
The season begins in 3...2...
http://twitter.com/BloggingTheBoys
by Aaron Novinger on Aug 13, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions
The fate of this season lies with Tony Romo.
It’s really simple. If he finally plays as well in December and January as he does in the first 3 months of the season, the Cowboys roll to the Super Bowl. If he doesn’t, they either just miss the playoffs or are one and out again. Had he not been hurt last year, Dallas probably finishes 10-6 or 11-5, and makes it in despite what happened in December.
Dallas will go into December of this year with between 7 and 10 wins. If Romo can just not play poorly in December, not even well, just not poorly, they should be able to win 3 of their last 5 and finish at worst 10-6. My prediction is 11-5, playoffs, Super Bowl. This is the year that Romo finally closes the deal.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 1:16 PM CDT reply actions
What will determine
Romo’s play in December will be the supporting play of his teammates. He has to be able to trust them to help win, not get frantic and try wildazz stuff in desperation.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
Sorry BPS,
I have to agree with Oskie on this one. Romo was not the only Black Hole of Suckitude against the Eagles. He wasn’t even on the field against the Rams. I’ll give you Pittsburgh, but Tony didn’t lose all those games all by himself.
When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.
If he was playing, they win the Rams game.
That’s why I said they would have been 10-6 or 11-5 last year had he not been hurt, even with Romo’s standard December collapse, and that would have gotten them into the playoffs. Of course, they would have limped in like they did the previous 2 years.
The number don’t lie; when Dallas’ QB has a rating or 72 or higher, they almost always win. When it is lower than 72, they almost always lose. That’s not even an average rating, so as long as the QB doesn’t play poorly, they almost always win. That includes Bledsoe and Johnson, not just Romo.
All the stats point to Romo, but whenever anyone points that out, it becomes everyone else on the team’s fault somehow. All he has to do is not turn the ball over late in the season, and everything gets better for this team.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Not all the stats
Don’t almost half the sacks given up by this team happen in just the month of December? I want to say that it’s like 32 out of 65 or something along those lines.
I understand your point and I am convinced that some of the problem is Romo and some is the team. I mean, Romo having the game of his life in the Eagles game would not have won it. I think this team isn’t built to be dominant in any phase, so i really do believe it needs to be solid acros the board. The line has to stay healthy, ST and defense have to be solid and Romo will have to play well.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
No, that is not correct.
They have given up 35 out of 93 in December for the past 3 years.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks
I read that somewhere else.
0ver a third of the sacks over a quarter of the season. I would still think that’s statistically significant, no?
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
Romo has been sacked 35 of 60 something in December.
But he didn’t play a full year in 2006 or 2008. That’s probably where you saw that stat.
It is an interesting stat, but I believe that the QB is responsible for sacks, too. And given his overall poor level of play and the consistency of the running game in December, it’s hard for me to pin that on the line.
Either way, the numbers show that the team can typically overcome poor play from any other position on the team so long as the QB plays well. Not every time, but most of the time. By the same token, they typically cannot overcome poor play from the QB position, regardless of play from the other positions. That spells out rather clearly what needs to improve for them to do better in December, in my opinion.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't dount that the position
is the most important on the field, but I am not sure that it can overcome poor play elsewhere. I consider Peyton Manning to be among the best ever and he looked like hell at the start of last season because there were other issues. Eli looked pretty good until Plax shot himself and Jacobs got dinged up.
I know that QB play can make up for some issues but that many.
But I think your arguments are pretty sound ones.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
I would also add
That I can’t think of anything Romo does that would contribute to being sacked. He has a quicker than average release, and he’s mobile (although last season he had the back injury). I suppose their predeliction for passing over running could be a contributing factor, but I’d have to say that what most of us saw is that the O-line seemed to be inconsistent down the stretch. Except for last year when clearly teams overloaded on Procter, it was a break-down by different guys on different plays. In my mind, that’s actually worse because you can scheme to help a weak link, but you can’t plan for different guys having brain cramps.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
I think you may be crossing up cause and effect a bit
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
To me, it's the best indicator of whether the team will win or not.
Regardless of the starting QB, the Cowboys are 30-6 in the past 3 years when the starting QB has a rating of 72 or higher. That includes 4-0 with Bledsoe and Johnson. The games they lost: 2008 – Arizona in OT, Washington by 2 points; 2007 – New England, Seattle in the playoffs; 2006 – Washington by 3, Detroit. In only 2 of those games were they not within a score of winning.
That’s not even asking him to play well, just to not be horrible. If Romo can just not turn the ball over as often in December, that basically fixes everything. In that Philadelphia game, Dallas’ offense went 3 and out on 3 of their first 4 drives, for a combined 3 yards on those 3 drives. Then, they proceeded to turn the ball over on their next 5 possessions before going 3 and out on 3 of their last 4 drives, for a total of 15 yards on those 3 drives. Maybe the Defense could have played better, but you have to give them a fighting chance.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll agree that QB rating may be the best win/loss indicator, but
I don’t think that the QB rating is solely on the QB.
If the QB rating is 72 or higher, that means the entire team is playing well enough—the OL is giving the QB time, the receivers are catching the balls thrown to them, maybe the running game is working well and keeps the defense off balance.
"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin
There are contributions to every stat from the rest of the team.
Be that as it may, the most important factor in QB rating is still the QB himself. Offensive line is an important factor in yards per carry as well, but like QB rating, the RB is the most important factor in that stat which is why our 3 backs last year ran behind the same line but had far different ypc.
For example, the Cowboys running game has been consistent in December and the rest of the year, and has been pretty close for the past 3 years, actually. So obviously they are not just completely falling apart in December, although that is a common battle cry from Romo supporters. Likewise, Romo plays behind the same line in every game, but his stats still drop in December. Given that the rest of the team appears to be consistent, I don’t see how it is believed that they all fall apart to cause Romo’s poor stats.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions
In 2008,
the Cowboys played 4 games in each month of the season. The running game had the same kind of drop off as the passing game.
In September, they averaged 124 yds/run; 292 yds/pass
In October, they averaged 116.25 yds/run; 198.25 yds/pass
In November, they averaged 97 yds/run; 241.25 yds/pass
In December, they averaged 93.5 yds/run; 215.25 yds/pass
This shows a team-wide drop off. (The low passing yards in October include the three games Romo was out.)
"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin
You are using misleading stats.
You are going by yards per game, not yards per carry. Yards per carry is a better indicator of the running game’s consistency, because the players do not call the plays. If they run 50 times in one game for 150 yards, that is not better than running 20 times for 120 yards.
I posted some stats on Tashard Choice running the ball below. I definitely will concede that poor play calling was a factor in the losses, as well as the team’s insistence on playing injured veterans such as Marion Barber rather than letting the younger guys carry the load. For example, Marion Barber had 8 carries for 2 yards against the Giants, and Choice had 9 carries for 91 yards. Why didn’t Choice get at least 15 carries? The Cowboys did win that game, but the point remains the same. Barber had 13 carries for 15 yards in December. Wouldn’t at least 10 of those carries been better off going to Choice who had 62 carries for 325 yards (5.2 ypc)?
Romo was struggling and Choice was tearing it up, but the Cowboys opted to throw about 10 more times per game than they did in previous months in December.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 4:06 PM CDT up reply actions
But I wasn't attempting to demonstrate
whether the running game was consistent throughout the season, I’ll certainly take your word for it that it was.
I wanted to see whether there was a drop-off in both phases of the offense throughout the season, and there was.
But here’s where we differ the most: I don’t think that you can compare running consistency to make a point about passing consistency—in the passing game, there are two players directly responsible for a complete pass, and no, a hand-off in the running game is not the same.
So we may certainly disagree, and that’s okay with me, but I don’t think the QB is nearly as responsible for the QB rating as you do.
"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin
this is the year the team finally closes the deal
and obviously Romo is part of the team.
In Romo we Trust
Right.
The most important part. Which is why, if he has his head in the game in December this year, they will finally get over the hump.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Or maybe…
he o-line can give him more than half a second to thorw the ball or run block with some level of effectiveness.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
Really?
Tashard Choice was the primary running back at the end of the year last year and averaged over 5 yards per carry. In the 5 games where he had at least 9 carries, including the last 4 games of the season, he average more than half a yard per carry more than those defenses typically allowed. And that’s on a per game basis, as in, against each team he averaged more than half a yard per carry than their defensive average yards per carry. Shouldn’t the OL get some credit for that? That sounds like pretty good run blocking to me.
Seahawks – 4.2 / Tashard Choice – 5.2
Steelers – 3.3 / Tashard Choice – 3.8
Giants – 4.0 / Tashard Choice – 10.1
Ravens – 3.6 / Tashard Choice – 5.3
Eagles – 3.5 / Tashard Choice – 4.3
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions
That was a joke, right?
So when your lead back has 5.2 ypc in December, that’s all him, and the line was still ineffective at run blocking. Gotcha. If the running backs or QB does well, it’s in spite of the OL, but if they do poorly it’s because of the OL. I should have realized.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions
Or maybe
an OL can be better at run blocking than at pass blocking.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
I never said it was all him
I said his 5.2 average could be greatly attributable to his abilities because obviously MB3 was running behind the same line and averaged a lot less.
In Romo we Trust
Having a good defense would help.
Romo can’t do it by himself.
Well, they were top 10 last year.
They were 8th in yards allowed, 5th in yards allowed per play, 1st in sacks, 8th in 3rd down percentage, and 9th in first downs per game. That’s pretty good, isn’t it?
Imagine what they could do if the Cowboys weren’t 31st in the league in turning the ball over or the special teams coverage had been better?
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions
Imagine if our defense had forced more than 9 interceptions (bottom three in the league)?
Turnover plus/minus goes both ways.
I agree Romo’s late season play will be important, but the last third of the season was when Flozell Adams lost the use of his arms and our OL fell apart as well. It’s overly simplistic to just use Romo as your barometer for success.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
If it were only last year, I might agree.
But it has been 3 straight years now that his play has been significantly worse in December. His QB rating in December is 35 points lower than the rest of the year, for his career, not just last year.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Wherever
the defense finished in the rankings, after giving up TWO 70+ yard TD runs back to back, last year’s defense did not finish like a good defense. Not even close.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
Not at all
my comment was directed at the remark about last year’s defense being good.
Ask Terry if I am a Romo apologist.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
That game is inexcusable for the Defense.
But it doesn’t change the fact that they played well for the rest of the game and the offense played poorly. You can only turn a team back so many times before you are worn down. But yes, that was horrible. Romo was horrible that game too, though.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions
The Pittsburgh and Baltimore games were similar -
the defense played well for about three quarters and then played much, much worse. I have often wondered why and whether guys like Rat, James and Ware need more of a breather.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
Romo wasn't horrible in the Balt game
He made a few bad decisions in the first half but that hardly qualifies as being horrible.
The fact is he played great in the second half and would have more than likely lead the team to a great comeback win if it wasn’t for the defense.
In Romo we Trust
I think he more than likely would not have.
Clearly my guess is better than yours, because my guess is what actually happened. He did not lead the team to a comeback win.
He had a 66.2 QB rating, 53% completion percentage, threw 2 interceptions, and fumbled once. It could have been worse, but that is pretty bad.
by Baked Potato Soup on Aug 13, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions
A QB putting up bad numbers against the Ravens? Imagine that…
And we’ll never know if the offense could have scored a go ahead touchdown were it not for the defense giving up those two big touchdowns late in the game.
Another thing that seems to go unmentioned here is that the offense faced the four best defenses in the league to close out the season last year. No wonder they struggled (not to mention Garrett was out schemed and coached down the stretch). The defense on the other hand did not really face any type of juggernaut offense during those final games. Some of the better offenses (statically speaking) put a fair amount of yards and points against the Cowboy D last year, (Cardinals 31 points, San Fran. 22 points,). Hell even the Eagles put up 37 & 44 points last year (though not all of that was on the D).
It’s a team sport and the Cowboys December failings started long before Romo was starting.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
If not healthy
then at least have the backups play better than scrubs in a strike season.
When did I become a Cowboy fan? When my mom told me I was.
i have no faith the backups
maybe Free, we’ll see in preseason, but if we’re relying on backups on the oline we’re in trouble, not only because they are much inferior to the starters, but also because of the importance of continuity in oline communication and coordination.
does anyone think DWare will be called on to stunt this year?
It seems to me that the steelers, giants and iggles ask their guys to stunt and have some success with it.
DWare seems to have one move, the speed rush. 20 sacks speaks for itself, of course. But, good coaching puts guys in the best position to succeed.
Does that include stunting, twisting, lining up on the right tackle from time to time?
The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
-Winston Churchill
This is a great question
I think Grizz and Raf should have some good observations on this from last season and TC.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
he does line up on the left (RT) sometimes
and overall I think Wade will be mixing up the pass rush a lot this season, using different looks, bringing rushers from different directions and leaving the offense guessing.
but there was also some word from Wade that he actually wanted DWare not get too overly complex…
here’s a couple relevant posts from DMN blog…
Wade Phillips doesn’t want DeMarcus Ware to be creative (excerpt)
Wade Phillips wishes Ware wouldn’t worry so much about adding to his arsenal of moves. With his explosiveness, Ware is like a pitcher with 100-mph heat. He doesn’t need many other pitches to be dominant. Why mess with a lot of junk when you can blow hitters away with your best stuff?
“I tell him not to make up stuff,” Phillips said during his press conference yesterday. "You can do too much. I coached Reggie White and Bruce Smith. They didn’t have many moves. They had a great move that nobody could stop, or if they could stop it, they had a counter off it. That’s basically what they had.
“I told DeMarcus and worked with him a lot on that. If he does too much, he hurts himself.”
DeMarcus Ware will continue experimenting with different moves
Wade Phillips has made it clear that he doesn’t think DeMarcus Ware needs to add to his toolbox of pass-rushing moves. The NFL’s reigning sacks leader respectfully disagrees.
Ware said he’d continue to experiment with new moves during training camp, because he wants to make it more difficult to prepare to face him.
“I’ll just do them, and he’ll say, ‘What are you doing?’” Ware said of Phillips’ reaction. “I’ll just let him see them on film. He’ll say, ‘I don’t like that move. It’s not going to work, DeMarcus.’ If I do a (new) move, I’ve got to make sure it’s a sack, so he won’t say much.”
Ware’s best move, a stutter he calls the Shake and Bake, was developed during camp competition against Flozell Adams early in his career. He relies primarily on that move, a pure speed rush and an outside-in move similar to a crossover dribble.
Ware isn’t trying to replace those moves that he’s relied on to get 53.5 sacks in four seasons, including 20 last year. He’s trying to come up with counter-moves in case those aren’t working.
“It’s like a chess match,” Ware said. “When you’re out there rushing, sometimes they know what you’re going to do. They’re watching film. Once you change up, that’ll make them think a little bit: ‘What is he doing?’ But you’re knowing that you have what you do all the time in your back pocket and you can do that.”
As Scott says below, Ware has multiple pass rush moves
He’s not limited to the speed rush. He has the three mentioned below, plus a bull rush. I’ve seen him use a spin move as well in practices, but never in games.
When we go into the 46 defense, Ware moves around a bit, as does Bradie James. I wouldn’t call it stunting specifically, but movement is movement.
Larry Allen benched 700 pounds. That is Leonard Davis times two.
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