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Will the offensive line sink the Cowboys in 2010?


I think there is no way to sugarcoat it at this point.  The Cowboys offensive line performance has so far reminded me a lot of the Washington Redskin's O-line woes from last season, when Jason Campbell and the running game had essentially no chance because no one could block up front.  All you had to do to defeat their offense was to bring the pressure, making sure not to open up any quick trapping running lanes in the process.  Campbell spent far too much time on the turf, and runners went no where or backwards much of the time. 

I'm really starting to wonder if Football Outsiders may be right.  The over-under for the Cowboys win totals for the year might be 7.5 wins.  Because without an offensive line pass and run-blocking effectively, it's gonna be ugly.  Cowboys play plenty of teams that can bring the heat.  And if that's the book on beating us, they'll bring it more and more. 

Last year, that didn't work that effectively.  Our line both pass and run blocked very well.  So how could it go down hill so fast?  It's a good question.  But last night, it wasn't just a factor of too many guys rushing to pick everyone up.  A lot of the guys who got through WERE BLOCKED.  Or only sort-of blocked.  And it wasn't just Barron and Holland being abused.  It was Gurode and Bigg and everyone up and down the line. 

Maybe the guys are just tired.  Too many preseason games.  No breaks.  Moving from San Antonio to Oxnard with road pre-season games in between.  Kosier and Colombo hurt.  Things can snowball. 

I'll just say this.  If the line doesn't show DRAMATIC improvement over what they've shown the last few weeks, the Cowboys aren't going to win the Division or even make the playoffs.  We don't have enough patsy opponents this year to get by on weaker line play than we've had the last several years. 

P.S.  I could write another post on the defensive side of the ball, which has been pushed around by power running attacks the last two weeks, and last night looked like it had huge gaps in the secondary, especially on underneath throws.   But while I think the defense will look better when it starts scheming, the O-line needs to show that it can block people, and so far it hasn't been able to.     

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.

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Gurode and Davis suck, and Colombo has had one too many injuries

We are going to get destroyed on the right side.

Honestly I wouldn’t mind Barron replacing Colombo

2009 BTB Fantasy Champ... Deal with it

by quincyyyyy on Aug 29, 2010 12:59 PM CDT reply actions  

Maybe we can also have Costa replace Gurode

its worth a shot

2009 BTB Fantasy Champ... Deal with it

by quincyyyyy on Aug 29, 2010 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions  

Then use Gurode to replace Davis

Then starting looking to trade some LB’s, WR’s, or DL line depth for some team with holes lwith holes in those areas that may have some Oline depth. Let it happen fast!!

by Red Raider on Aug 29, 2010 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions  

Is he now better than Gurode?

First it was Bright, now Costa? Gurode isn’t great, but he isn’t that bad either (at least not over the course of a season).

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

by Cowboyfan729 on Aug 29, 2010 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions  

Yeah...

plugging in a UDFA rookie center probobly isn’t going to work.

Just sayin’.

by Blue Eyed Devil on Aug 29, 2010 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions  

I don't know if it sinks the season.

But I think it’s going to sink the first few weeks. I think this will eventually be corrected, but I’m betting on a Washington victory come week one and then some.

Is it NFL time yet?

by Grady90 on Aug 29, 2010 1:00 PM CDT reply actions  

I hope that what I saw in Houston

was Simply a product of the players being tired from a extra long camp plus the addition of an extra game. That is just my hope at least. ’cause if not…… its going to be a long season

"Of all the things I have lost , I miss my mind the most-Random T-shirt

"There is a fine line between Genius and Insanity"-Unknown Author

by I draft the Cowboys!!!! on Aug 29, 2010 1:17 PM CDT reply actions  

We Should Go Get Washington from ACU

I know the kid has a past but has some real talent and he still is not signed. I read his story on ESPN and the kid had a rough life and made a horrible mistake. But, sounds like he truly is a guy who wants and willtake advantage of a second chance. Would be an upgrade in young depth.

by Red Raider on Aug 29, 2010 1:50 PM CDT reply actions  

Isn't he a DT?

"Only the strong survive, but the strong still get their ass whipped." -Nick Saban

by TexaninNYC on Aug 29, 2010 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions  

Nope. You were right.

"Only the strong survive, but the strong still get their ass whipped." -Nick Saban

by TexaninNYC on Aug 29, 2010 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions  

Nope..

That kid is a tackle. Our immediate problems are not at tackle.

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

by Cowboyfan729 on Aug 29, 2010 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions  

YES, they will...

we have a top 5 WR, the best TE in football, 2 RB in the top 25, a top 5 QB and we still get man-handled on offense? WTH?

by LiLGiT on Aug 29, 2010 2:43 PM CDT reply actions  

How do you figure it's an overestimate...

considering they were quoting actual stats from last season? There was no change over in those positions. It’s normally a fairly safe assumption that young players who are still healthy won’t lose THAT much skill over an off season.

Rabid and luvin' it

by lonewolfz28 on Aug 29, 2010 6:15 PM CDT up reply actions  

i’m guessing that if the opposing DL is over aggressive we may see the cowboys throwing a lot of screens to make defenses more honest…on the defensive side of the ball i hope the cowboys play mostly man to man counting on the front to stop the run..at least thats what i’m hoping when games count

by 0k on Aug 29, 2010 3:05 PM CDT reply actions  

Garrett's offense

seems to not take proper advantage of screens. He goes away rom them too quickly if they are working in favor of a downfield passing, and he sticks with attacking through the air downield. The screen will only be used as a fill in play, regardless of it’s success.

"Amongst the enemy's Lair, there will always be a DallasPalace!"

by DallasPalace on Aug 29, 2010 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions  

Not much can happen this year,

Garrett has to play the hand dealt and hope they can pick up some OL next year.

Lock n Load

by DIRE WOLF on Aug 29, 2010 4:12 PM CDT reply actions  

Exactly.

A trade for Mankins isn’t likely to happen. Picking up someone else’s castoffs this late in the off season doesn’t have a very good chance of immediate success.

First, you’d have to find someone you’re sure will be better than what we have. Then, you’d have to make room for them. Then, you’d have to get them integrated into a line that has been playing together in our system for a couple seasons.

Free may not have been a starter before the middle of last season, but he was in the camps and practices…so his integration this season took less work than someone coming in from another team/system. Even picking someone up right now, they aren’t likely to be 100% ready by Week 1.

It would be nice to get someone that we can at least get started on that road though.

Rabid and luvin' it

by lonewolfz28 on Aug 29, 2010 6:25 PM CDT up reply actions  

I don't think it will cause us to be a sub .500 team...

but when we once again struggle in december or put up single digits against the great defenses, they’ll be the reason.We’ll be better with Kosier and Columbo (or Barron) playing.

Garett can do stuff to help these guys out, and felix playing more will help cause guys aren’t going to be able to fly after Romo.

by foyesboys on Aug 29, 2010 7:40 PM CDT reply actions  

I agree that Garrett can, and needs to do more

The offense has the weapons to be able to hit some quick passes and screens that would slow down the rush. And there has to be more done with the running game. I am no expert, but I think the Cowboys have tried to keep their play calling so simple (I will not use the V word) to hide their regular season plans, they have pretty much shut themselves down.

At least I hope that is what is going on.

The new mantra: No more injuries. No more injuries. Everybody now: NO MORE INJURIES!

by Tom Ryle on Aug 29, 2010 10:06 PM CDT reply actions  

You people are in denial.

"The Angels are like the villain in the movie that isn't dead until he's been stabbed 150 times in the bath tub, yet he still might come back up one more time." - Eric Nadel

by TXHC on Aug 29, 2010 10:50 PM CDT up reply actions  

And you are overreacting based off of one game that doesn't matter.

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

by Cowboyfan729 on Aug 30, 2010 8:26 AM CDT up reply actions  

I'm not basing my opinions off of one game.

"The Angels are like the villain in the movie that isn't dead until he's been stabbed 150 times in the bath tub, yet he still might come back up one more time." - Eric Nadel

by TXHC on Aug 30, 2010 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions  

I'm on record that we've needed to draft O-Linemen for the last few years

And I believe we need to upgrade our talent. But our Big, Dumb, Slow offensive linemen also don’t fit Garret’s scheme of finesse blocking and pulling. We need young, smart, athletic offensive linemen for this scheme. And our Right side, Center, and primary backups do not fit that description.

by JimmyJohnson on Aug 30, 2010 8:33 AM CDT reply actions  

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