WoodysGirl
05-01-2012, 08:36 AM
Apr 30
4:30
PM ET
By Dan Graziano (http://search.espn.go.com/dan-graziano/) | ESPN.com
Todd Archer's column (http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/7870730/2012-nfl-draft-picks-show-dallas-cowboys-trust-offense) on ESPNDallas.com notes that the Dallas Cowboys (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys)' focus during the draft, as it has been for much of the offseason, was on the defensive side of the ball, and that it's an unusual thing for a team whose head coach is also the offensive coordinator. I would argue that the reason is because defense was clearly the Cowboys' biggest problem last season, and surely even an offensive-minded head coach like Jason Garrett would be able to see that, with or without a Princeton education.
But Archer's point is that the willingness of Garrett to allow this offseason to be taken over by defense speaks to his own confidence about his ability to lead the offense. He has reason to believe in skill-position players such as Tony Romo (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo), Dez Bryant (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant), Miles Austin (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin) and, if healthy, DeMarco Murray (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14005/demarco-murray). And the addition of new offensive line coach Bill Callahan as well as a couple of free-agent offensive linemen should help address the biggest problem the offense had last season -- the line. Archer reaches the following conclusion:
With a healthy Romo (he played six games needing a painkilling injection for a broken rib), a healthy Bryant and healthy Austin (they suffered through quadriceps and hamstring injuries) and perhaps most important a healthy Murray, who had 789 yards in seven full games as the every-down back before suffering an ankle injury, the Cowboys' offense should be better in 2012.
That's what's Garrett is betting on. Those players … and himself.I think this is a perfectly reasonable conclusion.
Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/38777/on-the-cowboys-defensive-draft-focus
4:30
PM ET
By Dan Graziano (http://search.espn.go.com/dan-graziano/) | ESPN.com
Todd Archer's column (http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/7870730/2012-nfl-draft-picks-show-dallas-cowboys-trust-offense) on ESPNDallas.com notes that the Dallas Cowboys (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys)' focus during the draft, as it has been for much of the offseason, was on the defensive side of the ball, and that it's an unusual thing for a team whose head coach is also the offensive coordinator. I would argue that the reason is because defense was clearly the Cowboys' biggest problem last season, and surely even an offensive-minded head coach like Jason Garrett would be able to see that, with or without a Princeton education.
But Archer's point is that the willingness of Garrett to allow this offseason to be taken over by defense speaks to his own confidence about his ability to lead the offense. He has reason to believe in skill-position players such as Tony Romo (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo), Dez Bryant (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13215/dez-bryant), Miles Austin (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10147/miles-austin) and, if healthy, DeMarco Murray (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/14005/demarco-murray). And the addition of new offensive line coach Bill Callahan as well as a couple of free-agent offensive linemen should help address the biggest problem the offense had last season -- the line. Archer reaches the following conclusion:
With a healthy Romo (he played six games needing a painkilling injection for a broken rib), a healthy Bryant and healthy Austin (they suffered through quadriceps and hamstring injuries) and perhaps most important a healthy Murray, who had 789 yards in seven full games as the every-down back before suffering an ankle injury, the Cowboys' offense should be better in 2012.
That's what's Garrett is betting on. Those players … and himself.I think this is a perfectly reasonable conclusion.
Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/38777/on-the-cowboys-defensive-draft-focus