DC.COM: False Starts, O-Line Protection Issues Hurt Offensive Efficiency

[WoodysGirl]

Rowan Kavner
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas – Injuries prevented continuity on the offensive line in the preseason, but after three weeks of the regular season, the line still doesn’t look like the jelled product the Cowboys hoped for.

Six false starts and three more offensive penalties comprised the majority of the Cowboys’ 13 total penalties in an offensive struggle Sunday, which resulted in quarterback Tony Romohttp://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif (http://www.dallascowboys.com/team/roster/tony-romo/172ae69b-87c1-49f5-a2e6-5ed85b6d5dfc/) getting sacked four times.

The false starts weren’t limited to new Cowboys players. Right tackle Doug Freehttp://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif (http://www.dallascowboys.com/team/roster/doug-free/688eeab8-8a8b-4f63-a760-e638d2a397ae/) committed three false starts and had a holding penalty in the third quarter. Two of the false starts were charged to tight end Jason Wittenhttp://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif (http://www.dallascowboys.com/team/roster/jason-witten/0597e391-ded8-4e9e-9eaf-51c4b5d5b6d6/), while the final went to left tackle Tyron Smithhttp://www.dallascowboys.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif (http://www.dallascowboys.com/team/roster/tyron-smith/9355eb13-012a-4e9a-ab54-320cce7d65b2/).

“I don’t have an answer to that other than that we need to focus on that and do better with it,” Romo said. “When one guy does it, it’s just not that guy’s fault. Someone else might have moved and the ref might have seen something and the call is made at the last second.”

Read the rest: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/False-Starts-O-Line-Protection-Issues-Hurt-Offensive-Efficiency/655a8ca4-fbe1-4765-97c9-d90e66aa6d98

[Wolfpack]

You are shopping at the Dollar Store for your OL and you are upset that it breaks down often?

[Kangaroo]

You are shopping at the Dollar Store for your OL and you are upset that it breaks down often?

Our #11 in the draft OL has what 6 in three games the Dollar store OL have had less issues then the big name guys.

[BAT]

Cook and Livings are not perfect but they are the most dependable. Free and Smith are a sieve, and Bernie is just plain doo-doo.

And Witten's pass blocking is overrated. Plus he is good for a couple of false starts a game.

[nake]

Flo had a lot of false starts. We sure could use a guy like Flo right now, false starts and all.

[ravidubey]

I would trade a 3rd round pick for a solid RT right now. Free's play has been just ridiculous.

[speedkilz88]

Cook and Livings are not perfect but they are the most dependable. Free and Smith are a sieve, and Bernie is just plain doo-doo.

And Witten's pass blocking is overrated. Plus he is good for a couple of false starts a game.
Cook has actually been the main problem with the OL, he's the one with the cadence issues.

[BAT]

Cook has actually been the main problem with the OL, he's the one with the cadence issues.

So it has been speculated. But Dallas has always had false start issues, way before Cook arrived.

Dallas OL is notorious for being undisciplined. It is has to be the culture, because the entire OL has been changed en masse.

[CosmicCowboy]

You are shopping at the Dollar Store for your OL and you are upset that it breaks down often?

:lmao2: not bad....

[davidyee]

So it has been speculated. But Dallas has always had false start issues, way before Cook arrived.

Dallas OL is notorious for being undisciplined. It is has to be the culture, because the entire OL has been changed en masse.

...coach.

There has been one continuity through this past seven years...Romo.

No one knows the real root cause of the issue, but it sure is embarassing and one would figure that with the HC and OC we have this issue could be laid to rest.