RECAP: Mickey with D&M on The Ticket...

[trickblue]

The Mickaroo:
Parcells said he wants Romo to play a bit, and maybe he thinks the OL has a ways to go and doesn't want Bledsoe hurt. No sense putting him in jeopardy if you don't have to. That may just be me. Romo is more mobile and could avoid trouble in the backfield.
Beriault has't practiced since the injury. I would surmise that it was a severe concussion.
"She" went back to practice yesterday although he didn't do much. He has stressed the fact he isn't hurt.
Peterman went back to practice yesterday.
If Bill is gonna make a stink about something, it isn't going to be about this particular TO situation. Maybe TO looks like a physical freak but he may just have tired legs after being injured two years ago and not playing a full year last year.
People need to realize that just because the MRI on TO came back negative (not torn), doesn't mean he hasn't tweaked his hammy. It is easy to have a sore hammy and it not show up. Also remember this is the leg he broke. He may be favoring it a bit still psychologically.
There is alot of talk about the offense here with TO and all, but this team has a chance to have a really special defense. From what I see they are bigger up front, the LB's are much more versatile. It the DB's can stay healthy they may have something here. When Glenn is your third guy it is a good thing as he can still play. They are using Watkins at the nickel safety and Burnett at LB
Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.
Ratliff is looking really good. With him and Ellis on the first team, the run offense is going nowhere in practice.
Boiman had surgery yesterday, that break was really ugly looking. He should be back in 10-14 days.

[CrazyCowboy]

Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide

BP sure knows what he is doing....I would never have dreamed this would work.....amazing!

[Alexander]

Ratliff is looking really good. With him and Ellis on the first team, the run offense is going nowhere in practice.I hope this is a case of our defense being very good as opposed to our running game just not being all that sharp.

[InmanRoshi]

I caught the tail end of it when he started talking about the defense.


Pat Watkins has been replacing Keith Davis on nickel packages. They have been switching in Kevin Burnett and Bobby Carpenter as the nickel linebackers. Ellis is basically a starting left linebacker now. Its no more a special package thing, he’s a starter when the 1st team goes out there. He’s doesn’t seem to be nearly as concerned about it now. He seems much more happy about it. He likes the fact that he can rush the passer from a stand up position. The Cowboys are going to give him every opportunity in the preseason to show that he can do it, because they would love to get a 270 lbs. linebacker on the field. He still needs work on his pass coverage, but you should see it when they try to run the ball to his side. Its like having another defensive end on the field. He is so used to stacking against the run that he just takes the blocker and stands him up and totally bottles up the perimeter to that side. And he’s got a 305 lbs. defensive end like Jay Ratliff lining up right next to him. Watch out for Ratliff, he’s going to push Spears for the starting position. The only bad new with the defense is the injury to Boiman. I saw Boiman’s hand when he rushed off the field holding his hand and I saw the bone sticking out of the glove. They’ll probably mount him with a club-like cast so he can practice, but he probably won’t play any of the preseason games.

[Fla Cowpoke]

I don't know, in the scrimmage report, seemed like we ran very well to the right and up the middle. A lot of 5+ yd carries.

[Fernando Fernandez]

Quote:"Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide."

I am looking foward to seeing string out those run plays...that is the sign of a VERY good outside linebacker.

Go Ellis!

[theogt]

Parcells said he wants Romo to play a bit, and maybe he thinks the OL has a ways to go and doesn't want Bledsoe hurt. No sense putting him in jeopardy if you don't have to. That may just be me. Romo is more mobile and could avoid trouble in the backfield.He didn't say anything like that in the press conference.

[Alexander]

He’s doesn’t seem to be nearly as concerned about it now. He seems much more happy about it. He likes the fact that he can rush the passer from a stand up position.

One of these days he might actually learn to trust Coach Parcells before he dooms himself before he tries something new.

[BrAinPaiNt]

[/LIST]I hope this is a case of our defense being very good as opposed to our running game just not being all that sharp.


I would say a combination of both, however I am willing to bet that the D is just going to be really good this year.

I think Bill feels he finally got enough guys right now to run the D the way he wants it run and I think we will have a very good year on D.

[trickblue]

He didn't say anything like that in the press conference.

Well, Mickey did say that is his own speculation...

I should have put that at the end of the sentence instead of the middle...

[Chocolate Lab]

One of these days he might actually learn to trust Coach Parcells before he dooms himself before he tries something new.
And maybe one of these days some fans will give a player a little more of a chance before trading him for scraps. ;)

[trickblue]

And maybe one of these days some fans will give a player a little more of a chance before trading him for scraps. ;)

Maybe we could trade Ellis for Coakley?

[EMMITTnROY]

Im excited about this Ellis thing.. we have a ridiculous surplus at LB right now.. I kid you not, our reserve 4 LBs could all start on a lot teams.. if our starters are Ware, Ayodele, James, Ellis.. and our backups are Burnett, Carpenter, Boiman, Singleton.. wow..

I wonder if Ellis will officially be listed as a LB.. and I wonder if having both he and Ware play LB/DE will take up a LB roster spot and squeeze out a guy like Shanle, Fowler, or Glymph.. and I wonder if that extra roster spot might go to keeping a Polite or an extra O-Line guy or maybe adding a kickoff specialist?

[austintodallas]

I am looking foward to seeing string out those run plays...that is the sign of a VERY good outside linebacker.

Go Ellis!Ellis is just a very good player period regardless of where you line him up.

Parcells saw that and now Ellis is starting to realize it.

[theogt]

Well, Mickey did say that is his own speculation...

I should have put that at the end of the sentence instead of the middle...I see. After re-reading it I caught that this was just Mick's speculation.

[trickblue]

Im excited about this Ellis thing.. we have a ridiculous surplus at LB right now.. I kid you not, our reserve 4 LBs could all start on a lot teams.. if our starters are Ware, Ayodele, James, Ellis.. and our backups are Burnett, Carpenter, Boiman, Singleton.. wow..

I wonder if Ellis will officially be listed as a LB.. and I wonder if having both he and Ware play LB/DE will take up a LB roster spot and squeeze out a guy like Shanle, Fowler, or Glymph.. and I wonder if that extra roster spot might go to keeping a Polite or an extra O-Line guy or maybe adding a kickoff specialist?

So far this camp, it doesn't look like Glymph is going anywhere...

I'm not sure I have heard Fowler's name this camp...

[STSINAZ]

i knew that ellis could do this...i even said this would happen..check the archives ...i think it was on this site...got blasted too

[dmq]

Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.

I really wish this had been started a year ago. I really don't like the fact that he isn't that good in coverage. It is pretty easy to see that offensive coordinators will attack him with a TE and not a RB.

[Sportsbabe]

One of these days he might actually learn to trust Coach Parcells before he dooms himself before he tries something new.

I think you just said something ;)

[JackMagist]

So far this camp, it doesn't look like Glymph is going anywhere...

I'm not sure I have heard Fowler's name this camp...I have heard some mention (not a lot) of Fowler and that he seemed to be doing well. What I have not heard at all is any mention of Scott Shanle's play.

[theogt]

Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.

I really wish this had been started a year ago. I really don't like the fact that he isn't that good in coverage. It is pretty easy to see that offensive coordinators will attack him with a TE and not a RB.Hindsight is 20/20, but yeah I wish the move would have been made earlier. But if you remember last offseason, making anything more complicated was the last thing on anyone's mind.

[InmanRoshi]

I really wish this had been started a year ago. I really don't like the fact that he isn't that good in coverage. It is pretty easy to see that offensive coordinators will attack him with a TE and not a RB.

Let them go for it, because Ellis won't be covering them. The most those OLB's do is redirect routes and pass them on to the safety, or cover a running back in the flat. Or maybe dropping back into a zone to protect against the quick slant, which is essentially what they do in a 4-3 defense in a zone blitz. They're generally never asked to turn and run, and they're always looking at the QB. As long as he isn't tripping over his feet on a basic backpedal, the biggest adjustment is mental since alignments and shifts will change his designated assignments for the first time in his career.

[Alexander]

And maybe one of these days some fans will give a player a little more of a chance before trading him for scraps. ;)

Fair enough.

[JackMagist]

Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.

I really wish this had been started a year ago. I really don't like the fact that he isn't that good in coverage. It is pretty easy to see that offensive coordinators will attack him with a TE and not a RB.He's only been working on it for a week and a half and all reports say that he is getting better in coverage every day. I agree that it would have been better to do this last year but we had too much inexperience on the DL for that and we also thought we might have something in Fujita. The time just wasn't right for the move.

[EMMITTnROY]

Let them go for it, because Ellis won't be covering them. The most those OLB's do is redirect routes and pass them on to the safety, or cover a running back in the flat. As long as he isn't tripping over his feet on a basic backpedal, the biggest adjustment is mental since alignments and shifts will change his designated assignments for the first time in his career.
that's what I was thinking.. and Ellis will be outstanding at redirecting routes.. with his size and strength? shoot, those first five yards are gonna suck for tight ends..

[Alexander]

Hindsight is 20/20, but yeah I wish the move would have been made earlier. But if you remember last offseason, making anything more complicated was the last thing on anyone's mind.

Good points. We also had to play him at end last year because we didn't know Canty would be able to play and we already started the groundwork for the defensive installation long before that.

Plus, you already had too much on the plate to do it, let alone deal with yet another concern by Ellis about the position change at that time. Coach Parcells needed buy-in from nearly every starter on the front seven.

The timing of this was done correctly.

[Chocolate Lab]

Just gigging you, Alex. :)

I'm just glad this is working out. In that video Ace of Spades posted, there was several minutes of linebacker ball drills, and I thought Ellis looked amazingly natural catching the ball -- way better than I would have thought. So I don't see why this can't work.

And like Roshi says, the only covering Ellis will be doing is a little bit of zone. It's not like he'll be asked to cover Antonio Gates man for man all over the field anyway. Does anyone remember Willie McGinest having to play like a cornerback 25 yards down the field? :)

[Alexander]

that's what I was thinking.. and Ellis will be outstanding at redirecting routes.. with his size and strength? shoot, those first five yards are gonna suck for tight ends..

You will also see Ellis substituted for at LBer liberally on obvious passing downs and nothing says he won't flop to Ware's side and vice versa quite often.

Much like a zone blitz where you drop an end or even nose tackle (I bet we see Ratliff a litte in coverage also), you depend on pressure to make the play, not the strength of the lineman in coverage. Belichick didn't string out McGinest to dry and Parcells/Zimmer won't do that to Ellis.

[EMMITTnROY]

man, Im getting excited.. imagine having Ware, Ellis, and Roy all on the field at the same time.. those are our three best pass rushers, and I see them doing a lot of damage.. lots of sacks, lots of interceptions, lots of fumbles..

I only hope hope hope that Zimmer gets creative with schemes and packages and blitzes and disguises and all that.. and I think he will be, he should be much more comfortable this year..

[Jarv]

You will also see Ellis substituted for at LBer liberally on obvious passing downs and nothing says he won't flop to Ware's side and vice versa quite often.

Much like a zone blitz where you drop an end or even nose tackle (I bet we see Ratliff a litte in coverage also), you depend on pressure to make the play, not the strength of the lineman in coverage. Belichick didn't string out McGinest to dry and Parcells/Zimmer won't do that to Ellis.

Heck, he could play DE in passing downs too. Love the versatility this gives us.

[EMMITTnROY]

So far this camp, it doesn't look like Glymph is going anywhere...


that's another good thing-- Glymph is a converted DE as well.. so we would have three guys that can play DE/LB.. and some guys that can play DE/DT.. have a couple of CB/S guys.. man, I think we can have some fun on D this year..

[ghst187]

The Mickaroo:[LIST]
Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.

Ratliff is looking really good. With him and Ellis on the first team, the run offense is going nowhere in practice.
LIST]

I notice that the whinings of Ellis have stopped showing up in the press...perhaps there's a correlation with the info above....?:D

I LOVE the fact that we have a potential starting DE (or at least starting quality) with a HIGH motor in the 7th round (I think it was the 7th).
Ireland rocks!

[InmanRoshi]

FWIW, Parcells said the other day that he believed Ellis could play the position thanks to his basketball background. The Cowboys field a pretty decent basketball team in their front 7. Spears played for LSU's basketball team briefly. Canty was a basketball star in high school. Ellis played in North Carolina's High School All Star basketball game (they take it seriously in that state). Ratliff averaged 18 points and 18 boards a game in high school.

[JPM]

FWIW, Parcells said the other day that he believed Ellis could play the position thanks to his basketball background. The Cowboys field a pretty decent basketball team in their front 7. Spears played for LSU's basketball team briefly. Canty was a basketball star in high school. Ellis played in North Carolina's High School All Star basketball game (they take it seriously in that state). Ratliff averaged 18 points and 18 boards a game in high school.

Don't forget our WR, what's his name again ? :p:

[p1_]

Ellis is just a very good player period regardless of where you line him up.

Parcells saw that and now Ellis is starting to realize it.

The Grasshopper learns from the Master and feels foolish for ever having doubted the wisdom of the ages. This could translate into big $$$ this offseason. Ya nevah know.

Go Greggo!

[Dough Boy]

Hindsight is 20/20, but yeah I wish the move would have been made earlier. But if you remember last offseason, making anything more complicated was the last thing on anyone's mind.
Not to mention that half of the fandom plus JJT wanted to wait another year to implement the 3/4. Lastly, if we moved Greg to OLB last year, who would have lined up at RDE. We didn't know if Canty was going to be ready or not. Also, we would have two OLB switching from DE to OLB at the same time. I think Bill did a good job of phasing the players into the scheme.

[Dough Boy]

Good points. We also had to play him at end last year because we didn't know Canty would be able to play and we already started the groundwork for the defensive installation long before that.

Plus, you already had too much on the plate to do it, let alone deal with yet another concern by Ellis about the position change at that time. Coach Parcells needed buy-in from nearly every starter on the front seven.

The timing of this was done correctly.

I agree.

[TheHustler]

The Mickaroo:
Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.
Ratliff is looking really good. With him and Ellis on the first team, the run offense is going nowhere in practice.

That is great news. Stop the run, and we've won half the battle.

[Bob Sacamano]

I caught the tail end of it when he started talking about the defense.


Pat Watkins has been replacing Keith Davis on nickel packages. They have been switching in Kevin Burnett and Bobby Carpenter as the nickel linebackers. Ellis is basically a starting left linebacker now. Its no more a special package thing, he’s a starter when the 1st team goes out there. He’s doesn’t seem to be nearly as concerned about it now. He seems much more happy about it. He likes the fact that he can rush the passer from a stand up position. The Cowboys are going to give him every opportunity in the preseason to show that he can do it, because they would love to get a 270 lbs. linebacker on the field. He still needs work on his pass coverage, but you should see it when they try to run the ball to his side. Its like having another defensive end on the field. He is so used to stacking against the run that he just takes the blocker and stands him up and totally bottles up the perimeter to that side. And he’s got a 305 lbs. defensive end like Jay Ratliff lining up right next to him. Watch out for Ratliff, he’s going to push Spears for the starting position. The only bad new with the defense is the injury to Boiman. I saw Boiman’s hand when he rushed off the field holding his hand and I saw the bone sticking out of the glove. They’ll probably mount him with a club-like cast so he can practice, but he probably won’t play any of the preseason games.

guess it wasn't so far-fetched that Parcells knows what he's talking about Greg, and the fact that you may like the role now is it? great news about Ratliff, he really showed me something last year as a nickel pass-rusher, but now that he's stout against the run, I'm really excited about him, and the Dline, not bad for a 7th round pick

[Bob Sacamano]

Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.

I really wish this had been started a year ago. I really don't like the fact that he isn't that good in coverage. It is pretty easy to see that offensive coordinators will attack him with a TE and not a RB.

that's why you sub in Carpenter and/or Burnett in the nickel

[Bob Sacamano]

man, Im getting excited.. imagine having Ware, Ellis, and Roy all on the field at the same time.. those are our three best pass rushers, and I see them doing a lot of damage.. lots of sacks, lots of interceptions, lots of fumbles..

and then imagine Canty and Ratliff and Spears coming off the edges, all 3 of those guys have some moves, power and quickness in the pass-rush, this D is going to be scary, and I wouldn't be suprised to see BP let Zimmer get a little more creative this year

[ddh33]

I'm thrilled about all of this talk, but at the same time I'm almost more annoyed all over again.

I have never thought that Greg Ellis was a bad guy, but he sure made me mad with all of his whining and crying. The bottom line is that Bill Parcells wants to win. He wants to get the most out of all of his players. He's not trying to ruin anyone's career. And Parcells knows a little something about that position in a 3-4. But Greg Ellis could only cry about it.

Now, after getting in practice and working on some of these things, he's really coming along. Years may be added to his career because of this move. He suddenly doesn't have to do nearly as much dirty-work. He's getting to rush the QB, and he's doing a good job of it apparently. Maybe Parcells knew what he was doing.

[SA_Gunslinger]

Guys, this Ellis thing is not an experiment anymore. He is the first team LB. He looks more comfortable and is making plays. It is obvious he is picking this move up. When they try to run the ball wide, given his DE experience, he is stringing that thing out very wide.
Ratliff is looking really good. With him and Ellis on the first team, the run offense is going nowhere in practice.




this is great news to me. really great.

although...maybe not good news for the running game/OL.

[jobberone]

Great news about Ellis. I'd love to see this work out well but I'd like to see this at real game speed before getting too excited. Personally I think he'll have some impact and I don't want to rain on the parade. I'm taking an optimistic wait and see.

Overall this is the most talented and deep team on defense I've seen in a long while. I think the only thing the D is missing is a pure pass rusher. Since we've never played the 3-4 in the remote past perhaps Ware and Ellis et al will be that "Haley/Martin/TooTall" type player