Broaddus: Answer Pretty Clear When Evaluating Both Guards - Dallas Cowboys Forum

**WoodysGirl** · 01-16-2013

Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout

Much of the focus of this past season was on the play of the three inside players on this offensive line. It was a rough start to the season because of the time that was missed during training camp with Phil Costa

and Mackenzy Bernadeau

which was the last thing that they needed to happen. Then opening night Costa gets hurt again and Ryan Cook

has to step in off the street to fill the void.

If you look at the position overall three different guys played center during the season, Costa, Cook and Bernadeau which is never a good situation to be in. When Bernadeau moved to center than Derrick Dockery

had to make a start at right guard in the Washington game which wasn’t his best effort. I am not trying to make excuses for the position but there were things happening inside that this team had to deal with as the season went on.

I have never been a huge Phil Costa fan and have always felt like he needed to be replaced but he did have one of his better games of his career in my eyes against the Ravens in handling their big inside defenders. Ryan Cook in his place was serviceable in his place but there were times where this line struggled because he wasn’t able to consistently get to the second level and make a block or he wasn’t able to sit down on his man and get the front of the pocket solid. Kevin Kowalski

missed the first six weeks of the season on the physical unable to perform list but when he came back was never able to put himself in a position to make the coaches have the confidence to put him in the game over Cook.

Read more: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/ar...d-a9584ffd7334

Sasquatch · 01-16-2013

Reading all these articles about the OL makes me think that I'm back in 2012.

**Idgit** · 01-16-2013

I know what direction this thread will go in, but when it comes to the OL this season, this from Broaddus, below, is pretty much how I saw things, too:

Quote:

Livings and Bernadeau were far from perfect but I thought that Cook and Free struggled far more on this line.

It really stunk that we didn't get to evaluate Cost v. Mack at C in training camp and that the OT swap turned out so poorly for us both on the left and on the right. Pretty much a worst-case scenario off the bat, and it wasn't until half-way through the season that things settled down to mediocre.

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idgit

I know what direction this thread will go in, but when it comes to the OL this season, this from Broaddus, below, is pretty much how I saw things, too:

It really stunk that we didn't get to evaluate Cost v. Mack at C in training camp and that the OT swap turned out so poorly for us both on the left and on the right. Pretty much a worst-case scenario off the bat, and it wasn't until half-way through the season that things settled down to mediocre.

And you're right we do know which direction it will go... Of course we'll get the "They should have spent more resources on the offensive line" rant as we've gotten 1,000 times.

But the fact remains I doubt the even the most pessimistic among us would have thought that Smith would have had as miserable a season as what he did.

Or that the starting offensive line would play 6 quarters together for the entire season– including training camp?

Those weren't the entire reasons for the offensive line's failure. They could have signed Nicks instead of Carr, but even Nicks was lost for the season after only a handful of games. **** happens.

And they do have to make changes. Free got his mulligan and now he can face the music of another poor season. I thought Bern was more inconsistent than what is portrayed in this article and that Livings was better than what was portrayed-- but whatever.

I wish we could have seen more of Costa, his game vs Baltimore was one of the best games played by any Cowboy offensive linemen in a while. And now we don't know if it was an aberration or not.

I expect at least two changes on the starting unit come next September. At least two.

Eddie · 01-16-2013

How do writers get paid when their grammar won't pass an 8th grade ELA composition exam???

fanfromvirginia · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie

How do writers get paid when their grammar won't pass an 8th grade ELA composition exam???

I was wondering the same thing. You'd think they'd have editors as well.

burmafrd · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

And you're right we do know which direction it will go... Of course we'll get the "They should have spent more resources on the offensive line" rant as we've gotten 1,000 times.

But the fact remains I doubt the even the most pessimistic among us would have thought that Smith would have had as miserable a season as what he did.

Or that the starting offensive line would play 6 quarters together for the entire season– including training camp?

Those weren't the entire reasons for the offensive line's failure. They could have signed Nicks instead of Carr, but even Nicks was lost for the season after only a handful of games. **** happens.

And they do have to make changes. Free got his mulligan and now he can face the music of another poor season. I thought Bern was more inconsistent than what is portrayed in this article and that Livings was better than what was portrayed-- but whatever.

[View Full Quote]

this season was only a shock to those like you that drank the Kool Aid on the O line from Jerruh. You had rose colored glasses on the whole time.

Outside of Smith, there is no one else we currently have that even has the potential to be REALLY GOOD. we have Jags pretty much end to end. By the way you need to be reminded that Costa was playing against an injured Ngata in the baltimore game. Ngata injured his knee in the first quarter.

CowboyFan74 · 01-16-2013

Interesting take:

"There are those of you reading this are not going to like what I am about the say but it is my honest view, Nate Livings was not a better player than Mackenzy Bernadeau and I know there a lot of people think that was the case but it’s not true. I know that Bernadeau had his struggles at certain points during this season and the Tampa Bay game was one of those times but if you focus on three plays you are missing the other 65 where he did his job correctly."

erod · 01-16-2013

I still draft two offensive lineman in the first three rounds and look for an opportunity in free agency. Then let it sort itself out this offseason.

That was fatal flaw of 2012.

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by burmafrd

this season was only a shock to those like you that drank the Kool Aid on the O line from Jerruh. You had rose colored glasses on the whole time.

Outside of Smith, there is no one else we currently have that even has the potential to be REALLY GOOD. we have Jags pretty much end to end. By the way you need to be reminded that Costa was playing against an injured Ngata in the baltimore game. Ngata injured his knee in the first quarter.

The Redskin's line is full of "JAG's" and played pretty well as a unit.

Just sayin.

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by erod

I still draft two offensive lineman in the first three rounds and look for an opportunity in free agency. Then let it sort itself out this offseason.

That was fatal flaw of 2012.

OK fair enough...

But how do you balance that when you also need:

-help at safety
-help at DT AND a lot of it if Ratliff is not retained.
-help at DE IF Spencer is not retained.
-help at RB
-help at WR IF Austin is not retained.

See I don't think you can drop two of your first three draft picks on offensive linemen with that list of needs.

Teague31 · 01-16-2013

Hopefully FA will plug a few holes

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teague31

Hopefully FA will plug a few holes

I don't think there's going to be a lot of cap-space available to "plug holes".

JonJon · 01-16-2013

This will make some eyes roll, but I doubt we see any offensive linemen in the top two rounds. I think those will be allocated to the defense. I think the team will still look for value players in rounds 3-5.

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonJon

This will make some eyes roll, but I doubt we see any offensive linemen in the top two rounds. I think those will be allocated to the defense. I think the team will still look for value players in rounds 3-5.

It could happen that way.

The fact is after the first round the chances of finding a competent starter for the offensive line THIS season is slim.

Several of the top-rated linemen that were drafted in 2012 and started this season didn't exactly distinguish themselves. It takes time.

I think the Cowboys get a FA guard, put Parnell at RT and go from there.