News: Graziano: Cowboys-Fins Game Observations

[WoodysGirl]

here are some of my thoughts after watching the Cowboys' preseason opener Sunday night:

• The run/pass ratio of 34/24 is interesting, of course. They only had one game last year in which they ran the ball that many times, and because of the offseason hullabaloo about the change in offensive playcaller it's being hailed by some as a sign of Bill Callahan's increased control. Could be, but I think it's going to be important for everyone to remember that this is still Jason Garrett's offense; Callahan's just calling the plays. Is it possible Callahan will maintain a commitment to the run throughout the game better than Garrett did? Sure. And if backup running backs like Phillip Tanner and Joseph Randle show they can handle things, doing that will be easier. We'll still have to see how this holds up once the starting quarterback, starting wide receivers, starting tight end and starting running back are actually playing and the games count. But positive reinforcement for Tanner, Randle, Callahan and of course the interior offensive line are a good thing.
• Rookie center Travis Frederick impressed me with his strength, and it's not hard to see him starting at center or even at guard if Phil Costa can stay healthy. The Cowboys' offensive line has a lot of question marks and a long way to go, but unlike this time last year, it feels as though the work they did to make it better in the offseason might bear some fruit. Still there is alarmingly little depth behind the starters, especially at tackle.
• George Selvie is a fun story for Cowboys fans. If the Tyrone Crawford injury created a depth problem and the team actually fixed it with a late-July street free agent, that's found money right there. Selvie sure looks like a fit in this Monte Kiffin/Rod Marinelly 4-3 front as a defensive end with good instincts and lateral movement. There's a reason he was on the street, of course, and the best thing he can get out of a strong preseason is a spot in the backup defensive end rotation. But again, even if it's against low-quality competition, success in these games can help a player's confidence. And seeing a guy actually get to the quarterback can help a coaching staff's confidence in that guy. Ideally, Selvie emerges as someone who can be deployed as a situational pass-rusher, which was the minimum they were expecting from Crawford this year.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4711840/some-dallas-cowboys-thoughts

 

[Doomsday101]

I really do not think the Maimi game will be indicitive of the overall play calling. I think Dallas went into that game to work on their running game something that have stuggled with. I think the play calling stayed vanilla on the night but got what they wanted out of it for the evening.

 

[FiveRings]

I don't understand why everyone is so quick so say "hey let's try Costa at center, Fred at guard" but never vice-versa. It's not like Costa is unable to play guard, it just makes way more sense to me

 

[DogFace]

I don't understand why everyone is so quick so say "hey let's try Costa at center, Fred at guard" but never vice-versa. It's not like Costa is unable to play guard, it just makes way more sense to me

Yep. I agree

 

[Cowboysfan22]

Fred at centre is the way to go IMO move Costa to guard analyze how well he does. Selvie looked great and if he keeps it up he could become dominant. The running backs all looked great except Lawerence, for the most part his play was rather sub-par with quite a few head scratching plays. The secondary was pretty bad if you go back and watch the game. If it wasn't for the great pass rushing by the Dline we would have lost that game through the air no doubt. Hopefully the secondary looks better against the Raiders and the Offense can step up the passing game while mainting the good running.

 

[jrumann59]

Fred at centre is the way to go IMO move Costa to guard analyze how well he does. Selvie looked great and if he keeps it up he could become dominant. The running backs all looked great except Lawerence, for the most part his play was rather sub-par with quite a few head scratching plays. The secondary was pretty bad if you go back and watch the game. If it wasn't for the great pass rushing by the Dline we would have lost that game through the air no doubt. Hopefully the secondary looks better against the Raiders and the Offense can step up the passing game while mainting the good running.

Yes and no our bubble oline is terrible, those guys running most of the third string line will not be here. When they blocked for him like on the TD he was not even touched from 15 yards out.

 

[Staubacher]

Fred at centre is the way to go IMO move Costa to guard analyze how well he does. Selvie looked great and if he keeps it up he could become dominant. The running backs all looked great except Lawerence, for the most part his play was rather sub-par with quite a few head scratching plays. The secondary was pretty bad if you go back and watch the game. If it wasn't for the great pass rushing by the Dline we would have lost that game through the air no doubt. Hopefully the secondary looks better against the Raiders and the Offense can step up the passing game while mainting the good running.

Yeah we were quite vulnerable down the middle of the field. But there's a couple of guys named Bruce and Sean who normally wouldn't allow that. Our safety play was suspect due to Wilcox and Jakar being inexperienced. Miami picked on CB Pellerin all night but we have 4 or 5 good corners besides him.

 

[Idgit]

The run/pass ratio was more a function of who we had playing QB than what we plan to do during the regular season.

 

[Doomsday101]

The run/pass ratio was more a function of who we had playing QB than what we plan to do during the regular season.

I think Dallas went into this game wanting to run regardless of who was playing QB. It has been an area the coaching staff have talked about since camp started.

 

[khiladi]

Can somebody explain to me how it's Jason Garrett's offense? I mean is Callahan, with all his experience, just totally oblivious to two-tight end sets or RB screens?

 

[Doomsday101]

Can somebody explain to me how it's Jason Garrett's offense? I mean is Callahan, with all his experience, just totally oblivious to two-tight end sets or RB screens?

Because it is the same system that was in place that Garrett came in with that is how it is Garrett offense. Callahan has not said other wise nor has Romo who both acknowledge the same. Garrett is still involved in the game planning only change is play calling and Garrett as HC will still have some say over that in any given situation

 

[khiladi]

That doesn't answer the question. So is Callahan just totally oblivious to two-tight end screens? Is Garrett's playbook totally devoid of plays that Callahan had no knowledge of? Is Garrett's playbook devoid of plays from Norv Turner or Ernie Zampese? I mean how absurd does it need to be stated that, Jason Garrett having a playbook means really nothing. if he can't use it himself in game-tim situations, what does that exactly mean for his being a 'genius'? The guy using his playbook knows more than Jason about Jason's supposed playbook?

The claim that it's more important to remember that it's Garrett's playbook, as opposed to Bill Callahan calling the plays, is an utterly imbecilic claim...

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Can somebody explain to me how it's Jason Garrett's offense? I mean is Callahan, with all his experience, just totally oblivious to two-tight end sets or RB screens?

Because, philosophically, the offense is still Garrett's. Callahan is about as pure a traditional west coast guy as you're going to find in football today. The dude went so far as to try to install a west coast offense at the University of Nebraska with players fit to run the option.

Garrett is a Coryell guy so Callahan is calling plays within that framework.

 

[khiladi]

So is it Garrett's playbook or Coryell's? Let me repeat:

That doesn't answer the question. So is Callahan just totally oblivious to two-tight end screens? Is Garrett's playbook totally devoid of plays that Callahan had no knowledge of? Is Garrett's playbook devoid of plays from Norv Turner or Ernie Zampese? I mean how absurd does it need to be stated that, Jason Garrett having a playbook means really nothing. if he can't use it himself in game-tim situations, what does that exactly mean for his being a 'genius'? The guy using his playbook knows more than Jason about Jason's supposed playbook?

The claim that it's more important to remember that it's Garrett's playbook, as opposed to Bill Callahan calling the plays, is an utterly imbecilic claim...

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I think Dallas went into this game wanting to run regardless of who was playing QB. It has been an area the coaching staff have talked about since camp started.

I do agree with this, cause Miami was in their base D most of the game and we still ran the ball. With the 12, normally we would've thrown the ball alot more against a base D to force them to go nickel, but in this game our focus was obviously not taking advantage of our matchups and trying to actually win the game.

Its just preseason, and our running game needed work.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

It's just a reminder that Garrett's playbook incorporates more Coryell concepts. Callahan's playbook when he was in Oakland and the University of Nebraska incorporated more West Coast concepts. That's all. I don't think anyone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes or fabricate a distinction that doesn't exist.

 

[Idgit]

I think Dallas went into this game wanting to run regardless of who was playing QB. It has been an area the coaching staff have talked about since camp started.

I'd agree with that, too. It might even have factored into the decision to sit Romo for this game.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Pretty much any play can be run out of any "system", it's just a difference in terminology. So it doesn't really matter whose system it is.

Graziano and some others like Todd Archer are big Garrett fans so this is their way of still giving him credit when the offense does well.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't understand why everyone is so quick so say "hey let's try Costa at center, Fred at guard" but never vice-versa. It's not like Costa is unable to play guard, it just makes way more sense to me

Because Costa is a much better Center then he is Guard. Fred is too but the drop off from Guard to Center seems to be less pronounced.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

I'd like to add an observation from the game: The Dolphins' new uniforms sucked.