jday
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While many you of you are already debating who is sober enough for a beer run, I am once again stuck monitoring a slow-drip inbound sales line…try not to let your jealousy ruin your day. So, once again I am completely bored out of my mind, but these moments are a great opportunity for me to reflect on all things Cowboys…and as it has been awhile since my last post, I have a lot of ground to cover…in no particular order.
Rarely am I this right and it is unlikely I will ever be this right again so I may as well throw out the obligatory “I told you so” link: http://cowboyszone.com/threads/yet-another-running-back-panic-thread.324677/
The question that remains is the same question Rolando McClain had to answer last year and the same question Greg Hardy will be expected to answer starting game 5: Can Christine start a new narrative with a change of scenery? Will he be coachable in Dallas? Based on scouting reports and news articles I have read, Michael’s clashed with coaches in college and at Seattle. Furthermore, despite constant teaching, he consistently exhibits poor technique in pass protection and securing the ball. Beyond those damning traits, however, is a 220 lb explosive runner, who can take it to the house from let’s say 60 yards out…he does have speed, but like Demarco Murray, that speed doesn’t last for a 100 yards.
Looking at his highlights (yeah, I said it, highlights…youtube even…I know right…hardcore analysis here), Michaels looks ideal for the Cowboys zone blocking scheme. He is a prototypical one-cut running back that runs with excellent pad level and power and he possesses excellent speed for his size. If he can absorb the coaching and apply it, he has the ability to become the best running back in the stable…which of course isn’t saying a whole lot, all things considered, but it still should be viewed as an improvement, if nothing else.
The other question is how does he crack the gameday 46? If he does, who sits in his stead? Is he a Special Teams contributor?
In truth, as he learns the system/playbook and the Cowboys coaches get a better feel for what he has to offer, it may be a week or 3 before he suits up for a game. Until Christine Michaels make the game day 46 three times, it truly is a free look and you can bet that the Cowboys will take full advantage of that. If he exhibits the “bad attitude” or lack of ability to improve his techniques in both pass blocking and carrying the rock, his stay here will be short. I’m certainly pulling for the young man, but given the aforementioned issues, I honestly can’t say with a high degree of confidence that he will take carries from anyone currently on the roster, without the assistance of injuries (which, as we all know, are very likely).
The Scandrick injury could be a blessing in disguise. I know that’s not a new concept…I’m sure I’m not the first zoner to make that claim. Even if it is an echo, that doesn’t make it any less true. The prospect of Claiborne starting against the Giants scares the hell out of me….it really, really does. But what if the Cowboys finally get to see the Claiborne the Cowboys thought they drafted? Would they have, had Scandrick not been injured? Granted Claiborne would have still seen the field, but I’m not sure it would be the same Claiborne.
You have to think that the promotion, albeit by way of injury, has to help his confidence a little; the Cowboys did have other options, but placed their vote of confidence in him. And confidence is a key ingredient to being a corner in the NFL. That teamed with the fact that this is Claiborne last year to put something on tape to garner the everso coveted payday of the first negotiable contract, could create a perfect storm for the Cowboys. And I’m not so sure that storm would be the same without the Scandrick injury.
Claiborne will face a top-tier passing attack Sunday night with the Giants in town; granted, they have talent issues across their 53, but from QB to WR’s, you will find few weaknesses. If Claiborne struggles, he could lose his job by halftime….and he knows it. With a revamped pass rush, that will likely improve as the season progresses, he has no excuse to fail outside of his own shortcomings as a player.
The Nick Hayden debate has been fun to watch. This is where the concept of ability beyond what the numbers suggest rears its ugly head. We fans simply look at the stats to see who shows up and who doesn’t, operating under the belief that stats tell the whole story…and they really don’t…for many positions not even half the story, which is especially true of the 1 Tech DT. There are no stats currently recorded for public consumption that measures a 1-tech’s ability. If you know what a 1-tech is, you are probably advanced enough your understanding to not necessarily count sacks as a measure of effectiveness, but what if a guy is literally vacant from the stat sheet at the end of a given day? Do you conclude he disappeared in the game and was a non-factor? Dependent on the results of that given day, you might be right…even if for the wrong reasons. But the truth is typically only found in tape from a lot of different angles. If you are watching the game and the game alone, it is impossible to make an accurate determination of how effective the 1-tech actually is.
You might argue that if the Cowboys are getting gashed on the inside that is a pretty good indication the 1-tech is struggling. And to a certain extent you would be right, but even the coach will tell you they will need to look at the tape to truly gain a full understanding of what happened before drawing any conclusions. The predominant reason for the disconnect from coach to fan is the various functions a player may have on a given play. We fans have a tendency, I believe, to assume that if you are a defensive lineman your job is to run in a straight line to the football where ever it may be. And that is not the case at all. The idea behind any given plan first depends on what the defense is expecting from opposing offense: pass or run. From there, the play is geared towards stopping the expectation. In Pass defense, particularly in Marinelli scheme, rather than telling everybody that there function is to get to the quarterback, he often times has his defensive lineman perform specific task in concert with the idea of making it easier for 1 player to get home…and it should be noted that the 1 player is rarely if ever the 1-tech. The 3-tech, by design, is generally the player who has all the fun in a Marinelli defense.
So while I am not a big Nick Hayden fan and would rather see youth win-out in these training camp roster battles, I, at least, understand the difference between what we as fans get to see and what the coaches spend hours and hours studying from every possible angle. And know this, it has nothing to do with Hayden and Marinelli sharing an Alma Mater….absolutely nothing!!!
Obviously there are more topics I could go on and on about but in consideration of the “TL/DR” crowd, I’ll cut it short and probably throw out another topic later today.
Thoughts?
Rarely am I this right and it is unlikely I will ever be this right again so I may as well throw out the obligatory “I told you so” link: http://cowboyszone.com/threads/yet-another-running-back-panic-thread.324677/
The question that remains is the same question Rolando McClain had to answer last year and the same question Greg Hardy will be expected to answer starting game 5: Can Christine start a new narrative with a change of scenery? Will he be coachable in Dallas? Based on scouting reports and news articles I have read, Michael’s clashed with coaches in college and at Seattle. Furthermore, despite constant teaching, he consistently exhibits poor technique in pass protection and securing the ball. Beyond those damning traits, however, is a 220 lb explosive runner, who can take it to the house from let’s say 60 yards out…he does have speed, but like Demarco Murray, that speed doesn’t last for a 100 yards.
Looking at his highlights (yeah, I said it, highlights…youtube even…I know right…hardcore analysis here), Michaels looks ideal for the Cowboys zone blocking scheme. He is a prototypical one-cut running back that runs with excellent pad level and power and he possesses excellent speed for his size. If he can absorb the coaching and apply it, he has the ability to become the best running back in the stable…which of course isn’t saying a whole lot, all things considered, but it still should be viewed as an improvement, if nothing else.
The other question is how does he crack the gameday 46? If he does, who sits in his stead? Is he a Special Teams contributor?
In truth, as he learns the system/playbook and the Cowboys coaches get a better feel for what he has to offer, it may be a week or 3 before he suits up for a game. Until Christine Michaels make the game day 46 three times, it truly is a free look and you can bet that the Cowboys will take full advantage of that. If he exhibits the “bad attitude” or lack of ability to improve his techniques in both pass blocking and carrying the rock, his stay here will be short. I’m certainly pulling for the young man, but given the aforementioned issues, I honestly can’t say with a high degree of confidence that he will take carries from anyone currently on the roster, without the assistance of injuries (which, as we all know, are very likely).
The Scandrick injury could be a blessing in disguise. I know that’s not a new concept…I’m sure I’m not the first zoner to make that claim. Even if it is an echo, that doesn’t make it any less true. The prospect of Claiborne starting against the Giants scares the hell out of me….it really, really does. But what if the Cowboys finally get to see the Claiborne the Cowboys thought they drafted? Would they have, had Scandrick not been injured? Granted Claiborne would have still seen the field, but I’m not sure it would be the same Claiborne.
You have to think that the promotion, albeit by way of injury, has to help his confidence a little; the Cowboys did have other options, but placed their vote of confidence in him. And confidence is a key ingredient to being a corner in the NFL. That teamed with the fact that this is Claiborne last year to put something on tape to garner the everso coveted payday of the first negotiable contract, could create a perfect storm for the Cowboys. And I’m not so sure that storm would be the same without the Scandrick injury.
Claiborne will face a top-tier passing attack Sunday night with the Giants in town; granted, they have talent issues across their 53, but from QB to WR’s, you will find few weaknesses. If Claiborne struggles, he could lose his job by halftime….and he knows it. With a revamped pass rush, that will likely improve as the season progresses, he has no excuse to fail outside of his own shortcomings as a player.
The Nick Hayden debate has been fun to watch. This is where the concept of ability beyond what the numbers suggest rears its ugly head. We fans simply look at the stats to see who shows up and who doesn’t, operating under the belief that stats tell the whole story…and they really don’t…for many positions not even half the story, which is especially true of the 1 Tech DT. There are no stats currently recorded for public consumption that measures a 1-tech’s ability. If you know what a 1-tech is, you are probably advanced enough your understanding to not necessarily count sacks as a measure of effectiveness, but what if a guy is literally vacant from the stat sheet at the end of a given day? Do you conclude he disappeared in the game and was a non-factor? Dependent on the results of that given day, you might be right…even if for the wrong reasons. But the truth is typically only found in tape from a lot of different angles. If you are watching the game and the game alone, it is impossible to make an accurate determination of how effective the 1-tech actually is.
You might argue that if the Cowboys are getting gashed on the inside that is a pretty good indication the 1-tech is struggling. And to a certain extent you would be right, but even the coach will tell you they will need to look at the tape to truly gain a full understanding of what happened before drawing any conclusions. The predominant reason for the disconnect from coach to fan is the various functions a player may have on a given play. We fans have a tendency, I believe, to assume that if you are a defensive lineman your job is to run in a straight line to the football where ever it may be. And that is not the case at all. The idea behind any given plan first depends on what the defense is expecting from opposing offense: pass or run. From there, the play is geared towards stopping the expectation. In Pass defense, particularly in Marinelli scheme, rather than telling everybody that there function is to get to the quarterback, he often times has his defensive lineman perform specific task in concert with the idea of making it easier for 1 player to get home…and it should be noted that the 1 player is rarely if ever the 1-tech. The 3-tech, by design, is generally the player who has all the fun in a Marinelli defense.
So while I am not a big Nick Hayden fan and would rather see youth win-out in these training camp roster battles, I, at least, understand the difference between what we as fans get to see and what the coaches spend hours and hours studying from every possible angle. And know this, it has nothing to do with Hayden and Marinelli sharing an Alma Mater….absolutely nothing!!!
Obviously there are more topics I could go on and on about but in consideration of the “TL/DR” crowd, I’ll cut it short and probably throw out another topic later today.
Thoughts?
