Will McClay: Dez Bryant was inconsistent, couldn’t win one-on-one

[zekecowboy]

How about if we blame both

How about we also blame the coaches for poor game plan and not adapting as the year went by. Its not hard to figure why Derek Dooley is no longer a Cowboy!

 

[Beast_from_East]

I mean it's true. Will and staff can be guilty of cognitive dissonance.

Dak was bad most of last year and that wasn't because of Dez. Did beasely lose the ability to beat one on one coverage also? Did Dez stop drawing double coverages?

I'm fine saying we cut Dez because his production didn't match his salary (though looking at the wr market you wonder if that's true....). But if we're just going to ignore mitigating circumstances...what's the point?

It's irrefutable that Tony can/could get more out of Dez than Dak. That isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's A thing that ignoring makes no sense.

Romo could get more out of Dez because Romo had the accuracy to pin point exactly where to place the ball where Dez could catch it the best. He could tell Dez to run down field 20 yards and square in and the ball will be over your left shoulder. Dak doesn't have that accuracy, he cant pin point a pass like that.

Dak is not as accurate as Romo was, he just isn't. Now he does have some skills that Romo lacked, like the ability to run. But if we are just basing it off down field passing from within the pocket, Dak is not anywhere close to Romo in that regard.

Just saying.

 

[Silver Surfer]

ahhh...young Grace Slick.

Arrgh.... Grace Slick: She's an object lesson for Dez. Father Time beats us all eventually.

 

[Beast_from_East]

This is how good this front office is...all the WRs underperform so they cut, don’t resign, and trade the current group. The moves they have done are complete question marks and projections of what we and the team thinks should happen this season.

Jason Witten just didn’t up and decide to retire for a reason. If Witten thought he had another chance to win a SB he wouldn’t be mulling retirement. Voluntary OTAs are underway, and Witten is one of the guys that always leads the workouts which is why any Cowboy fan should be worried why he decided to do this...at this point in the year? Maybe he doesn’t see the group having a legit shot?

After the LAC loss Wade Wilson told the staff in the evaluation meeting that for the first time he saw Dak lose confidence in the execution of the offense. That’s pretty damning.

It’s easier to replace everyone else instead of the QB. Once you start playing musical chairs with that position you might as well look at the draft because your team is out of it. This season is going to answer the question if Dak really is a franchise QB.

I think Witten has known for some time that he aint winning a ring as long as Garrett is the head coach.

So I don't think switching out a couple of WRs really made that much of a difference.

 

[aria]

I’m a Dak fan and still support him but I’m sick of seeing all of these excuses for him. “The Atlanta game got him rattled”? Really? Then maybe he should toughen up, that’s not a valid excuse as a professional football player for going down hill the rest of the season. “Dak didn’t have Zeke”. “Dak didn’t have so and so on the O line”. “Dez didn’t do enough”. “The play calling wasn’t good enough”.

The list goes on and on. I’m hoping he’ll rebound this season but if he needs the best RB in the NFL along with the best O line in the NFL and can’t take sacks without being rattled and can’t improvise then he shouldn’t be our franchise QB. Again, I’m not saying he won’t work out but if all these excuses are legit then we need to start looking for another passer.

 

[Blackspider214]

But I heard it is all Dak's fault!

Finally someone is coming public with the the shortcomings of Dez and why he was becoming toxic to this offense. He was terrible off the snap against his man. Could never get open. It became easy to keep him contained.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I’m a Dak fan and still support him but I’m sick of seeing all of these excuses for him. “The Atlanta game got him rattled”? Really? Then maybe he should toughen up, that’s not a valid excuse as a professional football player for going down hill the rest of the season. “Dak didn’t have Zeke”. “Dak didn’t have so and so on the O line”. “Dez didn’t do enough”. “The play calling wasn’t good enough”.

The list goes on and on. I’m hoping he’ll rebound this season but if he needs the best RB in the NFL along with the best O line in the NFL and can’t take sacks without being rattled and can’t improvise then he shouldn’t be our franchise QB. Again, I’m not saying he won’t work out but if all these excuses are legit then we need to start looking for another passer.

I am not ready to give up on Dak, but you are correct that he has no more excuses and has to perform this year.

He has the best RB in the league, the best OL in the league, a brand new crop of very good route running WRs, ect...

If Dak cant get it done this year, then yes, he is not the franchise QB we were all hoping he would turn out to be.

 

[aria]

I am not ready to give up on Dak, but you are correct that he has no more excuses and has to perform this year.

He has the best RB in the league, the best OL in the league, a brand new crop of very good route running WRs, ect...

If Dak cant get it done this year, then yes, he is not the franchise QB we were all hoping he would turn out to be.

Yeah, I didn’t want to seem too hard on him. I’ve always supported Dak but the end of last season has me slightly concerned. Even if he works out this year, he needs to make some improvements in his game to take us to the next level and hopefully he will.

 

[The Fonz]

How about we also blame the coaches for poor game plan and not adapting as the year went by. Its not hard to figure why Derek Dooley is no longer a Cowboy!

why not I am all for it as long as you don't blame the fans.

 

[dallasdave]

why not I am all for it as long as you don't blame the fans.

Well said indeed SIR

 

[gimmesix]

This is the truest thing ever said, but I'm not that sure the cure is going to be any better.

I'm not either. I do think more precise routes, receivers not pinning themselves against the sideline, etc., will help Dak with his accuracy. The pass protection problems we had also contributed to the issue. So if those things are fixed, we should get a truer picture of what we have with Dak. Of course, if the receivers and tight ends we have aren't good enough, then we won't unless he can pull off a Romo and make them look better than that are.

I'm not sure that's the type of QB Dak is going to become, though. His game is built of taking the safe throws not forcing the risky ones. However, he might not have a choice if his pass catchers can't create separation.

It'll be interesting to see how it develops, although I'm not going to be too happy if this plan blows up in our faces.

 

[Aven8]

How much impact did WR coach Sanjay Lal have on changing the wide receiver cast? I suspect he wanted a new receivers group to manage. Thoughts ....

It appears he's really big on route running judging from the players we've brought in. That's encouraging.

 

[zekecowboy]

why not I am all for it as long as you don't blame the fans.

The fans should deserve the accolades for still rooting for the Dallas Cowboys!

 

[WillieBeamen]

Anybody think it was a coincidence they went 6-0 without Dez in 2016? McClay doesnt.

This isnt true

 

[nalam]

He turned down an offer already.

He wants to play in NY.

For the Jets?

 

[PhillyCowboysFan]

He could tell Dez to run down field 20 yards and square in and the ball will be over your left shoulder. Dak doesn't have that accuracy, he cant pin point a pass like that

No Dak doesn’t but Dez would also run the wrong route and cut it short by running 18 yards and square in. Lol.

I know it’s been said in ad nauseam but he really has problems running the correct routes. As I stated in another post all I kept hearing in the Al or Nothing series was Dooley consistently saying to Dez in episode after episode, “Just run the route”.

This to a guy that’s played in the league for 8 years and should be a master at running routes by now.

 

[stilltheguru88]

Why do they keep kicking him while he’s down? Damn

 

[SSoup]

Pointless for him to come out and say this.

This feels like Jerry deployed him to rag on the player to justify why we parted ways, because he doesn't want whiny fans or local media second-guessing the move.

 

[Melonfeud]

Romo could get more out of Dez because Romo had the accuracy to pin point exactly where to place the ball where Dez could catch it the best. He could tell Dez to run down field 20 yards and square in and the ball will be over your left shoulder. Dak doesn't have that accuracy, he cant pin point a pass like that.

Dak is not as accurate as Romo was, he just isn't. Now he does have some skills that Romo lacked, like the ability to run. But if we are just basing it off down field passing from within the pocket, Dak is not anywhere close to Romo in that regard.

Just saying.

And said in a visual eloquence clearly seen,,,

 

[rpntex]

I’m a Dak fan and still support him but I’m sick of seeing all of these excuses for him. “The Atlanta game got him rattled”? Really? Then maybe he should toughen up, that’s not a valid excuse as a professional football player for going down hill the rest of the season. “Dak didn’t have Zeke”. “Dak didn’t have so and so on the O line”. “Dez didn’t do enough”. “The play calling wasn’t good enough”.

The list goes on and on. I’m hoping he’ll rebound this season but if he needs the best RB in the NFL along with the best O line in the NFL and can’t take sacks without being rattled and can’t improvise then he shouldn’t be our franchise QB. Again, I’m not saying he won’t work out but if all these excuses are legit then we need to start looking for another passer.

Except there is basis in fact here. After the Atlanta game, Dak was constantly looking over his shoulder. He felt pressure as he never had in his young career, and it affected his mechanics as he started hurrying throws. When a pitcher rushes his dellvery, it changes his release point and causes the baseball to come in high. I imagine a QB rushing his throws would have the same effect. Dak was “wild high” on several occasions last season.

The addition of Connor Willams hopefully solidifies the OL, and having Fleming at swing tackle in the event Tyron or Lael goes down should calm Dak’s angst, where (again, hopefully) he can be more efficient with his mechanics. If we see this unfold, he could return to 2916 form.