Twitter: Rod Marinelli is the reason we have Taco instead of TJ Watt

[HanD]

And Gregory only plays passing downs. Do you want your 1st round pick only playing passing downs.

by mid season he was playing way more than just passing downs.

for the season he took 45% of snaps
by game 7, half of the remaining games he played 6-70% of snaps, all but one were over 55% of snaps.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GregRa00/fantasy/2018

 

[OmerV]

He's shown the ability to generate pressure from a three point stance in Pitt. Letting Rod overrule McClay was a huge mistake.

No doubt he would be a better pass rusher - the Cowboys may even have suspected that during the draft, but obviously thought it would be a small difference rather than the large gap we've seen. But the Cowboys were likely afraid that at 252 he would not be an every down fit in a 4-3 defense where sealing the edge and playing the run at the point of attack are also key elements of the position.

 

[JustChip]

And Gregory only plays passing downs. Do you want your 1st round pick only playing passing downs.

Yes, if you getter production collectively between 2 platoons at RDE vs. the every down player. It's safe to say we'd be in a better place today depending on TJ instead of Randy as the RDE pass rush specialist. I still have hope that Taco will take a giant step forward this year, but his whining last year doesn't go a long way to instill confidence that he will.

 

[HanD]

The elephant in the room is Randy Gregory when it comes to Taco's production.

TJ Watt would have to beat out Gregory for his production to look anything like it does in Dallas.

but randy gregory was out for all of 2017. tj watt would have had plenty of opportunities his rookie year to prove his worth and earn playing time. it's gregory that would have had more to prove coming off 2 years of not playing to get time over watt in 2018

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Rod is killing us, he is the reason why we have no fat hog or 2 plugging the middle.

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

You could write a long list of draft picks that didn't work out as well as the next guys for all 32 franchises. So what. you pay your money and you take your choice. Not being able to see into the future doesn't make anybody an idiot or incompetent. All us message board geniuses would get some wrong and some right so playing the 'I told you' card is nonsense.

 

[jrumann59]

Yes, if you getter production collectively between 2 platoons at RDE vs. the every down player. It's safe to say we'd be in a better place today depending on TJ instead of Randy as the RDE pass rush specialist. I still have hope that Taco will take a giant step forward this year, but his whining last year doesn't go a long way to instill confidence that he will.

I am not saying the FO did not miss on Taco but everything I read on Watt was the same as Taco as it pertains to putting it all together, limited time playing defense at the college level, except there were some possible injury concerns with his knee.

 

[Cannibal_Cowboy]

Things Rod can do :
Be a war hero. A Nam vet is no one to mess with.
Be a tough guy. Especially at his age.
Coach up chumps. He maximizes the ability of less than average players.

Things Rod can't do :
Be a head coach. Detroit.
Scheme for an offense.
Evaluate talent. Having an orgasm when they drafted Ivey is definitely not a crowing achievement in Rod's life.

 

[Stash]

No doubt he would be a better pass rusher - the Cowboys may even have suspected that during the draft, but obviously thought it would be a small difference rather than the large gap we've seen. But the Cowboys were likely afraid that at 252 he would not be an every down fit in a 4-3 defense where sealing the edge and playing the run at the point of attack are also key elements of the position.

And yet, here we are today looking to trade for and pay big money to 257lb Robert Quinn to man the position? Funny how that works, isn't it?

 

[CATCH17]

But the Cowboys were likely afraid that at 252 he would not be an every down fit in a 4-3 defense where sealing the edge and playing the run at the point of attack are also key elements of the position.

As they should've been.

I don't blame the Cowboys for their pick and we'd be complaining about Watt's run defense and calling the team stupid for thinking he could be an every down 4-3 DE.

TJ Watt is a 3-4 outside linebacker that could put his hand in the dirt on obvious pass downs.

 

[JustChip]

The elephant in the room is Randy Gregory when it comes to Taco's production.

TJ Watt would have to beat out Gregory for his production to look anything like it does in Dallas.

Right. But that's not difficult because of Randy's issues. His production is zero when he's suspended. A 16 sack guy that plays 2 games gets you 2 sacks. An 8 sack guy that plays 16 games gets you 8 sacks. It remains to be seen what the story is with Randy's current suspension, but at some point, it's way more valuable having someone you KNOW you can count on.

 

[Stash]

Rod is killing us, he is the reason why we have no fat hog or 2 plugging the middle.

Very true. And for all of the sacrificing made on run defense by not having those guys, the sack production for selling out for his "Rushmen" continues to fail to produce better overall sack numbers. In fact, we're middling despite Demarcus Lawrence being a top defensive end.

 

[JustChip]

Very true. And for all of the sacrificing made on run defense by not having those guys, the sack production for selling out for his "Rushmen" continues to fail to produce better overall sack numbers. In fact, we're middling despite Demarcus Lawrence being a top defensive end.

 

[John813]

Yeah, and everyone passed on Lawson who's better than both.

And we took Switzer over Kittle. Where wold we be at TE if we drafted Kittle?

You can do the revisionist thing all day for all teams.

I understand your point but...

Did the scouts also have Kittle rated high, want him to be drafted in the 4th over Switzer?
It's one thing to pull names out of a hat, in hindsight, and say we should of drafted that player. But we don't know if said player was even viewed highly by the scouts, coaches or Jones gang for this team.

It's another thing to bring up names that either the scouts or coaches wanted but were overruled by someone else.
It's not like this board didn't know who Watt was, and are complaining just to complain after the fact.

 

[morasp]

Watching the Steelers games a lot of Watts production is when he's blocked by a TE or RB or not at all. The times I've saw him go against LTs he got stopped in his tracks. He also took himself out of running plays going around the LT giving up some big gains.

 

[lostar2009]

No, I blame Jerruah!

 

[cowboyblue22]

to me taco looks pretty much like a jag

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I don’t care that they passed up T.J. Watt. They hit and this far they have missed. Can’t sit on your failures. Trust McClay more.

 

[cowboyec]

Taco was one of my favorites in that draft.
loved his size...and attitude at Michigan.
but something is different...and Im not gonna defend this pick any more.
time for Taco to get up....or get out.

 

[Idgit]

Cowboys blew the Taco/Watt decision.

And leave it to Cowboys fans to want the DC fired after putting the defense he put on the field last season. Absolutely no sense of proportion whatsoever.