8/20 Cowboys Break with Ro McClain had Steve Dennis gushing

[Bleu Star]

Folks gotta stay in character.

Nawmean?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Naw+Mean

 

[Bullflop]

Assuming Rolando has his head on straight, as Steve Dennis thinks, he'll still be obliged to get his conditioning in order. That alone could be the stumbling block in his bid to become a starter by the time the regular season starts. He's been saying he's not ready yet and Broaddus agrees. Whether or not Rolando manages to get there by the time we play San Fran remains to be seen. In the meantime, that's not to say he won't be ready at some point later. Hopefully, he'll be ready if and when he's called upon.

 

[Sportsbabe]

Thank goodness you're not making Dallas Cowboys personnel decisions. We got a top 10 talent for virtually nothing. That's the equivalent of signing a guy that is projected to go top 10 in the draft as a UDRFA after the draft concludes. It just doesn't happen.

I can't believe you responded to that.

 

[NJ22]

If the Cowboys would actually win instead of having the same types of disappointing seasons year after year while making the same mistakes every offseason then you would see the negative comments disappear.

It's impossible to have high expectations for this team until they actually do something on the field that gives us hope.

Right now we're finally going to field a great offense with a good playcaller.

On defense we're completely rebuilding and most likely running a scheme that any elite QB can pass for 300+ yards and 3 TD's on by default.

The Scheme was fine in Chicago two years ago. But if you don't have a front 4 that can get to the QB it is shooting fish in a barrel with the Tampa 2. And as of today we do not have anything that resembles a good front 4. But we do have Matt Johnson! Had high hopes for Lawrence, but that will have to wait til mid season and I would have liked to see Melton play at this point too. Lot of question marks, but I know the smart money is not betting on this front 4 and this HC. You can get a lot out of average players if you have a smart/disciplined/tough team, but thanks to the man in charge we most certainly do not.

 

[xwalker]

I agree about him playing all the defensive downs at his size. That's why I think it is such a good idea on the DL to have a healthy rotation. Those big guys just can't give 100% on every defensive snap. The starters need to play (for example) 60% with a reserve (or two) coming in on the other 40%. You simply get more effort on all of the plays that way.

McClain is one big linebacker, and I don't see any problem with him getting some snaps to rest during games. Actually, what Oakland did makes a ton of sense. There will be better LB's than Rolando in pass coverage, and being fresh on the other downs will allow him to penetrate for TFL's and to stack against the run.

I thought at one point that they might have a true rotation at LB with one set of players in the base and a completely different set in the Nickel.

My thoughts were:
MLB McClain
SLB Wilber
WLB Carter

Nickel
Holloman
Durant

Carter and Durant could have been reversed.

Now my guess is that Durant is the WLB and plays in the Nickel. Carter is probably the other Nickel guy and probably competes with Wilber at SLB.

The Cowboys used a heavy DL rotation back in the Super Bowl years. They had gotten away from a heavy rotation with guys like Ware, Spencer and Ratliff playing a high percentage of snaps in some past years. I know part of that was the lack of talent behind them, but some of it seemed like ego.

 

[xwalker]

There is an ESPN report that spoke about him being a big film guy at Alabama and turning into a guy that didn't do film study in Oakland.

Reading that was very concerning for me as lack of preparation also manifests poor conditioning.

Saban runs a tight ship and what I am hoping is that a demanding coaching staff might be the best bet to optimizing McClain. Oakland over the past decade especially has been known for poor locker room culture ie not a whole lot of guys putting in the extra work.

Garrett for all of his faults gets guys to work and play hard.

I get the impression that things starting going south when Dennis Allen became the Raiders HC in 2012. New coaching staffs generally come in with the intention to prove who's the boss and McClain is probably just not a guy that responds to coaching in the same way the other players would. Guys like Saban and Jimmy Johnson are/were known as hard-arse coaches, but in reality they're smart enough to know that you can't use the same approach on all players.

My guess is that Marinelli and Garrett probably understand the concept that you can't treat all player exactly the same.

 

[Vintage]

Thank goodness you're not making Dallas Cowboys personnel decisions. We got a top 10 talent for virtually nothing. That's the equivalent of signing a guy that is projected to go top 10 in the draft as a UDRFA after the draft concludes. It just doesn't happen.

Except, he hasn't lived up to his draft status. Ever.

I'm guessing you are really in love with the Eagles acquiring Sanchez as a backup. Top 10 talent as a backup!!!!

 

[Alexander]

I get the impression that things starting going south when Dennis Allen became the Raiders HC in 2012..

I get the impression things started going south when the player himself made poor personal decisions.

 

[Risen Star]

I get the impression things started going south when the player himself made poor personal decisions.

He's a Cowboy now. So he's a victim.

 

[Bluestang]

I get the impression things started going south when the player himself made poor personal decisions.

That is a big part of it, but he at the same time he also acknowledge the problem and decided to fix it. If the fix is permanent or temporary is the big question.

 

[Alexander]

That is a big part of it, but he at the same time he also acknowledge the problem and decided to fix it. If the fix is permanent or temporary is the big question.

I understand that.

But seriously. There is a full court campaign to sell this player.

Usually the old Raider teams expected their unwanted to prove something instead of enabling.

 

[Bluestang]

I understand that.

But seriously. There is a full court campaign to sell this player.

Usually the old Raider teams expected their unwanted to prove something instead of enabling.

Jerry creates the circus, they should have never have penciled him with the 1s to begin with.

His entire situation and the way he was thrown into the fire was mishandled. They should have brought him along slowly and never billed him to fill Sean Lee's shoes because 2 years removed from football is entirely too long for one person to catch up to in 3 weeks of training camp.

 

[Alexander]

Jerry creates the circus, they should have never have penciled him with the 1s to begin with.

His entire situation and the way he was thrown into the fire was mishandled. They should have brought him along slowly and never billed him to fill Sean Lee's shoes because 2 years removed from football is entirely too long for one person to catch up to in 3 weeks of training camp.

All in all, it is pretty clear that he needs conditioning work. And a lot.

 

[Bleu Star]

I can't believe you responded to that.

Lol.. Sometimes I can't help myself.

 

[Bleu Star]

Except, he hasn't lived up to his draft status. Ever.

I'm guessing you are really in love with the Eagles acquiring Sanchez as a backup. Top 10 talent as a backup!!!!

Sanchez was a question in college (in my mind) and should have never been drafted so high. McClain was a beast in college and still is. You'll be singing a different tune soon enough.

 

[Idgit]

That is a big part of it, but he at the same time he also acknowledge the problem and decided to fix it. If the fix is permanent or temporary is the big question.

That's how I see it.

His former draft status earned him a third shot. You can see he's athletic. If he had the background concerns he's displayed since he's been in the NFL, he's not a top ten pick. But that doesn't matter if he can play and if he can now be relied upon. We just have to be patient and see.