Aaron Donald vs Leary, Fred and Martin

[AsthmaField]

I was a little surprised not to see more of the explosion and burst off the ball from Donald that he showed in college, and that he was reportedly showing all through Rams training camp.

IMO, that is a result of what Murray and the OL have been doing in the run game. If a DT just blows right past the guard, the defense will be big-time vulnerable against the run. Instead of immediately penetrating at the snap, they probably had him reading the play a little simply to maintain gap integrity.

That is the type of thing that you get when you are pounding people on the ground as much as Dallas is. Fisher saw a physical Dallas team that had pushed around San Francisco (not on scoreboard) and Tennessee and he knew that if he had his guys pin their ears back in an effort to get to Romo, the Cowboys would run all day, control the clock and control the game. That slowed down the entire front seven of the Rams.

Just like the deep pass to Dez was a result of people creeping up to stop Murray... so too was the DL slowing their rush to keep the running game in check.

Make no mistake, that OL and the Cowboys run game puts defenses at a real disadvantage. Big-time. In the running game teams can't drop back and flood the zones because Murray will just kill them, so they keep guys up in the box and there are more and bigger gaps in the secondary. Teams can't all out rush the QB because they'll leave a cutback lane and Murray will kill them, so they slow their rush which gives Romo more time to find an open receiver in those large gaps.

It is a thing of beauty. If the defense can hold up its end of the bargain, Dallas is going to win some games this year.

 

[cowboys1981]

The Oline will carry us this season. I know Frederick and Martin weren't desirable picks but I believe we nailed it with these two. This line gives me confidence.

 

[Doomsday101]

The Oline will carry us this season. I know Frederick and Martin weren't desirable picks but I believe we nailed it with these two. This line gives me confidence.

I agree, I also think they did a much better job in protection than they did vs Tenn. who managed to sack Romo 4 times.

 

[MonsterD]

I'm actually interested in any evaluation on Brockers too with Claiborne now looking more like a bust every day we would have taken Brockers if we never traded.

 

[speedkilz88]

I'm actually interested in any evaluation on Brockers too with Claiborne now looking more like a bust every day we would have taken Brockers if we never traded.

SMH...The rams were the team we traded with, they were taking Brockers no matter what.

 

[MonsterD]

SMH...The rams were the team we traded with, they were taking Brockers no matter what.

At 6 overall?? that would have been dumb, although still a better choice than what we did. Otherwise you can speculate that they would have found another trade down partner, but that is not a guarantee.

 

[honyock]

IMO, that is a result of what Murray and the OL have been doing in the run game. If a DT just blows right past the guard, the defense will be big-time vulnerable against the run. Instead of immediately penetrating at the snap, they probably had him reading the play a little simply to maintain gap integrity.

That is the type of thing that you get when you are pounding people on the ground as much as Dallas is. Fisher saw a physical Dallas team that had pushed around San Francisco (not on scoreboard) and Tennessee and he knew that if he had his guys pin their ears back in an effort to get to Romo, the Cowboys would run all day, control the clock and control the game. That slowed down the entire front seven of the Rams.

Just like the deep pass to Dez was a result of people creeping up to stop Murray... so too was the DL slowing their rush to keep the running game in check.

Make no mistake, that OL and the Cowboys run game puts defenses at a real disadvantage. Big-time. In the running game teams can't drop back and flood the zones because Murray will just kill them, so they keep guys up in the box and there are more and bigger gaps in the secondary. Teams can't all out rush the QB because they'll leave a cutback lane and Murray will kill them, so they slow their rush which gives Romo more time to find an open receiver in those large gaps.

It is a thing of beauty. If the defense can hold up its end of the bargain, Dallas is going to win some games this year.

That's a good point and if that was the case, that the Rams coaches wanted less upfield charges and more gap control from Donald, that would explain how often he looked tentative rushing the passer. It's also, like you say, another testimony to how an effective running game can help in the passing game. In this case the Rams coaches, if they were in fact putting a bit of a muzzle on Donald, developed a scheme that took away their own players biggest strength, his explosiveness off the snap, and played right into the o-linemen's strengths. Fred and Leary both have had some struggles at times with quick explosive tackles, but once they could get their hands on Donald, there was nothing he could do.

 

[AsthmaField]

SMH...The rams were the team we traded with, they were taking Brockers no matter what.

I can't see the Rams taking Brockers at #6. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that's who they would have taken had they not been able to swing a trade.

And since Brockers did make it to our original pick, and since the team said that's who they would have taken, then there is a really good chance that Dallas would have ended up with him without the trade.

 

[AsthmaField]

That's a good point and if that was the case, that the Rams coaches wanted less upfield charges and more gap control from Donald, that would explain how often he looked tentative rushing the passer. It's also, like you say, another testimony to how an effective running game can help in the passing game. In this case the Rams coaches, if they were in fact putting a bit of a muzzle on Donald, developed a scheme that took away their own players biggest strength, his explosiveness off the snap, and played right into the o-linemen's strengths. Fred and Leary both have had some struggles at times with quick explosive tackles, but once they could get their hands on Donald, there was nothing he could do.

Yeah a running game like Dallas has will effect the rush a ton. It is just awesome to have again.

It is likely a really good thing that Linehan was smart enough to keep pounding the ball on the ground because had Dallas just kept on trying to pass to catch up, Donald, Quinn and company would have been just teeing off on Romo. Instead he kept his head about him, kept hitting Murray and kept the entire St. Louis defense off kilter all day.

You could really tell that the Rams were dead set on not letting Murray go off. Yet even with being down 21-0 and Gregg Williams doing everything he knew how to stop him, Murray still got 100 yards.

That is some kind of impressive.

As upset as I was about losing Donald... I absolutely love Martin and what he does to solidify that OL.

 

[darthseinfeld]

I liked Donald as well. I'm surprised that St. Louis is using him so much as a 1 technique. I wonder if he would have made a bigger impact for us with Marinelli coaching him. However, I'm very happy we have Zach Martin. I don't know if anyone would have made a bigger impact than him. Look at the way that our offense has changed. We are running the ball consistently.

He would have been a 1 Tech here most likely as rookie. A cocked nose, similar to how we played Ratliff

 

[darthseinfeld]

Just dropping these nuggets here..

That's what happens when you have to block Ware more then anyone else

 

[cowboys1981]

I agree, I also think they did a much better job in protection than they did vs Tenn. who managed to sack Romo 4 times.

Romo attributed to those sacks as well conceding a few times. I saw STL getting pressure, this time Romo managed to escape more.

 

[Doomsday101]

Romo attributed to those sacks as well conceding a few times. I saw STL getting pressure, this time Romo managed to escape more.

I would agree but I also saw some guys come completely free in the Titans game and did not see much of that in the Rams game.

 

[speedkilz88]

I can't see the Rams taking Brockers at #6. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that's who they would have taken had they not been able to swing a trade.

And since Brockers did make it to our original pick, and since the team said that's who they would have taken, then there is a really good chance that Dallas would have ended up with him without the trade.

He was their guy. They knew how far they could go down and still get him and that was at the Cowboys pick. It was a smart move by them.

 

[AsthmaField]

He was their guy. They knew how far they could go down and still get him and that was at the Cowboys pick. It was a smart move by them.

Of course it was a smart move... they got the guy they wanted and got a second round pick as well.

However, I'm talking about them taking Brockers at 6. How do you know they would have taken Brockers that early? If you heard or read where they said it, then I guess I just didn't catch it.

I'm not trying to be snarky... I'm just curious how you know.

 

[speedkilz88]

Of course it was a smart move... they got the guy they wanted and got a second round pick as well.

However, I'm talking about them taking Brockers at 6. How do you know they would have taken Brockers that early? If you heard or read where they said it, then I guess I just didn't catch it.

I'm not trying to be snarky... I'm just curious how you know.

They said it after they drafted him. They also let it known (Fisher) when they drafted Chris Johnson that they missed out on taking Felix Jones. Sometimes you get lucky I guess.

 

[xwalker]

Of course it was a smart move... they got the guy they wanted and got a second round pick as well.

However, I'm talking about them taking Brockers at 6. How do you know they would have taken Brockers that early? If you heard or read where they said it, then I guess I just didn't catch it.

I'm not trying to be snarky... I'm just curious how you know.

The Rams took Brockers at #14. They got a 2nd round pick from the Cowboys. They probably could have traded down to the #9 to #13 range for a 3rd round pick if the Cowboys or nobody else had given them the 2nd round pick.