Aikman's offensive line

[wittenacious]

The success of the 90's OL has crippled us for the last decade. Think about it, Jerrah was able to assemble the best line in the league without ever investing more than a second round pick. I truly believe Jerrah thought he could duplicate what happened with Tuinei and newton instead of realizing he just got lucky.

I can see how Jerry might well have thought that assembling a dominant O-line was easier than it actually was/ is, given the success he saw and enjoyed right after taking over. I was sure hoping Jerry and the Cowboys were going to more aggressively address the O-line interior in free agency and/or the Draft.

No returning to former 90s-level O-line glory yet as far as I can see, hopeful as I might choose to be that Callahan & Co. may somehow find a way to keep Romo from getting killed this year.

 

[Biggems]

Not only has Romo not had the OL that Aikman had, but he has not had the RB Aikman has. We will never have another Emmitt, but we haven't even had half an Emmitt. Murray showed promise last year, but he got hurt....last year. All the years with Romo, and it was just last year we get a stud RB. Pathetic.

 

[Biggems]

i am probably in the minority here, but i believe flozell should have been a RT for us. he was a very good LT, but i believe he could have been a great, even HOF worthy RT.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

I did a little daydreaming today while watching the first half of the 1992 NFC Championship Game against San Francisco.

Anyone who has watched Dallas' teams from those years knows the Cowboys had a very good offensive line. But watching the line protect Aikman just made me think about the lack of protection Romo gets.

As Dallas built a 28-7 halftime lead, Aikman was virtually untouched in the pocket. He was hit ONE TIME and that was on a delayed blitz where Mark Tuinei was left with two people to block. (The late blitzer got to Aikman, but he was able to get a pass off before getting hit and Alvin Harper plucked it off the turf.)

Dana Stubblefield was also able to get enough of a push against John Gesek at center to get his hands up and bat down a pass. But that was it.

I don't know if I can remember a time when Romo was pressured only twice in a half. Now, some of the line's ability to pass protect had to do with the 49ers having to respect the running game, but the line of Tuinei, Nate Newton, Gesek, Kevin Gogan and Erik Williams was just shoving San Francisco's front around and controlling the line of scrimmage.

Some think that Hudson H built that line when it was Tony Wise that should get much of the credit. He did a great job developing that line.

 

[gimmesix]

I think your looking at an individual game that fits nicely into your agenda because if you want to be truthful about it - Aikman was hardly untouched in his career. I remember him getting dropped on his head by Eagles who sacked him something like 11 times in a game. The players eventually bought into Aikman as their leader and would do anything to protect him. I don't think Romo commands that kind of respect from his offensive line and the results speak for themselves. If anything Romo offensive line has higher draft picks but simply gets less out of them.

Aikman vs Romo (sacks)

Aikman - Games Started (165), sacks (259) = 1.57 (avg sacks per game)
Romo - Games Started ( 77), sacks (142) = 1.84 (avg sacks per game)

If anything it should be Danny White who has the beef:

White - Games Started ( 92), sacks (229) = 2.49 (avg sacks per game)


Just so we are all on same page

Aikman - Playoff games started - 15 (11 wins, 4 losses) .733 winning %
White - Playoff games started - 10 ( 5 wins, 5 losses) .500 winning %
Romo - Playoff games started - 4 ( 1 win, 3 losses) .250 winning %

No. I was looking at games during a specific period of time where the offensive line overall provided a pocket for the quarterback and kept him from having to scramble around ... and wishing our current QB had that same protection.

I posted the sack numbers for those years, but I guess you didn't bother to look at those.

Obviously, Aikman wasn't afforded that kind of protection throughout his career.

BTW, I think the line about Romo not commanding the same kind of respect from his offensive line is pure drivel.

 

[gimmesix]

Some think that Hudson H built that line when it was Tony Wise that should get much of the credit. He did a great job developing that line.

Whatever became of Wise? I agree. He did a great job of building that line and making all the parts work during those years.

 

[perrykemp]

I remember that Cowboys OL pushing around a VERY good Packers DL of Reggie White, Santana Dotson, Gilbert Brown, and Sean Jones.... In the regular season and playoffs.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

The reason why are run game is comprised almost entirely in those sets is because we have no offensive line to get that movement on their own.

The head coach has done a tremendous job over the years scheming production from an awful group of run blockers.

Basted in the savory juices of truth.

 

[gimmesix]

I remember that Cowboys OL pushing around a VERY good Packers DL of Reggie White, Santana Dotson, Gilbert Brown, and Sean Jones.... In the regular season and playoffs.

Lots of frustrated defenses during that time. Still remember White whining about Williams because of Dallas' line dominance, and essentially getting the head-slap rule as a result of it.

Funny thing about that 1993 NFC Championship Game was hearing Madden praise Williams for going to the head of the defender to disrupt his pass rush.

 

[T-RO]

Romo is perhaps the most Houdini like QB in the league.

If Aikman played over the past 5 years...the guy would have been sacked five times per game ave.

Look I went to UCLA and Troy's my boy. But that guy could NOT elude a rush.

By contrast if you give a defender an absolute free unabated run at Tony...half the time Romo will escape and be ready to throw a second later.

 

[burmafrd]

i am probably in the minority here, but i believe flozell should have been a RT for us. he was a very good LT, but i believe he could have been a great, even HOF worthy RT.

The Hotel was a top 10 LT for most of his career; at his best he was close or at top 5. That is the more important position and he was where we needed him to be.

 

[J-DOG]

not only were they good individual linemen, but they were a very good unit

and Erik Williams had HOF talent (he dominated the great Reggie white)

It's a shame he had that car wreck.
He could have been as good as LA.
Also...the nastiness he played with...it really set the tone of being physical.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

Whatever became of Wise? I agree. He did a great job of building that line and making all the parts work during those years.

He left with Dave Wannstedt when he went to coach the Bears. stayed there till '98 after that he spent time with Carolina, Miami and the Jets (was with them when they drafted D'brick Ferguson OT and Nick Mangold C - both in the first round)
He's now the OL coach for the Pitt Panthers.

From what I remember he was an enthusiastic- hands on guy, a often overlooked coach from that SB team who doesn't get enough credit IMO.

 

[perrykemp]

It's a shame he had that car wreck.
He could have been as good as LA.
Also...the nastiness he played with...it really set the tone of being physical.

It really does tell you how GREAT Williams was there for a while. Reggie White is undoubtedly one of the top 3 DL in NFL history (#1 in my book but others may have him #2 or #3) and he had his way with him.

Now Reggie White was 31 when he joined the Packers an was 35 or so when he retired so he was already on the downside of his career.... having said that I believe he was DPOY at age 35 or so it's not like he sucked.

 

[The Emperor]

Just to clarify, the 28-7 halftime game being referred to is the 1993 NFC title game, not the 1992 one.

And that game completely undoes gimmesix's thesis because Aikman got his bell rung so hard he thought he was playing in Henryetta again. Enter Bernie Kosar.

 

[jnday]

He left with Dave Wannstedt when he went to coach the Bears. stayed there till '98 after that he spent time with Carolina, Miami and the Jets (was with them when they drafted D'brick Ferguson OT and Nick Mangold C - both in the first round)
He's now the OL coach for the Pitt Panthers.

From what I remember he was an enthusiastic- hands on guy, a often overlooked coach from that SB team who doesn't get enough credit IMO.

I wish Jerry would bring him back. I think he could bring the oline back to where it should be. Great coach.

 

[Randy White]

unfair and almost revisionist history to compare both eras.

first: For the most part, that 1992 O-line was mostly the same O-line that took away a few years from Troy's career to begin with. Tui, Nate, Big E, Step, Big Goog( Kevin Gogan ), were all around when Troy was getting his brains beat out of his head. They eventually matured and became dominant, but falling for the John Madden made up folklore of the " incredibly dominating offensive line " is ignoring the complete and true history.

Yes, they eventually became outstanding players as the triplets themselves rose to their level of greatness, but let's not assign more credit to them than they deserved.

second: In those years, the Cowboys ran the ball. They ran it again, then they ran it some more. The NFL, with the exception of a couple of teams, mainly the Bills ( somewhat ), Oilers ( run n shoot ), and the Dullphins, also ran the football. The Lions ( run-shoot ) to a certain extent too, but they had this guy named Barry Sanders that kept them in check. 300 yards games for QBs were NOT the norm around the league. 400 yards were practically unheard of, nevermind 500 yards game. On the other hand there were usually 12, 14, 16 RBs who rushed for over 1,000 yards and/or carried the ball 300 times or so.

In other words, it was a rushing league more than a passing league and defenses were built to counter that concept, unlike today.

third: the passing game is much more sophisticated today than it was back then. 3 and 4 receivers sets were used on rare occasions, usually in 2 minute drills OR when teams fell behind by a wide margin. Today, those are often 2nd and 3rd down formations, and even 1st downs formation at times.

Blitzing packages to counter those formations were considered, for the most part, risky and " exotic " because they weren't used too much. Today they've become almost a routine play on defensives game planning. That's something they rarely had to deal with in those days, but do today.

Would those guys have fared as well today as they did back then ? I don't know. There is no Emmitt Smith carrying the ball 25 times a game today and we can only speculate how good they would have been if Troy had to throw the ball 35 times per game.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

I wish Jerry would bring him back. I think he could bring the oline back to where it should be. Great coach.

Yeah that would be good, but hopefully Callahan is a good fit.

What I liked about Wise was that he was a "details" guy, I remember say Troy was throwing a quick slant to his right - you would see Erik cut his man so that Troy would have a good looking throwing lane, or how our Gs were great at starting off on the double team then peeling off to engage the LB.

From the things I've read Callahan seems to be that type of details oriented coach, which is great cause of all the young guys we have on the line.

 

[jnday]

unfair and almost revisionist history to compare both eras.

first: For the most part, that 1992 O-line was mostly the same O-line that took away a few years from Troy's career to begin with. Tui, Nate, Big E, Step, Big Goog( Kevin Gogan ), were all around when Troy was getting his brains beat out of his head. They eventually matured and became dominant, but falling for the John Madden made up folklore of the " incredibly dominating offensive line " is ignoring the complete and true history.

Yes, they eventually became outstanding players as the triplets themselves rose to their level of greatness, but let's not assign more credit to them than they deserved.

second: In those years, the Cowboys ran the ball. They ran it again, then they ran it some more. The NFL, with the exception of a couple of teams, mainly the Bills ( somewhat ), Oilers ( run n shoot ), and the Dullphins, also ran the football. The Lions ( run-shoot ) to a certain extent too, but they had this guy named Barry Sanders that kept them in check. 300 yards games for QBs were NOT the norm around the league. 400 yards were practically unheard of, nevermind 500 yards game. On the other hand there were usually 12, 14, 16 RBs who rushed for over 1,000 yards and/or carried the ball 300 times or so.

In other words, it was a rushing league more than a passing league and defenses were built to counter that concept, unlike today.

third: the passing game is much more sophisticated today than it was back then. 3 and 4 receivers sets were used on rare occasions, usually in 2 minute drills OR when teams fell behind by a wide margin. Today, those are often 2nd and 3rd down formations, and even 1st downs formation at times.

Blitzing packages to counter those formations were considered, for the most part, risky and " exotic " because they weren't used too much. Today they've become almost a routine play on defensives game planning. That's something they rarely had to deal with in those days, but do today.

Would those guys have fared as well today as they did back then ? I don't know. There is no Emmitt Smith carrying the ball 25 times a game today and we can only speculate how good they would have been if Troy had to throw the ball 35 times per game.

IMO there is not a defense today that could contain a line like the Cowboys had back then. That big, physical, nasty line would help set rushing records today. Defenses today are made to defend the pass. The big, quick linemen on those teams would shove the ball down their throats. There is not a line today that compares. I look for some team to catch on and try that offensive approach. The Niners are having good luck with a power running game and it helps an average QB win games for them. I wish the Cowboys would go back to that physical type of football while keeping a good passing game. If the Cowboys had a good running game, several more games would have been wins last year due to the fact that they would have been able to run out the clock.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

unfair and almost revisionist history to compare both eras.

first: For the most part, that 1992 O-line was mostly the same O-line that took away a few years from Troy's career to begin with. Tui, Nate, Big E, Step, Big Goog( Kevin Gogan ), were all around when Troy was getting his brains beat out of his head. They eventually matured and became dominant, but falling for the John Madden made up folklore of the " incredibly dominating offensive line " is ignoring the complete and true history.

Yes, they eventually became outstanding players as the triplets themselves rose to their level of greatness, but let's not assign more credit to them than they deserved.

second: In those years, the Cowboys ran the ball. They ran it again, then they ran it some more. The NFL, with the exception of a couple of teams, mainly the Bills ( somewhat ), Oilers ( run n shoot ), and the Dullphins, also ran the football. The Lions ( run-shoot ) to a certain extent too, but they had this guy named Barry Sanders that kept them in check. 300 yards games for QBs were NOT the norm around the league. 400 yards were practically unheard of, nevermind 500 yards game. On the other hand there were usually 12, 14, 16 RBs who rushed for over 1,000 yards and/or carried the ball 300 times or so.

In other words, it was a rushing league more than a passing league and defenses were built to counter that concept, unlike today.

third: the passing game is much more sophisticated today than it was back then. 3 and 4 receivers sets were used on rare occasions, usually in 2 minute drills OR when teams fell behind by a wide margin. Today, those are often 2nd and 3rd down formations, and even 1st downs formation at times.

Blitzing packages to counter those formations were considered, for the most part, risky and " exotic " because they weren't used too much. Today they've become almost a routine play on defensives game planning. That's something they rarely had to deal with in those days, but do today.

Would those guys have fared as well today as they did back then ? I don't know. There is no Emmitt Smith carrying the ball 25 times a game today and we can only speculate how good they would have been if Troy had to throw the ball 35 times per game.

Why wouldn't they - the Jets almost got to 2 SBs being a run first run often team - if they had any kind of good QB they might have even won 1.

Even in todays pass happy NFL, I would still prefer a well balanced offense like we had back in the 90s - the run helps in sooo many diff ways its not even funny.