BTB: Roy Williams: In The Crosshairs

[Doomsday101]

The only thing Roy Williams has done consistently since he came to Dallas is make excuses.

Then has not made many since he has not been here that long but good to see you are willing to give the guy a chance. :laugh2:

 

[firehawk350]

Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams has been the object of quite a bit of media scrutiny lately. The media wants to know the answer to the question that has been a major topic on this blog since Williams was acquired mid-season: Can Roy Williams be a number one receiver?

To answer this question, we must first determine what exactly is to be expected of a number one wide receiver. Last season Terrell Owens was the Cowboys’ number one receiver, catching 69 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns. I tracked the stats for the top wide receiver for each NFL team in 2008. The top wide receiver for each team averaged 74 receptions, 999 yards, and just over 5 touchdowns. I for one would be satisfied if Roy Williams could match these numbers…but in this offense I think he could destroy them.

That's if you take the strict definition of a number one receiver (ie, first on the depth chart). Of course, there's a problem with this. If the criteria for being a number one receiving is to be the first on the depth chart, then Roy Williams WILL be a number one receiver. However, number one receiver is a lot more of an etheral term. Ask 100 people to define a number 1 receiver and you will receive 100 different answers.

Either way, a lot of people I think can agree that some teams don't have a number 1 receiver (Oakland, Titans, Jags) whereas some teams may have more than one (AZ and New England come to mind). If you want my opinion, and since you are still reading this, I assume you do, I would like my #1 to be in the upper half of the league. I honestly would like a top-10 receiver but if you are worse than half of the other #1, then chances are you need to improve.

In 2008, the 16th best receiver was 1037 yards with 5 TDs. Top 10 status, which is the only place I'd actually be satisfied with is 1145 and 6 TDs. It's worse in 2007 with 1130 yards and 2 TDs.

So in the years he's been in the league, Roy Williams has come in at:
2004 - 36th
2005 - 49th
2006 - 3rd
2007 - 33rd
2008 - 93rd

Averaged out, that makes him 42-43rd in the league.

Before we evaluate Roy Williams' career production, can we just throw 2008 out the window please? I mean, Roy had to deal with Dan Orlovsky and Duante Culpepper in a mediocre offense for six weeks. Then Roy was shoehorned into a Tony Romo-less Dallas offense, only to limp through Romo's return with a foot injury. 2008 cast aside, Roy Williams averaged 61 receptions, 913 yards, and 7 touchdowns per season in his career in Detroit.

You could make this request in good faith if you can claim that none of the other 32 starting receivers experienced any injury problems, any QB problems (nor did their QBs injury problems affect their production) or wasn't forced to change schemes or was in a scheme that wasn't effective. However, you can't make that assertion so you can't just throw away Roy's 2008 season.


Without 2008 cast aside, his production 56.3 receptions, 816.4 yards and 6 TDs.

If Roy can post those numbers in Detroit with a much lesser supporting cast, he ought to be in good shape in Dallas with such a wide array of weapons around him. He may be staring down the barrel of double coverage quite a bit at first. But if Jason Witten continues to be Jason Witten, and guys like Miles Austin, Martellus Bennett and Felix Jones can consistently make defenses pay, Roy may see some more favorable coverages. Roy put up decent numbers in Detroit, and now finds himself in the best situation of his career in Dallas.

I think you are making a large assumption that Miles Austin, Martellus Bennett and Felix Jones can go from role players to large contributors.

Roy can run, but doesn't have the straight-line speed of Owens, or even Austin. He is not overly sudden at the line of scrimmage either. Williams does however tower over his peers when it comes to his exceptional leaping ability and body control. Williams also possesses good strength, and is one of the best in the league at high-pointing the football. Cowboys fans should not be expecting to see a lot of the 60 and 70-yard touchdowns that we saw from Owens. What can be expected is a lot more catches in traffic, a lot of first downs, and a ton of jump balls in the corner of the end zone. With Roy Williams, the Cowboys have a touchdown anytime they want one inside the 10-yard line.

Besides the hyperbole, this isn't overly bad.

 

[Alexander]

Always find it interesting how people can tell when someone is uninterested. What look is that exactly? What's more interesting is how we feel we can come away with this feeling from a guy wearing a helmit.

So his lazy routes on the field showed interest?

 

[JeffInDC]

The only thing Roy Williams has done consistently since he came to Dallas is make excuses.

Sounds more like the person he's replacing. Maybe if TO would've actually blamed himself for HIS failures, he would still be in Dallas. Hmmmmm, ya think?

 

[firehawk350]

As I noted before. Roy Williams is a clone of Plaxico Burress (on the field anyway)

No he's not. Plex is much better route runner and much more fluid.

 

[YosemiteSam]

So his lazy routes on the field showed interest?

TO's lazy routes show interest too.

 

[Alexander]

TO's lazy routes show interest too.

Yes, so what does that have to do with Williams?

 

[Boyzmamacita]

It's amazing how this board was abuzz with optimism the day we signed RW11. Now all of a sudden, he's the worst receiver to ever live. Did he really become lousy is such a short time? Or is it that Romo didn't look his way and Garrett didn't draw up many plays for him? He came midseason and the Cowboys didn't adjust well to incorporate him into the offense. One thing about Roy, the few passes that went his way, he caught them. He caught just about everything that was catchable. Let's wait and see how he pans out after a full offseason and a gameplan that actually includes him before we pass judgement.

 

[PullMyFinger]

It's amazing how this board was abuzz with optimism the day we signed RW11. Now all of a sudden, he's the worst receiver to ever live. Did he really become lousy is such a short time? Or is it that Romo didn't look his way and Garrett didn't draw up many plays for him? He came midseason and the Cowboys didn't adjust well to incorporate him into the offense. One thing about Roy, the few passes that went his way, he caught them. He caught just about everything that was catchable. Let's wait and see how he pans out after a full offseason and a gameplan that actually includes him before we pass judgement.

Ya it is, and when he lights it up this season all those naysayer haters will say "I never said anything bad about him, I knew he was going to be good all along!" Making up excuses faster than TO in a 2 catch game.

Some people are just so pathetic. He has been good everywhere he has been, but now he sucks? I aint buying it. All the bashing gets old and tired.

 

[Idgit]

It's amazing how this board was abuzz with optimism the day we signed RW11. Now all of a sudden, he's the worst receiver to ever live. Did he really become lousy is such a short time? Or is it that Romo didn't look his way and Garrett didn't draw up many plays for him? He came midseason and the Cowboys didn't adjust well to incorporate him into the offense. One thing about Roy, the few passes that went his way, he caught them. He caught just about everything that was catchable. Let's wait and see how he pans out after a full offseason and a gameplan that actually includes him before we pass judgement.

I think he should rededicated himself and then announce that he's changing his jersey to number 18.

You think RW11 ever calls RW31 and is like, 'dude, *** is it with the fans in Dallas?'

 

[khiladi]

Sounds more like the person he's replacing. Maybe if TO would've actually blamed himself for HIS failures, he would still be in Dallas. Hmmmmm, ya think?

I thought everybody blamed TO for all the team's failures...

 

[DallasEast]

I thought everybody blamed TO for all the team's failures...

That's fiction. Or Terrell Owens-inspired propaganda. While some fans (or even the sports media) have claimed that Owens was a problem, very few (if any) people have ever stated that Owens was the problem.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

an easy way for Roy to get open is for Garrett to call more shorter routes, these long-winded routes Garrett asks the receivers to run aren't helping things

make Roy the possession/go-to target, have Austin run the deep pass patterns, and be the big-play guy

 

[khiladi]

That's fiction. Or Terrell Owens-inspired propaganda. While some fans (or even the sports media) have claimed that Owens was a problem, very few (if any) people have ever stated that Owens was the problem.

Sure... Garrett can spread the ball around and Tony won't force the ball to TO. The running game will now flourish, because TO is gone.. So on and so forth the bantering continued in light of posts about TO, obviously indicating implicit jibes that TO caused the failure of the Cowboys. Don't forget the articles on splitting the team and the locker-room, and the fight for leadership. You know it and everybody knows it. The denial now being played is called 'covering your butt'...

 

[Doomsday101]

Sure... Garrett can spread the ball around and Tony won't force the ball to TO. The running game will now flourish, because TO is gone.. So on and so forth the bantering continued in light of posts about TO, obviously indicating implicit jibes that TO caused the failure of the Cowboys. Don't forget the articles on splitting the team and the locker-room, and the fight for leadership. You know it and everybody knows it. The denial now being played is called 'covering your butt'...

Season has not started I doubt anyone knows how things will work out pro or con. I do know Jerry would rather move on even if it means 9 million is gone than to put up with what ever was going on with TO. I'm not there I don't know what took place one way or the other but I do know something was there or else Jones would not have eaten that type of money

 

[DallasEast]

Sure... Garrett can spread the ball around and Tony won't force the ball to TO. The running game will now flourish, because TO is gone.. So on and so forth the bantering continued in light of posts about TO, obviously indicating implicit jibes that TO caused the failure of the Cowboys. Don't forget the articles on splitting the team and the locker-room, and the fight for leadership. You know it and everybody knows it. The denial now being played is called 'covering your butt'...

Knowing this to be... er... true, it should be a simple matter to provide many examples of fans or media or... heck... posters on this very site who ever stated that Terrell Owens was the problem of the 2008 Dallas Cowboys.

The archives feature on this site is OUTstanding...

 

[jazzcat22]

If we take out Roy's 2008 stats, then we have to take out his one good year he has had in his career - 2006.

Roy averages 780.6 yards per season, 54 catches per season with 7 TDs, looks pretty damn crappy to me for a friggin #1. If the average top receiver does 74 catches for 999 yds we are pretty much in last place with Roy as our number one based on his career statistics.

Detroit is such a pass happy offense and they were always behind - Detriot's #1 receiver should have put up HUGE numbers. I personally think Roy is a loafer. HE appears to not run hard if he doesn't think the ball is coming his way (proof on tape), and he was never accused of running good routes or putting in extra reps or even having good hands.

How about going back in history and removing every players best and worst years, ratner due to injuries or not, and let's rewrite the records books because of it.
Removing best / worst years is not a reason for or against a player.
how about we all just wait and let the 2009 season be played. And then the stats may or may not be the real reason for winning or losing....ask Dan Marino about that...

 

[Apollo Creed]

I'll ask again...

If Roy Williams struggled with team's 2nd best DB and man to man coverage last year... How in the hell is he going to flourish against every team's best corner next year?

Still waiting on an answer.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Still waiting on an answer.

slants and drag routes

 

[Doomsday101]

Still waiting on an answer.

By knowing the plays better by Romo having more trust him in. There were ample times he was open but did not get the ball and in large part it is a matter of trust between a WR and the QB. This is the reason why they go through the mini camps, OTA and training camp that is the time when QB's and WR have the time to develop a chemistry together. RW will get that for this season so there are no excuses for him or anyone but when I hear QB's and WR talk about the importance of the time in the offseason working together then it tells me how important that is.