Cowboys Lack of Receivers Could Cost Them Playoff Spot

[CowboyRoy]

I think there's a lot of debate about the deficiency of our WR's. I think they are a lot better than they're made out to be. IMO in the right conditions, Gallup and Austin can be high-quality options with TW, Beasley and Lenoir solid contributors.

I think these receivers can be effective, but I still dont see anybody that is going to scare defenses. This is still a short to medium, underneath passing attack in my opinion until I see otherwise. The question is can these guys break tackles and make big plays? Will they go deep more and will it be successful enough? Can they scheme good enough to maximize the talent of certain guys? Will they trust in Gallup and give him opportunities to shine?

Again...............the big problem area for me is the TE's. Im sure they will catch passes, but I see them as a liability in the run game and they dont scare me in the passing game.

 

[Billyd]

They may not have had a #1 production but they did have a number 1 receiver, only issue was he only played in 12 games and was playing hurt in a couple of others. Yet he still had 50 catches and a 16 YPC average and 8 TD's and was contantly double teamed. And in that playoff game he had 9 catches for 132 and 2 TD's...we lost for other reasons. He may not have been the same guy last year ( i haven't really made my mind up on that yet), but in 2016 when he played he was a Number 1 receiver when he was on the field

And A healthy seasoned offensive line..

 

[TNCowboy]

naw you get banned for whining about posts....

Just wondered if it was ok for moron trolls to jump in and start ruining every thread again. Your presence confirms it.

 

[CATCH17]

There’s no debate: the Cowboys are deficient at wide receiver. Entering training camp, the position boasted six to eight capable contributors … unfortunately, all of them would be third or fourth options on most teams. This offense suffered through shoddy receiver play last year and became inconsistent. Head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan must reshape their approach. Out with the spread formations that were built to emphasize Dez Bryant outside and Jason Witten inside. With receivers who cannot win on their own in space, an offense must manufacture aerial opportunities via designs from its running game. Those designs often come from condensed formations, where receivers can appear to be potential run-blockers.

The good news is a dominant O-line (more on that later) and an explosive, deceptive runner like Ezekiel Elliott, make Dallas’s ground game the best in football. It’s an almost unbeatable equation when you factor in Dak Prescott’s mobility, which can occupy unblocked defenders and, via rollout designs both real and fake, tame a defense’s backside pursuit.

To maximize that ground game, Garrett and Linehan should flavor it with more misdirection elements. Jet sweeps, end-arounds, decoy pull-blockers and multi-option zone reads would be great additions to Dallas’s staple ghost reverses and split-zone runs, where receivers and tight ends work back across the formation. The Cowboys are primed for this; if they weren’t, they would not have traded for ex-Ram Tavon Austin (and his $3 million cap number, which is more than five times pricier than similarly skilled 2017 fourth-rounder Ryan Switzer, who was shipped to Oakland in a separate deal).

Prescott is best-suited for a run-first offense—and that’s not a slight at his quarterbacking. He has what few mobile QBs possess: the poise and toughness to stay in the pocket and deliver with defenders closing in. That’s crucial for long-term development. But Prescott is not an aggressive anticipation passer like most of the league’s top pocket QBs. He’s a facilitator who can make second-reaction plays when need be. This type of skill set works great on play-action, bootlegs and rollouts—tactics, in other words, that stem from the running game.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/20/d...er.com&utm_campaign=themmqb&utm_medium=social

No excuses.. This was the front office and coaches doing.

They had one of the best WR's in football and they let him go.

Patriots WR's aren't anything special and nobody thinks their WR's will cost them.


Also, imo, WR is an overrated position. Scheme is more important then WR talent.

 

[Billyd]

Well Wentz was a much better QB than Dak was last season

Untill he got hurt from running too much...Ill still take mine...i still cant figure out why Pff thought phillys line is that improved..your starting qb takes off at the slightest hint of pressure, and finally gets,hurt, so lets anmoint them....Yeah I said it..and they get to prove it!

 

[dwreck27]

The disrespect angle is overplayed. They are what they are. Hopefully it’s enough or someone shocks us.

But let’s put it another way for some of you and try to be completely honest here.

If the Philadelphia Eagles were going to trot out our WR/TEs this coming year, what would many here be saying?

They’d be saying what a mediocre group of pass catchers that is and some would laugh at Philly.

What did they trot out last year at WR? A banged up Alshon Jeffery? Torrey Smith they jettisoned? Algalor which going into the season was seen as a first round pick bust at slot?

I’m not gonna touch TEs because that’s not what OP was about

Look I get you love dez or like having high madden score WRs on your team but even last years super bowl champs your own example legit went got some JAGs kept a jag bust and won the super bowl lol

 

[Billyd]

No excuses.. This was the front office and coaches doing.

They had one of the best WR's in football and they let him go.

Patriots WR's aren't anything special and nobody thinks their WR's will cost them.


Also, imo, WR is an overrated position. Scheme is more important then WR talent.

I still say that started with Romo, but its done..further it was toxic so was going down..

 

[Billyd]

I hope all of these negative articles get put up on a bulletin board in the WR room. The amount of disrespect for them is unreal and it should start playing into their pride in themselves because it’s obvious everyone outside of cowboys locker room feels these boys are nothing more than 5 and 6 stringers

Nah, Winning ballgames, and laughing at these same analysts in December way better..

 

[CATCH17]

I still say that started with Romo, but its done..further it was toxic so was going down..

If the offense doesn't click this year with Zeke and a more experienced Dak then they can't go into next season the same.

 

[jsb357]

 

[ItzKelz]

Did we cut all of our WRs?

 

[JW82]

lmao... if they get open, then super bus driver better get them the ball.. sheezz. "Dez is whispering in Dak's ear, making him nervous" "Dak is getting pressured with one guy out".. get the guy something for nerves.. good grief....

65% completions. Watch the games numb-nuts.

 

[Billyd]

What did they trot out last year at WR? A banged up Alshon Jeffery? Torrey Smith they jettisoned? Algalor which going into the season was seen as a first round pick bust at slot?

I’m not gonna touch TEs because that’s not what OP was about

Look I get you love dez or like having high madden score WRs on your team but even last years super bowl champs your own example legit went got some JAGs kept a jag bust and won the super bowl lol

DEZ? I respected Dez when Romo could get him the ball..Ill never forget that show he put on at the Linc after Philly Beat the Cowboys post three gamez in 11,days, And then the Linc 2014 all the blood drained out..Priceless..

However the rants on the sidelines, and random instability waz getting old..So No DezLove here..but i realize it was coming when the FO kicked Romo to the curb.

 

[Billyd]

If the offense doesn't click this year with Zeke and a more experienced Dak then they can't go into next season the same.

I dont think Jason and Linehan can afford for it to fail..Further they have new toys and the determination to use them..Just need STEPHEN to Handle his end..

 

[kskboys]

There’s no debate: the Cowboys are deficient at wide receiver. Entering training camp, the position boasted six to eight capable contributors … unfortunately, all of them would be third or fourth options on most teams. This offense suffered through shoddy receiver play last year and became inconsistent. Head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan must reshape their approach. Out with the spread formations that were built to emphasize Dez Bryant outside and Jason Witten inside. With receivers who cannot win on their own in space, an offense must manufacture aerial opportunities via designs from its running game. Those designs often come from condensed formations, where receivers can appear to be potential run-blockers.

The good news is a dominant O-line (more on that later) and an explosive, deceptive runner like Ezekiel Elliott, make Dallas’s ground game the best in football. It’s an almost unbeatable equation when you factor in Dak Prescott’s mobility, which can occupy unblocked defenders and, via rollout designs both real and fake, tame a defense’s backside pursuit.

To maximize that ground game, Garrett and Linehan should flavor it with more misdirection elements. Jet sweeps, end-arounds, decoy pull-blockers and multi-option zone reads would be great additions to Dallas’s staple ghost reverses and split-zone runs, where receivers and tight ends work back across the formation. The Cowboys are primed for this; if they weren’t, they would not have traded for ex-Ram Tavon Austin (and his $3 million cap number, which is more than five times pricier than similarly skilled 2017 fourth-rounder Ryan Switzer, who was shipped to Oakland in a separate deal).

Prescott is best-suited for a run-first offense—and that’s not a slight at his quarterbacking. He has what few mobile QBs possess: the poise and toughness to stay in the pocket and deliver with defenders closing in. That’s crucial for long-term development. But Prescott is not an aggressive anticipation passer like most of the league’s top pocket QBs. He’s a facilitator who can make second-reaction plays when need be. This type of skill set works great on play-action, bootlegs and rollouts—tactics, in other words, that stem from the running game.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/20/d...er.com&utm_campaign=themmqb&utm_medium=social

This post was started w/ an obvious fallacy. There's strong debate.

 

[waving monkey]

This post was started w/ an obvious fallacy. There's strong debate.

agreed

 

[kskboys]

agreed

Also some unknowns, no doubt.

Wonder if that Lenoir kid has the burst and lateral agility to create separation against NFL starting CB's?

 

[aria]

I hope all of these negative articles get put up on a bulletin board in the WR room. The amount of disrespect for them is unreal and it should start playing into their pride in themselves because it’s obvious everyone outside of cowboys locker room feels these boys are nothing more than 5 and 6 stringers

Until they prove otherwise that’s pretty much what they are. In the world of sports a player has to earn respect and so far these guys haven’t done it. I’m not saying they won’t but I think the cricism and questions are fair.

Honestly, I’m pretty skeptical myself. I hope I’m wrong but I need to see results before saying these guys are the answer. I’m pretty surprised how many people are drinking the kool aid this early.

 

[blueblood70]

NE has Brady, arguably the greatest QB of all time. So that's a big mitigant to not having a pure #1 WR.

Philly had Jeffery, who by most accounts, is at least a 1B type WR. We don't have a Jeffery on this team.

really Hurns is that type of 1b guy and AGAIN we havent seen them all play together.. sure Brady makes guys better but I said LOOK at ALL the playoff teams and I dont see many with top line WR guys..you can do it with a committee and im sure given time someone going to rise to the top for us..all this speculation and rhetoric fascinates and confuses me, give them an FN chance before the doom and gloom..you dont know, not even the cowboys know what this offense will look like until maybe 4-6 games into the season..they have tendency to work themselves out..

 

[jday]

There’s no debate: the Cowboys are deficient at wide receiver. Entering training camp, the position boasted six to eight capable contributors … unfortunately, all of them would be third or fourth options on most teams. This offense suffered through shoddy receiver play last year and became inconsistent. Head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan must reshape their approach. Out with the spread formations that were built to emphasize Dez Bryant outside and Jason Witten inside. With receivers who cannot win on their own in space, an offense must manufacture aerial opportunities via designs from its running game. Those designs often come from condensed formations, where receivers can appear to be potential run-blockers.

The good news is a dominant O-line (more on that later) and an explosive, deceptive runner like Ezekiel Elliott, make Dallas’s ground game the best in football. It’s an almost unbeatable equation when you factor in Dak Prescott’s mobility, which can occupy unblocked defenders and, via rollout designs both real and fake, tame a defense’s backside pursuit.

To maximize that ground game, Garrett and Linehan should flavor it with more misdirection elements. Jet sweeps, end-arounds, decoy pull-blockers and multi-option zone reads would be great additions to Dallas’s staple ghost reverses and split-zone runs, where receivers and tight ends work back across the formation. The Cowboys are primed for this; if they weren’t, they would not have traded for ex-Ram Tavon Austin (and his $3 million cap number, which is more than five times pricier than similarly skilled 2017 fourth-rounder Ryan Switzer, who was shipped to Oakland in a separate deal).

Prescott is best-suited for a run-first offense—and that’s not a slight at his quarterbacking. He has what few mobile QBs possess: the poise and toughness to stay in the pocket and deliver with defenders closing in. That’s crucial for long-term development. But Prescott is not an aggressive anticipation passer like most of the league’s top pocket QBs. He’s a facilitator who can make second-reaction plays when need be. This type of skill set works great on play-action, bootlegs and rollouts—tactics, in other words, that stem from the running game.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/20/d...er.com&utm_campaign=themmqb&utm_medium=social

It never seems to fail. Every year, we fans enter the year following the Cowboys thinking this or that position will be our downfall, only to find out that spot is a source of strength and are supposed dominant position groups gets decimated by either injury or regression or a combination of both. I'm not taking the cheese this time. The receiver group will go as Dak goes. If the OL can stay healthy, (considering they only have one viable backup in Cam Fleming) and continue to give Dak time, his receivers will find open space consistently enough to keep the offense viable and the opposing defense guessing, considering the likely dominant play of Zeke.