DC: Scout's Eye: Spencer's Progress; Sterling Moore Shines On Colts Tape

[jobberone]

Scout's Eye: Spencer's Progress; Sterling Moore Shines On Colts Tape
Monday, December 22, 2014 5:56 PM CST

By Bryan Broaddus Football Analyst/Scout @BryanBroaddus


IRVING, Texas – Having spent the day with the coaches’ film of the Cowboys’ 42-7 win against Indianapolis, here are my biggest impressions from Sunday.

Some of these are obvious, hot-button issues. But in light of such a thorough performance, there are several unheralded aspects of this game that deserve mention.

• As well as the Cowboys played offensively in this game, the film showed that they also left some plays on the field -- namely with Dez Bryant.
  
  
  When Tony Romo sits down and goes through the film, he is going to know exactly what I am talking about. There were two snaps early in the game where Bryant exploded across the middle of the field with not a Colts defender in sight. One of the routes was a drag that, if Romo hits him on the move, it’s a first down, and the second was a post where all Romo has to do is throw the ball out in front of him and it’s an easy touchdown.
  
  I cannot recall a game where Bryant executed his routes with the type of precision he demonstrated on Sunday afternoon. He had the full arsenal working for him and the damage he inflicted on the Colts was minor to what he could have done if Romo would have just pulled the trigger and fed him the ball.
  

• If there is a defensive player that is playing well at the right time, it has to be Anthony Spencer -- and that is a positive sign. Spencer is finally showing signs of being the type of player he was before he went in to have his knee repaired.
  
  
  He is playing with acceleration and a burst. He is no longer slow and sluggish, playing like he is feeling his way around. He is attacking blockers and it’s even to the point when he plants that foot in the ground he has the confidence that his knee will not give way on him. Spencer has regained that ability to get to the corner, and when he has to bend he can make that move work.
  
  His stop-start quickness is back. He is putting pressure on blockers to have to grab him to keep him from getting to the quarterback. He is no longer being handled one-on-one like he was earlier in the season. He is winning battles along the line of scrimmage, and Rod Marinelli is moving him all over the front seven to take advantage of that.
  

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...ers-progress-sterling-moore-shines-colts-tape

 

[RS12]

• If there is a defensive player that is playing well at the right time, it has to beAnthony Spencer -- and that is a positive sign. Spencer is finally showing signs of being the type of player he was before he went in to have his knee repaired.
  
  
  He is playing with acceleration and a burst. He is no longer slow and sluggish, playing like he is feeling his way around. He is attacking blockers and it’s even to the point when he plants that foot in the ground he has the confidence that his knee will not give way on him. Spencer has regained that ability to get to the corner, and when he has to bend he can make that move work.
  
  His stop-start quickness is back. He is putting pressure on blockers to have to grab him to keep him from getting to the quarterback. He is no longer being handled one-on-one like he was earlier in the season. He is winning battles along the line of scrimmage, and Rod Marinelli is moving him all over the front seven to take advantage of that.
  
  
  
  
• In my post game thoughts, I wrote that I thought Zack Martin was only playing at 75 percent of full strength just from of the snaps where I had my eye on him. When I sat down to go through the tape, I was surprised that those plays where he wasn’t at his best, he was able to carry out his assignment better than I initially thought.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...ape?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[jobberone]

Noticed Spencer on a few plays yesterday. Glad to hear he's getting back to what he was. You could see him improving over time but he's done much better these last few games.

Didn't notice Moore. Hard to keep up with the secondary during the game. Often they're doing something good far away from the ball.

 

[Setackin]

We are gonna need Spencer in the playoffs... hope he is up to it.

 

[Bluefin]

If there is a defensive player that is playing well at the right time, it has to be Anthony Spencer -- and that is a positive sign. Spencer is finally showing signs of being the type of player he was before he went in to have his knee repaired.

Kudos to Anthony Spencer, it was very obvious to me that he was getting pressure on Andrew Luck yesterday.

But I'm disappointed in Bryan Broaddus' review, it comes across as too homeristic for Spencer while ignoring other factors.

The main reason #93 looked so good yesterday had to do with who he was playing.

Colts reserve RT, Xavier Nixon, who made the second start in his two year career.

I'm being kind when I say he looked awful and Broaddus should mention that a little used back-up was starting for Indianapolis at RT on Sunday.

If our reserve RT, Jermey Parnell, had laid an egg in that game, Doug Free's absence would have been noted ad naseum.

George Selvie had a lot of success against Nixon as well, and did it in fewer opportunities, yet he didn't warrant a mention in BB's analysis.

Pro Football Focus credited Spencer (+0.7) with 2 QB hits and 1 QB hurry on 26 pass rush snaps (I usually accuse PFF of pro-Spencer bias but feel they devalued his impact in this case).

Selvie (+2.3) was credited with 1 QB hit and 1 QB hurry on only 14 pass rush snaps.

Nixon was graded -8.8 for the game.

I'm glad Spencer played well, I hope he continues improving, but I knew watching the game that Nixon had a lot to do with it.

Broaddus should've been more thorough.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I have been on the Sterling Moore bandwagon for a while. It is amazing what we paid for Carr and what we gave up for Mo Claiborne. I think Moore is just as good...if not better than both. Hopefully we have learned our lesson about spending the kind of draft resources we did on Mo. With the new rules and the ability for offenses to move guys around...it is more apparent than ever that you need "rush men" moreso than "cover men".

 

[DogFace]

I have been on the Sterling Moore bandwagon for a while. It is amazing what we paid for Carr and what we gave up for Mo Claiborne. I think Moore is just as good...if not better than both. Hopefully we have learned our lesson about spending the kind of draft resources we did on Mo. With the new rules and the ability for offenses to move guys around...it is more apparent than ever that you need "rush men" moreso than "cover men".

I thought I was the only one. I don't think Its an exaggeration at all to say Moore is better than them both.

In Bob Strum's "splash plays". Moore is near the top and always does a nice job of paying the ball even after the catch. Like the td he broke up against the Colts.

 

[jobberone]

Kudos to Anthony Spencer, it was very obvious to me that he was getting pressure on Andrew Luck yesterday.

But I'm disappointed in Bryan Broaddus' review, it comes across as too homeristic for Spencer while ignoring other factors.

The main reason #93 looked so good yesterday had to do with who he was playing.

Colts reserve RT, Xavier Nixon, who made the second start in his two year career.

I'm being kind when I say he looked awful and Broaddus should mention that a little used back-up was starting for Indianapolis at RT on Sunday.

If our reserve RT, Jermey Parnell, had laid an egg in that game, Doug Free's absence would have been noted ad naseum.

George Selvie had a lot of success against Nixon as well, and did it in fewer opportunities, yet he didn't warrant a mention in BB's analysis.

Pro Football Focus credited Spencer (+0.7) with 2 QB hits and 1 QB hurry on 26 pass rush snaps (I usually accuse PFF of pro-Spencer bias but feel they devalued his impact in this case).

Selvie (+2.3) was credited with 1 QB hit and 1 QB hurry on only 14 pass rush snaps.

Nixon was graded -8.8 for the game.

I'm glad Spencer played well, I hope he continues improving, but I knew watching the game that Nixon had a lot to do with it.

Broaddus should've been more thorough.

I think he's like me in being excited for us and Spencer who is clearly moving better. And he's done so increasingly well the last few games. Granted the RT had some trouble with Spencer but part of that is due to Spencer as well as him learning to be a tackle.

I don't think Spencer is all the way back but I think it obvious he's improving.

 

[Oh_Canada]

I have been on the Sterling Moore bandwagon for a while. It is amazing what we paid for Carr and what we gave up for Mo Claiborne. I think Moore is just as good...if not better than both. Hopefully we have learned our lesson about spending the kind of draft resources we did on Mo. With the new rules and the ability for offenses to move guys around...it is more apparent than ever that you need "rush men" moreso than "cover men".

I agree with you, Moore is only 24 y.o....he still has upside as a player. It will be hard to retain him, but hope they do as he has a tenacity about him and position flex.

 

[gimmesix]

Kudos to Anthony Spencer, it was very obvious to me that he was getting pressure on Andrew Luck yesterday.

But I'm disappointed in Bryan Broaddus' review, it comes across as too homeristic for Spencer while ignoring other factors.

The main reason #93 looked so good yesterday had to do with who he was playing.

Colts reserve RT, Xavier Nixon, who made the second start in his two year career.

I'm being kind when I say he looked awful and Broaddus should mention that a little used back-up was starting for Indianapolis at RT on Sunday.

If our reserve RT, Jermey Parnell, had laid an egg in that game, Doug Free's absence would have been noted ad naseum.

George Selvie had a lot of success against Nixon as well, and did it in fewer opportunities, yet he didn't warrant a mention in BB's analysis.

Pro Football Focus credited Spencer (+0.7) with 2 QB hits and 1 QB hurry on 26 pass rush snaps (I usually accuse PFF of pro-Spencer bias but feel they devalued his impact in this case).

Selvie (+2.3) was credited with 1 QB hit and 1 QB hurry on only 14 pass rush snaps.

Nixon was graded -8.8 for the game.

I'm glad Spencer played well, I hope he continues improving, but I knew watching the game that Nixon had a lot to do with it.

Broaddus should've been more thorough.

This game made me really appreciated having Parnell to step in for Free. What we saw with the Colts could be our backup tackle situation.

I hope there is some way we can retain both players next year, but I think it's likely we lose Parnell to a team that needs at least a serviceable starting RT.

 

[visionary]

Noticed Spencer on a few plays yesterday. Glad to hear he's getting back to what he was. You could see him improving over time but he's done much better these last few games.

Didn't notice Moore. Hard to keep up with the secondary during the game. Often they're doing something good far away from the ball.

If spencer and Brent can give us something during the playoffs that could be HUGE

 

[CCBoy]

Noticed Spencer on a few plays yesterday. Glad to hear he's getting back to what he was. You could see him improving over time but he's done much better these last few games.

Didn't notice Moore. Hard to keep up with the secondary during the game. Often they're doing something good far away from the ball.

I'm really hoping that Anthony Spencer proves out to be more than a short term stop gap in the now.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I agree with you, Moore is only 24 y.o....he still has upside as a player. It will be hard to retain him, but hope they do as he has a tenacity about him and position flex.

why is he going to be hard to retain? He went to SMU....so he has some "ties" to the area. He is on the 2nd youngest team in the NFL. Hopefully you do not feel this way because of Mo or Brandon. Because I would cut/retstructure BOTH of them before I let Sterling go. When you consider the miles on Scandrick and the uncertainty of Mo Claiborne....Moore is a MUST to retain.

 

[jobberone]

This game made me really appreciated having Parnell to step in for Free. What we saw with the Colts could be our backup tackle situation.

I hope there is some way we can retain both players next year, but I think it's likely we lose Parnell to a team that needs at least a serviceable starting RT.

Keeping both depends on Weems. Not sure about the vet. I'd like to see both as well but I'm not counting on them.

 

[Bluefin]

I have been on the Sterling Moore bandwagon for a while.

He's an easy player to root for, IMO.

Sterling Moore is scrappy and frequently around the ball if it's thrown in his area.

We need as many of these type players as we can get.

Salary cap sites show Moore as an unrestricted free agent after this season.

I believe that's incorrect and he will instead be restricted due to not accruing a season of service in 2013 (on roster for 5 games, needed 6).

I hope the team tries to ink Moore to a multi-year deal no matter his free agent status, it's the thing to do.

It is amazing what we paid for Carr and what we gave up for Mo Claiborne. I think Moore is just as good...if not better than both.

Many of us feel this is Brandon Carr's last year with the Cowboys, though there is a chance he might agree to a pay cut if it's offered.

Carr is simply a poor fit in this scheme, he needs to play more man coverage and having a better pass rush will make any CB look better.

And I haven't given up on Morris Claiborne.

The talent is there, I just can't say if we'll ever get to see it due to Claiborne's injury struggles. Pick 6 has been injured non-stop since before he joined the team. Claiborne can still be an asset next year but the team must plan as if he will get hurt again in order to protect themselves.

 

[Oh_Canada]

why is he going to be hard to retain? He went to SMU....so he has some "ties" to the area. He is on the 2nd youngest team in the NFL. Hopefully you do not feel this way because of Mo or Brandon. Because I would cut/retstructure BOTH of them before I let Sterling go. When you consider the miles on Scandrick and the uncertainty of Mo Claiborne....Moore is a MUST to retain.

Agree with you, but don't think for a second other teams don't know how well Moore is playing and will offer him a substantial pay rise.

 

[xwalker]

If spencer and Brent can give us something during the playoffs that could be HUGE

That's an interesting situation in terms of who would be benched if Brent was active. Marinelli seems committed to Hayden as the starting 1-tech. I think Marinelli really prefers to have 3 guys that can play 3-tech and with just 1 true 1-tech active because they basically play two 3-techs on obvious passing situations. T. McClain is a combo 1-tech/3-tech and has quietly been a really good player the past several games. He's better at drawing double-teams than Hayden, IMO and has better pass rush ability than Hayden.

 

[xwalker]

Agree with you, but don't think for a second other teams don't know how well Moore is playing and will offer him a substantial pay rise.

The Cowboys will have time before free agency to work something out with him. As a guy that has not had a big payday, he'll need to decide on accepting a contract offer from the Cowboys that will likely include a decent signing bonus or risk going to free agency. Once free agency starts his risk is that the Cowboys could sign somebody else. There are currently several options in free agency at CB.

 

[Bluefin]

I think he's like me in being excited for us and Spencer who is clearly moving better. And he's done so increasingly well the last few games. Granted the RT had some trouble with Spencer but part of that is due to Spencer as well as him learning to be a tackle.

I get having optimism, but that's not what I expect to read from Bryan Broaddus, a former pro personnel NFL scout.

I want him to grade how players perform and offer insight into why things worked or didn't work.

And I couldn't believe he didn't even mention who was playing RT for Indianapolis. Perhaps Broaddus felt it wasn't an issue because Gosder Cherilus is nothing special, but it was one of the keys to the game, IMO.

Xavier Nixon (-8.8) was the lowest graded player in the game.

That needed to be covered.

I don't think Spencer is all the way back but I think it obvious he's improving.

What do you think about Spencer's hand use when rushing the passer?

Sometimes I will see him do a great job keeping the RT's hands off him and get a good rush, but it's never been consistent.

I'm really hoping that Anthony Spencer proves out to be more than a short term stop gap in the now.

I'd like to continue the DL overhaul by replacing Nick Hayden, George Selvie and Spencer this off-season.

I'm open to moving DeMarcus Lawrence to LDE next year if a better RDE is acquired.

Jeremy Mincey's best role would be as a rotation end taking snaps on both sides.

Re-signing Spencer or Selvie would be a fallback option if other options didn't materialize.

Improving the DL should take top priority in 2015.

 

[Bluefin]

T. McClain is a combo 1-tech/3-tech and has quietly been a really good player the past several games. He's better at drawing double-teams than Hayden, IMO and has better pass rush ability than Hayden.

He has his moments.

I'm hoping the team will let Anthony Spencer, George Selvie and Nick Hayden go in free agency and look for upgrades.

Whatever happens, Terrell McClain will likely be facing a fight to keep his spot on the roster in training camp.

Josh Brent and Ken Bishop are at NT with the possibility of signing or drafting other options.

Tyrone Crawford is the UT with Davon Coleman and Chris Whaley in the mix behind him.

Amobi Okoye might show something.

Jack Crawford showed he can play inside, if needed.

Jeremy Mincey can also move inside on passing downs.

There should be lots of competition next year, I'm looking forward to it.