News: Did The Cowboys Improve At Backup Quarterback?

[Denim Chicken]

I wouldn't put Cutler or Palmer among the top quarterbacks list, but since becoming the team's starter, Romo has missed 27 games. Aaron Rodgers has missed 9. Roethlesberger 15 games. Tom Brady missed 0 games other than his knee injury in '08. Drew Brees 1 game, and Rivers hasn't missed one and neither has Eli Manning. His brother didn't either when he was playing.

Look at average games played to get the picture. Not fair to say this person missed this many games since being the starter if they didn't play as long. Romo has a higher average than Rodgers and is close to many others.

Eli is an Iron Man, though. I'll give him that. But his brother missed a whole season in 2011 for his neck as well.

 

[CCBoy]

...Biggest issue: Kellen Moore has played in three games and started two in his career, and all of them came last season. He had four touchdown passes and six interceptions. After the Cowboys went 1-11 with backups Brandon Weeden, Cassel and Moore as their starters in Romo’s absence, it was surprising they did not make more of an attempt to add a veteran of substance in free agency. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has been a long backer of Moore’s, considering their time together in Detroit. Moore is not the biggest (5-foot-10, 200 pounds) and does not possess a big arm, but his smarts and savvy have allowed him to stick around. This will be the first time he enters a training camp with the No. 2 job his to lose.

Player to watch: Since all eyes will be on Romo and his comeback from two broken collarbones, let’s go with Prescott here. The Cowboys flirted with the possibility of trading back into the first round for Paxton Lynch. They considered moving up to take Connor Cook in the fourth round, but settled on Prescott. They like his makeup and athletic ability. The coaches lauded his work in the offseason even with limited work during the organized team activities and minicamp. He needs to work on his accuracy. Too many of his passes were off target in the spring. There is a lot to like about Prescott, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done, too...

Cowboys OK taking risk with Kellen Moore as backup QB
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowb...oys-return-game-must-show-improvement-in-2016

 

[CCBoy]

More recently, Romo has proven to belong in the upper echelon. The Cowboys are 16-5 in his last 21 starts and just 1-11 without him. He’s also just one year removed from leading the league in completion percentage (69.9%), yards per attempt (8.5) and passer rating (113.2).

After the top three in the NFL, Tony Romo can realisticly be discussed in the next group of three quarterbacks...

http://thelandryhat.com/2016/07/24/cowboys-tony-romo-ranks-among-leagues-elite/


Now name off the backups for Rogers, Brady, Brees, Roethlisburger, Luck, and Wilson...

 

[Stash]

Look at average games played to get the picture. Not fair to say this person missed this many games since being the starter if they didn't play as long. Romo has a higher average than Rodgers and is close to many others.

Eli is an Iron Man, though. I'll give him that. But his brother missed a whole season in 2011 for his neck as well.

I'm judging them all based on when Romo became this team's starter. That's as even a playing field as you're going to find.

The fact is that Romo misses far more games than any of his contemporaries.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I'm judging them all based on when Romo became this team's starter. That's as even a playing field as you're going to find.

The fact is that Romo misses far more games than any of his contemporaries.

Doesn't mean anything for the future. Last year he had a bad injury, but in the previous 4 years he only missed two games. in 2010 he had a bad injury, but in the previous 5 years he only missed 3 games.

So, looking at that we should be good for like 4 years now

 

[zrinkill]

The offense of his team is built around Tony Romo's skill-set ....... you cannot ask another QB to come in and run the same plays because its not gonna work.

John Kitna had success because he was a veteran who just started chunking it when the play broke down.

If Romo falls we are done ..... this coaching staff does not have the creativity to adjust on the fly.

 

[CCBoy]

Doesn't mean anything for the future. Last year he had a bad injury, but in the previous 4 years he only missed two games. in 2010 he had a bad injury, but in the previous 5 years he only missed 3 games.

So, looking at that we should be good for like 4 years now

 

[CCBoy]

I'm judging them all based on when Romo became this team's starter. That's as even a playing field as you're going to find.

The fact is that Romo misses far more games than any of his contemporaries.

Now, is that before or after he got a top notched offensive line? And you are thus suggesting that he not try to overcome the pressure for completions? Like those other quarterbacks not being named...and thus, those unnamed are simply bulls of the woods.

 

[silver]

Now name off the backups for Rogers, Brady, Brees, Roethlisburger, Luck, and Wilson...

Brett Hundley
Jimmy Garappolo
Luke McCown
Landry Jones
Scott Tolzien
Trevone Boykin

 

[CCBoy]

Brett Hundley
Jimmy Garappolo
Luke McCown
Landry Jones
Scott Tolzien
Trevone Boykin

I'll just rest your case, here and now...as to superlatives in that group.

 

[Stash]

Doesn't mean anything for the future. Last year he had a bad injury, but in the previous 4 years he only missed two games. in 2010 he had a bad injury, but in the previous 5 years he only missed 3 games.

So, looking at that we should be good for like 4 years now

You can tell yourself anything you need to, much like the Cowboys themselves are trying to tell themselves. The fact is that he's missed much more time than other top quarterbacks, and unlike those teams, as they've shown, this coaching staff cannot win without him.

 

[Stash]

Now, is that before or after he got a top notched offensive line?

He was injured not once, but twice behind that "top notch" offensive line last season. As good as they are, defenders can and will get to him.

And you are thus suggesting that he not try to overcome the pressure for completions? Like those other quarterbacks not being named...and thus, those unnamed are simply bulls of the woods.

I'm not understanding what you're trying to say here?

 

[Idgit]

Doesn't mean anything for the future. Last year he had a bad injury, but in the previous 4 years he only missed two games. in 2010 he had a bad injury, but in the previous 5 years he only missed 3 games.

So, looking at that we should be good for like 4 years now

To believe there's an issue, you need to buy that Tony's more prone to clavicle injuries than other QBs are. I suspect that's probably not the case, though I'd listen to an argument that his habit of throwing at the last minute when out of the pocket and a DL bearing down on him leaves him exposed more than some other QBs who don't hang on as long for a guy to get open. Other than that, though, a clavicle is a clavicle and the fact that's busted two in the time it took Rodgers to bust one and Eli to bust zero I'm tempted to write off to mostly just chance.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I've said it many many times at this point, but I don't understand how our defensive struggles escape so much criticism while the relatively productive offense gets blasted for every sleight real or imagined despite being pretty productive over the course of the last decade. It makes no sense to me.

There are way too many smart football people who watch every game religiously here. It's pretty obvious where the problems are. Yet somehow they get glossed over in favor of things that don't matter or aren't issues to begin with.

People love offense. It's tangible in a way defense is not.

I think it's that simple. Embarrassing but simple.

 

[Idgit]

People love offense. It's tangible in a way defense is not.

I think it's that simple. Embarrassing but simple.

It probably is. We've got an offensive minded coach, and a QB who gives us chances we don't really deserve at the end of a lot of games. Maybe that makes it easier to think the problem is offense.

But, man. You just have to watch the games to know where the trouble is. It's been so long since we've had a dominating defense, I can barely remember how much fun it is to watch.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

It probably is. We've got an offensive minded coach, and a QB who gives us chances we don't really deserve at the end of a lot of games. Maybe that makes it easier to think the problem is offense.

But, man. You just have to watch the games to know where the trouble is. It's been so long since we've had a dominating defense, I can barely remember how much fun it is to watch.

It's also just more simple to digest. Notice how much talk about "immediate impact" of the Zeke pick. And then it's also easy to rationalize. "Hey, a strong running game will make the defense better!"

With defense people think you need (and they aren't necessarily wrong) many good pieces working in tandem to create an elite defense. They turn around and think a gamebreaking offensive talent (and they are definitely wrong) is enough to completely transform an offense.

Add it all up and I get the love of Zeke. And in a sense I expect that from fans. It was more disheartening to hear that from our GM and coaches.

 

[plasticman]

The backup QB position has absolutely improved simply by the drafting of Ezekiel Elliot.

Defenses would no longer be able to key on a substitute quarterback while ignoring a nonproductive running game.

In 2015 the Cowboys running game was prolific for one quarter before flatlining. Eventually, McFadden began to improve but it was too late by then. In the first two thirds of the season, without Romo, the running game was almost as much a detriment as the injuries.

From games 3 to 10, they averaged 3.4 yards a carry in the 2nd half on 1st down. That means that quarterbacks like Weeden and Cassel went to the line averaging 2nd and 7.

During the entire season the Cowboys were ranked one of the highest in turning the ball over on 1st down. Defenses simply did not fear the running game. They could attack the quarterback with impunity.

The running game this season will be far different. Should Romo go down, may the football gods forbid, the backup quarterback will find a best friend in the running game. They can be busdrivers, not unsuccessful gamesavers.

 

[CCBoy]

The backup QB position has absolutely improved simply by the drafting of Ezekiel Elliot.

Defenses would no longer be able to key on a substitute quarterback while ignoring a nonproductive running game.

In 2015 the Cowboys running game was prolific for one quarter before flatlining. Eventually, McFadden began to improve but it was too late by then. In the first two thirds of the season, without Romo, the running game was almost as much a detriment as the injuries.

From games 3 to 10, they averaged 3.4 yards a carry in the 2nd half on 1st down. That means that quarterbacks like Weeden and Cassel went to the line averaging 2nd and 7.

During the entire season the Cowboys were ranked one of the highest in turning the ball over on 1st down. Defenses simply did not fear the running game. They could attack the quarterback with impunity.

The running game this season will be far different. Should Romo go down, may the football gods forbid, the backup quarterback will find a best friend in the running game. They can be busdrivers, not unsuccessful gamesavers.

Great observation, guy.

 

[cowboyblue22]

offense excites the fan base and sells tickets

 

[visionary]

Only in bizarro cowboy land do you 'improve' at a position by doing nothing when you targeted that position as one of the weakest going into the off season