DMN Blog: How much of an impact will Martellus Bennett make?

[Doomsday101]

I don't care what his or Witten's numbers are go out and make plays when the ball comes your way. The game is still about winning not individual numbers. If Witten and Bennett are both contributing and making plays and helping the offense put up points then chances of winning the game becomes greater.

 

[jobberone]

What a problem to have. Who is gonna get the ball. Not to take this OT but again this team should go as far as the OL lets it.

 

[joseephuss]

What a problem to have. Who is gonna get the ball. Not to take this OT but again this team should go as far as the OL lets it.

I agree. In my opinion the O-line has been the main limiting factor for years now. I think they have a sufficient o-line as far as the starters go, but there is no proven, quality depth. Holland may be the lone exception, but that is just a maybe. Even minor injuries that hamper a starter can hurt Dallas chance at succeeding. We saw this last year with Flozell playing at less than full strength. Same thing with Gurode late in the 2007 season.

 

[jobberone]

I agree. In my opinion the O-line has been the main limiting factor for years now. I think they have a sufficient o-line as far as the starters go, but there is no proven, quality depth. Holland may be the lone exception, but that is just a maybe. Even minor injuries that hamper a starter can hurt Dallas chance at succeeding. We saw this last year with Flozell playing at less than full strength. Same thing with Gurode late in the 2007 season.

Well the Romo injury killed us, too. But yeah, when Tony has time to throw he is dangerous. Teams aren't going to allow that with more pressure/blitzes and if the OL and RBs can protect him enough then we'll see even more production and less turnovers. That and a better running game.

 

[Bluefin]

I don't want Bennett affecting how many touches we give Witten.

Would you rather Martellus Bennett have an unproductive season so defenses can focus more attention on Jason Witten?

If M80 progresses and becomes another weapon in our arsenal, it will benefit Witten and the Cowboys.

Witten will get his touches, he's led the team in receptions two years running and I don't see the streak getting snapped this season.

 

[casmith07]

I like Bennett's potential too, but maybe we should tap the brakes a bit here.

who's a better tight end tandem? Better yet, what other team in the NFL actually even HAS a tight end tandem?

 

[burmafrd]

I am not sorry to take a leak on this love fest over Bennett. He does not yet have the skills, maturity or experience to be anything but second to Witten. So what if he has made a FEW plays? Witten has made HUNDREDS.
Give him another year or two IF he has the dedication and discipline then maybe. BUT you guys have got rocks in your head if you think he is ready for what you have been slobbering about.

 

[TwentyOne]

...They're both comfortable lining up as a traditional tight end or flexed out, giving the Cowboys formation flexibility, which can cause all sorts of matchup problems for defenses.

Bennett's size, speed and athelticism will present problems for most linebackers and safeties. With a larger role, it's reasonable to expect a significant jump from his rookie stats (20 catches, 283 yards, 4 TDs).
...

It's one thing to have two good players who can create matchup problems. It's another thing to have a qb who can figure it out when a players is free.

I can remember times last year when Bennett was totally free but Romo seemed to look for another Mochito or was thinking about what iron could be fitting for the ninth hole in osaka.

On other occasions (when Bennett was free) Romo decided to throw the ball to his old friend TO. And that although Terell brought three of his "friends" with him - most of them playing for the opposing team.

So i hope Bennett can take the next step and Witten will be injury free. We'll have a great TE tandem. But i also hope Romo will finally show the ability to take advantage of all the talent surrounding him.

 

[NextGenBoys]

12:21 PM Wed, May 20, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips

This was a hot topic of sideline discussion during yesterday's OTA workout.

OK, it was just CBS 11's Steve "Radio Boy" Dennis and me yammering back and forth. But I ended up with a sunburn, so that makes it a hot topic of discussion.

Radio Boy made the case that, for all the talk about the wide receivers, Bennett would play a major part in replacing T.O.'s productions. He expects the Cowboys to go with two tight ends as often as three receivers.

I'll buy that. Jason Witten and Bennett ("Rice and Beans," according to Marty B) form arguably the league's top tight end tandem. Witten is a perennial Pro Bowler, and Bennett has that type of potential. They're both comfortable lining up as a traditional tight end or flexed out, giving the Cowboys formation flexibility, which can cause all sorts of matchup problems for defenses.

Bennett's size, speed and athelticism will present problems for most linebackers and safeties. With a larger role, it's reasonable to expect a significant jump from his rookie stats (20 catches, 283 yards, 4 TDs).

But Radio Boy is going overboard with his 50-catch, 10-TD projection, right?


Comments (1) Leave comment | E-mail entry

Tell us something we didnt know Tim.

I think every Cowboy fan on here already knows Bennett is going to be a more featured part of our offense.

 

[Bluefin]

But i also hope Romo will finally show the ability to take advantage of all the talent surrounding him.

Tony Romo used to be very good about not locking on to certain players and just throwing where his reads took him.

Romo also used to get rid of the ball a little quicker, IMO, which I think has been hindered by all of Jason Garrett's long developing routes.

A big reason for pink slipping Terrell Owens was to free Romo to again start throwing wherever his keys took him. Romo has to be bigger than his receiver, be it Owens, Jason Witten or anyone else.

Forcing passes to anyone is a bad idea, a very basic one, IMO.

Just throw to the open player and everything will even out in the end.

 

[28 Joker]

The Cowboys didn't throw the ball to Bennett enough last year. He should have been used more as a receiver. He was a great weapon last year. He was dangerous on TE screens where he leaked out late (see the 2nd Giants game and 1st Eagles game). He caught the game winner (TD) in Washington.

He was another weapon that wasn't used enough, imo.


Jason Witten is going to get his.

 

[big dog cowboy]

But Radio Boy is going overboard with his 50-catch, 10-TD projection, right?

50 catches? Maybe.

10 TD's? Sounds high.

 

[Teague31]

if we are not in a 2 TE formation at least 60% of the time, something is wrong.

 

[jobberone]

if we are not in a 2 TE formation at least 60% of the time, something is wrong.

Maybe. We should be in the formation and run the plays that work best against the personnel and schemes we're playing taking into consideration matchups and game situations.

But it wouldn't bother me for that to come true. That would likely mean a successful running game which will open up the passing game. The 93 seasons ending game against the Giants reminded me of why we were so good then. Not the 2 TE set but the way we used Emmitt and the passing game.

 

[Bluefin]

if we are not in a 2 TE formation at least 60% of the time, something is wrong.

On the topic of double tight end sets, the Green Bay Packers had a really unique line-up back in the day with Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson.

Both wide receivers would be lined up to the left of the formation with Chewie at tight end on the left and Jackson at tight end on the right by himself.

Chmura would motion across the formation and line up tight to Jackson as a wide receiver and the ball would be snapped.

They had a lot of success with that formation, including one of their many losses to us.

It was an unorthodox way to deploy the players in that set.

Our tight ends are perfect for it.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Bennett is the one match up that nobody can handle... He's too big and fast.

 

[ZeroClub]

If you look at the production of the top two tight ends from each team last season Dallas is near the top in the receiving categories.

Receptions
KC 103
Dallas 101
Indy 96
Chicago 95
Saints 95

Yards
Dallas 1235
KC 1121
Saints 1062
Denver 1034
Indy 1014

TDs
KC 10
Miami 10
San Diego 10
Dallas 8
Giants 8

Average yard per reception
Denver 14.36
Miami 13.91
Oakland 12.82
Dallas 12.23
Rams 11.91

The averages per team are:
59.5 catches
650.5 yards
4 TDs
10.83 avg.

Witten and Bennett are one of the better tandems out there. A lot of teams don't have one good tight end much less two. Having Witten plus any other tight end like a Tony Curtis would be better than most other teams in the league. Bennett ranked 39th in receptions, 31st in yards, 10th in TDs and 10th in average for all tight ends.

I don't know if they are the best tight end tandem in the league, but they are one of the best tandems easily.

Using similar statistical logic, one could argue that in 1995, the Dallas Cowboys had one of "the best RB tandems in football" with Emmitt Smith and Sherman Williams. Statistically, it would almost certainly be true.

But really what the Cowboys had in 1995 was the best RB in football and an unproven rookie RB who showed potential (Williams averaged over 4 yards per carry in 1995). To suggest that Sherman Williams was part of "the best RB tandem in football," though, would be to overhype him. It's a half-truth.

Today, Witten is great and Bennett shows potential. Bennett had, what, 20 catches? Certainly that's not bad and we all hope that he'll get better (and not regress).

My point is that Bennett remains a promising but unproven commodity. IMO, to label him a part of "the best" of anything is to overhype him at this point.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Two really good TEs and three really good RBs is another reason why the fretting about our WR situation is way overdone.

 

[Chief]

Two really good TEs and three really good RBs is another reason why the fretting about our WR situation is way overdone.

Plus, add in the Buehler factor and Dallas doesn't even need a receiver.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Since the off-season started I've been calling for more 2 TE formations. Why? Because we have Witten who is simply the best in the league, and an athletic freak in Bennett that can cause a lot of mismatches for opposing D's. We need to use packages that get our best players on the field and I think our TEs are among the best players we have on O. In 3rd and 3 or 4 situations, I like lining up Witten, Bennett, Felix Jones and either Barber or Choice, along with Roy Williams. We can do lots of different things with a package like this. Run either back, screen pass to either back, motion Felix out wide, throw short to either TE, use Roy on a crossing route. With Witten, Bennett, and Roy all in the lineup, we have three big bodies that can out fight most defenders for the ball. Offensive packages are all about down and distances and creating mismatches in your favor. I like our potential.