DMN Blog: Miles Austin Update/'Boys practicing Felix/Marion on-field package

[theogt]

People just completely overlook or ignore special teams, but I'm pretty sure the Cowboys aren't ... especially as bad as their special teams were last year, and especially after losing their best special teams player in free agency. It's going to play a huge factor in who we keep on the roster as our 4th and 5th WR. Austin was a Top 10 NFL kick returner last year. Sam Hurd is probably one of our top 5 coverage guys. That gives them a significant leg up as far as keeping a roster spot. Stanback and Amandola are at a huge disadvantage if they can't find a role on the starting special team units. Without one, even if one of them gets stashed away on the roster, they'll have a hard time ever getting activated for games.

So, our special teams was bad. And Hurd was only a "top 5 coverage guy" on that bad special teams unit.

And that somehow makes him indispensable?

 

[InmanRoshi]

So, our special teams was bad. And Hurd was only a "top 5 coverage guy" on that bad special teams unit.

And that somehow makes him indispensable?

It is when you're wanting to replace his roster spot with a WR who contributes even less on coverage teams.

Typically when you have a bad unit or team, you want to keep your few good players and replace the rest. If we had a team loaded with good special teams players, it would make Hurd a lot more easy to replace. As it stands now, the Cowboys aren't in a position to release their few good special teams players because they're a pretty rare commodity.

Hurd has forced three fumbles in two years playing special teams. That's not insignificant. Maybe he can give Roy some pointers.

 

[Stash]

I am sorry. My intent did look unclear. I was not talking about that Matt Jones should have more receptions than he did produce last season for the Jags. It was that he should have more receptions than Miles Austin. That does not surprise me.

Sure the Jags did not throw it that much, but when they did they do try to get Matt Jones involved in the game more than Dallas tries to get Miles Austin involved. Jones should have more catches than Austin because he has more opportunities based on how both teams run their offenses and the personnel that each team employs. If Matt Jones had been in Dallas last season he too would probably only produced 5 receptions like Miles Austin did.

I'm not following your logic here. Could you explain it more clearly for me?

When you have TO, Witten, Crayton and Barber as the clear top 4 receiving options there aren't many balls left.

I don't see how or why that should stop a team from having as many weapons as possible? Suppose one of the aforementioned players were injured? Should a team not have as many options as possible?

Matt Jones finished 6th in receptions last year for Jax. The five guys in front of him totaled 204 receptions. That is 43.5% of the 469 pass attempts and 70.8% of the 288 pass completions that Jacksonville had last year. That left 29.2%(84 completions) of the pass completions left to go around for the Jags.


Miles Austin finished 9th in receptions last year for Dallas. The top five guys in Dallas(TO, Witten, Crayton, Barber & Julius Jones) had 294 receptions. That is 55.4% of the 531 pass attempts and 86.0% of the 342 pass completions. That left 14%(48) of the pass completions left to go around for Dallas.

If Austin was 9th in receptions, shouldn't there be eight guys factored in ahead of him?

How many games was Miles Austin inactive for? Zero. Jones was inactive for 4 games last season. I'm wondering how that factors into the numbers.

The thing that is surprising about Matt Jones is that he only averages 13.8 yards per reception for his career. That is a low number for a guy that is supposed to be a great combination of size and speed.

I would look at the type of offense he plays in. The Jags are a predominantly run-oriented offense, I think the make fewers down-the-field throws.

I'd also point out that he averaged over 15 during his 2006 season - which again, was strangely not good enough to earn him a starting role for 2007.

I am not anti-Matt Jones. I am anti-trading a pick to get Matt Jones. I don't see the value in doing that. Matt Jones would not be an impact in Dallas, nor would he save the team if TO got injured.

He sure wouldn't. What he would do is give the team at least one more option with some level of experience that they do not currently have. Would it be enough to reach a Super Bowl? Doubtful. But it might be enough to keep things together long enough for Owens to return (depending on severity and the time it happened).

I know one thing, teams would have little respect for the deep passing game with Crayton and Hurd running routes out there.

 

[theogt]

It is when you're wanting to replace his roster spot with a WR who contributes even less on coverage teams.

Typically when you have a bad unit or team, you want to keep your few good players and replace the rest. If we had a team loaded with good special teams players, it would make Hurd a lot more easy to replace. As it stands now, the Cowboys aren't in a position to release their few good special teams players because they're a pretty rare commodity.

Hurd has forced three fumbles in two years playing special teams. That's not insignificant. Maybe he can give Roy some pointers.

Ooohh....3 force fumbles. That's exciting. He must be indispensable.

So, why, if he's so good, did our coverage units suck?

I mean, according to you we lost our best S/T player in the offseason. So that must mean that it's only going to get worse. Usually, when the unit isn't that good, you don't have people calling to keep the players.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Ooohh....3 force fumbles. That's exciting. He must be indispensable.

So, why, if he's so good, did our coverage units suck?

I mean, according to you we lost our best S/T player in the offseason. So that must mean that it's only going to get worse. Usually, when the unit isn't that good, you don't have people calling to keep the players.

Youre being irrational here. He was top 3 in ST tackles and taking away one of the few good players you have on ST doesn't help. there is no question that losing Keith Davis will hurt but losing Hurd would just be throwing gasoline onto the fire.

The unit needs more talented coverage guys not to get rid of the ones we already have.

 

[theogt]

Youre being irrational here. He was top 3 in ST tackles and taking away one of the few good players you have on ST doesn't help. there is no question that losing Keith Davis will hurt but losing Hurd would just be throwing gasoline onto the fire.

The unit needs more talented coverage guys not to get rid of the ones we already have.

1. He wasn't even the best coverage guy on our team.
2. Our coverage team as a whole wasn't that good.

How is it rational to conclude that he's good and we must keep him?

 

[InmanRoshi]

Ooohh....3 force fumbles. That's exciting. He must be indispensable.

Are you kidding? I would kill for that kind of big play ability from our starting strong safety, and he's one of the highest paid in the league.

 

[InmanRoshi]

1. He wasn't even the best coverage guy on our team.
2. Our coverage team as a whole wasn't that good.

How is it rational to conclude that he's good and we must keep him?

How is it rational to conclude that the best way to repair a bad unit is to cut one of the few good players?



Keep your good players

Replace your bad ones.

Shouldn't be hard to keep up.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

1. He wasn't even the best coverage guy on our team.
2. Our coverage team as a whole wasn't that good.

How is it rational to conclude that he's good and we must keep him?

He led the team is ST tackles in 2006 and may not have been the best coverage guys but he certainly was one of the best along with Watkins and Carp.

i agree that other than those guys pretty much anyone is expendable although Cricket was doing well before he was hurt.

Amendola has practice squad written all over him. if he was on the roster he would contribute absolutely nothing to the team as the 5th receiver not on the offense or ST.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Miles Austin is going to turn heads in training camp...

 

[theogt]

Are you kidding? I would kill for that kind of big play ability from our starting strong safety, and he's one of the highest paid in the league.

It says jack squat to me about his ability as a S/T player. It's nice, but forced fumbles are usually either random occurrences or just sloppy play by the returner.

How is it rational to conclude that the best way to repair a bad unit is to cut one of the few good players?

Hmmmmm....

Let's follow the logic.

You have a bad unit.

Perhaps you can upgrade the players?

No, that's completely irrational. We should just keep the players we have and cross our fingers. Maybe that would improve the coverage.

 

[Disturbed]

Miles Austin is going to turn heads in training camp...

Has he learned how to catch -- because if he has not improved in that area, the rest don't matter....

The coaches should make him walk around with a football in his hands 24 hours a day. And let people try to knock it out of his hands....every time he drops it there should be a penalty.

 

[jcr]

How is it rational to conclude that the best way to repair a bad unit is to cut one of the few good players?



Keep your good players

Replace your bad ones.

Shouldn't be hard to keep up.

Not too hard, but some people think 1-1=2. He's one of them.

 

[superpunk]

Barber and Felix lined up in the backfield together several times during today's workout. Barber lined up in front of the offset I with Felix starting at tailback and motioning out wide.

"I'm very comfortable with it," said Felix, who played some slot receiver at Arkansas. "Right now, they're just getting me introduced to it. They're just showing me some of the things that I can do in the future."

This was pretty much a staple of that Arkansas offense. I'm sure he's comfortable with it.

 

[InmanRoshi]

It says jack squat to me about his ability as a S/T player. It's nice, but forced fumbles are usually either random occurrences or just sloppy play by the returner.

Hmmmmm....

Let's follow the logic.

You have a bad unit.

Perhaps you can upgrade the players?

No, that's completely irrational. We should just keep the players we have and cross our fingers. Maybe that would improve the coverage.

That's fine if Danny Amendola can prove he's an upgrade over Hurd in special teams coverage. By all means he can have the spot if he proves he's the better coverage guy in preseason games ( Unfortunately, he's going to get swatted away like a gnat).

But it's completely stupid to cut Hurd for another career backup (at best) who's a downgrade in special teams.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Not too hard, but some people think 1-1=2. He's one of them.

We've all had schoolboy crushes that made us think illogically.

 

[theogt]

That's fine if Danny Amendola can prove he's an upgrade over Hurd in special teams coverage. By all means he can have the spot if he proves he's the better coverage guy in preseason games ( Unfortunately, he's going to get swatted away like a gnat).

But it's completely stupid to cut Hurd for another career backup (at best) who's a downgrade in special teams.

It's not necessarily even Amendola that has to prove he's an upgrade. Jenkins, Scandrick, Choice, or whoever could possibly prove that.

I don't think it's completely stupid to churn the bottom of the roster. I don't think Hurd will ever be even a serviceable 3rd receiver.

We've all had schoolboy crushes that made us think illogically.

zOMG you've like totally got a crush on Hurd!!!!111

Did you see how stupid that sounded?

 

[Fletch]

I hope Miles makes it.

But I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am very nervous about relying on him to be a contributor. He does not instill confidence in me. He seems to always have this frightened look on this face.

Well Cobra, that is what us fans tend to do. We worry about our team. I think Miles could be okay.

Make no doubt about it, after this season, the Cowboys will know whether they need to draft or take a fairly up-and-coming WR in free agency next year.

Bottomline, the Cowboys need to see what they have in Miles and Sam before throwing big time money at the WR position. Time to develope. Just my opinion.