Dallas doesn't have a limitless window to win.
We have blown the last two seasons and we underachieved for at least two seasons before that with BP as coach.
Dallas has to have the best players on the field at all times.
I don't see this as a either/or situation.
Henry is an excellent CB.
His problems have been being able to play 16 games.
The Cowboy's problems in the secondary have been letting teams manuver them into exposing weaknesses in their defensive coverages by getting favorable matchups in personnel.
Another words, the offense dicated to the defense where it was going with the ball.
Dallas now theoretically has the personnel to now dictate matchups and force the offense to take more risks with trying to pass against the defense to move the ball.
So it's not about Pacman or Henry.
It's about which guy is better suited to be starting at CB opposite TNew and dictate to the offense where to throw the ball and then how the other CB can be used in the next most important role in the secondary, the #3 CB in the slot.
We need both Henry and Pacman to be used and with a defensive stratagy that keeps the defense off balance.
I can easily see where it's not going to be an either/or decision. What I think is going to happen is we will see some games where Pacman may start at CB and Henry starts at the #3 CB because of the other teams personnel.
Another words, the other team has an offense where their outside WRs pose the most threat and they don't move around a whole lot by moving to inside slot WR sets, or a lot of Trips formations. etc.
Then you have Pacman lock on to his WR for the game and let Henry take the #3 CB position.
Other times, teams that are going to use alot of slot WR offense with trying to move their best WR into the slot to get plays, Henry starts outside and Pacman comes inside to take that primary slot WR.
What we will have is the abilty to dictate to the offense where we want them to throw based on where we set our strength of coverage and also to confuse the offense and the QB based on where we deploy our CBs and which CBs at the snap of the ball.
Campo is going to have a great deal of success IMO in 2008 with playing the mindgames in the secondary with the talent he has.
And of course, CBs can be flipped and moved right before the snap of the ball to completely break down the plans and timing of the offense and what they want to run.
We can dictate matchups as soon as the offense sets at the LOS. And of course, Jenkins and Scandrick would also figure into this scenario as warranted and Campo may pull RW and insert them for even more options.
That's OK. Again, who cares if RW is the starter or not. What we want is to dictate.
Also, I see the CBs and safeties sort of blending into a whole, where on some plays, Henry is really playing a SS position or Pacman is, not just a CB role. This is really going to add to the offenses preparation is to who is in there, where are they at the snap of the ball and what is their primary role and which guy do you attack.
I think you are going to see alot of audibling from the QB this year as he watches what is going on across the line of scrimmage. Which is great, because other than Peyton Manning or Brady from NE, there are not that many good QBs that do audibles well. Again, we are going to be forcing the offesne to adjust and they are often going to guess wrong in those situations.
And if the defensive back roles are constantly being disguised and moved around and players can assume another position role fluidly, you have a good bit of confusion over their in the QBs mind as to what to do and there isn't going to be a whole lot of time to figure it out.
And what does this all do to the pass rush..?
It makes it much more effective about getting to the QB because the QB is going to have to have some time to read what's going on and still get rid of the ball.
It's probably going to force QBs to not throw deep nearly as much and have to checkdown quickly to get rid of the ball, meaning less big plays downfield and more sack opportunities for us.
What I think is going to happen is there is going to be alot more pressure on the LBers to have to cover backs out of the backfield on first and second downs to counter act what we will be doing and also teams are going to try very heavily to run the ball and neutralize the pass rush and take less risks with possible interceptions and game changing plays by forcing the ball.
This means the DL and Lbers are going to play a crucial role in trying to shut off the running attack yet also be alert for the passing attack coming their way to neutralize their roles in the pass rush.
It's really going to be a guessing game out there.
So it's not about Henry vs. Pacman.
That's way too simple.
It's really about Dave Campo and our new DL and Lbers coaches and being on the same pages as they work the personnel and react and dictate to situations and have the best personnel out there each down.
We have the talent now.
It's all about the systems we need used to effectively make it all work in coordination and prepare adequately given our new personnel.
This is why I think it's ridiculous for guys like Henry or Greg Ellis to complain about what they percieve as as less playing time coming with some of these changes.
The changes are going to make them more successful over the course of a game and a season by using their strengths and disguising their weaknesses.
It's going to be the same with RW.
They all need to drop their egos and do what they say they are, team players first.
My two cents.
:starspin ReDBaLL ExPreSS :starspin
