DMN Blog: Tony Romo: 'It's definitely been our best off-season to date'

[khiladi]

Wrinkles is not the same thing as effective plays.. Throwing a screen to Roy Williams to get him involved was a wrinkle on a fourth down, but the timing sucked. Lining up TO in the back-field was a wrinkle, but it was stupid...

 

[OAM]

It sounds like more sunshine and rainbows until I see it. It wasn't like we didn't run two-tight end sets often last year. We ran them quite a bit and have for years. It is not much different than what we needed to implement when we drafted Fasano. It didn't work because Fasano didn't make the plays.

It is up to Bennett and Phillips to be better than Bennett and Tony Curtis were. It shouldn't be hard. I just don't believe we installed a bunch of new wrinkles. It just comes back to executing it better. Bennett was still very raw last year and if he steps up, I am sure people will think Garrett learned something, when perhaps it is the other way around.

 

[casmith07]

more and more I'm starting to like the idea of Martellus basically being an oversized WR that lines up on the edge of the line, in the slot, or even split wide. There isn't a corner in the game that is beating Martellus on a high throw.

 

[Future]

It's probably a better offseason for Tony just because he hasn't had to answer many questions about his girlfriend jessica, or his lover T.O.

 

[Jon88]

We have plenty of weapons to make up for TO's departure.

I know that hasn't been said here...

 

[Bluefin]

more and more I'm starting to like the idea of Martellus basically being an oversized WR that lines up on the edge of the line, in the slot, or even split wide. There isn't a corner in the game that is beating Martellus on a high throw.

Anyone who has a copy of the '95 NFC Championship game against the Packers should watch it again to see what two pass catching weapons at tight end can do.

Green Bay gave us fits with Keith Jackson and Mark Chmura.

A lot of the time, they would line both receivers to the left and both tight ends on the right. The tight ends had a field day exposing our coverage.

 

[wileedog]

Bennett was still very raw last year and if he steps up, I am sure people will think Garrett learned something, when perhaps it is the other way around.

In fairness, could be both.

I'm no apologist for him, but Garrett's not some old codger whose best days are behind him either. In fact if he DOESN'T improve significantly this year - because of Bennett or otherwise - his coaching career will probably started heading quickly in the wrong direction.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Talk is cheap. They said the same **** last year and all we got was a fake draw HB toss.

 

[speedkilz88]

Here's Romo's chat on dc.com:

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/multimedia_center.cfm?id=E69EDB93-B35A-F327-F860591EFAAA7C90

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I'm not drinking the kool-aid... proof will be on the field come Dec./Jan.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Last offsaeason Tank Johnson was a beast poised for a breakout year and a leader in the lockerroom. Let's just say Jerry and Wade aren't known for their cautiousness or skepticism. I think it was a good offseason simply because most of the Cowboys stayed out of the media and kept a low profile ... and maybe it's a sign that last season's utter embarassment provided the badly needed humbling experience that the utter embrassment of losing in the first game of the playoffs the year before SHOULD have provided. But you can't fault anyone doubting glowing optimism for next year based on a) Martellus Bennett's newfound mental accumen and b) Felix Jones handling an even heavier workload than the one he couldn't handle the year before.

 

[Jay]

I'm the biggest optimist but after last season I feel like that's been crushed. We all heard about how awesome they were going to be last season, how motivated they were after that embarrassing Giants loss, and how great all the players looked.

This is the offseason where I don't really give a crap what these guys are saying, I want to see it on the field. I went into almost every game last season thinking we should win, and we definitely had the talent to do so. I emerged last season with zero confidence.

It's sad, but it's true. I'm tired of hearing everyone talk the talk on our team, it's getting annoying. I LOVE the Choice youtube videos, love the fact that our team seems to be getting along better than ever, love reading stories like these.... thing is, I'm just not getting my hopes up this season.

Tired of this team and these players breaking my heart every winter.

 

[Fletch]

It sounds like more sunshine and rainbows until I see it. It wasn't like we didn't run two-tight end sets often last year. We ran them quite a bit and have for years. It is not much different than what we needed to implement when we drafted Fasano. It didn't work because Fasano didn't make the plays.

It is up to Bennett and Phillips to be better than Bennett and Tony Curtis were. It shouldn't be hard. I just don't believe we installed a bunch of new wrinkles. It just comes back to executing it better. Bennett was still very raw last year and if he steps up, I am sure people will think Garrett learned something, when perhaps it is the other way around.

Dude, we were so vanilla and predictable in previous years with that lineup. Just ask Ed Reed of the Ravens.

The Cowboys offense will be a lot more aggressive with our two TE's. Bennett's maturation from last season to this season will be key.

 

[Idgit]

Anyone else amused by the fact that Witten's getting lumped in with Bennet with the Beans-n-Rice nickname?

 

[cowboyed]

I am sure some of you Horseman of the Posting Apocalypse would prefer Tony Romo to state the offense this season will be scared and confused and the team as a whole is apathetic. I am also taking a wait and see approach however I am glad that the players are optimistically looking forward.

Whether optimistic or pessimistic how about letting the preseason more fully unfold and see what happens in the regular season.

I am encouraged about the reports of:

More focus and less distraction
The player and coaching collective working toward a common goal
Subtle but heady drafting
A strong desire for this team to overcome the dysfunction and underachieving
Our key players including Tony Romo having committed to tangible self-improvement