DMN Blog: What should Cowboys do at left guard?

[cowboys2233]

I think Kosier is out six weeks minimum - that's nearly a third of the season so whoever steps in will get a significant amount of playing time - for better or worse.

Two weeks of PS + 4 weeks of regular season. More like one-quarter, at worst. Unless Wade pulls one of his stunts and comes back and says it's actually season-ending.

 

[zrinkill]

Gurode played as a rookie and was always in the rotation. He took time to find his position and develop into a probowler, but he always had potential.

Gurode did not come into a team with this many probowlers either.

All we had on the line when he was drafted was Larry and a underachieving at the time Flo.

 

[Stash]

Two weeks of PS + 4 weeks of regular season. More like one-quarter, at worst. Unless Wade pulls one of his stunts and comes back and says it's actually season-ending.

Hey, I hope you're right, but I don't see a guy going from 'cracked bone' and 'walking boot' to 100% in a month.

 

[cowboys2233]

I think some spots - like CB and TE have quality depth while some others like receiver and offensive line don't.

Unfortunately, the team has been hit with injuries at two of the positions lacking quality depth.

My thinking would be to try to trade away some depth at corner and tight end for help at O-line or receiver.

If you don't have depth at OL or WR, you don't have depth, period. My point is, a lot of the general public talks about our depth, but it's just not there.

Oh, and I forgot about MLB, apparently we don't have depth there either.

 

[Nexx]

Really?

He was drafted last year.

I think it just might be a little early to call him a bust.

Gurode did not "get it" till his 5th year

+1, and you believe a media writer on how the cowboys view their depth chart? give me a break.

 

[cowboys2233]

Hey, I hope you're right, but I don't see a guy going from 'cracked bone' and 'walking boot' to 100% in a month.

No, that is a problem. The guy is not going to be 100% when he comes back. But hairline fractures aren't a BIG problem, bone breaks do heal to 100% in six weeks, especially those that are of the minor variety.

But you're right, he isn't going to be up to speed for awhile after that. He's not Terrell Owens, after all.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

It's funny how everyone claims this team has so much depth, and yet, when we lose one receiver and one offensive lineman, everybody seems to be scrambling for replacements for both. Call me crazy, but I don't think we have nearly the depth that most of John Q. Public thinks we do.

Oh, this is just standard whining for the Preseason. All this poop about the 4th Wide-Receiver will die down once the Regular Season starts. Kyle has always been underrated, but Berger/Proctor are surrounded by two pretty dominant o-linemen, so we will make out okay.

 

[cowboys2233]

Oh, this is just standard whining for the Preseason. All this poop about the 4th Wide-Receiver will die down once the Regular Season starts. Kyle has always been underrated, but Berger/Proctor are surrounded by two pretty dominant o-linemen, so we will make out okay.

You see a lot of teams stinking it up in the preseason and then come out and play much, much better when the regular season arrives. And I've become convinced it is NOT because of a lack of intensity, but because most teams are really that thin. You've got starters...and everyone else. And when you get enough of those "everyone elses" playing at the same time, it can look like a totally different team. Most teams are exactly one-level deep in terms of starter quality. We lose one OL, bam, all of the sudden we're looking at a guy like McQuistan playing out of position. And I can think of four more positions right off the top of my head where if we lose one guy, we're totally screwed.

Imagine if we lost Romo, Owens, Barber or Witten? There would be no hiding those losses. Again, true depth is such a pipe dream. Not just for us, but for most.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

You see a lot of teams stinking it up in the preseason and then come out and play much, much better when the regular season arrives. And I've become convinced it is NOT because of a lack of intensity, but because most teams are really that thin. You've got starters...and everyone else. And when you get enough of those "everyone elses" playing at the same time, it can look like a totally different team. Most teams are exactly one-level deep in terms of starter quality. We lose one OL, bam, all of the sudden we're looking at a guy like McQuistan playing out of position. And I can think of four more positions right off the top of my head where if we lose one guy, we're totally screwed.

Imagine if we lost Romo, Owens, Barber or Witten? There would be no hiding those losses. Again, true depth is such a pipe dream. Not just for us, but for most.

Well, the viewer of said "depth" must be realistic in their view of depth as it pertains to the NFL in the era of the Salary Cap. It isn't realistic to think we can replace the second best wide-out in the NFL with someone who can step up and perform to that level, same with a top five QB and Tight-End. It also isn't realistic to think that a team can overcome injuries to multiple key players. Replacing Pro-Bowlers with second teamers is always going to drop the level of play down dramatically. "Depth" in todays NFL is having serviceable back-ups that can weather the storm. If they are any better than that, then they will eventually move on to other teams to get starters' pay or the team will cut an older player in the starting line-up to keep from losing the better talent.

In the case of the injuries we have, I would say our linebacker depth is proven to be excellent considering two of the first line rotation guys are going to be on the sideline and we will still be able to throw out the line-up that we have.

For Wide-outs, Austin and Stanback going down would not be that big of a deal in the regular season other than kick-off returns and, if that was truly a concern, they can always roll out Felix. Sounds like Stanback could be ready for the opener anyway, so that would just leave out Austin.

I am holding out opinion on the Kozier injury, as we don't have any proven depth along the O-Line, but that does not mean that Kozier's replacement can't keep things upright until Kyle returns. We'll know soon enough, though.

Just my worthless opinion, anyway.

 

[cowboys2233]

It isn't realistic to think we can replace the second best wide-out in the NFL with someone who can step up and perform to that level, same with a top five QB and Tight-End.

Yeah, but I'm not even suggesting at the same level. The drop-off at those positions is so extreme, we would actually become completely ineffective at those positions as an entire group.

Owens goes down and all of the sudden Crayton is not getting open at all, Hurd is not getting open at all, and Austin is not, etc. I guess it's also just pointing out the domino effect that can take place. Owens goes down and MBIII probably rushes for half of what he would with Owens in the lineup, because of the chain reaction of events.

Romo or Owens goes down + Defenses stacking the line = no passing game, no running game = game over. It can be that quick, contary to what a lot of people would suggest about it being a team-oriented game, and does not depend on a single player. Sometimes, it does.

It's like Jenga, pull the wrong piece, even if it's only one piece, and the whole thing comes crashing down.

Fortunately, I don't think Kyle Kosier is that one piece. :LOL

 

[CrazyCowboy]

a lot of Zoners did not like Kosier.......now what?