News: DMN: Former NFL scout: Tony Romo made Dez Bryant a $70 million man

GimmeTheBall!

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Bryan Broaddus, former NFL personnel man and current DallasCowboys.com writer, recently joined 103.3 ESPN Radio to talk Steelers. Here are some highlights:

On the Steelers struggles: Their offensive line isn't very good [so] you've got to attack the middle of the pocket with Ben Roethlisberger, you always have. Even when he's been healthy he tends to throw the ball away more. If you get him out on the move, that's when he's at his absolute best but this knee injury has robbed him of the ability to move laterally and make those types of plays. He's still gonna make throws but if you can get to him, that's really going to be the key right now because his mobility has been compromised.

On whether Dez Bryant's lost his step: No I think that [Cleveland CB] Joe Haden just played him really well in this game the other day. For me, with Dez he's going to have his moments where the routes aren't going to be as good as they need to be and he's having a hard time escaping. Haden grabbed him a couple different times during the game and that's really where it's been troubling for him - he hasn't been able to escape. I don't think it's the loss of his step ... If you look at what he was able to do down in the red zone, the [Cole] Beasley touchdown was really all him. He got Beasley in the clear because he drew three guys to him. That just shows you the respect teams have for him.

As far as losing his steps ... I think it's more some technique issues with him. When he's bad, he's sloppy with his technique and escape. When he doesn't escape, he looks really out of sorts going down the field. That's happened to him more than anything I've seen so far.

If Romo were playing right now, we'd probably be talking about Dez in a different light as far as what are his problems, what's he not very good at it - I think Tony has a real feel for how to get Dez the football. He made him a $70 million man by getting him the football. It's going to take Dak some time to learn that. But as far as route-running goes, when his technique's right, it looks good.

How is the Steelers run D? That's going to be the difficult task for the Cowboys. They're going to have to find a way - this is a group that when you look at the down lineman against a 3-4 front, they've had some success running the ball against the 3-4 fronts. They have a guy Javon Hargrave, their starting nose tackle, who's a pretty solid guy there as far as a guy who doesn't get turned in the scheme. They stay square. Stephon Tuitt's a good player there as well as a right DE. Their linebackers really really run to the football [and] hustle to the ball. Second-level blocks are going to be key. You have to take the football. I can see them making this an edge game. The way the Cowboys have had success running the football: If you're going to play a heavy box against them, they're going to trap all the bodies inside and then make you have to defend the edges. The Steelers will walk guys down on tackle. This will be a very physical game as far as the front-seven against the Cowboys offensive line.

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Tony made a lot of people, including himself, rich.
The only ones left out were the fans.
2 career playoff wins.
Phfffffttt!
 
Bullflop

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Seems to me that if Dez can't get open on his own without having Romo available to set him up, then he is probably being overpaid. Who's to say if Dak will ever find a way to facilitate bringing Dez's success back to its former state of glory? Isn't it also entirely possible that Dez's foot and leg injuries have compromised his ability to get open? Maybe Dak's increased development and additional time will tell us more . . . I hope so.
 
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4lifecowboy

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Bullflop said:
Seems to me that if Dez can't get open on his own without having Romo available to set him up, then he is probably being overpaid. Who's to say if Dak will ever find a way to facilitate bringing Dez's success back to its former state of glory? Isn't it also entirely possible that Dez's foot and leg injuries have compromised his ability to get open? Maybe Dak's increased development and additional time will tell us more . . . I hope so.
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It isn't so much as Dez getting open more it is more so to do with Romo ability and knowledge as to where to place the ball where Dez can catch it. Dez is seldom clearly open, that is the biggest reason his catches look so spectacular because he is usually draped with a defender all over him. He doesn't have that chemistry with Dak that he has with Romo yet, i have seen Dez run the fade in the end zone and beat the defender and Dak throw the incorrect pass, instead of over the left shoulder it would be inside.
 
Bullflop

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4lifecowboy said:
It isn't so much as Dez getting open more it is more so to do with Romo ability and knowledge as to where to place the ball where Dez can catch it. Dez is seldom clearly open, that is the biggest reason his catches look so spectacular because he is usually draped with a defender all over him. He doesn't have that chemistry with Dak that he has with Romo yet, i have seen Dez run the fade in the end zone and beat the defender and Dak throw the incorrect pass, instead of over the left shoulder it would be inside.
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Hence, as I indicated, perhaps Dak will find the wherewithal to put the ball where Dez is able to snatch it without such difficulty. Granted, developing chemistry takes time and Dak will either find a way to make the adjustment with Dez or he won't.

Hopefully, they'll work it out between them, once they've been afforded additional practice time to do so. In the meantime, Dak seems to have found ways to get the ball to Beasley with more frequency than Romo ever did.

Surely it also boils down to chemistry between the QB and the individual receiver. We'll see how it goes with Dak having more time to work with Dez. Let's also recall that Dez was injured and missing practice during much of their time to develop that much needed timing and chemistry.
 
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4lifecowboy

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Bullflop said:
Hence, as I indicated, perhaps Dak will find the wherewithal to put the ball where Dez is able to snatch it without such difficulty. Granted, developing chemistry takes time and Dak will either find a way to make the adjustment or he won't. Hopefully, they'll work it out between them, once they've been afforded additional practice time to do so. In the meantime, Dak seems to have found ways to get the ball to Beasley with more frequency than Romo did. Maybe it also boils down to chemistry between the QB and the individual receiver. We'll see.
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My only point i was making was it isn't Dez inability to get open that is the factor in his diminished catches, he never has beat his man like that his strengths lies in making the catch despite coverage, but that takes accurate ball placement and chemistry, but luckily he still commands respect so defenses have to stay honest.
 
Bullflop

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4lifecowboy said:
My only point i was making was it isn't Dez inability to get open that is the factor in his diminished catches, he never has beat his man like that his strengths lies in making the catch despite coverage, but that takes accurate ball placement and chemistry, but luckily he still commands respect so defenses have to stay honest.
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Dez's success rate diminished with Romo as well as Dak, so I'm not fully convinced that his lower body injuries didn't diminish his ability to gain separation, at least to some extent. I would agree that he's never had exceptional ability to get separation but I do feel it has gotten worse following the rash or injuries that he sustained to his lower body in the last two years. Let's recall they included his back, knees, ankles and feet.

I'm not saying he isn't valuable other than suggesting that he might be overpaid but that's for the FO to settle with him in the future if they feel that it's desirable to do so. It does help his cause that he still commands double coverage on many occasions except, of course, those times when he gets an exceptional CB like Haden covering him.

Anyhow, I'm willing to wait and see what develops in the future with Dak delivering the ball to him, whether it works out better for both of them or not. It seems pretty much up for future decisions by the FO as to whether Romo will ever return to being a starter, though. In the meantime, I haven't given up on Dez by any means and at the same time, I'm sure Dak and the FO haven't either.
 
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