Doug Free Looked Really Bad

[CF74]

I did some reviews last season where I said that they cheated the OL towards Free to help him. They would have the RG cheat towards Free and then would have Fred help right to compensate. I said that it would often leave Leary on an island almost like an OT.

The did that here in the first quarter and Leary gave up a sack. On the series after Leary gave up the sack, they quit doing it and Doug Free promptly gave up a sack.

Here is the play where Leary gave up the sack. You can see that the right 3 OL are bunched together and that Leary is in completely open space and has to play like an OT. This happened repeatedly last season, which makes Leary's success even more impressive considering that he had never played any NFL regular season snaps prior to game 1 of 2013.

Dunbar is with Smith on left end...

 

[Bluestang]

More wk for the coaches to fine tune...

The huge gap between Leary and Smith looks more like the product of slanting DTs and Vernon taking Smith wide.

It gives the LB a two way go between the A & B gap.

RB should be helping there.

 

[noshame]

I going with the OL and Romo didn't really care about the game last night and they'll look better in the opener. If not, 5-11 is a real possibility, and Tony will be gone by week 4.

 

[Nation]

I'm curious as to why a Tyron-Leary-Fred-Bernie-Martin starting five was never considered.

That being said, it's not as if reports all summer are that Free is toast and the team did not likely gameplan around Wake as they would have in the regular season. Hopefully yesterday was a kick in the *** more than anything else.

 

[Brooksey]

I did some reviews last season where I said that they cheated the OL towards Free to help him. They would have the RG cheat towards Free and then would have Fred help right to compensate. I said that it would often leave Leary on an island almost like an OT.

The did that here in the first quarter and Leary gave up a sack. On the series after Leary gave up the sack, they quit doing it and Doug Free promptly gave up a sack.

Here is the play where Leary gave up the sack. You can see that the right 3 OL are bunched together and that Leary is in completely open space and has to play like an OT. This happened repeatedly last season, which makes Leary's success even more impressive considering that he had never played any NFL regular season snaps prior to game 1 of 2013.

Once the right d- tackle takes the hard inside move that dictates the double team, the blitzing LB has to be picked up by Leary and chipped by the back there.

The back misses the blitz which left Leary on the island.

 

[AKATheRake]

I kept saying this, but Free is the weakest link on the OL.

What is the solution at this point?

I say you try and get a starting quality LB, nickel pass rusher or middle round draft pick for Free and trade him if he has value in some other teams eyes.

Move Martin to RT, where we can really get a bang for our pick and start Uche Nwaneri at RG with Bernadeau backing up both sides.

Even Parnell can get the axe if there's a solid vet out there after cuts because he's no better value for the $ from what I'm seeing.

Save those salaries and either move that cap space to next years cap or utilize it to get Dez his evident deal.

Hayden can get it to and save us some $.

 

[RS12]

I'm curious as to why a Tyron-Leary-Fred-Bernie-Martin starting five was never considered.
.

See Free's cap number.

 

[Lonestar94]

Do you guys realize Cameron Wake has probably been the best pass rusher in the NFL the last few years? Doug Free will not win every battle..

 

[gimmesix]

Put a TE to help out.

BTW, Romo, Dunbar and Tyron struggled as well. Romo has to get the ball out quicker, even if it means an incomplete pass. I assume that defenses will just blitz whenever Dunbar is in the backfield. And Tyron has not looked good in pass protection the last 2 games.





YR

Yes. It wasn't a good blocking game for our all-world line. The only ones who didn't seem to struggle any were Frederick and Martin.

 

[Cowboy06]

Doug Free was terrible. I realize that Wake is a good player, but wow, Free was bad. Even on plays where Romo got rid of the ball in time, Free's defender was inches away from several more sacks.

I don't hate Free, but I don't like him either. You have to scheme around him a TE on his side, a back to chip with him. I would love to see the boys replace him either another prime draft pick. I don't care for anyone on the team now to take that position...save for moving Martin out there and seeing what happens.

 

[jobberone]

I did some reviews last season where I said that they cheated the OL towards Free to help him. They would have the RG cheat towards Free and then would have Fred help right to compensate. I said that it would often leave Leary on an island almost like an OT.

The did that here in the first quarter and Leary gave up a sack. On the series after Leary gave up the sack, they quit doing it and Doug Free promptly gave up a sack.

Here is the play where Leary gave up the sack. You can see that the right 3 OL are bunched together and that Leary is in completely open space and has to play like an OT. This happened repeatedly last season, which makes Leary's success even more impressive considering that he had never played any NFL regular season snaps prior to game 1 of 2013.

That's Fred's call and he should be doing that based on film and formation. I haven't looked at the entire play but without looking at the presnap formation of the DL you can't make any assumptions about who is helping who. I don't see Leary on an island here. Smith's guy, Vernon, looks like he might have lined up in the 7. I can't see the number of the defender on Leary but he looks like a LB which would have put them in their 3-4 rather than 4-3. Or it could be the DT on a delayed rush but probably the former. Fred is turning his guy (his right hand should be on the defender's hip BTW). If he gets further left (our right side) then Fred should hand him off to the RG who has his lane properly. Free took his slide step but his body is turned and his left hand isn't even on the defender. It appears as if the end took a fake to the inside and swam over to the outside. Just a guess. Free's technique is poor although I don't know who gave up the sack. Again an assumption without looking at the film. Apparently it was Leary's guy who got the sack. Leary should be able to handle that guy by himself. That's what he is there for.

So there doesn't appear to be any help for Free on that play and they are reacting properly. But I'm assuming the presnap look. Miami might be attacking like this by design. Our interior has had problems with their pass rush blocking. They could be setting Leary up to be isolated with a wide lane by making Smith go wide and the tackle and opposite end went the other way.

 

[Stash]

Yeah, I was surprised at how bad Free looked. I am also surprised by the Cowboys' refusal to try Martin at RT.

I am too.

I'd much rather they try him there rather than third string center.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Yes. It wasn't a good blocking game for our all-world line. The only ones who didn't seem to struggle any were Frederick and Martin.

We still have a problem on 3rd down when we have more than 7 yards to go for the first down. Romo has to get the ball out quicker. He was freezing a few times when the ball should have been out of his hand.

There were a few times that Dunbar was a large part of the problem. The Fins would send 6 or 7 and you only have 5 O-Linemen, so the back has to pick up the blitz.

I really like what I've seen out of Williams. I think cutting him would be a mistake.





YR

 

[RS12]

One of the bloggers over at BTB speculated Dunbar could be a surprise cut FWIW. Cant be the guy the gets Romo killed.

 

[Jenky]

One of the bloggers over at BTB speculated Dunbar could be a surprise cut FWIW. Cant be the guy the gets Romo killed.

I wouldn't be surprised honestly.

The more I see the guy play.....I really don't care what he does in practice. If he can't put it together in real games, it doesn't mean anything.

 

[CCBoy]

I say you try and get a starting quality LB, nickel pass rusher or middle round draft pick for Free and trade him if he has value in some other teams eyes.

Move Martin to RT, where we can really get a bang for our pick and start Uche Nwaneri at RG with Bernadeau backing up both sides.

Even Parnell can get the axe if there's a solid vet out there after cuts because he's no better value for the $ from what I'm seeing.

Save those salaries and either move that cap space to next years cap or utilize it to get Dez his evident deal.

Hayden can get it to and save us some $.

Like I'm getting on with one finding a '77 GTO, that already has a good body job and 'added' features underneath...for a price tag of only $5,000....even $11,000. Do the work and it goes for $50,000.

I'll start looking for a '58 Camaro that just needs a complete interior now...and give out $13,000 with a recovery of about $10,000...even after negotiations. Oh, and the color, blue eyes pearl...yea, on the GTO.

 

[Sarge]

Doug Free has been up and down and all around for years. He is consistently inconsistent and overall, not the most reliable guy we have on the OL by a long shot, unfortunately.

Having said that, Free is the least of our worries all things considered.

 

[CCBoy]

...oh, and looking for a legends car to put on a track...

 

[Mr Cowboy]

If Free is the biggest concern, then we are doing alright. Not many options on the roster, Parnell has shown nothing in years being here. Defensive front 7 is a disaster and getting worse.

 

[CCBoy]

Doug Free has been up and down and all around for years. He is consistently inconsistent and overall, not the most reliable guy we have on the OL by a long shot, unfortunately.

Having said that, Free is the least of our worries all things considered.

Drill Sergeant to Private: 'What are you doing here, Private?'

Answer from Private: 'Trying to be a Soldier, Drill Sergeant!'

Drill Sergeant to next Private: 'What are you doing here, Private?'

Private to Drill Sergeant: 'Learning how to be an artist.'

Drill Sergeant: 'Excellent! A man with a plan!!'