ESPN: Cowboys right tackle Doug Free has tough matchup in Green Bay's Julius Peppers

jobberone

jobberone

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Cowboys right tackle Doug Free has tough matchup in Green Bay's Julius Peppers

9:42 AM ET
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Jean-Jacques Taylor ESPN Staff Writer

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FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have three All-Pro offensive lineman in Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin and another, Ronald Leary, who’s probably having the best season of his career.

Right tackle Doug Free has started more games than all of them.

Free, a full-time starter since the 2010 season, has started 114 games since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 draft from Northern Illinois.

The 32-year-old Free signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Cowboys in 2015, with $6 million guaranteed.

http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cow...ve-tough-matchup-in-green-bays-julius-peppers
 
drawandstrike

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Peppers caused 1 fumble in the Packers game for a turnover when he hit Dak's arm as he was about to throw the ball.

THAT WAS THE ONLY PLAY I NOTICED PEPPERS ON IN THE ENTIRE GAME when I made my game film of the Cowboys visit to Lambeau.

Besides that 1 sack/strip, Peppers finished the day with exactly ONE tackle.

Now a strip/sack is a huge play. But if in all the offensive unit snaps in that game where we passed the ball [27 times] your RT gives up only 1 big play in a game you won 30-16, that's not being dominated by any stretch of the imagination. That's your LT making a premier edge rusher all but invisible for 1 snap of a football game.
 
BAT

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Run at Peppers. Free is much more effective run blocking, so is the rest of the OL. If we do what we do best, run the ball, we control the TOP, limit turnovers and keep Rogers off the field. Linehan just needs to be kept in check when he goes pass happy especially early in the game.
 
Plankton

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If I'm the Packers, I rush both Peppers and Matthews from the same side of the formation - over Doug Free.
 
TheMarathonContinues

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There's a lot of things i'm worried about on Sunday but Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers....just not one of those problems......
 
robjay04

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Free gets a lot of undeserving criticism from the fan base.

He's not perfect, he has some bad games but there was a stretch of the season where we didn't mention him at all. That is usually a good sign. This is the norm for him every season. 12-14 games he will do solid work but those 2-4 games are ugly. Typically that is against speed rushers which Peppers not.

Plankton said:
If I'm the Packers, I rush both Peppers and Matthews from the same side of the formation - over Doug Free.
Click to expand...

I hope to god so, a rollout by Dak to the other side or. a Murray sweep will be open all day.
 
Stash

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jobberone said:
A tad concerned about Free. Hope he's well and plays well. I don't know who we can put in his place right now if not.
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I'll see your "tad" and raise you a smidge.

Free is the biggest question mark and worry I have by far among the entire offense. He could cost us this game if he struggles like he has been lately.
 
jobberone

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stasheroo said:
I'll see your "tad" and raise you a smidge.

Free is the biggest question mark and worry I have by far among the entire offense. He could cost us this game if he struggles like he has been lately.
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You're welcome to your opinion but while his play has been down and erratic he's also played well at times. So I don't know what he'll do. There have been games when others on the OL who are NOT maligned have played poorly at times.

I think he IS more likely to be MORE erratic than any of the others but I'm not naive enough to think any couldn't lay an egg.

Never been a Free hater or even as concerned as some but as in another conversation about this with you I agree his play has finally fell off. So everyone has a right to have some concern. I'm not quibbling over the degree but can say he's played well enough we haven't given up a significant number of sacks, Zak has had time to pick apart many, and we are 13-3. So there are definitely two sides to this conversation.
 
Stash

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jobberone said:
You're welcome to your opinion but while his play has been down and erratic he's also played well at times. So I don't know what he'll do. There have been games when others on the OL who are NOT maligned have played poorly at times.

I think he IS more likely to be MORE erratic than any of the others but I'm not naive enough to think any couldn't lay an egg.

Never been a Free hater or even as concerned as some but as in another conversation about this with you I agree his play has finally fell off. So everyone has a right to have some concern. I'm not quibbling over the degree but can say he's played well enough we haven't given up a significant number of sacks, Zak has had time to pick apart many, and we are 13-3. So there are definitely two sides to this conversation.
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Sure. There are no 'absolutes' either way. He's neither great nor terrible. And it sounds like we agree on more about him than we disagree.

His play has declined and his position should be a spot to try to upgrade after this season. I liked what I saw from Cleary in his limited work, maybe he could be an option?

But Doug Free is the most worrisome starter on our offense in my opinion. Hopefully the rest and time off did his old bones some good.

;)
 
lqmac1

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jobberone said:
Cowboys right tackle Doug Free has tough matchup in Green Bay's Julius Peppers

9:42 AM ET
i
Jean-Jacques Taylor ESPN Staff Writer

i


FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have three All-Pro offensive lineman in Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin and another, Ronald Leary, who’s probably having the best season of his career.

Right tackle Doug Free has started more games than all of them.

Free, a full-time starter since the 2010 season, has started 114 games since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 draft from Northern Illinois.

The 32-year-old Free signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Cowboys in 2015, with $6 million guaranteed.

http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cow...ve-tough-matchup-in-green-bays-julius-peppers
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You know what my favorite snack is? Chip
You know what Kelly's first name is? Chip
You ___ your tooth when you fall. Chip

I'm not trying to hint towards any type of game plan to help Free out or anything.

Make em pay, Free ;-)
 
EST_1986

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Doug Free vs the snap count should also be a fun battle to watch
 
Doomsdayblitz

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The game plan must include chipping Peppers with RBs/TEs, rolling Dak to his left in P/A-which will roll Zeke to his right to help Free in pass pro, etc. Knowing ahead of time that he will have plenty of help will (hopefully) give Free more confidence, which in turn may help him hold his water at the snap count. Having said all that, it is obvious that Free needs to be replaced this off-season by either Collins, Green, or a FA. We can't afford the weak link at the RT spot any longer. It's time to start winning Super Bowls again, & we can't have ANYONE slowing us down.
 
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