ESPN Dallas: Cowboys struggling getting the ball down field

[big dog cowboy]

The Cowboys assembled embarrassingly little talent in the wake of Bryant and Witten's departures.

I don't understand that at all. Dez is addition by subtraction especially with Hurns, Austin and Gallup. Also the Cowboys are younger, faster and more athletic at TE. By October neither Dez or JWit will be missed if they aren't already.

 

[Diehardblues]

Yeah but the Chaz Green / Byron Bell experiment with Smith out. Well, that created so many sacks. Hurried throws, incompletions. And did not help Zeke being out those 6 games. That made the passing offense go from 18th to 26th.

18th still pretty sad. Even before we lost Zeke and Smith we were a borderline playoff team at 5-3 with tougher stretch coming up on schedule. Basically without them we were a 4-4 team. Not that much difference in results.

Even when Zeke and Smith returned in Seattle game when we had a chance to get back in the playoff picture we fell short to a non playoff team playing at home.

 

[cern]

we're dancing with ourselves. no reason to worry yet.

 

[Diehardblues]

I don't understand that at all. Dez is addition by subtraction especially with Hurns, Austin and Gallup. Also the Cowboys are younger, faster and more athletic at TE. By October neither Dez or JWit will be missed if they aren't already.

I certainly hope this proves out but difficult to make this determination in August after losing our two most productive recievers.

 

[Carson]

I don't understand that at all. Dez is addition by subtraction especially with Hurns, Austin and Gallup. Also the Cowboys are younger, faster and more athletic at TE. By October neither Dez or JWit will be missed if they aren't already.

It’s the Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, JJ Wilcox, Barry Church situation.

Were average for us ... then we move on and upgrade, but the media paints a negative picture.

Going to be the same BS until they realize we’re better off next season

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Dak Prescott - QB - Cowboys
ESPN's Todd Archer reports the Cowboys' offense has "has struggled in getting the ball down the field" in training camp.

"Still trying to gain chemistry," Dak Prescott said of his Dez Bryant and Jason Witten-less supporting cast. "It’s going to come." OC Scott Linehan said "we’ve got to make strides quickly here." The Cowboys assembled embarrassingly little talent in the wake of Bryant and Witten's departures. It's going to be another long season for the Cowboys' passing attack, making life difficult on Prescott.


Source: ESPN Dallas
Aug 6 - 1:55 PM

the point they failed to mention, should Bryant and Witten be considered talented last year? both were very average. if that's the case, then have we really gotten worse? or just swapping with those who may have higher upside?

then again, its ESPN...negative news generates clicks.

 

[Stash]

We are to assume the coaches wanted to go with Dak over Romo and ultimately wanted to let Dez go?

I'd consider that more of a reasonable assumption than these coaches being "victims" of anyone else "forcing" things on them.

Look no further than the quarterbacks coach.

How do we know Dak and this group of receiving Corp is what our coaches wanted?

What's your alternate hypothesis?

 

[Diehardblues]

Hopefully it will come together rather quickly with the tougher defenses we open the season with or by October we could be in a tough hole to overcome.

@ Carolina
NYG
@Seattle
Det
Jax
@Houston

We will probably be underdogs in 4 of our 1st 6 games.

 

[Diehardblues]

I'd consider that more of a reasonable assumption than these coaches being "victims" of anyone else "forcing" things on them.

Look no further than the quarterbacks coach.



What's your alternate hypothesis?

I have little doubt the decisions were driven by our GM and VP. I can’t imagine anyone else having the power to make these critical decisions.

 

[cern]

It’s the Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, JJ Wilcox, Barry Church situation.

Were average for us ... then we move on and upgrade, but the media paints a negative picture.

Going to be the same BS until they realize we’re better off next season

the 4 aforementioned had all peaked and weren't ever going to improved. ergo, a wise move to cull them and restock. worked out good. in the case of our former #1 wr and te, both were going downhill and had become progress stoppers. ergo, also a wise move to go forward with new faces.

 

[Stash]

I have little doubt the decisions were driven by our GM and VP. I can’t imagine anyone else having the power to make these critical decisions.

Here we go again.

Yeah, Jones and Son are forcing these "poor coaches" to play these guys. With no voice in the process or decision-making whatsoever. What a coincidence it must be that Jerry Jones forced Scott Linehan's adopted son Kellen Moore on him as his quarterbacks coach?

Maybe now you'll realize exactly how ridiculous you sound.

 

[Sydla]

I don't understand that at all. Dez is addition by subtraction especially with Hurns, Austin and Gallup. Also the Cowboys are younger, faster and more athletic at TE. By October neither Dez or JWit will be missed if they aren't already.

It was over the top but try to look at this from an outside perspective.

Dez is gone from what was a pretty pedestrian WR corps to begin with.

They added a guy in Hurns who has had some injury issues and is probably, at best, a #2 type WR.

They added Austin who has largely been a bust since entering the league as a top draft pick.

And they added a third round WR and rookie WRs don’t often have immediate impacts.

So while stating embarassingly little talent is an overstatement, I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest we still have an average WR corps.

 

[Diehardblues]

the point they failed to mention, should Bryant and Witten be considered talented last year? both were very average. if that's the case, then have we really gotten worse? or just swapping with those who may have higher upside?

then again, its ESPN...negative news generates clicks.

Despite their declining production they were still our top 2 recievers.

As fans we’re certainly entitled to spin a more hopeful optimistic view but surely we have some reservations there could be some struggles.

 

[Stash]

It was over the top but try to look at this from an outside perspective.

Dez is gone from what was a pretty pedestrian WR corps to begin with.

They added a guy in Hurns who has had some injury issues and is probably, at best, a #2 type WR.

They added Austin who has largely been a bust since entering the league as a top draft pick.

And they added a third round WR and rookie WRs don’t often have immediate impacts.

So while stating embarassingly little talent is an overstatement, I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest we still have an average WR corps.

I think it comes down to name recognition. For many of the less informed fans, and certainly for media types who don't follow this particular team that closely.

They see two Pro Bowl and at least one Hall of Fame name leave a team, and don't see those same level "names" being brought in to replace them. And their face value reaction is to say that the team took a huge step back.

It's uninformed, but not unexpected.

 

[Diehardblues]

Here we go again.

Yeah, Jones and Son are forcing these "poor coaches" to play these guys. With no voice in the process or decision-making whatsoever. What a coincidence it must be that Jerry Jones forced Scott Linehan's adopted son Kellen Moore on him as his quarterbacks coach?

Maybe now you'll realize exactly how ridiculous you sound.

Not at all. It’s naive to not believe there was a bigger force at play here.

While most would agree it was a smart Cap decision to release Dez it doesn’t mean it won’t come with some casualties in production and effect in our passing offense along with the sudden retirement of Witten.

And the decision to go with Dak over Romo was defintely driven by more than simply their talent level driven by public sentiment and the winning wave.

While our coaching staff may have had some influence it’s doubtful they could override Jerry. Unless of course all of a sudden our HC is calling the shots?

 

[visionary]

From yesterday's accounts, the passing offense had a good day.

I think you guys need to make some quick decisions here

Is it gonna be a "the FO just didn't give Garrett enough weapons " year

Or

"This was the first year for players in the offense and they need time to gel" year?



Oh, I know
One of each

 

[Cowboys22]

I don’t remember Dez and Witten make huge plays downfield. Dez couldn’t get open except on slants and Witten rarely went more than 12-15 yards past the LOS. The team has struggles going downfield since Dak took over and that’s not a knock on him. It’s just not a strong part of his game and likely never will be. The antiquated route tree, predictable play calling, and Dez’s poor routes and effort didn’t help in this aspect but Dak simply doesn’t throw a very accurate deep pass. His game is throwing to the open man and getting out of the pocket to buy more time or take off running. Hopefully modern route trees and better route running will result in more WRs open downfield which should help Dak. A lot of completed deep passes aren’t necessarily accurate throws. They are just put up there and the WR adjusts to go get it. That a much easier pass to throw and catch when there is a little space between the WR and DB which hasn’t been seen much in Dallas for a few years now.

 

[Diehardblues]

I think it comes down to name recognition. For many of the less informed fans, and certainly for media types who don't follow this particular team that closely.

They see two Pro Bowl and at least one Hall of Fame name leave a team, and don't see those same level "names" being brought in to replace them. And their face value reaction is to say that the team took a huge step back.

It's uninformed, but not unexpected.

Please expand on how it’s uninformed there is a valid concern losing the Cowboys top 2 recievers despite their declining numbers?

We can all spin the concerns in a more positive hopeful way but until it’s proven otherwise on the field it should be a reasonable storyline.

 

[Melonfeud]

the 4 aforementioned had all peaked and weren't ever going to improved. ergo, a wise move to cull them and restock. worked out good. in the case of our former #1 wr and te, both were going downhill and had become progress stoppers. ergo, also a wise move to go forward with new faces.

(IDK) I'd kinda' wished they'd of tried to hang on to Wilcox at the time

 

[visionary]

OC Scott Linehan said "we’ve got to make strides quickly here."

For your sake pal. You and the rest of these coaches have gotten things "your way", and you've been able to "weed out" anyone and everyone who didn't buy into what you were doing. You've also been able to bring in "your guys". Any time for excuses has passed. Put up or shut up. Produce or get out.

Not to worry
This is Marinelli's year to go
The offense "has a lot of new faces " and "will need at least another year to gel"