FuzzyLumpkins
The Boognish
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Game was plagued by penalties but I felt like this was preseason for the refs too. What particularly stood out to me was Hitchens having his facemasked yanked and then having a punch thrown at him yet he received both penalties. Also the OPI deep down the right sideline on Butler was specious.Much of them were rightfully earned and sloppy play while not uncommon at this point in the season, is not something you want to have to constantly overcome. OTOH the team was able to do so.
Offense was vanilla. Tons of staple routes like the go, post and in were run along with middle isos and off tackle runs. The draw has been revived and the wham was used to help get some middle push with the second unit. I'm curious to see if the stretch/counter playcalling combo ever comes back but it's been gone since 2014 much to my chagrin.
Defense was similarly vanilla. SImple man, cover 2 and cover 3 were called ad nauseum with no disguising. The faked the blitz far more often than not and there were a stead supply of stunts and twists which continue to meet with success. Middle coverage continues to be an issue and range in the middle of the field continues to be exploited. When the pass rush got pressure it held but if not things got exposed.
Line did a pretty good job in the first half --when people who are likely to make the team are playing-- and that was despite Marinelli slanting the lines and really putting the onus on the LB to fill on the backside. DT play was a particular bright spot. LB were better but still not as consistent as I would like on their fills. Saw guys looking to fill the same gap and running into each other again.
Special teams was much improved. On coverage lane discipline was consistent and bottled up returns. Punt returns were a plus and Dan Bailey Remains money. Down roster guys who showed up on my radar were Morris, KSmith, Mayle, Swanson, and Jones
Romo looked rusty but he still looks nowhere near as stiff as he did a couple years ago. His throwing motion is smooth and he no longer appears to drag his legs and he rotates to throw. His accuracy to pass in the flat has never been a strength as he lacks the touch to really float the ball. He airmailed one over Morris head sure enough. He needs to play more and sharpen his game a bit before the opener.
That being said his accuracy on middle throws remains uncanny. He was threading passes into the hands of his receivers and overcoming negative plays with downfield strikes.
Prescott continues to impress. They moved the pocket around for him consistently with roll and sprint outs and the first and second units did a pretty good job keeping his pocket clean. His accuracy remains precise hitting receivers in stride. It was also encouraging to see him move his eyes from one side of the field to the other progressing through reads and finding open receivers on subsequent reads. He has developed a rapport with a wide array of receivers in a short period of time.
His sense of timing and feel for his surroundings is what allows him to routinely succeed on playfakes and escape pressure. Protections started to break down near the half and he turned defensive pressure into big plays. His deception is some of the best that I've ever seen from a Cowboy QB. It wasn't all perfect though. While the receiver's job is to cut in front of the face of the defender, it's the QB's job to realize that his receiver is getting jammed up and not throw the ball. Physical jams almost cost him two interceptions if not for a defensive penalty and a drop.
Showers is still running for his life. The protection was better than last time but that is not saying much. Cannot see downfield all that well with the telecast but he wasn't having a lot of luck finding open receivers. With the bevy or receivers, RB, and TE Showers may be on the outside looking in if he cannot step up his game particularly with Prescott looking a lot less like a project than a real prospect.
Dez is Dez. He seems sharp and I know that Linehan is holding things out for him. I see a bevy of big plays and a big year for 88.
TWill is doing a better job out of his breaks. Watching him get a 5+ yards separation on the out was something I have been looking for. I still want to see him win contested catches but he has clearly improved.
Lucky had another nice return making people miss and taking what he could get down the sideline, he also managed to get open downfield on a deep in but he got jammed up on a slant and that is something that bears watching. Have to beat the jam in the NFL.
Butler might have solidified his spot on the roster. Scoring a TD on a physical fade route, winning downfield on the go and post, and another deep in made for a nice evening.
Jones beating the press as a gunner, breaking down in space and making the open field tackle had to have gotten Bisscia's attention. He does it again and he might force them to keep 3 WR. There is going to be a lot of competition between the 4th RB, 6th WR, and 3rd QB for a roster spot. Hanna's injury simplified thigns somewhat but there are only ~25 spots for offense.
Swaim didn't drop a pass and showed he can be a reliable pass catcher. He did not stand out to me as a blocker as much as the previous week.
Escobar got a significant amount of time at the Y after Witten sat. His blocking was the best I've seen out of him. In the run game he was driving and kicking out DE. He lined up next to Green on the weakside and slid and stoned a DE in passing protection. He even caught a pass. His return from achilles repair has been remarkable. His ability to play Y will help him get on the field. He already had a role on third down and the RZ.
Green has good feet. He can get to the perimeter or second level and he can slide to pick up pass rushers. His power is pretty good. All of that is true until he wears down. He lasted until the last 5 or so minutes of the first half and he was leaning over his base and struggling to keep up. He did a better job not abandoning technique but he needs to be sent out there again and work on his conditioning. As it stands now he could fill in to finish a game but you don't want him starting and trying to finish one.
Collins, Fred, and Martin really haven't made my radar. If someone would care to comment on their play that would be good. I keep waiting for Martin to return to 2014 form but nothing he has done has stood out. That being said I've been focused on other things.
Free is what he is. Good feet and better punch that in the past.
Leary and Looney did a much better job holding up the middle as opposed to last game.
Jared Smith made my radar. He has very good feet, a requirement for Dallas OL, and he is a fighter as evidence by his recovery on a stunt pickup to keep his QB clean but he doesn't have the core and leg strength that you want to see up the middle. Definite PS candidate.
Morris is making this team and if DMC doesn't get back soon he may be playing elsewhere this year. Running the ball he reminds me a bit of Emmitt regarding his vision and balance. He's not the blocker or pass catcher 22 was but he is no slouch either. He continues to succeed on screen plays that fool everyone but most importantly the defense. He and Dak have that play working.
Jackson wasn't getting the running lanes Morris was but he did a good job taking what he could get. He was getting hit in the backfield particularly behind the 3rd OL. His athleticism stands out and I keep expecting him to break one. Didn't happen this game.
K Smith had a few nice runs but he is going to make this team on ST. He makes a showing there as well blocking and covering kicks.
Russell had a much better game setting the edge. Had a couple nice rushes. Still no sacks though.
Jack Crawford was a force. He lined up at DE and was extremely disruptive getting into the backfield and mucking things up.
Tyrone Crawford was similarly effective. The Fins struggled to block him. His power easily stood up blockers and he has the technique to shed their hands.
McAdoo got a lot of snaps and managed a couple of tackles. He had no success rushing that I saw.
McClain did a nice job holding the point of attack and played under control. In the past he would shoot a gap and get taken for a ride upfield and out of the play. Not so this game. DT did a good job limiting cutbacks.
Thornton was quick, active, and consistent. He was able to split some double teams and get penetration or failing that sit down and really muck things up in the middle. The scoop and rumble down the field put his athletic ability on display.
Coe stepped his game up from the first to second game. Did a nice job holding the point of attack and using his hands to shed the blocker to make a tackle. He doesn't have e;ite quickness so he might well be limited to a two down player but with his power he has a place in this league if his handwork can continue to come along.
Jenkins in contrast has the quickness and anticipation to beat OL to the gap. When isoed he had a nice spin or alternately swim move to keep his rush going. He lacks the hand skills now to disengage when he doesn't win outright but he anchors pretty well against the lower level competition. A lot of NFL starters will take him for a ride though at this point I'm anticipating. If he continues at this rate there is no way he makes it to the PS. He's raw but he has tools to be a successful 3T/LDE combo in the mold of 58.
Wilber lined up in the elephant role of a 2 point stance where the RDE normally sits. He was extremely disruptive against the opposing 2's. He was dominant at the poa and setting the edge and relentless in his rush getting to the QB. I am not keen on him starting but he is the type of player that good teams have as backups. He can backup 2 position groups and he excels at all facets of special teams.
Hitchens ability to evade OL on the second level helps him tremendously in pursuit. He also does a pretty good job stacking and quickly shedding when he cannot. He's doing a better job quickly diagnosing than he did last year where he would get caught watching the play and allow a blocker into him. He plays physically with an edge but lacks top end speed for coverage.
Wilson came in with the 2s. Both he and Morris lack instincts in zone coverage. He failed to cover the flat and stayed in the middle of the field which set up a Fins TD. His lack of top end speed was apparent. That being said he has a nose for the ball in pursuit and always seems to find his way around it. He runs better than his time speed accounts for but he needs to do a better job anticipating routes if he wants to play in the base defense.
Morris is much in the same boat. He has better speed and definitely shows leadership qualities as evidenced by him pointing out routes in front of him to pass off to his fellow LB. Unfortunately he missed the route coming into his zone and gave up a completion. Seemed to be a bit mentally overloaded this game and doing more thinking than just playing the play in front of him. I expect both he and Wilson to make the team nonetheless and be core special teams contributors.
Hepburn was around the ball a lot. He's a 25 year old 2013 7th round draft pick of the Lions. With the new PS rules, I could see him making the PS if he continues to pursue and tackle well in the next 2 games.
Claiborne seems like a different player. Recent years have seen him get hurt tackling and look physically intimidated. I get the impression that he was dealing with chronic pain that was finally cleaned up with his nth surgery. He finally seems to feel that he belongs and the confidence is helping his play. He is never going to be a physical tackler but it was encouraging watching him warp and take down tacklers as well as allowing his teammates to rally to his aide. He has elite quickness and sticks to receivers hips through breaks. He also tries to make plays on the ball which so far has resulted in deflections but he is beginning to show the promise that saw him drafted so high.
Scandrick was out there but not for long. I saw 32 rally to the football but nothing more of notice in his cup of coffee before being pulled.
Carr doesn't have the quickness that Claiborne does but he does play a more physical brand of football. That being said if he fails to reroute he needs help from his teammates. This was apparent on the first TD where Carr was in decent position to try and split his hands but his inside help in the form of Barry Church was nowhere close following his break on the ball. Given his reliability and talent, he is at a good price point following his salary reduction.
Thomas got a significant amount of playing time and was active. I would like to see better anticipation as he too often seemed to be reacting but he plays a determined brand of football. He is active in pursuit and physical when the situation requires. I would describe his coverage as more tenacious than tight at this point. He will give some separation and is far from a shutdown corner.
Jones exhibits great range but in what is becoming a theme, doesn't jump throws or routes in anticipation. I expect this to improve or time but with Church, Hitchens and Wilber on the field with him, more onus than ever will be put on him. How well he can acclimate to NFL S will likely determine how well middle of the field coverage ends up.
Church is what he is. I talked about him being nowhere near the thrown TD to Stills in the RZ. He can tackle and work well in short spaces but he should be a 2 down player or big nickel player at this point. Unfortunately nobody is stepping up to take his spot.
Heath apparently played but I didn't notice him. Similarly I only noticed Wilcox when he got isolated in man coverage on Jarvis and gave up a long completion. Wilcox is just asking for someone to beat him out at this point.
McKinnon makes plays in coverage and against the run. He runs well and has a nose for the football. If the starts making plays on ST look for him to make the roster.
Frey once again made a TD saving tackle putting the safe in safety. OTOH, he doesn't seem to do anything else. PS at best is my expectation here.
Anyone else I didn't mention its because I did not notice them.
Offense was vanilla. Tons of staple routes like the go, post and in were run along with middle isos and off tackle runs. The draw has been revived and the wham was used to help get some middle push with the second unit. I'm curious to see if the stretch/counter playcalling combo ever comes back but it's been gone since 2014 much to my chagrin.
Defense was similarly vanilla. SImple man, cover 2 and cover 3 were called ad nauseum with no disguising. The faked the blitz far more often than not and there were a stead supply of stunts and twists which continue to meet with success. Middle coverage continues to be an issue and range in the middle of the field continues to be exploited. When the pass rush got pressure it held but if not things got exposed.
Line did a pretty good job in the first half --when people who are likely to make the team are playing-- and that was despite Marinelli slanting the lines and really putting the onus on the LB to fill on the backside. DT play was a particular bright spot. LB were better but still not as consistent as I would like on their fills. Saw guys looking to fill the same gap and running into each other again.
Special teams was much improved. On coverage lane discipline was consistent and bottled up returns. Punt returns were a plus and Dan Bailey Remains money. Down roster guys who showed up on my radar were Morris, KSmith, Mayle, Swanson, and Jones
Romo looked rusty but he still looks nowhere near as stiff as he did a couple years ago. His throwing motion is smooth and he no longer appears to drag his legs and he rotates to throw. His accuracy to pass in the flat has never been a strength as he lacks the touch to really float the ball. He airmailed one over Morris head sure enough. He needs to play more and sharpen his game a bit before the opener.
That being said his accuracy on middle throws remains uncanny. He was threading passes into the hands of his receivers and overcoming negative plays with downfield strikes.
Prescott continues to impress. They moved the pocket around for him consistently with roll and sprint outs and the first and second units did a pretty good job keeping his pocket clean. His accuracy remains precise hitting receivers in stride. It was also encouraging to see him move his eyes from one side of the field to the other progressing through reads and finding open receivers on subsequent reads. He has developed a rapport with a wide array of receivers in a short period of time.
His sense of timing and feel for his surroundings is what allows him to routinely succeed on playfakes and escape pressure. Protections started to break down near the half and he turned defensive pressure into big plays. His deception is some of the best that I've ever seen from a Cowboy QB. It wasn't all perfect though. While the receiver's job is to cut in front of the face of the defender, it's the QB's job to realize that his receiver is getting jammed up and not throw the ball. Physical jams almost cost him two interceptions if not for a defensive penalty and a drop.
Showers is still running for his life. The protection was better than last time but that is not saying much. Cannot see downfield all that well with the telecast but he wasn't having a lot of luck finding open receivers. With the bevy or receivers, RB, and TE Showers may be on the outside looking in if he cannot step up his game particularly with Prescott looking a lot less like a project than a real prospect.
Dez is Dez. He seems sharp and I know that Linehan is holding things out for him. I see a bevy of big plays and a big year for 88.
TWill is doing a better job out of his breaks. Watching him get a 5+ yards separation on the out was something I have been looking for. I still want to see him win contested catches but he has clearly improved.
Lucky had another nice return making people miss and taking what he could get down the sideline, he also managed to get open downfield on a deep in but he got jammed up on a slant and that is something that bears watching. Have to beat the jam in the NFL.
Butler might have solidified his spot on the roster. Scoring a TD on a physical fade route, winning downfield on the go and post, and another deep in made for a nice evening.
Jones beating the press as a gunner, breaking down in space and making the open field tackle had to have gotten Bisscia's attention. He does it again and he might force them to keep 3 WR. There is going to be a lot of competition between the 4th RB, 6th WR, and 3rd QB for a roster spot. Hanna's injury simplified thigns somewhat but there are only ~25 spots for offense.
Swaim didn't drop a pass and showed he can be a reliable pass catcher. He did not stand out to me as a blocker as much as the previous week.
Escobar got a significant amount of time at the Y after Witten sat. His blocking was the best I've seen out of him. In the run game he was driving and kicking out DE. He lined up next to Green on the weakside and slid and stoned a DE in passing protection. He even caught a pass. His return from achilles repair has been remarkable. His ability to play Y will help him get on the field. He already had a role on third down and the RZ.
Green has good feet. He can get to the perimeter or second level and he can slide to pick up pass rushers. His power is pretty good. All of that is true until he wears down. He lasted until the last 5 or so minutes of the first half and he was leaning over his base and struggling to keep up. He did a better job not abandoning technique but he needs to be sent out there again and work on his conditioning. As it stands now he could fill in to finish a game but you don't want him starting and trying to finish one.
Collins, Fred, and Martin really haven't made my radar. If someone would care to comment on their play that would be good. I keep waiting for Martin to return to 2014 form but nothing he has done has stood out. That being said I've been focused on other things.
Free is what he is. Good feet and better punch that in the past.
Leary and Looney did a much better job holding up the middle as opposed to last game.
Jared Smith made my radar. He has very good feet, a requirement for Dallas OL, and he is a fighter as evidence by his recovery on a stunt pickup to keep his QB clean but he doesn't have the core and leg strength that you want to see up the middle. Definite PS candidate.
Morris is making this team and if DMC doesn't get back soon he may be playing elsewhere this year. Running the ball he reminds me a bit of Emmitt regarding his vision and balance. He's not the blocker or pass catcher 22 was but he is no slouch either. He continues to succeed on screen plays that fool everyone but most importantly the defense. He and Dak have that play working.
Jackson wasn't getting the running lanes Morris was but he did a good job taking what he could get. He was getting hit in the backfield particularly behind the 3rd OL. His athleticism stands out and I keep expecting him to break one. Didn't happen this game.
K Smith had a few nice runs but he is going to make this team on ST. He makes a showing there as well blocking and covering kicks.
Russell had a much better game setting the edge. Had a couple nice rushes. Still no sacks though.
Jack Crawford was a force. He lined up at DE and was extremely disruptive getting into the backfield and mucking things up.
Tyrone Crawford was similarly effective. The Fins struggled to block him. His power easily stood up blockers and he has the technique to shed their hands.
McAdoo got a lot of snaps and managed a couple of tackles. He had no success rushing that I saw.
McClain did a nice job holding the point of attack and played under control. In the past he would shoot a gap and get taken for a ride upfield and out of the play. Not so this game. DT did a good job limiting cutbacks.
Thornton was quick, active, and consistent. He was able to split some double teams and get penetration or failing that sit down and really muck things up in the middle. The scoop and rumble down the field put his athletic ability on display.
Coe stepped his game up from the first to second game. Did a nice job holding the point of attack and using his hands to shed the blocker to make a tackle. He doesn't have e;ite quickness so he might well be limited to a two down player but with his power he has a place in this league if his handwork can continue to come along.
Jenkins in contrast has the quickness and anticipation to beat OL to the gap. When isoed he had a nice spin or alternately swim move to keep his rush going. He lacks the hand skills now to disengage when he doesn't win outright but he anchors pretty well against the lower level competition. A lot of NFL starters will take him for a ride though at this point I'm anticipating. If he continues at this rate there is no way he makes it to the PS. He's raw but he has tools to be a successful 3T/LDE combo in the mold of 58.
Wilber lined up in the elephant role of a 2 point stance where the RDE normally sits. He was extremely disruptive against the opposing 2's. He was dominant at the poa and setting the edge and relentless in his rush getting to the QB. I am not keen on him starting but he is the type of player that good teams have as backups. He can backup 2 position groups and he excels at all facets of special teams.
Hitchens ability to evade OL on the second level helps him tremendously in pursuit. He also does a pretty good job stacking and quickly shedding when he cannot. He's doing a better job quickly diagnosing than he did last year where he would get caught watching the play and allow a blocker into him. He plays physically with an edge but lacks top end speed for coverage.
Wilson came in with the 2s. Both he and Morris lack instincts in zone coverage. He failed to cover the flat and stayed in the middle of the field which set up a Fins TD. His lack of top end speed was apparent. That being said he has a nose for the ball in pursuit and always seems to find his way around it. He runs better than his time speed accounts for but he needs to do a better job anticipating routes if he wants to play in the base defense.
Morris is much in the same boat. He has better speed and definitely shows leadership qualities as evidenced by him pointing out routes in front of him to pass off to his fellow LB. Unfortunately he missed the route coming into his zone and gave up a completion. Seemed to be a bit mentally overloaded this game and doing more thinking than just playing the play in front of him. I expect both he and Wilson to make the team nonetheless and be core special teams contributors.
Hepburn was around the ball a lot. He's a 25 year old 2013 7th round draft pick of the Lions. With the new PS rules, I could see him making the PS if he continues to pursue and tackle well in the next 2 games.
Claiborne seems like a different player. Recent years have seen him get hurt tackling and look physically intimidated. I get the impression that he was dealing with chronic pain that was finally cleaned up with his nth surgery. He finally seems to feel that he belongs and the confidence is helping his play. He is never going to be a physical tackler but it was encouraging watching him warp and take down tacklers as well as allowing his teammates to rally to his aide. He has elite quickness and sticks to receivers hips through breaks. He also tries to make plays on the ball which so far has resulted in deflections but he is beginning to show the promise that saw him drafted so high.
Scandrick was out there but not for long. I saw 32 rally to the football but nothing more of notice in his cup of coffee before being pulled.
Carr doesn't have the quickness that Claiborne does but he does play a more physical brand of football. That being said if he fails to reroute he needs help from his teammates. This was apparent on the first TD where Carr was in decent position to try and split his hands but his inside help in the form of Barry Church was nowhere close following his break on the ball. Given his reliability and talent, he is at a good price point following his salary reduction.
Thomas got a significant amount of playing time and was active. I would like to see better anticipation as he too often seemed to be reacting but he plays a determined brand of football. He is active in pursuit and physical when the situation requires. I would describe his coverage as more tenacious than tight at this point. He will give some separation and is far from a shutdown corner.
Jones exhibits great range but in what is becoming a theme, doesn't jump throws or routes in anticipation. I expect this to improve or time but with Church, Hitchens and Wilber on the field with him, more onus than ever will be put on him. How well he can acclimate to NFL S will likely determine how well middle of the field coverage ends up.
Church is what he is. I talked about him being nowhere near the thrown TD to Stills in the RZ. He can tackle and work well in short spaces but he should be a 2 down player or big nickel player at this point. Unfortunately nobody is stepping up to take his spot.
Heath apparently played but I didn't notice him. Similarly I only noticed Wilcox when he got isolated in man coverage on Jarvis and gave up a long completion. Wilcox is just asking for someone to beat him out at this point.
McKinnon makes plays in coverage and against the run. He runs well and has a nose for the football. If the starts making plays on ST look for him to make the roster.
Frey once again made a TD saving tackle putting the safe in safety. OTOH, he doesn't seem to do anything else. PS at best is my expectation here.
Anyone else I didn't mention its because I did not notice them.
