News: Graziano: Cowboys-Fins Game Observations

[Chocolate Lab]

I'd like to add an observation from the game: The Dolphins' new uniforms sucked.

They sure did. Terrible. Not only did they get rid of one of the iconic unis of the game IMO, they almost totally eliminated the orange for some reason.

 

[ShiningStar]

Lets clear this up, the ball goes foward, THATS any system, period, the end. Its not a new system, doesnt matter how it gets there, in this game, i dont want to shock anyone, but the ball goes forward. Unless its going reverse for an interception, but thats part of everyones game plan too. Defense stops the ball, again, no shock here, but you'll never hear a coach say to a player " i appreciate you got the ball, but we run a 3-4, not a 4-3. so if you stop teh guy, mae sure its our technique and not theirs, i wont have that on defense." You stop the ball, or get the ball. The words around it are just that, words. You'll also never hear after a td, "hey, you take that back, that wasnt the play we called, we call a play you do the play, end of story".

For an offense to be successful, the ball goes forward, can you be tricky and bounce it off helmets, sure, but why would you. You throw, or run it, its not science.

 

[FiveRings]

Because Costa is a much better Center then he is Guard

I don't know how you can say that confidently when we haven't seen Costa at guard in any game action. I feel like Fred is such a clear cut center that it'd be a disservice to him to play him anywhere else

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't know how you can say that confidently when we haven't seen Costa at guard in any game action. I feel like Fred is such a clear cut center that it'd be a disservice to him to play him anywhere else

I have seen him at Guard. I've seen him work at Guard here in Dallas and I watched him play Guard while at Maryland.

 

[ConstantReboot]

That doesn't answer the question. So is Callahan just totally oblivious to two-tight end screens? Is Garrett's playbook totally devoid of plays that Callahan had no knowledge of? Is Garrett's playbook devoid of plays from Norv Turner or Ernie Zampese? I mean how absurd does it need to be stated that, Jason Garrett having a playbook means really nothing. if he can't use it himself in game-tim situations, what does that exactly mean for his being a 'genius'? The guy using his playbook knows more than Jason about Jason's supposed playbook?

The claim that it's more important to remember that it's Garrett's playbook, as opposed to Bill Callahan calling the plays, is an utterly imbecilic claim...

It just means that Callahan is calling the plays and Garrett isn't - even though it still Garrett's playbook or whatever playbook they want to refer too. I think having Garrett NOT CALL the plays is a big improvement for the offense. Garrett can focus on other things as a coach and the offense can focus on creating plays that actually work.

 

[FiveRings]

I have seen him at Guard. I've seen him work at Guard here in Dallas and I watched him play Guard while at Maryland.

But he's really changed into a different lineman over last season, so I'm not sure how accurate those reps at guard are at diagnosing his play now. The only real indication are the reps he's gotten at this years camp, which is obviously a small sample size, and moreover, just camp opposed to a game

 

[Rockytop6]

So is it Garrett's playbook or Coryell's? Let me repeat:

How many times are you going to ask the question? My question is what does it matter which is which, etc, etc,? We will have the best of both Garrett and Callahan. Callahan, although calling plays within the framework of Garrett's offense will consciously or unconsciously use some of the plays more or less than Garrett. The beauty of this setup Garrett will have his offensive vision continued but will be free to be the HC rather than primarily the OC during the game. It is a good situation in my opinion.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

But he's really changed into a different lineman over last season, so I'm not sure how accurate those reps at guard are at diagnosing his play now. The only real indication are the reps he's gotten at this years camp, which is obviously a small sample size, and moreover, just camp opposed to a game

He never looked strong enough to be a real good Guard IMO. He doesn't have the quickness or agility to play LG, which is where he would likely have to play IMO. If you put him at Guard, he will be overpowered by big physical DTs. That is not going to change for Costa, IMO. He can play Guard in a pinch but he is a Cetner IMO. Seeing what he can do this year is not going to change those issues. He's the same guy. The scheme might help him a bit but the scheme would do the same for Fred. He's better suited to playing Guard then is Costa IMO. If you want the best 5 out there and Costa is one of those guys, then he probably has to be at Center and that leaves Guard for Fred.

 

[CowboyGil]

I'd like to add an observation from the game: The Dolphins' new uniforms sucked.

Here, here. They actually did the opposite of what the Bills did when they switched from the helmets with the buffalo just standing there to the current one and jazzed up the unis a little. Their uniform has regressed. Yuck-o-rama!!

 

[TwoDeep3]

I don't understand why everyone is so quick so say "hey let's try Costa at center, Fred at guard" but never vice-versa. It's not like Costa is unable to play guard, it just makes way more sense to me

Because Costa has less strength which gets him pushed around. The idea of putting him between two guards who can hold there own allows him to get help and be serviceable.

That is the thought anyway.

Now making it from the drawing board to reality is another issue.

 

[Doomsday101]

Pretty much any play can be run out of any "system", it's just a difference in terminology. So it doesn't really matter whose system it is.

Graziano and some others like Todd Archer are big Garrett fans so this is their way of still giving him credit when the offense does well.

Why not if the team fails that will fall to Garrett be it the offensive failure or defensive failure. Fact it has more to do with your own dislike of Garrett. It is his offense and Callahan did not run a 2 TE set in Oak or any where else

 

[Doomsday101]

That doesn't answer the question. So is Callahan just totally oblivious to two-tight end screens? Is Garrett's playbook totally devoid of plays that Callahan had no knowledge of? Is Garrett's playbook devoid of plays from Norv Turner or Ernie Zampese? I mean how absurd does it need to be stated that, Jason Garrett having a playbook means really nothing. if he can't use it himself in game-tim situations, what does that exactly mean for his being a 'genius'? The guy using his playbook knows more than Jason about Jason's supposed playbook?

The claim that it's more important to remember that it's Garrett's playbook, as opposed to Bill Callahan calling the plays, is an utterly imbecilic claim...

Callahan did not run a 2 TE system at other places he has coached, that does not mean he never had a situation that called for a 2 TE set but as a base no he didn't. If your object is to belittle Garrett is shows. It is Garrett responsiblity no matter who calls the plays if they loose it falls to the HC. In the meantime he has say in the game plan he can change what they are doing he is the HC. Not that fricken hard to understand.

And before it is said I'm protecting Garrett, not in the least his job is to get this team to win if he fails he should lose his job but this agenda is rediculas about whose offense? it is the same offense they have been running

 

[Crown Royal]

So is it Garrett's playbook or Coryell's? Let me repeat:

Strategy and tactics are two different things, and calling a game has a lot to do with the former. I don't think calling it Garrett's system is fair, but that is because very seldom is a single person wholly to credit for the complete implementation of both the strategy and tactical implementation. I think the difference would be what plays will be implemented for a certain game and situation. For instance, on 3rd and 4, Callahan might naturally be more inclined to call a quick screen or slant, whereas Garrett's philosophy will call for a corner pass.

 

[Echo9]

• George Selvie is a fun story for Cowboys fans. If the Tyrone Crawford injury created a depth problem and the team actually fixed it with a late-July street free agent, that's found money right there. Selvie sure looks like a fit in this Monte Kiffin/Rod Marinelly 4-3 front as a defensive end with good instincts and lateral movement. There's a reason he was on the street, of course, and the best thing he can get out of a strong preseason is a spot in the backup defensive end rotation. But again, even if it's against low-quality competition, success in these games can help a player's confidence. And seeing a guy actually get to the quarterback can help a coaching staff's confidence in that guy. Ideally, Selvie emerges as someone who can be deployed as a situational pass-rusher, which was the minimum they were expecting from Crawford this year.

This is about as spot on as you can be with Selvie right now. This blurb sums up everything about Selvie as it relates to the Cowboys right now. Not too optimistic and not to dismissive. I'll often be the first to discount some ESPN writers as useless pot-stirrers (i.e. MacMahon and Watkins), but Graziano does a nice job. It's good to see actual well written, well thought out and concise explanations of certain situations without the fabricated controversy.

 

[cowboys2233]

I don't understand why everyone is so quick so say "hey let's try Costa at center, Fred at guard" but never vice-versa. It's not like Costa is unable to play guard, it just makes way more sense to me

Correct me if I'm wrong, but guards are generally much bigger and stronger than centers (generally speaking). If Costa is undersized at center, he's going to get out muscled to an even greater extent playing guard. Larry Allen was an all-pro guard, a beast of a man who was among the strongest in the NFL. Stepnoski was an all-pro center, much smaller who relied on superior technique.

 

[FiveRings]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but guards are generally much bigger and stronger than centers (generally speaking). If Costa is undersized at center, he's going to get out muscled to an even greater extent playing guard. Larry Allen was an all-pro guard, a beast of a man who was among the strongest in the NFL. Stepnoski was an all-pro center, much smaller who relied on superior technique.

Costa and Fred are basically the same size, and perhaps just a shade the under NFL averages, so I don't think that's much of a factor. And on the topic of size, both guys are well fit to play the zone scheme that Callahan seems to have implemented, because you want smaller, quicker guys to play that scheme. Where the wheels kind of fall of however is, while they're a sufficient size, both are sort of slow.


And just a last note, you can look at measurables and guys track records until you're blue in the face, but when it comes down to it, NFL line play is determined by a cohesiveness amongst a group of five guys that all know what the other is doing.

 

[coult44]

The run/pass ratio was more a function of who we had playing QB than what we plan to do during the regular season.

EXACTLY,, and who we had playing receiver also...

 

[Eskimo]

The difference between Costa and TFred is arm length.

Costa is around 30.5 inches and I think TFred is around 33.5 inches.

It makes a big difference.