Happy vs. Concerned

[Hostile]

I wanted to take a couple of days to digest the game and the commentary before I gave a knee jerk reaction.


From the game, these 5 things made me happiest...

1. Tony Romo looked fairly decent. It looked to me like he was able to make his reads and look the defenders off on a couple of throws. He wasn't asked to do more than manage the game and he did that.

2. Jason Hatcher looks like he's going to be hard to deal with on pass rush downs. His first step is very nice and his size makes that dangerous.. He and Ware ought to cause some issues on the left side of an OL.

3. The defense overall was pretty good, I think the run defense is slightly ahead of the pass defense which is common this early. I think we can pressure QBs better this year than we have in the past.

4. I'll now get off Greg Ellis' back. I hope he gets over his depression and just plays that hard every game.

5. Pat Watkins will make a difference for this team. In the Nickel and Special Teams if not as the starting FS.


From the game, these 5 things concerned me most...

1. 3 scoring drives and 13 points scored just isn't enough. I think having our top 2 WRs and starting QB in the game could correct this, but until we see them working together that is speculation, not necessarily fact.

2. The run game looked anemic. Neither of the top 2 guys made the Hawks pay. The only team they made pay was the Cowboys because they simply didn't get the job done. To Barber's credit it looks like his pass blocking has greatly improved, or he just had a good game at it.

3. Though no sacks were registered I'm not going to say it was because the OL played great. Romo escaped danger on more than 1 occasion. They need to play better.

4. Carpenter and Crayton both got dinged up. Neither appears to be season ending, but it just amplifies why I hate Pre-Season and why I wish they'd shorten it to 2 games. It won't happen, I know. I still can gripe about it.

5. I don't want a QB controversy starting here, and can see one coming if Parcells doesn't make it absolutely clear what his QB plans are. Every QB struggles. If Bledsoe has a bad game against a division team we do not need the media chiming in with their mad coaching and personnel skills. JMO.

 

[dmq]

The problem that concerns me is that it seems the consensus is that Bledsoe would have gotten sacked 4 times had he been the QB in the game. I can't deal w/ another season of teams teeing off on our QB.

 

[DLCassidy]

Nice post. I think Romo played great, not sure what more you can expect given his experience, the quality of the opponent and the fact that it was a road game. I wonder if your praise would be as faint if it had been Henson that turned in that performance?

Am I the only one who wants to see more of Junior Glymph? He's in a bad spot #'s wise but in practice and now in the 1st game he's making plays.

We had trouble running last year against the Hawks for the most part. I don't expect our running game to dominate this year but it should be somewhat improved once Owens gets on the field.

I agree with your point about the QB but I think Parcells will handle that before it becomes an issue.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

1. 3 scoring drives and 13 points scored just isn't enough. I think having our top 2 WRs and starting QB in the game could correct this, but until we see them working together that is speculation, not necessarily fact.

13 points last year would have won that game.

 

[Hostile]

Nice post. I think Romo played great, not sure what more you can expect given his experience, the quality of the opponent and the fact that it was a road game. I wonder if your praise would be as faint if it had been Henson that turned in that performance?

Yes, it would given the fact it was pre-season and only 13 points scored. I've been consistent about that from day 1.

Am I the only one who wants to see more of Junior Glymph? He's in a bad spot #'s wise but in practice and now in the 1st game he's making plays.

No, I actually liked what I saw of him. Just forgot to mention him and only wanted to say 5 things each.

We had trouble running last year against the Hawks for the most part. I don't expect our running game to dominate this year but it should be somewhat improved once Owens gets on the field.

I actually hope we are a passing team given our weapons.

I agree with your point about the QB but I think Parcells will handle that before it becomes an issue.

I hope so, but I see the sharks circling already a little bit.

 

[Hostile]

13 points last year would have won that game.

13 points scored will lose you more games than it wins. See Washington week 2 for an example.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Good analysis.....I wanted to see more out of Carp....but he was reacting good to the plays when in the game......never our of position

 

[The30YardSlant]

1. 3 scoring drives and 13 points scored just isn't enough. I think having our top 2 WRs and starting QB in the game could correct this, but until we see them working together that is speculation, not necessarily fact.

This is irrelavent because the first team offense played what, 3 series? And we were missing TO.

 

[superpunk]

A few of my own notes, from another forum, just because I don't feel like typing and commenting again. MAybe a little redundant, but oh well

I'm going to add a few notes, for you.

Our pass blocking was phenomenal. I'm not sure how many of Seattle's interior DL were in or how long, but the interior of our line was ridiculous, yes, ridiculous in pass blocking.

I feel your bend don't break sentiment for the defense, but honestly I just think our zone coverage was garbage. LBs weren't getting deep enough, and there were enormous throws in the gaps between them and the safeties.

Aaron Glenn has still got it. The guy defends like noones business.

The Oline was terrible in run blocking. They were not working as a unit, there was no discernable effort toward working together to open a hole. It was one on one blocking, and looked like a train wreck. The TEs we would drop back as lead blockers were every bit as bad as ever.


Crayton is a beast. Look out NFC East, when TO or Glenn are done, this guy is more than ready to step into a #2 spot.

Carp was always around the ball. Made a great, TD saving tackle on a WR ina deep zone. Watkins blew the play, because he slipped (yeah, like all our players in Seattle. Someone fire our equipment manager), and Carp was deep enough to make a shoestring tackle that kept the game from being 13-10. Nice play by the rookie, showed some real nice speed, which was a surprise. Call me gay, but this guy has an enormous butt. A brother butt, if you will.

That's all for now.

 

[theogt]

A few of my own notes, from another forum, just because I don't feel like typing and commenting again. MAybe a little redundant, but oh well

I'm going to add a few notes, for you.

Our pass blocking was phenomenal. I'm not sure how many of Seattle's interior DL were in or how long, but the interior of our line was ridiculous, yes, ridiculous in pass blocking.

I feel your bend don't break sentiment for the defense, but honestly I just think our zone coverage was garbage. LBs weren't getting deep enough, and there were enormous throws in the gaps between them and the safeties.

Aaron Glenn has still got it. The guy defends like noones business.

The Oline was terrible in run blocking. They were not working as a unit, there was no discernable effort toward working together to open a hole. It was one on one blocking, and looked like a train wreck. The TEs we would drop back as lead blockers were every bit as bad as ever.


Crayton is a beast. Look out NFC East, when TO or Glenn are done, this guy is more than ready to step into a #2 spot.

Carp was always around the ball. Made a great, TD saving tackle on a WR ina deep zone. Watkins blew the play, because he slipped (yeah, like all our players in Seattle. Someone fire our equipment manager), and Carp was deep enough to make a shoestring tackle that kept the game from being 13-10. Nice play by the rookie, showed some real nice speed, which was a surprise. Call me gay, but this guy has an enormous butt. A brother butt, if you will.

That's all for now.

Spot on analysis, SP. I think the interior line looked decent in run-blocking, though. The tackles/TEs looked horrid, which probably overcompensated for anything done by the interior line.

 

[Vertigo_17]

This is irrelavent because the first team offense played what, 3 series? And we were missing TO.

and they were missing most of their of starters...

 

[Hostile]

This is irrelavent because the first team offense played what, 3 series? And we were missing TO.

Nonsense.

 

[dougonthebench]

if you compare 1st teams vs. 1st teams,we win 7-3.

 

[Cbz40]

Great job Hos as usual....one thing to add. I would hope we can decide on the starting OL asap as it's never to early to start developing some continuity.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Nonsense.

I'm not too concerned with how many points Tyson Thompson and Jamaica Rector are able to score behind 3rd string O-Linemen

 

[notherbob]

Carp was always around the ball. Made a great, TD saving tackle on a WR ina deep zone. Watkins blew the play, because he slipped (yeah, like all our players in Seattle. Someone fire our equipment manager), That's all for now.

You're right.
If I remember correctly, our boys have been slipping all over the place every time they go up there. Somebody needs to keep notes about that.

 

[Hostile]

I'm not too concerned with how many points Tyson Thompson and Jamaica Rector are able to score behind 3rd string O-Linemen

Like I said, nonsense.

It's a 53 man team whether you realize that or not. I don't make or accept excuses for what string the players are or the competition is. You do. That's more than obvious to everyone and why you get little respect.

Everyone has a job to do. On offense that means scoring drives, ball control, moving the chains, and points on the board.

13 points, even in a win against a good if not great team, will lose more games than it will win. Bottom line.

 

[theogt]

Like I said, nonsense.

It's a 53 man team whether you realize that or not. I don't make or accept excuses for what string the players are or the competition is. You do. That's more than obvious to everyone and why you get little respect.

Everyone has a job to do. On offense that means scoring drives, ball control, moving the chains, and points on the board.

13 points, even in a win against a good if not great team, will lose more games than it will win. Bottom line.

13 points is quite the improvement over our last few preseason openers, but I do agree with your disdain for the "it's just preason" line.

 

[Tuna Helper]

13 points scored will lose you more games than it wins. See Washington week 2 for an example.

Hos,

I agree with your comments on the game. I tend to not pay attention to scores in preseason games (or how many points we accumulate). I know this isn't news to anyone, but given the evaluations taking place during the game, I believe that plays are called strictly to evaluate talent, and not to score the TD necessarily.

With that in mind, I will gladly take the 13 points in a preseason game with our 2nd string QB. It beats the heck out of the goose eggs we are known for laying in week 1 of preaseasons past (see 2003, 2004, etc.) with our starting skill players having much more playing time.

 

[joseephuss]

Like I said, nonsense.

It's a 53 man team whether you realize that or not. I don't make or accept excuses for what string the players are or the competition is. You do. That's more than obvious to everyone and why you get little respect.

Everyone has a job to do. On offense that means scoring drives, ball control, moving the chains, and points on the board.

13 points, even in a win against a good if not great team, will lose more games than it will win. Bottom line.

I agree. The team lossed 6 games last year when they scored 13 points or less.