I want to see more of Gus Johnson

[jterrell]

The top 5 rushers last pre-season were:
1. Lorenzo Taliaferro... Had aboiut 50 more yards rushing ALL regular season as he had in pre-season.
2. Henry Josey... 0 rushes for 0 yards in regular season.
3. Joe Banyard ... 88 regular season rushing yards.
4. Rashad Jennings. Was a starter at least but averaged under 4.0 yards per carry in regular season.
5. Andre Williams. Rashad's teammate who averaged all of 3.3 yards per carry in regular season.

Demarco Murray ran for 52 yards all last pre-season. Then out-totaled the top 5 pre-season rushers by himself in the regular season.

 

[jterrell]

It is a mistake to lump Romo and even a former high pick in Claiborne with Dunbar. We heard the same things about Dunbar last year about not wanting to get him hurt in preseason and wanted to protect him. Dunbar touched the ball less than 50 times last season. He is not that valuable. For a specialty player, I don't think you have much to lose to give him a game with 10-15 carries in preseason to test him. If he gets hurt, you only need to replace 50 or so touches if his projection matches last year. If he shows he can handle a bigger load, maybe he can be a guy who could get some additional carries this year. I just heard the same thing with Dunbar last year and when the season started, he was barely used. I think he is a classic case to see how he responds to a heavy load in a preseason game.

You are entitled to your opinion but the Cowboys thinking is clear.
They see the guy as a 1 snap per series type player.
They do not see him as an every down back and have no desire to use him as such in a meaningless pre-season game to fit some fan's agenda.

They will use him in pre-season (when used at all) same as regular season. Sparingly and for benefit of his explosion and match up problems on the edge.

I honestly would have moved on myself but it's not either of our call.

Dunbar is a really good blocker for a guy who has all that juice one on one in the flats. Perhaps that is what keeps him around.

EVERY NFL team protects their running backs in pre-season.

 

[jterrell]

Given the glass backs ahead of him. Gus is looking like he will be getting some snaps this season. He is already vary far ahead of any other back that could be signed as a FA or in a trade simply because he has been in camp and know the system. Given our starters health concerns, I think he makes the roster and would be interested in him getting some ST snaps this week to see if he has any value as a blocker and or in coverage units.

that tends to be my take as well.
gus has given them a 4th guy that knows the system and can block enough to be trusted.
unless they see a guy they highly rate come available i think he is "next man up".
and asking all 3 RB to stay healthy is probably a long shot.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

The top 5 rushers last pre-season were:
1. Lorenzo Taliaferro... Had aboiut 50 more yards rushing ALL regular season as he had in pre-season.
2. Henry Josey... 0 rushes for 0 yards in regular season.
3. Joe Banyard ... 88 regular season rushing yards.
4. Rashad Jennings. Was a starter at least but averaged under 4.0 yards per carry in regular season.
5. Andre Williams. Rashad's teammate who averaged all of 3.3 yards per carry in regular season.

Demarco Murray ran for 52 yards all last pre-season. Then out-totaled the top 5 pre-season rushers by himself in the regular season.

That's a silly analogy. I'm sure those players were all playing for roster spots, so they got the most carries. Murray was entrenched as our starter, so he was rested most of the preseason. All I'm saying is that I saw some good things about Johnson, especially his vision & cutback ability. He's our "thickest" back, which I believe we need more of. We have to have one of the lightest RB corps in the NFL. Gotta have a power back for short yardage.

 

[jterrell]

That's a silly analogy. I'm sure those players were all playing for roster spots, so they got the most carries. Murray was entrenched as our starter, so he was rested most of the preseason. All I'm saying is that I saw some good things about Johnson, especially his vision & cutback ability. He's our "thickest" back, which I believe we need more of. We have to have one of the lightest RB corps in the NFL. Gotta have a power back for short yardage.

It's "silly" because it doesn't fit your agenda.

What else it is: just factual info.

Pre-season rushing totals have ZERO correlation to regular season success.

Last season's pre-season rushing winner for Dallas was Ryan Williams. He ended up on the practice squad and well you know the rest.

 

[BigStar]

The third down back is a valuable and I am sure they see plenty of Dunbar in practice, but I don't know why they don't give him the ball in preseason. Last preseason they did the same thing. You know Dunbar wants to show he can be more than a specialty back. Why not give him the ball 10-15 times in a preseason game and see how he responds. It is not like his role is invaluable where they can risk any injury to him.

Though I think the team envisions a heightened role for him this season (flares, screens, flexed wide) to compensate for lack of a reliable heavy running game, this team pulled this last preseason too so it is hard to determine why they cling/protect him so much.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

It's "silly" because it doesn't fit your agenda.

What else it is: just factual info.

Pre-season rushing totals have ZERO correlation to regular season success.

Last season's pre-season rushing winner for Dallas was Ryan Williams. He ended up on the practice squad and well you know the rest.

This has nothing to do with numbers. It has to do with the fact that our RB corps is flimsy, at best, & I was looking for someone to step forward. All you can go by is how they play against another team. Of all the backs that played Sunday, I thought Johnson & Hill showed the most as far as vision & power. Since Johnson got the fewest carries, I want to see more of him. That's my "agenda".

 

[dmq]

Perfect guy for the PS. Come back in a year knowing your assignments better and get better at blocking. He did look slow, but nobody looked slower than Randle his rookie year.

 

[HellCrowe]

Though I think the team envisions a heightened role for him this season (flares, screens, flexed wide) to compensate for lack of a reliable heavy running game, this team pulled this last preseason too so it is hard to determine why they cling/protect him so much.

They protect him as much as our starters. As a 3rd back yes maybe he knows how to block but at the same time, whenever he is in it is pretty noticeable that they have a plan to get him into space via screen or pass. Maybe we need a 3rd down back that can also play some ST, be that backup KR/PR, that can tackle; at least then he'd have more value to the team.

 

[BigStar]

They protect him as much as our starters. As a 3rd back yes maybe he knows how to block but at the same time, whenever he is in it is pretty noticeable that they have a plan to get him into space via screen or pass. Maybe we need a 3rd down back that can also play some ST, be that backup KR/PR, that can tackle; at least then he'd have more value to the team.

My b, didn't really finish my thought but your post sums it up quite well. He's not valuable enough to protect bc he hasn't proven he is capable yet of anything more than a flash play once or twice a season. I do think they will actually use him more so this season unlike last year bc the team's heavy running game won't be the sole game plan week to week (though I don't yearn for the 40+ attempts on a weekly basis, but against higher octane O's it is critical; see GB in playoffs).

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Has McFadden shown to be any kind of a back?

He's show that he is probably the best back, out of the backfield in passing situations and he's shown that he is probably the best blitz package back.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I hope he is on the cover of the next Teen Beat or Tiger magazines.

 

[jterrell]

This has nothing to do with numbers. It has to do with the fact that our RB corps is flimsy, at best, & I was looking for someone to step forward. All you can go by is how they play against another team. Of all the backs that played Sunday, I thought Johnson & Hill showed the most as far as vision & power. Since Johnson got the fewest carries, I want to see more of him. That's my "agenda".

Calling the RB corps "flimsy" is indicative of the agenda.
Assuming pre-season details what backs are best is delusion and opposite every fact presented.
Saying Michael Hill "showed the most" is indicative of terrible scouting. --he couldn't pass block guys about to be on the street.

Running versus scrubs once we finally made some blocks doesn't elevate anyone. Nor does proven vets running like this was a pointless exercise behind an OL missing 3 starters(2 All-Pros); which it was.

 

[jterrell]

He's show that he is probably the best back, out of the backfield in passing situations and he's shown that he is probably the best blitz package back.

He doesn't fumble and he can block. That's priority one and two.
He also has good hands and exceptional speed.

His weaknesses are health and vision.

Health is an issue for about 90% of RBs since they play the position hardest on the body amongst arguably all sports.
Vision is largely mitigated by an OL that opens holes a fat drunk could see and wobble through on a fair number of occasions.

We aren't gonna know he does until week 1 behind our real OL versus real defenses.
It would be nice to see him go off in the dress rehearsal but I am not convinced Garrett really wants to let it loose at all this pre-season.
He may keep a ton of guys on ice or playing less than 10 snaps.

The team has to gather data but they don't have to show it to the fans and certainly not to other teams.

Emmitt had about as bad a pre-season career as any back, ever. He played a mo Claiborne level of snaps, lol.
And thank goodness because why waste some of a guys limited carries in pre-season.

Teams look for guys below certain total carry thresholds so they do believe guys have a limit.
That's likely a big part of why we didn't resign Murray.
We saw MB3.

 

[tyke1doe]

i hope they keep him, too...

but i also hope they draft a stud next spring.

Ezekiel saw the wheel, wwwaaayyy up in the middle of the air.

 

[HellCrowe]

He doesn't fumble and he can block. That's priority one and two.
He also has good hands and exceptional speed.

His weaknesses are health and vision.

Health is an issue for about 90% of RBs since they play the position hardest on the body amongst arguably all sports.
Vision is largely mitigated by an OL that opens holes a fat drunk could see and wobble through on a fair number of occasions.

We aren't gonna know he does until week 1 behind our real OL versus real defenses.
It would be nice to see him go off in the dress rehearsal but I am not convinced Garrett really wants to let it loose at all this pre-season.
He may keep a ton of guys on ice or playing less than 10 snaps.

The team has to gather data but they don't have to show it to the fans and certainly not to other teams.

Emmitt had about as bad a pre-season career as any back, ever. He played a mo Claiborne level of snaps, lol.
And thank goodness because why waste some of a guys limited carries in pre-season.

Teams look for guys below certain total carry thresholds so they do believe guys have a limit.
That's likely a big part of why we didn't resign Murray.
We saw MB3.

Sounds like a Diet Reggie Bush. Maybe the only difference is we don't have a big enough sample size for a fumble to happen.

 

[ShiningStar]

It's "silly" because it doesn't fit your agenda.

What else it is: just factual info.

Pre-season rushing totals have ZERO correlation to regular season success.

Last season's pre-season rushing winner for Dallas was Ryan Williams. He ended up on the practice squad and well you know the rest.

so true, how many RBs looked awesome in pre season, only to flop in regular season

 

[jterrell]

Sounds like a Diet Reggie Bush. Maybe the only difference is we don't have a big enough sample size for a fumble to happen.

We are talking about McFadden.
He has very good ball security numbers over his career. 5 fumbles in 4 years; that's both lost and recovered.

 

[Vinnie2u]

I want to see more of Hannah and her horse and less of Romo and Eli...

 

[HellCrowe]

We are talking about McFadden.
He has very good ball security numbers over his career. 5 fumbles in 4 years; that's both lost and recovered.

Haha fooled me. That's a dunbar if I've ever heard one.