I'm Calling It Early. Rico Gathers Can Be Kellen Winslow Sr. Good

[Alexander]

Not sure which Mania is running more wild right now.

Rush-A-Mania or Rico-Mania.

 

[ilykdrama]

For all the people that want to be difficult with him. THIS is him playing football for the first time since 8th grade at a professional level. Not having the most crisp routes or exceptional ability to run block. I can't get enough of this guy. One of the gambles that Jerry made that will actually pay off.

 

[adbutcher]

Have you ever seen Jason Witten play?

Yes? Have you?

 

[SDCowboy]

I'm hoping we see a lot of him this season. Especially in the endzone.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

For all the people that want to be difficult with him. THIS is him playing football for the first time since 8th grade at a professional level. Not having the most crisp routes or exceptional ability to run block. I can't get enough of this guy. One of the gambles that Jerry made that will actually pay off.

I think that's the most impressive thing as well... his lack of experience makes this all the more amazing. Still, there isn't really anything all that impressive about a giant, red zone target TE catching touchdowns. Escobar was a TD machine when we used him in that role. It will be Rico's ability (or inability) to do the other things that will determine his fate.

 

[Big D]

He(Rico) is interesting at this point in time. I remember going through the same thought processes with Martellus Bennett in his second year down in San Antonio. If his talent can translate into real season advantages we are going to be a handful for defenses.

I think he'll be what we hoped we had in Bennett. The relationship that he and Witten have is what is key. Rico isn't a AAA prick like Bennett so it has a chance to work out.

 

[Ken]

Yes? Have you?

yes...best hands i have seen in a long time. I last saw him play in the playoffs last year.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

As I mentioned in another thread, spending another year under JWit's wing and learning the ropes from him will do wonders from him. Rice has the best teacher he could ask for. He has improved so much in the last year it is exciting to think here he could be by next year.

It was time to move on I suppose... But also I'd have loved him to be around Romo for another year or two.

 

[wrongway]

I'm hoping we see a lot of him this season. Especially in the endzone.

Weren't both of his touchdowns from outside the red zone?

 

[Tristan]

Micky Spagnola​

 

[Direwolf63]

Not sure which Mania is running more wild right now.

Rush-A-Mania or Rico-Mania.

Wait 'til Jaylon takes the field on Saturday.

 

[coult44]

He has the best hands that I have seen in a long time. If he can master the option route he will be unstoppable.

Serious? He's about 4th on our team.

Cmon guys. Slow down. He has to prove he can even get on the field. I hope he does live up to Cowboys fans dreams, but stop with the HOF talk, and best hands talk, and uncoverable talk, etc. I know it's the Cowboys fan way to anoint guys as the next best thing , but it's embarrassing.

 

[jrumann59]

Tough to tell the assignments for a TE because of the nature of the position. He's way ahead of Escobar as a blocker because he's far bigger and stronger and is actually willing to get nasty and block. As long as he's not missing too many assignments that I don't know about, his blocking isn't really an issue more than blocking would be an issue for somebody like Eric Ebron, Gronk or Antonio Gates.

He still needs some work on finding the soft spots in the zone as well as how to feel the defender and use leverage to get open on his routes. He probably won't have to do a lot of that this year because he will have Witten running more of those routes and he will likely be designated as a more of a potential matchup issue (i.e. get him being covered by a linebacker) and running deeper routes.

Let’s say we go with 12 personnel with Rico and Witten at the TE spots and Dez and T-Will at the receiver spots. This would be a run oriented personnel. A defense could go with their base defense, but they would have to protect against Dez and Williams over the top. They may bracket Dez with their FS and cover T-Will one on one. That leaves either Witten or Dez or EE (coming out of the backfield) to be covered by a linebacker. You could also run a PA bootleg and make the defense conscious about the run, but also the bootleg in the opposite direction. This creates more 10 vs. 10 situations on running plays and makes us more dangerous against the pass.


A better way to stop the pass in this 12 personnel would be to go to a nickel coverage, possibly with 3 safeties. But now you’re trying to stop the run with 3 safeties instead of 3 linebackers. A 3-4 scheme may work better, but you’re still leaving a larger linebacker responsible for cover Rico or Witten or EE.





YR

I agree I see him more a backyard ball play type of player this year.

 

[ConstantReboot]

On Rico's 2nd TD I noticed that he also has a bit of wiggle. Did any notice that subtle twitch towards the sideline just enough to fool the defender a bit and giving him a bit of daylight in the middle? Not bad for a big guy with that type of agility.

 

[joseephuss]

Not sure which Mania is running more wild right now.

Rush-A-Mania or Rico-Mania.

They are still outshined by Darius Jackson-mania.

 

[Brickman2]

I think he's the next Jesus.

Touchdown Jesus!

 

[wrongway]

Wait 'til Jaylon takes the field on Saturday.

If he gets a sack or int. Gonna be zone meltdown. Bring it lol

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I said it early on, before the first preseason game.

I think Rico will look like an All Star in these pre season games however when the regular season starts up I don't think we see him making as many plays or getting as much playing time.

We seen some pretty outstanding plays in preseason from M.Bennett when he was here as well but they did not trust him enough in the passing game. He did a heck of a job in the blocking area but they did not look his way as much in the passing game.

Now...Maybe they will let Rico play a little more in the passing game than Bennett...but until I see it...I am sticking with him looking like a star in preseason to only getting a few plays in the regular season.

 

[BermyStar]

If he gets a sack or int. Gonna be zone meltdown. Bring it lol

He might just break the internet if he gets a pick 6!

 

[wrongway]

I said it early on, before the first preseason game.

I think Rico will look like an All Star in these pre season games however when the regular season starts up I don't think we see him making as many plays or getting as much playing time.

We seen some pretty outstanding plays in preseason from M.Bennett when he was here as well but they did not trust him enough in the passing game. He did a heck of a job in the blocking area but they did not look his way as much in the passing game.

Now...Maybe they will let Rico play a little more in the passing game than Bennett...but until I see it...I am sticking with him looking like a star in preseason to only getting a few plays in the regular season.

Here's to hoping you're wrong for our rooting interests. We will see. Would love to hear romos take on him.