Interesting Thoughts From Nate Newton About Left Guard

[Alexander]

Why don't you pay attention Alex. The #1 tackle backup is called the Swing tackle here. He is expected to be able to fill in right away for either side.

I am paying attention. Are you? You are speaking about the "swing tackle" that seemed to be the procedure of choice last year.

Apparently this year, the offensive linemen here are expected to play multiple positions here and be more versatile. That was confirmed today when Marten played all four positions. Your comments implied otherwise. If MacMahon witnessed Free playing inside, you will continue to assume what? If he saw that and you didn't, we should believe you?

That was McQ last year

Last year. That was Sparano's line and his system. Perhaps things have changed and judging by what I have read, it has.

There is NO way he will be doing any more then a small part working a guard or center position. NOT for a young tackle who is still learning THAT position.

I like how you use absolutes like NO and NOT. Especially when we have a new O-line coach who is breaking his own stereotypes in front of our eyes.

 

[gimmesix]

Functional football strength isn't the same as weight room strength.

Sometimes you have a player like Larry Allen who is both, but that is not always the case.

Burnett was referring specifically to benching if I read his blog entry correctly.

I would be extremely surprised if Berger comes anywhere close to challenging Kosier's job. Just because he is strong doesn't mean he understands proper angles and leverage, which is a large part of the job of an OL. Just because we re-employed Houck doesn't mean we just have a team of Maddenite "big and strong" players who just lean on people.

Nate Newton is entertaining, but his word has been proven to be something less than reliable.

I just remember that last year in the preseason games Berger did a nice job of getting a body on a body, but hardly ever knocked or drove his man off the line of scrimmage.

Of course, Kosier doesn't get much movement in general, either, except when he's pulling and attacking linebackers or defensive backs.

 

[gimmesix]

In reports I read today, we intend to pull Davis more this year than last. So that doesn't exactly fit with the "road grader" stereotype that is generally associated with Houck, does it?

Pulling Davis scares me and not because of his size. We tried it last year and had mostly bad results with the lineman/linebacker beating him to the hole. He might be athletic and fast for a big man, but he doesn't seem to be quick on the get-go.

We saw less and less of Davis pulling as the season progressed, so it kind of surprises me that we're revisiting the idea this year.

 

[Hostile]

Why don't you pay attention Alex. The #1 tackle backup is called the Swing tackle here. He is expected to be able to fill in right away for either side. That was McQ last year and it seems like it might be Free this year. MAYBE they are letting him try the various positions but you might want to watch a little closer and you will find that he probably spends 90% of his time working at tackle. There is NO way he will be doing any more then a small part working a guard or center position. NOT for a young tackle who is still learning THAT position.

Hudson Houck will do exactly as Tony Sparano did?

In his History as an OL Coach that has not been his system. I think Larry Allen is the only guy he ever moved around. No offense to any of our OL, but they are not anywhere close to LA's league.

 

[burmafrd]

I think Bigg COULD be close to LA. You are right Hos that Houck is a lot different. ANd he did not move guys around much at all unless they showed they could not do the job at one position. Free from all accounts is doing very well at tackle- when you think of our recent history at tackle I just see no way that Free is going to be putting in much time anywhere else.

 

[silverbear]

I think Kosier is serviceable, but some more power on the inside would be ideal.

My opinion exactly... well said...

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Functional football strength isn't the same as weight room strength.

Sometimes you have a player like Larry Allen who is both, but that is not always the case.

Burnett was referring specifically to benching if I read his blog entry correctly.

I would be extremely surprised if Berger comes anywhere close to challenging Kosier's job. Just because he is strong doesn't mean he understands proper angles and leverage, which is a large part of the job of an OL. Just because we re-employed Houck doesn't mean we just have a team of Maddenite "big and strong" players who just lean on people.

Nate Newton is entertaining, but his word has been proven to be something less than reliable.

When did Nate become unreliable? Seriously what has he said that makes it that he cannot be trusted?

Sometimes I take what he says with a grain of salt when he is talking about personnel decisions but when he talks about the oline there is no question he is in his element. I mean he only happened to play the position in question at a probowl level for half a decade.

Perhaps you should actually listen to the interview. They were talking about Berger standing up Ratliff and Hatcher to completely stone them in drills. They were talking as if that had been par the course for him.

As for your football versus lift strength, i just have to laugh. You act as if all the work they put in the weightroom during the offseason is pointless. If you can squat a certain amount it stands to reason that will translate to helping drive block. If you can bench a certain amount it makes sense that it would translate to the punch they can deliver in pass protection. The motions are very very similar.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Um, some people think there's not going to be a swing tackle on gameday anymore?

That's what pretty much every team in the league does. What do you think happens on gameday if a starting tackle gets hurt, they just pull a random guard out of the bunch and put them in?

Houck is just experimenting and thinking of contingencies right now, I'm sure.

And like Fuzzy says, why the Nate bashing? He played the position for years at a high level, and is there watching practice every single day. It doesn't mean he's right 100% of the time, but he knows a lot about what's going on than we do.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Basically said Joe Berger is pushing Kosier for the starting left guard job. I personally would welcome a change because Kosier just doesn't blow that side of the ball up enough for me... Left guards are supposed to destroy people opposite of them.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/multimedia_center.cfm?id=79F23B6A-ED79-2639-731022B9FA242AAD

Very few guards blow people up. I kind of laugh and shake my head when I read game charting analysis from people like Grizz who aren't happy unless O-Linemen are pancaking defenders left and right and getting to the 2nd and 3rd level. It just doesn't happen that much at all unless your a gargatuan guard that can destroy people at times or if you're extremely technical and athletic and can turn defenders out of the way and get to the second level like Steve Hutchinson. Even that doesn't happen very often for Hutchinson and a lot of those gargatuan guards aren't always that good because they are often too big.

I like Nate, but he usually is talking out of his arse more often than not.

Here's the rankings of Dallas' running behind LT according to FO.com over the years:

YEAR.......................RANK

2003........................8th
2004........................9th
2005........................27th
2006........................2nd
2007........................9th

So Kosier has done quite well for Dallas.

I could somewhat believe Nate if Berger was much bigger than Kosier because that's the type of O-Lineman Hudson Houck prefers, but the two are about the same exact height and weight.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Berger be good enough to beat Kosier out for the starting position because Kosier turns 30 in November and Berger just turned 26 years old, but Kosier has been a very solid guard for the Cowboys and Berger is a complete unknown former undrafted free agent. So it's kind of something to not get your hopes up over, but to not really worry too much about as well. Unless you're Nors and think that keeping Berger spells doom for Dallas.






YAKUZA

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think Kosier is serviceable, but some more power on the inside would be ideal.

But then you're likely to give up your ability to block out on the perimeter. Thus you become a very one dimensional running team having to run the ball up the gut. The average percentage of the time that a team runs the ball up the gut in the NFL is about 50%. If you get too big and can't block out on the perimeter, then you start to look like a team that has to run the ball about 70% of the time up the gut. Also, this hurts you on screen plays and usually the teams that are the most effective on screen plays wind up having a good season because screens are relatively safe plays that can kill blitzes and stop opposing teams that love to blitz (i.e. the Eagles and G-Men) from continuing to blitz.

That's a big reason why the Cowboys got Felix Jones. It's not a bad thing that he's not known as the next Christian Okoye running up the gut. With Barber, I'd rather have somebody who can run out on the perimeter effectively and be effective on screen passes for the reasons I listed above. But if he can't get the blocking, it's going to be tough for anybody to be good out on the perimeter. Kosier is pretty good out on the perimeter, especially on screens.





YAKUZA

 

[theogt]

This is interesting considering, from what I've read, he's been playing mostly right guard. You'd think if there was a chance he'd push Kosier, they'd switch him over to left guard. Maybe they have and I just haven't read about it.

 

[CATCH17]

I almost prefer to have the same starting five, but never if it means someone is flat out getting out performed. Play the best 5 on the OL.

That was the Jimsters motto.

He even tried to get Nate on the field at Right Tackle before Big E emerged.

 

[Alexander]

When did Nate become unreliable? Seriously what has he said that makes it that he cannot be trusted?

Sometimes I take what he says with a grain of salt when he is talking about personnel decisions but when he talks about the oline there is no question he is in his element. I mean he only happened to play the position in question at a probowl level for half a decade.

He wasn't even talking about the skill level. He's making a guess that Berger is threatening Kosier's job. That has nothing to do with how many Pro Bowls he has played in.

Perhaps you should actually listen to the interview. They were talking about Berger standing up Ratliff and Hatcher to completely stone them in drills. They were talking as if that had been par the course for him.

And Amendola twisted around Newman a time or two. It is a camp moment. That doesn't mean someone is taking some else's job. Now when they start splitting repetitions or I read a quote from Houck saying this, then you might be onto something.

As for your football versus lift strength, i just have to laugh. You act as if all the work they put in the weightroom during the offseason is pointless.

I never said it is pointless.

But you keep seeing people equate how many benchs a player can push as an indicator of functional football strength, just like they overvalue the 40 time. Even players do it. It is one thing to ooh and ahh over weight room records, it is another to bring that to the football field and use it. How many times have you heard Player X is the fastest on the roster or Player Y is the strongest? They aren't always your best players.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Very few guards blow people up. I kind of laugh and shake my head when I read game charting analysis from people like Grizz who aren't happy unless O-Linemen are pancaking defenders left and right and getting to the 2nd and 3rd level. It just doesn't happen that much at all unless your a gargatuan guard that can destroy people at times or if you're extremely technical and athletic and can turn defenders out of the way and get to the second level like Steve Hutchinson. Even that doesn't happen very often for Hutchinson and a lot of those gargatuan guards aren't always that good because they are often too big.

I like Nate, but he usually is talking out of his arse more often than not.

Here's the rankings of Dallas' running behind LT according to FO.com over the years:

YEAR.......................RANK

2003........................8th
2004........................9th
2005........................27th
2006........................2nd
2007........................9th

So Kosier has done quite well for Dallas.

I could somewhat believe Nate if Berger was much bigger than Kosier because that's the type of O-Lineman Hudson Houck prefers, but the two are about the same exact height and weight.


YAKUZA

Well considering various other reports, he must not be too far off...

 

[speedkilz88]

Nate did say that he needed to talk to Houck to find out if he's right.

 

[DisabledMess]

What amazes me is the Denver Broncos. They have, I think they have, the smallest offensive linemen in the league and they dominate their opponents with speed and chop blocking.

 

[Doomsday]

What amazes me is the Denver Broncos. They have, I think they have, the smallest offensive linemen in the league and they dominate their opponents with speed and chop blocking.

Denver's Oline hasnt been nearly as affective since Alex Gibbs left. Atlanta's run game was pretty darn good while he was there and was non existent last season. He came out of retirement to join Kubiak in Houston, it will be interesting to see how he affects the situation down there. I would be willing to be they show a significant improvement under his tutelage.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Yakuza is killing people

 

[speedkilz88]

Denver's Oline hasnt been nearly as affective since Alex Gibbs left. Atlanta's run game was pretty darn good while he was there and was non existent last season. He came out of retirement to join Kubiak in Houston, it will be interesting to see how he affects the situation down there. I would be willing to be they show a significant improvement under his tutelage.

They showed a lot of improvement last season too.

 

[jobberone]

Hopefully they can pass block and run block better while still being able to pull and could we please run screens like we did in Landry's days?