LarryCanadian
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One thing I do think we are forgetting (and don't get me wrong, I still think this team is underachieving) is that the team is really adjusting still to major offseason philosophical and personell changes.
We have replaced Ellis, Canty, Tank, Pac Man, Henry, Thomas, Burnett, and Roy Williams on Defense. THAT is EIGHT players that had a signifcant number of snaps last season. Each of those guys played a big role (and many also underachieved - possibly more so when salaries are taken into account, than the current players are). Defense has looked like it is coming together in past 2 weeks, although still not pitching that complete game, and not able to hold off that last game winning drive by other team consistently. We knew depth would be an issue, and it is. Tough thing is when we have chances to make plays like last game, where Spencer and Newman (and then Hamlin in particular on the tackle against Marshall) were in position to make plays that would have prevented touchdowns and just couldn't/didn't. Maybe that will change. Newman did do it week before. Spencer is getting close (sack was nice, facemask was dumb). Rookies/sophmores are struggling a bit which does happen all over.
On offense, it is a bit more disturbing, but besides the major Owens move, it is more a philosophical move that is occuring. I think the Oline is playing MUCH better than last year actually. Our run blocking has improved by a ton AND the pass blocking has been much better than many believe. Romo hasn't been pressured regularly, at least not by Dline-men. Most of the blatant sacks (of which there aren't even that many this season) are by lbers or blitzing db's.
We are focussing on run a bit more and now have injury issues there. With Felix out, teams will blitz us like last year. No speed threat, no ability to make them pay, no time to get receivers open.
Bennett is still making mistakes it looks like or Romo and/or coaches don't trust him.
Austin and Romo are not on same page, and Austin might have mid-long range speed he isn't a short passing game separation guy.
Roy Williams is still not getting a ton of looks and unfortunately didn't make the big play a couple times he had the chance (the 1 long bomb down left sideline where he had stepped out of bounds, and the 1 jump ball in endzone). I worry a bit here. Need to see if he is the number 1 or not, but again this is an adjustment.
Most blatant adjustment is trying to get Romo to be better game manager AND not make poor decisions. This is reigning Romo in for now, BUT "might" pay off later with a QB that is both amazingly productive but less harmful at times. We can't have it both ways, and I do think we need to give the "Romo Friendly" style a bit more time to pay dividends. I am not sure about the getting frozen on one receiver or the playcalling at the goaline a couple of times now. Headscratchers.
The fact that the team doesn't seem to practice those important plays and isn't prepared bugs me. Parcells would have had that scenario covered twice over. Coaching there.
So, as frustrating as it is, we need to give offense time to adjust without TO and to be more run oriented and Romo friendly. The receivers need to get open and maybe they can move Romo a bit instead of making him a pure pocket passer. I think they can do that without it reigning Romo in too much. I do feel that more time is needed and in the long run, pulling back on Romo and reigning in the gun slinger (at least temporarily) will give us the chance to be a more consistent winning team. Otherwise we will win convincing games with big play on offense but continue to lose playoff games etc. Ths is shorter term pain for longer term gain hopefully.
I'm down on crew, and really wonder about the brains of offensive players, but think the talent is still there. I'm still on Romo bandwagon and think he will always be best when being somewhat of a gunslinger, BUT I do think the idea to be "RomoFriendly" still has merit, will allow a better balance longterm and is part of the right strategy for the maturation and growth of Romo as a QB. Short term pain though as we will see what we saw over last 2 weeks. The first time Romo hasn't thrown a TD pass in back to back games. Bit too early to abandon the strategy though. The last strategy of total big play offense didn't work either. It took other teams by surprise for awhile, but also needed temporing and balancing.
Just some thoughts as I get down from ledge.
LarryCanadian
We have replaced Ellis, Canty, Tank, Pac Man, Henry, Thomas, Burnett, and Roy Williams on Defense. THAT is EIGHT players that had a signifcant number of snaps last season. Each of those guys played a big role (and many also underachieved - possibly more so when salaries are taken into account, than the current players are). Defense has looked like it is coming together in past 2 weeks, although still not pitching that complete game, and not able to hold off that last game winning drive by other team consistently. We knew depth would be an issue, and it is. Tough thing is when we have chances to make plays like last game, where Spencer and Newman (and then Hamlin in particular on the tackle against Marshall) were in position to make plays that would have prevented touchdowns and just couldn't/didn't. Maybe that will change. Newman did do it week before. Spencer is getting close (sack was nice, facemask was dumb). Rookies/sophmores are struggling a bit which does happen all over.
On offense, it is a bit more disturbing, but besides the major Owens move, it is more a philosophical move that is occuring. I think the Oline is playing MUCH better than last year actually. Our run blocking has improved by a ton AND the pass blocking has been much better than many believe. Romo hasn't been pressured regularly, at least not by Dline-men. Most of the blatant sacks (of which there aren't even that many this season) are by lbers or blitzing db's.
We are focussing on run a bit more and now have injury issues there. With Felix out, teams will blitz us like last year. No speed threat, no ability to make them pay, no time to get receivers open.
Bennett is still making mistakes it looks like or Romo and/or coaches don't trust him.
Austin and Romo are not on same page, and Austin might have mid-long range speed he isn't a short passing game separation guy.
Roy Williams is still not getting a ton of looks and unfortunately didn't make the big play a couple times he had the chance (the 1 long bomb down left sideline where he had stepped out of bounds, and the 1 jump ball in endzone). I worry a bit here. Need to see if he is the number 1 or not, but again this is an adjustment.
Most blatant adjustment is trying to get Romo to be better game manager AND not make poor decisions. This is reigning Romo in for now, BUT "might" pay off later with a QB that is both amazingly productive but less harmful at times. We can't have it both ways, and I do think we need to give the "Romo Friendly" style a bit more time to pay dividends. I am not sure about the getting frozen on one receiver or the playcalling at the goaline a couple of times now. Headscratchers.
The fact that the team doesn't seem to practice those important plays and isn't prepared bugs me. Parcells would have had that scenario covered twice over. Coaching there.
So, as frustrating as it is, we need to give offense time to adjust without TO and to be more run oriented and Romo friendly. The receivers need to get open and maybe they can move Romo a bit instead of making him a pure pocket passer. I think they can do that without it reigning Romo in too much. I do feel that more time is needed and in the long run, pulling back on Romo and reigning in the gun slinger (at least temporarily) will give us the chance to be a more consistent winning team. Otherwise we will win convincing games with big play on offense but continue to lose playoff games etc. Ths is shorter term pain for longer term gain hopefully.
I'm down on crew, and really wonder about the brains of offensive players, but think the talent is still there. I'm still on Romo bandwagon and think he will always be best when being somewhat of a gunslinger, BUT I do think the idea to be "RomoFriendly" still has merit, will allow a better balance longterm and is part of the right strategy for the maturation and growth of Romo as a QB. Short term pain though as we will see what we saw over last 2 weeks. The first time Romo hasn't thrown a TD pass in back to back games. Bit too early to abandon the strategy though. The last strategy of total big play offense didn't work either. It took other teams by surprise for awhile, but also needed temporing and balancing.
Just some thoughts as I get down from ledge.
LarryCanadian
