Kaiser
Well-Known Member
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Solid win by the Cowboys yesterday, in the big picture the team is coming together. The team is doing what it was built to do – finally. It was a close score but Atlanta has a ton of talent, beat us by 20 last year and is 22 months off a Super Bowl win. Julio Jones is the reason the game was close and he is one of the best players in the NFL.
Yes, Atlanta is beat up but so is every team at this time of year. Its no excuse when Dallas is missing 6 starters also.
The biggest factor from Sunday was the OL finally executing the type of game the team was built around. IMO that is mostly about Paul Alexander being fired and Columbo letting the players go back to the technique they are comfortable with. Its not a big mystery why Tyron and Zack Martin are back to a dominant form after slipping in the first half. Posters here are excited about Su’a-Filo but remember that Jonathan Cooper looked good enough in that spot last year to get a 5 Million dollar FA contract (and fall flat).
The other key is that Amari Cooper is doing exactly what he was acquired for. Teams back off their DBs because theyhave to respect his deep speed, just like they have to respect Zeke’s ability and Dak’s run threat. Zeke had 200 yards of offense yesterday and its basically taken for granted. Its clear Amari is having the intended impact, Zeke’s numbers are up 50% per game in the last two than he was in the game BC (Before Cooper).
The ripple effect of adding Cooper on the WR Corps is already there. Gallup is close to breaking out, I thought he was close to a big game but then reading about his family tragedy it’s a real testament to his professionalism that he even played. Cole Beasley’s entire game is about space, which he gets with Cooper on the field. Before Cooper, not a chance. Also the catches Cooper did have were clutch. They were move the chain safety blanket plays for Dak that we just didn’t have in the first half of the season. Huge, huge impact to add Amari to this offense. You can overpay in a trade and still get more out the move than you gave up.
The Defense is really coming together and with Awuzie healthy, it has no weak spots to attack. Yes, they attacked Awuzie with Julio Jones but they will do that to all but a handful of NFL CBs. Awuzie battled throughout and still made plays.
The bottom line with this defense is that its very young and very talented. DLaw is an elite player and you have Pro Bowl talent around him in Sean Lee, Byron Jones and Jaylon Smith. Then you have very talented young players in other spots in LVE, Awuzie, Maliek Collins (who still isn’t healthy), Randy Gregory, Taco (in a game or two) and potentially David Irving.
LVE is still a man-child, he is half the player he will be next year but even then, he is still playing above the level of most NFL starters. Frightening stuff. Pam Oliver reported Jerry saying he would rotate with Sean Lee and Jaylon next week but I would start LVE at SAM and then rotate him to Mike and Will so he gets a starters number of snaps.
Other notes –
Maher missing an Extra Point isn’t good, but Dan Bailey has missed one also this year. They aren’t automatic anymore.
Maliek Collins isn’t completely healthy but this defense could be dramatically better if Collins and David Irving are both 100% healthy for the playoffs.
Xavier Woods has talent but he is too inconsistent. That missed tackle for loss was a killer when it went for an 18 yard game. IMO Woods will be a superior backup/nickel back next year playing behind Earl Thomas.
Randy Gregory has 226 snaps for the season, which is essentially four full games. He has 3 sacks in those snaps, which is a pace for a 12 season for a guy who had no practice, no film study and no conditioning work for the last two years. Gregory and Taco are a good combination at the RDE spot because their skill sets complement each other. Every year a playoff team making a run has a surprise player that makes a big impact that wasn’t expected, Randy Gregory could easily be that kind of surprise player this year. He is also capable of breaking out next year earn the starting job and take snaps away from Taco. You see it building, it could be an explosion in the playoffs.
Yes, Atlanta is beat up but so is every team at this time of year. Its no excuse when Dallas is missing 6 starters also.
The biggest factor from Sunday was the OL finally executing the type of game the team was built around. IMO that is mostly about Paul Alexander being fired and Columbo letting the players go back to the technique they are comfortable with. Its not a big mystery why Tyron and Zack Martin are back to a dominant form after slipping in the first half. Posters here are excited about Su’a-Filo but remember that Jonathan Cooper looked good enough in that spot last year to get a 5 Million dollar FA contract (and fall flat).
The other key is that Amari Cooper is doing exactly what he was acquired for. Teams back off their DBs because theyhave to respect his deep speed, just like they have to respect Zeke’s ability and Dak’s run threat. Zeke had 200 yards of offense yesterday and its basically taken for granted. Its clear Amari is having the intended impact, Zeke’s numbers are up 50% per game in the last two than he was in the game BC (Before Cooper).
The ripple effect of adding Cooper on the WR Corps is already there. Gallup is close to breaking out, I thought he was close to a big game but then reading about his family tragedy it’s a real testament to his professionalism that he even played. Cole Beasley’s entire game is about space, which he gets with Cooper on the field. Before Cooper, not a chance. Also the catches Cooper did have were clutch. They were move the chain safety blanket plays for Dak that we just didn’t have in the first half of the season. Huge, huge impact to add Amari to this offense. You can overpay in a trade and still get more out the move than you gave up.
The Defense is really coming together and with Awuzie healthy, it has no weak spots to attack. Yes, they attacked Awuzie with Julio Jones but they will do that to all but a handful of NFL CBs. Awuzie battled throughout and still made plays.
The bottom line with this defense is that its very young and very talented. DLaw is an elite player and you have Pro Bowl talent around him in Sean Lee, Byron Jones and Jaylon Smith. Then you have very talented young players in other spots in LVE, Awuzie, Maliek Collins (who still isn’t healthy), Randy Gregory, Taco (in a game or two) and potentially David Irving.
LVE is still a man-child, he is half the player he will be next year but even then, he is still playing above the level of most NFL starters. Frightening stuff. Pam Oliver reported Jerry saying he would rotate with Sean Lee and Jaylon next week but I would start LVE at SAM and then rotate him to Mike and Will so he gets a starters number of snaps.
Other notes –
Maher missing an Extra Point isn’t good, but Dan Bailey has missed one also this year. They aren’t automatic anymore.
Maliek Collins isn’t completely healthy but this defense could be dramatically better if Collins and David Irving are both 100% healthy for the playoffs.
Xavier Woods has talent but he is too inconsistent. That missed tackle for loss was a killer when it went for an 18 yard game. IMO Woods will be a superior backup/nickel back next year playing behind Earl Thomas.
Randy Gregory has 226 snaps for the season, which is essentially four full games. He has 3 sacks in those snaps, which is a pace for a 12 season for a guy who had no practice, no film study and no conditioning work for the last two years. Gregory and Taco are a good combination at the RDE spot because their skill sets complement each other. Every year a playoff team making a run has a surprise player that makes a big impact that wasn’t expected, Randy Gregory could easily be that kind of surprise player this year. He is also capable of breaking out next year earn the starting job and take snaps away from Taco. You see it building, it could be an explosion in the playoffs.
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