cowboyjoe
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Mailbag: What's The Missing Piece?
I mentioned this in several posts about cowboys getting a few free agents or trades like the cowboys did in 92, when they traded for charles haley and thomas everett, read what the cowboys mailbag says, then give your own thoughts and viewpoints. Remember now, we can sign one top free agent, even Adam our cap guru said so.
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DallasCowboys.com Report
January 20, 2010 4:22 PM Change Font Size A A A A
• Vikings, Raucous Crowd Send Cowboys Home 1/17
(Editor's Note: Each day we will take the 2 best questions for our staff writers to answer from the Mailbag. "Click here" to email questions now.)
REESE COLE - SAN ANTONIO, TX: What's the missing piece? Which position do we need someone to step in to be this team's Charles Haley?
Rob: Great question. That's tough to answer because the Cowboys didn't seem to have many weaknesses before the Vikings game and there probably won't be many changes to the starting lineup. Other than offensive line depth, they need a kicker they trust. Shaun Suisham's two misses didn't cost them the game, but both were momentum killers. I'd like to see David Buehler get a shot to compete after an off-season of field goal work.
Nick: I don't think the Cowboys need a Charles Haley-type of addition to put this team over the top. Maybe I just see that because there aren't many players like that on the street. And you have to remember, Jerry took a chance on a shaky-character player like Haley. But it worked. So you can't fault him for trying to do that type of stuff again in guys like Pacman, T.O. and Tank. It has worked before. As for a missing piece, I really do think the Cowboys need a dynamic kick return specialist who can do both kicks and punts. Maybe he's a fourth WR or can play corner or safety as well. But give me a guy that knows how to return kicks and that can be his niche right away.
Josh: How about an awesome, ball-hawking safety? Gerald Sensabaugh gave the defense a new dimension because he could man up against tight ends and running backs split out wide, and Ken Hamlin is back there too, making sure nothing gets behind him. They were solid, and they didn't get beat very often, but how many plays did they really make? The defense still doesn't consistently create enough turnovers. I don't know how many Ed Reeds or Troy Polamalus there are out there, though.
STEVEN BOORAS - BATON ROUGE, LA: I have been supportive of Jason Garrett all year. Yes, I know it is easy to pile on the offensive coordinator after you get beat, but what do you think of his play-calling in Sunday's game? I was disappointed we didn't see any bubble screens or slants since Minnesota was putting so much pressure on Romo.
Rob: We've heard those suggestions, as well as having Romo roll out of the pocket. Tough to say that would work because the pressure was coming from everywhere. I was surprised Felix Jones wasn't in the game more in the second half - pass protection might've had something to do with that - but overall it's hard to call plays when your quarterback isn't being protected, as well as when you're constantly in third-and-longs because of negative plays.
Nick: Yes, I thought some of that could've been used. Overall, I think he called a decent game. But the Vikings just thrived on getting those negative plays that always seemed to occur around the 25-35-yard line. It just killed the drives and the Cowboys never could recover. But you can't really argue about the coordinator when the offense produces a franchise-record in yards for a season.
Josh: I thought Garrett was fine. When they lose that badly we tend to go back and say 'Where was this, where was that,' but I think the main reason they were so bad is the players weren't able to execute. Now, I have my suspicions that the pitch out to Marion Barber in the third quarter was something Romo audibled to, but that shouldn't even be an option. Not with Barber.
I mentioned this in several posts about cowboys getting a few free agents or trades like the cowboys did in 92, when they traded for charles haley and thomas everett, read what the cowboys mailbag says, then give your own thoughts and viewpoints. Remember now, we can sign one top free agent, even Adam our cap guru said so.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DallasCowboys.com Report
January 20, 2010 4:22 PM Change Font Size A A A A
• Vikings, Raucous Crowd Send Cowboys Home 1/17
(Editor's Note: Each day we will take the 2 best questions for our staff writers to answer from the Mailbag. "Click here" to email questions now.)
REESE COLE - SAN ANTONIO, TX: What's the missing piece? Which position do we need someone to step in to be this team's Charles Haley?
Rob: Great question. That's tough to answer because the Cowboys didn't seem to have many weaknesses before the Vikings game and there probably won't be many changes to the starting lineup. Other than offensive line depth, they need a kicker they trust. Shaun Suisham's two misses didn't cost them the game, but both were momentum killers. I'd like to see David Buehler get a shot to compete after an off-season of field goal work.
Nick: I don't think the Cowboys need a Charles Haley-type of addition to put this team over the top. Maybe I just see that because there aren't many players like that on the street. And you have to remember, Jerry took a chance on a shaky-character player like Haley. But it worked. So you can't fault him for trying to do that type of stuff again in guys like Pacman, T.O. and Tank. It has worked before. As for a missing piece, I really do think the Cowboys need a dynamic kick return specialist who can do both kicks and punts. Maybe he's a fourth WR or can play corner or safety as well. But give me a guy that knows how to return kicks and that can be his niche right away.
Josh: How about an awesome, ball-hawking safety? Gerald Sensabaugh gave the defense a new dimension because he could man up against tight ends and running backs split out wide, and Ken Hamlin is back there too, making sure nothing gets behind him. They were solid, and they didn't get beat very often, but how many plays did they really make? The defense still doesn't consistently create enough turnovers. I don't know how many Ed Reeds or Troy Polamalus there are out there, though.
STEVEN BOORAS - BATON ROUGE, LA: I have been supportive of Jason Garrett all year. Yes, I know it is easy to pile on the offensive coordinator after you get beat, but what do you think of his play-calling in Sunday's game? I was disappointed we didn't see any bubble screens or slants since Minnesota was putting so much pressure on Romo.
Rob: We've heard those suggestions, as well as having Romo roll out of the pocket. Tough to say that would work because the pressure was coming from everywhere. I was surprised Felix Jones wasn't in the game more in the second half - pass protection might've had something to do with that - but overall it's hard to call plays when your quarterback isn't being protected, as well as when you're constantly in third-and-longs because of negative plays.
Nick: Yes, I thought some of that could've been used. Overall, I think he called a decent game. But the Vikings just thrived on getting those negative plays that always seemed to occur around the 25-35-yard line. It just killed the drives and the Cowboys never could recover. But you can't really argue about the coordinator when the offense produces a franchise-record in yards for a season.
Josh: I thought Garrett was fine. When they lose that badly we tend to go back and say 'Where was this, where was that,' but I think the main reason they were so bad is the players weren't able to execute. Now, I have my suspicions that the pitch out to Marion Barber in the third quarter was something Romo audibled to, but that shouldn't even be an option. Not with Barber.
