Maybe that vaunted offensive line isn't so good after all

[CyberB0b]

The coaches see that Doug Free started playing a lot better in 2013 and there was no longer a huge need to replace him.

Free is a proven veteran and the coaches know what they are going to get.

They like that.

Jermey Parnell has everything you want physically, but he's still green from an experience standpoint.

And when Darrion Weems went down in training camp, Parnell suddenly had to start playing LT again and wasn't given a chance to compete at RT.

The coaches had no reason to rock the boat.

Parnell has had plenty of opportunity to replace Free, and he hasn't been able to do it. The closest he has come is splitting some snaps with Free a couple of years ago. He just isn't very good, the proof is in the pudding.

 

[Bluefin]

Parnell has had plenty of opportunity to replace Free, and he hasn't been able to do it. The closest he has come is splitting some snaps with Free a couple of years ago. He just isn't very good, the proof is in the pudding.

Jermey Parnell has never openly competed against Doug free for the RT job.

The duo split series in December of 2012 when Free had been playing awful and both looked good in that span.

There was going to be a competition during training camp/pre-season 2013 but it didn't happen because Parnell was dealing with injuries and Free looked good at the same time.

Prior to that, the team had given Free an ultimatum, take a big pay cut if you want to remain on the roster.

Free did.

A big reason that happened is because Dallas was prepared to insert Parnell as the starting RT and Free knew it.

Parnell has already shown he's capable of starting on either side without limiting the offense.

We will not know what Parnell's ceiling is or if he can be consistent week to week unless he gets the opportunity to play.

 

[CyberB0b]

We will not know what Parnell's ceiling is or if he can be consistent week to week unless he gets the opportunity to play.

I think the coaching staff, one of the most experienced in the league, knows exactly what they have in Parnell. They see him every day in practice. He's been here for 4 years. If they really are adjusting the scheme drastically to compensate for Free's lack of talent, don't you think it would be easy for Parnell to beat him out? Free was one of the worst starters in the league in 2012, and Parnell couldn't beat him out. That's all you need to know.

 

[Bluefin]

Free was one of the worst starters in the league in 2012, and Parnell couldn't beat him out. That's all you need to know.

I know Doug Free started playing a lot better when he was forced into the time share arrangement with Jermey Parnell in 2012.

And the threat of Parnell helped the team save $7M last year when Free was forced into a pay cut.

Parnell has never been given the chance to win the job since then and Free's play hasn't mandated making a change.

 

[CyberB0b]

Parnell has never been given the chance to win the job since then and Free's play hasn't mandated making a change.

Like I said, he was terrible in 2012 and the best Parnell could do was split snaps with him. I guess I am picking a fight with the wrong person. You seem to have a reasonable stance on the Free and Parnell situation. It is @xwalker who posts a weekly thread dogging Free and pimping Parnell. Parnell may or may not be the guy of the future, but he will be 29 years old and a 5 year vet next year. If he can't win a slot by then, he likely won't.

 

[Bluefin]

Parnell may or may not be the guy of the future, but he will be 29 years old and a 5 year vet next year. If he can't win a slot by then, he likely won't.

I don't know if Jermey Parnell will get a chance to start here or somewhere else next year, but his age shouldn't be an issue.

Parnell quit playing football after the 8th grade to focus on basketball and didn't play the game again until his college b-ball eligibility was used up.

He played something like 10 games as a reserve DL before coming to the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

He's been primarily a reserve since them, hence no wear and tear.

 

[CF74]

I believe we they simply like Parnell as the "Swing Tackle" and if we ditch Free we will have a hole..

 

[MissouriCowboy]

Offensive line had a bad game . That happens time to time so I am not to concerned.

 

[LandryFan]

Every sports fan has a tendency to overrate his own team's talent and underrate the talent of other teams. Many times we've heard some fan proclaim, "The Cowboys have the best O-line in the league!" when, frankly, calling the Dallas offensive line "Top-10" would be more like it. The same fans sometimes also call Dez Bryant the best receiver in the league - again, he's in the Top 10.


On Thanksgiving, we saw the reality. The Cowboys' line surrendered 4 sacks, Murray gained only about 70 yards, and Dallas managed just ten points at home against Philadelphia.


Perhaps the unpleasant truth is that this offense cannot just impose its will on anyone it wants. It cannot just operate by giving Murray 30-35 carries a game and bulldozing every defense into submission. The Cowboys certainly ought to keep trying that tactic as long as they can, but it's not foolproof or invincible. December will tell.


Dallas has four games remaining to once again try its hand at the steamrolling offense that worked so well for it in Weeks 2-7. If it fails to work, then it's either Romo having to air it out 30-40 times a game - which sure didn't work out well in 2011, 2012 and 2013 - or season over.

Just out of curiosity, if the line is Top 10, who are the 9 that are better?

 

[Bullflop]

The OL just last week was ranked first in run blocking and 20th in pass blocking. They've been over-hyped at this early stage in their development. Maybe next year they'll live up to their billing -- or maybe not quite. We'll see when the time comes, no doubt.

 

[CATCH17]

The OL just last week was ranked first in run blocking and 20th in pass blocking. They've been over-hyped at this early stage in their development. Maybe next year they'll live up to their billing -- or maybe not quite. We'll see.

I don't know how they will be a lot better.

Romo is going to get pressured anytime teams tee off on us and our receivers are running routes 30 yards down the sideline.

The best OL in the world can't help with that.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

They are good but not great. I expect them to improve as long as the coaches correct the weakness exposed over the last few weeks. Scheming overall has been lacking the last several weeks. It is not just about winning one on one battles.

 

[Bullflop]

I don't know how they will be a lot better.

Romo is going to get pressured anytime teams tee off on us and our receivers are running routes 30 yards down the sideline.

The best OL in the world can't help with that.

Maybe we need to wait and see what develops before coming to any preconceived conclusions. We have three youngsters on the interior who have plenty of room for further development in the area of pass protection. Free may be replaced with someone more capable in that area as well. It's discouraging but not hopeless. Linehan will have to adjust to what we can do and can't.

 

[CATCH17]

Maybe we need to wait and see what develops before coming to any preconceived conclusions. We have three youngsters on the interior who have plenty of room for further development in the area of pass protection.

I know what develops. We've been down this road a million times. They will have to play out of their minds in this offense for it to work.

Most of the plays we call don't take pressure off Romo or the OL. When a long, slow, developing route isn't open it usually requires Romo to start trying to improvise which can be a big play or just as easily be a sack.

We just need some plays to get the ball out quicker and use some formations that confuse a defense.

This 1980's passing attack will not cut it.

 

[MissouriCowboy]

Williams and Dez would kill folks if coaches put slants in the playbook.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I know what develops. We've been down this road a million times. They will have to play out of their minds in this offense for it to work.

Most of the plays we call don't take pressure off Romo or the OL. When a long, slow, developing route isn't open it usually requires Romo to start trying to improvise which can be a big play or just as easily be a sack.

We just need some plays to get the ball out quicker and use some formations that confuse a defense.

This 1980's passing attack will not cut it.

This has been the greatest challenge over the past several years. This is why teams are unafraid to load the box against Murray; they know what's coming when Tony is forced to pass. They (DCs) also know that if they scheme correctly against this offense, they create advantages in the one-on-one battle scenarios Garrett likes to talk about.

 

[dfense]

Every sports fan has a tendency to overrate his own team's talent and underrate the talent of other teams. Many times we've heard some fan proclaim, "The Cowboys have the best O-line in the league!" when, frankly, calling the Dallas offensive line "Top-10" would be more like it. The same fans sometimes also call Dez Bryant the best receiver in the league - again, he's in the Top 10.


On Thanksgiving, we saw the reality. The Cowboys' line surrendered 4 sacks, Murray gained only about 70 yards, and Dallas managed just ten points at home against Philadelphia.


Perhaps the unpleasant truth is that this offense cannot just impose its will on anyone it wants. It cannot just operate by giving Murray 30-35 carries a game and bulldozing every defense into submission. The Cowboys certainly ought to keep trying that tactic as long as they can, but it's not foolproof or invincible. December will tell.


Dallas has four games remaining to once again try its hand at the steamrolling offense that worked so well for it in Weeks 2-7. If it fails to work, then it's either Romo having to air it out 30-40 times a game - which sure didn't work out well in 2011, 2012 and 2013 - or season over.

Your right. Once you have a bad game you aren't good anymore.

 

[ologan]

In '92 the Eagles sacked Troy 4 times and Emmitt ran for 67 yards on 19 carries. Dallas lost 31-7.

Even that line was susceptible at times. I know Troy didn't elude as many rushers as Tony (though Troy didn't really become a statue until later in his career), but I don't think he held the ball as long either.

Having a top 5 line doesn't mean the qb isn't going to get rocked in some games. There were other games--particularly NFC East games--where Troy was sacked a lot too during super bowl seasons. Admittedly the run blocking was more consistent back then, but Dallas will never have a line that good again. If the line needs to be that strong, Dallas is in trouble.

Edited to add: Emmitt's vision helped the run blocking a lot back then too. As Nate has said repeatedly, their job was a lot easier when he came around because they could just take their man anywhere and he'd find a hole.

Exactly. I don't know how some people think that the great teams in Cowboy's lore didn't have bad games, or that they
"steamrolled" every team they played. That goes with the first super bowl team, who, if memory serves, laid a real big egg on MNF against the St. Louis Cardinals (IIRC), before starting their run, ending up losing to the Colts in the SB, to the 90's teams who found ways to look less than stellar on occasion. Will we make the playoffs this year with this group?? Hell, I don't know, and neither does anybody else...we may even be out of the picture before the final weekend, where in the past few years we've lost it then. However, this team is headed in the right direction...add a great DE, add another stud Olineman, this team is set, IMO! I said earlier in the season that I still believed we were still a year away. I still think that.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Every sports fan has a tendency to overrate his own team's talent and underrate the talent of other teams. Many times we've heard some fan proclaim, "The Cowboys have the best O-line in the league!" when, frankly, calling the Dallas offensive line "Top-10" would be more like it. The same fans sometimes also call Dez Bryant the best receiver in the league - again, he's in the Top 10.


On Thanksgiving, we saw the reality. The Cowboys' line surrendered 4 sacks, Murray gained only about 70 yards, and Dallas managed just ten points at home against Philadelphia.


Perhaps the unpleasant truth is that this offense cannot just impose its will on anyone it wants. It cannot just operate by giving Murray 30-35 carries a game and bulldozing every defense into submission. The Cowboys certainly ought to keep trying that tactic as long as they can, but it's not foolproof or invincible. December will tell.


Dallas has four games remaining to once again try its hand at the steamrolling offense that worked so well for it in Weeks 2-7. If it fails to work, then it's either Romo having to air it out 30-40 times a game - which sure didn't work out well in 2011, 2012 and 2013 - or season over.

The Cowboys have played 12 times. The line has had forgettable days.... Twice.

But you choose those two games rather than the other 10 to focus on?

Whatever you say dude.

 

[CATCH17]

However, this team is headed in the right direction...add a great DE, add another stud Olineman, this team is set, IMO! I said earlier in the season that I still believed we were still a year away. I still think that.

Build a perfect team basically.

Why can't we just scheme better? Maybe just a bit of creativity could get us over the top right now instead of waiting for the super team to assemble.


We had some awesome teams in the past that really didn't have many holes but we eventually fail because this passing offense gets completely rattled and we just simply don't try and get the ball in our playmakers hands.



Watching New England yesterday they kept hitting Edelman on those bubble screens and it was effective.

We did it 1 time with Cole Beasley against Philly, he breaks for 25 yards, and we don't see it the rest of the game. What other team does that besides the Cowboys.

We need to be more catch and run oriented at times because Dez Bryant is an amazing open field runner and I believe guys like Harris and Beasley could be hard to tackle in space as well.


Our WR's our beasts.. Not crafty route runners. Beasts.. So quit overthinking this thing and just get them the ball. This has been going on since TO was here.