MMQB - Scouting Dallas: The NFL’s Best Offensive Line

[bsbellomy]

Simple...we give up far less pressures per attempt than the rest of the league. And our offense is designed to have the QB hold the ball longer.

Romo got injured against the Eagles on a player where he caught the Eagles in a bad defense and was trying to get the ball off to take advantage in an empty backfield.

He then got injured against the Panthers on a poor block by DMC. And then got hurt against the Seahawks on a play that had nothing to do with the O-Line.

Free really hasn't been a problem in the past 3 seasons. I won't confuse him with Anthony Munoz anytime soon, but find me another O-Line that comes nearly as close in their pressures per pass attempt and has a QB that holds onto the ball as long as we

YR

Is it just me or did Fuzzy just make a point right before you that it WAS Free's fault Romo got hit by Avril last week?

 

[Nova]

Is it just me or did Fuzzy just make a point right before you that it WAS Free's fault Romo got hit by Avril last week?

I actually think it's more on Romo.

Free steered Avril clean of the Romo. Avril's momentum would not have allowed him to get back to a passer that stepped up in the pocket. But Romo decided to run.

Why?

Because he tries to make something out of nothing all too often and just doesn't have the body to do it anymore.

 

[The Quest for Six]

"This in mind, it makes you wonder why the Cowboys would spend the No. 4 overall draft pick on a running back."

A rb with elite power and speed than can break for a td on any carry. Which Dallas lacked last season. Duh.

this team finished 9th in the league in rushing without even a threat of a passing game....imagine what this offense could have done rushing with a mediocre passing game last year..

 

[Sydla]

It's the best run OL in the league, not the best OL.

Who is the best OL?

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Is it just me or did Fuzzy just make a point right before you that it WAS Free's fault Romo got hit by Avril last week?

Fault is probably not the best word.

EE wasn't lined up in the position and had to crossover to make the block which he did.

While that blitzer was blocked, it also threw off the timing of the play. And just because you have the best O-Line in football doesn't mean that players will never get beat.

Finally, Romo was injured as he was in mid-slide and with other QB's, it probably would have been a flag on Avril.

In the end, we can see from objective data the pressures allowed per pass attempt along with the avg. seconds our QB's hold onto the ball (particularly Romo) due to our scheme. And we saw this with Brandon Weeden/Matt Cassel/Kellen Moore as our starting QB's and T-Will as our #1 WR.

It goes to show that having a great O-Line is certainly something to aspire to have, but when it comes to winning games you need production from your passing game.




YR

 

[Tobal]

Your QB, who I love, is going to get hit quite a bit because he's going to take risks that some QB's won't, don't take.

 

[Verdict]

I am and have been excited about the Zeke pick. But it would have been very interesting to see what would have happened if we had drafted a top RT in the top 10 and gone with Morris, McFadden, Dunbar and Jackson as the backs this year. It might have been a very good move as well. Free, Green and Leary as the backups. That would have been SICK!

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Your QB, who I love, is going to get hit quite a bit because he's going to take risks that some QB's won't, don't take.

Take risks based on what?

 

[Clove]

I actually think it's more on Romo.

Free steered Avril clean of the Romo. Avril's momentum would not have allowed him to get back to a passer that stepped up in the pocket. But Romo decided to run.

Why?

Because he tries to make something out of nothing all too often and just doesn't have the body to do it anymore.

I thought that Romo panic'd and left the pocket early. I don't think Romo trusted Zeke's block, and because of prior injuries, he just panic'd and bailed.

 

[DandyDon1722]

I thought that Romo panic'd and left the pocket early. I don't think Romo trusted Zeke's block, and because of prior injuries, he just panic'd and bailed.

That's a perspective on that play I hadn't heard about before but it's valid

 

[Clove]

That's a perspective on that play I hadn't heard about before but it's valid

Once a player's been injured a lot, they have a tendency to be cautious about anything that looks dangerous. I think Dak stays in pocket and delivers the ball on that play.

 

[Hardline]

I wish Derrick Henry was running behind this line as well.

 

[gimmesix]

Is it just me or did Fuzzy just make a point right before you that it WAS Free's fault Romo got hit by Avril last week?

If I remember the play right, Free pushed Avril past the pocket, so Avril ran all the way around the backside and hit Romo on the left side of the formation because Romo had exited the pocket and started to run with the ball.

Or are you talking about a different play?

This is the type of stuff I'm talking about where fans irrationally expect more of Free than should be expected of any lineman. If that had happened on the opposite side of the formation with Smith's man getting the hit, no one would be saying it was Smith's fault.

I'm going to quit now because I don't think Free is anything more than a solid starting lineman who is certainly replaceable. The only times I feel it necessary to defend his play is when some fans irrationally hold on to every mistake he makes and believe it's proof that he's trash.

 

[jobberone]

Take risks based on what?

Based on being competitive. You can't iron all that out of the equation and still have Tony the playmaker. You can make an argument he should throw the ball away more and I can very easily defend that position.

However, you can't make players not play football in the style they play no matter how often you emphasize protecting yourself.

Also, that probably was a penalty because he had already begun his slide. Nothing you do about that play will change the injury now though.

 

[xwalker]

So you're one of those fans with an irrational hatred for Free that blinds you to him being a good tackle? OK.

It is obvious that Fuzzy spends a lot of time and effort studying game footage in detail
Fuzzy has "earned" his opinions.

 

[CowboyGil]

That's their opinion. Our starting QB has gone down now 3 times inside of a year.

How can anyone rate this OL the best at pass blocking with "which way did he go" Free? They even mentioned run blocking, which he is much better at.

3 plays out of how many snaps?

 

[ConceptCoop]

It's the best run OL in the league, not the best OL.

They're a better pass blocking unit than run blocking unit.

 

[xwalker]

I am and have been excited about the Zeke pick. But it would have been very interesting to see what would have happened if we had drafted a top RT in the top 10 and gone with Morris, McFadden, Dunbar and Jackson as the backs this year. It might have been a very good move as well. Free, Green and Leary as the backups. That would have been SICK!

The Cowboys had Tunsil very high on their board.

By high, I mean near the top, not stoned.

 

[Verdict]

The Cowboys had Tunsil very high on their board.

By high, I mean near the top, not stoned.

Can you imagine this team with Tunsil at RT, and Henry in the second round? Interesting stuff.

 

[jobberone]

Free is an above average tackle. There are better and there are more worse. He fits the bill now and likely another year or so. They have a tackle they are developing in Green who appears to be a player.