My Meaningless Thoughts On The Game...

[RainMan]

Good stuff, Rich, and I appreciate the non-sweeping judgments on Romo. I think he played a fine game (albeit against a joke of a team) but it's games like today and the countless other great ones he's had that gives me hope he can be the guy. I'm still of the opinion I want to see the full 16-game platter this season before making any sweeping conclusions. He certainly has the ability but has those games where he doesn't look like he has a clue. You just never know when a guy at his position "gets it" though. I was telling friends back midway through 2007 how it'd be hilarious when Eli gets benched. He then goes on a run and wins the Super Bowl and is now an MVP candidate. Oops.

 

[RainMan]

Just to think, I got chastised for saying I was looking forward to the end of the Flozell era, only 2 weeks ago!




YAKUZA

The only thing that makes Flozell valuable is the unknown behind him. And for all his inexcusable penalties, I think we have to ask this question right now: Can we *risk* finding out if Doug Free can prevent Romo from getting killed? Flozell, at least, doesn't get Romo killed (he just kills drives). It's an unpleasant quandary.

 

[SuspectCorner]

As I recall, Steve Young's entire HOF career was predicated on YAC.

Your memory may be slipping. Steve Young threw a great 'deep' ball - and often, too.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Your memory may be slipping. Steve Young threw a great 'deep' ball - and often, too.

Perhaps your memory is slipping. Both Jerry Rice and TO were consistently among league leaders in YAC. Steve Young threw deep on numerous occasions, but the success of San Francisco's offense was predicated largely on Jerry Rice's ability to run after the catch.

 

[mmohican29]

Romo's play has been the most overlooked aspect of today's game, in my opinion. It seemed he finally discovered a balance between gunslinger (i.e. his third down pass to Austin) and managing the game.

I think we will see a good QB the rest of the way. He didn't look rattled once today even when trailing or when the D had their weekly game ending flop.

I think "someone" - possibly outside the organization- had a talk with Tony and reminded him of the good things he is capable of.

Said person might have said what I would tell him- the criticism can't be any harsher than it is right now, so just go play your game, relax, and have fun out there. You're not going anywhere nor being benched anytime soon.

Lead YOUR team and forget about the nonsense that comes from pundits and naysayers, they have nothing to do with any outcomes of games or your career.

He was smiling the whole game and even pre-snap looked like a different guy- the '07 guy today.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Keith Brooking is the biggest leader on the team. Unfortunately the Bennett's of this team wont follow.

 

[lostinomiya]

I think I heard Brad Sham say Mart B was sloppy i practice and making lots of mental mistakes.

 

[Don Corleone]

(Coaching is extremely important, and as you can see Jerry hasn't always picked a good coach)

But Jerry is the head coach.

 

[Don Corleone]

Just to think, I got chastised for saying I was looking forward to the end of the Flozell era, only 2 weeks ago!




YAKUZA

How dare you question the great Flozell Adams? He is a unique beast indeed, and plays the all important LT position, protecting Romo's blind side. He is so rare, that 12 seasons later, he still hasn't been replaced. [/sarcasm]

Anyone who doesn't see Flozell for what he is is simply putting homer glasses on. This dude has sucked *** for a long time, and should have been replaced at the millenium.

You can't convince me that a replacement can't be drafted or picked up in FA.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I actually believe Doug Free can do a more than solid job replacing him. Of course, there's a 'well, why isn't he starting then?' This I can actually see the reason behind because he didn't impress in '08 so we needed Flo back for another year. Flo was penciled in as the starter and while I don't think having Free in would be a bad thing, O-Line play is so dependent on communication and coordination of their efforts that coaches would be gunshy to replace a starter if they are not hurt.

This, I can understand. But how Carpenter keeps his nickel back position and if Crayton gets to start over Austin, those are things I don't quite understand.




YAKUZA

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Great observations!

Based on what I've gathered from this thread, tackle, safety, and WR should be a priority in next year's draft. Are these the three areas that are seriously lacking in consistency?

 

[Oh_Canada]

I couldn't agree more Yakuza...spot on analysis.

 

[WV Cowboy]

...Brooking is a real leader and Ratliff just continues to amaze...he's a shoe-in for the pro bowl later this year...Spencer keeps grinding and it looks like it may soon come to some fruition...

...Flozell Adams is a liability to the offense

...Alan Ball caused much mayhem and consternation with his dumb, ill-advised rocket launch on third and 26 late in the game, when a simple tackle would've sufficed...a small microcosm of what ails the Cowboys right now...

I agree about Brooking, I have been tooting his horn for a few weeks now. I love the guy, we need more like him.

I don't know about Flo until we find a replacement good enough. It appears he is the best we've got for now so we have to take the bad with the good.

Don't agree about Ball, .. that was a great play, .. he led with his shoulder. That is what a safety is supposed to do, intimidate, ... Ronnie Lott would be proud.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Great observations!

Based on what I've gathered from this thread, tackle, safety, and WR should be a priority in next year's draft. Are these the three areas that are seriously lacking in consistency?

After tonight's MNF game, I'll post up the QB Rating Differential Numbers around the league (QBRD = Teams Offensive QB Rating - Teams Defensive QB Rating Allowed). It's got an extremely high statistical correlation to winning and losing in the NFL.

The troublesome issue Dallas faces, even if Romo plays very well is that we don't get interceptions to help lower our QB Rating Allowed on Defense. Only one interception from all of our safeties in the past 27 games. I'd like to think that is probably the worst in the league. All of the interception leaders last year had a lot of interceptions from the safeties. Same goes for the leading teams in QB Rating Allowed (except for the Eagles who 'only' got 5 picks from their safeties last year). The best teams in pass defense usually get about 7-10 picks a year from their safeties.

Usually what happens with the good pass defense teams is one of the starting safeties will get 1 or 2 picks and stop the run while the other racks up the picks.





YAKUZA

 

[Future]

Keith Brooking is the biggest leader on the team. Unfortunately the Bennett's of this team wont follow.

What? Where is that coming from? Bennett isn't producing all of that much in the passing game, but he is competing, playing hard, and blocking well. Martellus Bennett is the least of our problems.

Good observation. I thought this was Romo's best game of the season. He was much more consistent than the game against the Bucs.

Absolutely. Realistically, he should have had like 4 TD passes.

 

[Alexander]

You reading this board Jerry?

He probably does but is too busy listening to Hudson Houck who is claiming Tamba Hali is the best pass rusher Adams has faced this year.

 

[Skin]

He probably does but is too busy listening to Hudson Houck who is claiming Tamba Hali is the best pass rusher Adams has faced this year.

Well if Aikman and Buck said it, it must be true.

I have very little confidence in what either of them says, for example, early in the game Joe Buck made the statement that Romo had not completed a pass of over 20 yds. this season. I guess I could be charitable and assume he meant that a ball had not traveled over 20 yards in the air, but that's not what he said.

 

[jazzcat22]

Romo had 350 yards today, but remember, about 100 of those yards were Austin YAC. He was much more accurate today than last week, but I saw some bad from him today too.

Romo wasn't great today, but he was far better than last week. Last week he couldn't hit the side of a barn from 10 feet away even if nobody was without 6 miles of him.

Most of Montana's yards were YAC yadage......not making a comparison, but just saying, yards are yards, and TR put the ball in the excat place, for Austin to be able to catch it and break a tackle, and run. Great plays on both players' part.

 

[alancdc]

I don't know how to copy and paste, but in regards to the officiating....That wasn't even the worst call of the Denver/NE game....How about at the end of the game when the ref calls "taunting" on the NE DB, and the guy, Merryweather, had not even gotten off the ground yet. I HAVE NEVER EVER seen that in my life. If that had happened in a Boys game I would have stroked out.

 

[theebs]

I don't know how to copy and paste, but in regards to the officiating....That wasn't even the worst call of the Denver/NE game....How about at the end of the game when the ref calls "taunting" on the NE DB, and the guy, Merryweather, had not even gotten off the ground yet. I HAVE NEVER EVER seen that in my life. If that had happened in a Boys game I would have stroked out.

that was simply an undefendable mistake from the officials.

Someone should be suspended for making that call.

It was really really wrong.