Need better special teams play?

[DandyDon52]

Ok I watched a 91 game, and in it they said Jimmy broke it down to the 3 phases.
1.Offense
2.Defense
3.Special Teams, he called it the kicking game.
Jimmy said to win they needed to win 2 of the 3.
It was evident he put a lot of emphasis on ST play and not only expected them to win
their phase of game, but demanded some type of score from them.

In the 91 game they blocked 2 punts, and had a return for a td.

This is something JG does not put a emphasis on, and with our defense, we really need
better special team play, and better players on that unit.

Jimmy also used some starters on ST if they were good at it.
in first game of 92 against the SB champ skins, holt was a starting safety and he blocked a punt
for a safety .

I think now days dallas and other teams wind up using ST to keep project players on the team,
instead of building a good ST unit.
Dallas has had some good plays here and there, but overall their ST contribution has been
avg or below avg.
So the only way to win the 2 of 3 is to win on offense and defense, and that is hard to do.
I think ST is one reason the 92 and 93 teams won as many games as they did, was with ST play
helping to win games.

It was important back then, but doesnt seem to be now.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Agreed. I'm impressed with Dan Bailey but not the other aspects of the special teams.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Jones has been decent punting the ball

 

[Seven]

How do we know Garrett does not put emphasis on ST's? Seriously....

 

[DandyDon52]

How do we know Garrett does not put emphasis on ST's? Seriously....

Well I dont know, I am going by results over a period of time. Since he became HC.
He also doesnt talk about it much, and then look at the players that make up the ST.

It seems they use it more as a place to store players, than a unit meant to excel.

Just my opinion, but it seems JG mainly wants to win games with offense,
the defense is just supposed to help, and ST is just bailey.
He doesnt see it as 3 equal units, where 2 should outplay the other team each week.

 

[Idgit]

Teams is an area where the overall depth of a team, or lack thereof, shows up. I'd be surprised if we didn't have more starters playing teams than the league average. As has been mentioned, our punter and kicker are good. Our coverage teams need improvement, and we're in the process of trying to replace our KR. Overall, we haven't been good enough there to win games on Teams, and I can think of a few where they've cost us.

 

[Cowboy06]

Good post. I think about that as well. There was this draft a few year back that was for special teams and it didn't work out. I would play starters on ST if I thought it would make a difference.

 

[DandyDon52]

game 1 in 92 Dallas 79 yd punt return for TD .
score was 16-7 in 3rd qtr
I am going to watch the 92 games and take note of ST plays.

 

[Maxmadden]

The depth on those early Cowboy teams was unreal. Teams just can't carry that much depth in the salary cap era.

 

[Bullflop]

The depth on those early Cowboy teams was unreal. Teams just can't carry that much depth in the salary cap era.

True -- and if that isn't enough, the over-inflated number of teams currently existing in the NFL doesn't help depth concerns, either.

 

[Seven]

Well I dont know, I am going by results over a period of time. Since he became HC.
He also doesnt talk about it much, and then look at the players that make up the ST.

It seems they use it more as a place to store players, than a unit meant to excel.

Just my opinion, but it seems JG mainly wants to win games with offense,
the defense is just supposed to help, and ST is just bailey.
He doesnt see it as 3 equal units, where 2 should outplay the other team each week.

Nice post and some valid thoughts. I have posted before that ST's have been average at best, especially on the return side.

I have to agree with others tho.

It's a lack of depth more than anything. Not so sure that Garrett doesn't put emphasis on it because I think he's still got some old school in him.

A believer in three phases of the game, IMO.

 

[RoboQB]

The depth on those early Cowboy teams was unreal. Teams just can't carry that much depth in the salary cap era.

Agreed.

The conspiracy theorist in me has always felt that the Salary Cap was invented to water down the Cowboys roster.
I know, it's not true (or is it). If not for the salary cap, Dallas, in the 90's, would've been like Jordan's Bulls... or maybe even NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson.

 

[Maxmadden]

They have practically removed kickoffs from the game so I am not sure Special Teams plays as big a role that it once did.

I wonder if moving kickoffs to the 25 will encourage teams to try and kickoff short in hopes of pinning the down inside the 15?

 

[DandyDon52]

Good post. I think about that as well. There was this draft a few year back that was for special teams and it didn't work out. I would play starters on ST if I thought it would make a difference.

I dont think they drafted "for" special teams lol. but the players they got were not ever starters
and were thought of as ST players only, so it was called the ST draft.

 

[DandyDon52]

They have practically removed kickoffs from the game so I am not sure Special Teams plays as big a role that it once did.

I wonder if moving kickoffs to the 25 will encourage teams to try and kickoff short in hopes of pinning the down inside the 15?

Jimmys teams were mainly about blocking punts, and returning punts.
and other things on punts. and not letting other team return KO for long gain or TD
like harris did to us recently.
Then overall, the announcers commented that dallas out hustled the other team, meaning
they played with more intensity, all the players, throughout the game.(in all 3 phases)

We play hard now, and try, but I dont know that we are intense, except occasionally .

 

[DandyDon52]

jimmy was a intense guy and coach and I think it carried over to the players.
In game one they beat the SB champ Commanders, and he never smiled the whole game,
or greeted players with joy like JG, and he just barked at people.
At one point he went down the sideline telling everyone to get back so they
were not penalized.
The whole game he was intense and to look at him you would think he was losing to a 3-5 team.

 

[DenCWBY]

Ok I watched a 91 game, and in it they said Jimmy broke it down to the 3 phases.
1.Offense
2.Defense
3.Special Teams, he called it the kicking game.
Jimmy said to win they needed to win 2 of the 3.
It was evident he put a lot of emphasis on ST play and not only expected them to win
their phase of game, but demanded some type of score from them.

In the 91 game they blocked 2 punts, and had a return for a td.

This is something JG does not put a emphasis on, and with our defense, we really need
better special team play, and better players on that unit.

Jimmy also used some starters on ST if they were good at it.
in first game of 92 against the SB champ skins, holt was a starting safety and he blocked a punt
for a safety .

I think now days dallas and other teams wind up using ST to keep project players on the team,
instead of building a good ST unit.
Dallas has had some good plays here and there, but overall their ST contribution has been
avg or below avg.
So the only way to win the 2 of 3 is to win on offense and defense, and that is hard to do.
I think ST is one reason the 92 and 93 teams won as many games as they did, was with ST play
helping to win games.

It was important back then, but doesnt seem to be now.

Moose Johnson - Awesome FB and ST player in his time. DC recently should have signed Harris who was not only a good returner and receiver but very good punt defender as well. I agree we overlook this part of our game and could use vast improvement on ST.

 

[Maxmadden]

Jimmys teams were mainly about blocking punts, and returning punts.
and other things on punts. and not letting other team return KO for long gain or TD
like harris did to us recently.
Then overall, the announcers commented that dallas out hustled the other team, meaning
they played with more intensity, all the players, throughout the game.(in all 3 phases)

We play hard now, and try, but I dont know that we are intense, except occasionally .

I can see what you're saying about the intensity and why it seems there is not an emphasis. Besides not having as much depth, there is also the NFLPA that has limited the practice schedule to the point that they just can't focus as much on special teams.

We also don't have Bill Bates and Kenny Gant. Bill Bates was a HOF special teams player. Just unbelievable how often he made the play.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Good post. I think about that as well. There was this draft a few year back that was for special teams and it didn't work out.

Because that draft was one of if not the worst in league history.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

Jones has been decent punting the ball

Far beyond decent last year. He was arguably their best defensive weapon.