jday
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Good Morning Football Family,
The time has finally arrived. Granted, it’s not real (for real) football; but it is a start and, as we all know, you have to start somewhere…may as well be here. That said, temper your expectations; very few starters will touch the field and if they do, it won’t be for long. Furthermore, you have to keep in mind that the objective tonight is not to win, but to evaluate and stay healthy. That means the coaches may even call plays that places various players in difficult situations as opposed to the variety that promotes success. Tonight is not the night we grade coaches.
If any one entity with the Cowboys organization is under the microscope, that would be the front office. The question at the very forefront of tonight is: How did they do filling holes and addressing depth over the course of this past offseason?
On paper, I’m willing to assess the front office at and around a “B” for the entirety of their offseason (specifically how they fared in Free Agency and the Draft). Dependent on what we see tonight, that score is subject to change. Being the first preseason game I won’t be harsh…but make no mistake, like many of you, I will be grading.
Who will I be watching and what am I looking for?
Leighton Vander Esch
I’ll go ahead and say it again: I did not like this pick; not at all. In fact, prior to the draft I was campaigning for Rashaan Evans (drafted by the Titans 3 picks after Leighton) over Leighton and released a missive on the topic here. Now that he’s a Cowboy, though, I can’t help but be a fan and will be rooting for him to succeed despite my own misgivings regarding the pick. Just so we are clear, I will not be hoping for him to fail to make me right. Truth be told, I could not care less about being right and honestly hope I am wrong.
But, my grade of that particular pick was a C+ for one reason: It’s not that I don’t think Leighton could be a great linebacker eventually (I see the potential); I just don’t think he will be that any time soon…just like my evaluation of Taco a year ago, I see him as a potential future great but immediate success might be asking for too much.
What I will be watching for from him tonight is how he stands up against the run (as far as coverage responsibilities, I suspect he will be an upgrade compared to everyone not named Sean Lee): Does he get hung up in traffic? Does he take good angles to the ball carrier? Does he allow the action to come to him rather than meet it at the hole (like Jaylon was guilty of countless times in his “rookie” year)? Can he shed blocks in a timely manner to get to the ball carrier?
Again, being the first game, for him to answer any of the above questions in a favorable manner might be asking a bit much; nevertheless, this aspect of his game is what concerns me the most.
Pass Rush
Be you an Optimist, Pessimist, or Realist I think we can all visualize a way for the Dallas Cowboys to be great in 2018. And I suspect if we were all to sit down and make a list of how that could come to fruition, having a great pass rush would rank somewhere near the top. We all know about Demarcus Lawrence and David Irving, the Cowboys current premier pass rushers; but what of the second/third year players and new additions?
Taco – He’s still not on Tank’s level, nor should he be. So while I’m not necessarily looking for him to amass a bunch of sacks (which, by the way, is not the end-all be-all of playing defensive end), I would like to see him consistently create pressure while maintaining lane integrity against the run.
Jihad Ward – As far as the season is concerned, much is riding on the Cowboys finding a temporary replacement for David Irving (out at least 4 weeks of the regular season due to suspension resulting from a missed drug test; could be longer as a result of “personal issues”) at 3-tech. Holy War Ward could not have asked for a better situation to land in; particularly if he can lock down that starting role in David’s absence. As far as what I’m looking for, see my questions regarding Taco. I want to see havoc being wreaked in the middle of that line.
Antwaun Woods – Currently Antwaun is Jihad’s biggest competition; some even suggesting he may have already past Ward on the premature depth chart. Be that as it may, everything either player has done up to this point means absolutely nothing compared to the tape they will view at some point following tonight’s game. Great practice players are a dime-a-dozen; at the end of the day, what you do when the big lights are on is all that really matters…just ask Dak.
Charles Tapper – He was one of my pet cats from the 2016 draft. He runs faster than a few receivers currently on the roster at a height of 6’2” and weight of 270 lbs. He may just have the best get-off of any defender on the line. His bugaboo has been injuries thus far in his disappointing career and 2018 might just be his last chance to prove he can stay healthy and provide valuable reps in a game. The mountain he faces (beyond staying healthy and the competition for his spot) is the fact that while injured he was not developing his technique in live environments. How is he going to try and beat the man in front of him tonight? Will he lean on his athleticism and constantly try to run around the block or will he employ different techniques to get through the blocker while maintaining lane integrity?
Randall Gregory – In my much-revered prose Much Ado about Nothing and Everything All At Once, I wrote this of our beloved Randy 3 years ago:
Randle Gregory the rookie, was worth a looksy, where the Cowboys took him in the second round
Considered a top 10 talent, the Cowboys put him in a balance, and gambled he could put the doobies down.
That remains to be seen, but on the TV screen his eyes sure do look squinty, foggy and red
Some say that’s how he looks, others say he’s cooked; but I say a pothead knows a pothead.
I include that excerpt for fun; that’s clearly not what I’ll be looking for and, of course, I hope he has turned the page on that chapter of his life. What I will be watching for is the much-discussed “Top 10 Talent” he supposedly is. Playing Defensive End in the NFL is one of the (if not the) hardest position to transition to from college. The reason for this is simple: What worked in college, simply won’t work here. Once again, I do not doubt his ability to run around a blocker; has he developed any other techniques?
Dorance Armstrong – Every year I am frustrated by the fact that I put in a lot of work in studying draft related material to determine who I think the Cowboys will take only to hear them call a name I have never heard or read about before. Enters Dorance Armstrong. When his name was called in the fourth round of this past draft I am fairly certain I had never read or heard one thing about the kid. Supposedly there is a “good” reason for that. Beyond the fact that he does not hail from what you might describe as a big football program (University of Kansas) and was a member of a terrible team last year, like Tapper at Oklahoma in 2015, he was the victim of a schematic shift in 2017 that negatively impacted his stats compared to those he garnered the year before (2016). In 2016, he had 10 sacks, 56 tackles (20 of which were for a loss), 5 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. In 2017, his overall performance regressed, despite logging more tackles – 63 total, 9 of which were for loss, 1.5 sacks, 7 QB hurries, 4 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. In camp he has been regarded as someone worthy of watching. Again, see the above DE for what specifically I’ll be watching for.
Bo Scarborough
Truth be told, I’m not expecting a whole lot and here’s why: Where I believe Bo’s value will be at its highest for the Cowboys is in the second half of games after the opposing defense has been subjected to a relentless steady dose of 3 parts Zeke, 1 part Rod Smith and the Cowboys have the lead. Throwing in Bo in that situation bodes well for his running style and physicality. What I have seen Bo do little of despite his impressive size and athleticism is create his own holes. If it’s blocked up well, though, watch out – Bo reminds me a bit of Brandon Jacobs (formerly of the Giants) in that once he gets going he’s hard to stop…he just needs a little runway to get to that speed. Tonight with the majority of the starting offensive line playing at the most 8 snaps (if that), I suspect, the runways will be few and far between.
Secondary
What I’ll be looking for here is more about the innovation Kris Richard brings; I’m not necessarily watching specific players. I just want to see if I can get a better idea of what he is looking for across the board on given plays in given situations. Will we really see less bend-don’t-break and more in-your-face make the offense beat the press coverage? How will the safeties on the back end fill in the gaps in coverage? On a collective level, how to the corners and defensive backs respond? Does the energy Kris brings to practice carry over for his players into the game?
This will be the first taste of action and I am expecting to see mostly their base defense, with the occasional substitution to match whatever the 49ers are trying to accomplish offensively. For example, if they roll out three receivers, the Cowboys will still probably answer with Nickle, against 4 receivers, they may use dime or the 3-2-6 (though I doubt it), etc. But, ultimately, I’m not expecting anything exotic.
The Receivers
I saved the best for last. As with the secondary, I won’t be zeroing in on any particular player, but when given a good angle to watch, I will be focusing on how they run their routes. Will they continue to exhibit the practices that Sanjay Lal has been drilling into them since OTA’s or will they regress to their route-running habits developed over their years as a player from High School to the Pro’s?
In Kibbles & Tidbits VIII, I deduced my way through what I believe Sanjay will be looking for. Briefly recapping that, his approach to route running involves balance, protecting the player’s limbs, and deception. How does the receivers come off the line? Do they evenly sink their hips going into their break, without leaning in one direction or other to tip off the corner to their intended direction? Are they able to create separation coming out of their break? And, of course, when given the opportunity, do they make the most of it (e.g. catch the ball, run after the catch, touchdowns)?
As for specific players I am intrigued by, the top tier candidates I’ll be focused on when on the field are (in no particular order): Michael Gallup, Lance Lanoir, and Tavon Austin (though I doubt he will see action beyond a few snaps).
Who and what will you be watching tonight?
The time has finally arrived. Granted, it’s not real (for real) football; but it is a start and, as we all know, you have to start somewhere…may as well be here. That said, temper your expectations; very few starters will touch the field and if they do, it won’t be for long. Furthermore, you have to keep in mind that the objective tonight is not to win, but to evaluate and stay healthy. That means the coaches may even call plays that places various players in difficult situations as opposed to the variety that promotes success. Tonight is not the night we grade coaches.
If any one entity with the Cowboys organization is under the microscope, that would be the front office. The question at the very forefront of tonight is: How did they do filling holes and addressing depth over the course of this past offseason?
On paper, I’m willing to assess the front office at and around a “B” for the entirety of their offseason (specifically how they fared in Free Agency and the Draft). Dependent on what we see tonight, that score is subject to change. Being the first preseason game I won’t be harsh…but make no mistake, like many of you, I will be grading.
Who will I be watching and what am I looking for?
Leighton Vander Esch
I’ll go ahead and say it again: I did not like this pick; not at all. In fact, prior to the draft I was campaigning for Rashaan Evans (drafted by the Titans 3 picks after Leighton) over Leighton and released a missive on the topic here. Now that he’s a Cowboy, though, I can’t help but be a fan and will be rooting for him to succeed despite my own misgivings regarding the pick. Just so we are clear, I will not be hoping for him to fail to make me right. Truth be told, I could not care less about being right and honestly hope I am wrong.
But, my grade of that particular pick was a C+ for one reason: It’s not that I don’t think Leighton could be a great linebacker eventually (I see the potential); I just don’t think he will be that any time soon…just like my evaluation of Taco a year ago, I see him as a potential future great but immediate success might be asking for too much.
What I will be watching for from him tonight is how he stands up against the run (as far as coverage responsibilities, I suspect he will be an upgrade compared to everyone not named Sean Lee): Does he get hung up in traffic? Does he take good angles to the ball carrier? Does he allow the action to come to him rather than meet it at the hole (like Jaylon was guilty of countless times in his “rookie” year)? Can he shed blocks in a timely manner to get to the ball carrier?
Again, being the first game, for him to answer any of the above questions in a favorable manner might be asking a bit much; nevertheless, this aspect of his game is what concerns me the most.
Pass Rush
Be you an Optimist, Pessimist, or Realist I think we can all visualize a way for the Dallas Cowboys to be great in 2018. And I suspect if we were all to sit down and make a list of how that could come to fruition, having a great pass rush would rank somewhere near the top. We all know about Demarcus Lawrence and David Irving, the Cowboys current premier pass rushers; but what of the second/third year players and new additions?
Taco – He’s still not on Tank’s level, nor should he be. So while I’m not necessarily looking for him to amass a bunch of sacks (which, by the way, is not the end-all be-all of playing defensive end), I would like to see him consistently create pressure while maintaining lane integrity against the run.
Jihad Ward – As far as the season is concerned, much is riding on the Cowboys finding a temporary replacement for David Irving (out at least 4 weeks of the regular season due to suspension resulting from a missed drug test; could be longer as a result of “personal issues”) at 3-tech. Holy War Ward could not have asked for a better situation to land in; particularly if he can lock down that starting role in David’s absence. As far as what I’m looking for, see my questions regarding Taco. I want to see havoc being wreaked in the middle of that line.
Antwaun Woods – Currently Antwaun is Jihad’s biggest competition; some even suggesting he may have already past Ward on the premature depth chart. Be that as it may, everything either player has done up to this point means absolutely nothing compared to the tape they will view at some point following tonight’s game. Great practice players are a dime-a-dozen; at the end of the day, what you do when the big lights are on is all that really matters…just ask Dak.
Charles Tapper – He was one of my pet cats from the 2016 draft. He runs faster than a few receivers currently on the roster at a height of 6’2” and weight of 270 lbs. He may just have the best get-off of any defender on the line. His bugaboo has been injuries thus far in his disappointing career and 2018 might just be his last chance to prove he can stay healthy and provide valuable reps in a game. The mountain he faces (beyond staying healthy and the competition for his spot) is the fact that while injured he was not developing his technique in live environments. How is he going to try and beat the man in front of him tonight? Will he lean on his athleticism and constantly try to run around the block or will he employ different techniques to get through the blocker while maintaining lane integrity?
Randall Gregory – In my much-revered prose Much Ado about Nothing and Everything All At Once, I wrote this of our beloved Randy 3 years ago:
Randle Gregory the rookie, was worth a looksy, where the Cowboys took him in the second round
Considered a top 10 talent, the Cowboys put him in a balance, and gambled he could put the doobies down.
That remains to be seen, but on the TV screen his eyes sure do look squinty, foggy and red
Some say that’s how he looks, others say he’s cooked; but I say a pothead knows a pothead.
I include that excerpt for fun; that’s clearly not what I’ll be looking for and, of course, I hope he has turned the page on that chapter of his life. What I will be watching for is the much-discussed “Top 10 Talent” he supposedly is. Playing Defensive End in the NFL is one of the (if not the) hardest position to transition to from college. The reason for this is simple: What worked in college, simply won’t work here. Once again, I do not doubt his ability to run around a blocker; has he developed any other techniques?
Dorance Armstrong – Every year I am frustrated by the fact that I put in a lot of work in studying draft related material to determine who I think the Cowboys will take only to hear them call a name I have never heard or read about before. Enters Dorance Armstrong. When his name was called in the fourth round of this past draft I am fairly certain I had never read or heard one thing about the kid. Supposedly there is a “good” reason for that. Beyond the fact that he does not hail from what you might describe as a big football program (University of Kansas) and was a member of a terrible team last year, like Tapper at Oklahoma in 2015, he was the victim of a schematic shift in 2017 that negatively impacted his stats compared to those he garnered the year before (2016). In 2016, he had 10 sacks, 56 tackles (20 of which were for a loss), 5 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. In 2017, his overall performance regressed, despite logging more tackles – 63 total, 9 of which were for loss, 1.5 sacks, 7 QB hurries, 4 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. In camp he has been regarded as someone worthy of watching. Again, see the above DE for what specifically I’ll be watching for.
Bo Scarborough
Truth be told, I’m not expecting a whole lot and here’s why: Where I believe Bo’s value will be at its highest for the Cowboys is in the second half of games after the opposing defense has been subjected to a relentless steady dose of 3 parts Zeke, 1 part Rod Smith and the Cowboys have the lead. Throwing in Bo in that situation bodes well for his running style and physicality. What I have seen Bo do little of despite his impressive size and athleticism is create his own holes. If it’s blocked up well, though, watch out – Bo reminds me a bit of Brandon Jacobs (formerly of the Giants) in that once he gets going he’s hard to stop…he just needs a little runway to get to that speed. Tonight with the majority of the starting offensive line playing at the most 8 snaps (if that), I suspect, the runways will be few and far between.
Secondary
What I’ll be looking for here is more about the innovation Kris Richard brings; I’m not necessarily watching specific players. I just want to see if I can get a better idea of what he is looking for across the board on given plays in given situations. Will we really see less bend-don’t-break and more in-your-face make the offense beat the press coverage? How will the safeties on the back end fill in the gaps in coverage? On a collective level, how to the corners and defensive backs respond? Does the energy Kris brings to practice carry over for his players into the game?
This will be the first taste of action and I am expecting to see mostly their base defense, with the occasional substitution to match whatever the 49ers are trying to accomplish offensively. For example, if they roll out three receivers, the Cowboys will still probably answer with Nickle, against 4 receivers, they may use dime or the 3-2-6 (though I doubt it), etc. But, ultimately, I’m not expecting anything exotic.
The Receivers
I saved the best for last. As with the secondary, I won’t be zeroing in on any particular player, but when given a good angle to watch, I will be focusing on how they run their routes. Will they continue to exhibit the practices that Sanjay Lal has been drilling into them since OTA’s or will they regress to their route-running habits developed over their years as a player from High School to the Pro’s?
In Kibbles & Tidbits VIII, I deduced my way through what I believe Sanjay will be looking for. Briefly recapping that, his approach to route running involves balance, protecting the player’s limbs, and deception. How does the receivers come off the line? Do they evenly sink their hips going into their break, without leaning in one direction or other to tip off the corner to their intended direction? Are they able to create separation coming out of their break? And, of course, when given the opportunity, do they make the most of it (e.g. catch the ball, run after the catch, touchdowns)?
As for specific players I am intrigued by, the top tier candidates I’ll be focused on when on the field are (in no particular order): Michael Gallup, Lance Lanoir, and Tavon Austin (though I doubt he will see action beyond a few snaps).
Who and what will you be watching tonight?
