Random observations from the game

[Mike 1967]

(1) It seemed that the Cardinals had 8 men in the box constantly. This had a lot to do with the difficulty that we had running up the middle. They simply clogged all the lanes

(2) Bledsoe is S L O W . The guy takes to long to go through his reads. He holds on to the ball too long. He throws off of his backfoot. I am no longer a fan of this guy. He is a downgrade from Testaverde.

(3) Either Romo or Henson should start over Bledsoe if this game was any indication of skill level.

(4) We still may be without a pass rush...but...in all fairness 2/3rds of our starting D Line was not in the game. And The Cardinals do have a decent Left Tackle.

(5) The cardinals could be good this year. With a pair of ends like Barry and Okeafer they appear to be stout up front. And the whole defense was playing lights out. Every time they made a tackle it appeared like they were trying to maul the Dallas ball carrier. Dennis Greene had these guys ready to play.

(6) Warner was the best QB on Saturday night. He was making quick reads and quick throws....and most were right on the money.

(7) Fitzgerald (sp ?)...(wide receiver for Arizona) is going to be a stud.

(8) Our defense is much improved over last year. The secondary is light years ahead and the run defense appears to be stout. But would like to see pass rush.

(9) Crowder better make this team. The guy is a lights out special teams player. That block he made on the last punt was unbelievable. I cannot remember ever seeing someone make that type of block before...he awareness on that play was unreal ! He also made a phenomenal tackle on a would be punt return. This guy could be the difference in a few close games this year.

(10) Tyson Thompson (Sp?) could possibly be the best RB on the team. This guy was blowing by everyone. If they had kept feeding him the ball in the 4th quarter we would have won this game. This guys ability to get to the outside is phenomenal and would force defenses to make some adjustments.

(11) Is Jacob Rogers a quitter ? I am beginning to question whether or not this guy has the mental toughness to play at this level. RT is a huge issue.

(12) Our punter is going to win us some games this year. He buys us a lot of field position.

(13) Why did the Cardinals (as a team) appear to be playing twice as hard and twice as fast as our team ?

 

[Woods]

With respect to a pass rush, according to several articles I've read, it appears we didn't do much blitzing. This is probably on purpose as BP doesn't want to show too much, and he probably wants to see if we can play the basics as this was our first time running the 3-4 during a game.

In terms of our OL, I have to think (hope) we will make solid improvement.

Same with Bledsoe. Not that I think he's going to be All-Pro, but hopefully over the next few weeks he gets more comfortable. Again, according to various articles, the Cards were blitzing more than usual for the 1st pre-season game.

That's not to make excuses for the poor OL play and penalties, but I would be shocked if we didn't improve vs. the Seahawks next week.

I think that Petitti alone should show some improvement as he gets more reps at the RT spot and as his injury heals.

As for Gurode and his untimely penalties, who knows?

 

[wileedog]

(6) Warner was the best QB on Saturday night. He was making quick reads and quick throws....and most were right on the money.

In fairness Warner was facing a pretty vanilla defense, and we really didn't go to the nickel that much to match up.

In a regular season game any DC worth his headset willl be blitzing the living snot out Warner. I doubt his performance tonight is inidicative of what he Cards will get from him this season.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

In fairness Warner was facing a pretty vanilla defense, and we really didn't go to the nickel that much to match up.

In a regular season game any DC worth his headset willl be blitzing the living snot out Warner. I doubt his performance tonight is inidicative of what he Cards will get from him this season.

I agree with Mike on this point. Warner was easily the best QB on that night. Particularly poinent because I felt as if Warner would be a good FA aquisition if healthy. Warner's thumb appeared to be good to go. He may have been playing against vanilla and no real pressure but I've always thought that the issue with Warner was not reading defenses or dealing with pressure. To me, it was the thumb and accuracy. That didn't appear to be a problem on Saturday. In fact, had it not been for some really outstanding play by Newman, IMO, Warner's numbers would have been spectacular. I look at Warner and what he was able to do and then I see Bledsoe and how he performed and it really kinda pisses me off. I hope we didn't miss the boarding call for the Queen Mary and instead, rushed to get passage booked on the Titanic instead.

 

[Mike 1967]

I have to disagree to an extent on the first 2 replies.

We blitzed on multiple occasions.....to no effect.

We also ran quite a bit of nickel defense. There was a lot of talk pregame that Parcells was going to run base 3-4 only and that it could get ugly.

But we ran quite a bit of nickel.

Warner looked sharper than I have seen him look in a long time. IT probably did not hurt that he was throwing to Fitzgerald.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

(13) Why did the Cardinals (as a team) appear to be playing twice as hard and twice as fast as our team ?

This may come across as a joke, and it is to a degree, but I also thing there is a bit of truth to it.


Zona played harder because there are more cowboys fans in Arizona then Cardinal fans.

This team was hyped up to beat the boys just like the Texans were.

Even the Zona announcers were acting like they were playing in the superbowl.

And also considered They game planned to win the game, it seems dallas only game planned for evaluation per what I have heard and read.

 

[bbgun]

Very encouraging ... if you're a Cards fan.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Very encouraging ... if you're a Cards fan.

Who or what is this "Cards Fan" thing you speak of?

 

[wileedog]

I agree with Mike on this point. Warner was easily the best QB on that night. Particularly poinent because I felt as if Warner would be a good FA aquisition if healthy. Warner's thumb appeared to be good to go. He may have been playing against vanilla and no real pressure but I've always thought that the issue with Warner was not reading defenses or dealing with pressure. To me, it was the thumb and accuracy. That didn't appear to be a problem on Saturday. In fact, had it not been for some really outstanding play by Newman, IMO, Warner's numbers would have been spectacular. I look at Warner and what he was able to do and then I see Bledsoe and how he performed and it really kinda pisses me off. I hope we didn't miss the boarding call for the Queen Mary and instead, rushed to get passage booked on the Titanic instead.

Warner had every single problem last year with the Giants last year that Bledsoe has - holds the ball too long, not great pocket awareness, fumbles a lot on contact. Perhaps some of that was from the absolute beating he took in the first game, but then again if he didn't have those problems perhaps he doesn't take the beating.

Its hardly the Queen Mary vs. the Titanic - perhaps more of the SS Minnow.

He may have looked the best last night, and he may even have a better season than Drew, but you are assuming an awful lot from an early August pre-season game that by all reports the Cowboys did almost no gameplanning for.

 

[mullet]

(10) Tyson Thompson (Sp?) could possibly be the best RB on the team. This guy was blowing by everyone. If they had kept feeding him the ball in the 4th quarter we would have won this game. This guys ability to get to the outside is phenomenal and would force defenses to make some adjustments.
QUOTE]

that is insanity. Julius jones is on an entirely different level.
TT has good straight line speed, but seems a bit stiff.

 

[Mike 1967]

(13) Why did the Cardinals (as a team) appear to be playing twice as hard and twice as fast as our team ?

This may come across as a joke, and it is to a degree, but I also thing there is a bit of truth to it.


Zona played harder because there are more cowboys fans in Arizona then Cardinal fans.

This team was hyped up to beat the boys just like the Texans were.

Even the Zona announcers were acting like they were playing in the superbowl.

And also considered They game planned to win the game, it seems dallas only game planned for evaluation per what I have heard and read.

Brain,

Those were my thoughts exactly !

Dennis Green was running 8 man fronts and he probably knew that the Cowboys wanted to go heavy on the run. My hope is that the lack of run production by the first team had more to do with this scheme mismatch and the fact that Dallas was not making adjustments in an effort to win the game.

But......Bledsoe still looked bad when the play call involved a pass.

Even the completion he made to Glenn on the far sideline looked bad. The guy threw off his back foot.

And he also appears to lack touch on the short passes. He threw them too hard and was not accurate.

 

[burmafrd]

Thompson hasa shown that he has speed, but not much else.

 

[Mike 1967]

(10) Tyson Thompson (Sp?) could possibly be the best RB on the team. This guy was blowing by everyone. If they had kept feeding him the ball in the 4th quarter we would have won this game. This guys ability to get to the outside is phenomenal and would force defenses to make some adjustments.
QUOTE]

that is insanity. Julius jones is on an entirely different level.
TT has good straight line speed, but seems a bit stiff.

Insanity is a very strong word.

Time will tell.

 

[Mike 1967]

Thompson hasa shown that he has speed, but not much else.

Not sure what else he was expected to do.

It's not like he was lining up and running straight ahead.

The guy showed an ability to take it to the outside (something he has been doing all camp). He showed good moves in the open field...and he showed an ability to run through some tackles.

We were not going to have much success running up the gut because 90% of the time AZ had 8 men in the box. This is primarily why IMO the running game cannot be judged off of this game. Tyson had success because he is a phenomenal outside runner. JJ is more of a up the middle runner....but there were no holes to run through when you have 8 guys clogging the lanes.

 

[Mike 1967]

Thompson hasa shown that he has speed, but not much else.

Speed is a pretty important ingredient.

 

[speedkilz88]

I have to disagree to an extent on the first 2 replies.

We blitzed on multiple occasions.....to no effect.

We also ran quite a bit of nickel defense. There was a lot of talk pregame that Parcells was going to run base 3-4 only and that it could get ugly.

But we ran quite a bit of nickel.

Warner looked sharper than I have seen him look in a long time. IT probably did not hurt that he was throwing to Fitzgerald.

The Cowboys only used the nickel on third downs, despite Arizona using 3 wr sets on first and second. Arizona at halftime's 3rd down coversion rate was something like 2 of 7, I think Dallas was 1 of 7. All the big plays by Warner were when they took advantage of the base 3-4 against their 3 wr set.

 

[Mike 1967]

The Cowboys only used the nickel on third downs, despite Arizona using 3 wr sets on first and second. Arizona at halftime's 3rd down coversion rate was something like 2 of 7, I think Dallas was 1 of 7. All the big plays by Warner were when they took advantage of the base 3-4 against their 3 wr set.

I don't believe you.

But unfortunately I don't have a way to prove or disprove your point. I did not tape the game so I cannot go back on watch the sets.

But regardless, Warner still looked light years ahead of Bledsoe.

You would expect your QB to be able to have some success against 8 man fronts.

 

[StateCollegeCowboy]

Insanity is a very strong word.

Time will tell.

It takes more that straight ahead speed to be a good running back. I agree that he has some potential, but I didn't see him juke anybody or freeze anybody in thier tracks. Can he make the tough or positive yardage when opponents are hitting him in the backfield? How is his field of vision? Can he block and does he understand all of his assignments. There are a lot of questions for him to anwser.

Plenty of RBs come into the league sporting all this potential, but very few succeed which includes some of our recent RBs to trot through Valley Ranch.

I'm tired of potential... lets see what JJ does with an offseason under his belt.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Warner had every single problem last year with the Giants last year that Bledsoe has - holds the ball too long, not great pocket awareness, fumbles a lot on contact. Perhaps some of that was from the absolute beating he took in the first game, but then again if he didn't have those problems perhaps he doesn't take the beating.

Its hardly the Queen Mary vs. the Titanic - perhaps more of the SS Minnow.

He may have looked the best last night, and he may even have a better season than Drew, but you are assuming an awful lot from an early August pre-season game that by all reports the Cowboys did almost no gameplanning for.

Perhaps you would be kind enough to point out what assumptions I've made here.

 

[Mike 1967]

It takes more that straight ahead speed to be a good running back. I agree that he has some potential, but I didn't see him juke anybody or freeze anybody in thier tracks. Can he make the tough or positive yardage when opponents are hitting him in the backfield? How is his field of vision? Can he block and does he understand all of his assignments. There are a lot of questions for him to anwser.

Plenty of RBs come into the league sporting all this potential, but very few succeed which includes some of our recent RBs to trot through Valley Ranch.

I'm tired of potential... lets see what JJ does with an offseason under his belt.

Good thing we did not use that logic last year with JJ.

You have to start somewhere with a player. And the best place to start is preseason.

And it may be a 4 lap race.....but he is off to a very good start coming out of the blocks.