Scout’s Notebook: Keep An Eye On Free-Atkins Matchup Inside

[RS12]

IRVING, Texas - Some thoughts from Valley Ranch before the Cincinnati Game:

• This will be a huge challenge for this Cowboys offensive line to have to deal with the front seven of the Cincinnati Bengals for three quarters. Mike Zimmer has an outstanding group of defenders to work with. In going back and studying their preseason game with Atlanta, they physically man-handled the Falcons front.
  Geno Atkins plays at the under tackle and can really be a handful when he attacks the outside shoulder of the guard. Domata Peko at nose will test Travis Frederick when he has to make that reach or cut off block. These linebackers are active and now with long time Steeler, James Harrison in the mix, it’s a nasty group. Through three preseason games, this first unit of offensive linemen protection wise, has been up to the challenge of keeping Romo and Orton upright where the improvement needs to come is having more opportunities to run the ball in this zone scheme.
  

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...03f?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[RS12]

Keep An Eye On Free-Atkins Matchup Inside

Honestly, scary thought.

 

[Lonestar94]

Free will get destroyed.

 

[RS12]

The Cowboys' disaster zone

• 07:12 AM ET 08.23 | Tony Romo may be in for another long season behind a line in flux. Don't bother listening to the spin coming from Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett or team vice president Stephen Jones -- the offensive line is a sports tragedy waiting to happen. And they all know it. Garrett tried to downplay the not so surprising revelation that starting right tackle Doug Free was working at guard on Wednesday. No big deal, says the coach. Only Free, according to Stephen Jones, is likely to see action at a position he has never played, including high school, when the Cowboys play the Bengals on Saturday night. The Cowboys have tried, and failed, to sign veteran Brandon Moore and Brian Waters since the start oftraining camp because they obviously do not like their current options at guard.

Star-Telegram


http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/398571-the-cowboys-disaster-zone

 

[Idgit]

And yet, we beat this team last season with a weaker line than we'll be fielding tomorrow.

 

[Idgit]

The Cowboys' disaster zone

• 07:12 AM ET 08.23 | Tony Romo may be in for another long season behind a line in flux. Don't bother listening to the spin coming from Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett or team vice president Stephen Jones -- the offensive line is a sports tragedy waiting to happen. And they all know it. Garrett tried to downplay the not so surprising revelation that starting right tackle Doug Free was working at guard on Wednesday. No big deal, says the coach. Only Free, according to Stephen Jones, is likely to see action at a position he has never played, including high school, when the Cowboys play the Bengals on Saturday night. The Cowboys have tried, and failed, to sign veteran Brandon Moore and Brian Waters since the start oftraining camp because they obviously do not like their current options at guard.

Star-Telegram


http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/398571-the-cowboys-disaster-zone

That reads like somebody let some Mac Engel slip out on accident.

 

[Zekeats]

God forbid you overpaid a little for 1 year for Moore or Waters.........I guess Jerry only likes to overpay for multiple years. Free, Austin, Ratliff, Roy Williams, Livings, Hamlin, Leonard Davis, ect.

 

[FiveRings]

Jermaine Gresham handled him, Free should have no problem But honestly, I'm not worried about Free, and I won't be until he gives me reason to, he had one Pro Bowl caliber year, and one disastrous year. To me it's a wash, now Doug has a clean slate and I'm eager to see what he can do with it

 

[ElGatoGrande]

What's infuriating is that they're going into the season, AGAIN, knowing that what they've done for the OL in the offseason isn't good enough. I don't think the front office has its eye on a championship, thy just want to be semi competitive until their cap sins are paid for.

 

[Staubacher]

I'd pull Romo early from this game like Green Bay did w Rodgers. I'd rather we lose the reps than lose our qb for the season.

 

[CooterBrown]

I think Free will do well. He struggled most with speed rushers to his outside. He seemed to do okay with the bull rushers. At guard, he will have someone on both sides of him and sometimes help from Frederick. My biggest concern would be how well he can pass off on stunts from the guard position.

 

[CooterBrown]

If I were the worrying type, and I'm not, I'd be more concerned about Parnell at RT. At least Free has been playing all pre-season.

 

[fatboygixxer]

And yet, we beat this team last season with a weaker line than we'll be fielding tomorrow.

Geno had a big day if I remember correctly, but our line is better now. Its just a question of who's gonna be out there. I don't see why everyone is in panic mode, the line up to this point has played pretty well.

 

[CowboyDiver]

Funny how the title says watch the Free Atkins matchup then never mentions the two of them in the article.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Geno had a big day if I remember correctly, but our line is better now. Its just a question of who's gonna be out there. I don't see why everyone is in panic mode, the line up to this point has played pretty well.

Well its interesting to me cause last season in our matchup Geno had Livings for lunch, this time he really gets Berny for most of the day.

Why this article mentions Free and Atkins is beyond me cause while they could see each other, Berny will see alot more of him probably at Romo's peril.

 

[cowboys2233]

Geno had a big day if I remember correctly, but our line is better now. Its just a question of who's gonna be out there. I don't see why everyone is in panic mode, the line up to this point has played pretty well.

I honestly don't know how you can make the assessment that our line is better now. They've put Free at a position he has never played before...and they did it all of two days ago. Yeah, I see no problem here.

 

[TwoDeep3]

And yet, we beat this team last season with a weaker line than we'll be fielding tomorrow.

Amazing. Last season has NO BEARING on this season.

 

[Idgit]

Amazing. Last season has NO BEARING on this season.

We won't win this season just because we won last season, but its reasonable to assume that personnel upgrades can improve an OL unit from one year to the next.

Either way, it's apparent that most posters think last year's performance will have some bearing on this year's, or else we wouldn't be hearing so much angst about our own players. The fact that the real issues on the OL in 2012 were at C and OT notwithstanding.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Amazing. Last season has NO BEARING on this season.

Neither does the preseason. Yet the first line in the Star-Telegram article is "Tony Romo may be in for another long season behind a line in flux" when we know the line should be healthy by the G-Men game.

 

[Fredd]

I'd pull Romo early from this game like Green Bay did w Rodgers. I'd rather we lose the reps than lose our qb for the season.

ding-ding-ding!!!! we have a winner here!