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

[erod]

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

I'd argue that the Bengals handed us the most gift wrapped win we've had in a decade.

They killed Dallas, and found a way to lose.

 

[Idgit]

I'd argue that the Bengals handed us the most gift wrapped win we've had in a decade.

They killed Dallas, and found a way to lose.

That's not the way I saw that game. Though I agree they easily could have beat us. We were just refusing to quit at that point. It was a fun game to watch as the Bengals are a good team, too.

 

[honyock]

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.

Yeah, I agree, unless they move Atkins around more than they did in the game last year, we'll see much more Bern-Atkins than Free-Atkins.

 

[erod]

Simply put, Jerry has to pony up for Brian Waters. Don't risk a season on a single position that can be instantly improved right now. Waters is said to be in shape, and he's better than Bernadeau in his sleep.

 

[Zordon]

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

huh free was terrible in 2011 too.

 

[Frosty]

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.

Absolutely agree, its just a preseason game and not worth getting more players injured.....However......I dont think Jason Garrett or Jerry Jones has common sense enough to do it. All Jerry Jones see is the MONEY coming in from the first home preseason Cowboys game at ATT Stadium....Jerry will be all over the TV tonight talking up his **********....LOL

 

[xwalker]

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

Last season Atkins lined up primarily at RDT which matched him up with the LG (Livings). Free has been practicing at RG.

 

[Zordon]

Absolutely agree, its just a preseason game and not worth getting more players injured.....However......I dont think Jason Garrett or Jerry Jones has common sense enough to do it. All Jerry Jones see is the MONEY coming in from the first home preseason Cowboys game at ATT Stadium....Jerry will be all over the TV tonight talking up his **********....LOL

I wholeheartedly disagree.

This "playing scared" mentality needs to wiped out of this organization. Those guys get played to block, let them block. Altering your gameplan b/c you're scared what might happen to your QB is so wimpy and par for the course for this country club atmosphere we have going right now with how we treat injuries in preseason. Go out and play!

 

[Staubacher]

I wholeheartedly disagree.

This "playing scared" mentality needs to wiped out of this organization. Those guys get played to block, let them block. Altering your gameplan b/c you're scared what might happen to your QB is so wimpy and par for the course for this country club atmosphere we have going right now with how we treat injuries in preseason. Go out and play!

We don't have a regular line for this game. This game doesn't count. It's not about thumping your chest it's being smart and not getting your qb killed in a practice

 

[Zordon]

We don't have a regular line for this game. This game doesn't count. It's not about thumping your chest it's being smart and not getting your qb killed in a practice

How do we not have a regular line?

 

[Idgit]

I'm not excited exposing my franchise to a blitzing DL in a preseason game when I'm juggling my own OL this much unless I'm pretty sure from what I've seen in practice that I've got good protection. I also have to admit, that I've always been skeptical how much benefit the 20 min of playing time really is to 10 year starters prior to the season start, anyway. I think they just work the starters in as much as they do because they're selling tickets to these games.

More importantly, I'd like to see what we've got with our 3rd string QB, so if he gets in 10 min earlier than he otherwise might, that's fine by me.

Zordon, for the record, I can't relate to your country club atmosphere comment at all. From what I've seen, we've had tough camps and have players who play really hard, a lot of bottom-roster churn, and guys have their roster spots and their snaps up for grabs to a significant extent (WR3, RG, LG, RT, TE2, RB2, DT, SAM, S, CB4). Guys are playing hard, and other guys are losing their jobs. You can't be actively juggling starting OL positions and complaining about accountability.

 

[fatboygixxer]

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.

And I don't see how you can make the assesment that they're worse..its preseason and they're trying out a contingency plan.

 

[Idgit]

And I don't see how you can make the assesment that they're worse..its preseason and they're trying out a contingency plan.

If you're determined to see every change as a mistake, then you're going to see things getting worse all the time.

 

[xwalker]

I pulled up the Coaches Film to review Atkins against the Cowboys last season.

He started out at LDE matched up up against Bernadeau, but moved to RDT against Livings before the end of the 1st quarter. He played mainly RDT but would move back to LDT on occasion. He would also line up helmet-to-helmet on the Center (Cook) on occasion.

Bernadeau and occasionally Free were good against him on most plays. They really moved him out on some running plays. There was one play where he got through to touch Romo, but that was after Romo held the ball for about 6 seconds.

Livings and Cook were getting killed by Atkins.

Livings really shouldn't have been playing after the knee injury. He struggled to move and struggled to play with knee bend. I wonder if playing through the injury made it worse and is part of the reason that he can't seem to recover from it.

It appeared that the key to playing against Atkins is to run the ball directly at him. He can be blown off the line on running plays.

 

[the_h0wey]

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

Hey stop using facts like Wins and Loses. What is on paper is all that matters.

 

[theebs]

not that anyone cares but for all the worrying we have to do about their excellent D line (minus geathers tonight and maybe dunlap) they are going to have to cover Bryant, Austin and Williams with newman, pacman, leon hall and taylor mays and rookie shawn Williams starting at safety.

that's two safeties who are aggressive and I bet will give us an opportunity to make repeated plays down the field. I imagine zimmer blitzes a lot, burfict is already overly aggressive. That should open up the middle of the field for the various tight ends.

on the other end their left tackle who is a very good player Andrew whitworth is not playing tonight. So I imagine they will keep someone in to help protect against ware.

I imagine we see a bunch of points from both teams. Our depleted defensive line should get pushed around pretty good by this group.

I don't care if we give up 50 points as long as no one is hurt.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'd argue that the Bengals handed us the most gift wrapped win we've had in a decade.

They killed Dallas, and found a way to lose.

Since when did they "kill" Dallas?

The Bengals had a yardage advantage from 336 to 288 but the Cowboys had 20 1st downs to Cincy's 19. The Cowboys had one turnover and the Bengals gave up the ball twice.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

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.

Every game thus far has shown a strong performance from the O-line....and yet all we hear is doom and gloom.

It's like...what have you been watching?

 

[Staubacher]

Every game thus far has shown a strong performance from the O-line....and yet all we hear is doom and gloom.

It's like...what have you been watching?

Yeah but today no Leary and 3 new spots out of 5 vs a good Bengals line. Romo can get killed. I'm concerned about opening day

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Every game thus far has shown a strong performance from the O-line....and yet all we hear is doom and gloom.

It's like...what have you been watching?

The pass blocking has been very good.

The run blocking vs the Dolphins was very good. The last two weeks not as much.