So what did you all think of Sam Hurd's performance?

[Randy White]

Catches that are made by NFL receivers on a weekly basis (Ok probably not a weekly basis but quite a few times during a season). They're tough ones, without a doubt, but he got his hands on them and there is that age old saying for WRs...If you can get your hands on it, you can catch it.

ANd that's one of the biggest myths that most fans swallow without questioning it, but it's a myth nevertheless. It's not if the ball hits your hands, it's if the ball is placed where you can make a play on it and, once again, the closest one of either throws would have been a spectacular catch..

People need to stop looking at great catches as something that's a given.

 

[Randy White]

I dunno about that the jump ball is not Hurd's game at all, he's not a tall guy. The diving ball, some guys could make it some of the time but nobody is going to make it every time.

I thought he was ok, he's a really good STer and he's ok as a 3rd or 4th receiver. I think he's a good guy to keep on the team.

He's actually 6'2, which makes him as tall as Dez and Miles, but that's not here or there. The pass to the corner, Kitna didn't put any air under it. The CB covering Hurd had his back completely to the ball and didn't know where it was, so a simple lob would have done the trick.

Still, to say they were " dropped passes " it's not even close to being accurate. He filled in very well yesterday even though he'll never be more than a 4th receiver on the team, so there's nothing to be disappointed about, unless people think that the 4th receiver in the team should be just as good as Dez Bryant.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

2 passes in the endzone ? How can anybody come to that conclusion ?

Both of those passes where bad throws by Kitna. Neither one gave him a real opportunity to make a play with the closest one being a highlight real catch if he was able to hang on to the ball when he hit the ground after diving for it.

Kitna puts just a little bit of touch on either one or both and those are touchdown catches.

I don't think the throws were that bad.. sometimes you have to put it in a spot where only your receiver can come up with it, especially around the end zone. In the NFL, bottom line, you have to come up with those catches or you won't have a job for very long. Hurd proved why he's been here so long and has never really been given a chance at receiver imo.

 

[Stautner]

Catches that are made by NFL receivers on a weekly basis (Ok probably not a weekly basis but quite a few times during a season). They're tough ones, without a doubt, but he got his hands on them and there is that age old saying for WRs...If you can get your hands on it, you can catch it.

I think this applies fairly to the 2nd chance. tough catch, yes, but clearly catchable. The first one though did not hit him in the hands. Hitting the tip of the fingers while fully extended is not the same thing.

 

[Doomsday101]

I like Hurd but fact is he will always be a guy on the bubble having to fight to keep his role on the team.

 

[Randy White]

I don't think the throws were that bad.. sometimes you have to put it in a spot where only your receiver can come up with it, especially around the end zone. In the NFL, bottom line, you have to come up with those catches or you won't have a job for very long. Hurd proved why he's been here so long and has never really been given a chance at receiver imo.

Hurd has never been given a chance because of the level of talent that's always been in front of him. This is the same argument that Marty Bennett's detractors use: " well, if he was any good, he would get more passes ".. Well, yea, ok, so who's passes are you going to cut down in order to make that happen ? T.O. ? Witten ? Crayton ( at the time ) ? Terry Glenn ? Miles Austin's ? Roy Williams ?

Hurd is who he is: at best a solid 3rd receiver who's a terrific special team player. Expecting anything more from him, and being disappointed when you don't get it, is an excercise in futility.

 

[Stautner]

Hurd has never been given a chance because of the level of talent that's always been in front of him. This is the same argument that Marty Bennett's detractors use: " well, if he was any good, he would get more passes ".. Well, yea, ok, so who's passes are you going to cut down in order to make that happen ? T.O. ? Witten ? Crayton ( at the time ) ? Terry Glenn ? Miles Austin's ? Roy Williams ?

Hurd is who he is: at best a solid 3rd receiver who's a terrific special team player. Expecting anything more from him, and being disappointed when you don't get it, is an excercise in futility.

The only thing I would say about this is that we got rid of capable backup TE who we drafted only a year earlier (Fasano) in order to draft Bennett, and the reason was to have another receiving weapon. If we aren't ableto use him, or can't use him, as a receiveing threat, then it was a stupid move. We could have used the draft pick for a position we could upgrade.

 

[Gadfly22]

I've always liked Hurd, but he's not holding onto passes in the end zone like he should. Was it the SD game last year, when Garrett called 2 throws to Sam in a row -- both close but no cigar?

And I won't get into the "dropped pass" controversy. The second end zone shot was very difficult, but the first jump ball looked (on replay) like it hit his hands solidly. He's got to catch that kind of ball.

That said, he's ahead of Ogletree in my book till Ogletree gets his head on straight, which won't happen this year. But Sam better produce these next couple games, go over the middle (as he's shown he can do) and catch everything he can get even a pinky on.

 

[Randy White]

The only thing I would say about this is that we got rid of capable backup TE who we drafted only a year earlier (Fasano) in order to draft Bennett, and the reason was to have another receiving weapon. If we aren't ableto use him, or can't use him, as a receiveing threat, then it was a stupid move. We could have used the draft pick for a position we could upgrade.

You're assuming that we got rid of Fasano to draft Bennett and that's not accurate. The Cowboys traded Fasano before the draft. They had absolutely NO way of knowing they were going to get him. As a matter of fact, he wasn't even their target at the spot he was picked, Limas Sweed was.

The Cowboys traded Fasano because they thought he wasn't going to the player they needed in the long run. They were going to draft a TE in that particular draft to replace him, but they had absolutely no idea who it was going to be. They couldn't have. We could be, very easily, be talking about Brad Cottam ( who the Cowboys also liked ), or Jermichael Finley right now, under the same, exact circumstances right now.

 

[Idgit]

He blew a couple of opportunities to make a difference and earn more playing time.

Still love the guy, though.

 

[vaturkey]

Caught them both. Enough said.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Hurd has never been given a chance because of the level of talent that's always been in front of him. This is the same argument that Marty Bennett's detractors use: " well, if he was any good, he would get more passes ".. Well, yea, ok, so who's passes are you going to cut down in order to make that happen ? T.O. ? Witten ? Crayton ( at the time ) ? Terry Glenn ? Miles Austin's ? Roy Williams ?

Hurd is who he is: at best a solid 3rd receiver who's a terrific special team player. Expecting anything more from him, and being disappointed when you don't get it, is an excercise in futility.

That is who Hurd is, i would say at best a solid 4th receiver who's great on ST. Nothing more. That's why he doesn't get a chance.

As for Bennett.. he's had an entire season now as the number 2 TE and still hasn't done much at all. Never been very impressed with the guy. We simply don't make him a part of the offense. If he brought as much to the table as some thought, i would think we'd use him as a weapon.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Hurd will have a spot on this team as the 5th receiver for as long as he can be one of our best special teamers. As a receiver, in a good year he should never see the field, so I'm not too worried about how he did in a starting role. If he has to continue to play the next 2 games he'll still probably end up catching a TD or two, just because all the coverage is going to be on Austin and especially Witten after what he did to the Skins D.

 

[Randy White]

As for Bennett.. he's had an entire season now as the number 2 TE and still hasn't done much at all. Never been very impressed with the guy. We simply don't make him a part of the offense. If he brought as much to the table as some thought, i would think we'd use him as a weapon.

This is exactly the faulty reasoning I'm talking about.

This is the type of logic that allows players like Miles Austin to walk away for a 2nd round pick. The type of logic who always craves for depth, but when it's acquired, complains that's it's not good enough because it's not " producing ".

IN other words, the type of logic that only works in video games, where every receiver/tight end on the roster is a 1,000 yards receiver and scores 20 TDs a year, each.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

This is exactly the faulty reasoning I'm talking about.

This is the type of logic that allows players like Miles Austin to walk away for a 2nd round pick. The type of logic who always craves for depth, but when it's acquired, complains that's it's not good enough because it's not " producing ".

IN other words, the type of logic that only works in video games, where every receiver/tight end on the roster is a 1,000 yards receiver, runner, and scores 20 TDs a year, each.

Certainly he doesn't have to have 1,000 yards and 20 scores or anywhere near it.. don't be ridiculous.

However, for a guy who is 6'6" 265 lbs. and a freak athlete, being on pace for 30 catches and under 300 yards with 0 TD's seems like a huge waste of talent. I think he simply doesn't focus on his game enough to be trusted to run good routes and know where he's supposed to be in order to play a bigger role in the offense. We don't even look to him in red zone situations, where he should easily be able to use his crazy athleticism and size advantage to be a prime target for us.

 

[Coakleys Dad]

:bang2:, is what I thought. Thought he dropped two td's

exactly. nothing more than a special teams player.

 

[Stautner]

You're assuming that we got rid of Fasano to draft Bennett and that's not accurate. The Cowboys traded Fasano before the draft. They had absolutely NO way of knowing they were going to get him. As a matter of fact, he wasn't even their target at the spot he was picked, Limas Sweed was.

The Cowboys traded Fasano because they thought he wasn't going to the player they needed in the long run. They were going to draft a TE in that particular draft to replace him, but they had absolutely no idea who it was going to be. They couldn't have. We could be, very easily, be talking about Brad Cottam ( who the Cowboys also liked ), or Jermichael Finley right now, under the same, exact circumstances right now.

so, you are telling me the Cowboys used a 2nd round pick to draft depth at a position that would be covered for the next 5+ years while ignoring positions where upgrades to the starters might be needed?

The fact is they brought in Bennett to be another weapon in the offense, not to just make sure we had a decent backup TE.

 

[Randy White]

However, for a guy who is 6'6" 265 lbs. and a freak athlete, being on pace for 30 catches and under 300 yards with 0 TD's seems like a huge waste of talent. I think he simply doesn't focus on his game enough to be trusted to run good routes and know where he's supposed to be in order to play a bigger role in the offense. We don't even look to him in red zone situations, where he should easily be able to use his crazy athleticism and size advantage to be a prime target for us.

Once again, who's passes are you ready to cut down on in order to get Bennett more involved ?

And the bold part, that couldn't be anymore accurate. And you know what ? it cost a TD yesterday. The pass thrown to Austin in the corner of the endzone was a horrible decision by Kitna. He made up his mind he was going to throw that pass from the second he got the ball instead of reading the defense, which left Marty B completely open 5 yards away from the endzone and nobody within 15 yards of him. Kitna himself apologized to Bennett on the sidelines afterwards.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Hurd stinks and you and everyone else saw why he didn't get promoted...

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Once again, who's passes are you ready to cut down on in order to get Bennett more involved ?

And the bold part, that couldn't be anymore accurate. And you know what ? it cost a TD yesterday. The pass thrown to Austin in the corner of the endzone was a horrible decision by Kitna. He made up his mind he was going to throw that pass from the second he got the ball instead of reading the defense, which left Marty B completely open 5 yards away from the endzone and nobody within 15 yards of him. Kitna himself apologized to Bennett on the sidelines afterwards.

That's my point.. we don't even look to him. Tony didn't look for him, Kitna doesn't look for him. He's simply not an option that we view as a big receiving weapon on this team.