So what is Todd Bowles teaching the secondary?

[MichaelWinicki]

After watching the game, various clips and listening to many people including Parcells I'm left wondering just what the hell is Todd Bowles doing with the secondary.

Let's look at the double-move that Watkins in trouble. The way Parcells described it, it's just a matter of the db looking for the ball's release to whether they (the db) should close or not on the receiver.

And then their is the "ball punch" thing on the same play. I heard several people comment on that being a "Florida State" taught tactic immediately after the game.

On the play where LJ Smith passed by Roy Williams and supposedly Watkins was suppose to pick him up-- but Watkins was on the other half of the field.

I've heard Watkins and Roy, to some extent, catch hell this week. What about Bowles? Our safeties still don't have a clue when it comes to coverage and assignments. And it appears that even some of the "basic" stuff like looking for the release of the football out of the hand of the QB isn't being adhered to.

So why is Bowles getting a "free ride"?

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Because the Cowboys moved up ten spots (from 21st to 11th) in pass defense from 2004 to 2005 when Bowles took over.

And he did pretty decent job with the Jets too, had the Jets 6th overall in pass defense back in 2000. Up from 24th the year before.

 

[BeWare94]

After watching the game, various clips and listening to many people including Parcells I'm left wondering just what the hell is Todd Bowles doing with the secondary.

Let's look at the double-move that Watkins in trouble. The way Parcells described it, it's just a matter of the db looking for the ball's release to whether they (the db) should close or not on the receiver.

And then their is the "ball punch" thing on the same play. I heard several people comment on that being a "Florida State" taught tactic immediately after the game.

On the play where LJ Smith passed by Roy Williams and supposedly Watkins was suppose to pick him up-- but Watkins was on the other half of the field.

I've heard Watkins and Roy, to some extent, catch hell this week. What about Bowles? Our safeties still don't have a clue when it comes to coverage and assignments. And it appears that even some of the "basic" stuff like looking for the release of the football out of the hand of the QB isn't being adhered to.

So why is Bowles getting a "free ride"?

Perhaps you should rethink this whole line of questioning: what are any of our coaches teaching any of our players beside how to lose/be mediocre? We are an average-good team but our team doesn't excel at anything.

 

[BeWare94]

Because the Cowboys moved up ten spots (from 21st to 11th) in pass defense from 2004 to 2005 when Bowles took over.

And he did pretty decent job with the Jets too, had the Jets 6th overall in pass defense back in 2000. Up from 24th the year before.

The Jets were sixth against the pass because everyone ran on them instead.

 

[LaTunaNostra]

The Jets were sixth against the pass because everyone ran on them instead.

The Jets were sixth against the pass in 2000 because Aaron Glenn was then in his prime and Marcus Coleman just hitting it. That was the year before the Jets exposed both to the expansion draft because they couldn't carry the salaries.

But Bowles was more than adequate.

 

[InmanRoshi]

If everyone in the secondary were having problems, and people were just running free due to coverage breakdowns and there was just general chaos on the field, it would be perfectly okay to question the coach. Newman doesn't seem to be having problems. Henry doesn't seem to be having problems. Aaron Glenn doesn't seem to be having problems. Keith Davis didn't seem to be having problems when he was put in. Roy Williams knew his assignments, he was just too unathletic in coverage to make the play on the fleaflicker ... otherwise I never saw him miss an assignment.


Alas, it seems there is just one culprit ... a rookie in completely in over his head. He knew what his assignment was, he was just outsmarted by opposing players who took advantage of his inexperience and overagressiveness. Which many of us saw coming, which was why it was so baffling when people tried to say we were okay at the position when Dwight Smith was available.

 

[DOOMSDAYREBORN]

If the rookie was good enough to win the job. You have to give the guy room to make rookie mistakes. Now if he continues to make the same mistakes over and over again, then it will be time to make a move. I would rather have a rookie that will improve as the year moves on than to paid an older guy millions of dollars.

 

[InmanRoshi]

If the rookie was good enough to win the job. You have to give the guy room to make rookie mistakes. Now if he continues to make the same mistakes over and over again, then it will be time to make a move. I would rather have a rookie that will improve as the year moves on than to paid an older guy millions of dollars.

I would rather bring in an affordable vet, have the rookie learning and improving in practice and winning football games, rather than be held hostage by one position that singlehandedly surrenders the opposing team 3 TD's in a game.

 

[Aikbach]

The Jets were sixth against the pass in 2000 because Aaron Glenn was then in his prime and Marcus Coleman just hitting it. That was the year before the Jets exposed both to the expansion draft because they couldn't carry the salaries.

But Bowles was more than adequate.

And Dallas has Terence Newman and the vaunted Roy Williams, both approaching their primes, Anthony Henry is likely at the summit of his playing ability as well, Watkins is raw but dare i say....promising, that was difficult to type in light of last sunday. This secondary SHOULD be cutthroat but it has given up a handful of highlight caliber plays.

 

[LaTunaNostra]

And Dallas has Terence Newman and the vaunted Roy Williams, both approaching their primes, Anthony Henry is likely at the summit of his playing ability as well, Watkins is raw but dare i say....promising, that was difficult to type in light of last sunday. This secondary SHOULD be cutthroat but it has given up a handful of highlight caliber plays.

You can put three Primetimes out there and one raw kid and get burned to losing point. Imo, it's to the coaches' credit that they value the development of a rookie who in the end will provide more than the endless list of Tony Dixons, Lynn Scotts, and Keith Davises. It's because the other three are playing so well, they can even consider Watkins starting.

No one coaches a kid to try to strip a ball over tackling, or teaches bad angles, or teaches failure to track the ball. Watkins has his learning curve, and might have to work on some fundamentals a while before he's back 'full-time'.

I see nothing wrong with the style of secondary play, the skill level of Newman, Henry, Glenn, Williams. I'd like to see AH do a better job holding onto near picks, but it's impossible to lump the position coach and the whole secondary into a rookie mistake bag. Last weeks' game was vs an elite QB...and a well-planned and decently executed blitz just happened to fall short because Donovan is THAT good.

Now if Carr carves us up tomorrow, if he even looks GOOD, I will be concerned (even if his QB ranking IS currently excellent).

The secondary, if you saw Tnew's quote this week, has every expectation of playing as 'cutthroat' as conditions allow.