Some fans biggest mistake regarding O line

[BIGDen]

Maybe I'm misreading what the OP is saying, but he is not bashing Smith at all. I think he's, justifiably, saying "tap the brakes" a bit when it comes to Smith. He has the physical ability and the mental make up to excel at LT - hardly anyone doubts that. However, he is 21 and not very experienced at LT. To feel very comfortable at LT right now is probably a bit premature. Like I'd mentioned in an earlier post, we all love Smith but he has not proven anything at LT yet.

 

[Risen Star]

Maybe I'm misreading what the OP is saying, but he is not bashing Smith at all. I think he's, justifiably, saying "tap the brakes" a bit when it comes to Smith. He has the physical ability and the mental make up to excel at LT - hardly anyone doubts that. However, he is 21 and not very experienced at LT. To feel very comfortable at LT right now is probably a bit premature. Like I'd mentioned in an earlier post, we all love Smith but he has not proven anything at LT yet.

I'm pretty realistic in my expectations with Smith this year. There will be an adjustment period to LT and he's still only 21 years old.

But the long term future with him is great. He's one of the best young players in the game if not the best. There are 32 GMs in the league that would love to have him penciled in to their line of the future.

If you ever include Doug Free in the same sentence with Tyron and it doesn't read "Thank God Tyron isn't another Doug Free." you are way off base.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Right. You didn't compare them, while comparing them in your original post.

This thread is so bad I can actually smell it. The one quality player we have on that OL and this is what you come up with.

Yes.......I compared them. But I keep age out of it concerning THIS upcoming season because it is not relevant. When the bullets are flying and the game is on the line nobody gives a damn about how old you are.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Maybe I'm misreading what the OP is saying, but he is not bashing Smith at all. I think he's, justifiably, saying "tap the brakes" a bit when it comes to Smith. He has the physical ability and the mental make up to excel at LT - hardly anyone doubts that. However, he is 21 and not very experienced at LT. To feel very comfortable at LT right now is probably a bit premature. Like I'd mentioned in an earlier post, we all love Smith but he has not proven anything at LT yet.

BINGO!

 

[Risen Star]

Yes.......I compared them. But I keep age out of it concerning THIS upcoming season because it is not relevant. When the bullets are flying and the game is on the line nobody gives a damn about how old you are.

You compared their seasons when one was a 20 year old rookie and the other guy was an NFL vet at 25.

The reason people are so high on Smith and how quickly he'll become a great player is the fact he wasn't a trainwreck last year like a marginal player like Doug Free would have been if he had to play at that age in the NFL.

Doesn't seem real complicated to me.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Here is what is a little unsettling to me.......At left tackle we roll out Smith, a still Raw Smith who hasnt played left tackle in ages as he was a right tackle in college.

Smith, who is the best offensive lineman we have drafted in how long? The kid was 20 freakin years old and came in after no off season and played lights out.

Admittedly his first few games were iffy. I remember Collinsworth making a remark late in the season that he did a game early with the Cowboys and he thought Smith looked lost. He followed that by saying the guy has turned out to be terrific. Unlike most I think Collinsworth has a great eye for the game and is a solid announcer.

Smith possesses the foot speed, strength, agility and people say once he gets his hands on a defender it's game over.

So what is your worry here about him? He was destined to be a left tackle and if anything for once they transitioned him into the job by allowing him to play the right side his first year instead of overwhelm him. He now knows the speed of the game, the players and where he needs to be to stop the defender. If anything I would think this would be a time to rejoice. We found an offensive lineman who is everything we hoped for.

Our guards look to be Livings and Bernadeau....WHO? Although I have a good feeling that Livings will perform fairly decent. At Center......Costa. OH OH.

So let me get this straight. Nate Livings gives you comfort? You have a good feeling about Nate Livings but Smith gives you pause? The same Nate Livings that did not play one game the first two years in the league at Cincy?

That Nate Livings that could not get on the field for two years?

But a kid that was drafted by Dallas and played every game since day one causes you to scratch your head.

Really?

And at right tackle......Doug Free. The guy who half the board thinks sucks!...LOL Even though in his games started at right tackle he performed at a much higher level than Smith did.

In all actuality Doug Free, Playing as a RIGHT tackle, is the most stable lineman in his position of the 5 starters. This is based upon FACT,...track record when the games count,...not just wishful thinking.


Think about that a minute...........

Okay, thought about it. Now I think about a guy who was drafted at 9 over-all, has a skill set we have not seen here in a long, long time, that now is making a transition to the left side where he will be a pro-bowler and all-pro for the next decade at least and maybe even longer if he has health.

A player that was destined to play the left side, has all the skill set to do so, has a mean streak in him, and is perhaps one of the most gifted players on the field.

Yes, I considered it and then thought about your position on Free, who got his butt handed to him last year and more than half this board was screaming about what the heck happened to Free. Thought about it and then dismissed it.


[QuoteBut to end on a positive,...once again as I posted earlier, I do believe Smith has the attributes needed to perform at a high level. I just believe he has to SHOW US on the field in games where it counts before we go crowning him a perennial pro bowler is all.[/QUOTE]

If anything, I am a big show me guy. I don't assume anything until I see it.

I saw it last year. That is not to say Smith won't have growing pains his first season. But this guy will become the black hole for defensive ends and outside linebackers on our offensive line's left side for a very long time. Romo may have to worry about the middle of the line, but when Smith gets acclimated, Romo will not worry about his blind side.

I think I would be more worried about Jerry Jones giving the four wheeler back to Rowdy before I would worry about Smith.

Chillax, dude. Even Jerry couldn't screw this call up.

 

[Risen Star]

When TwoDeep gets angry his font turns red.

 

[TwoDeep3]

When TwoDeep gets angry his font turns red.

Passive aggressive, am I.

 

[erod]

It's impossible for us to know who is responsible for giving up a sack. Did they help Free more on the right side? Was the right guard at fault? Did the defense overload on a certain side? Did Romo hold it too long?

The eyeball test is more reliable, and Smith was really good while Free really struggled.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Why are so many acting " pretending" like Tyron Smith is the second coming of Anthony Munoz? When in truth he hasnt done very much at all.

Its as if everyone decided just to SAY Smith is the next big thing and moved forward with the idea whether reality backs it up or not.

Doug Free started a grand total of 23 games at RIGHT tackle,.....he gave up 6 sacks in that time. Smith? He started 16 games " seven games less than FREE" on the right side and gave up 9 and a half sacks.

And now we are moving Tyron to the left side.


I guess I just dont get this idea where so many just pencil in Tyron and say....." Well,...were all set there!" WHY? Why would you say that? Is it just because we WANT it to be so badly that we insist that it is regardless of what the facts say?

You have to understand,....there are a TON of very pedestrian right tackles in this league, some of them quite young also, who have performed at least as good as Tyron did last season and some much better.

Having said all that........I do believe that Smith has what it takes to be a special left tackle in the NFL. He can really be a force for us for years to come. But in no way is he even close to being there yet. Hopefully he will soon, as early as this year is my hope,...but thats exactly what it is at this point.....A HOPE.

Time to put away the anointing oil and let the kid earn it. As I said,....I have alot of faith that he can,...he just hasnt done it yet.

Open your eyes pal, if there was ever a sure thing in a young player, its guys like Smith and Lee. Smith was great last year for a rookie. I dont think you have been paying attention.

 

[birdwells1]

Why are so many acting " pretending" like Tyron Smith is the second coming of Anthony Munoz? When in truth he hasnt done very much at all.

Its as if everyone decided just to SAY Smith is the next big thing and moved forward with the idea whether reality backs it up or not.

Doug Free started a grand total of 23 games at RIGHT tackle,.....he gave up 6 sacks in that time. Smith? He started 16 games " seven games less than FREE" on the right side and gave up 9 and a half sacks.

And now we are moving Tyron to the left side.


I guess I just dont get this idea where so many just pencil in Tyron and say....." Well,...were all set there!" WHY? Why would you say that? Is it just because we WANT it to be so badly that we insist that it is regardless of what the facts say?

You have to understand,....there are a TON of very pedestrian right tackles in this league, some of them quite young also, who have performed at least as good as Tyron did last season and some much better.

Having said all that........I do believe that Smith has what it takes to be a special left tackle in the NFL. He can really be a force for us for years to come. But in no way is he even close to being there yet. Hopefully he will soon, as early as this year is my hope,...but thats exactly what it is at this point.....A HOPE.

Time to put away the anointing oil and let the kid earn it. As I said,....I have alot of faith that he can,...he just hasnt done it yet.

Cut AH some slack, Smith did a good job on the right side of the line as a rookie but he's going against the NFL's best pass rushers by playing on the left. He played RT in college so it will be a learning curve but he does have the physical and mental makeup to make the switch successful.

Will he be a top 5 LT this year? Odds probably say no and this year is what AH is referring to. The chances are better that Smith continues to grow and become an elite left tackle in 2 years or so but what does that do for our pass protection this year?

What AH is saying is that when we (as in me) talk about our oline this year we just assume that Smith is going to play at an elite level when the fact is that his growing pains may cause us some protection problems.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Cut AH some slack, Smith did a good job on the right side of the line as a rookie but he's going against the NFL's best pass rushers by playing on the left. He played RT in college so it will be a learning curve but he does have the physical and mental makeup to make the switch successful.

Will he be a top 5 LT this year? Odds probably say no and this year is what AH is referring to. The chances are better that Smith continues to grow and become an elite left tackle in 2 years or so but what does that do for our pass protection this year?

What AH is saying is that when we (as in me) talk about our oline this year we just assume that Smith is going to play at an elite level when the fact is that his growing pains may cause us some protection problems.

Again.......BINGO!

 

[BrassCowboy]

Does anybody read....AT ALL? How can anybody say that Im NOT optimistic about Smith when Ive said I was over and over again in just these few posts. WOW! Just saying he isnt nearly there YET. And he's not.

Very hopeful he will be though,...probably sooner than later.

wow is right, are you not reading what everyone else is saying??? They are saying last year, in his first year, Smith is in fact there already and should of been pro bowler and was one of the top tackles in league his first year. You need to stop confusing what people wrote and understand that.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

wow is right, are you not reading what everyone else is saying??? They are saying last year, in his first year, Smith is in fact there already and should of been pro bowler and was one of the top tackles in league his first year. You need to stop confusing what people wrote and understand that.

I agree that Tyron did well for his first year. BUT......If anyone actually thought that he legitimately deserved to go to the Pro Bowl last season.........you are dreaming.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

I'm pretty realistic in my expectations with Smith this year. There will be an adjustment period to LT and he's still only 21 years old.

But the long term future with him is great. He's one of the best young players in the game if not the best. There are 32 GMs in the league that would love to have him penciled in to their line of the future.

If you ever include Doug Free in the same sentence with Tyron and it doesn't read "Thank God Tyron isn't another Doug Free." you are way off base.

Not bashing Tyron here,...just asking....WHY is it that he gave up Not a few more,....but ALOT more sacks then Free did when he was playing right tackle?

Last season Tyron had Kosier playing next to him at Guard,....when Free started at right Tackle he also had Kosier next to him at guard. Last year Tyron had Costa starting at center,....when Free played he had Gurode at center. Thing is........the team feels that Costa is the better center. Thats why they got rid of gurode.

 

[Idgit]

Adding Tyron Smith to the list of things I'm worrying about.

 

[Risen Star]

Not bashing Tyron here,...just asking....WHY is it that he gave up Not a few more,....but ALOT more sacks then Free did when he was playing right tackle?

Is this you not comparing a 20 year old rookie to a 25 year old veteran again?

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Adding Tyron Smith to the list of things I'm worrying about.

LOL! He's gonna be fine. Just saying we might want to tap the breaks just a bit with the anointing oil considering he hasnt played a single down that counts at left tackle yet. That and the fact that the rest of the line is in a state of flux.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Is this you not comparing a 20 year old rookie to a 25 year old veteran again?

I am comparing one starting tackle to another. Thats it....thats all. Age does not come into play. Im not doing it as a way to make Free look better,....I want all our players to perform well. I am doing it because come game time the other team will not care how old Tyron is......neither will our team for that matter.

 

[Risen Star]

I am comparing one starting tackle to another. Thats it....thats all. Age does not come into play. Im not doing it as a way to make Free look better,....I want all our players to perform well. I am doing it because come game time the other team will not care how old Tyron is......neither will our team for that matter.

Right. So you are comparing a 20 year old rookie to a 25 year old veteran.

And that's why this thread is good for a laugh and not much else.