Spears going to be a rotation guy?

[tunahelper]

With Fergy being traded and Tank Johnson having a full offseason of training this could be a good tiome to send him to the bench.

I remember last year Wade was talking about the possibility of Spears playing backup NT.

Newman expressed how Tank is really going to be an impact player next year in an interview.

I think Ratliff will be more effective at LE, due to his penetration ability.

Any thoughts?

 

[theogt]

My guess is Spears and Ratliff start all 16 games and they're both substituted just like they were last year (i.e., the entire line was substituted at the same time).

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The thought occurred to me, too. If Ware is right about how good Tank looks and how much better he thinks he'll be next year -- and I assume that comes not just from him, but from some buzz among the players and coaches -- maybe Jay does start at DE and Tank starts at NT.

I'm just reluctant to count too heavily on a guy like Tank who could be suspended at any time for having one drink too many.

 

[big dog cowboy]

It's got nothing ot do with Fergy being traded. All our DL's will rotate in and out and between positions this year.

 

[Hostile]

It had a been a few days since the last Spears isn't good enough thread. I guess it was time.

Maybe we should trade him to appease some of you? Just a thought.

 

[tunahelper]

It had a been a few days since the last Spears isn't good enough thread. I guess it was time.

Maybe we should trade him to appease some of you? Just a thought.

Well genius do you remember last year Wade stated Ratliff was on the verge of starting anyway even if Fergy did not get hurt?

Maybe the question applies to Wade as well?

or

Maybe your vast knowledge surpasses Mr. Phillips?

Excuse us underlings.....

 

[Vintage]

The thought occurred to me, too. If Ware is right about how good Tank looks and how much better he thinks he'll be next year -- and I assume that comes not just from him, but from some buzz among the players and coaches -- maybe Jay does start at DE and Tank starts at NT.

I'm just reluctant to count too heavily on a guy like Tank who could be suspended at any time for having one drink too many.

We could always slide Ratliff back to NT if Tank got suspended. Spears would then take back over at DE. And we'd have the same exact starting DL we had last year....

If Tank truly earns a starting role, I'd like to see a Ratliff-Johnson-Canty line.

But if we end up with Spears-Ratliff-Canty, I will be fine with that. It was a solid DL last year...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

We could always slide Ratliff back to NT if Tank got suspended. Spears would then take back over at DE. And we'd have the same exact starting DL we had last year....

If Tank truly earns a starting role, I'd like to see a Ratliff-Johnson-Canty line.

But if we end up with Spears-Ratliff-Canty, I will be fine with that. It was a solid DL last year...

I agree with that, and bet it's just what the coaches are thinking.

I wonder if Spears even got work at the backup nose. His weight always wants to climb anyway... Maybe we should just let him get 20 pounds bigger and play inside. If he had the mental toughness and motor to get double teamed all the time, he'd probably be pretty good at it. I just wonder if he has that motor.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

There will be some sort of rotation, without a doubt, since that is kind of how they do the D-Line here. I'm in favor of Ratliff over Spears at DE as often as possible if Tank really is getting it together to be a force in the middle. If that;s the case I have no issue with Ratliff and Spears doing some split time at DE.

 

[joseephuss]

It had a been a few days since the last Spears isn't good enough thread. I guess it was time.

Maybe we should trade him to appease some of you? Just a thought.

That's funny.

Seriously, I see more "Spears sucks" threads than "Spears isn't good enough" threads. I disagree that he sucks. He is a competent starter. Maybe Dallas can find better and I am all for it. If that happened, then Spears makes a very good back up. I just don't he sucks enough to just get rid of him. That would be a waste of a decent player and depth. The kind of depth teams need to win championships. The kind of depth Dallas had in the early 90s along their d-line.

 

[Hostile]

Well genius do you remember last year Wade stated Ratliff was on the verge of starting anyway even if Fergy did not get hurt?

Maybe the question applies to Wade as well?

or

Maybe your vast knowledge surpasses Mr. Phillips?

Excuse us underlings.....

Please note, I didn't call you an underling. Or any other name for that matter. Perhaps next time you can apply the same courtesy and not get all butt hurt because someone dared to disagree with your take. If not, oh well...

Also note, that Wade Phillips knowledge has kept Spears at DE to this point, so I am either agreeing with Phillips or disagreeing with you. Actually it would be both, so it must be you who thinks they are smarter than Phillips.

If you do a little research you will find that I am one of the very first people here to say I think Spears is more suited to DT because of his bulk.

 

[Vintage]

That's funny.

Seriously, I see more "Spears sucks" threads than "Spears isn't good enough" threads. I disagree that he sucks. He is a competent starter. Maybe Dallas can find better and I am all for it. If that happened, then Spears makes a very good back up. I just don't he sucks enough to just get rid of him. That would be a waste of a decent player and depth. The kind of depth teams need to win championships. The kind of depth Dallas had in the early 90s along their d-line.

I agree.....

I made this post awhile ago

Sack Totals

Cowboys Starting DL
Spears 1
Canty 2
Ratliff 1.5

Patriots Starting DL
Warren 2
Green (Seymour started season inj.) 4
Wilfork 1

Chargers Starting DL
Castillo (yeah, he is now injured) 1.5
Olshansky 1
Williams 0

Steelers
Smith 1.5
Keisel 0
Hampton 0

Browns
Roye 0
Smith 2
Kelley 1

Jets
Coleman 1
Ellis 2
Robertson 0.5

Just thought it was interesting. Spears and Canty are doing what every other 3-4 DL is doing (with the exception of Green) as far as generating sacks.

 

[Hostile]

That's funny.

Seriously, I see more "Spears sucks" threads than "Spears isn't good enough" threads. I disagree that he sucks. He is a competent starter. Maybe Dallas can find better and I am all for it. If that happened, then Spears makes a very good back up. I just don't he sucks enough to just get rid of him. That would be a waste of a decent player and depth. The kind of depth teams need to win championships. The kind of depth Dallas had in the early 90s along their d-line.

I am never so loyal to any player that I won't want to get better. If Calais Campbell (pulling name out of the air) is there in the Draft and we think he is an improvement and the best player on the board at the time, make the pick.

Spears has started an awful lot of games for 2 very good football coaches. Yet some people think they see somethign that these 2 guys and all their assistant coaches don't.

I admit, I don't get it.

 

[Hostile]

I agree.....

I made this post awhile ago

Great post.

 

[Vintage]

Great post.

To be fair, I think I did it at some point during the season (as in, its not the season ending totals). Guess I could go back and update it...

 

[tunahelper]

Please note, I didn't call you an underling. Or any other name for that matter. Perhaps next time you can apply the same courtesy and not get all butt hurt because someone dared to disagree with your take. If not, oh well...

Also note, that Wade Phillips knowledge has kept Spears at DE to this point, so I am either agreeing with Phillips or disagreeing with you. Actually it would be both, so it must be you who thinks they are smarter than Phillips.

If you do a little research you will find that I am one of the very first people here to say I think Spears is more suited to DT because of his bulk.

Nor did I claim you called me an underling.

I raised a question without giving my complete opinion of the matter.

You act as if people should not raise such questions, so obivously you feel your knowledge should not be subjected to such conversation.

Maybe the thing for you to do is not comment on threads that annoy you unless you want someone to respond back to your petty comments.

 

[Vintage]

I am never so loyal to any player that I won't want to get better. If Calais Campbell (pulling name out of the air) is there in the Draft and we think he is an improvement and the best player on the board at the time, make the pick.

Spears has started an awful lot of games for 2 very good football coaches. Yet some people think they see somethign that these 2 guys and all their assistant coaches don't.

I admit, I don't get it.

True. He has started a lot of games for two very good coaches; one being a future HOF coach.

But that could be for a couple of reasons: they thought he was that good. Or he is better than the other alternatives.

Spears is probably a better player to play on first and second downs than Hatcher and Bowen. Evidence for that is the fact that Spears starts; while Hatcher and Bowen come in on rushing downs (suggesting they are better pass rushers).

It could be that Spears is the best option to start at DE on our roster and that we just don't have anyone who could really challenge him. I believe this in part; I don't think Bowen or Hatcher are better players (maybe Hatcher can become one). But I also think Spears is a solid starter and I don't want to make it seem like I am ragging on him.

That's not my intent.

I think we'll see what Phillips truly thinks of Spears this year. Canty is a lock to start at DE. But Tank could emerge at NT, moving Ratliff to DE. Or Spears could be better at DE than Tank at NT, which would mean that Spears would remain starting at DE with Ratliff at NT.

This year, I think you can pencil in Canty and Ratliff as locks at starting (duh). I think it will come down to Spears or Tank starting (if Tank wins, there will be some shuffling, of course). I think this will give us a pretty good gauge as to what the current staff thinks of Spears. Before, I think Spears started because we didn't really have a better alternative. This year, we might. And is Spears hangs on, it will say quite a bit about him IMO.

FWIW, I expect the DL to remain the same....

 

[Hostile]

Nor did I claim you called me an underling.

I raised a question without giving my complete opinion of the matter.

You act as if people should not raise such questions, so obivously you feel your knowledge should not be subjected to such conversation.

Maybe the thing for you to do is not comment on threads that annoy you unless you want someone to respond back to your petty comments.

People post when annoyed. They post when excited. When they agree, disagree, have questions, have smart alec responses, and even when they just feel like it.

Thanks for the advice, but I think I'll post whenever I want as long as I stay within the rules. Have fun.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

People post when annoyed. They post when excited. When they agree, disagree, have questions, have smart alec responses, and even when they just feel like it.

Thanks for the advice, but I think I'll post whenever I want as long as I stay within the rules. Have fun.

Spears lover...Ratliff and Tank hater!!!

(drive by):

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I would say the odds are good that Spears will be starting on opening day unless Tank is just progressing that well and Dallas drafts a NT. Having said that, I'm not sure why people are dogging out your thread. I've seen much worse posted here and Wade and Parcells both mentioned that Ratliff was hot on Spears tail the last two preseasons. Throw in the rumor that they were shopping Spears this offseason and this isn't that far off the beaten path.