News: ST: Cowboys notes: Rookie Hitchens ready to play bigger role

[NewsBot]

[CDATA[ Anthony Hitchens will start at weakside linebacker in the base defense with Justin Durant sidelined 3-4 weeks.]]>

IRVING — Anthony Hitchens vows to be ready. The rookie linebacker is expected to be the weakside linebacker in the Dallas Cowboys’ base defense after Justin Durant injured his groin Sunday.
“It’s fun to be out there with the ones, and being out there to compete with the best athletes in the world every day,” Hitchens said. “It’s definitely going to be a good experience. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Cowboys will ask McClain and Carter to take on bigger roles this week. Carter and McClain will serve as the linebackers in the team’s nickel package.

And Carter, who took over Durant’s play-calling duties after Durant went out Sunday, will wear the helmet with the transmitter this week.

“It was pretty good,” Garrett said of the communication. “They handled it well. Again, [the 49ers] challenge you in a lot different ways with the personnel and what they were doing. I thought we handled it all right.”


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[jblaze2004]

please change our luck in the 4th round lol

 

[Craig]

Here's hoping for something amazing. He're expecting something mediocre.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I like the kid. Haven't seen much from him but he seemed to play better than expected. He caught a lot of flack for not being a household name. Let's see what he does. Hopefully he can become a good player. We need to prepare to move on from Durant anyway. I see Lee taking over WLB next year with how well McClain has been playing. And Durant is too overpriced and overaged for a backup role.

 

[wileedog]

Here's hoping for something amazing. He're expecting something mediocre.

I'm hoping for mediocre honestly.

 

[Ashwynn]

My god, this injury bug is really starting to piss me off. You cant ever have a full team anymore. 2, 5, 10 guys out with stupid hammys, ACLs and turf toe. I know its not the players fault and nothing can be done, but man its infuriating. How many Matt Johnsons have we lost to injury? Man, it is starting to piss me off, And then you throw in the stupid lost for 2 games, 6 games a year, like Oscan. Jesus, time to start building robots to play football, humans are too frail anymore. OK rant off, but really football gods, this aint funny no more!

 

[waving monkey]

I like the kid. Haven't seen much from him but he seemed to play better than expected. He caught a lot of flack for not being a household name. Let's see what he does. Hopefully he can become a good player. We need to prepare to move on from Durant anyway. I see Lee taking over WLB next year with how well McClain has been playing. And Durant is too overpriced and overaged for a backup role.

He has certainly played up to his selection now lets see how he plays over an extended period

 

[MichaelWinicki]

He has certainly played up to his selection now lets see how he plays over an extended period

I don't expect Durant to be here next season, so it will be interesting to see if Hitchens shows enough to merit the position... on merit!

 

[TrailBlazer]

If you didn't realize it in preseason, he's not ready.

 

[Idgit]

If you didn't realize it in preseason, he's not ready.

What haven't you liked about his play in preseason? He seems a step slow and athletically not all that flexible to me, but he's pretty much been where he's supposed to be, and he tackles well. He made a couple plays in the preseason games.

He's not ready, overall, but in a situation where he's a backup, I don't think he's any less ready than the other guys we've got back there who might sub in. Wilber excluded.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I don't expect Durant to be here next season, so it will be interesting to see if Hitchens shows enough to merit the position... on merit!

People didn't expect Durant to be here this season. Guys like him fight and claw to stay in the league.

I have so much respect for JD.

#lunchpail

 

[Aven8]

And the defense takes off...........!!!

Durant sucks. Hitch, Ro, and Bruce look pretty good to me.

 

[tm1119]

What haven't you liked about his play in preseason? He seems a step slow and athletically not all that flexible to me, but he's pretty much been where he's supposed to be, and he tackles well. He made a couple plays in the preseason games.

He's not ready, overall, but in a situation where he's a backup, I don't think he's any less ready than the other guys we've got back there who might sub in. Wilber excluded.

This is why I hated the pick from the beginning. I REALLY don't want to see Hitchens down the field trying to cover a TE or RB. That scares me as I really don't think he's capable. He's strictly an in the box LB imo.

Does the coaching staff really distrust Carter that much that they will stick a rookie with 1/2 the athletic ability on the weakside over him? I'm by no means a Carter fan, but he (sadly) seems like the most logical choice.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

People didn't expect Durant to be here this season. Guys like him fight and claw to stay in the league.

I have so much respect for JD.

#lunchpail

I like him a lot too. A few weeks ago he was the best player at SLB, MLB and WLB. Problem is he's not a great starter at any of the three. He's a very solid backup though. Reminds me of Bernadeau, a guy who can play LG, C and RG at a legitimate NFL level. You'd love to have backups of their caliber. But if you're trying to establish starters and progress youth, I don't know if Justin Durant is worth keeping around. I don't want to pay a 30 year old backup borderline starter money when we'll likely have a starting trio of Carter-McClain-Lee. But that being said, I do like Durant a lot.

 

[poost]

Why don't they give the defensive play calling helmet thing to McClain? Isn't he a film junkie and MLB is usually in charge of adjustments anyway. Also Carter has enough trouble knowing his own responsibilities.

 

[Zman5]

What haven't you liked about his play in preseason? He seems a step slow and athletically not all that flexible to me, but he's pretty much been where he's supposed to be, and he tackles well. He made a couple plays in the preseason games.

He's not ready, overall, but in a situation where he's a backup, I don't think he's any less ready than the other guys we've got back there who might sub in. Wilber excluded.

I don't know what you consider "tackling well" but he isn't consistent when it comes to tackling. I've seen him whiff few tackles during preseason. Church tackles well. He is nowhere near Church's level when it comes to tackling.

 

[theogt]

He's better than Durant who is terrible.

 

[Zman5]

He's better than Durant who is terrible.

That's like saying I prefer the ugly girl because at least she's better than the super fat girl.

 

[DuDa]

I have my concerns about Hitchens' athletic ability but I'm rooting for the kid. He has one goal this sunday--don't suck.

 

[theogt]

That's like saying I prefer the ugly girl because at least she's better than the super fat girl.

Not at all. I think Hitchens will be a starter here for a long time. He has instinct that can't be taught. And no matter how many times people claim he's slow it won't be true.