ST: New fullback says Cowboys can do everything with DeMarco Murray that Bears do with Matt Forte

[bayeslife]

You don't average over 5 ypc without pretty good vision. Murray is alot better back than some here give him credit for.

I definitely don't think he's that great of a back but his numbers are pretty good every time he's in (for the most part). Can't argue with that.

 

[Clove]

The problem is, this is a passing league coached by a passing coach, assisted by a passing offensive coordinator. You rarely see Garrett & crew run it twice in a row, unless the first run was a good one. We don't have a team that can win with just throwing the ball, and we need Murray to get the ball at least 23 times a game, if possible. Now if we're not able to move the ball on the ground, then I can see us moving it in the air, but don't give up on it so quickly.

 

[lane]

I definitely don't think he's that great of a back but his numbers are pretty good every time he's in (for the most part). Can't argue with that.

always refreshing to see someone who can spell definitely.

 

[Zman5]

How much playing time is this guy going to see?

Probably same amount Bosworth got at FB. 2 or 3 plays a game. Yeh! Champioship!!!

 

[Zman5]

According to Broaddus, Klutts isn't a bruiser type of FB. Broaddus thinks this guy sucks.

 

[TrailBlazer]

According to Broaddus, Klutts isn't a bruiser type of FB. Broaddus thinks this guy sucks.

He is mostly a ST guy. Kinda weird we would cut Andre smith and then sign this guy, but maybe it'll work out for the best. We will find out what there plans are for klutts this Monday night.

Didnt be used to be a DL? But he's not a bruiser? Hmm

 

[Gridiron Man]

How much playing time is this guy going to see?

Good question. Let's just hope he doesn't whiff his blocking assignments. Cant afford to have

If I'm not mistaken the Boys are #2 in red zone efficiency.

True it has improved this season. Primarily due to the upfront blocking. We finally have an acceptable offensive line. On third and short and goal line situations we sucked last year. having a lead back will further our effectiveness in both these areas.

If we're ever going to have a balanced attack on offense, we are going to have to improve our run blocking. The newly acquired OL has helped, and I see no reason why a solid lead back wont contribute to that.

 

[visionary]

It doesn't bode well for a bottom-roster guy when you're last name is 'cuts.' Oh, wait, clutz. That's not really any better.

I think this was a weird signing. My guess is that Demarco really prefers to run behind a fullback, and they went and got a guy who they think isn't a crushing blocker, but who can get out to the edge and who can at least block a little bit in space, with the idea being that Murray will now get the extra 5-6 plays/game that were going to go to Dunbar. Still, it's weird that we'd release our blocking TE who'd been in the system all season and replace him a week later with a journeyman DL convert FB project player going into the last month of the regular season.

Maybe, just maybe it is because our offensive staff has no idea what they are doing

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I like this move. I've been wanting a bruising lead back. As for whether Cluttz is the right man for the job remains to be seen. I liked him over the other options they were considering.

I'm hoping he is Fiammetta part 2. A solid push at the goal line seems to be a concern of ours. Hopefully this improves our scoring inside the red zone.

I agree with most of what you said but we are one of the best teams scoring TDs in the redzone this season.

 

[Future]

I agree with most of what you said but we are one of the best teams scoring TDs in the redzone this season.

It might have been good so far but let me ask this....if its third and goal at the 1, in Washington, down by 4 in the 4th quarter, do you trust this team to score?

I sure don't.

 

[Idgit]

Realized their TE group wasn't as strong as they thought, or that the 12 personel doesn't fit this team as well as expected.

Doesn't seem like something that shocking to me, Idgit. You can see there are a number of reasons why the coaching staff may have just changed their minds about what they want to do.

Yeah, that's what I think happened on the TE formations. Stinks, but those things happen and you have to work through them. It's not shocking, I jut think it's weird to do with a FB now, at this point in the season. Especially one like this guy who gives you nothing on STs. That roster spot is valuable, even if you're doing nothing but stashing a player away from somebody else's practice squad. Instead, you're, presumably keeping a potential game day roster spot open for a guy who can give you a handful of blocking plays, at most this late in the season.

As I said, the only thing that makes sense to me is that, if this is a guy that can get to the edge and who can block in space the way Fiametta could, that it's something Murray's been asking for and they're trying to accommodate him. I was not a fan of letting Fiametta go in the first place. I never liked the Vickers signing and don't think the in-line blockers have been helpful. Murray did well when he had that guy out in front of him at the second level creating that one-cutback lane among the linebackers. Fiametta was really good at hitting that moving target and sealing him off, and I think it's hurt Murray since we lost that.

I'm not saying this Clutts can do that, and I'm just trying to rationalize why we'd bother adding a fullback at this late point when we could use the roster spots (much less, the game day spots) elsewhere. This is one of those moves that doesn't make sense on the surface, so you just have to assume that somebody lobbied for it internally, and they took a flyer, or threw a bone or whatever the metaphor is to describe it.

 

[OhSnap]

July or August?

I think in Dec and Jan you need to have a running game because of the weather and playing better teams in the playoffs. You just cant count on a QB having a good game every time he gets on the field so you might get away with it in in the early part of the season but if you can't keep they're QB off the field sometimes or keep yours from throwing against the better secondaries you run into during the playoffs it's prolly gonna catch up to you at the worst time. Like the last game of the year when your trying to make the playoffs or a cold windy day in Chicago for example.

 

[Idgit]

According to Broaddus, Klutts isn't a bruiser type of FB. Broaddus thinks this guy sucks.

They guy probably does. This is, what, his 5th team, and he was on the street as opposed to being developed somewhere on a roster.
That said, I like Broaddus, but he's got some seriously strong opinions on some players that are pretty far off. Thinking BW Webb would outplay Scandrick, for instance. Come on. He'd down on Carr right now and, other than the trailing on the crossing routes, I'm not sure I see it. He's down on Mack, and seems to be higher on Leary, which is another one I just don't see at all. Then there's the Randle thing that's never made sense to me because--other than having soft hands--that kid's been as pedestrian as it comes so far in a league where he's just not fast enough to be a starter.

As I said, I think adding a FB was a weird move, and I haven't seen this guy play at all yet, but until somebody can explain what we were attempting to add with this move, I think it's hard to evaluate whether or not this Clutts was the guy to do it, or not.

 

[DrunkWithPower]

It doesn't bode well for a bottom-roster guy when you're last name is 'cuts.' Oh, wait, clutz. That's not really any better.

I think this was a weird signing. My guess is that Demarco really prefers to run behind a fullback, and they went and got a guy who they think isn't a crushing blocker, but who can get out to the edge and who can at least block a little bit in space, with the idea being that Murray will now get the extra 5-6 plays/game that were going to go to Dunbar. Still, it's weird that we'd release our blocking TE who'd been in the system all season and replace him a week later with a journeyman DL convert FB project player going into the last month of the regular season.

At OU the bulk of Murray's carries were draw plays (no FB). AP was the same way at OU - draws all the time. I used to think AP was slow, but then I figured out it was a side effect of all the draw plays - the running back has to start from a dead stop with the ball in his hands and doesn't get a head of steam up before he hits the line. Murray looked the same way at OU - not extremely fast but he could sling some defenders around. He also played hurt a lot because of his physical running style. I see him run out of bounds now to avoid contact and it makes me think someone on the RB staff must have clued him in about staying healthy.

 

[links18]

I think in Dec and Jan you need to have a running game because of the weather and playing better teams in the playoffs. You just cant count on a QB having a good game every time he gets on the field so you might get away with it in in the early part of the season but if you can't keep they're QB off the field sometimes or keep yours from throwing against the better secondaries you run into during the playoffs it's prolly gonna catch up to you at the worst time. Like the last game of the year when your trying to make the playoffs or a cold windy day in Chicago for example.

I agree with you, but it seems like maybe they should have thought about that at the beginning of the season rather than rely on a scrap heap player signed in December. Were there no quality fullbacks available in the off season?

 

[Carolina Cowboy]

Anyone else just damn happy there is a true FB on this team? Can't stand watching us try to run behind TE's that would rather be up, or off the line in their comfort zone.

 

[Zman5]

He is mostly a ST guy. Kinda weird we would cut Andre smith and then sign this guy, but maybe it'll work out for the best. We will find out what there plans are for klutts this Monday night.

Didnt be used to be a DL? But he's not a bruiser? Hmm

I think he played DE.

 

[Zman5]

They guy probably does. This is, what, his 5th team, and he was on the street as opposed to being developed somewhere on a roster.
That said, I like Broaddus, but he's got some seriously strong opinions on some players that are pretty far off. Thinking BW Webb would outplay Scandrick, for instance. Come on. He'd down on Carr right now and, other than the trailing on the crossing routes, I'm not sure I see it. He's down on Mack, and seems to be higher on Leary, which is another one I just don't see at all. Then there's the Randle thing that's never made sense to me because--other than having soft hands--that kid's been as pedestrian as it comes so far in a league where he's just not fast enough to be a starter.

As I said, I think adding a FB was a weird move, and I haven't seen this guy play at all yet, but until somebody can explain what we were attempting to add with this move, I think it's hard to evaluate whether or not this Clutts was the guy to do it, or not.

It is weird move since we have ran the best with 3WR set this year.

 

[Idgit]

It is weird move since we have ran the best with 3WR set this year.

Right?

They must have something in mind, but I'm not sure what it could be at this point. Puzzling.

 

[Deep_South]

I remember reading we run plays that require a fullback, but we have been using Hanna and a linebacker - can't remember his name - in that role. Maybe they have decided those plays would work better with a real fullback. It could be that simple, I suppose.