Sullivan: Martin Dominance, Unsung Mincey Among Thoughts

[waving monkey]

The author of America’s Team: The Official History of the Dallas Cowboys, Sullivan also writes a new column in each issue of Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine. For subscription information, please click here.

• Watched the Giants game a second time, on the coaches' film, and was transfixed with the dominating performance of rookie guard Zack Martin. It's going to be a travesty if they end up doing what they always do and vote for a skill-position player (Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, maybe Derek Carr) for Rookie of the Year. Martin is hands down the best rookie in the NFL this season. Not even close.
• Through seven games, Martin has not allowed a sack. He's been flagged for a single penalty and allowed just four hurries. That's over 495 snaps. One could make the case that he's been the best right guard in the league. The numbers support that. Martin should definitely be a Pro Bowl selection at this point.
• Now, it's unfair to compare a guard to a tackle. The tackles are facing the better pass rushers most of the time. I get that. Still, at this point and time, Martin has been the best lineman for the Cowboys this season. Would actually say Travis Frederick has been second. Tyron Smith has been sporadic, playing at his All-Pro level of a season ago at times, and having issues in other games. These last two haven't been his best.
• No one was overly excited about the Jeremy Mincey signing. He was just another guy. And his numbers don't look impressive, 12 tackles and zero sacks. However, he has 19 QB hurries, easily tops on the team, and has been disruptive each and every week. Has also played 308 snaps, which is third on the defense behind just Brandon Carr and J.J. Wilcox. Mincey has been one of the unsung heroes of this unit’s stunning performance.
• Just imagine, back at camp, saying this defense would be tied for ninth in scoring average allowed (21.0) through seven games. Or that the Cowboys would be giving up fewer points per game than the Seattle Seahawks (23.5). What were those odds? Like 100-to-1, if not higher.
• Here's the No. 1 sign of this team's surprising success this season: We have barely heard about the fantastic play of DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and Jay Ratliff.

link/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2014/10/21/sullivan-martin-dominance-unsung-mincey-among-thoughts

 

[big dog cowboy]

Have been telling people about Gavin Escobar for two years now, and kept waiting for the results, and finally, two touchdown catches, three in the last two weeks. Played a career-high 26 snaps, too, against the Giants. No reason he can't finish with eight or nine touchdowns. Has arguably the best hands on the team, just needed to improve the footwork, the pass routes, gain some muscle, learn to block. The list is lengthy, but he's among the more improved players on the Cowboys. Going to help this team a whole bunch this year and going forward.

I'm glad he is starting to make a name for himself. JWit won't play forever. Perhaps this is the beginning stages of the torch being passed at TE.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I love reading Sully's tidbits. He's a bit of an optimist but it's nice to get that positive vibe from time to time.

 

[VACowboy]

I love reading Sully's tidbits. He's a bit of an optimist but it's nice to get that positive vibe from time to time.

No kidding! The Dallas media rots!

 

[VACowboy]

I love that 1-5 stat!

I love a team that pounds the opposition. Give me that any day over a fast-break offense and a read and react defense based on disguises and fancy schemes. Line up and slug somebody in the mouth, I say. Sullivan only mentions the defense in this vein, but I think Murray and the OL are a big part of the brutality the Cowboys are dishing out.

 

[Smith22]

"Through seven games, Martin has not allowed a sack. He's been flagged for a single penalty and allowed just four hurries. That's over 495 snaps. "

Those are some crazy stats right there.

 

[Doc50]

It's worth noting that some of the opposition DL's have been nicked up a bit after getting pounded by our OL.

Instead of rebounding the week after losing to the boys, there have been some rather surprising poor showings the following week.

And nobody wants to get hit by RoMac -- the QB's are starting to keep a fearful eye on his position.

I see visions of Larry Allen and Lawrence Taylor.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

www.nfl.com

Scroll down and on the right side there is a poll for "Who's the offensive Rookie of the year so far?"
Zack Martin is one of the choices.
He is currently in third place behind Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin

 

[Stryker44]

How did Martin get good so fast?

 

[Risen Star]

www.nfl.com

Scroll down and on the right side there is a poll for "Who's the offensive Rookie of the year so far?"
Zack Martin is one of the choices.
He is currently in third place behind Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin

Only because of the position he plays.

 

[xwalker]

How did Martin get good so fast?

He played 52 games of big-time college football. He was as good from a technical standpoint as it gets for a college OLineman.

It's still amazing how fast he adapted from college LT to NFL RG.

 

[Stryker44]

He played 52 games of big-time college football. He was as good from a technical standpoint as it gets for a college OLineman.

It's still amazing how fast he adapted from college LT to NFL RG.

In terms of strength he and Frederick should be getting driven back by guys who have been working out at the NFL level strength programs for longer.

 

[xwalker]

In terms of strength he and Frederick should be getting driven back by guys who have been working out at the NFL level strength programs for longer.

Leverage is part of the technical side that he (Martin) has mastered. The extreme example was Mark Stepnoski. He was really small (6-2, 265) but had great weight room strength and was a master technician that played with perfect leverage.

Fred is a big Center (6-4, 320+). He was 345 in college and has talked about having to stay on a strict dietary regimen to keep his weight down. He said it's irritating to see Tyron be able to eat anything and not get fat, while he (Fred) is having to go low cal.

 

[gimmesix]

I love reading Sully's tidbits. He's a bit of an optimist but it's nice to get that positive vibe from time to time.

Yes, he is. For instance, there's little chance of Tyrone Crawford making the Pro Bowl at this rate because he simply doesn't have the numbers. He's clearly been our best defensive lineman, but is not a statistically viable choice, especially with no sacks.