Surrounding Romo with Targets

[perrykemp]

I hardly think Randall Cobb and Chad Johnson (stop ****ing calling him Ochocinco) qualify as quality receiving threats. They combined for 38 catches and 3 TDs last year.

Randall Cobb, the Packers #5 WR, had 25 catches for 375 yards while also serving at their PR/KR. Cobb went in the 2nd round last year and was projected by some to be a #1 pick. He only had 25 catches because he couldn't get on the field.

Compare that to the Cowboys #5 WR, Jessie Holley, who had 7 catches for 169 yards.

You don't think improving the #3, #4, #5 WR positions won't help the offense? I disagree.

 

[perrykemp]

Name 1 elite wr Tom Bardy had when he won 3 super bowls.

Agreed. I'm not saying you need Elite WRs, however, I do think you more out of your #3, #4, and #5 WRs than just special teams bodies.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Name 1 elite wr Tom Bardy had when he won 3 super bowls.

Matt Walsh.

 

[burmafrd]

I think your post gets the crux of what I think...

NFL is about matchups. Is your #3 WR better than the defenses #3 CB? Is your #4 WR better than the defenses #4 CB, etc?

If so, it opens up the playbook quite a bit and you can have greater diversity in the passing game.

The days of trotting our just your #1 and #2 WR and #1TE and count onf them winning their one-on-one matchups is a thing of the past IMHO.

Does Dallas have any personnel advantages when brining out their #3, #4, or #5 WRs or their #2 TEs? Based on what we know <right now> I don't think so.

In terms of the OL, yes a good OL helps but the Giants and Packers both have average-at-best OLs and it doesn't slow down their passing games. Green Bay in particular relies heavily on 3-step drops and flooding the field with 3, 4, or 5 WRs/TEs complements the 3-step drop philosophy nicely.

I think the Packers have been working hard to fix their O line just have had bad luck with injuries. They get back all their people healthy and their line will be much better.

The Giants have been working the problem; just not very well.

The Boys meanwhile have all but ignored it as regards using high draft choices despite a clear record of not being able to develope lower draft choices. Which then of course mean bringing in high priced FAs.

 

[birdwells1]

Valid point, guess I'm wrong.

Emoticons are the crutch of the witless.

The one thing you can never accuse JJ of is not bringing in enough skill players. The oline may have been neglected but not the skill position.

 

[perrykemp]

The one thing you can never accuse JJ of is not bringing in enough skill players. The oline may have been neglected but not the skill position.

I dunno... case in point -- last year yeah the Cowboys had a great #1 & #2 WR combo in Austin and Bryant.

Having said, once one of them went down there essentially wasn't a valid #3 (not to mention #4 or #5) WR on the roster. We lucked out in signing Robinson (after he been cut but someone else and after we cut him once I believe) and he played well.

Did we start the season last year with enough WRs? Are we going to be lucky enough to find a Robinson on waivers this coming season? Chances are low.

Are we starting out this year with enough quality WRs? I don't think so.

I agree that there are other holes that had to be filled first, however, that doesn't dimish the fact that beyond the #1 and #2 WR positions, we can do nothing but hope.

 

[ShiningStar]

I wonder if the Cowboys are going to look back at this point of Romo's career and lament the fact that they didn't do enough to surround him with enough targets. Elite QBs (and Romo is very much a Elite QB) is the league are surrounded by a plethora of targets. Examples:

NE - Gronk, Hernandez, Welker Branch, Ocho Cincho, Brandon Lloyd
NO - Sproles, Colston, Jimmy Graham, Lance More, Devery Henderson
GB - Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley

The Cowboys have Austin, Dez, and Witten and basically very little proven depth behind them -- especially with Robinson gone.

Assuming some amount of time for injury to Austin or Dez, who's next up?

Is it another year of Romo spending half of his pre-snap time telling WRs where to line up?

With where the NFL is today with passing should the Cowboys be drafting a WR/ TE in rounds 1,2,3 just about every year even if we don't have an immediate need just to make sure the cupboards are always stocked?

he doesnt need targets, a body out there is a target, he needs a line that wont get him killed or make him run for his life

 

[jnday]

For years we have heard the term "Romo friendly". The team has provided him with quality WRs , TEs and RBs. The one area that has been ignored is quality protection. Romo was sacked more last year than at any time in his career. The sack total would have been much higher if he wasn't great at avoiding pressure. Drafting Tyron was a step in the right direction, but he can't block everybody by himself. Free played poorly last year and the two low tier free agents offers little hope. Romo needs protection. He has enough eeapons.

 

[CATCH17]

I wonder if the Cowboys are going to look back at this point of Romo's career and lament the fact that they didn't do enough to surround him with enough targets. Elite QBs (and Romo is very much a Elite QB) is the league are surrounded by a plethora of targets. Examples:

NE - Gronk, Hernandez, Welker Branch, Ocho Cincho, Brandon Lloyd
NO - Sproles, Colston, Jimmy Graham, Lance More, Devery Henderson
GB - Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley

The Cowboys have Austin, Dez, and Witten and basically very little proven depth behind them -- especially with Robinson gone.

Assuming some amount of time for injury to Austin or Dez, who's next up?

Is it another year of Romo spending half of his pre-snap time telling WRs where to line up?

With where the NFL is today with passing should the Cowboys be drafting a WR/ TE in rounds 1,2,3 just about every year even if we don't have an immediate need just to make sure the cupboards are always stocked?

I think we do an excellent job of putting weapons around Romo. It's the protection and playcalling that I think we have failed to give him.

 

[TheCount]

Romo has been surrounded by top talent from day one.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I dunno... case in point -- last year yeah the Cowboys had a great #1 & #2 WR combo in Austin and Bryant.

Having said, once one of them went down there essentially wasn't a valid #3 (not to mention #4 or #5) WR on the roster. We lucked out in signing Robinson (after he been cut but someone else and after we cut him once I believe) and he played well.

Did we start the season last year with enough WRs? Are we going to be lucky enough to find a Robinson on waivers this coming season? Chances are low.

Are we starting out this year with enough quality WRs? I don't think so.

I agree that there are other holes that had to be filled first, however, that doesn't dimish the fact that beyond the #1 and #2 WR positions, we can do nothing but hope.

We are doing nothing but hoping at alot of positions, just like most teams in the league. I still don't see the reason to rank a #3 WR over a #2 TE or even a FB for that matter.

Depending on what formations you run, you will need all 3 equally.

 

[CATCH17]

We are doing nothing but hoping at alot of positions, just like most teams in the league. I still don't see the reason to rank a #3 WR over a #2 TE or even a FB for that matter.

Depending on what formations you run, you will need all 3 equally.

Yep. We just need guys who will step up and make a play when their number is called.

I think our #3 needs to be a little more of a playmaker because thats the guy Romo usually finds when a play breaks down.

 

[perrykemp]

We are doing nothing but hoping at alot of positions, just like most teams in the league. I still don't see the reason to rank a #3 WR over a #2 TE or even a FB for that matter.

Depending on what formations you run, you will need all 3 equally.

True, however, the the current rules heavily emphasize passing. The QB is protected beyond belief, WRs are now allowed to cleanly catch the ball before DBs can hit them, etc, etc.

It's only going to slide more towards passing in the near future.

It's for those reasons that I believe the personnel in the passing game needs to be emphasized. In other words, I'd rather have a good #3 and #4 WR than a good run blocking #2 TE or a good FB.

I guess a lot of it comes down to how you think running the ball fits into where the NFL is going with the game.

I believe they are moving, rather quickly, to an Arena style wide-open passing game. I don't like it, however, I believe this is where it is going.

If the game is heading in that direction, the #3-#5 WRs positions become much more important than they ever had before.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I think the Packers have been working hard to fix their O line just have had bad luck with injuries. They get back all their people healthy and their line will be much better.

The Giants have been working the problem; just not very well.

The Boys meanwhile have all but ignored it as regards using high draft choices despite a clear record of not being able to develope lower draft choices. Which then of course mean bringing in high priced FAs.

And yet the 9ers have a dominating OL but don't have a QB to throw the ball efficiently and few WRs to throw it to. There is a such thing as balance, especially when your D sucked as much as ours did last year.

If ignoring OL means making 3 picks there last year, plus 2 FAs this year, then we need to be ignoring alot more positions on this team. We are 'working hard' on the position just like the Pack and Giants.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Randall Cobb, the Packers #5 WR, had 25 catches for 375 yards while also serving at their PR/KR. Cobb went in the 2nd round last year and was projected by some to be a #1 pick. He only had 25 catches because he couldn't get on the field.

Compare that to the Cowboys #5 WR, Jessie Holley, who had 7 catches for 169 yards.

You don't think improving the #3, #4, #5 WR positions won't help the offense? I disagree.

Considering Garrett doesnt use five receiver sets, not really. Our empty backfield sets consist of four receivers and Jason Witten.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

True, however, the the current rules heavily emphasize passing. The QB is protected beyond belief, WRs are now allowed to cleanly catch the ball before DBs can hit them, etc, etc.

It's only going to slide more towards passing in the near future.

It's for those reasons that I believe the personnel in the passing game needs to be emphasized. In other words, I'd rather have a good #3 and #4 WR than a good run blocking #2 TE or a good FB.

I guess a lot of it comes down to how you think running the ball fits into where the NFL is going with the game.

I believe they are moving, rather quickly, to an Arena style wide-open passing game. I don't like it, however, I believe this is where it is going.

If the game is heading in that direction, the #3-#5 WRs positions become much more important than they ever had before.

Well of course the game is about matchups, and that also brings into focus your #3-#5 CB on your own team, which are much harder to get than the WR.

If you gave me a choice of a 2nd rounder on a #3 WR or a #3 CB, I will choose CB every time. I would also take a #2 TE over a #3 WR cause it is harder to find one who can do everything and there is a reason why we have kept drafting a #2 TE so high over the years. Hopefully Hanna can overcome some of his faults and take hold of the position.

 

[InmanRoshi]

We are doing nothing but hoping at alot of positions, just like most teams in the league. I still don't see the reason to rank a #3 WR over a #2 TE or even a FB for that matter.

Then you probably don't know much about nickel sets and how frequently they're used in the NFL.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Then you probably don't know much about nickel sets and how frequently they're used in the NFL.

Depends on the type of offense you want to run since most teams can't really get 2 TEs that can do everything like we were trying to do for years (and NE was able to do recently).

Not saying we need 2 TEs, just making the point they are harder to find than a #3 WR. I don't stress out over either position really and glad we drafted both at the end of the draft.

 

[mooseq]

Matt Walsh.

 

[Primetime42]

That's what I was going to say. Exemplified by the Mannings. Pierre Garcon, Victor Cruz? Stories I heard were lots of extra hours put in by Payton and Eli and their receivers.

Because Miles Austin has always been a superstar who never put in his work with Romo.