Tavon Austin - punt returns

[John813]

That's just speculation on my part about the speed thing from my own eyeball test. No proof on that, he just looks slower to my eyes.

But yes, frustratingly creativity seems to ebb and flow by the week around here. Creative one week, bland and predictable the next. Did we throw a single screen pass against the Vikings while theirs killed us all night?

Don't believe so. I think Moore overthinks stuff at times. Needs to go back to the gameplan earlier in the year. Sure you want to try to establish the run but there's more run plays than running up the A/B gap.

 

[Stash]

It was just food for thought. I'm not saying he was certain to do the same thing had he tried to return the punt against the Vikings. I'm really just saying the concern in the kind of situation we were in against the Vikings is that the returner will try to do too much, and it will hurt the team, and this week showed that can happen, and is an argument for the conservative approach.

I respectfully disagree. If they emphasized north and south and he disobeyed that's one thing. But they told him to fair catch the thing. And if they couldn't trust him to follow directions, get someone else lie Cobb out there. Neither of those things happened.

 

[Stash]

Don't believe so. I think Moore overthinks stuff at times. Needs to go back to the gameplan earlier in the year. Sure you want to try to establish the run but there's more run plays than running up the A/B gap.

Like his head coach, I think he lacks a feel for the running game. Hopefully, unlike said head coach, he will improve in this area.

 

[OmerV]

I respectfully disagree. If they emphasized north and south and he disobeyed that's one thing. But they told him to fair catch the thing. And if they couldn't trust him to follow directions, get someone else lie Cobb out there. Neither of those things happened.

I didn't say those things happened, I just said maybe it was good that he did the fair catch it. Ultimately, we will never know.

 

[Risen Star]

What if he was told to run backwards?

 

[fansince68]

Tavon is trash period. He never runs north south because of his fear of contact. He wants to hug the sidelines. He should have been cut or trade during training camp.

 

[OmerV]

What if he was told to run backwards?

Do you mean backpedalling, or turning and running toward the Cowboys end zone? It matters, and if you give me a minute I might be able to come up with a reason why.

 

[birdwells1]

This may just be stirring up stuff (I don't care), or maybe nobody will even respond, but I was thinking that given the effort we saw from Austin Sunday where he ran most of the way across the field, losing 8-9 yards in the process, all in an effort to make a big punt return, maybe a fair catch was the right decision on that punt in the Vikings game. I know there is still some confusion on what was or was not communicated to Austin, but regardless, he may not be the kind of North/South runner we needed in that situation. I'm not even convinced he makes a difference in any situation. We haven't seen much from him as a returner so far.

I was talking to my 15 yo son during the game and I asked him "what does Austin bring to the table that allows him to be active every week?" his answer was returning punts and I countered with "how's that been going for us". This guy should actually be cut, the reason we signed him was for explosive plays which we hadn't seen many. Devin Smith could do the same thing in the return game and offer more as a wr.

 

[Jarv]

Didn't Austin run one back last year, I think it was called back for a tic tac penalty.

 

[big dog cowboy]

This may just be stirring up stuff (I don't care), or maybe nobody will even respond, but I was thinking that given the effort we saw from Austin Sunday where he ran most of the way across the field, losing 8-9 yards in the process, all in an effort to make a big punt return, maybe a fair catch was the right decision on that punt in the Vikings game. I know there is still some confusion on what was or was not communicated to Austin, but regardless, he may not be the kind of North/South runner we needed in that situation. I'm not even convinced he makes a difference in any situation. We haven't seen much from him as a returner so far.

I blame the coaching staff.

 

[jrumann59]

One disappointment I will mention is that he's not running away from anyone in the passing agame this year. The few times he has been in there and Prescott has taken a shot to him, he's either been double covered and the pass is incomplete or the pass has been intercepted. Either way, he hasn't gotten open.

Austin is more effective in the pass game in the Beasley area about 10-15 yards from the line of scrimmage. He does not have the ball skills of a Santana Moss or D-Jax to be a deep threat, then throw in his size it just is asking for failure throwing deep passes to him.

 

[OmerV]

Austin is more effective in the pass game in the Beasley area about 10-15 yards from the line of scrimmage. He does not have the ball skills of a Santana Moss or D-Jax to be a deep threat, then throw in his size it just is asking for failure throwing deep passes to him.

He's supposed to be able to outrun everyone on the field, and if he were doing that it wouldn't matter that he is small. Open is open. As it is, the defense is sticking with him pretty well even though they really aren't keying on him over Amari and Gallup.

 

[JD_KaPow]

This may just be stirring up stuff (I don't care), or maybe nobody will even respond, but I was thinking that given the effort we saw from Austin Sunday where he ran most of the way across the field, losing 8-9 yards in the process, all in an effort to make a big punt return, maybe a fair catch was the right decision on that punt in the Vikings game. I know there is still some confusion on what was or was not communicated to Austin, but regardless, he may not be the kind of North/South runner we needed in that situation. I'm not even convinced he makes a difference in any situation. We haven't seen much from him as a returner so far.

Why do you think Austin is only capable of making one kind of decision?

 

[JD_KaPow]

One disappointment I will mention is that he's not running away from anyone in the passing agame this year. The few times he has been in there and Prescott has taken a shot to him, he's either been double covered and the pass is incomplete or the pass has been intercepted. Either way, he hasn't gotten open.

Austin has never, ever been a productive player anywhere. Somehow people get fascinated with his speed and overlook the fact that he doesn't actually accomplish anything. He's a waste of a roster spot.

 

[phildadon86]

This may just be stirring up stuff (I don't care), or maybe nobody will even respond, but I was thinking that given the effort we saw from Austin Sunday where he ran most of the way across the field, losing 8-9 yards in the process, all in an effort to make a big punt return, maybe a fair catch was the right decision on that punt in the Vikings game. I know there is still some confusion on what was or was not communicated to Austin, but regardless, he may not be the kind of North/South runner we needed in that situation. I'm not even convinced he makes a difference in any situation. We haven't seen much from him as a returner so far.

No. Its just like when Jerry called out Garrett for not going for it on 4th and 1 in the Houston game. Since then we ALWAYS go for it on 4th and short. Media brought the fair catch to JG attention, all of a sudden we never call a fair catch again. Its just how he coaches. Its a farce.

 

[glimmerman]

Austin had a straight shot up the sidelines in the vikings game.

 

[OmerV]

Why do you think Austin is only capable of making one kind of decision?

I didn't say he was. I just pointed out he is capable of making the wrong one.

 

[gimmesix]

This may just be stirring up stuff (I don't care), or maybe nobody will even respond, but I was thinking that given the effort we saw from Austin Sunday where he ran most of the way across the field, losing 8-9 yards in the process, all in an effort to make a big punt return, maybe a fair catch was the right decision on that punt in the Vikings game. I know there is still some confusion on what was or was not communicated to Austin, but regardless, he may not be the kind of North/South runner we needed in that situation. I'm not even convinced he makes a difference in any situation. We haven't seen much from him as a returner so far.

Austin ran sideways in the Detroit game because he thought that was his best opportunity for a big return. It proved to be a bad decision. In the Minnesota game, there was no one directly in front of him. An easy remedy, and smart coaching, would be to tell him to go forward as far as he can considering the situation and if he gets to the point where he has to run sideways, get down to preserve the clock.

 

[OmerV]

No. Its just like when Jerry called out Garrett for not going for it on 4th and 1 in the Houston game. Since then we ALWAYS go for it on 4th and short. Media brought the fair catch to JG attention, all of a sudden we never call a fair catch again. Its just how he coaches. Its a farce.

You're saying we didn't call a single fair catch in the Lions game? And even if that were true, what does that have to do with Austin running across the field and losing yardage?

 

[OmerV]

Austin ran sideways in the Detroit game because he thought that was his best opportunity for a big return. It proved to be a bad decision. In the Minnesota game, there was no one directly in front of him. An easy remedy, and smart coaching, would be to tell him to go forward as far as he can considering the situation and if he gets to the point where he has to run sideways, get down to preserve the clock.

Without a doubt there could have been better communication with Austin.