The Boxing of Beasley

[T-RO]

Who saw this coming?

 

[T-RO]

After 2016 opposing teams said:
“Nuff o dat”

They’d seen enough of Cole shaking DBs for easy pitch and catch plays.

Defensive coordinators turned to bracket coverage, where Cole is essentially zoned up with two men for short/intermediate routes.

You can see the focus Cole was getting from defenses in the clip below...It’s one of the rare times we fed it to him anyway.

 

[T-RO]

This article demonstrates and details the boxes Cole faced:

https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-co...ent-for-the-Dallas-Cowboys-in-2017-108366892/

 

[MarcusRock]

Who saw this coming?

Ooooh, me. Me. I did. I used to watch him a lot on the field and saw that he was open quite a bit. It sucked that we didn't use him MORE early on.

 

[Aviano90]

Beasley was open on a huge 4th and 2.

 

[T-RO]

Ooooh, me. Me. I did. I used to watch him a lot on the field and saw that he was open quite a bit. It sucked that we didn't use him MORE early on.

I didn’t see it.

I doubted Beasley
-I thought he’d get hurt too easy
-I thought with his size he’d be fumbler
-I thought DBs would out-physical him for the ball on contested passes

 

[T-RO]

Some say Cole had a down season in ‘17. I say if your slot guy is demanding a double team that its is a big win for the offense and should yield results for other receivers.

I’ll wrap up thoughts and considerations today.

There has been talk about using Cole some outside his role in the slot. I’ll convey why I don’t think that can work. And then a look at the final forces that seem destined to hem Beas in...when nothing else has.

 

[xwalker]

Beasley was open on a huge 4th and 2.

What game?

 

[Aviano90]

What game?

GB’14

 

[MarcusRock]

What game?

Surely you jest:

 

[MarcusRock]

My favorite Beez moment.

2013, Week 12 at the Meadowlands, tie game and 1:25 left in the 4th. It's a long Bailey FG from where they are. It's 3rd and 10 because on the previous play Dez Bryant fell victim to his other "going to the ground rule" no catch on the play just before. Romo looks at Beez the entire way but the Beez does his thing and puts the Giants DB on his duff to convert the 1st Down. They run down the clock and Bailey hits the walk off FG for the win to put Dallas in first place. Clutch.

 

[408Cowboy]

You want a syllabus? Sorry.

I'll give one more preview:
I'll explain my view on why Cole will never work as an outside receiver, despite offseason exploration of him playing there. I have my boxes for Cole too and I stand by them.

But that's days away.

Stop your fussing. Its not a good look.

Off-season exploration has as much value as a red herring. Beasley is undersized and lacks the athletic ability to go up over the top and high point a ball over the bigger DBs. He also wouldn't be very good at out muscling press coverage on the outside.

His size and quickness make him a prototypical slot

 

[T-RO]

Slot guys catch passes that are in the air for 10-20 yards. Passes going to outside guys fly in the air 15-50 yards and during that time corners close in and often compete physically on the ground...or in the air.

Cole might catch an occasional ball downfield but he doesn’t have the height or arm length or physicality to battle for contested passes. I’m definitely not running him 20 yards over the middle where safeties crash.

If Dallas has a few wrinkles for Cole downfield...I’m for it.

But my box for Beez is inside 20 of the line of scrimmage. Don’t see him beyond it.

Fans say Dallas isn’t creative with Cole. I say the player has limits.

 

[T-RO]

My favorite Beez moment.

2013, Week 12 at the Meadowlands, tie game and 1:25 left in the 4th. It's a long Bailey FG from where they are. It's 3rd and 10 because on the previous play Dez Bryant fell victim to his other "going to the ground rule" no catch on the play just before. Romo looks at Beez the entire way but the Beez does his thing and puts the Giants DB on his duff to convert the 1st Down. They run down the clock and Bailey hits the walk off FG for the win to put Dallas in first place. Clutch.

Ankles hurt just watching that

 

[xwalker]

Cole Beasley has been boxed-in for the entirety of his athletic life. Labeled. Categorized. Diminished. Dissed. Somehow Beas manages to jack all the boxes the world squeezes him into. The NFL and its fans have come to learn that Cole packs some Houdini Sauce...and features an uncanny habit of busting out...and breaking through.

The little kid from Little Elm Texas repeatedly surprises everyone, making big impact plays on America’s largest stage.

What follows is a CowboyZone exclusive...a multi-installment thread discussing Cole and the boxes his world imposes—past, current and future. This thread demands extra time and attention and I intend to give it some love.

Perhaps the toughest boxes Cole must escape are the ones not fully acknowledged...the traps newly conceived and those just lurking around the corner. This won’t be pure fan-fest. I’ll document my doubts from the past...explore the day he deserted the team...and be frank with skepticism about his future.

Day 1...tomorrow...the kid from a small school in a nothing conference...and how he managed to get even that far.

The following is intended to be somewhat humorous but also as accurate as possible.

I find name references to players to be an interesting topic.

I can't really explain how athletes quickly get a defacto name (first or last or both or nickname).

Beasley's defacto name as referenced by Cowboys fans is Beasley not Cole which is what prompted my reply. About 95 of 100 people use Beasley.

Marion Barber was Barber, Barbarian or Marion Barber but never Marion.

If I see somebody refer to Tony Romo as Tony, then they either know him personally or they are not a Cowboys fan.

Somewhat reversed with Dak. If he is referenced as Prescott it's likely not by a Cowboys fan.

Examples
Sean Lee: Lee or Sean Lee (not Sean).
Darren McFadden: McFadden
Travis Frederick: Frederick
Jonathan Cooper: Cooper
Brice Butler: Butler
Terence Newman: Newman
David Irving: Irving

Dak Prescott: Dak
Dez Bryant: Dez
Ezekiel Elliott: Zeke
Emmitt Smith: Emmitt

Bob Lilly: Bob Lilly or Mr. C
Randy White: Randy White or Sir.
John Wayne: John Wayne (never John or Wayne)
(Real name Marion Morrison).

Calvin Johnson: Megatron

Vidauntae Charlton: Taco
This one is interesting in that draft guides/info
use the name Taco.

Vincent Edward Jackson: Bo Jackson

Drew Pearson: Drew or Drew Pearson
Common first name but Preston Pearson teammate.

Jaylon Smith: Jaylon
Last name more common than first.

Terrance Williams: TWill or Terrance Williams
Both names common.

Demarcus Lawrence: Lawrence or DLaw

La'el Collins: La'el or Collins
More references to La'el because of Maliek Collins.

Roger Staubach: Roger or Staubach or Roger Staubach

 

[T-RO]

The following is intended to be somewhat humorous but also as accurate as possible.

I find name references to players to be an interesting topic.

I can't really explain how athletes quickly get a defacto name (first or last or both or nickname).

Beasley's defacto name as referenced by Cowboys fans is Beasley not Cole which is what prompted my reply. About 95 of 100 people use Beasley.

Marion Barber was Barber, Barbarian or Marion Barber but never Marion.

If I see somebody refer to Tony Romo as Tony, then they either know him personally or they are not a Cowboys fan.

Somewhat reversed with Dak. If he is referenced as Prescott it's likely not by a Cowboys fan.

Examples
Sean Lee: Lee or Sean Lee (not Sean).
Darren McFadden: McFadden
Travis Frederick: Frederick
Jonathan Cooper: Cooper
Brice Butler: Butler
Terence Newman: Newman
David Irving: Irving

Dak Prescott: Dak
Dez Bryant: Dez
Ezekiel Elliott: Zeke
Emmitt Smith: Emmitt

Bob Lilly: Bob Lilly or Mr. C
Randy White: Randy White or Sir.
John Wayne: John Wayne (never John or Wayne)
(Real name Marion Morrison).

Calvin Johnson: Megatron

Vidauntae Charlton: Taco
This one is interesting in that draft guides/info
use the name Taco.

Vincent Edward Jackson: Bo Jackson

Drew Pearson: Drew or Drew Pearson
Common first name but Preston Pearson teammate.

Jaylon Smith: Jaylon
Last name more common than first.

Terrance Williams: TWill or Terrance Williams
Both names common.

Demarcus Lawrence: Lawrence or DLaw

La'el Collins: La'el or Collins
More references to La'el because of Maliek Collins.

Roger Staubach: Roger or Staubach or Roger Staubach

I have a vague recollection that we’ve chatted about this here before.

We have some guys that haven’t been blessed with great names. I’m not crazy about the name Cole. But Geoff Swaim got slammed twice.

I say this as one who prefers my nicknames over my given name.

 

[T-RO]

I predict 540 yards receiving for Beez in 2018.

As he enters free agency Dallas will likely have some desire to keep him, but the team seems intent on choosing youth and letting free agents ride.

Cole will be turning 30 soon and, sadly, age is one box where the walls never widen, only close in. No sauce known for it.

 

[McKDaddy]

Boxed in right between the slot CB and the linebacker, just like all of 2017...

except this year we have weapons that will make defenses pay if they choose to got that route

 

[McKDaddy]

I predict 540 yards receiving for Beez in 2018.

As he enters free agency Dallas will likely have some desire to keep him, but the team seems intent on choosing youth and letting free agents ride.

Cole will be turning 30 soon and, sadly, age is one box where the walls never widen, only close in. No sauce known for it.

Until he starts to lose his insane short area quickness, age means nothing but more experience

 

[MarcusRock]

Until he starts to lose his insane short area quickness, age means nothing but more experience

I agree. I'm not concerned about Beasley turning 30. I'd re-sign him to give Dak a reliable, familiar target at least until we can launch something at TE.