The Offense

TwoDeep3

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Last night was a tragedy, but taking this offense into consideration because of the results from that game alone doesn't truly address the team's current situation.

Romo - How uncomfortable would it be throwing a ball that is hard as a rock and very cold, against a swirling wind, on a night it is at zero with wind chill? Then trying to do so to avoid interceptions and getting hit by big fast men who can break your bones.

Now toss in leading ten other men on the field and making certain they are in place and doing their jobs.

I admire him a great deal for not calling in sick.

He did overthrow Dez once, but can anyone really point to that and suggest it is what lost the game?

I am tough on Romo when he actually deserves it, but last night he was a man amongst men and led the team as best he could.

Summation - All players have faults. Romo's are so vastly outweighed by his strengths that you have to live with them. Some of us live with them less easier than others, but he is still the hub for this offense.

Murray - Last night only reinforces in my mind that if you create a crease for him he can hit it. He will never run 99 yards for a TD, but the guy can wiggle and hit a hole. The addition of Dunbar made him better. But the one thing he needs to do is learn his job when he has to pick up a blitz.

This is where I find Garrett to be responsible. If you have to create a film reel with nothing but focusing on RB's picking up the blitz to teach him, then do so. But the kid plays well for the most part.

Summation - Murray - albeit if he stays healthy - can carry the majority of the load, but he needs a change of pace back that is fast. He also needs to learn his blocking assignments.

Witten - Gentlemen, for the most part we are seeing the end of a great career. There was a time he could have provided the distraction for Dez, but not any more. This is not to say he is done by any means. But he is not the weapon he once was, and as this year winds down I expect the next season to see his skill set diminish.

I really wanted this guy to get a ring.

Summation - Watching Bennett work last night made me angry since Dallas had this guy and we could not find a way to get him to succeed. There is no one at fault for this but Jason Garrett. He was the OC and asst head coach and then the head coach for this player. He owns this mistake. Witten is still a favorite, but his days are clearly numbered now. The rest of the guys are not worth mentioning.

Offensive Line -

Smith - is a Man. Nothing more need be said. He is one of the best in the league.
Freddie - will also be like Smith. I whined when he was drafted, but I was wrong. I get on Jerry arse - alot - but this one paid off. (Fire yourself, Jerry.)
Leary - is serviceable. You cannot have HOFers at each position. As long as his knee holds up he will be a good addition to the line.
Bernadeaux - I don't care who it offends, he is a problem. Dallas had some push on his side last night early, but that was more because the Bears are to the defensive rushing attack what Dallas is to the defensive passing attack, and Dallas focusing a TE on the help side.. This position needs to be upgraded. If Waters was there last night Dallas still probably would have lost, but it would have been a game.
Free - I believe this is a spot that needs upgrading as well. Too many times they have to give help to this guy and it shows in the number of TE's they can run out there.

Summation - Please bring Waters back for another season and draft Free's replacement.

Dez - Physically Dez is greatness. But I fear he will never have the intellect to understand the nuances of the offense enough to be in the top echelon. He needs someone like Alshon Jeffreys so the defenses will not focus on him solely.
Austin - this player needs to be sent packing. He is worthless and one of Jerry's biggest mistakes.
T Will - I hope they get this guy in the weight room and pack the muscle on him. He can be terrific, but he needs to learn the pro game a little more.
Beasley - this guy is not Woodhead, Welker, Amendola, or any of the mighty mites. He is a poor man's version. He can play, but I do not believe he can take over a game like those guys have in the past. But the kid earns his paycheck.

Summation - This team needs something to free up Dez. He has to be more than a red zone attack.

Question - why does this team not focus on the back shoulder pass in places other than the red zone with this guy?

Last night the game got away. I believe the reason was poor play calling in the two minute offense at the end of the first half. That is partially due to Dez not getting open.

However, how much of his not being open is on Romo protecting the ball? I am okay with him looking another way if he has to so he limits turnovers. So this is not *****ing about Dez' lack of getting open, per se.

But the team has to focus on why it struggles in the passing game. Romo is clearly not done. But subtract the top ability of Witten, add in the right side of the line being weak, and no secondary WR to open things up and this is what you get.

There was a mistake at the end of the first half, and that goes to coaching and play calling. Giving the ball back was a huge error. I was thinking that before they took the field.

Then one huge stand from the Bears after they scored at the beginning of the third and that game was done. Opie should have seen that coming.

So where are the inventive plays like the naked bootleg they used to score? That cannot be the only play they can run off the Giant formation.

As it stands, a couple of smart moves and this offense is still pretty close. But then that all depends on what they do on defense. Because the offense cannot carry this team to the play-offs without a defense that being somewhere above the 35th worst in the league

Caveat - I believe the team needs to have an all offense meeting each week and have Romo teach the team what he sees and what he expects. No coaches, because they don't hit the field.

Romo is so far ahead in his thinking that he sees the nuances that others do not. They spoke about this after the game, and while I would not spit on Steve Young if he were on fire, he did make the point that Romo may be over thinking this. Because the team does not see what he sees.

So why not allow him to give instructions if you want him more involved.
 
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