Thoughts on last night

[Kingofholland]

Completely random as they pop into my head

- Grier should be the backup.

- Dowdle and Davis are an interesting battle for that 3rd RB spot.

- Smith seems to be settling in at LG. He still has his mistakes but he can be so dominant at times. The more reps he gets (leave him at LG you schmucks), the better he's going to get and give us a nice OG combo with Martin.

- I've ripped Hill but there's no question he's playing well. Now he'll never be that dominant, interior wrecker but if we are going with the body rotation method at DT, he sure seems to be finding his spot. The question will be can he continually put forth the effort needed game in and game out, play to play, series to series.

- Tolbert clearly has some skill but he's not ready to be a big contributor yet. I am beating the hell out of this, but they have a WR issue and are just ignoring it thinking they can get by for 4-6 games with, I guess, a bunch of double tight end stuff, etc. I guess we'll see if their gamble will pay off.

- Ball just isn't that good. Like WR, I have no idea what they are doing depth wise at OT right now. My fear is they try to shift Tyler Smith to OT if one of the starters gets hurt and I think that would be a mistake.

- Wright just struggles with the ball in the air. Any talk of him being much better than Joseph is laughable. That's not an endorsement of Joseph, mind you. It's just reality with Wright. But then again, we are talking about a 4th or 5th or even 6th CB, so not exactly a huge issue for the season.

- Still too many penalties and that's a coaching thing. But I do like that the coaches have seemingly instilled a desire to be more physical. Both the OL and DL has played tough in these first two games. Now granted, it's a mixture of backups versus backups in many cases, but still, being able to just line up and take a punch and give a punch is important. The 49ers manhandled us last year with a better OL and DL. We are going to see that twice this year with Philly having loaded offensive and defensive lines.

Agree with most of this, except at WR. A lot of these young WRs have made some nice plays in camp, which has me more optimistic for this group as of late.

 

[DoctorChicken]

Absolutely agree. I like almost everything about this roster besides OL and WR depth + kicker.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Completely random as they pop into my head

- Grier should be the backup.

- Dowdle and Davis are an interesting battle for that 3rd RB spot.

- Smith seems to be settling in at LG. He still has his mistakes but he can be so dominant at times. The more reps he gets (leave him at LG you schmucks), the better he's going to get and give us a nice OG combo with Martin.

- I've ripped Hill but there's no question he's playing well. Now he'll never be that dominant, interior wrecker but if we are going with the body rotation method at DT, he sure seems to be finding his spot. The question will be can he continually put forth the effort needed game in and game out, play to play, series to series.

- Tolbert clearly has some skill but he's not ready to be a big contributor yet. I am beating the hell out of this, but they have a WR issue and are just ignoring it thinking they can get by for 4-6 games with, I guess, a bunch of double tight end stuff, etc. I guess we'll see if their gamble will pay off.

- Ball just isn't that good. Like WR, I have no idea what they are doing depth wise at OT right now. My fear is they try to shift Tyler Smith to OT if one of the starters gets hurt and I think that would be a mistake.

- Wright just struggles with the ball in the air. Any talk of him being much better than Joseph is laughable. That's not an endorsement of Joseph, mind you. It's just reality with Wright. But then again, we are talking about a 4th or 5th or even 6th CB, so not exactly a huge issue for the season.

- Still too many penalties and that's a coaching thing. But I do like that the coaches have seemingly instilled a desire to be more physical. Both the OL and DL has played tough in these first two games. Now granted, it's a mixture of backups versus backups in many cases, but still, being able to just line up and take a punch and give a punch is important. The 49ers manhandled us last year with a better OL and DL. We are going to see that twice this year with Philly having loaded offensive and defensive lines.

there was a time in the 90s, where we had a dominant LDE but the rest of the line were average to good players and we platooned them in and out. by the 4th quarter, we often wore out the OL...we need to take that approach. Parson can be that dominant LDE and then we just platoon everyone in and out and just come every play like bat out of hel!

 

[FVSTONE]

Agree with every single point!
PS: You should really get rid of that Rowdy Avatar, it destroys your street cred ! lol

I know it's JUST preseason, but I sure hope the starters on defense fare better at shutting down the passing game of their opponents because the backups have struggled for two weeks in a row now. Personally, I think starters need to be out their working on their tackling since it's all but disappeared in training camps!

 

[Sydla]

That just isn't going to happen. Why would the Cowboys put a rookie with limited snaps at OT out there in a real game?

Who knows but what front office would look at our OT situation and think, hee, it’s all good.

 

[john van brocklin]

I know it's JUST preseason, but I sure hope the starters on defense fare better at shutting down the passing game of their opponents because the backups have struggled for two weeks in a row now. Personally, I think starters need to be out their working on their tackling since it's all but disappeared in training camps!

We don't do them pesky tackling drills no more.

 

[Longboysfan]

The last pre season game with starters will tell the tale.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

We dont have a WR issue buddy. When Tolbert gets in there with Dak everything will be just fine.

Yep, no issues with the talent on the offense esp WR!!!!

 

[kskboys]

there was a time in the 90s, where we had a dominant LDE but the rest of the line were average to good players and we platooned them in and out. by the 4th quarter, we often wore out the OL...we need to take that approach. Parson can be that dominant LDE and then we just platoon everyone in and out and just come every play like bat out of hel!

Casillas was a top 5 DT. Tolbert was a top 12ish DE. Maryland was far above average. Jimmie Jones, the backup DT, was a top 12ishDT. That DLine was loaded, there was nothing average about it. Do you realize that Jim Jeffcoat was on that team, another top 10ish pass rusher?

 

[kskboys]

Who knows but what front office would look at our OT situation and think, hee, it’s all good.

Same as w/ some of the fans I was just talking to on the CB thread, like casual fans Jerry n son don't understand the difference between potential and actual play. That's why they make draft snafus such as taking Jo in the 2nd round, they see the obvious talent but are unable to analyze the chances of him transferring that talent to actual play.

 

[fivetwos]

Completely random as they pop into my head

- Grier should be the backup.

- Dowdle and Davis are an interesting battle for that 3rd RB spot.

- Smith seems to be settling in at LG. He still has his mistakes but he can be so dominant at times. The more reps he gets (leave him at LG you schmucks), the better he's going to get and give us a nice OG combo with Martin.

- I've ripped Hill but there's no question he's playing well. Now he'll never be that dominant, interior wrecker but if we are going with the body rotation method at DT, he sure seems to be finding his spot. The question will be can he continually put forth the effort needed game in and game out, play to play, series to series.

- Tolbert clearly has some skill but he's not ready to be a big contributor yet. I am beating the hell out of this, but they have a WR issue and are just ignoring it thinking they can get by for 4-6 games with, I guess, a bunch of double tight end stuff, etc. I guess we'll see if their gamble will pay off.

- Ball just isn't that good. Like WR, I have no idea what they are doing depth wise at OT right now. My fear is they try to shift Tyler Smith to OT if one of the starters gets hurt and I think that would be a mistake.

- Wright just struggles with the ball in the air. Any talk of him being much better than Joseph is laughable. That's not an endorsement of Joseph, mind you. It's just reality with Wright. But then again, we are talking about a 4th or 5th or even 6th CB, so not exactly a huge issue for the season.

- Still too many penalties and that's a coaching thing. But I do like that the coaches have seemingly instilled a desire to be more physical. Both the OL and DL has played tough in these first two games. Now granted, it's a mixture of backups versus backups in many cases, but still, being able to just line up and take a punch and give a punch is important. The 49ers manhandled us last year with a better OL and DL. We are going to see that twice this year with Philly having loaded offensive and defensive lines.

Agree on all. Nice work. I'd add....

-Who else knew that if Hill ever somehow figured it out, it would be in his contract year?

-Tolberts biggest problem early on may be his QB not trusting him. Obviously he has a ways to go to be a polished WR, but he should end up with solid numbers for a rookie. He has solid #2 potential, but probably not just yet.

-Wrights technique is brutal. This is against backup QB/WR. A top NFL duo would roast him and I wouldn't put him out there.

-Ball looks like his only talent is being a large human.

 

[Sydla]

Agree on all. Nice work. I'd add....

-Who else knew that if Hill ever somehow figured it out, it would be in his contract year?

-Tolberts biggest problem early on may be his QB not trusting him. Obviously he has a ways to go to be a polished WR, but he should end up with solid numbers for a rookie. He has solid #2 potential, but probably not just yet.

-Wrights technique is brutal. This is against backup QB/WR. A top NFL duo would roast him and I wouldn't put him out there.

-Ball looks like his only talent is being a large human.

FWIW, my criticism of the WR situation isn't because I think Tolbert is a bust. I think he has potential to be a really good WR.

But he's not there yet and if the Cowboys are counting on him to basically be Gallup at the start of the season, that's just foolish.

 

[CouchCoach]

My main thought while that game was underway was what players is LA playing?

I am not familiar with their team so I don’t have a clue who was on the field or what their coaching staff was looking at in that game.

That is my main problem with pretend games, only the coaches know what they”re looking for.

 

[Crown Royal]

Josh Ball is embarrassingly bad at football. I'm dumbfounded - some of his reaches/stumbles/misses made it look like he's just a massive guy but that he has never played football before. It was shocking.

 

[fivetwos]

FWIW, my criticism of the WR situation isn't because I think Tolbert is a bust. I think he has potential to be a really good WR.

But he's not there yet and if the Cowboys are counting on him to basically be Gallup at the start of the season, that's just foolish.

They tend to try to do that.

They think the draft is a big free agent get better immediately type of deal. It's not.

And yeah they are playing with fire with the backup OT situation. QBs health on the line.

But this is how things are run, and you're no stranger to those that staunchly defend it.

 

[FVSTONE]

We don't do them pesky tackling drills no more.

Ha-haaaaaa

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Casillas was a top 5 DT. Tolbert was a top 12ish DE. Maryland was far above average. Jimmie Jones, the backup DT, was a top 12ishDT. That DLine was loaded, there was nothing average about it. Do you realize that Jim Jeffcoat was on that team, another top 10ish pass rusher?

I think we had a lot of good players, no elite or great. I don't put casillas as elitish. he was very good at what he did. but Haley was the only elite and only one with a yellow jacket and the rest didn't even come close.

with that said, the platooning helped all of them along with the scheme. it made them look a lot better as opposed to them being individuals.

I am not saying, this team DL is as talented. but we have depth and I like to see the same platooning approach. put your ears back, go 100% every snap and then come out and next series another group. relentlessness would be very good for this defense.

 

[quickccc]

Completely random as they pop into my head

- Grier should be the backup.

- Dowdle and Davis are an interesting battle for that 3rd RB spot.

- Smith seems to be settling in at LG. He still has his mistakes but he can be so dominant at times. The more reps he gets (leave him at LG you schmucks), the better he's going to get and give us a nice OG combo with Martin.

- I've ripped Hill but there's no question he's playing well. Now he'll never be that dominant, interior wrecker but if we are going with the body rotation method at DT, he sure seems to be finding his spot. The question will be can he continually put forth the effort needed game in and game out, play to play, series to series.

- Tolbert clearly has some skill but he's not ready to be a big contributor yet. I am beating the hell out of this, but they have a WR issue and are just ignoring it thinking they can get by for 4-6 games with, I guess, a bunch of double tight end stuff, etc. I guess we'll see if their gamble will pay off.

- Ball just isn't that good. Like WR, I have no idea what they are doing depth wise at OT right now. My fear is they try to shift Tyler Smith to OT if one of the starters gets hurt and I think that would be a mistake.

- Wright just struggles with the ball in the air. Any talk of him being much better than Joseph is laughable. That's not an endorsement of Joseph, mind you. It's just reality with Wright. But then again, we are talking about a 4th or 5th or even 6th CB, so not exactly a huge issue for the season.

- Still too many penalties and that's a coaching thing. But I do like that the coaches have seemingly instilled a desire to be more physical. Both the OL and DL has played tough in these first two games. Now granted, it's a mixture of backups versus backups in many cases, but still, being able to just line up and take a punch and give a punch is important. The 49ers manhandled us last year with a better OL and DL. We are going to see that twice this year with Philly having loaded offensive and defensive lines.

Thanx for sharing ..

- Grier may not have enuff game time to seriously change the backup decision. If Rush was equally ineffective vs Chargers, the decision may have swung towards
Wil Grier is limited too, but physically wise, he offers more snap and velocity ability than Rush, and it’s not like Grier has no game experience as a starting QB.
What Rush has, is that lone vikes win, familiarity with this Moore offense and longtime rapport with the OC and QB coaches that know and trust Rush.
I would seriously doubt we carry 3 QBs on the 53, nor should we.

- Even as a rookie, Tyler is too physically country strong and powerful to be sitting the bench in favor of McGovern, once Tyler is locked on in front of DL guys, they cannot
toss or overpower him. You don’t gain forward movement vs pass, and he moves defenders off the line vs run. I just dunno about our OL coach.

- Tolbert is playing tentative to a degree. Especially when it comes to slants and anything to do with tight traffic and crowded short middle catches.
Time will tell if he will end up proving a dependable slot WR.
He maybe the type that needs more developing time per game experience, coach up and offseason programing.
* Remember it took some developing time for the likes of Gallup and Cedrick Wilson. They were not instant rookie studs.

 

[quickccc]

- Ball just isn't that good. Like WR, I have no idea what they are doing depth wise at OT right now. My fear is they try to shift Tyler Smith to OT if one of the starters gets hurt and I think that would be a mistake.

- Wright just struggles with the ball in the air. Any talk of him being much better than Joseph is laughable. That's not an endorsement of Joseph, mind you. It's just reality with Wright. But then again, we are talking about a 4th or 5th or even 6th CB, so not exactly a huge issue for the season.

- Nashon Wright doesn’t seem to use his hands, length and positioning well. Too free a line release and opposing WRs get up on top and behind him too easily.
Being 6’4 should be a tougher throw over target, and they’re counting on his supposed INT skills.
What more compromises, is Wright may too tall, leggy and upright to be a slot CB, he has to be strictly outside.
Looks like he's a better practice than game player. At least Joseph can probably play some slot.

- My concern is that once Tyron gets injured and out as usual, they will shift Steele over to LT, Ball to RT, and that will cause an uncomfortable, confusion with teammates
that have had no rapport when it will come to stunts, twists, delayed and overload blitzes .. the trench games upfront.
I am willing to bet that if it is THE plan to entrust Josh Ball only at LT, then the current OL coach (Philibin) is insisting that it’s only a matter of time before Ball emerges
more and more consistently where we can depend upon him. What a incredibly risky gamble with your QB.

 

[Stash]

Completely random as they pop into my head

- Grier should be the backup.

- Dowdle and Davis are an interesting battle for that 3rd RB spot.

- Smith seems to be settling in at LG. He still has his mistakes but he can be so dominant at times. The more reps he gets (leave him at LG you schmucks), the better he's going to get and give us a nice OG combo with Martin.

- I've ripped Hill but there's no question he's playing well. Now he'll never be that dominant, interior wrecker but if we are going with the body rotation method at DT, he sure seems to be finding his spot. The question will be can he continually put forth the effort needed game in and game out, play to play, series to series.

- Tolbert clearly has some skill but he's not ready to be a big contributor yet. I am beating the hell out of this, but they have a WR issue and are just ignoring it thinking they can get by for 4-6 games with, I guess, a bunch of double tight end stuff, etc. I guess we'll see if their gamble will pay off.

- Ball just isn't that good. Like WR, I have no idea what they are doing depth wise at OT right now. My fear is they try to shift Tyler Smith to OT if one of the starters gets hurt and I think that would be a mistake.

- Wright just struggles with the ball in the air. Any talk of him being much better than Joseph is laughable. That's not an endorsement of Joseph, mind you. It's just reality with Wright. But then again, we are talking about a 4th or 5th or even 6th CB, so not exactly a huge issue for the season.

- Still too many penalties and that's a coaching thing. But I do like that the coaches have seemingly instilled a desire to be more physical. Both the OL and DL has played tough in these first two games. Now granted, it's a mixture of backups versus backups in many cases, but still, being able to just line up and take a punch and give a punch is important. The 49ers manhandled us last year with a better OL and DL. We are going to see that twice this year with Philly having loaded offensive and defensive lines.

I think they need to bring in a vet receiver (TY Hilton for me) and a vet swing tackle (Sam Tevi maybe?)

I have to think they have a vet swing tackle in mind to sign after final cuts or after week one when his salary is no longer guaranteed.