Thoughts on OL after Cincinnati game

[dboyz]

I don't claim be a scout or anything but I looked at the first half and first drive of the second half again and thought I'd share my thoughts on the OL.

Overall I have a positive impression. Free, Smith and Fredrick all played well. Bernie and Parnell were ok. I had Free, Smith and Fredrick with strong positive scores and Bernie and Parnell with slightly negative scores (a few more bad plays than good and lots of ok plays).

Fredrick is a revelation at center. He is very strong and also good at getting to the second level. When he gets his hands on you he almost always wins. He occasionally has trouble with quickness right in front of him, but overall good.

Free was as good as anyone. I think the zone scheme fits him well as he has good feet and can move. He is also pretty good at pulling and getting to the second level.

Tyron Smith I had slightly below Free and Fredrick but he was solid.

So we have 3 very solid lineman and possibly 4 with Leary. So what do we do about the other spot.

Play Bernie at RG (with Free at RT) or play Parnell and RT with Free at RG?

It is a hobson's choice as I had Parnell and Bernie rated about the same. They both had their moments, both are strong enough but there were a lot of inconsistencies. I'm not sure if either one of these guys is great for the zone scheme. Perhaps Parnell is slightly better suited for it.

If it were me I think I would go with Parnell as more perceived upside. I just don't trust Bernie as he had to be threatened with benching last year to up his game and has been given every opportunity to start this year and hasn't done it. Having said that I don't have a problem with someone who favors Bernie. As I said there isn't a clear winner at this point.

There were a few plays where the pass protection was tremendous so overall I see positives. I can see what the staff was thinking in pursuing a FA guard as we are one player away from being solidly above average on the OL.

 

[coult44]

Someone help me out. I just got done watching the 1st two series 3 or 4 times over and over. What am I missing, or have I completely lost it? Mackenzie Bernadeau is bad. He missed the block that caused the first sack. He was being blown up on the first run. He was standing around watching and contributing to Murray's first fumble. How is anyone saying he had a good game. I know, watch the rest of the game, "it's in progress" LOL, but after these first two series he gets a BIG F. On the positive side, watching Free instead of the game made me feel a little better. If we had another RT, he could play RG pretty well.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Someone help me out. I just got done watching the 1st two series 3 or 4 times over and over. What am I missing, or have I completely lost it? Mackenzie Bernadeau is bad. He missed the block that caused the first sack. He was being blown up on the first run. He was standing around watching and contributing to Murray's first fumble. How is anyone saying he had a good game. I know, watch the rest of the game, "it's in progress" LOL, but after these first two series he gets a BIG F. On the positive side, watching Free instead of the game made me feel a little better. If we had another RT, he could play RG pretty well.

Granted the first two series were not good when it came to run blocking, but keep in mind this was the first time facing "live bullets" that Free and Bern were playing these positions. And after those first two series the blocking and running game improved. So yeah, I think they deserve a little bit of a "mulligan".

 

[burmafrd]

Bernie has always had the talent but inconsistency has also always been his problem He is not reliable game in and game out.

 

[DenCWBY]

All I'm hoping is that Cinci's run defense is that good because they owned our run game. Those scoring drives we're all Tony's arm and that is what we saw last year. They HAVE to have a run game this year or TR will eventually be hung out to dry and will not finish the season.
I was impressed with our pass blocking but we have to be able to get on our blocks and move the line to keep the pass open and TR upright.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

All I'm hoping is that Cinci's run defense is that good because they owned our run game. Those scoring drives we're all Tony's arm and that is what we saw last year. They HAVE to have a run game this year or TR will eventually be hung out to dry and will not finish the season.
I was impressed with our pass blocking but we have to be able to get on our blocks and move the line to keep the pass open and TR upright.

Didn't we have over 150 yards rushing? That's pretty good for a preseason game where you're experimenting with different things. I liked what I saw from Murray, Tanner and Randle. The blocking wasn't perfect, but it looks like our run game will be more successful this season.

 

[newlander]

All I'm hoping is that Cinci's run defense is that good because they owned our run game. Those scoring drives we're all Tony's arm and that is what we saw last year. They HAVE to have a run game this year or TR will eventually be hung out to dry and will not finish the season.
I was impressed with our pass blocking but we have to be able to get on our blocks and move the line to keep the pass open and TR upright.

in the end.........you are right: we all know it deep down. BUT.........we can have a very good season, even a playoff season with a DECENT running game which I think we'll have: we are still 2 good olinemen away from being able to run the ball and run it well. I'm hoping for 10 wins and hosting a wild card game this season: that's it. (Romo will have to sling it and wing it and we'll have to hoep and pray we don't suffer any more injuries on a VERY thin defensive front 7)



PS...I just watched the game and Frederick was darn near flawless: just unreal. I'm ecstatic with this guy honestly

 

[Teague31]

I think free only plays guard if Leary isn't ready.

 

[Eskimo]

I think forcing Cinci to respect the running game made it a bit easier to pass block and a bit easier to attack downfield. Just compare to when we played them last year and accomplished next to nothing in the first half against that defense of theirs.

This is a good team we faced. Beating them 14-7 in the first half with their only points occurring on a punt return for a TD suggests we dominated offensively and defensively and that is exactly what happened.

As for the play of Parnell, remember that he has had some difficulty adjusting to the new ZBS and he missed all of TC until this week with that badly strained hamstring. He is going to get better as he recovers and gets more practice time in.

 

[dboyz]

Someone help me out. I just got done watching the 1st two series 3 or 4 times over and over. What am I missing, or have I completely lost it? Mackenzie Bernadeau is bad. He missed the block that caused the first sack. He was being blown up on the first run. He was standing around watching and contributing to Murray's first fumble. How is anyone saying he had a good game. I know, watch the rest of the game, "it's in progress" LOL, but after these first two series he gets a BIG F. On the positive side, watching Free instead of the game made me feel a little better. If we had another RT, he could play RG pretty well.

Coult44 I know what you're saying. He started poorly and Parnell wasn't much better. But Bernie did improve some. He had a lot of ok plays and few good ones with a few more bad ones mixed in after that as well. You should keep watching. Having said that, I'm not sure where Broaddus came up with the good report for Bernie, although he was shooting from the hip.

 

[dboyz]

I think forcing Cinci to respect the running game made it a bit easier to pass block and a bit easier to attack downfield. Just compare to when we played them last year and accomplished next to nothing in the first half against that defense of theirs.

This is a good team we faced. Beating them 14-7 in the first half with their only points occurring on a punt return for a TD suggests we dominated offensively and defensively and that is exactly what happened.

As for the play of Parnell, remember that he has had some difficulty adjusting to the new ZBS and he missed all of TC until this week with that badly strained hamstring. He is going to get better as he recovers and gets more practice time in.

Eskimo, I tend to agree with you on Parnell that he will get better. But I just don't want to be held hostage at right tackle if he doesn't improve.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I think Romo can manage with a mediocre RT more than a mediocre RG. He has the vision and mobility to avoid a rush on the end. He needs to have the luxury of stepping up in the pocket and throwing.

 

[jrumann59]

My thoughts, the left side looked OK, Leary gave that side some pop so the left side should be fine when Leary gets back. The right side I was not really impressed with, every run to that side seemed like a disaster, Parnell is pass blocking as well as he did at the end of last season, which was average, his run blocking is worse but maybe the injury is the reason. Free as OG, ok in a pinch but I feel that as a full time 16 game starter he will be on roller skates he just does not have the strength for the bigger DT that he would face regularly at guard. I would rather leave Parnell as the Swing OT because I think that is his ceiling either by circumstance or by talent. Berny as a RG would at least make our running more balanced, he does get a decent push in the running game his pass blocking is suspect.

 

[CowboyStar88]

All I'm hoping is that Cinci's run defense is that good because they owned our run game. Those scoring drives we're all Tony's arm and that is what we saw last year. They HAVE to have a run game this year or TR will eventually be hung out to dry and will not finish the season.
I was impressed with our pass blocking but we have to be able to get on our blocks and move the line to keep the pass open and TR upright.

We were also with out Dunbar who I believe is the best back on this team and the back that fits this offense better outside of Randle.

 

[big dog cowboy]

So we have 3 very solid lineman and possibly 4 with Leary. So what do we do about the other spot.

Find someone who plays like Eric Williams in his prime to play ROT for the next 12 years next April.

Oh you mean this year? Trust Callahan?

 

[BAT]

First team OL was average to mediocre in running game, especially the right side. And the unit was inconsistent in the passing game as well. The OP is absolutely right about Frederick though, the guy is just a stud.

While the OL was concerning, it was the ST, yet again, that is the Cowboys' weakest unit. The kicking game is usually reliable, but the coverage and return teams are a mess. And the first team DL is not getting the pass rush that I thought they would either.

 

[RamziD]

I think Romo can manage with a mediocre RT more than a mediocre RG. He has the vision and mobility to avoid a rush on the end. He needs to have the luxury of stepping up in the pocket and throwing.

I agree with this. Romo gets in trouble when he has pressure up the middle and can't step up... well, all QBs do really.

 

[cowboys1981]

We need to use play action draws from the shotgun formation so Romo doesn't have his eyes away from the line. I would like to see a Leary Fred Costa combo at the "a" gap. This isn't a hindsight remark, but we should have drafted more than one player on the line. I think another lineman was more important than a 3rd TE

 

[CooterBrown]

I believe that the Bengals chose to focus on the run defense knowing that the Cowboys needed to work on the running game. The result of that was initially the run game was stuffed for the most part. Then Tony lit them up with the passing game and they had to back off the line of scrimmage to defend the pass, and then the running game started clicking. This offense is going to be good. If the line can gel, this offense can be very good. Run to set up the pass, or pass to set up the run, it works either way if you can do both.

 

[DenCWBY]

Didn't we have over 150 yards rushing? That's pretty good for a preseason game where you're experimenting with different things. I liked what I saw from Murray, Tanner and Randle. The blocking wasn't perfect, but it looks like our run game will be more successful this season.

I get it but I'm talking about the first half starters. If your reading total game stats, that is not applicable to regular season players. Perhaps we'll have to use the pass game to open up the run but again your painting a target on your best offensive players back. Eventually good D coordinators will feast on that strategy if you cannot get the run game going.
The first quarter (starters on both sides of the ball, their D line was in our backfield almost taking handoffs from Romo. I attribute that to a very good Dline by the Bengals but also a porous O Line. The only other positive could be that we were being vanilla on offense as well. Also I don't have a problem with our RB's but we struggled early, even with short yardage packages.
We'll see in two weeks because the Gboys will be a great test and will be bringing it as they always do. The tape and stats will tell the tale.