Vela on scrimmage, high praise offense, crushes the D Line

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Because if he were the Hall of Famer in waiting like he has been sold as, he would be a lot more noticeable that he is now.

I know this does not satisfy your sensibilities, but I really do not care.

I am going to start calling you scarecrow because all you do is build strawmen.

You have nothing substantive to back that up with. Nice. That does fit your sensibilities. I care because you do.

 

[DAL1180]

When OCs script their first 15 plays against us this year, 3 of them will be extra points.

I just spit my drink all over the couch laughing at this.

 

[Idgit]

Ah, nice little shot there, Idgit. "All of us Cowboys fans". Boy, you are a clever one.

Which pronoun would you have preferred I used? "Us" is the first-person dative plural, right? Nobody's singling you out or questioning your fanhood. That's something I try really hard to never do because I think it's both an insulting and a purely semantic argument. Each of us could come up with a perfectly acceptable definition of what a true fan is, and we'd never agree as to which definition were better. I prefer to believe we're both true fans, and one of us just looks for more things to complain about for some reason that escapes me.

You have to admit, though, that you'd benefit, too, if your wildly inaccurate and dismally depressing estimations of players turn out not to quite be the acid test you seem to suppose them to be.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Igit and Fuzzy, just keep dragging Alex into their corner and tagging out...

 

[Alexander]

Igit and Fuzzy, just keep dragging Alex into their corner and tagging out...

At the end of the day, it will end in an over the top rope disqualification and there will be no "winner".

 

[Cowboy06]

The only surprise with Lee is that he got hurt before the season. Very Sad.

I wish we could bring in someone that can solve the injury issues. There has to be a training regime that exist that could be the cure for this team.

 

[Cowboy06]

I just spit my drink all over the couch laughing at this.

I laugh because it could be 15 extra points if they don't tighten up the D.

 

[Alexander]

I wish we could bring in someone that can solve the injury issues. There has to be a training regime that exist that could be the cure for this team.

Even if that were possible, a lot of the challenges are not due to injuries. They are due to a lack of proper team building and prioritizing the weaknesses in relation to the resources available.

 

[Idgit]

I just spit my drink all over the couch laughing at this.

It was a pretty great zinger.

 

[CyberB0b]

You mean:

Mincey
Hayden
Melton
Selvie

were disappointing? Say it ain't so.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Even if that were possible, a lot of the challenges are not due to injuries. They are due to a lack of proper team building and prioritizing the weaknesses in relation to the resources available.

So what do you propose?

Not pick Zach Martin?

If you are saying that we should not have traded the third then that goes back to what I was first talking about which you just dismissed.

We did throw a couple more picks at the DL and front 7 later. You did just take a steaming pile all over Hitchens when they drafted him. Were you disappointed when he stripped the ball that Dixon recovered? Are you sayig we should have gone DL there?

What else is there? Throw a lot of money at Jared Allen? Pay Ware $10m? We did sign a couple mid tier FA that we had targeted.

As bad our dline was last year the biggest issue that we had was coverage and tackling in the secondary. Guys like Heath, Laurence, Carter, Wilcox and even Lee in the beginning were woefully unprepared and it showed. Our guys made mistakes and a string of good quarterbacks found the weakness to exploit.

Rivers got Carter matched up one on one deep downfield, Manning passed short to his backs who then chewed up 10 yards a pop WCO style. Brees picked on Heath and Lawrence mercilessly. Stafford needed only see that we were single covering Megatron and put up points running him on inside breaking routes and jump balls downfield. The read on Hamilton that sealed the game under pressure like that was a great play. Watching Scandrick and Heath trying to matchup against Marshall and Jefferson were pretty easy reads I imagine.

Now it is possible that the team will be that woefully unprepared once again. It might be that say Wilson, Coleman and Bishop are forced into too many meaningful snaps early and don't perform well. Maybe the coaches are that bad or the players taht dumb. On the other hand it might be that now that Carr, Claiborne, Carter, Durant, Holloman, Lawrence, Heath, Wilcox, Church, etc have been in the system for a year, we won't see the constant refrain of misalignments and misassignments. At least give themselves a chance to compete.

 

[TheDude]

When OCs script their first 15 plays against us this year, 3 of them will be extra points.

Lol. If you stole that from somewhere, you should footnote it. That was hysterical.

I will be stealing it for some college smack

 

[Alexander]

So what do you propose?

Not pick Zach Martin?

Talk about erecting strawmen.

If you are saying that we should not have traded the third then that goes back to what I was first talking about which you just dismissed.

We did throw a couple more picks at the DL and front 7 later. You did just take a steaming pile all over Hitchens when they drafted him. Were you disappointed when he stripped the ball that Dixon recovered? Are you sayig we should have gone DL there?

Now you are moving goal posts.

We spent as many resources on linebacker in the draft as we did defensive end. Even more if you understand that Gardner is not a pass rusher and never will be.

Hitchens was another abomination of a pick that I will never understand with a team in the position we were in.

Even if you feared Lee would get hurt again, we would be doing right about what we are doing now, which is having Durant and Holloman rotating in.

What else is there? Throw a lot of money at Jared Allen? Pay Ware $10m? We did sign a couple mid tier FA that we had targeted.

Again, even if you admit that we went cheap in free agency, that goes right against the chorus, who insisted, for weeks, "we can do whatever we want".

Well, actually we couldn't.

As bad our dline was last year the biggest issue that we had was coverage and tackling in the secondary. Guys like Heath, Laurence, Carter, Wilcox and even Lee in the beginning were woefully unprepared and it showed. Our guys made mistakes and a string of good quarterbacks found the weakness to exploit.

Rivers got Carter matched up one on one deep downfield, Manning passed short to his backs who then chewed up 10 yards a pop WCO style. Brees picked on Heath and Lawrence mercilessly. Stafford needed only see that we were single covering Megatron and put up points running him on inside breaking routes and jump balls downfield. The read on Hamilton that sealed the game under pressure like that was a great play. Watching Scandrick and Heath trying to matchup against Marshall and Jefferson were pretty easy reads I imagine.

And you believe that those matchup issues last year were just anomalies? Really?

We lacked even the basic fundamentals on defense last season. It was not just great offenses carving this defense up.

It was pure child's play, even for bad offenses with a backup QB.

Even when relatively healthy it was a flop because we failed to get the pieces to make the scheme work to begin with.

And right now, we got that 5-T if we are lucky. But we lack the perimeter "rushmen". And as incredibly "successful" Marinelli has been, he needs a Peppers or a Rice. He has neither right now.

But he has got Selvie. Right?

Now it is possible that the team will be that woefully unprepared once again. .

It is not just possible, it is staring us directly in the face.

 

[punchnjudy]

To some extent our offensive starters must feel like they're practicing with a 9 foot goal.

If this continues into the season, Garrett should get a lot more aggressive on fourth down.

 

[TheDude]

I remember many comments from a youtube scout over the winter how he didn't have any quick twitch. Of course that changed on the evening of May 9th.

Agreed. Lawrence is the only player on the roster who can be a legit weakside rush end. That is why that position should still be considered a need in the offseason.

Maybe the connection was buffering ?

 

[ccb04]

They weren't going to be able to rebuild the D-Line in a single season...and there seemed to be a relative lack of 'quicker twitch' edge rushers in the draft...with guys like Clowney, Mack, and Barr, of course going before the Boys picked. So they went up to get Lawrence, one of the few guys they felt suited their RDE position.

As far as last season, Ware simply wasn't the same player...and despite Hatcher's career year & 11 sacks, the defense still finished last.

Marinelli served as the Bears DC in 2012...a year in which they finished 1st in turnovers & defensive TD's, were 6th in 3rd down efficiency, and 3rd in fewest points allowed. Only one player on the D-Line (Peppers) had double-digit sacks (11.5). Melton and Paea were the DT's, and Israel Idonije started at LDE. Corey Wotton was the top backup. Aging/declining MLB Brian Urlacher missed 4 games in what turned out to be his final season.

The Cowboys now have Melton...Selvie produced similar numbers to Idonije...and Crawford can certainly be as good or better than Wotton. Paea was nothing special at the 1-tech. Right now, they do indeed lack an explosive RDE, though Mincey did record 8 sacks in 2011, so he's capable of decent numbers. And hopefully Lawrence and possibly Spencer, are able to contribute there. The Bears safety's were Major Wright (whom the Bears elected not to resign), and Chris Conte. CB's Tillman, Jennings, Hayden, etc...were outstanding.

Despite not having the most talented roster on D...the 2012 Bears played with purpose and some attitude. They were also very opportunistic...doing an outstanding job of forcing turnovers. Players like Idonije, Wotton, and Wright...enjoyed the best years of their careers to date, while playing under Marinelli. Similarly, Hatcher had his career year with Marinelli as his position coach.

While I certainly don't expect the Cowboys defense to be nearly as good as the 2012 Bears...I do think they can be better than last year.

 

[Idgit]

Maybe the connection was buffering ?

The buffering is the reason so many of us prefer forming our opinions before actually watching anybody play. It's safer to assume Mel Kiper has a fast internet connection.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Talk about erecting strawmen.

Now you are moving goal posts.

We spent as many resources on linebacker in the draft as we did defensive end. Even more if you understand that Gardner is not a pass rusher and never will be.

Hitchens was another abomination of a pick that I will never understand with a team in the position we were in.

Even if you feared Lee would get hurt again, we would be doing right about what we are doing now, which is having Durant and Holloman rotating in.

Again, even if you admit that we went cheap in free agency, that goes right against the chorus, who insisted, for weeks, "we can do whatever we want".

Well, actually we couldn't.

I asked you a question and gave possibilities in the form a of a question. That is different than attributing arguments to someone. You even selected some of the choices i presented as affirmatives. I don't see why you are getting upset.

2 < 3 last time i checked. Hitchens and Smith < Lawrence, Gardner, and Bishop. If you weight them by draft selection then it is even more lopsided.

Nice to hear that you are still down on Hitchens. So when he dived under that slant and stripped the ball, how did that make you feel? Was it disappointing or did you enjoy the nice play he made?

 

[Idgit]

They weren't going to be able to rebuild the D-Line in a single season...and there seemed to be a relative lack of 'quicker twitch' edge rushers in the draft...with guys like Clowney, Mack, and Barr, of course going before the Boys picked. So they went up to get Lawrence, one of the few guys they felt suited their RDE position.

As far as last season, Ware simply wasn't the same player...and despite Hatcher's career year & 11 sacks, the defense still finished last.

Marinelli served as the Bears DC in 2012...a year in which they finished 1st in turnovers & defensive TD's, were 6th in 3rd down efficiency, and 3rd in fewest points allowed. Only one player on the D-Line (Peppers) had double-digit sacks (11.5). Melton and Paea were the DT's, and Israel Idonije started at LDE. Corey Wotton was the top backup. Aging/declining MLB Brian Urlacher missed 4 games in what turned out to be his final season.

The Cowboys now have Melton...Selvie produced similar numbers to Idonije...and Crawford can certainly be as good or better than Wotton. Paea was nothing special at the 1-tech. Right now, they do indeed lack an explosive RDE, though Mincey did record 8 sacks in 2011, so he's capable of decent numbers. And hopefully Lawrence and possibly Spencer, are able to contribute there. The Bears safety's were Major Wright (whom the Bears elected not to resign), and Chris Conte. CB's Tillman, Jennings, Hayden, etc...were outstanding.

Despite not having the most talented roster on D...the 2012 Bears played with purpose and some attitude. They were also very opportunistic...doing an outstanding job of forcing turnovers. Players like Idonije, Wotton, and Wright...enjoyed the best years of their careers to date, while playing under Marinelli. Similarly, Hatcher had his career year with Marinelli as his position coach.

While I certainly don't expect the Cowboys defense to be nearly as good as the 2012 Bears...I do think they can be better than last year.

Wow. Food for some positive thought. Nice post

 

[Redball Express]

Hard to argue against this point.

Well..

I look at it this way.

Lawrence was a solid pick at a position of need..

Just remember..our #1 Martin is looking big time for us.

Would it make anybody feel better if it had been Martin with the broken ankle.?