Vela: Wes' Weekly Draft Tips: Running Game Muscle

[MichaelWinicki]

Wes' Weekly Draft Tips: Running Game Muscle
Posted by Rafael at Thursday, November 04, 2010


Part Two of this week's chat with the National Football Post's Director of College Scouting Wes Bunting looks for players who can bring some muscle and consistency to Dallas' weak running game. Today we discuss guard prospects and a bumper crop of fullbacks.


Cowboys Nation: Let's move to another need position. There's a chance the Cowboys may be looking for two new guards next year. I can't believe they would look for both of them in the draft but let's review the top layer or two from this class. First, do you anticipate any underclassmen guards coming out?

Wes Bunting: There could be, but none that are highly rated that are worth a mention at this time.


For more... http://www.cowboyszone.com/2010/11/wes-weekly-draft-tips-running-game.html

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

If the guy is correct. Keep Anthony Sherman in mind at FB. Says he is a dominant special teams player and a good FB. Think the cowboys could use more help on special teams while also getting a FB in the lower rounds?

 

[28 Joker]

Vela is dead on about Leonard Davis and how the guard play has really hurt Dallas' ability to get Felix Jones in space and to the edge. He describes Davis' liabilities in the running game perfectly.

I like the LTs who will kick to guard.

Those are the athletic guys.

I don't want the phone booth guys.

 

[28 Joker]

Since the year 2000, 119 teams have made the playoffs.

Of those teams, 80 of them were ranked in the top 15 in rushing offense.

That is a whopping 67.2% of the field. That is 2/3 of the playoff field.

Ironically, Dallas made the playoffs in 2007 while ranking number 17 and missed the playoffs in 2005 after ranking 13th.

Of the 39 teams to make the playoffs without ranking in the top 15 in rushing, 15 of those teams were quarterbacked by Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Kurt Warner or coached by Andy Reid. (Manning- 8, Brady-2, Warner-2, Reid-3)

That is 38.4% (15/39) of the teams which made the playoffs while not being in the top 15 in rushing.

Note Peyton Manning's 8 times and the other two Hall of Fame quarterbacks to be.


Dallas is ranked 30th in the NFL in rush offense right now, but hey, they can "pass block"...

Or not...

Where is Tony Romo?

 

[big dog cowboy]

Losing F-back John Phillips to a knee injury has really hurt them. They've had to use rookie Chris Gronkowski there, and his pass blocking is suspect, so they've had to flex Jason Witten into the backfield cause he's their most dependable lead blocker, but doing that takes him away as a downfield threat.

I couldn't agree more.