Video: Bradie James & Roy Williams

[InmanRoshi]

I think most people are *****ing about the Cover 2 because of the responsibility it places on James. The only thing it has to do with Roy in my opinion, is that Roy gets blamed occasionally for James getting beat in the deep middle when his responsibility is his deep half, especially when there are two WRs coming into his zone on the outside.

Honestly, I agree with the sentiment that the whole defense last year was such a cluster-f by the end of the year that I can't make heads or tails of who did what. Put in tape of the 2005 season, and Bradie was playing the best all around ILB the Cowboys have seen since Ken Norton Jr, run and pass. Yeah, Bradie James isn't a hugely fluid LB in coverage.... neither was Ted Johnson when the Patriots were winning three out of four Superbowls. I didn't see Ted Johnson covering athletic TE's or slot WR's 25-30 yards down field. Either there was a fundamental flaw in the design of the play, a missed call in the secondary or that's just Roy's responsibility. Period. Truthfully, on that Saints' TD the Cowboys should have been in nickel. That's one thing I will strongly criticize Parcells for .... his stubborn insistence on staying in base out of fear that teams would run on us.

One thing I like about Bradie is that he's always been a leader of his team dating back to college, whether they're playing good or bad, he'll step up and own to it. Bradie doesn't blame other people, say "that's not my man", or write 3rd grade level (both in grammar and maturity) profanity laced scribble to beatwriters who have the audacity to criticize him . I love Newman, he's probably my favorite player on the team, but I thought it was bogus that he made a cheapshot at Bradie for "talking" when we need Newman and Roy to be more Bradie like. We pay them too much money to not be leaders. I find it kind of sad that we have to sign Ken Hamlin and I hear Wade Phillips saying we needed a "quarterback" and a leader in our secondary when we have a highly paid Pro Bowler out there who is one of the faces of the franchise, and should welcome that responsibility himself. I find it sad that I hear Darren Woodson say we don't need to bog down Roy with having to watch film and make calls in the secondary. Woody, it didn't seem to hold you back.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Hey, if this was Bradie's only problem, then yeah I could see someone claiming it's not that bad, but the fact is he can't cover anyone anywhere. He can't cover the RB in the flats. He can't cover RBs in the shallow zones. He can't cover TEs up the seam. He's simply not agile/fast enough to cover anyone.

Thankfully, the Phillips' 3-4 doesn't place a premium on ILBs that are 260 lb. sluggers in the run game. He wants nimble LBs that can cover, because that's simply their responsibility a lot of times.

As I have said in past discussions, I understand the limitations of one Bradie James. However, James is a seperate issue. It does not change the fact that RLW is not getting it done IMO. These are two seperate issues. The thing I have a problem with is that everybody is willing to scrape James of the side of our collective shoes but Roy skates. It's the same problem IMO. Neither are capable of executing in coverage very well. Will this be rectified in Wade's scheme? Possibly, however, I come from the school of thought that says there are smart guys on the other side of the ball as well. The NFL is a game of match-ups. If the opposition can figure out a way to isolate RLWs, they will do it. This is the position I had when we originally drafted Roy. I knew then that if we did not use him the same way Stoops did at OU, he would be a liablity to us in coverage. Anybody who watched Roy at OU new he could not cover in space all that well. Now, here we are years down the road and this is exactly what has happened. I don't question Roys ability to make plays but for as many as he makes, he is responsible for giving up IMO. It's a bad fit for us at this point. This is the problem I have with Roy.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Hey, if this was Bradie's only problem, then yeah I could see someone claiming it's not that bad, but the fact is he can't cover anyone anywhere. He can't cover the RB in the flats. He can't cover RBs in the shallow zones. He can't cover TEs up the seam. He's simply not agile/fast enough to cover anyone.

Thankfully, the Phillips' 3-4 doesn't place a premium on ILBs that are 260 lb. sluggers in the run game. He wants nimble LBs that can cover, because that's simply their responsibility a lot of times.

i can almost guarantee you that was not James responsibility in the flats. In the cover2 that Zimmer called 90 percent of the time his wsa the deep middle. i think it was Fowlers responsibility as spagnola stated. Hes the only guy that ive seen assigning blame at all.

 

[CF74]

If anyone is to blame it's the coaches for putting the guys in position to fail. The 2nd thing that went wrong was no pass rush, after that it all goes by the wayside...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

If you have a slow ILB and you have a slow Safety and your expecting them to be succesful against athletic TEs or slot WRs, who's at fault here? At some point, you have to identify the inability of the personel in coverage and decide to use other personel or move away from that scheme. James is only going to run as fast as James can run. Same with Williams. If they can't run fast enough, then something has to change.

There's a lot of truth in this. To some degree, how can you criticize a player for being asked to do something he's physically incapable of doing? That goes back to coaching, and that goes back to Bill Parcells. You simply can't have great size at every position and have great speed, too. It's like asking a Hummer to perform like a Ferrari... One car simply can't do both jobs equally well. Sometimes you find a rare exception like Demarcus Ware, but in the other 99% of cases, you have to choose one or the other. Parcells always chose size over speed, and it made us a slow team.

I recently watched the San Diego-Seattle game from last year -- I may do a post on that later -- and the difference in quickness and agility between Donnie Edwards and Bradie is staggering. Edwards was defending passes in the short middle all game long -- those are plays Bradie just can't make. I think we simply have to have an ILB in there who can cover more ground and make some plays when the ball is in the air, or we're going to be dead again.

 

[theebs]

Honestly, I agree with the sentiment that the whole defense last year was such a cluster-f by the end of the year that I can't make heads or tails of who did what. Put in tape of the 2005 season, and Bradie was playing the best all around ILB the Cowboys have seen since Ken Norton Jr, run and pass. Yeah, Bradie James isn't a hugely fluid LB in coverage.... neither was Ted Johnson when the Patriots were winning three out of four Superbowls. I didn't see Ted Johnson covering athletic TE's or slot WR's 25-30 yards down field. Either there was a fundamental flaw in the design of the play, a missed call in the secondary or that's just Roy's responsibility. Period. Truthfully, on that Saints' TD the Cowboys should have been in nickel. That's one thing I will strongly criticize Parcells for .... his stubborn insistence on staying in base out of fear that teams would run on us.

One thing I like about Bradie is that he's always been a leader of his team dating back to college, whether they're playing good or bad, he'll step up and own to it. Bradie doesn't blame other people, say "that's not my man", or write 3rd grade level (both in grammar and maturity) profanity laced scribble to beatwriters who have the audacity to criticize him . I love Newman, he's probably my favorite player on the team, but I thought it was bogus that he made a cheapshot at Bradie for "talking" when we need Newman and Roy to be more Bradie like. We pay them too much money to not be leaders. I find it kind of sad that we have to sign Ken Hamlin and I hear Wade Phillips saying we needed a "quarterback" and a leader in our secondary when we have a highly paid Pro Bowler out there who is one of the faces of the franchise, and should welcome that responsibility himself. I find it sad that I hear Darren Woodson say we don't need to bog down Roy with having to watch film and make calls in the secondary. Woody, it didn't seem to hold you back.

I think newman was calling out spears and james. I am not even sure how much he was calling out bradie. Spears is the guy with the radio show on tuesday night complaining every week to brad sham about how they played the toughest defense in the league beacause of the two gap responsibilities.

I said it at the time and I am saying it again, I think newman was taking a shot directly at marcus spears and rightfully so.

Brian broaddus said in january that kenyon coleman was the teams second best pass rusher and one of their best defensive players.

That is a sad commentary on marcus spears. THe guy was drafted to be space eater in a dedicated two gap system. All blood and guts and no glory in the end spot he was picked for. After one season he flips and starts complaining about it. I think some think he is a pass rushing end.

I really hope the guy gets it together and can get to the qb in the new defense.

I lose respect for people when they are given a specific job, they say they are dedicated to it and then when they are struggling they started pointing fingers.

Lot of things went wrong down the stretch in that defense, all are to blame. My two main culprits on the defense are spears and williams. Very dissapointing.

Michael young was on with babe laufenerg sunday night. Babe asked him about how this season would be without buck showalter breathing down his throat. HIs response was classic and applies to this situation with williams and spears.

"Only chicken S--T players complain about coaches, players go out and play"
---------Micheal Young.

I really think that applies. I hope that this team finds a pass rush.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm definitely with you on Spears, theebs. When a guy can't even come to his rookie training camp at his playing weight -- and the head coach is Bill Parcells -- you have to question his dedication. He had a questionable motor in college, and it looks like that's still a problem.

It would be a bold move, but I wouldn't even rule out trading him. I know that won't happen because he does have talent and I'm sure Jerry would like to see if he can get more out of the player under a new coach. And probably most important, I can't see why a team would give much for him.

I think our only hope is that he really does believe the new scheme will be better for him, and so he comes in more motivated. But that's a pretty flimsy base to build hope on.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I think most people are *****ing about the Cover 2 because of the responsibility it places on James. The only thing it has to do with Roy in my opinion, is that Roy gets blamed occasionally for James getting beat in the deep middle when his responsibility is his deep half, especially when there are two WRs coming into his zone on the outside.

Exactly and if you look you will see a WR running a deep route on Williams side of the field.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'm definitely with you on Spears, theebs. When a guy can't even come to his rookie training camp at his playing weight -- and the head coach is Bill Parcells -- you have to question his dedication. He had a questionable motor in college, and it looks like that's still a problem.

It would be a bold move, but I wouldn't even rule out trading him. I know that won't happen because he does have talent and I'm sure Jerry would like to see if he can get more out of the player under a new coach. And probably most important, I can't see why a team would give much for him.

I think our only hope is that he really does believe the new scheme will be better for him, and so he comes in more motivated. But that's a pretty flimsy base to build hope on.

Thats not a fair assessment at all. He was at a higher weight because he was trying to demonstrate that he could play at a higher weght as a DT in the 4-3. He showed up at the rookie mincamp at that weight and had it off after Parcells told him to.

 

[superpunk]

There's a lot of truth in this. To some degree, how can you criticize a player for being asked to do something he's physically incapable of doing? That goes back to coaching, and that goes back to Bill Parcells. You simply can't have great size at every position and have great speed, too. It's like asking a Hummer to perform like a Ferrari... One car simply can't do both jobs equally well. Sometimes you find a rare exception like Demarcus Ware, but in the other 99% of cases, you have to choose one or the other. Parcells always chose size over speed, and it made us a slow team.

Concurred - which is why retaining Zimmer (in hindsight) remains so nonsensical. Bill gathered the pieces to run his defense, and then let Zimmer keep running his. Bizarre.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Thats not a fair assessment at all. He was at a higher weight because he was trying to demonstrate that he could play at a higher weght as a DT in the 4-3. He showed up at the rookie mincamp at that weight and had it off after Parcells told him to.

He was drafted in 2005, the same year Parcells put in the 34.

And someone can google it, but I remember his rookie camp that Parcells wanted him at 295 or so, and he was like 305. I remember that he was going to try to "talk Parcells into" letting him play at the higher weight. Translation - I ate too much and was too lazy to come in at my assigned weight, so maybe my mouth can talk my way out of it.

At least that's how I remember it.

And regardless, when I saw the D-line working out 30 yards from me on Thanksgiving, Spears was darn near as big as Ferguson. I'm betting he hadn't seen three bills in a LONG time.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He was drafted in 2005, the same year Parcells put in the 34.

And someone can google it, but I remember his rookie camp that Parcells wanted him at 295 or so, and he was like 305. I remember that he was going to try to "talk Parcells into" letting him play at the higher weight. Translation - I ate too much and was too lazy to come in at my assigned weight, so maybe my mouth can talk my way out of it.

At least that's how I remember it.

And regardless, when I saw the D-line working out 30 yards from me on Thanksgiving, Spears was darn near as big as Ferguson. I'm betting he hadn't seen three bills in a LONG time.

Parcells said he talked to Nolan and that he had said Spears was quicker at 295. Spears showed up to a minicamp a week after we drafted him at 305 and hes made his weight every single time since which includes last season.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Parcells said he talked to Nolan and that he had said Spears was quicker at 295. Spears showed up to a minicamp a week after we drafted him at 305 and hes made his weight every single time since which includes last season.

you mean Saban, Spears' old coach

 

[theogt]

Honestly, I agree with the sentiment that the whole defense last year was such a cluster-f by the end of the year that I can't make heads or tails of who did what. Put in tape of the 2005 season, and Bradie was playing the best all around ILB the Cowboys have seen since Ken Norton Jr, run and pass. Yeah, Bradie James isn't a hugely fluid LB in coverage.... neither was Ted Johnson when the Patriots were winning three out of four Superbowls. I didn't see Ted Johnson covering athletic TE's or slot WR's 25-30 yards down field. Either there was a fundamental flaw in the design of the play, a missed call in the secondary or that's just Roy's responsibility. Period.

I agree that the defense was a giant cluster**** and that just about everyone deserves some blame (including Newman whose play tailed off late). But that doesn't mean we can't call a spade a spade. No matter what happened in 2005 or before, James was slow and lost in 2006. He's never really been quick enough to get to the flats or cover a TE downfield. Sure he's an excellent run-stuffer, but that's simply not enough. If you could design a defense such that an ILB never has to cover the flats, never has to cover the deep middle, or never has to cover the backs coming out of the backfield, etc., then I'd love to see that playbook.

Truthfully, on that Saints' TD the Cowboys should have been in nickel. That's one thing I will strongly criticize Parcells for .... his stubborn insistence on staying in base out of fear that teams would run on us.

We were in nickel. Now, why James was ever in the game on a nickel package, I'll never know. Carpenter or Burnett should have been working that LB position in the nickel package since day one. If your argument is that James shouldn't have been on the field in that play, then I heartily agree.

One thing I like about Bradie is that he's always been a leader of his team dating back to college, whether they're playing good or bad, he'll step up and own to it. Bradie doesn't blame other people, say "that's not my man", or write 3rd grade level (both in grammar and maturity) profanity laced scribble to beatwriters who have the audacity to criticize him . I love Newman, he's probably my favorite player on the team, but I thought it was bogus that he made a cheapshot at Bradie for "talking" when we need Newman and Roy to be more Bradie like. We pay them too much money to not be leaders. I find it kind of sad that we have to sign Ken Hamlin and I hear Wade Phillips saying we needed a "quarterback" and a leader in our secondary when we have a highly paid Pro Bowler out there who is one of the faces of the franchise, and should welcome that responsibility himself. I find it sad that I hear Darren Woodson say we don't need to bog down Roy with having to watch film and make calls in the secondary. Woody, it didn't seem to hold you back.

That's a fine criticism, but I don't really care to get into a conversation about "leadership" or the like, because I simply don't know enough about what's going on in the lockerroom, or who Newman was specifically referring to, etc.

 

[theogt]

As I have said in past discussions, I understand the limitations of one Bradie James. However, James is a seperate issue. It does not change the fact that RLW is not getting it done IMO. These are two seperate issues. The thing I have a problem with is that everybody is willing to scrape James of the side of our collective shoes but Roy skates. It's the same problem IMO. Neither are capable of executing in coverage very well. Will this be rectified in Wade's scheme? Possibly, however, I come from the school of thought that says there are smart guys on the other side of the ball as well. The NFL is a game of match-ups. If the opposition can figure out a way to isolate RLWs, they will do it. This is the position I had when we originally drafted Roy. I knew then that if we did not use him the same way Stoops did at OU, he would be a liablity to us in coverage. Anybody who watched Roy at OU new he could not cover in space all that well. Now, here we are years down the road and this is exactly what has happened. I don't question Roys ability to make plays but for as many as he makes, he is responsible for giving up IMO. It's a bad fit for us at this point. This is the problem I have with Roy.

I don't understand the point in saying, "Yeah, I know Bradie James sucks, but SO DOES ROY WILLIAMS!!!"

 

[theogt]

i can almost guarantee you that was not James responsibility in the flats. In the cover2 that Zimmer called 90 percent of the time his wsa the deep middle. i think it was Fowlers responsibility as spagnola stated. Hes the only guy that ive seen assigning blame at all.

We didn't have a Cover 2 called on 90% of the plays. You can't honestly be attempting to say that Bradie James never had the responsibility to cover the flats or backs coming out of the backfield. Ask Jon Kitna if James ever had those responibilities.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't understand the point in saying, "Yeah, I know Bradie James sucks, but SO DOES ROY WILLIAMS!!!"

So much for the whole "Calling a Spade a Spade" I guess.

 

[theogt]

So much for the whole "Calling a Spade a Spade" I guess.

This thread was about Bradie James.

Poster A: Yup, Bradie sucks.
ABQCOWBOY: But, so does Roy Williams!!!
Poster A: Ok.

That sure got us somewhere.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

This thread was about Bradie James.

Poster A: Yup, Bradie sucks.
ABQCOWBOY: But, so does Roy Williams!!!
Poster A: Ok.

That sure got us somewhere.

The title of this thread is "Bradie James & Roy Williams" but yeah, Roy is not a part of this.

As I suspected on my original post to Rosh.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Parcells said he talked to Nolan and that he had said Spears was quicker at 295. Spears showed up to a minicamp a week after we drafted him at 305 and hes made his weight every single time since which includes last season.

Never missed a weight ever? You sure Fuzzy?

Fourth-rounders agree to contract terms

Canty, Barber in fold; team still working on Ware, Spears, Burnett

07:18 AM CDT on Friday, July 29, 2005

By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

OXNARD, Calif. – The Cowboys agreed to terms with their two fourth-round picks Thursday, but vice president Stephen Jones still has a lot of work to do before the team's first practice in two days.

Running back Marion Barber III and defensive end Chris Canty each received five-year contracts that pay them minimum salaries and void to three years, if they achieve certain playing time incentives.

Terms were not released.

CowboysPlus.com


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Archer: Cowboys can't let weather fool them
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Hansen: Hoping for better
Fourth rounders agree to contract terms
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But Jones, who handles the club's negotiations, still needs to get first-round picks Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears and second-round pick Kevin Burnett signed.

Spears was the only member of the unsigned trio to accompany his teammates to California. Burnett lives in Los Angeles, an hour south of Oxnard, and Ware is in Atlanta.

"We're still talking and hopefully we'll get it done soon," Spears said. "I want to be here, so I'm ready as soon as we get it done. I'm a little nervous about the start of training camp, but that's to be expected."

Spears is also nervous about what coach Bill Parcells is going to say when he finds out that Spears isn't at his assigned weight of 294 pounds. Spears declined to say how much over his target weight he is, but admitted he felt weak and sluggish at that weight.

He hopes to convince Parcells to let him play at 300 or 305.

"I'm going to talk to him about it," Spears said. "I've never had a problem with conditioning, but I know he wants me a little lower than I am right now."

Spears said he thinks the extra weight will help him play defensive end in the Cowboys' scheme, which will require him to go head up on tackles who will generally outweigh him by 25-30 pounds. At LSU, he played defensive tackle and was usually aligned on the guard's outside shoulder so he could use his quickness.

Owner Jerry Jones said he isn't worried about whether his three unsigned players will be on the field for the first day of practice.

"I'm not any more concerned than I usually am," he said. "I know how the negotiations are going. I expect them all in by Saturday."

The Cowboys have not had a draft pick miss a portion of training camp since Flozell Adams, a second-round pick, missed the first two days in 1998.

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