Werder: Cowboys considering CMike and Collins

[xwalker]

After watching his terrible blitz pickup against the Patriots, I am soured on DMC. That was supposed to be one of his strengths.

It really wasn't that bad when I reviewed it.

On 1 blitz Weed was in the way making it difficult for McFadden to get to the pass rusher. Weed took a very slow drop back from Center forcing McFadden to lunge at the pass rusher.

On the play where McFadden cut the pass rusher, that player was completely off the ground with his shoes 3 feet off the ground and only his hand touching the ground. Weed had plenty of time to move after the pass rusher was significantly delayed by the block and was directly in Weed's line of vision. That rusher would not have been with a few yards of Romo in that situation.

 

[gimmesix]

@Edwerderespn: #Cowboys using bye to consider 2 more starting lineup changes: Christine Michael for Joseph Randle at RB, La'El Collins for Ron Leary at LG

I expected Leary to hold on to his job this year, but he definitely has had some struggles. I don't know if they are injury-related, but having a player like Collins to put in there means we don't have to wait to find out.

Giving Michael a chance to start would make more sense if this coaching staff had chosen to give him more than just a snap in the past two games. It would have been nice to get a preview of whether he can be the answer in those two games when it's clear McFadden isn't. (I don't think it's as clear with Randle, but I also don't think he has done anything yet to show that he should be the lead dog.)

 

[TheDude]

@Edwerderespn: #Cowboys using bye to consider 2 more starting lineup changes: Christine Michael for Joseph Randle at RB, La'El Collins for Ron Leary at LG

Ive seen many calling for it for 2-3 weeks now. Maybe they should just hire @Sturm1310 to set the lineup

 

[MrMom]

 

[dallasdave]

It's not even close. With Leary on his best day.

Leary's a good player. Collins is a dominating player.

Leary got run over in that last game !!!

 

[xwalker]

@Edwerderespn: #Cowboys using bye to consider 2 more starting lineup changes: Christine Michael for Joseph Randle at RB, La'El Collins for Ron Leary at LG

If C-Mike goes from 1 carry per game to being the stater that would indicate that Jerry or someone in the front office is forcing the change, IMO. I would expect coaches to just give him more carries before deciding to make him the starter.

Leary was obviously not 100% for the Pats game.

 

[Risen Star]

Ive seen many calling for it for 2-3 weeks now. Maybe they should just hire @Sturm1310 to set the lineup

Don't act like you know more than the team.

 

[darthseinfeld]

 

[John813]

I know at the end of the Pats game they were trying to score, but why not get Michael at least 2 or 3 carries that game? lol

 

[DogFace]

Smart. If it's broke. Fix it. Makes sense not to keep trying what's not working. Shake things up. Show there has to be accountability. That's been lacking some in the past.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

all those changes should be made.

The play of Leary (injured), & Weeden (sorry)...leaves a lot to be desired.
Randle is not an every down back.

 

[gimmesix]

I don't really understand why anybody woudl think that Michael is going to do more than Randle. There haven't been any holes.

As I've said before, I went back before this season started and watched all of last year's victory. Yes, the line opened some amazing holes, but there were times when Murray made holes appear by diving through a crease, cutting back or simply running over a lineman when there didn't appear to be any holes.

It's a symbiotic relationship. Having a running back who can create yardage on his own makes the line better, which leads to more running opportunities that gives the line more chances to open those holes that the back can exploit.

I don't like to bring up Murray anymore because he is no longer here and we need to focus on what we've got, but to understand why what we've got isn't working, we need to look at why what we had was working. There was a stretch last season before he wore down, where Murray was being constantly praised for the way he would power through tackle attempts to turn potentially no gain into a 3- to 4-yard gain on first down, which would lead to Dallas having a realistic run-pass option on second down.

What we don't have right now is a back who regularly can make something out of nothing. Randle can shoot the hole. He can occasionally twist and fight for an extra yard or two and he has the ability to bounce runs to turn them into potential good gains, but he isn't going to pinball off defenders regularly to fall forward for a few yards.

McFadden has the size to do that and delivers a pop with a head of steam, but he can't find those small creases or change paths with power. He is only as good as the play is blocked.

With Michael, I don't know. He seems to have both creative ability and power, but we just haven't seen enough of him to know if he can use both on a regular basis. That doesn't mean there won't be lost-yardage or no-gain plays, because Murray had those too, but if we can get more of those plays where a 1-yard gain is turned into 4 or a 2-yarder becomes 5, we'll see things open up for the line.

 

[Future]

As I've said before, I went back before this season started and watched all of last year's victory. Yes, the line opened some amazing holes, but there were times when Murray made holes appear by diving through a crease, cutting back or simply running over a lineman when there didn't appear to be any holes.

It's a symbiotic relationship. Having a running back who can create yardage on his own makes the line better, which leads to more running opportunities that gives the line more chances to open those holes that the back can exploit.

I don't like to bring up Murray anymore because he is no longer here and we need to focus on what we've got, but to understand why what we've got isn't working, we need to look at why what we had was working. There was a stretch last season before he wore down, where Murray was being constantly praised for the way he would power through tackle attempts to turn potentially no gain into a 3- to 4-yard gain on first down, which would lead to Dallas having a realistic run-pass option on second down.

What we don't have right now is a back who regularly can make something out of nothing. Randle can shoot the hole. He can occasionally twist and fight for an extra yard or two and he has the ability to bounce runs to turn them into potential good gains, but he isn't going to pinball off defenders regularly to fall forward for a few yards.

McFadden has the size to do that and delivers a pop with a head of steam, but he can't find those small creases or change paths with power. He is only as good as the play is blocked.

With Michael, I don't know. He seems to have both creative ability and power, but we just haven't seen enough of him to know if he can use both on a regular basis. That doesn't mean there won't be lost-yardage or no-gain plays, because Murray had those too, but if we can get more of those plays where a 1-yard gain is turned into 4 or a 2-yarder becomes 5, we'll see things open up for the line.

Pretty good post

But I'm really, really tired of the "Murray got dirty yards" rhetoric. He got them b/c he had no vision and just bulled into defenders. He was no better at turning a 1-yarder to 4 than Randle.

 

[popp1234]

Jerry will never let McFadden go. He has been dreaming of McFadden wearing the Star for many years.

Hopefully he woke up to reality. And I'm a McFadden fan. But the guy just doesn't seem to be the same player he was coming out of college.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

Pretty good post

But I'm really, really tired of the "Murray got dirty yards" rhetoric. He got them b/c he had no vision and just bulled into defenders. He was no better at turning a 1-yarder to 4 than Randle.

I think he was good at reading where the hole was and getting through it in a hurry. After that, yeah, I think he left a bit to be desired as far as avoiding defenders in the open field.

I'd definitely take his strengths over what Randle offers right now. I'm hoping CMike gives us a bit of that burst through the line, but a bit more in the open field.

 

[Venger]

I know at the end of the Pats game they were trying to score, but why not get Michael at least 2 or 3 carries that game? lol

Because that requires someone in charge on the sidelines with his mind wrapped around the big picture. I do not believe we have that.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Leary is injured, so that one makes sense.

Randle has been inconsistent at best and a pain in the *** for the coaches at worst.

Randle is purely a change of pace back. The more you use him, the less effective he is.

 

[maxdallasfan]

Jerry can and will let McFadden go...whether it be sometime this year or in the offseason.

I know it is a fun talking point to make about his love for McFadden but if he was so enamored and dedicated with him, McFadden would be the starer and getting more reps by now.

Thanks, Debbie Downer.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

That's a good point. The first game that Michael gets more snaps I could see Randle sulking.

 

[mickswag]