When We Have Needed It, Inexperienced Guys Have Cowboyed Up

[Hostile]

The difference is all the guys listed here were in the league for 3+ years before they were thrust into full time duty. They got to play a little here and there and went through 3-4 training camps and played a 3-4 years of preseason football, and had 3-4 years to watch and learn from teammates, coaches, opponents etc. Our O-linemen crop is just a few steps out of college.

I knew a response was going to start..."the difference is..."

 

[FLcowboy]

I've been thinking the same thing whenever I read something doubting the Cowboys' chances using three rookie (or near rookie) O-linemen. Free surprised everyone when he filled in for Colombo in '09, and who can forget him as the leading downfield blocker on a TD run.

Kowalski certainly surprised everyone last Saturday night playing center. He's a gamer.

These pundits who last week were lambasting the Cowboys for playing as if they were entitled are now scratching their heads. The Cowboys have suddenly become much hungrier. Every player needs to be looking over their shoulder for the Turk. Well, maybe a few players are safe.

Just remember, the Packers lost six games last year, and got it together for the playoffs.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Debbie Downer=Chocolate Lab...

Just saying, it's not true that they always work out.

 

[CATCH17]

Seriously....you don't think JG can do it. We get it....

:bang2:

I don't know if he can or can't.

I'd like to actually see some things play out.

 

[Hostile]

Just saying, it's not true that they always work out.

In my OP did I say it was?

 

[Stash]

I knew a response was going to start..."the difference is..."

It is a valid point...

 

[Hostile]

It is a valid point...

The only point I see is that yet again there has to be exact circumstances or people don't like to think about it.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

In my OP did I say it was?

No, but the title does say "When we have needed it". I think we needed a RT in 2005 and a free safety last year.

Of course you're right that late round young guys can step up at times.

 

[Hostile]

No, but the title does say "When we have needed it". I think we needed a RT in 2005 and a free safety last year.

Of course you're right that late round young guys can step up at times.

Kudos.

 

[tupperware]

I like the sentiment Hos, and in many ways I agree.

But as my mind often does, I worry about having so many changes at one time.

I love the fact that we've got young, motivated players eager to play hard and learn as much as they can.

I think that's a breath of fresh air from what I felt were several 'fat cats' who got complacent and comfortable not having anyone to push them or threaten their spot.

I've gone on record many times complaining about what I had perceived to be a lack of competition on this team and I welcome a change in that thinking.

But, again, my worries come from having so many changes at once.

I hope the young guys can handle it.

I think the most apt definition for what is happening is growing pains. These guys might not fully bloom this year, but it's a necessary thing to get them out there and fighting starter caliber NFL competition if we want to see where we stand and see if they can step up and fill long term roles.

I'm just glad they have finally done something about this OL rather than the status quo. This should have been done after the Minnesota Meltdown.

 

[Stash]

The only point I see is that yet again there has to be exact circumstances or people don't like to think about it.

People mentioned that the circumstances surrounding the examples you gave of Austin, Romo, and Free are different than those of Smith and Nagy, that's all.

 

[7footer]

Nice post...Very apropos given our current situation on the O-Line. In fact, like you alluded in your post, Doug Free was considered a huge gamble as our starting left tackle last year. Remember all the rueing over Flozell once he was released? Well...even though we had more than our fair share of problems last year, Doug Free was not one of them. In fact, he was one of the bright spots.

I have the same feeling about our O-Line this year. Is starting two rookies and a first-year starter a bit risky? Sure...But given what we have seen from these young players thus far they sure don't seem like they can't handle it. We have upgraded our O-line with younger, quicker, and more mobile talent. They may not be quite as strong as their older counterparts, but they can make up for that with speed, youth, and hunger.

I expect them to struggle at times out of the gate...This is still a learning process for them and they will be going up against some of the best passrushers and run stoppers in the league before the bye week. As long as they don't get Romo killed or Felix/Murray blown up and injured then I think we'll be fine...and I don't expect that to happen. Once they get a few games under their belts though I expect they will develop some chemistry and become a very efficient and effective group for us. I believe our changing of the guard to this young crop of talent will be one of our strengths by the end of the season.

I hope I don't eat those words...I doubt I will.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think the young guys on offense will be fine.

It's the defense that scares the bejessus out of me.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

I think the young guys on offense will be fine.

It's the defense that scares the bejessus out of me.

:signmast:

 

[skinsscalper]

If you look up the definition of Cowboy Up you'll find several versions of it. Most of them have a common theme. It basically means to quit whining and get to work.

Jason Garrett is demanding this and doing things the Cowboy Way. That means something different to each one of us. For this team what we need it to mean is with pride. Pride in the uniform you wear, in the star you defend, and in the team around you.

In the very recent past we have had inexperienced guys called to action and they have Cowboyed up. Let's look at some of them.

Tony Romo. Who here can forget the last straw with Drew Bledsoe? The Tony Romo era didn't exactly get off to an award winning start. If I am not mistaken his very first pass was picked off. But he won his first start. He led the team down the stretch when we needed it. He earned Pro Bowl honors and is now one of the most hotly debated QBs in the NFL.

Miles Austin. When TO got cut, he was the guy being talked about as the replacement. Then it didn't happen. Here came the boo birds with the bust cards. By the providence of holy gratuitous fortune one of our WRs suffered and injury, forcing Austin into a starting role. There has been no stopping him since.

Doug Free. Last year when Flo was waived, many in NFL media circles didn't even know his name. That despite the fact he had filled in for Marc Colombo the year before. He was only considered the most coveted OT in Free Agency this last year. Not bad for a kid out of a small school who had to step into one of the hardest positions in the NFL, protecting the QBs blindside.

Three examples of this principle lead the Dallas Cowboys Offense. Who better to mentor Tyron Smith, Bill Nagy, and Phil Costa? Please note, of the players named in this thread so far, only Tyron Smith is a high draft pick. The rest of these kids are low round or undrafted. Luckily we also have some guys like Kosier, Ratliff, and James to speak to the youth on this team.

How do you Cowboy Up? You want it. You want it as bad as you want to breathe. You crave it, fixate on it, and then you go get it. Everything we have read about these 3 youngsters says their attitudes are right. They understand the Cowboy Way. The door is wide open for them to have similar stories as Romo, Austin, and Free. Same can be said for Dez, Sean Lee, and even some of the other young players who will be backups for now like Arkin, Carter, Murray, or AOA.

When opportunity knocks, you better be ready. There are going to be some buck offs. But if these kids can ride this bucking monster we have a chance to at least be in the running for a paycheck. The biggest key to this season is going to be desire. You have that, you can play with fire. You might get burned, but you might burn the other team too.

Kick the tires and light the fires. One more fake game before the real ones get wound up.

Nice post, Hos. Let's hope these are signs of good things to come.

 

[Hoofbite]

I knew a response was going to start..."the difference is..."

Not a real hard thing to predict when there is a difference.

 

[theogt]

Alan Ball... Rob Petitti...

This.

 

[LeonDixson]

I think the young guys on offense will be fine.

It's the defense that scares the bejessus out of me.

:signmast:

:signmast::signmast: Hopefully we won't give up many points even if we give up a lot of yards.

 

[Rynie]

I think the young guys on offense will be fine.

It's the defense that scares the bejessus out of me.

This. I'm not worried too much about the O-line. I get the feeling it will be BETTER than last year. This defense, even with R. Ryan, feels like it has taken a step back.

*of course that is a little knee-jerk, but everyone tried to justify the horrid o-line play in last year's pre-season saying it was "vanilla", and look how that translated into the season.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

This. I'm not worried too much about the O-line. I get the feeling it will be BETTER than last year. This defense, even with R. Ryan, feels like it has taken a step back.

*of course that is a little knee-jerk, but everyone tried to justify the horrid o-line play in last year's pre-season saying it was "vanilla", and look how that translated into the season.

I'm hopeful as can be that Jenkins and Newman make a world of difference.
If not, we are going to have to put up record points.