Which OL will you prefer - our current one or the one in 1990's

[jobberone]

IF they have a back who has a few big years but more esp is able to run the ball with 8-9 in the box expecting the run and can dominate a game as well as win some big games then yeah you will get comparisons.

 

[scottsp]

This line still has issues, particularly in pass pro, but should only get better. That said, it's night and day vs the 90s group. Not only did those big uglies take pleasure in brutalizing the opposition, but for a time, the depth there was a veritable embarrassment of riches. And let us recall some of the defensive lines this unit was demoralizing twenty years ago. The likes of Reggie White and Bruce Smith were relegated to milk carton material.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Who played on the line before Larry Allen. He didn't join the Cowboys until 1994 and only won a single Super Bowl.

That isn't to de-value the line, but I feel like we have a better line now than the 1992-1993 teams, and after 95 it began to break. The dominant line you named was really only that way for a year or two, while the current incarnation has a better chance to play together for a longer time.

Gesek and Gogan

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

This is a trick question.

They are like night and day.

Technical versus nasty/beat you up and steal your woman.

1990s for certain. They did not take prisoners and hurt the opposition. Broke them and made them humble.

This group is more technical and lacks the nasty quality.

Not downing this group at all, they are great in their own way.

I think Fred, Martin, and Collins are the most physical interior 3 in the NFL today.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Allen is probably the best OL of the ten.
Williams could have been top 2, but the unfortunately accident.
Outside Allen, I think the current OL clearly beats of 90's OL?

To me, Tuinei was above average only while TSmith is top 3 LT.
Step was top 5 C but only there for a few years, while TFred is top 2 C.
Newton was top 5 in my view, but Martin is top 2 to me.

Pat Summerall used to talk up Tui in the telecasts and he had some great games but they helped him a lot and he got beat more often than you would like anyway.

Williams was so physically dominant that he would lunge and do a lot of thing you are not supposed to and get away with it most of the time. he got better about it after the injury but it made it that much worse. He manhandled Reggie White who was supposed to be unblockable which gave him the reputation but he could have been better.

Outside of strength, Newton was an average NFL OL athlete. We were a straight ahead lead gap team that played to his strengths so it didn't matter. He has himself admitted that he couldn't do the things out in space our current guys can do. Gogan fits into this category as well.

Stepnoski was consistent and precise but if isolated with larger DT could have problems. It didn't happen often. I thought Donaldson was just as good or even better. He was more of a power player.

Gesek was Newton lite.

Allen was a transcendent player that could play any position and dominate.

Those guys also got to play with Woody, Haley, Sanders, Pup, Norton, etc while the current iteration on defense has trotted out scrubs each year. If Wilber and Church start again this year it will be more of the same.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Look at the backup OL's on the 90's team that eventually started on other teams.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Its also important to remember that each championship had a different line.

92 Tui Newton Step Gesek Williams
93 Tui Newton Step Gogan Williams
95 Tui Newton Donaldson Allen Williams

Allen played with post injury Williams. If it wasn't for Doug Free it would be easier. I'm ambivalent overall. I think the 93 iteration was the most dominant of the 90s team and they didn't even have Allen.

 

[Texas_Pete]

Erik Williams and Larry Allen are two of the best and most dominating OL in the history of the league. Had it not been for the car accident, Williams would also be a HOFer.

Big E used to abuse Reggie White.

 

[WillieBeamen]

And why does everyone keep saying we struggle in pass pro now? I think percy showed in a thread that we gave up the least amount of hurries in the league last year

 

[percyhoward]

92 Tui Newton Step Gesek Williams
93 Tui Newton Step Gogan Williams
95 Tui Newton Donaldson Allen Williams

Take Aikman out for a season, replace Emmitt with a bargain-bin RB, and it's hard to see three guys on any of those lines still making the Pro Bowl that year.

And then there's Collins.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

And why does everyone keep saying we struggle in pass pro now? I think percy showed in a thread that we gave up the least amount of hurries in the league last year

Collins was problematic on blitzes twists and stunts like most young players. Free was an exploited matchup quite often. Smith seemed to have a down year.

It may have been better than the rest of the league -- I don't watch many of their games -- but there remains a whole lot of room for improvement.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Take Aikman out for a season, replace Emmitt with a bargain-bin RB, and it's hard to see three guys on any of those lines still making the Pro Bowl that year.

And then there's Collins.

I hear you. If they would slide one of our guards to RT and start Leary then it would be easy but Doug Free of the past 3 years is by far the poorest of them all. If forced to choose I'll take the current squad but I'm just not sure.

Those 90s teams didn't have that weak link.

 

[DallasDomination]

Our offensive line is getting way over hyped this is getting ridiculous. I mean I think they have an awesome core of players but man every week I hear or read how they are the best.. they weren't all that..you see how the Panthers made our oline look? Imagine the Broncos? I want to see them perform at a high level night in night out. No excuses for them with a healthy Romo,Dez and Zeke in 2016.

 

[Zekeats]

Erik Williams was one of very few who could stop Reggie White. He was a beast and pre-accident was one of the best to play RT.

 

[waldoputty]

Our offensive line is getting way over hyped this is getting ridiculous. I mean I think they have an awesome core of players but man every week I hear or read how they are the best.. they weren't all that..you see how the Panthers made our oline look? Imagine the Broncos? I want to see them perform at a high level night in night out. No excuses for them with a healthy Romo,Dez and Zeke in 2016.

Actually, you can move Martin to RT and play Leary at RG.
Martin would be less dominant, but you get rid of the weak link.

 

[waldoputty]

I'm not sure Tyron is better than Flozell.

Yet.

Thought Flozell got crap load of penalties?

 

[BAT]

Gesek? Gogan?

I loved the 90's team, but I have to say the current OL is a little better.
And it can be with us for a long time if FO does its job.

90s line was deeper and if one guy went down, you could plug and play the next guy up with little change in outcome. It was also a better coached unit, and most importantly they were just downright nasty (everyone remembers LA and Erik Williams but Gogan and Tui were just as nasty). They were primarily a man power blocking unit and they enjoyed opening cans of whupass on opposing Ds, especially in running game.

 

[BAT]

Take Aikman out for a season, replace Emmitt with a bargain-bin RB, and it's hard to see three guys on any of those lines still making the Pro Bowl that year.

And then there's Collins.

Cowboys were still competitive without Aikman, without Emmitt it was a completely different team.

And I believe it was Gesek that played center in the 92 postseason and SB after Step went down. Another element of the 90s OL that is always forgotten is how versatile they were. Gesek played OG, OT, C; Newton, Gogan, Erik, LA and Ron Stone played OG & OT. Under Tony Wise all OTs would spend time at OG.

 

[rpntex]

I will take our current one by a little.

Comparing best known years:
TSmith >> Tuinei
Collins < Allen
TFred > Stepnoski/Others (Step only there for a few years)
Martin > Newton by a little
Free << Williams (only for 3 years)


... Ducking for cover ...

This one, of course, and it's not close!

those guys from the 90s are in their 50s now...

 

[percyhoward]

Without Emmitt it was a completely different team.

Sure was.