Why I Still Don't Know What To Think About DMC

[NeonDeion21]

The first play that we are going to look at is one we can actually get a pretty good idea as to what happened in just one still shot. The knock on Darren McFadden is that he’s not the most powerful runner, but if you get the former first round pick in the open field, he can still make plays. Here is one of McFadden’s earlier runs in the game vs. the Vikings:



As you can see, the hole that McFadden is running through is massive. Every defender is accounted for, except for the safety over the top. McFadden hits his top gear quickly and is now at his best. But as someone who is still not fully convinced he’s the right man for the Cowboys’ backfield, this play doesn’t answer any questions for me. Nearly any running back is going to gain big yardage with a hole this size, but what about when things aren’t blocked like this? The argument against that would be that Dallas often does open lanes the size of freeways for their running backs.

Read the rest at: http://all22breakdown.com/?p=3495

 

[casmith07]

"the size of your closest* interstate" - just something I noticed.

Great read! My main concern with McFadden is the same. It also seems like he gets tackled by shoestring tackles a lot.

I think our RB of the future is playing in college right now, but I think he'll have some success here in Dallas as long as he can get some holes to get one-on-ones with linebackers and defensive backs.

 

[jazzcat22]

My bet is, there are way more holes like that, then there will be tiny gaps.
Even with smaller holes, he has the speed and quickness to get through it before, IF, it closes. He has shown his elusiveness inside the 20 later on, right before Whitehead's TD.
That was not a big hole, but some decent blocking and his speed and quickness.

Not sure what point you are trying to make, if any. And those 4 carries for 37 yards does not prove a lot for long term success. But most should admit, that gives them hope, and made them smile.
Rather they smiled about McFadden, the OL, the offense or all 3 or any combination. It made Cowboys Nation feel a lot better.

 

[jazzcat22]

"the size of your closest* interstate" - just something I noticed.

Great read! My main concern with McFadden is the same. It also seems like he gets tackled by shoestring tackles a lot.

I think our RB of the future is playing in college right now, but I think he'll have some success here in Dallas as long as he can get some holes to get one-on-ones with linebackers and defensive backs.

I didn't notice any shoestring tackles on his 4 runs.

 

[NeonDeion21]

"the size of your closest* interstate" - just something I noticed.

Great read! My main concern with McFadden is the same. It also seems like he gets tackled by shoestring tackles a lot.

I think our RB of the future is playing in college right now, but I think he'll have some success here in Dallas as long as he can get some holes to get one-on-ones with linebackers and defensive backs.

Fixed.

 

[conner01]

Dmac is not going to break many tackles in the open field
He can run with a little power between the tackles but he doesn't run over people
But he is a dangerous runner in the open field because he can make people miss and he has very good speed
He is not Murray but he is better at getting all the yards that are there than Murray but not getting the yards after contact that Murray did
That's the trade off

 

[jazzcat22]

Dmac is not going to break many tackles in the open field
He can run with a little power between the tackles but he doesn't run over people
But he is a dangerous runner in the open field because he can make people miss and he has very good speed
He is not Murray but he is better at getting all the yards that are there than Murray but not getting the yards after contact that Murray did
That's the trade off

true, but also by not trying to run over them, and get a few extra yards, he won't risk the fumbles either. Just hold onto the ball.
I know people will say what about the tough short yards in a pile. How did he do in Oakland with that. I really don't know. But maybe he is better at that than we think.
He hasn't been a RB this long and not been in that situation before. I'll hold off judgement until we see what he does.

 

[casmith07]

I didn't notice any shoestring tackles on his 4 runs.

I don't know. Maybe not on those, but on others. He also seems like he doesn't run with good balance. But I'll take that tradeoff for his breakaway speed. If he gets in the open field and has enough room to the sideline, it's 6. He WILL outrun the angle.

 

[Stash]

Those runs against Minnesota are just what every McFadden supporter - including the Joneses - have hoped for. The pairing of a speed running back with a great offensive line capable of creating huge holes. On paper, in a perfect world, it's a match made in heaven and I can see how anyone would be in love with the concept.

I'm with Nate Newton in that, given his injury history, I can't bring myself to count on McFadden. Do I want him to be successful? Of course I do. I just fear that he's again going to be a guy you can't depend on and that could potentially derail our championship hopes.

 

[conner01]

Those runs against Minnesota are just what every McFadden supporter - including the Joneses - have hoped for. The pairing of a speed running back with a great offensive line capable of creating huge holes. On paper, in a perfect world, it's a match made in heaven and I can see how anyone would be in love with the concept.

I'm with Nate Newton in that, given his injury history, I can't bring myself to count on McFadden. Do I want him to be successful? Of course I do. I just fear that he's again going to be a guy you can't depend on and that could potentially derail our championship hopes.

The question with dmac has never been about ability
It's always been about availability
Mush like last year going in with Murray
If he can stay healthy and it is a big if
He had the talent to be very successful
But he has to stay healthy

 

[Stash]

The question with dmac has never been about ability
It's always been about availability
Mush like last year going in with Murray
If he can stay healthy and it is a big if
He had the talent to be very successful
But he has to stay healthy

And that's why I would feel better if they had another true running back candidate on the roster. If you want to gamble on McFadden's risk/reward? Fine. Do it. But don't then turn around and count on a specialty back who hasnt contributed much of anything in three years on top of it. Too much risk and what i feel should be a one or the other risk, not both.

Is there truly much of anything that Dunbar can do that McFadden couldn't? Not that I can see, so having both seems redundant and unnecessarily risky.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

"the size of your closest* interstate" - just something I noticed.

Great read! My main concern with McFadden is the same. It also seems like he gets tackled by shoestring tackles a lot.

I think our RB of the future is playing in college right now, but I think he'll have some success here in Dallas as long as he can get some holes to get one-on-ones with linebackers and defensive backs.

I think Randle is the go-to guy in this offense with McFadden being the change-up back.

I agree that the future back is still in college but in the meantime, Randle is the guy with McFadden and Dunbar left picking up the scraps.

 

[ufcrules1]

Dmac is not going to break many tackles in the open field
He can run with a little power between the tackles but he doesn't run over people
But he is a dangerous runner in the open field because he can make people miss and he has very good speed
He is not Murray but he is better at getting all the yards that are there than Murray but not getting the yards after contact that Murray did
That's the trade off

lol at trade off. There is no trade-off.. one of them was WAY better than the other. All we can do is hope and pray Murray has massive running lanes all year and never gets hurt. Because then we would be down to a guy who can't pass protect to save his life.

 

[Kevinicus]

I don't know. Maybe not on those, but on others. He also seems like he doesn't run with good balance. But I'll take that tradeoff for his breakaway speed. If he gets in the open field and has enough room to the sideline, it's 6. He WILL outrun the angle.

With his speed he gets by defenders and they're always diving at his feet. When you're moving that fast and your legs get held up suddenly, you're going to go down. It's the consequence of speed.

 

[conner01]

lol at trade off. There is no trade-off.. one of them was WAY better than the other. All we can do is hope and pray Murray has massive running lanes all year and never gets hurt. Because then we would be down to a guy who can't pass protect to save his life.

Why would we care about murrays running lanes
By the way Murray has only completed one full season himself so it's not like he doesn't have injury concerns

 

[PhillyCowboysFan]

I'm with Nate Newton in that, given his injury history, I can't bring myself to count on McFadden. Do I want him to be successful? Of course I do. I just fear that he's again going to be a guy you can't depend on and that could potentially derail our championship hopes.

But Nate is a HUGE fan and supporter of Randell. He talks him up on "Talking Cowboys" a lot. So with that being said, if we're going on Nate's assessment, it doesn't matter if DMC gets hurt because his guy is Randell anyway.

 

[Stash]

But Nate is a HUGE fan and supporter of Randell. He talks him up on "Talking Cowboys" a lot. So with that being said, if we're going on Nate's assessment, it doesn't matter if DMC gets hurt because his guy is Randell anyway.

I heard him be quite critical of Randle a few days ago, talking about "pressing the hole" (I think that was the quote). He said that Randle wasn't going to be given the job and that he had to earn back some trust after missing time with the oblique strain. He felt that given what players like Witten, Romo, and Emmitt had played through, he should have toughed it out and lost some points in missing time.

 

[DeaconMoss]

That was a heck of a tackle by the Minn safety is all I have to say. He blasted DMC in the open field.

 

[starfrombirth]

I didn't notice any shoestring tackles on his 4 runs.

I did

 

[PhillyCowboysFan]

I heard him be quite critical of Randle a few days ago, talking about "pressing the hole" (I think that was the quote). He said that Randle wasn't going to be given the job and that he had to earn back some trust after missing time with the oblique strain. He felt that given what players like Witten, Romo, and Emmitt had played through, he should have toughed it out and lost some points in missing time.

Yes I heard that also. But Joseph still seems to be his guy out of the two.

Of topic: I really like Nate's insight on that show. He brings a lot of knowledge also charisma. Just a good listen if that makes since.