You know -for all the things we've done I'm still shocked

[Cowboy4ever]

As a little defense for the centers..9 out of 10 there is a fumbled snap.. its the qB fault, not the center. The movement of getting the ball back is so routine it happens without thought. I played center for 9 years in my football days and that ball went in the same spot almost everytime. there are the occassional slips when the ball is wet or your hand is sweaty, but honestly, this is movement is so routine now by the pros, that the fumbled snaps are hardly the centers fault.

 

[sago1]

Center has been my big concern along with other problems on the OL but C is where it all starts, at least in my mind. I never really expected us to pay the money to sign Bentley but I had hoped we could have gone after the 1-2 other Centers who pretty good. When Mawae was cut lose by the Jets, I hoped Cowboys would sign him. He's big an upgrade over Johnson/Gurode but also since he's 35, would hope he could mentor them on how the position is played, leverage, etc., so that 1-2 years down the road maybe one of them would indeed have improved enough to legit starting caliber material. Find it unbelievable that we didn't upgrade. Jerry Jones said he was going to do everything he could to make big push this year. Well, apparently that statement only goes so far. Don't want lay out some real money to sign a kicker, don't want to spent money to sign a Center (even Hartwig, ....). As our OL now stands, we 1 injury away from another disaster. The only way for it to eventually improve is if we still draft an OT in first or 2nd round.

 

[Mash]

Carter had problems....Vinny had problems.....Bledsoe had problems.....hmmmm?.......

Its pretty obvious that our whole line except Adams when he is concentrating sucks.....its been like that for several years.....

we switched OL coaches......blocking schemes.....etc.....

we still have difficulty in converting a 3rd and 1 and our blitz pickup have been pathetic.

But then again.....practicing our blitz pickups aganst Zims packages doesnt help

 

[X-Dawg]

Do you ask intelligent questions or just dumb ones?



That wasn't a sack, it was a running play.



You are aware that the center can't block everyone? That the tackles and guards have to block their guys, too?




I'm confident that Johnson can make the calls.

You must be related to AL b/c there's no rationale for what you are defending - Al Johnson is not even the starter this season - which is why they brought Gurode back...Tell me - if All were so great -why then was he benched fror AG?!! in the middle of games no less!???
Any stats for that?
You're point on the leapfrog is what exactly? it was the pinnacle of disgrace and everyone knows it - it was embarrassing.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

offseason is far from over

 

[Billy Bullocks]

Ummm Do you watch the games or just do CAP charges?

Did you miss the leapfrog of Gurode in the Meltdown at the Meadolands? or am I just making that up - or do you have a stat to combat me on that?

You are aware that the Center calls the line coverage? the Blitz pickup? Do you feel confident in either of these two stiffs to do that when Drew was sacked 50 times?

Just because the man knows the cap doesn't mean he doesn't watch the games. Yes Johnson makes the line calls, but is it his fault that someone doesn't pick up their guy? As far as I know, he is very good pre snap, more than adequate in pass blocking...his downfall so far has been his power. He simply doesn't get a push.

Where did he defend Gurode? And you're going to call out 1 play to prove your point?

 

[dmq]

If Parcells didn't think Al could do the job this season, we would have picked up Mawae. He was there for the taking and would have probably come with a Bill Parcells discount. I think this summer he hits the weights big time because he knows if he doesn't, he is going to lose his job.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm trying to think of a player who is more hated for less of a reason than Al Johnson...

If Al is the weakest link on our O line, we'll be in good shape this year.

 

[baj1dallas]

Was it Bledsoe's fault that AJ was tipping the DL off on the snap count for like 3 games in a row?

That doesn't matter anymore since it's been corrected.

 

[junk]

I'm trying to think of a player who is more hated for less of a reason than Al Johnson...

If Al is the weakest link on our O line, we'll be in good shape this year.

Agreed. I am not even concerned with center at this point. Need to worry about K, OLB, LB depth first. Those are scary positions.

Plus, its Bledsoe. Teams are going to blitz up the middle. Duh. Of course the run game and pass protection is going to struggle when the other teams sends blitzers there all the time.

 

[TX_Yid]

Watching run after run get stuffed up the middle or in the backfield was brutal last year. Take away all JJ's negative yards because of the pathetic run blocking and the kid probably actually achieved his 1700yd target!!

I thought Center was a lock for getting upgraded in FA, wrong again it seems. I bet I'm not wrong when I say AJ and AG will suck just as bad this season if thats what we go with.

 

[felix360]

Do you ask intelligent questions or just dumb ones?

Whats with the names i dont see any need to start name calling each other. most of us are grown men, im pretty sure we can debate without having to start putting each other down.

 

[Manster68]

we're gonna go with those two stiffs at Center. Are we for real? Both those guys are brutal - flatout brutal.
Did we not watch the films of teams blowing up the middle at Drew and planting him hard? over and over?
You can add 3 TO's and a young Emmitt Smith, it will NOT matter if the Line can't hold the flood back.
I'm very concerned about this area; the main area.

Just what in the world did you want Bill and Jerry to do?

Break the bank for Bentley (who was determined to go to Cleveland anyway)? All of the money in the world would not have brought him to Dallas.

There just was not anyone out there.

 

[CowboyWay]

How bout the times where Al was forced into the backfield on running plays? That was Clay Shiver-"esk" and worries me greatly.

I agree, centers don't usually give up many sacks cause they're in so much traffic, but Al Johnson got MANHANDLED in the running game. How many times did we see Julius just touch the ball and BAM, someone laid him out. Johnson was giving up alot of big plays in the running game.

 

[Cochese]

Center is a worry, but then again, the entire offensive line worries me. Kosier got benched on the freakin Lions, if Riveria is the same stiff he was last year we are dead. I am still not satisfied with this group of players.

 

[31smackdown]

Since we are discussing ther middle of the line.. does anyone have a scouting report on Faine from Cleveland? Would he be an upgrade somewhere or no?

 

[peplaw06]

we're gonna go with those two stiffs at Center. Are we for real? Both those guys are brutal - flatout brutal.
Did we not watch the films of teams blowing up the middle at Drew and planting him hard? over and over?
You can add 3 TO's and a young Emmitt Smith, it will NOT matter if the Line can't hold the flood back.
I'm very concerned about this area; the main area.

Insert Yawn Smilie here...

It wouldn't be a Wednesday if X-Dawg wasn't crying "the sky is falling" over something we haven't done two weeks into free agency

 

[jeff]

I think Al Johnson was BP's first pick as coach. At the time, he said it was because this was one position he didn't want to come back and haunt him.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I'm trying to think of a player who is more hated for less of a reason than Al Johnson...

If Al is the weakest link on our O line, we'll be in good shape this year.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Would he be an upgrade somewhere or no?

Faine is a former 1st round pick being waved around as trade-bait before his rookie contract is up...do the math

but I'll answer your question anyways...

no