YR's My Meaningless Thoughts on Week 7

[Yakuza Rich]

- I saw Nate Newton’s comments on the Cowboys and saying that ‘I’d start getting rid of players and coaches.’ While it sounds nice, I think that’s far tougher to do. What players would you get rid of? The O-Line? Yeah, it’s not good, but replacing them will mean our QB gets killed. And the same with the coaches, although Wade is probably the guy you could reasonably fire right now. Still need somebody to coach the defense and that would probably mean Pasqualoni, which may promptly cause me to drive off a cliff.

- I think this team in general needs to be coached tougher but also have a scheme that allows them to be tougher. All of this passing doesn’t allow the O-Line to set the tone as much. We have physical players. Our corners are pretty physical, so our are WR’s and tight ends. Yet I think the scheme makes us more soft.

- I think that’s what would bother me as a coach, but especially if I was a player…that the ‘scouting report’ on Dallas is that they ‘can’t take a punch.’ I actually think they can if the philosophy is geared towards getting the team more in a boxing match and showing opponents just how tough they are.

- Thinking about the O-Line for a bit. I think we have some future issues because Gurode can stay healthy, Kosier seems to get more banged up and Kosier calls the line. I think we really need to look at a center in the draft that at the very least can play some guard his rookie year. That way we can either have the draft pick play center or guard and if he comes in at center, we have some flexibility with Gurode who can also play guard. We also still have Holland who has been solid this season. Bigg Davis is likely gone. We also need a right tackle replacement, probably sooner rather than later. I really wouldn’t mind seeing the team draft RT in 1st round and the center/guard in round 2. Although I’m a bit leery of starting 2 rookies, you could probably go with a Kosier-Gurode-Holland starting trio and the 2nd round pick as the backup.

Of course, we don’t know what Phil Costa is doing in practice. But, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get really good at center, like Nick Mangold or Jeff Faine good. Crazy idea, I know.

- My heart sunk when I looked at the stats of the Seahawks and saw Earl Thomas already has 3 picks this year. We really couldn’t get him, but it would’ve been nice as I was high on the kid. Unfortunately I get the feeling he would turn into a non-playmaker in the Cowboys system.

- I’m not down on Felix in the least bit.

- It would help if Garrett attempted to get Felix into open space more than 2 times a game.

- I’m ready for a lot of the ‘eras’ around here to end. The Wade and the lazy, undisciplined, unfocused team era. The giving away games with sloppy play era. The Pasqualoni era. The Jason Garrett era. The ‘lets look for Witten on every crucial down even if the defense will double cover him’ era. The Campo era.

- I do enjoy the Miles Austin era. And I have to say that I’ve enjoyed the Newman era. The guy is playing fantastic now.

- It seems like every time we play the G-Men, the refs stink up the joint. I would like to think we wouldn’t get screwed over by the refs 2 weeks in a row, but I have yet to see a well reffed game against the G-Men.

- And Brandon Jacobs still has yet to be suspended for recklessly heaving his helmet into the stands just a few weeks ago. I guess the ‘devastating hit’ rule wouldn’t apply if that helmet had hit a 6 year old child that wasn’t paying attention.

- I’d like to see a flee flicker. If there’s one thing I miss about the Parcells days, it was the flee flicker.

- I can’t tell you what I’d give to see the team really turn it around. Crazier things have happened and I think we are due for an amazing comeback and turn around and scaring the crap out of the league and making a run in the postseason. But I figure that stuff happens with great coaches instead of pretty good but frustrating coaches. However, I can’t help but imagine just how fun it would be to see the players take it upon themselves to get things turned around and turn the league on its ear. This is as good of a time as any.




YR

 

[Stash]

- I saw Nate Newton’s comments on the Cowboys and saying that ‘I’d start getting rid of players and coaches.’ While it sounds nice, I think that’s far tougher to do. What players would you get rid of? The O-Line? Yeah, it’s not good, but replacing them will mean our QB gets killed. And the same with the coaches, although Wade is probably the guy you could reasonably fire right now. Still need somebody to coach the defense and that would probably mean Pasqualoni, which may promptly cause me to drive off a cliff.

I'd love to sit Leonard Davis down but Kosier's continuing injury issues make that impossible.

- I think this team in general needs to be coached tougher but also have a scheme that allows them to be tougher. All of this passing doesn’t allow the O-Line to set the tone as much. We have physical players. Our corners are pretty physical, so our are WR’s and tight ends. Yet I think the scheme makes us more soft.

Honestly, I think there's a problem with Garrett's schemes vs the players we have on the O-line. We have 3 maulers that Garrett is asking to pass protect too often in my opinion. The aforementioned Davis comes to mind. He's a classic phone-booth mauler and he's being asked to pass protect and pull entirely more than his type of player should.

- I think that’s what would bother me as a coach, but especially if I was a player…that the ‘scouting report’ on Dallas is that they ‘can’t take a punch.’ I actually think they can if the philosophy is geared towards getting the team more in a boxing match and showing opponents just how tough they are.

Agreed. I'd leave a few of the reports around for all to see.

- Thinking about the O-Line for a bit. I think we have some future issues because Gurode can stay healthy, Kosier seems to get more banged up and Kosier calls the line. I think we really need to look at a center in the draft that at the very least can play some guard his rookie year. That way we can either have the draft pick play center or guard and if he comes in at center, we have some flexibility with Gurode who can also play guard. We also still have Holland who has been solid this season. Bigg Davis is likely gone. We also need a right tackle replacement, probably sooner rather than later. I really wouldn’t mind seeing the team draft RT in 1st round and the center/guard in round 2. Although I’m a bit leery of starting 2 rookies, you could probably go with a Kosier-Gurode-Holland starting trio and the 2nd round pick as the backup.

I think huge investement needs to be made in the interior line overall. That's why I was a bigg proponent of trading for Logan Mankins. Davis is likely gone and you can no longer trust Kosier to stay healthy. And as you said, Gurode isn't the most cerebral center in the league.

Of course, we don’t know what Phil Costa is doing in practice. But, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get really good at center, like Nick Mangold or Jeff Faine good. Crazy idea, I know.

- My heart sunk when I looked at the stats of the Seahawks and saw Earl Thomas already has 3 picks this year. We really couldn’t get him, but it would’ve been nice as I was high on the kid. Unfortunately I get the feeling he would turn into a non-playmaker in the Cowboys system.

It was a nice dream, but just that, a dream.

- I’m not down on Felix in the least bit.

- It would help if Garrett attempted to get Felix into open space more than 2 times a game.

Those dumpoff passes were an attempt, but Jones doesn't look comfortable with them to me. Seems to be a hesitation there before he heads upfield.

- I’m ready for a lot of the ‘eras’ around here to end. The Wade and the lazy, undisciplined, unfocused team era. The giving away games with sloppy play era. The Pasqualoni era. The Jason Garrett era. The ‘lets look for Witten on every crucial down even if the defense will double cover him’ era. The Campo era.

I think you and I will get our wish soon enough. As in next year.

- I do enjoy the Miles Austin era. And I have to say that I’ve enjoyed the Newman era. The guy is playing fantastic now.

Austin can't tighten things up a bit, but he's playing well. Lost in the disappointment are guys like Ware and Newman having great seasons.

- It seems like every time we play the G-Men, the refs stink up the joint. I would like to think we wouldn’t get screwed over by the refs 2 weeks in a row, but I have yet to see a well reffed game against the G-Men.

For me, they've always been a team where the Cowwboys beat themselves. Now they do that every week.

- And Brandon Jacobs still has yet to be suspended for recklessly heaving his helmet into the stands just a few weeks ago. I guess the ‘devastating hit’ rule wouldn’t apply if that helmet had hit a 6 year old child that wasn’t paying attention.

He's trash but I'm thinking that he'll get his at seasons' end when the Giants dump him.

- I’d like to see a flee flicker. If there’s one thing I miss about the Parcells days, it was the flee flicker.

I'd settle for anything less predictable than what we're getting.

- I can’t tell you what I’d give to see the team really turn it around. Crazier things have happened and I think we are due for an amazing comeback and turn around and scaring the crap out of the league and making a run in the postseason. But I figure that stuff happens with great coaches instead of pretty good but frustrating coaches. However, I can’t help but imagine just how fun it would be to see the players take it upon themselves to get things turned around and turn the league on its ear. This is as good of a time as any.

My optimism has left me and I'll now watch each game with my arms crossed waiting for the most disappointing team I can remember to 'show me' something other than news ways to beat themselves.

 

[RS12]

- I saw Nate Newton’s comments on the Cowboys and saying that ‘I’d start getting rid of players and coaches.’ While it sounds nice, I think that’s far tougher to do. What players would you get rid of? The O-Line? Yeah, it’s not good, but replacing them will mean our QB gets killed. And the same with the coaches, although Wade is probably the guy you could reasonably fire right now. Still need somebody to coach the defense and that would probably mean Pasqualoni, which may promptly cause me to drive off a cliff.

He is already getting killed.

 

[DanteEXT]

I can’t tell you what I’d give to see the team really turn it around. Crazier things have happened and I think we are due for an amazing comeback and turn around and scaring the crap out of the league and making a run in the postseason. But I figure that stuff happens with great coaches instead of pretty good but frustrating coaches. However, I can’t help but imagine just how fun it would be to see the players take it upon themselves to get things turned around and turn the league on its ear. This is as good of a time as any.

So if that happened, does Wade become labeled a great coach? Since he seems to getting the lions share of the blame around here for going 1-4, IF they won the next 14 games straight and brought home the trophy, he would deserve the lions share of the credit, right? Doesn't seem logical to say it was all the players doing it, not the coach(s).

 

[notherbob]

The quickest way to rebuild the front line is for someone to convince Jerry that OL players are glamorous superstars and he'll have the best available in here in short order.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I'd love to get Stefen Wisniewski in the draft. He's generally regarded as a potential first round pick. He's exactly the type of shift we should be making towards in OL. Smart, great lateral quickness and an overachiever.

Great football bloodlines, his uncle was the former 8 time All Pro Steve Wisniewski (who was actually drafted by Dallas in 1989). First Nittney Lion to start as a true freshman in over a decade. He's in Penn State's honors program with 4.0 GPA. He played the first two years as guard, then moved to center as a junior and how now moved back to guard. His best position in pros is probably center, because he's not a natural 320+ guy.

If you're going to move to a finesse, passing based offense, you need this kind of Jeff Saturday type leading the interior OL and making line calls for you, picking up interior blitz packages and keeping the pocket clean for your QB.

 

[Stash]

The quickest way to rebuild the front line is for someone to convince Jerry that OL players are glamorous superstars and he'll have the best available in here in short order.

Maybe if I run out and buy a Doug Free jersey it would help?

 

[Stash]

I'd love to get Stefen Wisniewski in the draft. He's exactly the type of shift we should be making towards in OL. Smart, great lateral quickness and an overachiever.

First Nittney Lion to start as a true freshman in over a decade. Academic honors student with 4.0 GPA. He played the first two years as guard, but has moved to center (probably needs to continue to work on adding weight and strength before he can play guard in the NFL). Great football bloodlines, his uncle was the former Raider great offensive guard .

Wasn't his uncle a Cowboy for all of about 10 seconds?

 

[InmanRoshi]

Wasn't his uncle a Cowboy for all of about 10 seconds?

Yep, drafted and immediately traded.


Here's what his uncle says about him (unbaised source)....

Uncle Steve, a member of PSU's 1986 national championship team, said his nephew reminds him of one of the great guards to ever play the game.

"He reminds me very much of Hall of Fame guard Mike Munchak, who I believe was the best guard ever to play at Penn State," Steve Wisniewski said.

"He reminds me of Mike because Mike always made it look easy. He was always in good position. He almost looked bored sometimes playing the game because things just looked so easy for him."

Comparing his nephew to himself during college, Steve said Stefen is "a better technician. He doesn't get out of position, he doesn't flail around like I did."

The youngest Wisniewski is looking forward to returning to guard this season. He more than held his own at center last year and earned all-conference recognition, but he clearly has a position preference.

"I'm a little bit more comfortable at guard," he said. "I like the ability to use both hands. That's pretty cool when you're blocking, not having to start with your hand between your legs."

He also likes "having a little bit more space and area to maneuver" at guard, as opposed to a defender being right in his face immediately after he snapped the ball at center.

Wisniewski did what the team needed him to do by switching spots last year, and showing that kind of versatility is something that could pay off for him in the pros.

"An NFL team that's looking at me would be able to look at film of me playing center and playing guard," he said. "I think that will definitely help me."

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/c...to-Wisniewski-by-NFL-star-uncle.html?nav=5017

 

[Stash]

Yep, drafted and immediately traded.


Here's what his uncle says about him (unbaised source)....



http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/c...to-Wisniewski-by-NFL-star-uncle.html?nav=5017

Thanks for the info.

Where would you 'guesstimate' him being drafted?

 

[Gaede]

Pouncey would've been a perfect pick for us, if the Steelers didn't nab him first

 

[InmanRoshi]

Thanks for the info.

Where would you 'guesstimate' him being drafted?

They're listing him as a last 1st, early 2nd.


I would guess early 2nd round. You have to be pretty much a physical freak of nature to get drated highly in the 1st as an interior OL, but he's just around 298-300 lbs. And Mike Pouncey will probably be right up there with him, and I'm not sure there's going to be huge demand for multiple interior linemen in the first round, so one of them probably falls to the 2nd.

 

[pancakeman]

Good post, YR.

It would help if Garrett attempted to get Felix into open space more than 2 times a game.

Isn't that what all those screen passes were about?

 

[Stash]

They're listing him as a last 1st, early 2nd.


I would guess early 2nd round. You have to be pretty much a physical freak of nature to get drated highly in the 1st as an interior OL, but he's just around 298-300 lbs. And Mike Pouncey will probably be right up there with him, and I'm not sure there's going to be huge demand for multiple interior linemen in the first round, so one of them probably falls to the 2nd.

Well, it's looking like we should have a high second round pick so maybe we'll be wise enough to take him?

If we get the head coach on my wish list, I think the odds of that will go up considerably.

(and no I don't mean Joe Paterno!)

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I wonder if there are any thoughts at Valley Ranch about moving Davis to RT next season.

 

[Stash]

I wonder if there are any thoughts at Valley Ranch about moving Davis to RT next season.

By RT do you mean Right out The door?

If so, my answer is definitely.

 

[Wolfpack]

-

- I think that’s what would bother me as a coach, but especially if I was a player…that the ‘scouting report’ on Dallas is that they ‘can’t take a punch.’ I actually think they can if the philosophy is geared towards getting the team more in a boxing match and showing opponents just how tough they are.

YR

I think a boxing analagy is perfect for this team.

The skilled Offense is versital, a great balance of offensive speed and power, every move and punch in the tool box.

The OL line is built for a body blow 15 round contest.

The play calling is more of trying to outwit your oponent by using power when you should use jabs. Its like jabing with your right to the body becasue I am smart than you. Along with making sure you show how talented you are by using every punch you know.

No over all oversight on getttign all the parts to work on the same page, thats the lack of identity that everyone mentions.

 

[kramskoi]

- Thinking about the O-Line for a bit. I think we have some future issues because Gurode can stay healthy, Kosier seems to get more banged up and Kosier calls the line. I think we really need to look at a center in the draft that at the very least can play some guard his rookie year. That way we can either have the draft pick play center or guard and if he comes in at center, we have some flexibility with Gurode who can also play guard. We also still have Holland who has been solid this season. Bigg Davis is likely gone. We also need a right tackle replacement, probably sooner rather than later. I really wouldn’t mind seeing the team draft RT in 1st round and the center/guard in round 2. Although I’m a bit leery of starting 2 rookies, you could probably go with a Kosier-Gurode-Holland starting trio and the 2nd round pick as the backup.

Of course, we don’t know what Phil Costa is doing in practice. But, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get really good at center, like Nick Mangold or Jeff Faine good. Crazy idea, I know.

- My heart sunk when I looked at the stats of the Seahawks and saw Earl Thomas already has 3 picks this year. We really couldn’t get him, but it would’ve been nice as I was high on the kid. Unfortunately I get the feeling he would turn into a non-playmaker in the Cowboys system.

======================================================

...Davis absolutely has to be replaced and Columbo is looking shaky as well...i think from a consistency/competency point of view they bring back Kosier, even though he's no longer able to complete an entire season without lost time to injury...Gurode might be your stop-gap swing guard but his right knee is degenerative and this will eventually limit him...Costa really needs to pan out for them...but will they develop him?...and will they give him a chance when the time comes?...or will they go the route they went with Flozell Adams, playing Gurode past the point of usefulness...no one is too high on him right now but Davis is certainly doing him no favors and now he's got Holland to worry about as well...

...they absolutely should go after a Guard in FA and a

Tackle early in the draft...the interior of the line has to receive full attention and you want some athleticism at RG...Dallas needs younger, faster and smarter, even if they have to absorb some bumps and bruises along the way...

...i'm in agreement that Earl Thomas would likely not be having the same kind of season in Dallas...​

 

[Bob Sacamano]

They're listing him as a last 1st, early 2nd.


I would guess early 2nd round. You have to be pretty much a physical freak of nature to get drated highly in the 1st as an interior OL, but he's just around 298-300 lbs. And Mike Pouncey will probably be right up there with him, and I'm not sure there's going to be huge demand for multiple interior linemen in the first round, so one of them probably falls to the 2nd.

If he's all that, I would take him in the 1st round like the Jets did with Nick Mangold.

Hopefully we'll be picking in the mid-late 20s to make it feasible.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I think a boxing analagy is perfect for this team.

The skilled Offense is versital, a great balance of offensive speed and power, every move and punch in the tool box.

The OL line is built for a body blow 15 round contest.

The play calling is more of trying to outwit your oponent by using power when you should use jabs. Its like jabing with your right to the body becasue I am smart than you. Along with making sure you show how talented you are by using every punch you know.

No over all oversight on getttign all the parts to work on the same page, thats the lack of identity that everyone mentions.

If you truly want the boxing analogy tied to this team, then you're gonna have to be patient with how we come out in games. Because with the boxing analogy it requires testing your opposition early in the game aka trading jabs in the 1st round.

If Jason Garrett could recognize how to adjust with the flow of the game and with what the opponent is doing, then that will go a long way to helping the offense.