Post by prossman on Nov 25, 2009 13:27:20 GMT -7
Marty B's playmaking could energize Dallas Cowboys offense (Q&A)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12:25 AM CST on Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Column by JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News | jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
Jean-Jacques Taylor
Archive | Blog | E-mail
Now would be a good time for the Cowboys to make Marty B a significant part of the offense.
That's because Jason Witten is hobbled with a sprained foot, and Martellus Bennett is coming off his best game of the season, a three-catch, 43-yard performance.
Besides, the Cowboys spent all off-season and training camp telling us what a significant part of the offense Bennett was supposed to be this season, and it just hasn't happened.
He's only caught 13 passes for 139 yards this season. He's yet to score a touchdown.
This would be a good week for the Cowboys to get Bennett involved in the offense. Tony Romo, as we all know, likes throwing to tight ends, and Bennett has the athleticism to be a playmaker, which is something the Cowboys could use.
He can create matchup issues for safeties and linebackers. After all, the Cowboys have scored just two touchdowns in the last eight quarters. They've punted 12 times and have just four plays of more than 20 yards.
This offense is too inconsistent to regularly put long scoring drives together. They could use Bennett's big-play ability.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: The true comparison would be this year's team to the team that finished 13-3 with the No. 1 seed in the NFC. This team is missing explosiveness from that team. I wanted to voice this opinion, because I believe you will keep it real, even though others may want the truth slanted.
Gerald Terry
TAYLOR:I don't know if I agree with that. Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton were a lot better trio than Crayton, Roy Williams and Miles Austin. That said, this team ranks near the top of the league in passes of 20 yards or more and runs of 10 yards or more and 20 yards or more. You're right, however, in the sense that the last two weeks the big plays have been missing from the offense. They had two against Green Bay and two against Washington. That's not nearly enough. These Cowboys make too many mistakes to consistently drive the length of the field. They need to throw the ball.
• • •
Q: Is it me or does Romo do some of his best work after he takes off and runs a few times? It seems like that happens quite a bit. When Romo ran for the first down, I knew the game was over. After that play he was perfect. Seems there may be a pattern here?
Al Woodson
TAYLOR: I think you're stretching a bit. Like most quarterbacks, Romo is a rhythm player. When he finds a comfort zone, he can really put some phenomenal stretches together. The issue, of course, is for him to find that comfort zone more frequently.
• • •
Qoes Nick Folk have the yips?
Gary Polakovic, Los Angeles
TAYLOR:It's too strong to say that he has the yips, but the Cowboys really need to figure out what's wrong with him. Now he isn't missing kicks by much – a foot or so either way – so he probably needs some small mechanical fix. That said, so much of kicking is confidence, and you can lose it quickly. I saw it in person with Richie Cunningham and Mike Vanderjagt. All I know is Folk never missed more than five kicks in his first two seasons, but he's already missed five this year and has made just 73.7 percent of his kicks. Maybe he's still bothered some by off-season hip surgery. It's a problem that must be fixed.
• • •
Q: Why don't the commentators call it like it is, Romo is horrible?
William Baptist
TAYLOR:That's an over-the-top statement. He's a flawed player like most quarterbacks, but he's not awful. He's a good quarterback whose place in the league will really be determined by how he performs in December on the road against the Giants, Saints and Redskins and at home against San Diego and Philadelphia. We'll find out, for sure, what he's got. It's going to be fun. But it's wrong to say he's a horrible player. He's better than that. No doubt.
• • •
Q: Is the problem Romo, the play-calling or a combination of things?
Don Easterwood Jr., Shreveport, La.
TAYLOR: It's always a combination of things. Plus, this is a team without a dominant offensive player. It has a lot of good players, but no one who can consistently dominate a game, including the quarterback. Now you're seeing the problem with a spread-it-around philosophy.
• • •
Q: I'm sure the coaches have tried to fix the problem. With the talent level the Cowboys possess, we the fans see them as underachievers. Championship teams set the tone while finishing strong.
Leroy Williams
TAYLOR: Do you really think this team has more talent than Minnesota or New Orleans? What about Indianapolis, New England or San Diego? I don't think so. This is a good team – not a great team. It's flawed.
• • •
Q:I think what we've seen over the last two weeks is the beginning of the Great Yearly Unraveling of the Dallas Cowboys. What do you think?
Cesar Canizales, London
TAYLOR:It's too early to say. You don't have to rush it. Everything you want to know about this team in general and Tony Romo, Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips in particular will be determined in December. Wait a few weeks and everything you want to know will be revealed.
• • •
Q: What is going on with Roy Williams?
Justin Gideon
TAYLOR: No one knows. Just about every time I think he can't play any worse, I get proved wrong.
• • •
Q: Roy Williams is key. Everything is dependent on him. Jason Witten, Miles Austin and to a lesser degree Patrick Crayton are more productive when Williams starts performing.
Gary Stromberg
TAYLOR: If that's the case, then this team is doomed based on what we've seen thus far. Williams has essentially been a non-factor in Dallas. If he's the reason for success, then this team isn't going to make the playoffs. He's a nice guy, but it is what it is.
• • •
Q: If more separation from the receivers is desired, then Kevin Ogletree has to play more. Roy Williams is average at best on a single move. He is terrible on double moves. Crayton cannot get much separation from the better defenders, if at all.
Dudley Morris
TAYLOR: I'm just curious. The coaches watch practice every single day. They're going to get fired if this team doesn't win at least one playoff game. If they thought Kevin Ogletree was the difference between winning and losing, don't you think they'd make him the focal point of the offense?
www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/nwsl...r.413cf2a.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12:25 AM CST on Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Column by JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News | jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
Jean-Jacques Taylor
Archive | Blog | E-mail
Now would be a good time for the Cowboys to make Marty B a significant part of the offense.
That's because Jason Witten is hobbled with a sprained foot, and Martellus Bennett is coming off his best game of the season, a three-catch, 43-yard performance.
Besides, the Cowboys spent all off-season and training camp telling us what a significant part of the offense Bennett was supposed to be this season, and it just hasn't happened.
He's only caught 13 passes for 139 yards this season. He's yet to score a touchdown.
This would be a good week for the Cowboys to get Bennett involved in the offense. Tony Romo, as we all know, likes throwing to tight ends, and Bennett has the athleticism to be a playmaker, which is something the Cowboys could use.
He can create matchup issues for safeties and linebackers. After all, the Cowboys have scored just two touchdowns in the last eight quarters. They've punted 12 times and have just four plays of more than 20 yards.
This offense is too inconsistent to regularly put long scoring drives together. They could use Bennett's big-play ability.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: The true comparison would be this year's team to the team that finished 13-3 with the No. 1 seed in the NFC. This team is missing explosiveness from that team. I wanted to voice this opinion, because I believe you will keep it real, even though others may want the truth slanted.
Gerald Terry
TAYLOR:I don't know if I agree with that. Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton were a lot better trio than Crayton, Roy Williams and Miles Austin. That said, this team ranks near the top of the league in passes of 20 yards or more and runs of 10 yards or more and 20 yards or more. You're right, however, in the sense that the last two weeks the big plays have been missing from the offense. They had two against Green Bay and two against Washington. That's not nearly enough. These Cowboys make too many mistakes to consistently drive the length of the field. They need to throw the ball.
• • •
Q: Is it me or does Romo do some of his best work after he takes off and runs a few times? It seems like that happens quite a bit. When Romo ran for the first down, I knew the game was over. After that play he was perfect. Seems there may be a pattern here?
Al Woodson
TAYLOR: I think you're stretching a bit. Like most quarterbacks, Romo is a rhythm player. When he finds a comfort zone, he can really put some phenomenal stretches together. The issue, of course, is for him to find that comfort zone more frequently.
• • •
Qoes Nick Folk have the yips?
Gary Polakovic, Los Angeles
TAYLOR:It's too strong to say that he has the yips, but the Cowboys really need to figure out what's wrong with him. Now he isn't missing kicks by much – a foot or so either way – so he probably needs some small mechanical fix. That said, so much of kicking is confidence, and you can lose it quickly. I saw it in person with Richie Cunningham and Mike Vanderjagt. All I know is Folk never missed more than five kicks in his first two seasons, but he's already missed five this year and has made just 73.7 percent of his kicks. Maybe he's still bothered some by off-season hip surgery. It's a problem that must be fixed.
• • •
Q: Why don't the commentators call it like it is, Romo is horrible?
William Baptist
TAYLOR:That's an over-the-top statement. He's a flawed player like most quarterbacks, but he's not awful. He's a good quarterback whose place in the league will really be determined by how he performs in December on the road against the Giants, Saints and Redskins and at home against San Diego and Philadelphia. We'll find out, for sure, what he's got. It's going to be fun. But it's wrong to say he's a horrible player. He's better than that. No doubt.
• • •
Q: Is the problem Romo, the play-calling or a combination of things?
Don Easterwood Jr., Shreveport, La.
TAYLOR: It's always a combination of things. Plus, this is a team without a dominant offensive player. It has a lot of good players, but no one who can consistently dominate a game, including the quarterback. Now you're seeing the problem with a spread-it-around philosophy.
• • •
Q: I'm sure the coaches have tried to fix the problem. With the talent level the Cowboys possess, we the fans see them as underachievers. Championship teams set the tone while finishing strong.
Leroy Williams
TAYLOR: Do you really think this team has more talent than Minnesota or New Orleans? What about Indianapolis, New England or San Diego? I don't think so. This is a good team – not a great team. It's flawed.
• • •
Q:I think what we've seen over the last two weeks is the beginning of the Great Yearly Unraveling of the Dallas Cowboys. What do you think?
Cesar Canizales, London
TAYLOR:It's too early to say. You don't have to rush it. Everything you want to know about this team in general and Tony Romo, Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips in particular will be determined in December. Wait a few weeks and everything you want to know will be revealed.
• • •
Q: What is going on with Roy Williams?
Justin Gideon
TAYLOR: No one knows. Just about every time I think he can't play any worse, I get proved wrong.
• • •
Q: Roy Williams is key. Everything is dependent on him. Jason Witten, Miles Austin and to a lesser degree Patrick Crayton are more productive when Williams starts performing.
Gary Stromberg
TAYLOR: If that's the case, then this team is doomed based on what we've seen thus far. Williams has essentially been a non-factor in Dallas. If he's the reason for success, then this team isn't going to make the playoffs. He's a nice guy, but it is what it is.
• • •
Q: If more separation from the receivers is desired, then Kevin Ogletree has to play more. Roy Williams is average at best on a single move. He is terrible on double moves. Crayton cannot get much separation from the better defenders, if at all.
Dudley Morris
TAYLOR: I'm just curious. The coaches watch practice every single day. They're going to get fired if this team doesn't win at least one playoff game. If they thought Kevin Ogletree was the difference between winning and losing, don't you think they'd make him the focal point of the offense?
www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/nwsl...r.413cf2a.html