Tavon Austin breakout vs. Giants indicates more to come

p1_

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
26,462
Tavon Austin breakout vs. Giants indicates more to come

By Patrik Walker Sep 17, 12:00 AM

Finally, the world got a peek into what Tavon Austin might be for 2018.

In attempting to explain what Austin's role would be with the Dallas Cowboys, they instead created confusion this offseason where clarity should be. Instead of assigning a specific position to the veteran, they initially listed him as a running back but utilized him heavily in training camp as a wide receiver, and then referred to his pseudo-role as a "web back" -- and all the world wondered what ever could that mean?

Ideally, it should serve as a catch-all position the opponent never sees coming and once they're caught in the proverbial web, struggling to escape only makes things worse. Sounds fantastic in theory but, in reality, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did nothing in the season opener to invoke a sense of confidence that Austin will be utilized any differently than Ryan Switzer -- traded away because the Cowboys believed Austin to be a better fit. What if, and stick with me on this one, they're both good fits, but it's irrelevant if they can't get schemed the ball?

Just a thought.

Austin was rarely seen in the preseason, battling a hamstring injury that kept this sidelined for at least half of it. Even if he were healthy, the Cowboys wouldn't have shown their hand to the NFL as it relates to their planned use of him, but there was a definite tone of "oh just you wait and see" in their descriptions of what was to come from Austin in 2018. Following a dominant training camp that also saw him take snaps with the first team, injury notwithstanding, he's been named both punt returner and a key aspect of the team's passing attack, and everyone drooled to get a true first look on Sept. 9.

Unfortunately, the debut was nothing like the trailer to the movie. Austin was used for only 10 offensive snaps total, delivering no receptions and only one rush for one yard. The Cowboys wisely went back to the drawing board and things were precipitously different in Week 2, and it took only a handful of plays to get him involved.

Less than a handful, actually, because on the third play of the game it was Prescott dropping back to deliver a 64-yard bomb to put them up early on the Giants.

The Cowboys would then pull back for whatever reason, Austin disappearing for the second and third quarters before re-emerging in the fourth, going on to finish with two receptions for 79 yards to go along with one carry for 15 yards.

It was a bit unnerving to see the Cowboys get away from what put them on the scoreboard in the first place, reverting back to conservative ways that kept the Giants in the game far longer than they should've been, but at least the world got a glimpse of what a "web back" is -- and what it could be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Im ready to see some more of those deep connections.
 

DLK150

DCC 4Life
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
8,789
If Dak can get the ball downfield accurately and consistently, I'm all for using the deep ball more if for no other reason than to keep defenses honest and to keep them from stacking the box.
 

p1_

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
26,462
If Dak can get the ball downfield accurately and consistently, I'm all for using the deep ball more if for no other reason than to keep defenses honest and to keep them from stacking the box.
It would work wonders for Zeke.
 

Rev

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
19,336
And after that first drive it would have shown if he had more snaps.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,465
It's sort of crazy that his whole career he has never been used as a real receiver. He is the kind of guy who should have a high YPC. Yet his career numbers are ridiculously low.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,465
If Dak can get the ball downfield accurately and consistently, I'm all for using the deep ball more if for no other reason than to keep defenses honest and to keep them from stacking the box.
Any time a team goes to a single high safety I'd be trying to get Austin deep on a route on the outside. It's our best option to try and force defenses to go 2 high safeties which would pull a guy out of the box to help Zeke gash the defense. Austin has the type of electric speed that should scare defenses that way. But you have to use him and have him on the field in order to accomplish that. Teams aren't afraid of a guy like Allen Hurns doing it. Maybe Gallup or Thompson.
 

deadrise

DCC 4Life
Joined
Dec 27, 2017
Messages
934
Garrett is structurally incapable of adapting on the fly or making unanticipated changes in the course of a game. That's true whether reacting to adversity -- as in the Carolina defensive alignments in game one, or the fiasco against Atlanta last year -- or reacting to opportunity -- as in the Tavon Martin matchups against the Giants.

He has a plan, and is so rigid and insecure that he sticks with it no matter what. It's why he gets out-coached time and time again.
 

Chocolate Lab

Mere Commoner
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
19,859
How does one play indicate more to come?
 

vince

Not So New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
931
I think his playing time will be affected by the return of Butler.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,465
Probably. I think you'll see him used more in the slot.
I actually like him better on the outside. In the slot I think his deep speed is wasted a little bit. On the outside his speed actually requires safety help which can open things up across the rest of the field for everyone.
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,732
Just added him as a RB to a FF team in which I have Shady who is hurt. I expect great things.
 

Smitty

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
22,488
I actually like him better on the outside. In the slot I think his deep speed is wasted a little bit. On the outside his speed actually requires safety help which can open things up across the rest of the field for everyone.
Agreed. We need to try out Austin as a DeSean Jackson type.
 

deadrise

DCC 4Life
Joined
Dec 27, 2017
Messages
934
If you put a guy like Austin in motion across a formation before the snap, it puts pressure on the entire secondary. They don't know at which point along the LOS he turns upfield.

Even if you shift him -- come out of the huddle and line up in the slot, then have him swap places with the outside guy. That forces safeties and corners to make decisions on one of the fastest guys in the NFL within 5 seconds.

Between RPO plays, Elliott's running ability and mixing up the looks on WRs, Garrett has a whole banquet of options to give defenses fits. But Garrett is a plodder, an offensive dullard, stuck in some system Ernie Zampese designed for Dan Fouts.
 

Sheik

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
10,903
Does catching a long TD on the first drive, then another 15 yard reception the rest of the game all of a sudden qualify as “breaking out”?
 

L.T. Fan

I'm Easy If You Are
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
21,689
Does catching a long TD on the first drive, then another 15 yard reception the rest of the game all of a sudden qualify as “breaking out”?
If you just count it within the Dallas receiving Corp.
 
Top Bottom