Watkins: Allen Hurns wants the ball. Can the Cowboys get it to him?

Cotton

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Allen Hurns wants the ball. Can the Cowboys get it to him?
By Calvin Watkins Sep 26, 2018

FRISCO – He​ wasn’t being boastful. He wasn’t​ trying to say ‘Look at me, I’m open.’ He​​ wasn’t trying to complain or call anybody out. But Cowboys Wide Receiver Allen Hurns has a simple solution for the Cowboys’ offensive struggles: Get him the ball.

The Cowboys rank 30th in total offense (833 yards), 31st in average passing yards (145) and 31st in points per game average (13.7).

Should Hurns alert offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and quarterback Dak Prescott about targeting him more in the offense?

“I don’t do nothing,” Hurns told The Athletic on Wednesday. “Hopefully they see it on film.”

And what are Linehan and Prescott seeing on film from Hurns?

“The majority of my snaps, I feel like I can get separation,” Hurns said. “You will get frustrated, that’s part of it. The main thing for me is just staying positive in the head and control what I can. I can’t let that affect how I am. If I let it affect how I am then I won’t be getting open and I will be dropping the ball when it does come my way.”

So is Hurns getting open?

“The main thing is I try to control what I can and you have to be on top of your game,” he said. “If you’re really a student of the game and watch the film, I feel like I am (open).”

On the season, Hurns has just four catches for 51 yards out of nine targets with no touchdowns and one reception of twenty or more yards.

It’s the fewest number of catches and yards Hurns has produced in the first three games of a season in five NFL campaigns.

The Cowboys signed Hurns this offseason as a consolation prize for their failure to obtain Sammy Watkins as the No. 1 receiving threat. Hurns is a physical receiver who can run out of the slot and on the outside. He gives the Cowboys the versatility they were looking for when they released Dez Bryant.

After three games, it appears the Cowboys haven’t used Hurns enough. He feels like he doesn’t need to ask Prescott for more targets because the quarterback should notice he’s open.

Hurns does feel a sense of pressure because the Cowboys did sign him to a two-year deal worth $12 million with a $2.5 million signing bonus. In addition to his $2.5 million 2018 base salary, Hurns gets a $62,500 roster bonus per game, which totals $1 million if he plays in all 16 games.

“It’s frustrating for sure,” Hurns said. It’s just getting to the point, especially when we (haven’t) thrown for 200 yards yet, it’s kinda frustrating. We won the second game, fortunately, but to win in this league you have to pass for some yardage. It’s frustrating, plus I’d like to be implemented more, be more involved more. Fortunately, when you’re winning, it’s not a problem at all. But when you got games when you’re losing, it’s kinda tough. It’s tough on you. It comes down to you keeping that faith that things will get on track and control what you can.”

Will they?

In his last 13 games, Prescott has thrown for over 200-yards times just three times and has averaged 184.3 per game. The Cowboys are 7-6 in those games as the starting quarterback has 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Jason Garrett said Wednesday he doesn’t anticipate any major changes to the offense. The No. 1 offensive threat, running back Ezekiel Elliott, said he’s not going to ask for more touches.

“I mean you can do all of that, but at the end of the day, if you go back and watch the film, it’s poor execution on offense,” Elliott said. “You can’t run the ball if you’re down by 17 points. That’s what it is. We get behind, we’ve got to be able to throw the ball and be able to do what we want to do.”

The Cowboys believe the offense moves when Elliott gains positive yards to set up the passing attack. Yet we have Hurns saying guys are getting open, you just need to execute better. The offensive struggles rest on Prescott’s inability to make plays not only with his arm but his legs, too. Prescott didn’t attempt one deep pass (20-plus yards) in the Week 3 loss at Seattle and didn’t utilize the zone read as he did in Week 2. Garrett said plays called for deep passes, it’s just Prescott didn’t throw them.

An offense can struggle for numerous reasons, starting with the lack of protection, slow-moving run game and the quarterback’s inability to make plays. It leaves players such as Hurns wondering what’s going on.

“I feel like across the board, we do a great job of substitutions and the guys that are in are winning their routes,” Hurns said. “Occasionally, yeah, there are some plays people didn’t get open, that’s football. The defense is going to make plays as well. But I feel like in our receiver room we do a good job of getting open when we can.”
 

Rev

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Why would we want to get it to him. Trash.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Why would we want to get it to him. Trash.
When you only catch 4 of 9 balls thrown your way it's not a great sign that you're open a bunch more. It's in a receivers nature to want the ball more. And Dak needs to find a receiver he is comfortable with and can count on. I'm just not sure that guy is Hurns. I was hoping it would be Gallup but I'm not sure he is ready yet. He has shown some serious growing pains at this point.
 

BipolarFuk

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Who the fuck knows if he is open unless someone analyzes the all-21 film.

Ask any fucking WR. He'll tell you he's always open, but who knows.

Someone watch the film and tell us.
 

NoDak

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When you only catch 4 of 9 balls thrown your way it's not a great sign that you're open a bunch more.
Do we know that those 5 incomplete passes weren't thrown at his feet, over his head, behind him, etc... From what I've seen so far this season, that's entirely possible.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Do we know that those 5 incomplete passes weren't thrown at his feet, over his head, behind him, etc... From what I've seen so far this season, that's entirely possible.
No idea, I don't know what any of the passes are. All I know is that less than 50% completion doesn't scream more passes his direction.
 

Rock Slamdance

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Do we know that those 5 incomplete passes weren't thrown at his feet, over his head, behind him, etc... From what I've seen so far this season, that's entirely possible.
The only one I really remember was in game one and was sailed about 5 yards over his head
 

Sheik

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All our WRs suck. It looks like a goddamned preseason game every time one catches a ball. You don’t know who it is unless it’s Beasley or Williams.
 

1bigfan13

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Hurns is probably thinking to himself that Blake Bortles was Drew Brees compared to playing with Dak Prescott.
 

boozeman

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All our WRs suck. It looks like a goddamned preseason game every time one catches a ball. You don’t know who it is unless it’s Beasley or Williams.
I guess that strategy of benching Prescott once we discovered Frederick was ill didn't pay off, eh?

All in all, that is where the season was lost.

Only a fucking retard would run a light camp on that side of the football when the talent is so unfamiliar with each other.

I am sorry, having Prescott throw under controlled practice condition to these guys is not the same as the real thing.

We wasted preseason games and even wasted scrimmages against other teams.

The first three weeks have basically been like an extension of camp. And the offense is failing.
 

Sheik

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I guess that strategy of benching Prescott once we discovered Frederick was ill didn't pay off, eh?

All in all, that is where the season was lost.

Only a fucking retard would run a light camp on that side of the football when the talent is so unfamiliar with each other.

I am sorry, having Prescott throw under controlled practice condition to these guys is not the same as the real thing.

We wasted preseason games and even wasted scrimmages against other teams.

The first three weeks have basically been like an extension of camp. And the offense is failing.

True. All of it.

The only thing I’d add is, I doubt it would have mattered much at all. Prescott doesn’t even look salvageable at this point.
 

Chocolate Lab

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Cowboysrock55

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True. All of it.

The only thing I’d add is, I doubt it would have mattered much at all. Prescott doesn’t even look salvageable at this point.
He may very well be. At this point I think a coach would sort of have to start from scratch and kind of rebuild from the bottom up.
 

Texas Ace

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I don't think our WR group are unlucky all-pros who are being held by Dak, but I do think that you can't truly get a feel for any of them given the current state of our QB and putrid offensive coaching.
 

1bigfan13

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Hurns and Beasley are saying that the WRs are getting open but they just aren't getting the ball.

Usually you don't want your receivers not so subtly throwing the starting QB under the bus, but since Dak didn't hesitate to repeatedly throw Dez under the bus for his miscues I think it's only fair that Dak receives the same treatment.
 

Cotton

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Hurns and Beasley are saying that the WRs are getting open but they just aren't getting the ball.

Usually you don't want your receivers not so subtly throwing the starting QB under the bus, but since Dak didn't hesitate to repeatedly throw Dez under the bus for his miscues I think it's only fair that Dak receives the same treatment.
I don't remember Dak throwing Dez under the bus.
 

Smitty

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Hurns and Beasley are saying that the WRs are getting open but they just aren't getting the ball.

Usually you don't want your receivers not so subtly throwing the starting QB under the bus, but since Dak didn't hesitate to repeatedly throw Dez under the bus for his miscues I think it's only fair that Dak receives the same treatment.
Another key sign that it’s not JUST the coaches holding back Dak.
 
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