Broaddus: Four Thoughts From The Sunday Scrimmage

[boozeman]

Broaddus: Four Thoughts From The Sunday Scrimmage

Posted 5 hours ago



Bryan Broaddus

Football Analyst/Scout


OXNARD, Calif. – Having watched the tape from Sunday’s Blue-White scrimmage, here are four big observations from the proceedings on the practice fields.

•Dez Bryant to the House: The offense was facing a second and four as Tony Romo brought the offense to the line. Scott Linehan went with “11” personnel on the field with a trips formation to the right with Jason Witten, Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams. On the left side, Dez Bryant was lined up by himself with Orlando Scandrick lined up across from him. Rod Marinelli countered with his base package by putting Jakar Hamilton in the slot across from Beasley. What Romo read pre-snap was that J.J. Wilcox walked up into the box planned on blitzing from his left side. Hamilton blitzed from the right side, as well -- so there is no safety in the middle of the field. Bryant, off the line, saw the same thing Romo saw and took three quick steps and drove hard on the slant. Kyle Wilber buzzed into the throwing lane, trying to replace the blitzing Wilcox. Romo pulled the ball down which allowed Bryant to cross behind Wilber and in front of Scandrick. Romo delivered the ball -- side armed -- with his feet wide open. The pass was all arm, but was perfectly in front of Bryant with Scandrick driving hard to try and close the gap. He swatted at the ball with his off hand. Bryant was able to snatch the ball with his left hand, then controlled it with his right, the whole time while going up the field breaking in the clear for the 65-yard touchdown. If we take a further look on the play, Romo had the time to get rid of the ball due to a crushing block by Zack Martin on Jakar Hamilton, who was blitzing on the play. It was perfect execution all around by the offense.

•Martez Wilson Pick Pocket: The defense had just given up a big reception to Devin Street with less than two minutes left on the clock. Brandon Weeden got the offense to the line with Lance Dunbar lined up on his left in a shotgun formation. Rod Marinelli decided to play coverage and rush just four men. Martez Wilson lined up to the outside of Jeremy Parnell, coming off Weeden’s left side. At the snap of the ball, Wilson went inside on his rush then back outside, which makes Parnell hang inside for a tick as Wilson got to the same level with Weeden in the pocket. Parnell tried to adjust to the outside, but he was unable to -- because Wilson fought Parnell’s hands off and worked his right shoulder past him and was heading toward Weeden. On the route, Weeden tried to get the ball to the outside for LaRon Byrd, who has driven Terrance Mitchell off the ball and is settled into a curl route. Weeden never saw Wilson behind him, as the ball is knocked out of his hand. Wilson alertly scooped the ball up and carried it into the end zone for a touchdown.

• Orlando Scandrick, Drive Killer:The offense was facing a situation where 11 seconds remained on the clock and the defense was holding a 19-17 lead. Tony Romo had just completed a pass to Jason Witten to put the ball on the 35-yard line. In this formation, Dez Bryant lined up far left with Jason Witten inside of him. Cole Beasley also lined up to the left, but before the snap, Romo moved Beasley from the left to the right across the formation. Defensively, Jeff Heath lined up over the top of Witten but to the outside. Orlando Scandrick lined up in press-man, up tight to Bryant. Before Romo even took the snap out of the gun, he made a hand signal in the direction of Bryant and Witten. Off the snap, Bryant and Witten made an odd route combination, which never really developed like I’m sure Scott Linehan and this staff drew it up. Witten went up the field almost like he was blocking for a screen, then started toward the flat. Bryant took two steps inside, as Romo appeared to be trying to throw the ball away. Scandrick was hanging to the outside as he saw the ball heading his direction. With his left hand extended, he jumped straight in the air and tipped the ball to himself, securing the ball and ending the drive. It was a clutch play from Scandrick, who at times has not shown the best ball skills. But in this case, he killed what appeared to be a game winning drive by Tony Romo and this offense.

•Ahmad Dixon Shows Physical Side: I had been waiting for rookie safety Ahmad Dixon to show up at this training camp and during the Blue-White Scrimmage, he finally did. I have never had a question about Dixon when it came to his ability to attack the ball, because we saw plenty of that when you studied his college tape from Baylor. The OTAs and minicamps are non-contact practices so on Sunday with the pads popping, he was able to show these defensive coaches what he could really do. Dixon is not my idea of a player that I would put in many packages where he has to cover -- unless he can keep the ball in front of him. Where Dixon is going to shine is on days where he can play near the line and knife his way to the ball. There were several opportunities where, when he came forward, he was able to make tackles in space right around the line with a good wrap-up tackle. As I watched this scrimmage, it was clear that these defensive coaches want to give fellow rookie Ryan Smith a good opportunity. But between the two, Ahmad Dixon won the battle in my book in the way that he went about his business.

 

[GShock]

Broaddus: Four Thoughts From The Sunday Scrimmage

Posted 5 hours ago



Bryan Broaddus

Football Analyst/Scout


OXNARD, Calif. – Having watched the tape from Sunday’s Blue-White scrimmage, here are four big observations from the proceedings on the practice fields.

•Dez Bryant to the House: The offense was facing a second and four as Tony Romo brought the offense to the line. Scott Linehan went with “11” personnel on the field with a trips formation to the right with Jason Witten, Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams. On the left side, Dez Bryant was lined up by himself with Orlando Scandrick lined up across from him. Rod Marinelli countered with his base package by putting Jakar Hamilton in the slot across from Beasley. What Romo read pre-snap was that J.J. Wilcox walked up into the box planned on blitzing from his left side. Hamilton blitzed from the right side, as well -- so there is no safety in the middle of the field. Bryant, off the line, saw the same thing Romo saw and took three quick steps and drove hard on the slant. Kyle Wilber buzzed into the throwing lane, trying to replace the blitzing Wilcox. Romo pulled the ball down which allowed Bryant to cross behind Wilber and in front of Scandrick. Romo delivered the ball -- side armed -- with his feet wide open. The pass was all arm, but was perfectly in front of Bryant with Scandrick driving hard to try and close the gap. He swatted at the ball with his off hand. Bryant was able to snatch the ball with his left hand, then controlled it with his right, the whole time while going up the field breaking in the clear for the 65-yard touchdown.

So pretty much the play that should have been made to Austin at the end of the Green Bay game.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I didn't see a lot of the scrimmage but toward the end I saw a receiver named Boyd have a couple of nifty catches. What's the deal on him? I like his size also.

 

[boozeman]

Not Rushed: Blue and White Scrimmage Notes

Rafael Vela | August 4, 2014

There are two incomplete impressions I took from yesterday’s Blue and White scrimmage.

On the positive side, the offense could be good this season. Very good. If vagabond left guard Ronald Leary can re-settle quickly at left guard, and work his combo blocks with left tackle Tyron Smith the way the right side duo of Zach Martin and Doug Free work theirs, Scott Linehan could have the scariest set of offensive weapons at his disposal since he helmed the Marshall Faulk Rams a decade ago.

Dez Bryant looks serious about his contract drive season. He’s ready for an unusual — and necessary — early-season breakout. Defenders can’t cut him off. They can’t re-route him. They can’t out-fight him. When J.J. Wilcox took the liberty of knocking number 88 down with an after the whistle cheap shot. Bryant siMply upped the level of abuse he meted out on Wilcox’s cornerback mates.

Bryant’s receiver pals also look ready. Terrance Williams showed keen concentration and fearlessness over the middle. Cole Beasley looks as slippery as ever. Rookie Devin Street looks deceptively smooth. The Cowboys have their usual duo of tall, undrafted candidates fighting for the final roster slot.

The tight ends appear to have taken to new position coach ike Pope’s teachings. Gavin Escobar already looks more dedicated and dangerous than Anthony Fasano or Martellus Bennett ever did. The Cowboys are going to run a lot of 12 package plays this year and Escobar and James Hanna look ready for the workload.

When the first offense played the first defense yesterday, the Os had it — every time. They scored quickly, they scored deliberately. They moved the ball with short passes and long ones. They ran wide and inside. Martin and the second year offensive skill position guys could take last year’s dangerous attack to an even higher, more thrilling level.

Of course, their effectiveness may be down to the poor level of defensive competition they face. This year’s front seven is, at this point in the pre-season, the thinnest I’ve ever seen. The athleticism of lines past simply isn’t there. Demarcus Lawrence may have several sacks in his surgically repaired foot, and Henry Melton may have the juice to replace Jason Hatcher, but there was nobody on the field yesterday with the power and speed to overpower an offensive lineman. Martez Wilson made a play later in the scrimmage, but he was working against the Cowboys second offensive line. When the first strings squared off, the first offensive line kept Tony Romo’s jersey clean and his passing lanes clear.

In years past, there were always two or three big time athletes on the line. I remember Dearcus Ware’s rookie camp in Oxnard. In an early rush drill, he went one-on-one with Dan Campbell, a big 255 lb. tight end signed in free agency for his blocking skills. In this particular drill, an orange cone was put seven yards behind the line, at the spot where the quarterback would set after a deep drop. The rushers job was to fight his way to the cone and touch it.

Ware’s approach was brutal, swift and effective. He hit Campbell head on, lifted him off the ground and dropped him onto the cone. Embarrassed at having the cone administered as a suppository in front of hundreds of stunned fans, Campbell slammed the ground in disgust. Ware had put everybody on notice that he was not going to be stopped, and nobody ever again stopped him in a Cowboys camp. Just last year, Ware looped inside on a stunt and put prize rookie Travis Frederick on his keyster.

In that same ’05 camp, and unsung rookie named Jay Ratliff made a habit of getting into veteran guard Marco Rivera’s face mask. Ratliff bowed Rivera back with punch outs to the jaw, until the vet grew angry and started a fight. Again, a rookie showed that he was physically capable of overpowering any opponent.

When I scanned the lines yesterday, I saw no defensive lineman, inside or out, with the physical tools to emulate Ware or Ratliff. Ken Bishop, Dartwan Bush and Davon Coleman try hard, but they’re all short, bowling-ball type players. There are no high-cut Leon Lett, Ratliff-build defensive tackles, with the long legs and longer arms needed to crack pockets in quick time. There’s no edge rusher with the get off to turn the corner low and hard.

There are fighters in the Cowboys secondary, but they’ll grow tired over the course of the season if the front office cannot build a rush in front of them. And that’s the most worrisome note on this 4th of August. The Cowboys rush, so woeful in 2013, looks even worse today. The Cowboys put all their eggs in the Lawrence basket and have seen that plan fracture, literally and figuratively.

The best hope is that the offense raises the level of play and carries that out into the regular season. If they can win early shootout, and get Lawrence back mid-season, they may have a chance. Otherwise, the projection needle will remain stuck at 8-8.

Rafael Vela is Cowboys Nation’s senior analyst.

 

[Smitty]

The DL's season would have to be considered a success if it can return Lawrence to health primed for a breakout sophomore year and it can find quality depth for the future in Crawford, Gardiner, Bishop and Coleman. And possibly Brent.

I don't know if I trust Melton. He's a wait and see.

I'd be banking on finding two more quality DL starters next offseason. If you can, and you hit on those players previously mentioned as depth, you could have quite a good unit moving forward.

 

[Simpleton]

I didn't see a lot of the scrimmage but toward the end I saw a receiver named Boyd have a couple of nifty catches. What's the deal on him? I like his size also.

He was pretty good at Vandy in 2012 but got suspended for all of last year for his part in the cover up of a supposed rape. Then of course Vanderbilt's coach at the time, James Franklin, went to Penn St., so there's that.