Cowboys sign RB Darren McFadden
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Clay_Allison
Old Bastard
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He's a vet pass blocker who has had seasons with 47, 42, and 36 receptions. He could be a decent 3rd down back. I still would have preferred Ray Rice.
ravidubey
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At least Julius Jones only cost a 2nd. We could have been one of the teams the following year who burned a top five pick on Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams, or Cedric Benson.
That draft alone that made RB-by-committee an NFL standard.
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I know it seems like I'm waffling, but I'm really on the fence about this next year. At times I have confidence we will get shit done, but the more and more I think about it and the longer we go without doing anything in FA I begin to lean the other way. I fucking hate this team sometimes.
NoDak
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While it's known that McFadded isn't a zone read runner, that article looked to me to be more an indictment on their oline. Good thing our line has already proven it can block well in this scheme, unlike the Raiders line. Also, I'd be more worried if McFadden was slated to be our primary back. I really doubt that he's to be more than a change of pace, return guy. If he makes the team at all.
ravidubey
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I don't think so. No scheme around could suddenly make the Raiders OL productive, and a brand new one even less so.
I don't like this D-Mac contract, but the zone blocking scheme was the last reason he didn't pan out in Oakland.
Asides from his ridiculously overrated and brittle ass, he had terrible blocking, terrible QB'ing, and a defense that ensured he'd be out of the gameplan by halftime. He's not the kind of player who can overcome those obstacles, like maybe Stephen Jackson in his prime could.
Clay_Allison
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He's a decent receiver. I could see him as the third down back as well.
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That is the big thing though. People pretend that the line just did it's job and Murray tripped over his dick to 1800 yards. They even point out that Randle could start.
Sorry, they work in conjunction.
Emmitt wasn't any good without his line and the backs we had when Emmitt wasn't around weren't killing it.
Like everything else, it is not simply black and white. And when McFadden sucked out large with both man gap and zone schemes (they tried both during his career there), it is hard to blame it all on the OL and ignore the facts.
I think he gets relied upon a lot more than we think, especially if we get no other vet help, Randle goes away and we have to ease a rookie into the lineup.
I see him being the starter to begin the season until the rookie or whomever is "trusted" enough to start. Then thereafter, it may be too late to simply turn over the offense to someone else when he struggles.
ravidubey
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No doubt about it people take this for granted.
Still, it's why these guys get paid, right? If practice after practice a highly paid RB can't learn how to run through zone blocking, especially when the OL does a good job of it, then you've got to wonder WTF?
But if the OL sucks, everything gets harder, something an overrated, brittle back like MacFadden couldn't overcome.
Bob Roberts
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After running DeMarco into the ground they are clearly going for some committee approach, at least I hope so. I just pray that if D-Mac + rookie aren't gangbusters, they don't revert to the 'pass every down' BS.
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That is what I fear if we eff up the rookie we bring in. He's going to have to get the confidence of Garrett and Linehan and get it quick. If he doesn't then it is RUN DMC and to date, that equals suck.
I see McFadden sucking large and then suddenly our kick ass OL isn't nearly as dominant as we all thought then we go back pass happy. I mean, we are like "unstoppable" as a passing offense and stuff.
The reason we had that high level efficiency from Romo, a career year from Beasley etc. was in part because the run game was so efficient. Once the opposition sees no reason to fear the running game, it will be open season on Romo and as good as this line is, they aren't that great at pass blocking as zone run blocking.
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Yep. McFadden ain't that guy.
They better nail this one and hope the kid starts sooner than later.
Jiggyfly
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Not really considering we only zone block 50% of the time a fact you continue to ignore.
I will readily admit that if McFadden is considered a vital piece heading into the year we are fucked but I don't think that will be true.
p1_
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A little light reading no doubt.
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http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/03/18/blitz-darren-mcfadden-film-breakdown
He's a football plaaaaaya...
He's a football plaaaaaya...