Pre-Season Chatter Thread | Dolphins v Cowboys | 8/19/2016

jsmith6919

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Jiggyfly

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Thornton Humbled In Home Debut, But Dallas D-Line Excels

ARLINGTON, Texas – It’s easy to mock the sloppy, unimportant nature of an NFL preseason game. Read
There were penalties aplenty of Friday night against the Dolphins, and the vast majority of the players in the game won’t make either team’s final roster. However easy it might be to point that out, though, Cedric Thornton offered a stark reminder about life in the NFL.

“You’ve just got to look at it – these guys’ lives are on the line,” he said. “If you get in a fight with a guy that you are underestimating his talent, you’ll probably get your butt whooped.”


Thornton, a four-year starter in Philadelphia before signing in Dallas, said he did that on Friday. The result was a sloppier effort than his first outing against the Rams. Read
“If you’re not on your stuff – I learned this tonight – then you can get pushed around, and you can look like you’re a rookie,” he said.

It wasn’t all bad. Thornton recovered a fumble after a Shaneil Jenkins sack, setting the stage for a Dallas field goal. Rather than take the credit, the veteran defensive tackle attributed that to “the favor of God,” and said he needed to improve.

Thornton might be frustrated, but it was a fairly productive night all the way around. The Cowboys finished with three sacks and five tackles for loss, to go with Jenkins’ fumble recovery. Thornton worked well into the third quarter, and it’s a safe bet he’ll get a big workload against next week as he works to get himself up to speed in Rod Marinelli’s system.

“I’ve never played in this defense, so I’m a repetitions guy,” he said. “I came from a D2 school, I didn’t have too much coaching, I kind of coached myself. This system is all about reps, all about getting better, all about knowing technique.”
 

Simpleton

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The Giants have been particularly impressive here. Their starting offense has about 60 total yards on 5 drives while their starting defense has given up 2 TD drives, one of which was to EJ Manuel and the Bills backups, and then a third drive where the Bills drove down to the 1 yard line before their dipshit FB fumbled as he was going into the end zone.
 

Joe Fan

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The Giants have been particularly impressive here. Their starting offense has about 60 total yards on 5 drives while their starting defense has given up 2 TD drives, one of which was to EJ Manuel and the Bills backups, and then a third drive where the Bills drove down to the 1 yard line before their dipshit FB fumbled as he was going into the end zone.
Let's not forget Little getting the Dez treatment and having a TD overturned which resulted in a 37 yard missed FG.
 

Jiggyfly

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After looking at a couple of 2nd and 3rd string QB's in other games it just makes Dak's showing even more impressive both Nassib and Manuel just look so much more jittery and rushed not to mention the guys from Miami last night.

I really would like to get a breakdown on how much Dak is reading defenses and how much-read progression he is going through, I have seen him changing his sitelines but I wonder how deep his progressions are.
 

P_T

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Let's not forget Little getting the Dez treatment and having a TD overturned which resulted in a 37 yard missed FG.
That shit was baffaling... he had control of the football all the way through the end zone, stepped out of the back of the end zone (which should have ended the play), and then went down losing the ball.
 

Jiggyfly

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Chaz had a pretty good showing last night, seeing the issues Flowers is still having and the return on most of the other 1st round tackles the last few years, I say he is progressing about right fo a bottom of the 3rd round guy who missed most of last year.

Just hoping the injury issues don't keep popping up.
 

jsmith6919

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After looking at a couple of 2nd and 3rd string QB's in other games it just makes Dak's showing even more impressive both Nassib and Manuel just look so much more jittery and rushed not to mention the guys from Miami last night.

I really would like to get a breakdown on how much Dak is reading defenses and how much-read progression he is going through, I have seen him changing his sitelines but I wonder how deep his progressions are.
Saw somewhere they are keeping his reads to half the field.
 

jsmith6919

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That shit was baffaling... he had control of the football all the way through the end zone, stepped out of the back of the end zone (which should have ended the play), and then went down losing the ball.
Yea they have fucked up the catch rule so bad it's not funny anymore
 

Cowboysrock55

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I have seen him looking at both sides don't know if it's one key and then pass or not.

That deep in to Butler he looked right 1st.
He has done an excellent job of looking off defenders. I don't know if it's part of his progression on plays or if he is doing it intentionally to make space for his receivers. I've been very impressed with the way he has done that.
 

jsmith6919

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I have seen him looking at both sides don't know if it's one key and then pass or not.

That deep in to Butler he looked right 1st.
I had saw that after the first game so maybe they opened up more for him or guess it could be him looking off the safety like crock brings up
 

Jiggyfly

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He has done an excellent job of looking off defenders. I don't know if it's part of his progression on plays or if he is doing it intentionally to make space for his receivers. I've been very impressed with the way he has done that.
Yeah that is the question I have.

Either way it still is impressive he does not lock on like Weeden and Mcgee.
 

Jiggyfly

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I had saw that after the first game so maybe they opened up more for him or guess it could be him looking off the safety like crock brings up
Yeah that's why I want somebody to give some a more in-depth breakdown because if he is reading the field this quickly he is relly doing some amazing stuff.

I do know he has not done anything straight drop back but Romo does not really do that much anymore either.
 

Cotton

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I have seen him looking at both sides don't know if it's one key and then pass or not.

That deep in to Butler he looked right 1st.
I think he was looking the safeties off before returning to his primary read. It's not read progression, but it's still a vet move.
 

Rev

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Well at least Romo will be the best backup QB in the league.

:tippytoe
 

Jiggyfly

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Scout's Eye: Frazier, Traylor Among Impressive Rookies; Other Game Notes
Saturday, August 20, 2016 6:17 PM CDT

By Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
@BryanBroaddus
FRISCO, Texas – This is the time of year that guys like me live for.
The vast majority of viewers probably tuned out of last night’s game against the Dolphins at halftime. But these preseason games can give us so much valuable information about how the Cowboys will comprise their roster – and even their practice squad. It’s riveting stuff if you know where to look.
If you’re reading this, I’m pretty confident you agree with me that these are some of the most intriguing weeks of the season. So let’s dive into another batch of notes from my re-watch of the Cowboys’ 41-14 win against the Dolphins.

Dez Bryant continues to do things with his route-running that is allowing himself to make big plays. His touchdown from Dak Prescott came off a “Stutter-Go,” which was the exact same route he executed against Brandon Carr in the Blue-White Scrimmage a short time ago. On the play, Prescott never took his eyes off Bryant as the route developed. Prescott knew where he was going with the ball the whole way and was able to deliver the ball in the perfect spot. Just like last week, Prescott got a big assist from Alfred Morris, who stepped up and eliminated Kiko Alonso on the blitz to keep the front of the pocket clean.

Despite missing Tyron Smith in this game, I thought the first offensive line was outstanding --especially running the ball. Alfred Morris’ 15-yard touchdown run was as well-blocked a play as you will see. The line was able to combo block inside on the two tackles, securing them in place. Once secured, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin then released to the second level to capture the linebackers. Morris sticks his nose to the right, but then with vision, he sees that Chaz Green has worked Andre Branch up the field. Morris makes a hard cut to his right as Branch tries to retrace but can’t get there. Morris gets the final block from Dez Bryant on Byron Maxwell, which allows him to walk into the end zone.

Nobody on this defensive front works harder than Tyrone Crawford to attempt to create pressure. Crawford’s efforts paid off when he was able to defeat Jermon Bushrod one-on-one for a sack. Crawford was able to break Bushrod down right off the snap, which put the guard in an awful blocking position. Once Crawford felt Bushrod’s weight shift to his right foot, Crawford broke hard to the inside and directly at Ryan Tannehill. Seeing the pressure from Tyrone Crawford and feeling that same pressure from Jack Crawford to his right, Tannehill tried to climb the front of the pocket, but he could not escape the strength of Tyrone Crawford -- who had him around the waist and Jack Crawford around the quarterback’s upper body.

The big play of the night for the Dolphins offense was a 55-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills. The formation was a “Bunch” look, with the tight end flexed in the bunch. At the snap, they went full-flow to the left, which caused the defense to have to react to the run. Tannehill wheeled to his right and got a key block by Jordan Cameron on Jack Crawford to get him to the outside. Dallas was in a Cover 2 look with the corners funneling everything to the middle of the field. The route by Stills was run to J.J. Wilcox’s side of the field, rather than Byron Jones’. Stills, in full sprint, was on top of Wilcox in a hurry. Wilcox hopped instead of turning and running to carry Stills -- who got past him easily. If the ball had been thrown to the inside, it would’ve been a touchdown, but it ended up on the outside and carried Stills out of bounds. It actually turned out to be a huge break, because seven plays later the Cowboys were able to hold on downs.

This was the second game where the Dallas defense was able to create a turnover by putting pressure on the opponent’s quarterback with their rush. Right before the half, Damien Wilson and James Morris lined up in the “A” gaps like they were coming on a blitz. I believe it was this alignment that caused Anthony Steen to snap the ball too high for Brandon Doughty -- thus throwing off the timing of the play. By the time Doughty was able to grab the ball, Cedric Thornton and Sheneil Jenkins were already working a twist stunt up front. Thornton took three blockers with him, which allowed Jenkins to get further up the field. Doughty showed terrible pocket awareness and moved right back into Jenkins, who -- along with Kyle Wilber -- was able to knock the ball out of his hand for the fumble. The offense was later able to take that turnover and make it a 13-point lead going into half.

Kavon Frazier continues to find ways to make plays in order to make a case for a roster spot. The rookie safety was matched in one-on-one coverage on the outside and was able to come up with a nice play on 4th-and-2 to get the defense off the field. What made the play special for him is that the Dolphins tried to use a rub route with their slot receiver and he had the awareness to not get picked. Frazier was able to fight through the traffic, stay inside and prevent Dominique Jones from getting his hands on the ball.

Sometimes you have to be a little lucky when you are playing quarterback. Not to take anything away from Dak Prescott and the way he has played, but if not for a roughing the passer penalty by Andre Branch – he would have had an interception. It appeared that Prescott was throwing to a spot instead of really making sure that Brice Butler was open. Butler took a peek and he saw safety Isa Abdul-Quddos in position to drive. Butler hesitated just a bit, but the way Prescott threw the pass, he really had no chance to make the catch with how wide the ball was. Prescott caught a huge break, because to be honest, the contact by Branch didn’t look helmet-to-helmet but more to the shoulder pad area.

I thought Andy Jones had a touchdown on that pass from Dak Prescott on the goal line. I was so confident, I even said so on the radio call. What I didn’t realize about the play initially was that Prescott had to reach high and to his left to grab the snap. By just that split second, he wasn’t able to get to the outside quick enough to put the ball on Jones going up the field. Jones was running along the goal line and was in position to make the catch. Instead, he had to come back up the field to secure the ball. To his credit, Prescott did the best he could to put the ball in a position where Jones could at least attempt to get it across the goal line -- but he just wasn’t close enough to make that happen.

Jameill Showers really hasn’t had much go right for him in these games. He has been the victim of poor execution of those around him -- but in talking to him, he is not using that as an excuse. Showers continues to try to find ways to make plays, which he was able to do on a 3rd-and-10 in the fourth quarter. Showers was able to get the ball to Darius Jackson on the outside with a nice touch pass on the screen. The play was well set up with Showers not rushing the throw, but instead showing the patience to allow it to develop. He held the ball long enough to allow Jackson to slip out to the flat just behind Jake Brendel and Boston Stiverson. Those two were able to take care of first support to allow Jackson the space to get a head of steam and finish the catch for a 15-yard gain and a first down.

I am curious about what this front office and coaching staff decide to do with Austin Traylor? If there is a tight end on the roster that has the ability to do what James Hanna does at the point of attack as a blocker – it is him. There were several snaps where he was clearly winning on the edge and it didn’t matter if he was blocking linebackers or defensive ends -- the job was getting done. What I really like about Austin Traylor is that he understands how to play with power and leverage to get the job done. He has this knack for capturing the edge and staying on his feet. There is just something with him that is catching my eye.

Really nice job by Dax Swanson getting on tape and showing folks his ability as a punt returner. The ball was hammered by Matt Darr and Swanson was able to track it back before he started up the field. The return honestly wasn’t blocked well at all and the majority of the credit should go to Swanson -- not only for his courage to take the ball back into the teeth of the coverage but for his vision to see that’s where he needed to go. Swanson was able to make four unblocked tacklers miss him initially, then run through two more before he was finally brought to the ground. It was a tremendous effort on Swanson’s part when it appeared that there was really nothing there.

I would have never believed that I would have observed an NFL game where two players were on the field at the same time from Shepherd College. Located in the town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia with a student body of just over 4,200 students, they should be proud that Shaneil Jenkins of the Dallas Cowboys and Dominique Jones of the Miami Dolphins are representing the school well in the league.
 

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Scout's Notebook: Brice Butler Shows Up, Chaz Green Improves; More
Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:06 AM CDT

By Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
@BryanBroaddus
ARLINGTON, Texas – It’s always difficult trying to scout a game while you’re doing a radio broadcast, but that’s the incredibly fun challenge I get to enjoy during the preseason.
From my vantage point in the radio booth, there was plenty to like about the Cowboys’ 41-14 win against the Miami Dolphins. Here are 12 points from the second preseason game:

I’ve been waiting for Brice Butler to make a play down the field and he was finally able to pull it off. His post route was well executed and Dak Prescott was able to get him the ball in a spot where he could finish the play. As good as the throw and catch were, give Geoff Swaim some credit as well for his block on max protection in the pocket -- which allowed Prescott the time to make the throw.

Alfred Morris continues to show that he has a feel for how to execute running plays in this scheme. His vision and cutting ability is exactly what these blockers have needed. Morris' running style doesn't require them to have to hold their blocks for long periods of time. He is decisive and committed with the ball in his hands and that is why we are seeing more productive running plays.

Think again when you want to get rid of Kyle Wilber. His performance was inspiring for a defense that had limited numbers along the line. Wilber struggled badly in camp with a back issue that limited his practices, and he only just recently returned to the field. He took very few snaps in those practices at the end, but when the time came for him to step in -- he was ready. Wilber was explosive and disruptive during his opportunities and once again showed why he's a reliable piece to this defense.

Better showing by Chaz Green this week. I was getting a feeling from the pregame buzz that there was a big concern about Tony Romo playing in this game with Green filling in for Tyron Smith. There were better snaps from Green pass protection-wise. He wasn't as sloppy and off balance, which showed in their ability to move the ball. His run blocking continues to improve -- especially the times he was able to combo block with La'el Collins. They were able to create space for Alfred Morris to make his cuts. The only time that Romo was hit, it was not an error by Green -- which most fans believed would have been a common problem.

Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne continue to get their hands on passes. I especially like what I have seen from Carr because it is rare when he does that. The move to the right side appears to have made Carr a more aggressive player. He is seeing the routes clearer, which I don't believe was the case on that left side. Carr is finally playing like a player that this defense can truly count on.

Another game, another sack by Shaneil Jenkins. His technique isn't always perfect but his effort is. What really stood out about his play was how quickly he was able to get off the ball and into the blocker. There were several snaps where he and Cedric Thornton were right there, side-by-side, before the Dolphins linemen had a chance to react -- and he was in the backfield. Jenkins continues to get work at that all important under-tackle spot and proving to this staff that he deserves a spot on this roster.

If the Dallas Cowboys gave out helmet stickers for pancake blocks, then Terrance Williams deserves one for the block he had on the opening drive that was called a holding penalty. If Williams doesn't finish his man off by driving him into the ground, the call is likely not made. I promise that when I watch the tape, it will show that is was a terrible call.

Textbook punt block by Vince Mayle. On the block, Mayle could have easily missed the ball and run right into Matt Darr, drawing the penalty. To beat his man off the snap, then have the ability to lay out across the ball all while staying off the punter shows me that he pays attention in meetings. Mayle did exactly what Rich Bisaccia coached him to do. Very well-executed.

Nice job by Keith Smith of coming in and helping with some single-back runs. It didn't surprise me that Smith had the success that he did in the game. During the practices in Oxnard, Smith ran behind the first offensive line when they worked the Pod Drill against the first defense. Smith always did a nice job of hitting the hole quickly and at the correct spot. In those situations, he was very natural in the way he carried the ball which he showed in this game.

Keep Jack Crawford in mind for that starting job at left defensive end. He is starting to show up more than then what we have seen from the guys competing at the position. I am not sure the coaches really want to start him, but they might not have much of a choice.

Nice to see Andy Jones bounce back after last week. His catch on the goal line is more in line to what we've seen from him during practice and he was able to make a tackle on the punt team. I still don't see them keeping six receivers with the needs at other spots, but the coaches are giving him the opportunities to make plays. In this game, he was able to respond.

Thanks to Brad Sham, Kristi Scales and the entire Dallas Cowboys Radio crew for giving me the opportunity to work on their broadcast tonight. I wish every fan could get to experience what I get to do.
 
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