Kurt Warner criticizes Dez Bryant's route-running

lostxn

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Kurt Warner took some shots at Dez Bryant that weren't exactly unfair
Sam Quinn - Feb 12, 1:01 PM 0

Dez Bryant is coming off of arguably the worst season of his career for the Dallas Cowboys. His statistics were down across the board while his drops hit an all time high. He threw temper tantrums on the sideline far too often for anyone's liking, and the passing offense as a whole stalled significantly thanks at least partially to Bryant's decline. Many fans are wondering what sort of place Bryant, at an enormous cap figure, still has on this team moving forward.

Many older receivers adjust their game as they get older. They become possession receivers who rely on route running and intelligence to make plays. Just don't expect Bryant to be that kind of player, at least according to former MVP Kurt Warner. In breaking down the Cowboys' offense on the Ben & Skin Show on 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Dallas Morning News), Warner criticized Bryant's route running when talking about how Dallas needs to adjust in their passing game.

"Dez [Bryant], we know he's got unique talent, but he's not a great route runner. So if I'm putting him in a situation where he's one-on-one and I'm asking him to win by running routes, I don't think you're going to have a lot of success there and I think that's what we saw this year. You've got to find ways to create opportunities for your quarterback, for your playmakers, to move them around, to put them in positions to do what they do best and succeed at it."

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Warner isn't exactly wrong, and he's seen some of his former teammates make the same adjustment that Bryant has failed to. Larry Fitzgerald is five years older than Bryant, for example, and yet he caught over 100 passes last season because he grew in ways that Bryant hasn't. Anquan Boldin made the same adjustments as he got older.

But Bryant is trying to play like a 25-year-old when he's about to turn 30. He doesn't have the same physical talent that he once did, and unless he learns to compensate for that lost ability, he is going to see his career end before it really has to.
 

vince

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Sucks because I believed Bryant was a difference maker. Not so much anymore.
 

deadrise

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Warner also remarked on how simple and predictable the Cowboy's offense is.

So let's see how effective Jerry and the Idiot Son will be managing the necessary changes.

The offense is outdated, overly simple, and predictable -- and has been for some time. Yet the architects of that offense, the HC and OC, are still in place.

Jerry says he wants the offense to become more "Dak-friendly." And Warner said he sees no one on the Cowboys' offense (receivers) who scares him. Yet what are the odds that Dez and Witten might still be in the starting lineup come September?

Same people calling the plays, same guys who can't get open.
 

Genghis Khan

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Dez is a poor route runner. And he was the same poor route runner in 2014 when he was lighting it up.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Dez is a poor route runner. And he was the same poor route runner in 2014 when he was lighting it up.
Yep, he could just run faster and jump higher back then. And for some reason didn't drop the ball all the time. But age takes it's toll on all of us.
 

Genghis Khan

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And honestly the decline started when he was 27 when you look at his per game averages.

It's not age.

What happened that year?
 

Genghis Khan

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His decline started when he was 27.

I originally said he was running poor routes in 2014 yet still tore up the league.

You said age catches up.

He was 26 in 2014 and his decline statistically started in 2015 when he was 27.

Age has nothing to do with why his numbers have declined.

Three things happened in 2015 when his decline started.

One, he got injured. I don't think it was the type of injury that causes this sort of precipitous decline, but the injury did happen.

Two, he got a big contract. It's possible he got lazy when he got paid.

Three, and this is the part that some people seem to want to ignore but it's a huge factor and probably by far the most important factor, his QB changed.

I'm saying all this because people seem to think that changing out Dez will make a big difference in the effectiveness of our offense.

And I'm saying it will make no difference, because what's really truly wrong are other things. Worrying about what's wrong with WR1 and how we fix it is barking up the wrong tree.

I believe we aren't that far away and we can compete right now if we make the right fixes. But this ain't it.
 

DCUDoomsday

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Many older receivers adjust their game as they get older. They become possession receivers who rely on route running and intelligence to make plays. Just don't expect Bryant to be that kind of player
Exactly, because he completely lacks intelligence.
You've got to find ways to create opportunities for your quarterback, for your playmakers, to move them around, to put them in positions to do what they do best and succeed at it."
This isn't a Dez problem, this is a coaching problem and I've been saying this for years.
 

bbgun

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The problem is that you have an inaccurate QB and a diva receiver who pouts/erupts when he doesn't get enough touches. That's a combination for disaster. Cut him and flood the field with shifty #2 receivers like New England does.
 

Cowboysrock55

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The problem is that you have an inaccurate QB and a diva receiver who pouts/erupts when he doesn't get enough touches. That's a combination for disaster. Cut him and flood the field with shifty #2 receivers like New England does.
Better to have 3 guys that you're really efficient throwing the ball too as opposed to one guy catching 90 balls who you aren't efficient throwing to. You don't need a number 1 WR who dominates your offensive targets. You just need guys who can beat single coverage regularly.
 

deadrise

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Who gives a fuck why he is an average WR now?

Just get fucking rid of him.

I like it. The impassive imperatives of evolution. The weak and unproductive are winnowed out. The individuals who burden the organism out of proportion to their value are left by the side of the trail. The organism moves on, stronger, leaner, more highly evolved.
 
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