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Tavon Austin breakout vs. Giants indicates more to come
By Patrik Walker Sep 17, 12:00 AM
Finally, the world got a peek into what Tavon Austin might be for 2018.
In attempting to explain what Austin's role would be with the Dallas Cowboys, they instead created confusion this offseason where clarity should be. Instead of assigning a specific position to the veteran, they initially listed him as a running back but utilized him heavily in training camp as a wide receiver, and then referred to his pseudo-role as a "web back" -- and all the world wondered what ever could that mean?
Ideally, it should serve as a catch-all position the opponent never sees coming and once they're caught in the proverbial web, struggling to escape only makes things worse. Sounds fantastic in theory but, in reality, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did nothing in the season opener to invoke a sense of confidence that Austin will be utilized any differently than Ryan Switzer -- traded away because the Cowboys believed Austin to be a better fit. What if, and stick with me on this one, they're both good fits, but it's irrelevant if they can't get schemed the ball?
Just a thought.
Austin was rarely seen in the preseason, battling a hamstring injury that kept this sidelined for at least half of it. Even if he were healthy, the Cowboys wouldn't have shown their hand to the NFL as it relates to their planned use of him, but there was a definite tone of "oh just you wait and see" in their descriptions of what was to come from Austin in 2018. Following a dominant training camp that also saw him take snaps with the first team, injury notwithstanding, he's been named both punt returner and a key aspect of the team's passing attack, and everyone drooled to get a true first look on Sept. 9.
Unfortunately, the debut was nothing like the trailer to the movie. Austin was used for only 10 offensive snaps total, delivering no receptions and only one rush for one yard. The Cowboys wisely went back to the drawing board and things were precipitously different in Week 2, and it took only a handful of plays to get him involved.
Less than a handful, actually, because on the third play of the game it was Prescott dropping back to deliver a 64-yard bomb to put them up early on the Giants.
The Cowboys would then pull back for whatever reason, Austin disappearing for the second and third quarters before re-emerging in the fourth, going on to finish with two receptions for 79 yards to go along with one carry for 15 yards.
It was a bit unnerving to see the Cowboys get away from what put them on the scoreboard in the first place, reverting back to conservative ways that kept the Giants in the game far longer than they should've been, but at least the world got a glimpse of what a "web back" is -- and what it could be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Im ready to see some more of those deep connections.
By Patrik Walker Sep 17, 12:00 AM
Finally, the world got a peek into what Tavon Austin might be for 2018.
In attempting to explain what Austin's role would be with the Dallas Cowboys, they instead created confusion this offseason where clarity should be. Instead of assigning a specific position to the veteran, they initially listed him as a running back but utilized him heavily in training camp as a wide receiver, and then referred to his pseudo-role as a "web back" -- and all the world wondered what ever could that mean?
Ideally, it should serve as a catch-all position the opponent never sees coming and once they're caught in the proverbial web, struggling to escape only makes things worse. Sounds fantastic in theory but, in reality, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did nothing in the season opener to invoke a sense of confidence that Austin will be utilized any differently than Ryan Switzer -- traded away because the Cowboys believed Austin to be a better fit. What if, and stick with me on this one, they're both good fits, but it's irrelevant if they can't get schemed the ball?
Just a thought.
Austin was rarely seen in the preseason, battling a hamstring injury that kept this sidelined for at least half of it. Even if he were healthy, the Cowboys wouldn't have shown their hand to the NFL as it relates to their planned use of him, but there was a definite tone of "oh just you wait and see" in their descriptions of what was to come from Austin in 2018. Following a dominant training camp that also saw him take snaps with the first team, injury notwithstanding, he's been named both punt returner and a key aspect of the team's passing attack, and everyone drooled to get a true first look on Sept. 9.
Unfortunately, the debut was nothing like the trailer to the movie. Austin was used for only 10 offensive snaps total, delivering no receptions and only one rush for one yard. The Cowboys wisely went back to the drawing board and things were precipitously different in Week 2, and it took only a handful of plays to get him involved.
Less than a handful, actually, because on the third play of the game it was Prescott dropping back to deliver a 64-yard bomb to put them up early on the Giants.
The Cowboys would then pull back for whatever reason, Austin disappearing for the second and third quarters before re-emerging in the fourth, going on to finish with two receptions for 79 yards to go along with one carry for 15 yards.
It was a bit unnerving to see the Cowboys get away from what put them on the scoreboard in the first place, reverting back to conservative ways that kept the Giants in the game far longer than they should've been, but at least the world got a glimpse of what a "web back" is -- and what it could be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Im ready to see some more of those deep connections.