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Bryant: Double coverage harder to use
November, 18, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are working on fixing how they get the ball to wide receiver Dez Bryant.
There have been too many times in 2013 where Bryant has become a decoy, and while he leads the team with 52 catches for 749 yards on a team-high 90 targets, he's got four games on his stat sheet where he caught four passes or fewer.
In an Oct. 27 game at Detroit, Bryant didn't get a pass thrown his way until late in the first half. In Bryant's last game, two weeks ago at New Orleans, he had just one catch for 44 yards.
Bryant won't get into specifics, but did say the offense is developing ideas to get him the ball in coverage.
"You will see what happens," Bryant said after a short Monday practice following the bye week. "I've been seeing (double coverage) for a minute now, we’ve been working on it."
One way to eliminate the double coverage is adding more personnel. The return of receiver Miles Austin, who has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, should help in that regard.
In the Week 1 victory over the New York Giants, Austin caught 10 passes for 72 yards while the secondary focused on taking Bryant out of the game. Tight end Jason Witten, another player dealing with double coverage, caught eight passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
As the season progressed, Austin's legs slowed his production, but Cole Beasley started to get moving. The slot receiver has 26 catches this season, 22 coming in the past six weeks.
Rookie receiver Terrance Williams also emerged, catching a touchdown in four consecutive weeks.
"With everybody back, I'm just giving you my opinion, I think it will be kinda hard," Bryant said in terms of getting doubled. "We have some tremendous people on this team. You see Beasley in space, you’re dead, I'm telling the truth. We got Miles back, big, shifty, strong (and) fast. Terrance blows right past you and then you get to me."
November, 18, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are working on fixing how they get the ball to wide receiver Dez Bryant.
There have been too many times in 2013 where Bryant has become a decoy, and while he leads the team with 52 catches for 749 yards on a team-high 90 targets, he's got four games on his stat sheet where he caught four passes or fewer.
In an Oct. 27 game at Detroit, Bryant didn't get a pass thrown his way until late in the first half. In Bryant's last game, two weeks ago at New Orleans, he had just one catch for 44 yards.
Bryant won't get into specifics, but did say the offense is developing ideas to get him the ball in coverage.
"You will see what happens," Bryant said after a short Monday practice following the bye week. "I've been seeing (double coverage) for a minute now, we’ve been working on it."
One way to eliminate the double coverage is adding more personnel. The return of receiver Miles Austin, who has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, should help in that regard.
In the Week 1 victory over the New York Giants, Austin caught 10 passes for 72 yards while the secondary focused on taking Bryant out of the game. Tight end Jason Witten, another player dealing with double coverage, caught eight passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
As the season progressed, Austin's legs slowed his production, but Cole Beasley started to get moving. The slot receiver has 26 catches this season, 22 coming in the past six weeks.
Rookie receiver Terrance Williams also emerged, catching a touchdown in four consecutive weeks.
"With everybody back, I'm just giving you my opinion, I think it will be kinda hard," Bryant said in terms of getting doubled. "We have some tremendous people on this team. You see Beasley in space, you’re dead, I'm telling the truth. We got Miles back, big, shifty, strong (and) fast. Terrance blows right past you and then you get to me."
