A chat with 'Blogging The Boys'
by Ed Valentine on May 18, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
in News
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In our off-season chats with bloggers from the other NFC East teams, we have finally gotten around to the Dallas Cowboys. That means a Q&A with Dave Halprin, the guru of Blogging the Boys.
The Cowboys have had an interesting off-season, and here is the chat Dave and I had about it.
Big Blue View: The Cowboys had what I would term an 'odd' draft. As Chris Berman would say they kept moving 'back, back, back' and ended up with 12 picks beginning in the third round. What did you think of the draft?
Blogging The Boys: We actually had 11 picks going in, so while we moved back on a few occasions, we only added one extra pick in the end. This draft was about filling specific roles. It was hard to imagine picking someone in the 3rd round or beyond that was going to challenge for a starting spot. As badly as we finished last year, most of our starters were not going to lose their spots. We needed a nickel ILB, so we picked up two guys for that. We needed safety depth, we got two candidates for that. We also needed some more corners and OLB’s for depth, we got those. The only thing we truly missed out on that most Cowboys fans expected to see was a backup NT, and maybe some more WR help. This draft was about depth, and it was also about shoring up a horrible special teams unit. Many of these guys are excellent special teams players, a phase of the game that lost us games last year. One other common theme, most of them are high-character guys with no red-flags. The Cowboys are trying to clean up their locker room.
BBV: Is there one player the Cowboys got in the draft you are particularly excited about?
Blogging The Boys: Jason Williams, linebacker and our 3rd-round pick from Western Illinois, is a guy I’m very intrigued to see. He comes from a small school, I’ve never seen him play and he didn’t get an invite to the combine even though he was very productive in college. But at his Pro Day he blew the scouts away with his physical skills. In college, he set a record for causing 14 fumbles in a season. He’s under-sized as a 3-4 ILB, but we want to use him in the nickel as a speed/coverage guy who will also blitz. Stephen Hodge, a converted safety now playing the same ILB role as Williams who was drafted in the 6th-round out of TCU, is also a guy that has been getting praise from the Cowboys coaches.
BBV: Assess the Cowboys' off-season, including the impact of the release of Terrell Owens?
Blogging The Boys: The Cowboys had a very good offseason in my estimation. We got rid of Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson, two guys with troubled pasts that weren’t really producing in the way we wanted. Safety Roy Williams was let go, he was a huge liability in coverage. We traded CB Anthony Henry who was in decline. And yes, we released T.O., a guy who produced but was starting to fracture the locker room. WR Roy Williams is elevated to the #1 guy and Miles Austin is being counted on to provide the deep-threat on the opposite side. Igor Olshansky will replace Chris Canty, we consider that an even trade for less money, if not an upgrade. Keith Brooking should be better than the departed Zach Thomas. Jon Kitna is a huge upgrade over Brad Johnson. The draft was full of good character guys, and many were good special teams players, something we desperately needed. I’m happy with the direction we’ve taken so far. But it means nothing until we see them all play in 2009.
Blogging The Boys: That’s what the record shows from the last couple of years. The Giants got a Super Bowl two years ago and won the division last year. The Eagles got into the playoffs and absolutely humiliated us on the final day of the 2008 regular season. The perception doesn’t bother me though, who cares what everybody thinks, it only matters what happens on the field in the 2009 season. I’ll take our chances with any team in the division. Our roster has the talent to compete with anybody; we just have to prove it on the field. I think we’ve taken some steps in the right direction this offseason in improving the team concept and creating better team chemistry. We’ll see if it works.
Blogging The Boys: Yeah, we still believe that was an over-payment. Canty was a guy we always thought could be a major force, his physical skills should have made him a disruptive player. But he was very inconsistent, sometimes disappearing for long periods of time. He played DE in a 3-4, so his first job was to hold his ground against double-teams on running plays, allowing the LB’s to flow to the ball. He did that fairly well. Problem is, you can get players like that for much cheaper. We just did with Olshansky. Canty was never able to consistently get into the offensive backfield and disrupt plays. If you are going to pay as much as you guys did, he needs to do that regularly. Now, if you use him differently in a 4-3 set, perhaps he will become that kind of force, he certainly has the physical skills to do it. If he can, then you got a good deal.
Blogging The Boys: Somewhat, although Edwards has terrible hands for an elite receiver. I am surprised at the WR corps you guys have going into the season. It’s very dependant on young guys with no proven #1 to provide that stabilizing force, although some of the young kids, including your draft picks, look promising. I know Roy Williams has been inconsistent for Dallas, but he has had some productive years and that was playing for the crappy Lions, so he should be at least an okay #1 WR. He should be able to produce in this offense with Romo at the helm. Bottom line: I think a lot of people are surprised at the youth and inexperience of the Giants WR’s.
Blogging The Boys: I’m concerned about the strength of our defense up the middle. We have a huge drop-off in talent after NT Jay Ratliff. Ratliff is a stud, but he needs someone to give him a break every so often and the options so far aren’t up to what I’d like to see. Keith Brooking is taking over at WILB from Zach Thomas. Brooking was a great player, but we have to see how much he has left. He did have some of his best years in Atlanta under Wade Phillips in this defense, so we’re hoping he can solidify a position we’ve had continuous problems at. We lost Kevin Burnett as the backup WILB and nickel guy, so we’re relying on rookies or vets who haven’t produced yet to take over that spot. Finally, the strong safety position. Roy Williams is gone, which was a good move, but we are going to have to see how free agent Gerald Sensabaugh plays. The depth at this spot is also an unknown. So, the middle of our defense has some real question marks.
-- Our chat with Hogs Haven.
-- Our chat with Bleeding Green Nation.
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This draft was about depth?
If you’ve won a SB in the last 3 years than I can see this draft being about depth. But if you haven’t won a playoff game in 13 years and counting, this draft is hardly about depth. I’d recommend you take another look at some of your starters because those don’t seem to be getting you there.
by EverBlue on May 18, 2009 8:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Cowboys are still reading the press clippings from 10 years ago.
Here’s a news flash: “YOUR TEAM SUCKS!” and will continue to do so this year. In fact, there will probably be a dropoff even from the recent disppointments. Did not get any decent draft picks this year? Don’t worry, you’ll be getting a nice top 10 pick next year. I think you’re looking at 6-10 or maybe 7-9, at best.
by MJ20 on May 18, 2009 8:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought the Cowgirls
were pretty good last year actually. As much as I hate them, their defense was very good at times when they decided to use Wade’s philosphy from San Diego and blitz the QB til no end.
But I think they’ll miss Owens more than anyone thinks. He was EXACTLY LIKE PLAXICO. No one seems to think so, but Owens was just as much a decoy when they didn’t throw to him too.
I think the Cowgirls situation is a way that the giants could have looked. THe Giants could have traded an arm and leg to get the replacement for their lost WR, but they didn’t have to, and Im glad they did.
I think Roy Williams is no better than Braylon Edwards, and I think Roy Williams sucks…
The Cowgirls have really no WR, Williams is a fake #1. Witten will get double teamed, but he’ll get his catches too.
And I think Marion Barber is shot. He is much like Jacobs, but I don’t think the Cowboys have the depth at RB or the O-Line of th Giants.
I think this is the year the ship hits the bottom of the ocean and of course Wade is fired.
Id love to see Wade stay tho, cuz he’s a horrible coach and Id love to see him continue to fail with the Cowgirls.
by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 9:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I disagree
that the Cowboys have no depth at running back. Choice and Felix Jones seemed to fill in well when needed.
I was also of the opinion that Roy Williams was a good acquisition for their offense, but they probably overpaid for him a bit. It remains to be seen if he’s a true replacement for Owens. You are spot-on when it comes to defenses no longer having to account for the production Owens and his unique skill set.
by rzor on May 18, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
???
I didn’t say they had no depth, I said they have less depth than the Giants. The Cowgirls backs are pretty good, but Id take the Skins backs over them right now.
Id take Jacobs, Bradshaw, Ware and now Andre Brown over Barber, Choice and Felix Jones any day. Id also take the Giants O-Line anyday. They are better all around at Pass blocking run blocking and also not being the all around boneheads that the Cowgirls O-Line is (False start Adams at LT…..)
Roy Williams may have been a good acquisition, but to me, like Braylon Edwards, its was only a good acquisition to make when these teams still had their #1, TO and Plax. To make these guys now the primary target would have bad results to me.
by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry for misquoting you
but I still believe Tashard Choice and Felix Jones provide the Cowboys better depth at running back than Bradshaw and Ware. I agree that Jacobs and the Giants O-line are far and away better than the combo of Barber and the Dallas behemoths.
by rzor on May 18, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jerry Jones must have a higher opinion
of the Dallas Cowboys roster than I do (or most other people), because I don’t really see a Super Bowl caliber team in their starting lineup. What’s curious is that they still drafted for 2nd and 3rd string players, which means when free-agency departures and injuries deplete those starters, no players of equal talent will be available to replace them.
On an individual basis, preseason prognostication is mostly worthless, but when the majority of voices all seem to say the same thing (third or fourth in the division) then it’s probably a sign of things to come.
by rzor on May 18, 2009 10:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Sour grapes or higher expectations for Canty?
I get this sense it’s a combination of the two. Shortly after he signed, i read post where Cowboy fans were moreless, well, here’s the door type of attitude. IMO, it seems unjustified. The rules apply differently for a 3-4 end vs. a 4-3 end. They wanted a major force, disruptive player in Canty? Statistically, it’s not going to show for a 3-4 end. I think they wanted 4-3 end production from him, like Tuck, Osi or Strahan.
Statistically, he was consistent with other fellow 3-4 ends. I looked at the ends from Pittsburgh (Brad Keisel & Aaron Smith) and New England ( Richard Seymour & Ty Warren). Though, there are variances in their years in the league, career-wise though, their averages range from 3-5 sacks with 50-70 tackles per year. Without nit-picking the stats entirely, Canty’s numbers are pretty much par!
Coincidentally, look at the production that Pitt. & N.E. get from their LB’s, actually, look at the production Dallas got from Ware, Bradie James and even Greg Ellis! Hmm, it’s intangibles (from Canty) that cannot be recorded. High expectations that quickly went sour?!
However, disappearing at times could be a direct result of an insufficient DL rotation and we know what the end results could be. But, plopping him in the middle of our 4-3 D and with our rotation, his stats may not show it, but if it makes everyone around him better, fresher and most importantly, WINS, then it’s worth every penny!
by Hootman on May 18, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Versatility
You’re absolutely right that 3-4 ends tend not to get a lot of sacks. That’s the nature of the scheme. I think Canty will be extremely valuable in our defensive scheme. When he plays inside he will tie up two offensive lineman on running plays like he did in the Dallas 3-4. That will help the DE’s and linebackers get more one on one situations. That will also enable Robbins (who is getting up in years) to become more of a third down specialist where he can use his penetrating and pass rushing skills more. A more rested Robbins should be very effective in that role. But the Giants can also put Canty at DE too on occasion and I want to see tackles in the league try to handle him one on one. In Dallas, he had basically one role. Here he’ll have an opportunity to use all his talents.
by Tucker Fredrickson on May 18, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Many Cowgirl fans
are obsessed with stats. They don’t see Sacks or a lot of tackles in Canty’s stat line, so they dismiss him.
But they should know that Canty was that behemoth that occupied 2 tackles and sometimes a fullback so that Demarcus Ware could get free…
It should also be noted that the guy they replaced him with, Olshansky, really did a good job when Shawn Merriman was there.
So its really not like the Giatns overpaid, or also that the Cowboys didn’t find an adequate replacement.
They just say ’here’s the door’ cuz they have no idea what his impact was.
by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Jay Ratliff gets hurt...
the cowboys instantly become a bottom half defense.. him and Canty combined freed up so much room for Demarcus Ware.. That kid from Western Illinois a lot of people thought was a huge reach and wasn’t even gonna be drafted.. they shoulda taken the linebacker from Pitt at that spot. I don’t think the Cowboys had a very good offseason.
President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club
by Hoyadestroya85 on May 18, 2009 1:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
with that in mind though...
I love the pick of Mike Mickens from Cincinnati.. I don’t understand the David Buehler pick though.
President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club
by Hoyadestroya85 on May 18, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jason Williams runs a 4.4 and causes turn overs
in a 3-4 wilb your man job is to cover and occasionally blitz…. and last year dallas was bottom half in turn overs so it might of been a reach but when you have your heart set on somebody and you think theres a chance he might go somewere eles you pull the trigger. As for Mike Mickens he’s gonna be a great dime back and or starter in the future… As for david Buehler He’s a linebacker who can kick it to the back of the endzone every play… he is a workout machine… look him up on youtube. There talking about moving him to be a gunner.
by regaberto on May 18, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
For the love of all that's good...
Can you take down that picture of JJ and sub in a Cowboys cheerleader or something! That picture is freaking me out. He looks like a serial killer in it…
by mcgatman on May 18, 2009 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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