Cowboys Random Notes

Two Dallas Cowboys lead the Pro-Bowl voting at their respective positions thus far. Drew Bledsoe leads the QB vote in the NFC with 496,912 votes. I guess his recent games haven't filtered out to the football voting public yet. Larry Allen leads at guard with 188,344 votes.

Our old kicker Jose Cortez has been released by the San Francisco 49ers after Joe Nedney was healthy again after a one week absence. Now, if Jose Cortez catches on with another team this year, you have to give the man his due. That would be his fourth team of the year, would that be a record? I wonder if they even give him a locker anymore, or do they just give him a stool in the corner?

Oh man, when I read the opening paragraph of the latest Jaime Aron article, I started to get a little queasy. These are words I never wanted to see this year.

Drew Bledsoe is starting to look like the guy Buffalo Bills fans were glad to get rid of. The uncertainty in the pocket. The turnovers. The lack of confidence those things create - and the losses, two in a row for the Dallas Cowboys.

A comparison to the Buffalo Drew. That's not the way it was supposed to be, the Dallas Drew was the guy everybody voted for in the Pro-Bowl referenced above. But lately, he's been the Buffalo Drew again. It's pretty obvious why, take a look at these stats from the same article.

Bledsoe played six games with his blind side protected by the 6-foot-7, 335-pound "Hotel" Flozell. He's now played six games without him. The statistical difference is stunning.

With Flozell: 124-of-196 (63.3 percent) for 1,649 yards (274.8 per game), 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

Without Flozell: 105-of-178 (59 percent) for 1,040 yards (173.3 per game), 6 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

OK, well that's pretty clear. Drew, the question now is can you overcome? Can you shed the label, a QB who has to have a squeaky clean pocket to win? You're not going to have one the rest of the year, so you better find a way to get it done.

Jaime Aron article here.

Comments

[Monkey McGee]

I didn't see the video, but did Dallas ever go with 2-TE sets so Campbell and Witten could help with blocking? I realize that would limit what we could do with passing (although TE screens could be used more), but it could help a bit. Of course, if Johnson/Gurode and Rivera can't hold the middle, it's not going to matter.

I think you were on to something about the pace in your earlier post. That could also explain some of the great offense we've seen at the end of games all year. Why not run a couple no-huddle or short huddle series in the first half each game? Sounds like a play to me.

[Grizz]

They did use some 2 TE sets, but they also sent Witten out into the pattern regularly. They tried to use Julius to chip block, but obviously that wasn't very successful.

After watching the tape, Rivera was getting beat like a drum, he had an awful game.

I don't think there is much more we can do about formations and blocking schemes, the players just have to execute better. That's not a comforting thought.

[memer]

That's a good article. Hit the nail on the head. Bledsoe can do alright IF he has time. He doesn't stay cool in the pocket like Brady if he's rushed -- he brain seizes right up.

Our best shot for next year, if we want to make a serious run, isn't to replace Bledsoe (that comes the year after), but to get a stronger line. That will open up everything. We would have won more of these close games.

[Terry]

I agree, the O line simply needs to execute better. Bledsoe is who he is, a qb who will light you up if given max protection but will wilt like a dead flower in the face of a strong pass rush. Thats not going to change. We can say the O line must block better but the harsh reality is that you're replacing a pro bowl LT with a very average player in Tucker. Petitti at this stage of his career is also very average. Actually the only player on the O line above average right now is LA. When an average O line goes up against a good line bad things are going to happen, which is what we witnessed Sunday and will continue to witness against good D lines. Employing a hurray up offense a few series here and there might help a little but players must still line up and execute. I just don't have any faith in the O line to see that happening, at least against good defenses.