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David Moore: Cowboys' lack of running game also hurts the deep ball
08:00 PM CDT on Saturday, September 25, 2010
SportsDayDFW.com
David Moore, Cowboys beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered readers' questions in a chat on Friday. Some excerpts:
On what it means when the players take it upon themselves to practice harder two weeks into the season:
What else are they going to say? They're 0-2. They have to find something they have control over to give them the sense they can turn this thing around. I think they were practicing hard before. That doens't mean they were as efficient in practice as they should have been.
On why there are no downfield passes to stretch the defense:
No running game. Defenses don't have to keep an extra man in the box to stop the run. They keep the safeties back in coverage, allow the Cowboys to dink and dunk underneath, and take away the big play. The Cowboys hurt defenses with the big play last season. No coordinator is going to want to give that up now.
On if there are discussions about the Cowboys' coaching job for next season:
Next year is problematic because of labor unrest. Let's say that Jerry Jones does clean house at the end of the season. Is he going to hire a new staff and pay them when it's unclear if they'll be a season in 2011? As for hiring a coach with credentials, he did it with Parcells, and he'll do it again.
On if the team's lack of mental focus comes from the top:
These players are accountable to one another. The culture is good. I just think they've gotten off to a slow start. Maybe there were a little too comfortable, a little too secure in their talent level, but that's certainly not the case any more.
Unless everyone was wrong about this team, it should respond soon. It has no choice.
On if Stephen Jones takes over as general manager in the near future?
Stephen, in essence, is the day-to-day GM of this team and has been for years. Jerry still has a hand in every major decision and can overrule any decision at any time, but he trusts Stephen and allows him to function as the team's GM while Jerry's focus is broader. Jerry got the stadium built now he's trying to leverage it to acquire as many dates to fill it up as possible.
• • •
08:00 PM CDT on Saturday, September 25, 2010
SportsDayDFW.com
David Moore, Cowboys beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered readers' questions in a chat on Friday. Some excerpts:
On what it means when the players take it upon themselves to practice harder two weeks into the season:
What else are they going to say? They're 0-2. They have to find something they have control over to give them the sense they can turn this thing around. I think they were practicing hard before. That doens't mean they were as efficient in practice as they should have been.
On why there are no downfield passes to stretch the defense:
No running game. Defenses don't have to keep an extra man in the box to stop the run. They keep the safeties back in coverage, allow the Cowboys to dink and dunk underneath, and take away the big play. The Cowboys hurt defenses with the big play last season. No coordinator is going to want to give that up now.
On if there are discussions about the Cowboys' coaching job for next season:
Next year is problematic because of labor unrest. Let's say that Jerry Jones does clean house at the end of the season. Is he going to hire a new staff and pay them when it's unclear if they'll be a season in 2011? As for hiring a coach with credentials, he did it with Parcells, and he'll do it again.
On if the team's lack of mental focus comes from the top:
These players are accountable to one another. The culture is good. I just think they've gotten off to a slow start. Maybe there were a little too comfortable, a little too secure in their talent level, but that's certainly not the case any more.
Unless everyone was wrong about this team, it should respond soon. It has no choice.
On if Stephen Jones takes over as general manager in the near future?
Stephen, in essence, is the day-to-day GM of this team and has been for years. Jerry still has a hand in every major decision and can overrule any decision at any time, but he trusts Stephen and allows him to function as the team's GM while Jerry's focus is broader. Jerry got the stadium built now he's trying to leverage it to acquire as many dates to fill it up as possible.
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