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6 turnovers, whether its a preseason game or not is just inexcusable. Fortunately it WAS just a preseason game and despite being -5 in turnover ratio for the game, we still had a chance to win in the end. I know a lot of people are going off the deep end somewhat, but other than the turnovers I really don't think the team played bad, and we had a ton of guys not play at all.
1) I posted in another thread that I don't know how good Ronald Leary really is or ultimately will be when compared to other starting NFL guards, but I do know he is vastly better than any other G on this team. Without him, last nights running game looked eerily like last years. I though Tyron Smith, Frederick and Free all played pretty good. Arkin wasn't bad and I noticed today that Vela is actually singing his praises after looking at the game again. But Bernadeau was just horrendous. A lot of plays he didn't even get in front of his guy, let alone actually block them. His position is a hole, but if Leary is healthy along with the other 3 I feel ok about our OL.
2) Romo looked really sharp except for the misfire to Williams, who showed some real burst. He also got open long on another pattern I saw later on, but the ball wasn't thrown his way. Bryant just looks like a guy at a whole other level. If he stays healthy he could have one of those all time great kind of seasons (and careers). His route running is vastly improved, and he is just a freak in terms of how physical he is, and has great run after catch skills. If the top 3 WR's are healthy, we are a real nightmare for opposing coordinators. Romo was 7/10 for 142 yds. He should have been 8/10 for almost 200 yds. In THREE series. Think about that.
3) Dunbar had the fumble, but he was doing what he is coached to do by trying to switch the ball to the off arm. He definitely showed game breaking speed and open field running on a couple of those plays he made receptions on. If he isn't a failure at blitz pickup, he could give us another dimension on offense and really do some damage on 3rd downs with draws, screens and outlet passes.
4) Every week I get a little more stoked about what the defense might be capable of this year. Despite all the turnovers and all the time on the field, they didn't give up a TD. One series the entire set of Cards starters were on the field against solely Dallas backups, and the Cards got only 1 first down. Its big iffs, but if Spencer and Ratliff get on the field and stay relatively healthy, this front 4 could be pretty damn good. Even without them it looks decent, although I would say we need Spencer more than Ratliff because I think we're in better shape depth wise at DT than DE. The LB corp is really good. I think we're in good shape at CB. The safety spot is still a big unknown still. Bas and Selvie both had sacks last night, both should make the team. Selvie looks much better to me though on the right side than the left. Same thing for Wilbur. One surprise player for me is DT Nick Hayden. I think he's earned a spot on the team and may be moving ahead of Lissemore as the primary backup DT (assuming Ratliff gets back in starting lineup). Bass may be moving past Lissemore as well.
5) On to rookies. I thought Frederick played at a high level again. I think he is clearly proving to be worth the pick we used on him and was not "overdrafted" or a "reach" as some professed in April. Escobar had by far his best game. I'm still disappointed with him so far and wont argue that the pick they used on him would have been better used elsewhere (Warford comes to mind) but he's here now, so we all need to hope for the best. Williams looks the part and should get plenty of one on one chances this year. Wilcox was out due to death of his mom. BW Webb didn't have a good game, but he didn't stick out like a sore thumb like the first two games either, so that's progress. Randle looked ok and should make the team. Devonte Holloman is looking like a steal though and I do wonder how long it wil be before he starts seeing the field with the regulars on defense. Just has a knack for the football (just like in college) and is big enough that he wont get washed out vs the run. If he isn't a starter or contributor on defense this yr, I think its a lock he's a starter next yr. Brandon Magee looks active and I don't see how they cant keep him as a backup. Alex Tanney really showed well. He got no help from sieve of backup OL but still started 10/10 and threw a number of passes that looked NFL caliber. I still don't know if he makes the team, but he is giving them something to think about for sure. I wonder if he ends up getting all or most of the snaps at QB in the final preseason game.
6) People always talked about Kiffin's scheme as being conservative and mostly front 4 oriented in terms of pass rush, but he seems to be blitzing quite a bit in preseason and unlike Ryan's defense (and even some of Wade's) he seems to do something to create free runs at the QB more than I can remember. Carter & Lee both appear to be exceptional blitzers, and this kid Holloman has a knack for it as well.
7) Its a good thing we have Dan Bailey, otherwise this special teams unit would be an utter catastrophe so far. Its definitely cause for concern this year as the return units have shown nothing and the coverage units arnt much better. We've also had a FG blocked (and nearly one other) and fumbled two punt returns. Its also sad that apparently they still don't know how to teach guys when to take a touchback and when to run it out. Hopefully it will improve when they settle on the same guys doing their roles, but this worries me some.
8) Somebody remind Bruce Arians its preseason. Made a couple of really dumb challenges, then argued about one of them that he clearly lost anyway. Also looked like a ****** arguing about the call on Romo, where his guy clearly made contact with the helmet.
9) Parnell didn't play and by most accounts he had a really good week of practice. I will be interested in seeing him the remaining two preseason games and do feel ok about him as the primary backup at RT and LT. There could probably be worse things than having Phil Costa as a backup C, but he cant play G at all. I don't feel comfortable about any of the backup guards, and that includes Livings (assuming he ever comes back) and Bernadeau, who at best should be a backup. It is definitely too bad Kowalski got hurt again, as he might could have earned the backup C/G spot and been an upgrade in that role. Other than Parnell, nobody on this roster can play OT in this league. I think they need to make 2 or maybe even 3 roster moves on the OL. One needs to be for another starter at RG (assuming Leary is going to be ok at the LG spot) and they probably need new blood at the backup G and backup T spots too.
10) He may have got here too late, but Thaddeus Gibson looked interesting yesterday. Got upfield quickly on virtually every play he was in there and got credit for two TFL's and a QB pressure or two.
Still got a lot of work to do and they need to get some of these starters and key backups healthy, but I do think we have a solid chance of being significantly better than either of the last two seasons.
1) I posted in another thread that I don't know how good Ronald Leary really is or ultimately will be when compared to other starting NFL guards, but I do know he is vastly better than any other G on this team. Without him, last nights running game looked eerily like last years. I though Tyron Smith, Frederick and Free all played pretty good. Arkin wasn't bad and I noticed today that Vela is actually singing his praises after looking at the game again. But Bernadeau was just horrendous. A lot of plays he didn't even get in front of his guy, let alone actually block them. His position is a hole, but if Leary is healthy along with the other 3 I feel ok about our OL.
2) Romo looked really sharp except for the misfire to Williams, who showed some real burst. He also got open long on another pattern I saw later on, but the ball wasn't thrown his way. Bryant just looks like a guy at a whole other level. If he stays healthy he could have one of those all time great kind of seasons (and careers). His route running is vastly improved, and he is just a freak in terms of how physical he is, and has great run after catch skills. If the top 3 WR's are healthy, we are a real nightmare for opposing coordinators. Romo was 7/10 for 142 yds. He should have been 8/10 for almost 200 yds. In THREE series. Think about that.
3) Dunbar had the fumble, but he was doing what he is coached to do by trying to switch the ball to the off arm. He definitely showed game breaking speed and open field running on a couple of those plays he made receptions on. If he isn't a failure at blitz pickup, he could give us another dimension on offense and really do some damage on 3rd downs with draws, screens and outlet passes.
4) Every week I get a little more stoked about what the defense might be capable of this year. Despite all the turnovers and all the time on the field, they didn't give up a TD. One series the entire set of Cards starters were on the field against solely Dallas backups, and the Cards got only 1 first down. Its big iffs, but if Spencer and Ratliff get on the field and stay relatively healthy, this front 4 could be pretty damn good. Even without them it looks decent, although I would say we need Spencer more than Ratliff because I think we're in better shape depth wise at DT than DE. The LB corp is really good. I think we're in good shape at CB. The safety spot is still a big unknown still. Bas and Selvie both had sacks last night, both should make the team. Selvie looks much better to me though on the right side than the left. Same thing for Wilbur. One surprise player for me is DT Nick Hayden. I think he's earned a spot on the team and may be moving ahead of Lissemore as the primary backup DT (assuming Ratliff gets back in starting lineup). Bass may be moving past Lissemore as well.
5) On to rookies. I thought Frederick played at a high level again. I think he is clearly proving to be worth the pick we used on him and was not "overdrafted" or a "reach" as some professed in April. Escobar had by far his best game. I'm still disappointed with him so far and wont argue that the pick they used on him would have been better used elsewhere (Warford comes to mind) but he's here now, so we all need to hope for the best. Williams looks the part and should get plenty of one on one chances this year. Wilcox was out due to death of his mom. BW Webb didn't have a good game, but he didn't stick out like a sore thumb like the first two games either, so that's progress. Randle looked ok and should make the team. Devonte Holloman is looking like a steal though and I do wonder how long it wil be before he starts seeing the field with the regulars on defense. Just has a knack for the football (just like in college) and is big enough that he wont get washed out vs the run. If he isn't a starter or contributor on defense this yr, I think its a lock he's a starter next yr. Brandon Magee looks active and I don't see how they cant keep him as a backup. Alex Tanney really showed well. He got no help from sieve of backup OL but still started 10/10 and threw a number of passes that looked NFL caliber. I still don't know if he makes the team, but he is giving them something to think about for sure. I wonder if he ends up getting all or most of the snaps at QB in the final preseason game.
6) People always talked about Kiffin's scheme as being conservative and mostly front 4 oriented in terms of pass rush, but he seems to be blitzing quite a bit in preseason and unlike Ryan's defense (and even some of Wade's) he seems to do something to create free runs at the QB more than I can remember. Carter & Lee both appear to be exceptional blitzers, and this kid Holloman has a knack for it as well.
7) Its a good thing we have Dan Bailey, otherwise this special teams unit would be an utter catastrophe so far. Its definitely cause for concern this year as the return units have shown nothing and the coverage units arnt much better. We've also had a FG blocked (and nearly one other) and fumbled two punt returns. Its also sad that apparently they still don't know how to teach guys when to take a touchback and when to run it out. Hopefully it will improve when they settle on the same guys doing their roles, but this worries me some.
8) Somebody remind Bruce Arians its preseason. Made a couple of really dumb challenges, then argued about one of them that he clearly lost anyway. Also looked like a ****** arguing about the call on Romo, where his guy clearly made contact with the helmet.
9) Parnell didn't play and by most accounts he had a really good week of practice. I will be interested in seeing him the remaining two preseason games and do feel ok about him as the primary backup at RT and LT. There could probably be worse things than having Phil Costa as a backup C, but he cant play G at all. I don't feel comfortable about any of the backup guards, and that includes Livings (assuming he ever comes back) and Bernadeau, who at best should be a backup. It is definitely too bad Kowalski got hurt again, as he might could have earned the backup C/G spot and been an upgrade in that role. Other than Parnell, nobody on this roster can play OT in this league. I think they need to make 2 or maybe even 3 roster moves on the OL. One needs to be for another starter at RG (assuming Leary is going to be ok at the LG spot) and they probably need new blood at the backup G and backup T spots too.
10) He may have got here too late, but Thaddeus Gibson looked interesting yesterday. Got upfield quickly on virtually every play he was in there and got credit for two TFL's and a QB pressure or two.
Still got a lot of work to do and they need to get some of these starters and key backups healthy, but I do think we have a solid chance of being significantly better than either of the last two seasons.
