Day After Thoughts

[dbair1967]

Pretty brutal performance by a majority of the backups. Not only did a lot of them just look bad, I think effort could be brought into question for some as well. Thankfully we got through the game without anyone who's really being counted on as a key backup or role player injured (save Lissemore, who has a concussion). Otherwise the best things about the game were our kicker and punter.

1) Poor Tanney. Probably needed a fairly good game to ink his spot, now because of absolutely putrid play by those backup T's he is probably on the fence. Parnell was ok while he was in there, but the others were just atrocious. Not one of them looks like a legit NFL player.

2) Pretty sure a few players wrote their own release slips last night. In addition to scrubs like Weems, Coughman & Bell I thougth Jeff Heath played his way to the practice squad. He needed a solid game and was awful vs the run and the pass. Cant see a reason to keep Donte Rosario either. Danny Coale is gone. I think McSurdy sealed his doom with a poor game. Ernie Sims by all accounts was having a good training camp before he got hurt, but he didn't look good last night either and they probably have to think pretty hard about whether he is worth keeping over a younger/cheaper option. Most of the backup DL looked like camp fodder at best.

3) Pretty sure backup T and probably DL's will be a priority over the weekend. If for some reason they decide to go with Free at T, then Parnell is fine as the backup. Otherwise T has to be added. In terms of interior OL, Costa's shotgun snaps looked slow again to me last night. Arkin had the one stupid false start but otherwise wasn't horrible. I thought Kowalski did a few good things and may have ensured a roster spot for himself now. Also helps that he can play C.

4) Phillip Tanner and Randle both ran hard and well last night. Randle is a much better receiver though. If Dunbar isn't a longterm injury concern, then Tanner might be trade bait for some RB desperate team.

5) After so-so preseason by our P, thought he kicked great last night. Not as concerned about him anymore.

6) I might be in the minority, but I like it when Michael Irvin does our preseason games.

7) Because of the awful game by Heath, everybody's favorite punching bag Matt Johnson might have made the team. Benford had a nice game with 4 catches/60 yds, but dropped two perfect throws and probably ensured his doom. Escobar has gotta get his feet down right, was a really nice TD throw by Tanney that he botched up by thinking he was in college or something.

Overall not much to see last night that anyone could call even average. Just glad preseason is over and hope we can add a couple or three decent backup/role players after final cutdown or via trade.

 

[Midswat]

I'll be shocked if Rosario gets cut. Same with Sims.

Sounds like I missed a slop fest.

 

[boozeman]

I'll be shocked if Rosario gets cut. Same with Sims.

Sounds like I missed a slop fest.

I ended turning it off it was so awful. Haven't done that in any game...real or preseason... since the Campo days.

 

[Jon88]

I'll be shocked if Rosario gets cut. Same with Sims.

Sounds like I missed a slop fest.

It was terrible. I got flashbacks of those 5-11 Campo teams, especially from the defense.

Edit: But at least I was able to watch it with my girlfriend and teach her a few things. After we took the stadium tour she's become a Cowboys fan. She says we have the best uniforms.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

To what I heard, the coaching staff purposely did no scheming for this game, because they wanted to players to make it on talent and effort alone.

Well we saw plenty of no-talent and lots of lack of effort. I'm never seen a preseason game by a team this atrocious, and I think it might be an indictment on how camp was ran. It's like these POSs literally did not care one way or another, or too stupid to realize that they were auditioning for other teams.

And let's be honest. On a purely talent and effort standpoint, Escobar should be cut along many of those players. That fucker has no heart for the game. Maybe he doesn't like playing for the Cowboys, who knows. Way to go Jerry with this 2nd round shit.

 

[carphalen5150]

Uh oh...you have sources revealing coaching staff planning...tell Hos hello.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Jeez guys, I'm not too positive about the state of our team, at least the management of it, but I'm not bothered by this game at all. It's the fourth one, the scrub fest, and we knew our depth wasn't very good. Houston has a better team than us and they've had the same systems in place for years now, so it's no surprise their depth is better than ours. Plus Kubiak teaches that system as well as anyone and really is about as good an OC as there is, so again I'm not surprised they were able to run the ball on us.

Only few things I took from the game were:

- Their third string QB, whichever one they choose, is light years better than ours. Read some good things about Tanney, and he seemed to be a pet cat of Laufenberg, but I don't see it. Surely we don't waste a roster spot on him.

- Their backup RBs can play. I was an have been a Randle fan, but he may be too slow to play in this league. I wonder if he's one of those guys who needs a year in the weight room. I do like Tanner and think he can play. I hope we don't cut him and he goes to the Giants.

- Sucks about Lissemore with our already having DT injuries, but I wonder if the new staff even likes him anyway. Haven't heard much good about him -- maybe he's more a 34 guy.

- Special teams don't look any better. Maybe it wasn't all Joe D's fault.

- As said by pretty much everyone, Escobar looks to have nothing. Can't he at least show a flash of some talent sometime?

- To what david said about Irvin, I normally can't stand the guy because I hate all that hyperactive screaming. But he was pretty good last night. Maybe he was sober.

- I know this isn't original, but does anyone else feel like they're watching these games inside Jerry's alternate reality bubble? I know the TV broadcast is done by the Cowboys, but all the pumping of the team, the talking up of some of these scrubs, stuff like Laufenberg going on about Kubiak's early record being mediocre (so therefore of course his buddy Garrett should be safe for several more years, too)... It feels like everyone sort of making excuses for this team and selling Jerry's hope. I don't remember that being so bad in years past.

 

[Jon88]

- To what david said about Irvin, I normally can't stand the guy because I hate all that hyperactive screaming. But he was pretty good last night. Maybe he was sober.

He's usually very annoying. He was still a little annoying last night, but not as bad. Maybe it's because he'd lost his voice or was sick.

- I know this isn't original, but does anyone else feel like they're watching these games inside Jerry's little bubble? I know the TV broadcast is done by the Cowboys, but all the pumping of the team, the talking up of some of these scrubs, stuff like Laufenberg going on about Kubiak's early record being mediocre (so therefore of course his buddy Garrett should be safe for several more years, too)... It feels like everyone sort of making excuses for this team and selling Jerry's hope. I don't remember that being so bad in years past.

Yes, especially with all the advertisements from the team, the sponsors, and the PR commercials with Witten, Ware, Lee, and a few others saying "I'm fighting for Cowboys fans!" and "We're here for you!"

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

I think randle is way better than tanner. Talk about slow. Tanner is slow

 

[Jon88]

Everyone's on Escobar's ass because he's yet another 2nd round tight end. He hasn't looked good, but he's still raw. Give him a year. Maybe even 8 games. I think he'll show something.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

I'm not going to defend Escobar. He's shown zero. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say he will be way better-this year-than anyone here is projecting.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I think randle is way better than tanner. Talk about slow. Tanner is slow

Really? Randle is shifty and he falls forward for extra yards, but to me he's a lot slower than Tanner.

I do say again that running up the gut like a traditional tailback isn't what he did at all in college... He was a spread-it-out back who's good at catching passes. So I still think he'd look better on 3rd down than he has in these games with no scheming.

Yes, especially with all the advertisements from the team, the sponsors, and the PR commercials with Witten, Ware, Lee, and a few others saying "I'm fighting for Cowboys fans!" and "We're here for you!"

I get the ads because it's Jerry's production, but I guess I was talking more about the booth commentary. Just hit me that maybe it seemed worse last night maybe because it felt like they were going out of their way to not talk about the Texans at all. I'm guessing they don't want to give the in-state rivals (and growing fanbase in the state) any extra pub. Irvin said some good things about them and it stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

Tanner has zero carries for more than 9 yards. He has no speed and no moves.

Randle at least can hit up 10+ yard runs

 

[Jon88]

I get the ads because it's Jerry's production, but I guess I was talking more about the booth commentary. Just hit me that maybe it seemed worse last night maybe because it felt like they were going out of their way to not talk about the Texans at all. I'm guessing they don't want to give the in-state rivals (and growing fanbase in the state) any extra pub. Irvin said some good things about them and it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Have you noticed how much Babe Laughenberg smacks his lips after someone says something he likes? It's so annoying.

Babe, Mickey, and the other guys work for the team so that's what you're getting. Mickey is one of the biggest brown nosers in history, if not the biggest.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Glad you think so, GDRB. I liked Randle so maybe I'm more critical of him than other players.

And I can't stand Laufenberg. Such an arrogant ass. Broaddus isn't a good radio guy, but I like his commentary better than Babe's. Colombo did a good job the last couple games, too.

 

[peplaw06]

Randle had a good run last night on one of the 3-4 drives I actually watched. He made a cutback through a wide open hole and make the defender filling the gap look silly, and went for 8 yards or so. I like how Tanner runs, but he doesn't have the make you miss quality that Randle seems to have.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Uh oh...you have sources revealing coaching staff planning...tell Hos hello.

No asswipe, I don't. Babe and the other guy mentioned it yesterday during the game.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Everyone's on Escobar's ass because he's yet another 2nd round tight end. He hasn't looked good, but he's still raw. Give him a year. Maybe even 8 games. I think he'll show something.

It's not a talent issues, but rather a lack of effort IMO. He just doesn't seem to give a damn.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

It's not a talent issues, but rather a lack of effort IMO. He just doesn't seem to give a damn.

Bad thing is, Garrett was supposedly yelling at him to play faster and harder early in camp. When you think of guys who play hard, a Sean Lee or Witten (or a guy with less talent), do you have to beg them or beat them to play harder? No, that's natural.

 

[bbgun]

Anyone else underwhelmed by Terrance Williams? Kenny Stills, drafted two rounds lower, did more in one game than TW did all pre-season. I know he was dinged a bit, but when he did play, he was practically invisible.