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Mosley: Gurode sits vs. Vikings; future uncertain
Gurode sits vs. Vikings; future uncertain
Matt Mosley started his career at the Dallas Morning News, where he covered the Dallas Cowboys. He was the first full-time NFL blogger at ESPN.com. Mosley can be heard weekdays as part of Galloway and Co. on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM. Follow Mosley on Twitter: @MattMosley
August 28, 2011
Leave it to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to add some intrigue to a preseason game. Jones said the club made a "business decision" in deciding not to play a healthy Andre Gurode against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.
Undrafted rookie Kevin Kowalski out of Toledo started in place of Gurode and played the entire game. Jones said that he would meet with Gurode and his agent, Kennard McGuire, on Sunday to discuss the situation. The Cowboys have been pleased with the development of their young offensive linemen such as Phil Costa and Bill Nagy, and it's become obvious they don't want to pay Gurode $5.5 million salary this season if he's not the surefire starter.
A source told FOXSportsSouthwest.com that Gurode would be asked to take a pay cut. If he's unwilling to do so, there's a good chance he'll be released or traded. A trade would be unlikely because of Gurode's contract. And if Gurode is released, it will be part of a trend that has the Cowboys revamping what was an aging offensive line in 2010. Last year's starting right tackle and right guard, Marc Colombo and Leonard Davis, were released before training camp. Now, there's a chance the Cowboys could have Costa starting along with rookies Nagy and Tyron Smith. In the past, Jones has stayed with veteran players too long, but new head coach Jason Garrett hasn't been in a nostalgic mood.
"There are a lot of issues we've had with some of our veteran players in this salary cap situation we're in," Garrett told reporters after Saturday's game. "Some of those moves were made prior to training camp, and a lot of discussions to try and make those situations work happened prior to training camp. This probably falls into that same category."
Gurode has been a perennial Pro Bowler for the Cowboys, but he wasn't ready for the start of training camp from a conditioning standpoint. Now, there's a really good shot he'll be playing for another team this season.
Let's take a look at what happened in Saturday's 20-17 win over the Vikings. These observations aren't for the faint of heart:
Maybe the arrival of Abram Elam has taken some pressure off safety Gerald Sensabaugh. Whatever the reason, he blocked a field goal to set the stage for Alan Ball's touchdown return and also had an interception. Sensabaugh appears to be playing with a lot more confidence in this preseason and you have to like the way he's making hits in the secondary.
Dez Bryant looked like a No. 1 wide receiver against the Vikings. Minnesota cornerback Cedric Griffin, a former University of Texas star, was simply overmatched by Bryant. He ran nice routes and then made a brilliant back-shoulder catch along the sideline. Channel 11's Babe Laufenberg made the point that Bryant has the strength and athleticism of Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, and you could certainly see the similarity Saturday. Bryant has a long way to go, but you can tell he has the potential to take over games. He and quarterback Tony Romo were on the same page throughout the first half.
This whole Jesse Holley thing is catching me by surprise. He seemed like more of a novelty act in the past, but he had two really nice catches on third-and-long to extend drives. If Holley's going to make plays on special teams and catch the ball in traffic, there has to be a spot on this team for him. Better look alive, Kevin Ogletree, because Holley's making a bid for the that third-receiver role.
Elam was in position to break up Donovan McNabb's deep ball to Bernard Berrian, but he mistimed his leap. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan raced over to Elam to find out what happened. The good news is that it wasn't the busted coverage we've seen in the past from this defense. If Elam had timed it correctly, he had an interception.
On the Sensabaugh interception, defensive end Jason Hatcher dropped back in coverage and tipped the ball. He did an excellent job of reading McNabb's eyes, and that's not a good sign for the veteran quarterback. Hatcher also did a nice job against Vikings running back Adrian Peterson at the start of the second half. The Vikings had gashed the Cowboys in the running game in the first half, but Hatcher stopped Peterson near the line of scrimmage on back-to-back plays early in the third quarter. He's one of the pleasant surprises from camp.
Cowboys outside linebacker Anthony Spencer did have a sack in the game, but he did a really poor job of setting the edge against Peterson. The former OU star was able to bounce the ball outside several times because Spencer let himself get caught inside. Playing the run is supposed to be one of his strengths, but that wasn't on display against the Vikings.
Right tackle Tyron Smith played well for the most part, but Vikings defensive end Brian Robison beat him badly on a spin move in the first half. Smith can't just rely on those freakishly long arms all the time. On that particular play, he didn't get a good base.
Veteran linebacker Keith Brooking didn't start, but he took the field on the second possession. Brooking was fooled on a misdirection play and Percy Harvin caught the ball for a nice gain.
Even without the help of a consistent pass-rush, cornerback Orlando Scandrick did a nice job in coverage. He recovers really quickly and he's playing with the confidence that comes with financial security for years to come. The one negative was his tackling against the Vikings' running backs. You shouldn't try to throw flying body blocks at Peterson. It seemed like Scandrick kept flying right past the running back.
It's tough to watch inside linebacker Bradie James in coverage at times. Spencer applied some pressure on McNabb on a play in the first half, but James was called for pass interference. The replay clearly showed him holding the Vikings player. James reacted as if it was a horrible call, but it was actually an easy one.
Everyone in the Cowboys organization loves linebacker Sean Lee, but right now the guy's having a hard time shedding blocks. Vikings reserve running back Lorenzo Booker, a huge disappointment in the league, just raced past Lee because he couldn't get off a blocker in the first half. Lee's not afraid of contact at all, but he remains engaged with blockers way too long.
Even with the new kickoff spot, veteran Shayne Graham did a poor job against the Vikings. His short kick was a big reason the Vikings ripped off a long return that gave them the ball at the Cowboys' 42-yard line.
Starting left guard Bill Nagy, a seventh-round pick, is doing a nice job. Even when his man sacked Romo, it appeared to be the quarterback's fault for moving toward the defender. Nagy battles on every play and he's excellent in space. You'll see him almost always get to his man on those swing passes to Felix Jones.
Outside linebacker Victor Butler is incredibly active in the pass rush. The one thing he has to watch is being too aggressive against athletic quarterbacks such as Joe Webb. On a couple occasions, Butler ran past Webb, who then scrambled for big yardage. But Butler did get another sacks against the Vikings. And he should've had at least two.
Romo and Jon Kitna were both very efficient against the Vikings. Romo had Kevin Ogletree for a touchdown in the second quarter, but the receiver inexplicably stepped out of bounds. When you're that wide open, you need to have better awareness.
Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray both looked good in their preseason debut. Murray is so smooth in catching passes out of the backfield. Owner Jerry Jones continues to talk about how Choice isn't good on special teams – yet the guy seems to excel with the ball in his hands. With Martellus Bennett suffering a high ankle sprain, it could free up a spot for an extra running back. Bennett had another awful drop in the game.
There may not be a spot on this roster for him, but former Sooner Manny Johnson has really had a nice preseason. He's a lot more sure-handed this year and he's getting some separation from cornerbacks. Jones commented on TV that Johnson needed to be faster. Not sure that's going to happen. It was surreal to hear Jones providing instant analysis while joining the TV broadcast in the third quarter. He called out rookie Josh Thomas for making a "mental error" on a completion to the Vikings fullback. It was almost impossible to know if that was Thomas' fault without knowing the call, but Jones never hesitated.
Guard Pepa Letuli isn't long for this roster, but he did blow open a hole for DeMarco Murray on a nice run. He followed that up by allowing a sack. And one more note from Jones the broadcaster. He said that offensive tackle Jeremy Parnell had the "best coordinated feet" of all the young players.
And I don't have a clue what Rob Ryan was doing with his pants after the game. As he left the Cowboys sideline, he un-buckled his belt and made several adjustments. Prepare yourself for lot of sideline shots of Ryan this season. He's just a tad more animated than Jason Garrett.
Gurode sits vs. Vikings; future uncertain
Matt Mosley started his career at the Dallas Morning News, where he covered the Dallas Cowboys. He was the first full-time NFL blogger at ESPN.com. Mosley can be heard weekdays as part of Galloway and Co. on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM. Follow Mosley on Twitter: @MattMosley
August 28, 2011
Leave it to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to add some intrigue to a preseason game. Jones said the club made a "business decision" in deciding not to play a healthy Andre Gurode against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.
Undrafted rookie Kevin Kowalski out of Toledo started in place of Gurode and played the entire game. Jones said that he would meet with Gurode and his agent, Kennard McGuire, on Sunday to discuss the situation. The Cowboys have been pleased with the development of their young offensive linemen such as Phil Costa and Bill Nagy, and it's become obvious they don't want to pay Gurode $5.5 million salary this season if he's not the surefire starter.
A source told FOXSportsSouthwest.com that Gurode would be asked to take a pay cut. If he's unwilling to do so, there's a good chance he'll be released or traded. A trade would be unlikely because of Gurode's contract. And if Gurode is released, it will be part of a trend that has the Cowboys revamping what was an aging offensive line in 2010. Last year's starting right tackle and right guard, Marc Colombo and Leonard Davis, were released before training camp. Now, there's a chance the Cowboys could have Costa starting along with rookies Nagy and Tyron Smith. In the past, Jones has stayed with veteran players too long, but new head coach Jason Garrett hasn't been in a nostalgic mood.
"There are a lot of issues we've had with some of our veteran players in this salary cap situation we're in," Garrett told reporters after Saturday's game. "Some of those moves were made prior to training camp, and a lot of discussions to try and make those situations work happened prior to training camp. This probably falls into that same category."
Gurode has been a perennial Pro Bowler for the Cowboys, but he wasn't ready for the start of training camp from a conditioning standpoint. Now, there's a really good shot he'll be playing for another team this season.
Let's take a look at what happened in Saturday's 20-17 win over the Vikings. These observations aren't for the faint of heart:
Maybe the arrival of Abram Elam has taken some pressure off safety Gerald Sensabaugh. Whatever the reason, he blocked a field goal to set the stage for Alan Ball's touchdown return and also had an interception. Sensabaugh appears to be playing with a lot more confidence in this preseason and you have to like the way he's making hits in the secondary.
Dez Bryant looked like a No. 1 wide receiver against the Vikings. Minnesota cornerback Cedric Griffin, a former University of Texas star, was simply overmatched by Bryant. He ran nice routes and then made a brilliant back-shoulder catch along the sideline. Channel 11's Babe Laufenberg made the point that Bryant has the strength and athleticism of Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, and you could certainly see the similarity Saturday. Bryant has a long way to go, but you can tell he has the potential to take over games. He and quarterback Tony Romo were on the same page throughout the first half.
This whole Jesse Holley thing is catching me by surprise. He seemed like more of a novelty act in the past, but he had two really nice catches on third-and-long to extend drives. If Holley's going to make plays on special teams and catch the ball in traffic, there has to be a spot on this team for him. Better look alive, Kevin Ogletree, because Holley's making a bid for the that third-receiver role.
Elam was in position to break up Donovan McNabb's deep ball to Bernard Berrian, but he mistimed his leap. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan raced over to Elam to find out what happened. The good news is that it wasn't the busted coverage we've seen in the past from this defense. If Elam had timed it correctly, he had an interception.
On the Sensabaugh interception, defensive end Jason Hatcher dropped back in coverage and tipped the ball. He did an excellent job of reading McNabb's eyes, and that's not a good sign for the veteran quarterback. Hatcher also did a nice job against Vikings running back Adrian Peterson at the start of the second half. The Vikings had gashed the Cowboys in the running game in the first half, but Hatcher stopped Peterson near the line of scrimmage on back-to-back plays early in the third quarter. He's one of the pleasant surprises from camp.
Cowboys outside linebacker Anthony Spencer did have a sack in the game, but he did a really poor job of setting the edge against Peterson. The former OU star was able to bounce the ball outside several times because Spencer let himself get caught inside. Playing the run is supposed to be one of his strengths, but that wasn't on display against the Vikings.
Right tackle Tyron Smith played well for the most part, but Vikings defensive end Brian Robison beat him badly on a spin move in the first half. Smith can't just rely on those freakishly long arms all the time. On that particular play, he didn't get a good base.
Veteran linebacker Keith Brooking didn't start, but he took the field on the second possession. Brooking was fooled on a misdirection play and Percy Harvin caught the ball for a nice gain.
Even without the help of a consistent pass-rush, cornerback Orlando Scandrick did a nice job in coverage. He recovers really quickly and he's playing with the confidence that comes with financial security for years to come. The one negative was his tackling against the Vikings' running backs. You shouldn't try to throw flying body blocks at Peterson. It seemed like Scandrick kept flying right past the running back.
It's tough to watch inside linebacker Bradie James in coverage at times. Spencer applied some pressure on McNabb on a play in the first half, but James was called for pass interference. The replay clearly showed him holding the Vikings player. James reacted as if it was a horrible call, but it was actually an easy one.
Everyone in the Cowboys organization loves linebacker Sean Lee, but right now the guy's having a hard time shedding blocks. Vikings reserve running back Lorenzo Booker, a huge disappointment in the league, just raced past Lee because he couldn't get off a blocker in the first half. Lee's not afraid of contact at all, but he remains engaged with blockers way too long.
Even with the new kickoff spot, veteran Shayne Graham did a poor job against the Vikings. His short kick was a big reason the Vikings ripped off a long return that gave them the ball at the Cowboys' 42-yard line.
Starting left guard Bill Nagy, a seventh-round pick, is doing a nice job. Even when his man sacked Romo, it appeared to be the quarterback's fault for moving toward the defender. Nagy battles on every play and he's excellent in space. You'll see him almost always get to his man on those swing passes to Felix Jones.
Outside linebacker Victor Butler is incredibly active in the pass rush. The one thing he has to watch is being too aggressive against athletic quarterbacks such as Joe Webb. On a couple occasions, Butler ran past Webb, who then scrambled for big yardage. But Butler did get another sacks against the Vikings. And he should've had at least two.
Romo and Jon Kitna were both very efficient against the Vikings. Romo had Kevin Ogletree for a touchdown in the second quarter, but the receiver inexplicably stepped out of bounds. When you're that wide open, you need to have better awareness.
Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray both looked good in their preseason debut. Murray is so smooth in catching passes out of the backfield. Owner Jerry Jones continues to talk about how Choice isn't good on special teams – yet the guy seems to excel with the ball in his hands. With Martellus Bennett suffering a high ankle sprain, it could free up a spot for an extra running back. Bennett had another awful drop in the game.
There may not be a spot on this roster for him, but former Sooner Manny Johnson has really had a nice preseason. He's a lot more sure-handed this year and he's getting some separation from cornerbacks. Jones commented on TV that Johnson needed to be faster. Not sure that's going to happen. It was surreal to hear Jones providing instant analysis while joining the TV broadcast in the third quarter. He called out rookie Josh Thomas for making a "mental error" on a completion to the Vikings fullback. It was almost impossible to know if that was Thomas' fault without knowing the call, but Jones never hesitated.
Guard Pepa Letuli isn't long for this roster, but he did blow open a hole for DeMarco Murray on a nice run. He followed that up by allowing a sack. And one more note from Jones the broadcaster. He said that offensive tackle Jeremy Parnell had the "best coordinated feet" of all the young players.
And I don't have a clue what Rob Ryan was doing with his pants after the game. As he left the Cowboys sideline, he un-buckled his belt and made several adjustments. Prepare yourself for lot of sideline shots of Ryan this season. He's just a tad more animated than Jason Garrett.