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Starters Could Play Into Third Quarter
Posted by nickeatman at 8/26/2011 7:24 PM CDT on dallascowboys.com
For the most part, the preseason is the preseason. The goal is to stay healthy first, evaluate players second and hopefully generate some kind of continuity on the offense, defense and special teams.
None of it really seems to matter a whole bunch. But if there is an exception to that rule it would typically be the first half of the third preseason game.
And that’s where we are, thankfully, as the Cowboys have arrived in Minneapolis Friday for Saturday night’s game against the Vikings.
It’s the one we like to call the dress rehearsal for the season. If fans don’t care about any other portion of training camp (which they usually don’t) this next half of football, or maybe even a series or two in the quarter, should be the most telling thing that comes out of the preseason.
Coach Jason Garrett said he expects the starters on both sides of the ball to play the first half and possibly into the third quarter depending on their performance.
“We anticipate the starters playing a lot more than they have the first two weeks,” Garrett said. “Our progression the first week it was eight, 10, 12 plays, whatever. Last week it was around 20 and we’ll up it a little bit more depending on the game situations. We’d like the starters to play the bulk of the first half if not into the third quarter depending on how the game goes.”
Of course, it won’t be a full set of starters, considering the injuries that are piling up. In fact, a few starters and significant players didn’t even make the trip to Minnesota, including wide receiver Miles Austin (hamstring), defensive end Marcus Spears (groin), cornerbacks Terence Newman (groin) and Mike Jenkins (stinger) and backup center Phil Costa, who recently suffered a sprained PCL in his knee and will likely miss 2-4 weeks.
Last year, the Cowboys were embarrassed by the Texans, 23-7 in the third preseason game. Although they did bounce back to beat Houston in Week Three of the regular season, it proved to be their only first-half win en route to a 1-7 record and Wade Phillips’ dismissal.
This game should give us a better perspective of Rob Ryan’s new defense. While he said this week the schemes have been rather basic, he did say the Cowboys would be preparing for the Vikings more than the first two games. We might get a better glimpse of what his defense is all about.
Posted by nickeatman at 8/26/2011 7:24 PM CDT on dallascowboys.com
For the most part, the preseason is the preseason. The goal is to stay healthy first, evaluate players second and hopefully generate some kind of continuity on the offense, defense and special teams.
None of it really seems to matter a whole bunch. But if there is an exception to that rule it would typically be the first half of the third preseason game.
And that’s where we are, thankfully, as the Cowboys have arrived in Minneapolis Friday for Saturday night’s game against the Vikings.
It’s the one we like to call the dress rehearsal for the season. If fans don’t care about any other portion of training camp (which they usually don’t) this next half of football, or maybe even a series or two in the quarter, should be the most telling thing that comes out of the preseason.
Coach Jason Garrett said he expects the starters on both sides of the ball to play the first half and possibly into the third quarter depending on their performance.
“We anticipate the starters playing a lot more than they have the first two weeks,” Garrett said. “Our progression the first week it was eight, 10, 12 plays, whatever. Last week it was around 20 and we’ll up it a little bit more depending on the game situations. We’d like the starters to play the bulk of the first half if not into the third quarter depending on how the game goes.”
Of course, it won’t be a full set of starters, considering the injuries that are piling up. In fact, a few starters and significant players didn’t even make the trip to Minnesota, including wide receiver Miles Austin (hamstring), defensive end Marcus Spears (groin), cornerbacks Terence Newman (groin) and Mike Jenkins (stinger) and backup center Phil Costa, who recently suffered a sprained PCL in his knee and will likely miss 2-4 weeks.
Last year, the Cowboys were embarrassed by the Texans, 23-7 in the third preseason game. Although they did bounce back to beat Houston in Week Three of the regular season, it proved to be their only first-half win en route to a 1-7 record and Wade Phillips’ dismissal.
This game should give us a better perspective of Rob Ryan’s new defense. While he said this week the schemes have been rather basic, he did say the Cowboys would be preparing for the Vikings more than the first two games. We might get a better glimpse of what his defense is all about.
