Cruzer 1,993 Posted October 23, 2014 I think Murray is a special back, and reminds me more of Eric Dickerson than any player I've seen in the last 30 years. Many younger folks don't recall the SMU great, but in his prime he was the greatest RB in the NFL. Murray is like a clone of him with his size, his speed, and that upright running style.I saw all of Dickerson and the Pony Express play at SMU, even saw him in person a couple of times. I don't recall Dickerson being as punishing as Murray is to defenders. Also, Murray doesn't have the raw speed Dickerson did - that dude could run like a deer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted October 23, 2014 I saw all of Dickerson and the Pony Express play at SMU, even saw him in person a couple of times. I don't recall Dickerson being as punishing as Murray is to defenders. Also, Murray doesn't have the raw speed Dickerson did - that dude could run like a deer. My dad lives in Orange County, CA and I used to go watch him play in my youth. He was probably also a little shiftier than Murray, though at 6-3 217 he was no smurf. The Rams really had nothing on offense besides him, and John Robinson ran Student Body Left all game. Opposing defenders were still powerless. You know, his success also came behind an All-Pro offensive line, just like Murray. Jackie Slater, Dennis Harrah, the Rams had one of the alltime best. Striking similarities though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted October 23, 2014 The Rams really had nothing on offense besides him, and John Robinson ran Student Body Left all game. Opposing defenders were still powerless. The Cowboys had 2 running plays for Emmitt: Load left, Load right. Ha, here it comes - get ya some! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eagles115 23 Posted October 23, 2014 Cowboys blow!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted October 24, 2014 Cowboys blow!!Most Eagles fans didn't need any help in letting the world know they've the intellect of a gnat. Your contribution is overkill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted October 24, 2014 Scoreboard dude. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snatchit 108 Posted October 25, 2014 Randle already has 7.2 ypc.. Not sure what you are talking about when you say 4 ypc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted October 25, 2014 It's all apples and oranges. An RBBC will not provide the continuity for the offensive game plan they're using now. it simply won't happen. And not only will Randle fail to handle Murray's load, he's far slower than him as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirensong 111 Posted October 25, 2014 Randle already has 7.2 ypc.. Not sure what you are talking about when you say 4 ypc it's actually 6.7YPC on the strength of one 38 yard run. take that away, and his 3.1YPC average is pretty poor, especially with this big, bad line. the offense is not designed for feast-or-famine running. it needs reliable running to keep down-and-distance manageable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted November 4, 2014 Romo, Leary and Free all participated in light practice. It's starting to look like all 3 will go against Jax. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted November 4, 2014 I probably would have left Romo back in Arlington giving him an extra two weeks to rest that back. Plus the flight over there alone its going to be a for him. If they can't beat Jacksonville on a neutral site without Romo they are not a playoff team anyways. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted November 26, 2014 Talk about a huge game, I can't ever remember a Turkey day game being this big for us......... And as usual when we play Philly - I am nervous. Even with Sanchez I am still worried a bit. For some reason we don't handle fast, upbeat tempos well - least not on defense. We also don't handle scat backs well - Sproiles scares the shiat out of me, certainly more than McCoy. And of course I'm worried about the blitz - we did not handle it well against Washington, hopefully we learned. We need to run the ball and we need to sustain long drives - keep our defense off of the field. Our offensive line is going to have to bully Philly's front just like they did against Seattle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillygrrl08 139 Posted November 26, 2014 Don't worry. Sanchez will butt fumble his way to an embarrassing loss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted November 26, 2014 Cowboys need to play their game. If that happens everything else falls in line. Sanchez good for at least two turnovers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirensong 111 Posted November 26, 2014 yeah, this is going to be a really interesting game. despite the few highlight plays that came after 57 minutes of pounding on the giants front 4, DAL's O line is mediocre at pass protection. FO has them ranked 21st at adjusted pass protection, and PHI can get pressure. romo can deal with individual breakaway rushes, but if PHI can start collapsing the pocket, it's going to get ugly in a hurry. i think PHI is going to try to load up on the run, and make romo score through the air. yes, they'll give up points, but this will lengthen the game and add to DAL's defensive snap count. quite simply, a track meet favors PHI. scheme-wise, PHI is going to try to take away murray, dez, and witten--this is exactly the formula that WAS used. IMO, this means that DAL is going to live or die based on the performance of their secondary threats--williams, dunbar, beasley, and escobar. if that group gets ~15 touches, DAL should be in good shape. special teams are more important than usual in this game. i don't think DAL can win if they lose that phase of the game. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thePRO 78 Posted November 27, 2014 I hate the Eagles with a passion! This game can go either way! Wish I posted earlier because I did think Dallas would be better than a lot of ppl thought. Big things come from building and oline like this. As for Randle, I think he looks quick, but he had 0 vision. Dallas needs to utilize that screen more and work Beasley in the slot more. There'll be a ton of mismatches there. Eagles will bring the blitz, so these things need to be done. Heck have T. Will or Dez in the slot a few times too. It's a crapshoot to decide on any given week who's gonna play better. Sometimes it's Philly, sometimes it's Dallas. Our offense should put up points, but worried about the defense. I feel if I predict the score, I'll curse the boys. So I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy 3 great games today. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IMMensaMind 460 Posted November 27, 2014 This game has the feel of 34-31 Dallas or somesuch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BufordT 371 Posted November 28, 2014 Watching Romo today I couldn't help but think this might be his last year. He's a mess. Falling down taking sacks at the slightest hint of pressure. Can't throw on the run anymore. Lost all zip on his throws, fluttering balls up for grabs all day. Peyton Manning has a stronger arm than him at this point. Could've ran for a 1st down or two but refused to go past the line of scrimmage. He obviously isn't 100%, heck, I doubt he's 75%. I don't think his body can hold up another year and it looks like he knows it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TennisMenace 156 Posted November 28, 2014 Best thing dallas can do is concede this year to the Eagles and start grooming romo's replacement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IMMensaMind 460 Posted November 28, 2014 This game has the feel of 34-31 Dallas or somesuch. Well, I got ONE of the team's scores nearly right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thePRO 78 Posted November 28, 2014 Romo had a horrible game. His throws against the Giants and Jaguars looked pretty good. People overreact, but the one thing that is correct is that he's playing cautious because of his back. He doesn't want to take a hit, so it looks as if he's just falling down instead of moving around in the pocket more. He's rushing his throws too. Hope a full week off will get him back to at least playing decent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baker Boy 1,490 Posted November 28, 2014 Yes it is, Dallas lost to the only team they played with a winning record. This is not a championship team. lol. seriously, lol. you realize that DAL is the reason that the seahawks, texans, and giants do not have a winning record, right? HOU was 3-1 when they walked into dallas. SEA was 3-1 when DAL walked into seattle. even the NYG were .500. no one knows who the champoinship teams are yet--that's why they play the game. but no one would have thought that DAL would be 6-1 heading into week 8, either. guess we'll have to wait and see. Dallas has beaten one team with a winning record. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDC 5,921 Posted November 28, 2014 Dallas has beaten one team with a winning record. And got their asses kicked at home on national television yesterday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted December 1, 2014 We got our asses kicked by a much better team - plain and simple. Exactly what I feared came true. We don't have the personnel to stop that offense. And on the flip side - we didn't take advantage of what we do well on offense. This game brings up another huge concern - Dez. We have now seen, in 2 huge games (Arizona & Philly) that really good defenses can totally make him disappear. And the glaring reason why - he can't get any separation. Why I don't know. Michael Irvin was big and strong with no speed - he seemed to get open, not so here. So this begs the question - do we really want to back the truck up and pour gazillions into keeping him next year and beyond? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted December 2, 2014 If a Cowboy fan, I'd think the priority should be Murray. There's really few like him in the NFL, and the Boys braintrust is smoking crack if they're planning a draft-and-plug move. As for Dez... I've never been a fan of loud mouthed players, no matter the talent. Did Irvin used to go on like that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirensong 111 Posted December 2, 2014 uhhh...irvin was much louder and wilder than dez. i was a fan of irvin's, but there's no denying that he was a -talker and an instigator. dez has irvin's passion and ability to fire up the team, without all the other negative stuff. quite simply, dez is harder to replace than murray, both in terms of on-field production and as an emotional leader of the team. cruzer makes a good point about him disappearing though--it's past time that he figures out how to consistently beat doubles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted December 2, 2014 uhhh...irvin was much louder and wilder than dez. i was a fan of irvin's, but there's no denying that he was a ######-talker and an instigator. dez has irvin's passion and ability to fire up the team, without all the other negative stuff. quite simply, dez is harder to replace than murray, both in terms of on-field production and as an emotional leader of the team. cruzer makes a good point about him disappearing though--it's past time that he figures out how to consistently beat doubles. Not a big fan of 1310 The Ticket, but heard a couple of their guys make a strong case for Murray the other day. Case in point... who is more important to the Cowboy offense, in its present form? What other back in the league brings what Murray brings? The pass protection. The receiving. The power running. His 4.37 breakaway speed. Murray simply accounts for so much of the Dallas offense. With numbers as well as TOP. Without Murray the Cowboy offense, in its PRESENT winning form, is DOA. Bryant, while valuable, not as much so. I hear some different clown on the radio here in DFW every day, claiming they can just go draft some college plumber and plug him into Murray's role. It's laughable really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirensong 111 Posted December 2, 2014 i agree that murray is valuable, but WRT the salary cap, value is based on replacement cost. dallas can go into next season with 2 different packages: 1. a RB corps of randle and dunbar, running against 7-man boxes, or... 2. a WR corps of williams, beasley, and harris, forcing murray to run into 8 and 9-man boxes. i feel much more comfortable with the first scenario. furthermore, the latter case would almost certainly require DAL to draft a WR in the 1st round or bring in a high-priced FA, leaving the defense with a talent deficiency once again. murray is a great back and a great team player. if he can be had for $5-6M, then great. but without dez, this offense doesn't work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted December 2, 2014 i agree that murray is valuable, but WRT the salary cap, value is based on replacement cost. dallas can go into next season with 2 different packages: 1. a RB corps of randle and dunbar, running against 7-man boxes, or... 2. a WR corps of williams, beasley, and harris, forcing murray to run into 8 and 9-man boxes. i feel much more comfortable with the first scenario. furthermore, the latter case would almost certainly require DAL to draft a WR in the 1st round or bring in a high-priced FA, leaving the defense with a talent deficiency once again. murray is a great back and a great team player. if he can be had for $5-6M, then great. but without dez, this offense doesn't work. When you say 'this offense' are you referring to the 2014 balanced model which emphasizes the power running game and ball control? I think expecting Murray to sign for even $5-6 million is a pipe dream. He'll command, and get, more in the open market and his franchise tag will be upwards of $8 mill I'm sure. The benefit of a franchise tag is you only need a one year deal. If Seattle is crazy enough to cut bait on Lynch, that may be an answer. Though I'm sure he doesn't come without an extension. Plus he's pushing 30. DeMarco Murray is an up and coming star in this league. I'm just not sold on Bryant. Think about this. His numbers are a direct result of his environment. How many great WRs in this league are wasting careers by playing with plumbers at QB? How would Bryant fare in Jacksonville? Or in Arizona with whatever scrub of the week at QB? If you put any of those good young WRs in Jville in Bryant's position in Dallas how do they fare? I get Bryant is a talent, but he has NOT impressed these last few weeks in critical times when the team has needed him most. But his mouth is in overdrive. Think about what this team has become, because even right now they are an NFC power. The entire identity of the Cowboys has changed, and that ABSOLUTELY does not happen without Murray. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edjr 5,600 Posted December 2, 2014 When you say 'this offense' are you referring to the 2014 balanced model which emphasizes the power running game and ball control? I think expecting Murray to sign for even $5-6 million is a pipe dream. He'll command, and get, more in the open market and his franchise tag will be upwards of $8 mill I'm sure. The benefit of a franchise tag is you only need a one year deal. If Seattle is crazy enough to cut bait on Lynch, that may be an answer. Though I'm sure he doesn't come without an extension. Plus he's pushing 30. DeMarco Murray is an up and coming star in this league. Running backs are a dime a dozen. If you're the team that pays one that kind of money, it makes it that much harder to win it all. Yes Lynch was given 4 for 30 including 6 million in bonuses and 17 million up front, but no chance he sees the 4th year of that contract (2015 Per Game Bonus: $125,000) They will redo it or cut him. The NFL has come to grips with the fact they don't need one stud RB to win. Just look at the draft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R8RMick 242 Posted December 2, 2014 Running backs are a dime a dozen. If you're the team that pays one that kind of money, it makes it that much harder to win it all. Yes Lynch was given 4 for 30 including 6 million in bonuses and 17 million up front, but no chance he sees the 4th year of that contract (2015 Per Game Bonus: $125,000) They will redo it or cut him. The NFL has come to grips with the fact they don't need one stud RB to win. Just look at the draft That's what I like about this bored, the diversity of opinion. It's actually why I peruse it, and have appreciated it for the last six years. Outside of the usual drive bys and flotsam and jetsam, there's some great info to be gleaned. Having said that, I don't think RBs such as DeMarco Murray are a dime a dozen. Not only is he 6-3 220, but he lights it up at a 4.43 40. That's pretty fast for a big guy. He's got a terrific upright style, reminds me of Dickerson, where he gets through traffic fast and with power. And he always, ALWAYS, finishes his runs leaning forward. This more often nets him an extra yard or two per carry. He protects the QB, he's got deceptive skills as a pass catcher, and his team mates love him. Word is he's a very humble dude. If anything has been holding him back, it's the injury question. A valid point I'm sure, but one which is becoming an afterthought with his quiet consistency. Some Cowboy fans here at the job have been talking Peterson for 2015, but even if the money was a wash (which it ain't ) I'd much rather have Murray. As for Lynch, his cap number of $5 million for 2015 is a steal for what he brings to the team, and frankly the Hawks would be crazy not to let him play out that deal. There'd be no issues with Marshawn, as he just held out. And it would show the team believes in him. Only hold up would be age/injury concern. But worth risk again for what he brings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted December 2, 2014 Not that long ago I was dead convinced that Dez was the far more valuable commodity. I still believe he is a great talent and for sure the soul of this team - but he also has me looking at things a bit differently now. The lack of separation and the inability to beat double teams is no longer a fluke - it's real, and it's a big problem. And this goes back to past years as well - it's not new this year. If you want to say he had B. Weeden qb'ing and P. Peterson covering him during the Zona game, fine. But Philly's corners are average at best - some would even say below average, and they made Dez disappear. Ed is right, you can get by and be really good with average rb's now days. Hell - they're doing it in NE right now, he knows..... Murray is only 26 - I could be open to the idea of making offers to both he and Dez, but at the right price. If they want the bank - I might be willing to let them go and look to replace them via FA or the draft. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirensong 111 Posted December 2, 2014 When you say 'this offense' are you referring to the 2014 balanced model which emphasizes the power running game and ball control? the current offense and team structure. a top RB can hurt you, but he can't beat you without another serious threat. SEA does that with russell's run/pass option. so does SF. without that, both safeties walk up, and even though you might give up 120 on the ground, the points aren't going to come. if you have a top-flight defense and can afford to play the FP game, you can make this work and beat teams 17-13. DAL does not have that type of defense, so they have to have a home run hitter to compliment the run game. williams can't even beat single coverage consistently, and beasley is an extension of the run game. dez is the only guy who can force teams to play coverage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,993 Posted December 3, 2014 Maybe what we (and Dez) need is an Alvin Harper. T. Williams isn't getting it done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BattleshipLorenzen 3 Posted December 3, 2014 It has to be Dez. ARI made Megatron disappear just as much after playing well against MIA (whose secondary was not injured as it is now). I had thought that Romo reportedly seemed fatigued in the Thursday night game. The OL played poorly, and he reportedly wasn't stepping into his throws, taking away power and accuracy. I love Murray, but RBs are far more replaceable. As a Colts fan, I've had to deal with Richardson ever since the idiotic trade (obviously stupid from the start, although mainstream football media outlets do not make their hay by being informed). Ask Brady how much fun it is to throw the ball when Vereen+Gronk are hurt (especially early before Lafell chemistry was there). This year rookie WRs are producing all over the place, but how long have the Giants worked to restock their WR corps after failures from Nicks, Randle, etc.? At least for next year, they now have OBJ + Cruz. Regarding Murray, I can keep him for a 1st in a 3-keeper, but I'm trying not to. Last year he had 270 touches. He has 332 touches already, and will break 400 (~430 without playoffs, 450+ with playoffs) or get injured. The 300 carry myth was busted, except it does hold true for an RB's FIRST 300 carry season. His durability this seasons may be attributable to his intense workouts in the offseason with Witten, but I have trouble believing we'll see the same RB next year (let alone catching lighting in a bottle with OL general health, similar to PHI last year). Near-term, there is no draft prospect or WR free agent who would draw coverage like Dez, let alone produce at that level simultaneously. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BufordT 371 Posted December 3, 2014 The Cowboys need to ask themselves....What would Bill Belichick do? I think BB would part ways with both Demarco and Dez. Just a guess. Can't see him paying those guys anywhere near what they'll be asking for. JJ on the otherhand will probably find a way to pay both more than they're worth. Still have to see how this year plays out but my spidey senses are tell me another historical implosion is coming over the next 4 games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BattleshipLorenzen 3 Posted December 3, 2014 The Cowboys need to ask themselves....What would Bill Belichick do? I think BB would part ways with both Demarco and Dez. Just a guess. Can't see him paying those guys anywhere near what they'll be asking for. JJ on the otherhand will probably find a way to pay both more than they're worth. Still have to see how this year plays out but my spidey senses are tell me another historical implosion is coming over the next 4 games. When did BB last have a great WR to refuse in the first place? He let Welker go, but Welker is hardly a guy who commands double teams and can fight for air balls. GMs predict when a WR is nearing steep decline in play (well, stupid ones might not); Moss and Welker were let go for good (business) reasons. The Cowboys are actually taking a fairly dirty tact with salary negotiations right now, and I'm all for Dez fighting it. They are going for long-term "contracts" with little in the way of guarantees. It's win-win for the team. If the player is hurt...no risk for the team. If the player out-performs the contract...no risk for the team. If the player underperforms, they can cut or restructure. Making huge stacks of money off of owning an NFL franchise is an easier gig than, say, running a big cable/ISP company. Owners get their sacks of cash no matter how the team performs. Buffalo figured this out and stayed consistently well under the salary cap (post-Polian) because it was more lucrative to lose cheaply than to win expensively (now the CBA prevents this). So, the only financial risk lies with the players anyway; Dallas is trying to double-up on that. All that said, I respect Jerry Jones because, if I recall correctly, he actually paid for the stadium that houses the team that gives him big sacks of money, right? As opposed to Irsay (and most owners), who basically have their huge revenue paid by local taxpayers. Granted, we effectively all pay Goodell's salary since the NFL is a tax-exempt organization, which...just doesn't help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirensong 111 Posted December 3, 2014 . Still have to see how this year plays out but my spidey senses are tell me another historical implosion is coming over the next 4 games. team that was predicted by most to finish well below .500 due to flawed team structure and massive dead money is currently at .667 and in contention for the playoffs. if this flawed team went 0-4 to close out the season, it would not be an 'implosion'. it would simply be the team's existing problems catching up with them. "that horse is in contention, even though he has 2 broken legs" "nah, he'll probably 'implode' on the stretch" right... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
