‘07 Linebacker Play a Weighty Issue
Posted: May 31, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
Cowboys’ linebackers swear they’ll be better, individually and as a unit, because they’ll play lighter this season. A DMN story finds that all played roughly eight to fifteen pounds above their comfortable weights in 2006.
I have to question the wisdom of the linebackers’ strategy. As the story points out,
The leaner look was not a mandate by the coaches, but rather a case of the players doing it on their own after seeing the changes in scheme.
If so, the players led themselves astray. Ayodele was new to the system and his ILB position, having played SOLB in Jacksonville’s 34. Carpenter was new and probably followed the veterans’ lead. But what of Ware and James? Ware had a good season, recording 11.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl. Yet, by his own admission:
Ware said he felt bulky last season at the higher weight, which affected his take-off on his pass rush. At the end of the season, weighing closer to 250 pounds, he felt like he had his edge back and recorded 5 ½ sacks over the last four games.
And what of James, who played so well in 2005’s second half? His scheme didn’t change last season; he played the same role he had in ‘05, yet looked sluggish on wide running plays and lost in coverage. It appears he and Ware ate themselves out of better play.
Lesson learned, we hope. An old college friend who’s now a doctor told me of a study on hockey players (he’s a Canuck) done in the ’80s which found that just four pounds of excess weight robbed 10% of a skater’s speed. Ware’s anecdote offers some support for the study.
Leaner should be meaner for the ‘07 Cowboys LBs. Too bad we still have two months before we get to see with our own eyes.
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i believe that weight has a great deal to do with speed and endurance as well as an indication on how well your taking care of yourself (conditioning). It sounds like excuses and crap to me. Shut up and play.
“It appears he and Ware ate themselves out of better play.”
Or maybe due to the type of 3-4 defensive scheme Parcell’s prefered they needed the bulk to go up against Olinemen.
The facts are Parcell’s prefered his LBs to be bigger.
James averaged 1 PASS deflection per game until Ellis went down with injury.
The scheme was distrubted when Carpenter couldn’t assimilate Ellis’s role.
I find it hard to believe that James and Ware would eat themselves out plays going into the season and Parcells would make zero comments about it in training camp.
Was either ever in the dog house?????
Charles,
James got a big deal before camp. Ware is probably his best draft pick. I don’t recall either getting guff in camp.
I can see Parcells asking them to play bigger but the whole things still strikes me as bizarre. James played very well in ‘05. Why mess with success by asking him to add 10-15 pounds? Same for Ware.
I have been very critical of Parcells’ defensive scheme.
(see next thread) However, I have given him credit for his talent evaluation. Parcells has an eye for talent, and he knows x’s and O’s.
His weakness was his unwillingness to tweak his philosophy of the 3-4 defense in order to counter the modern era of the NFL. He asked Spears, Fergusen, and Canty to repeatedly play predictable and passive. The Patriots do not play this way.
Parcells’ scheme relied on two pass rushers. If you lose one, you are doomed. The D-line was not programed to generate a pass rush. It was programed to stop the run, and so were the ILBs. They did a great job until the Saints just decided that they would bypass the run and expose them without Ellis through the air. The ILBs could not move enough to blitz and make a play on the QB, and they couldn’t cover in the flats.
Incorporating Bellichek’s version would have given the Cowboys a better opportunity to rush the passer without Ellis. However, Parcells was held hostage at the free saftey position, but Keith Davis was his guy. Watkins, a 5th round pick, proved not to be ready to start in the big games. Parcells loved the in your face smash mouth style. He had to play that way, because the one on one battles was a reflection of who he was. Parcells’ personality was manifested in his in your face defense.
Finally, Parcells needed his ego checked in the draft room as well. Remember, he wanted Wilkinson (DT from Kentucky) at #5 in 2003. You can count your blessings that the Jets jumped up and took this guy, or Dallas may not have Terrence Newman.
Also, Parcells wanted Spears at 11 when the intelligence said Ware and Merriman would be gone by 20, and Spears would still be there.
Jacob Rodgers was Parcells’ guy. The scouts warned him not to take him.
Jerry deserves some credit with the draft.
Take it as you will. It’s better than watching baseball and basketball.
I always thought Parcells set his players weight. If James was playing at 265 lbs. last year, it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t because Parcells wanted him to.
“Leaner should be meaner is right”.
I wonder how big Spears was; he looked over 300 last year. This guy displayed excellent quickness, speed, and agility for his size at LSU. Spears played fullback and tightend during his freshmen year with the Bayou Bengals. He was the #1 DE against the run coming out in 2005. Against the run, the two year starter did everything the coaches asked him to do. Phillips will turn him into the two-dimensional player that he was at LSU.
I saw a picture of Spears from that mini-camp, and he looked cut and under 300 lbs. He didn’t have a gut; he looked like rock solid muscle. It was the best he has looked as a Cowboy. He looked to be about 290. I bet he’s lost close to 20lbs.
I can’t wait until he blows up this year and puts this Stephen Jackson talk to rest.
Besides, Darren McFadden is lurking.
http://eteamz.active.com/I-AAfootball/news/index.cfm?id=1683845&cat=0&SitePage=
Detailed article about Romo’s disappointing draft day. Very interesting. Details about conversations with Jerry Jones and Shaun Peyton. Talks about the opportunity to play for Bill Parcells.
2003 Draft:
Round 2 # 38 Al Johnson
Round 2 # 39 Rashean Mathis
Round 2 # 42 Ken Hamlin
Mathis played at Division IAA Buthune-Cookman.
Let’s hope Courtney Brown can parlay his 4.32 speed and 41.5 verticle into an excellent corner for the Cowboys someday soon. How did this guy last until the 212th pick of the seventh round?
Pat McQuistan 7th Round # 211
Courtney Brown 7th Round # 212
Hmmm.
David Diehl and Guy Whimper are taking reps at LT for the giants.
Diehl is also taking reps at guard, and he hasn’t been told where he will play yet.
Ware will make Diehl a “pickle”, or he will make Guy “Whimper”.
Flip a coin Tom?
Bill Parcells did a nice job of keeping his young players out of trouble. He preached good off the field behavior. Let’s hope they continue to stay away from bad people and places that will get you into trouble and create distractions.
Parcells could motivate and he preached good behavior off of the field.
Wade. Remind them if necessary.
If Flozel Adams has another solid year, I think the Cowboys better think twice about letting him walk. I’m not too keen on a fourth round pick (Doug Free) protecting Romo’s bind side. Free is a great prospect. However, do you want an untested player protecting Romo’s blind side in 2008 when McFadden may be the running back, and our chances of going all the way could be greater than this year?
I hope McQuistan beats out Kozier this year at LG. I like Kozier, but the sighning of Davis tells me how Phillips and Jerry Jones want to play, and smash mouth isn’t Kozier’s game. Kozier is a bargain and according to Rafael he was above average. He looked solid to me too.
However, I don’t think you want to break in Free and McQuistan in at the same time. That is not good when you are gunning for the Bowl.
That is why I think if McQuistan looks great in training camp, the job is his. He is up to 325 now, and he is stronger and works well in space. He dominated Erasmus James in that pre-season game. James was a first round pick. I’d much rather break him in between Adams and Gurode than Free and Gurode.
Rafael says Jones regrets the loss of Kevin Gogan. McQuistan’s massive upper body size reminds me of Gogan. Parcells said he was our future left tackle. Let’s all hope McQuistan stays healthy and has a great camp. If he does, I predict he starts.
Scout,
Kevin Gogan in his fondest dreams never ran like Pat McQuistan can. I heard he was working back at LT during their camp, backing up Flozell.
It looks like he can play either LT or LG and if he’s up to 325 and still has his wheels I’d give him first shot at LT. We can snipe at Kosier all we want but Dallas won Super Bowls with John Gesek and Kosier is probably a better player than him.
LT’s too important to put McQuistan at LG and leave that wanting. Yeah, they may try to re-up Flozell but you’ve got to clear some space for Romo if he’s the real thing and to re-sign Newman. Both those guys will cost a mint.
Now, the option may be to franchise Flozell for a year if Dallas is poised to make a run in ‘08 and he’s fully rehabbed his knee. Dallas does have the cap space to do that and Flozell’s one year payout wouldn’t make him grumpy, at his age. But I’m not for re-signing him to a long term deal when he’ll be what, 32 or 33?
I really like McQuistan; I think Parcells is dead on about him. I know people could point to Petitti, but Parcells really saw potential with McQuistan at LT.
He has a mean streak, and he played with some urgency. He has quick feet and moved well. He looked dang good in pre-season last year. Once he put his hands on people, it was over. He blocked Ware in camp. The bigger and stronger version of McQuistan will make Dallas really have to think about their plans if he has a great camp.
I don’t know what Dallas will do, and you are right Kozier is a good player who can get the job done. Plus, he is a bargain.
Romo and Newman have to be taken care of first, so franchising Adams would be the only option. However, if Flozell plays lights out, then maybe Dallas could find a cap friendly two or three year deal for him. If Columbo walks in 08, Adams could play RT and McQuistan could play LT, and Kozier (a bargain) keeps playing LG.
It is a nice problem to have. We actually have a few really nice o-line projects.
Thanks, Big Tuna.
You could play McQuistan at LG and then slide him to LT in 08 if he blows up in camp this year.