Cowboys’ Rookie Report: Aquaman Making a Splash
Posted: September 27, 2008 @ 6:47 pm
No Cowboys rookie got more preseason ink than 2nd round pick Martellus Bennett. One day, he was the team comedian, wearing a Superhero persona through pre-practice interviews, claiming he was Aquaman and could talk to sea creatures. He took even took credit for the earthquake that shook up Southern California, saying he caused a disturbance when he landed on earth.
A couple of days later, he was Pariah Man, the petulant exposed by Hard Knocks, the man child who didn’t respect his position coach.
Here’s the skinny after three games, Bennett is looking more and more like the guy The War Room rated the top tight end in the draft. The Cowboys did too and their optimism and patience may pay off big time.
Bennett only has two catches, but they’ve each gone for 57 yards. His open field speed is obvious.
More important, for Bennett and for the Cowboys, his blocking, the biggest question mark of his game, has improved enough to get him on the field regularly. I wrote yesterday about Dallas’ extensive use of three tight end packages. Part of this was by necessity, with Deon Anderson out. Part of it is because the team has confidence in Bennett.
Bennett got 30 snaps against Green Bay. On most of them he was responsible for blocking Packers defensive ends. He did this very well. On four plays, he put Aaron Kampman on his back.
Bennett was used in the backfield, on move or “wham” traps. Bennett has the muscle to move linemen and linebackers. These are skills Anthony Fasano didn’t display in Dallas. Learning curves are relative, but the supposedly dumb Aggie is looking like a great 2nd round value for Dallas.
If John Garrett can keep him focused, Bennett is going to begin making plays as a receiver. He’s already making a splash as a blocker, and that’s the hard — and essential — part of being a tight end in Dallas’ scheme.
He may end up as a football Superhero after all.
Note: Redskins preview later tonight.
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I wonder how many times HBO captured bennette asking his coach questions about the position and what he was doing wrong.
how many times did they film him getting along fine with his coach?
how many times did garrett change his tune a little when the camara was on?
HBO showed viewers a story, not necessarily the truth.
consider yoursevles sucked.
In watching the GB game again, i also noticed how much bennett was in and how he blocked so well.
keep it up lad, you’re doing fine.
Alabama is DESTROYING Georgia.
Saban may be a jerk and a bad pro coach, but I like him coaching my college team!
Rafael,
I can’t say this enough, thanks for the quality analysis that you provide. I hope that on Sunday we see the Spencer that you saw in training camp. Thanks again for your effort in providing the detail not found in the fluff pieces of the DMN/FWST…
I agree jarhead, a mike taylor from 760 in San Antonio pegged him as the redemption story. I.e. he looks like a heel in the beginning and then straightens out. The footage they took of him was a small part of the story. I love how the whole “will all this exposure affect dallas preparation for the start of the season” have all disappeared.
I have a seperate question. Does anyone catch a show called profootball preview hosted by Jay Glazer. Does anyone who has seen this show feel that Eddie George was being stubborn on this weeks show in regards to Tony Romo. Jay made sure to throw it back in his face and Eddie would not let it go; he even went into the patented incase of emergency break glass line: “well, how many playoff games has Romo won?” When I heard this I just rolled my eyes and said, just admit you were wrong about picking GB because you felt Tony wasn’t up to it. The real hilarious part was Shawn Merriman trying to include Phillip Rivers to other QB’s who have faced pressure situations and triumphed, like he was already at the level of a manning or brady in terms of experience. I take that as him just being a good teammate.
Witten wasnt initially a starter his rookie year. that job went to a guy named campbell.
witten had around 400 yards and did start some his first year, he showed alot of promise but didnt tear anything up.
he rapidly became recognized as one of the best pass catching TEs in the game, but even as late as a couple of years ago he got a ton of grief (some on this site even called for him to be benched) over his blocking.
my, how times have changed.
imagine bennett in a year or two after he continues to develop under garrett (who seems to have made witten the complete TE he is today).
Btw, the profootball preview show is not bad, they get in each others faces in a noncontrived way. Like the example above, they grill each other when they are dead wrong about a pick or if they feel that an opinion is just ridiculous. It has a fresh feel, and does not feel as canned and nutured as the BSPN NFL Live show. But I do love D. Woodson on that show, otherwise it would have no credibility with me.
Cowboy78, I saw what Eddie George was saying last week. I just wonder if he is a Dallas hater now because he sucked when he got here. Same deal with MeShawn. They weren’t good enough to stay on the roster, so let’s hate on Romo. That stuff used to bother me, but now I just have to chuckle. Romo loses two football games, so he’s a choke artist. Unbelievable. And yes I like that preview show, too.
I may not remember the years correctly, but it seemed like Witten was already a complete TE under Parcells. Wasn’t Garret hired after Witten had been to a probowl? I do remember Parcells talking a lot about what each player needed to do to improve, and we all remember the list he gave Romo to be a better QB. I recall him speaking about Witten and working with him on blocking so he would be a complete TE. I love the job Garrett is doing, but I’m not sure he’s solely responsible for this one.
Witten is blocking on a completely different level than he did with his other position coaches. Garrett is his 4th position coach (he had 4 in his first 5 years) and the first to get him blocking consistently. He has always been a good receiver but look at what he did last year and how he blocked in say, ‘05 and it’s night and day.
I know that Bennett has mentioned aquaman, and that will probably be his nickname. But honestly, I prefer “high and tight across the chest”. I remember Mike Tirico saying that when he caught a pass with bigg Lenard running in front in the iggles game.