ESPN: (Pukes') Lack of offense becoming a concern

[tr1]

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/columns/story?columnist=watkins_calvin&id=5460336

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It's only two games. Two preseason games.

The Dallas Cowboys' offense hasn't score any touchdowns in the preseason.

It's not the end of the world or anything, but still you have to be concerned about what you see.

"I don't like to use the word 'concerned,'" offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said after the Cowboys' 17-9 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night. "But we're going to go back, trust me. We evaluate the tapes and how guys are doing in the scheme of things. You always step back."

The Cowboys have had 28 offensive possessions so far. They've reached the red zone four times, twice with the first-team offense, but failed to get into the end zone. Six made field goals, two interceptions, one fumble and 15 punts are some of the notable ways drives have ended.

Sure, it's only two preseason games.

But for an offense that has Tony Romo sits to pee, Roy Williams, Miles Austin, Felix Jones, Jason Witten and an offensive line featuring two Pro Bowlers up the middle, more is expected.

Right?

"Not concerned yet," wide receiver Patrick Crayton said. "I'm a little frustrated because all we're getting is field goals. We need some kind of points. We need more. [David] Buehler kicked six field goals in two games. I think that's a little more work than we expected him to get, I guess."

The Cowboys were hampered a little bit on Thursday because they had only one healthy tight end, Witten, who had a full knowledge of the plays.

Guard Pat McQuistian moved to the tight end position in a cameo performance. DajLeon Farr, who signed Tuesday, caught an 18-yard reception. But he only knew so much. It limited Garrett in what he was able to do in the two- and three-tight end sets.

Neither Garrett nor coach Wade Phillips wanted to use any excuses about why the offense struggled.

The first-team running game of Marion Barber and Jones produced just 12 rushing yards.

Garrett and Phillips said the Raiders didn't pressure the quarterbacks as much as the Bengals did in the first preseason game.

Somehow, the Raiders sacked Romo sits to pee three times and had a total of six.

"Well, I didn't like getting sacked five times in the first half, I can tell you that," Phillips said. "That's not good enough. We got things we need to work on and we didn't execute well enough."

The execution was lacking in many ways.

# Wide receiver Manuel Johnson dropped a pass on a slant from quarterback Matt Nichols, leading to safety Jerome Boyd picking the pass off and returning it 48 yards for the game-clinching touchdown with 33 seconds to play in the game.

# As the Cowboys were driving with 1:39 to play, tackle Sam Young was called for a false start.

# On a third-and-11 from the Oakland 12, Stephen McGee couldn't find anybody open in the end zone and had to settle for a short pass to Lonyae Miller, forcing the Cowboys to kick a field goal with 2:24 left in the fourth.

# In the third quarter, McGee completed a pass to Sam Hurd on a third-and-long, but the receiver fell down after the catch. If Hurd stayed up, he could have gotten the first down. Instead, it was a punt.

# Kevin Ogletree dropped a pass from Jon Kitna on a third down in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, Robert Brewster was called for a false start as McGee got his first snaps of the game.

# What summed up things for the offense came at the end of the first half. On fourth-and-inches from the 13 and after a timeout, the best the Cowboys could do was Kitna rolling to his right to find fullback Deon Anderson with a pass in the flat. Anderson was stopped for no gain.

# Romo sits to pee was sacked three times on the first possession of the game, and the Raiders' first-team corners -- Chris Johnson and Nnamdi Asomugha -- shut down Williams and Austin.

It's just the second game of the preseason, and things will get better. The Cowboys are not showing their full offensive package and don't have all their weapons, including injured first-round pick Dez Bryant, who might not show up until the season opener.

However, scoring some points would be nice.

Right?

"We're running the same plays on first and second down at the 40-yard line as we are at the 10 or 20," Romo sits to pee said. "But that's to our benefit as we go into the season. Congratulations if you score a touchdown now. Then you guys write about it for a week and then that play doesn't work in Washington because we used it. There's that sense. There's also the sense that says we just need to get into the end zone, find a way. And we will."

[tr1]

Well, the excuse train is right on time.

Sounds like Romo sits to pee's got some head problems.

Oh, how did that o-line play during the series where Romo sits to pee got sacked THREE times?

:rotflmao:

[darklight1216]

But, but, but Cincy has a top ten defense, and the Raiders have a good pass D. :laugh:

[dsciambi]

I kind of want to defend them here, in that it really is preseason and it doesn't matter. But at the same time, the defenses are using vanilla schemes as well, and that offensive line looks AWFUL! Hopefully the whole team looks that bad come week 1.

[ixcuincle]

I'd lol at it some more if it was the regular season and they still had offensive issues

Especially in Week 1

[Rex Tomb]

I kind of want to defend them here, in that it really is preseason and it doesn't matter. But at the same time, the defenses are using vanilla schemes as well, and that offensive line looks AWFUL! Hopefully the whole team looks that bad come week 1.

Interesting, because we've been saying the same thing about the Redskins for years...it's preseason - it doesn't matter. Inevitably, though, the play of the offensive line and offense as a whole spilled over into the regular season. If you aren't sharpening your swords in preaseason, you won't be ready for the fight in the regular season.

[Rex Tomb]

I'd lol at it some more if it was the regular season and they still had offensive issues

Especially in Week 1

I'm predicting that it will happen. That O-line is definitely mortal. The Cowboys chose to roll the proverbial dice with Doug Free - similarly to our past experience of rolling the dice with guys like Jon Jansen, Stephen Heyer, etc. How'd that work out for us?

[Fred Jones]

I'm predicting that it will happen. That O-line is definitely mortal. The Cowboys chose to roll the proverbial dice with Doug Free - similarly to our past experience of rolling the dice with guys like Jon Jansen, Stephen Heyer, etc. How'd that work out for us?

This is the ATN and the thread is about the pukes and their offensive problems.

If you want to discuss the skins the stadium has plenty of threads for you to join in.

TR is:

1. Just pointing out to the many puke fans their offense has issues.

2. Providing skins fans with material on their enemy.

3. Providing other NFCE fans info on their enemy.

4. Pointing out to delusional puke fans that come on here every year and talk smack that their team will once again fail when all is said and done.

And lastly, if you don't like that, don't post in any of TR's threads. And, also, what I just said gets posted every year because new ATN posters seem confused with all the TR threads.

[Rex Tomb]

This is the ATN and the thread is about the pukes and their offensive problems.

If you want to discuss the skins the stadium has plenty of threads for you to join in.

TR is:

1. Just pointing out to the many puke fans their offense has issues.

2. Providing skins fans with material on their enemy.

3. Providing other NFCE fans info on their enemy.

4. Pointing out to delusional puke fans that come on here every year and talk smack that their team will once again fail when all is said and done.

And lastly, if you don't like that, don't post in any of TR's threads. And, also, what I just said gets posted every year because new ATN posters seem confused with all the TR threads.

Sorry Fred - I was just drawing a comparison I thought all of us Redskins fans could relate to, particularly with the eerie similarities between the press clippings. Perhaps that frowny face at the end of the post made you think I was having a pity party. I was simply stating those years weren't fun (might be fun to watch Dallas fans struggle a bit with their over-inflated confidence )

[Tweedr01]

Sorry Fred - I was just drawing a comparison I thought all of us Redskins fans could relate to, particularly with the eerie similarities between the press clippings. Perhaps that frowny face at the end of the post made you think I was having a pity party. I was simply stating those years weren't fun (might be fun to watch Dallas fans struggle a bit with their over-inflated confidence )

I understand what you are saying, it's not a 'lets hate on the skins post', more of a 'we've seen this in years past personally, hows it feel to be in our old shoes'. We have remedied our problem from the additions of Brown and Williams, now....sorry to derail...please continue with bashing the pukes because it makes me feel good...on the inside!

[sideshow24]

I'm predicting that it will happen. That O-line is definitely mortal. The Cowboys chose to roll the proverbial dice with Doug Free - similarly to our past experience of rolling the dice with guys like Jon Jansen, Stephen Heyer, etc. How'd that work out for us?

How did the skins roll the dice with Jansen? Until he was old and crippled, he was a solid blocker and a great locker room influence. I don't think you can compare him to the Heyer the "project" or Free.

[Peregrine]

This really REALLY sounds like us from only several years ago...

[darklight1216]

Interesting, because we've been saying the same thing about the Redskins for years...it's preseason - it doesn't matter. Inevitably, though, the play of the offensive line and offense as a whole spilled over into the regular season. If you aren't sharpening your swords in preaseason, you won't be ready for the fight in the regular season.

That does happen sometimes, but then you have teams like the Lions who went 4-0 in the preseason before going 0-16 when it mattered. Then there are the Colts who, from what I understand usually are terrible in the pre-season. Granted, I don't keep up with their games...

[JustAfan47]

This really REALLY sounds like us from only several years ago...

Ya it does. Remember the Todd Wade experiment? :puke:

[MintHillSkinsFan]

In reference to the title of the thread...............their offensive woes are no concern to me. Personally, I love it!!

[LeftCoast Skinz FAN]

I can't wait for week 1. Orakpo is going to light that ass up!!! That OL is weak at best. Bring on the cowboys...

:dallasuck

[Zazzaro703]

I would say "it's just preseason" but how many freaking times have we defended the Redskins with that line and when the real games started our offense sucked?

[Big Blue Joe]

I would say "it's just preseason" but how many freaking times have we defended the Redskins with that line and when the real games started our offense sucked?

Yup. I tried to convince myself last year that the Giants' first-team defensive woes were nothing to be concerned about, since "it was just preseason". Whew, I couldn't have possibly been more wrong.

[NoCalMike]

The Sacks themselves might not mean much, but it is always scary to see your QB to be dropped that much in preseason cause it increases the chance that he won't get up from the next sack.....

[mossomo]

It's not the end of the world or anything, but still you have to be concerned about what you see.

Their concern is my pleasure. Implode Dallas, implode. Smell that? It's doubt. Muwhahaha!

If you want to discuss the skins the stadium has plenty of threads for you to join in.

This is Redskins nation! This is OUR house. Last I checked, this was the Redskins forum buddy. You may want to join the circle jerk over here: Cowboy Forum.