- Messages
- 21,399
- Reaction score
- 3,794
Ain't he 6-2, same as The One?
- Thread starter hobie286
- Start date
theoneandonly
Quality Starter
- Messages
- 5,258
- Reaction score
- 531
And what a fine system it is. So great, opposing defenses call out our plays before they happen.
- Messages
- 9,661
- Reaction score
- 5,557
Behind the change Kris Richard made to the Cowboys CBs that's giving Dak Prescott, Dallas' offense fits
OXNARD, Calif. -- These Cowboys cornerbacks are no longer back on their heels away from the line of scrimmage. They've bought into new defensive backs coach Kris Richard's in-your-face style.
Richard made it clear this offseason: As soon as his cornerbacks and safeties buy into what he's teaching them, the production should be there.
Nine practices into training camp, that's been evident.
The cornerbacks have been aggressive at the line of scrimmage with their press coverage, giving the Cowboys' new-look receiving corps fits.
In previous seasons under defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, the cornerbacks didn't deflect many passes. That's because Marinelli preferred that the cornerbacks play off the line of scrimmage in a bend-but-don't-break approach to limit big plays.
Now, Richard often has his cornerbacks in press coverage. He wants to limit big plays but also not give the quarterback any easy targets.
Cowboys cornerbacks have deflected several passes in one-on-one and team drills at training camp. The secondary has been sharp: Quarterback Dak Prescott has only four touchdown passes in team drills. Two of those touchdown passes came Sunday, but both were in red zone work.
"We still have a long way to go," Prescott said after Sunday's practice. "Still trying to gain chemistry [with the new receivers]."
The defense has outperformed the offense early in camp. And it hasn't been close.
On Sunday, Prescott had two passes picked off by Anthony Brown and Jeff Heath.
"We want to make it as hard out here as possible," Richard said. "One, for our confidence. Two, for their confidence. Iron sharpens iron. The better we are the better they are. The better they are the better we will become."
Richard is no longer working with defensive backs Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas or Kam Chancellor as he did as Seattle's defensive coordinator. But he's excited about the Cowboys' young secondary.
"Now that we have young guys," Richard said, "the bottom line is how great can we be and how fast can we get there."
Outside cornerbacks Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie have been particularly adept.
Jones hasn't missed a beat in his move back to cornerback after playing the last two seasons at safety. The former first-round pick is the defensive MVP of training camp so far. He's blanketed receivers and deflected several passes.
"I feel like I'm getting better," Jones said Sunday. "I'm working against really good receivers. Kris Richard is getting me right, getting me the right footsteps and the right technique. Slowly but surely I'm going to try to be the best."
One of Richard's first moves after he was hired this offseason was to move Jones back to cornerback. Richard prefers strength and length at cornerback, with the 6-1, 200-pound Jones fitting the profile.
Jones has only two interceptions in his first three seasons, but that could change in 2018 because of Richard's aggressive style. Jones has excelled in press coverage.
"I like being up at the line of scrimmage challenging the receivers and I have the attributes to do so," Jones said. "I'm just using my ability to my advantage. I'm a big, long corner. I can run a little bit. I can put hands on these guys, and it kind of disrupts the quarterback-receiver timing."
Awuzie missed a majority of his rookie season last year because of a nagging hamstring injury that popped up in training camp. On Saturday, he injured his left knee and also has a sore groin.
Awuzie didn't participate in team drills Sunday, with Brown taking his place. But Awuzie has been sharp in press coverage as well the first two weeks of camp.
"I love Chido's progress," Richard said. "The little things that we need to fix he goes out there and fixes it. He's a conscientious player. Obviously he is a cerebral player for such a young guy and that's really cool to see. He fixes his issues, he's not a repeat offender and he works his tail off."
More press coverage by the Cowboys could put additional pressure on safeties Xavier Woods and Heath, potentially exposing them if they can't get over to help a cornerback who is beat off the line of scrimmage.
But so far, that's hasn't been a concern, with Prescott missing on most of his deep passes of camp.
In press coverage, the Cowboys cornerbacks use their hands to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage to disrupt their timing. When the receiver makes a move, the cornerback opens up to run with him and stay on top of him.
"If we're going to get up there and press, it's called bump-and-run for a reason, not run-and-run," Richard said this offseason. "We wear on them. They have to work really hard to catch a ball and then we're just lining up and playing the next play. It's just one more challenge. They're the ones already confined to timing and space, we're not. We're just reactionary. We react, they have to be at a particular place at a particular time."
So far, Cowboys cornerbacks have been in the right spots at the right time.
And Richard, with his cap flipped backward and an intense scowl across his face, has been right there every step of the way.
"The installation is starting to get smaller," Richard said. "So when the installation starts to get smaller that's when the execution needs to increase. That's kind of at the point to where we are. By no means are we a finished product. We absolutely need to get better in specific areas. That's what we're locked in on."
- Messages
- 9,661
- Reaction score
- 5,557
i appreciate teh way this is written
ya, so this new defense is STIFLING the offense at camp but the key weakness of the defense hasnt really been tested because the qb cant make the play to test the theory
- Messages
- 55,055
- Reaction score
- 6,172
If you referring to Awuzie, he's had by all accounts a superb camp so far, and he looked good last yr when he finally got on the field.
- Messages
- 55,055
- Reaction score
- 6,172
He threw one yesterday in the scrimmage didn't he?
- Messages
- 15,011
- Reaction score
- 2,097
he missed a lot of time last year and now he's missing more time. he also punked out of the Philly game after a big sideline hit, and Crabtree made him his bitch in the Oakland game.
- Messages
- 7,074
- Reaction score
- 3,787
Not that I heard or read. According to reports, he's looked bad.....real bad.
- Messages
- 7,074
- Reaction score
- 3,787
Kris Richard's is no fool. He's auditioning for a HC job in Dallas. He smells the blood in the water. And I also feel like he came to Dallas and knows the book on Prescott and that's what we're seeing. I say this because Cooper Rush looked good yesterday and made some nice throws. Again, that's from what I've read. I certainly think our D will play better, but I also think some of this hype has more to do with Dak than it does Richard and the D.
- Messages
- 55,055
- Reaction score
- 6,172
Good.
Reports are Jihad Ward has looked good for us, so maybe its one of those trades that's worked out well for both teams.
- Messages
- 55,055
- Reaction score
- 6,172
I didn't watch the blue white scrimmage but I know I read last night that Prescott threw a TD to Swaim.
Who threw the long td to Tavon Austin?
- Messages
- 55,055
- Reaction score
- 6,172
Did you watch the scrimmage Dodger?
theoneandonly
Quality Starter
- Messages
- 5,258
- Reaction score
- 531
Solid aint gonna cut it.
theoneandonly
Quality Starter
- Messages
- 5,258
- Reaction score
- 531
ESPN's Todd Archer reports the Cowboys' offense has "has struggled in getting the ball down the field" in training camp.
"Still trying to gain chemistry," Dak Prescott said of his Dez Bryant and Jason Witten-less supporting cast. "It’s going to come." OC Scott Linehan said "we’ve got to make strides quickly here." The Cowboys assembled embarrassingly little talent in the wake of Bryant and Witten's departures. It's going to be another long season for the Cowboys' passing attack, making life difficult on Prescott. Aug 6 - 1:55 PM
Source: ESPN Dallas
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/11318/dak-prescott
"Still trying to gain chemistry," Dak Prescott said of his Dez Bryant and Jason Witten-less supporting cast. "It’s going to come." OC Scott Linehan said "we’ve got to make strides quickly here." The Cowboys assembled embarrassingly little talent in the wake of Bryant and Witten's departures. It's going to be another long season for the Cowboys' passing attack, making life difficult on Prescott. Aug 6 - 1:55 PM
Source: ESPN Dallas
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/11318/dak-prescott
NoMoRedJ
UDFA
- Messages
- 2,477
- Reaction score
- 56
Must mean the defense is gonna be top notch.