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Cowlishaw: Offense which had been shaky was simply terrible
12:31 AM CDT on Sunday, August 29, 2010
Column by TIM COWLISHAW / The Dallas Morning News
Column by TIM COWLISHAW / The Dallas Morning News | wtcowlishaw@dallasnews.com
Tim Cowlishaw
Archive | Blog | E-mail
HOUSTON – The numbers tell an ugly story. We just don't know what the moral of the story will be.
The Cowboys' first-team offense, which had been anything but sharp in the first three preseason games, looked even worse Saturday night in a 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans.
"We're not ready for prime time yet," coach Wade Phillips said. "We can see that."
To get the team ready, he might even play starters against Miami on Thursday in the final preseason game.
Whatever the case, the offense needs a lot of work.
Both teams played starters into the third quarter, where the score was 20-0 Houston by the time Tony Romo trotted off the field after throwing his second interception of the preseason.
Romo and the passing attack were nothing to scare people this month.
But they were a heck of a lot better than the Cowboys ground game.
Felix Jones and Marion Barber combined to gain 4 yards rushing on seven carries Saturday night. That figure does not include the play where Jones took the wrong angle and missed a pitch from Romo that resulted in a first-half fumble.
Jones did not hear Romo's audible at the line of scrimmage. Romo said it was good the team made the mistake now so it could put it in a hand signal before the games actually count.
Still, the Cowboys' inability to run against Cincinnati, against Oakland, against San Diego and against Houston was baffling.
The preseason numbers on the Cowboys' lead backs: Jones, nine carries for 21 yards; Barber, 12 carries for 23.
Romo's numbers are better – 26-of-46, 287 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions – but he was sacked five times.
Can this line protect Romo? Can it open any holes for the running game?
Maybe offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is hiding everything. Maybe the Cowboys haven't run a single play they hope to execute two weeks from now in Washington or in four weeks when they return to Reliant Stadium.
But that's not likely.
You don't want to go overboard in taking an NFL team to task for August failures. The Buffalo Bills aren't playoff-bound just because they put 35 on the board against Cincinnati on Saturday.
Likewise, I'm not sure the Colts are dead after they surrendered 59 to Green Bay on Thursday.
But, hey, until the NFL figures out a system that shortens the preseason, the league is charging top dollar for these games. Cowboys fans have earned the right to say what they have seen so far has been a joke.
Maybe Dallas gets the last laugh when this stuff matters. Right now, we can only see what's been on display.
The Cowboys' first unit has had 12 possessions in the preseason and scored 13 points. Miles Austin caught the only touchdown last week in San Diego. The unit produced field goals in the first quarter of games with Cincinnati and Oakland.
But mostly, the offense sputtered the same way it did at season's end in a 34-3 loss to Minnesota. Romo has been under attack. He has had to hurry too many throws to avoid pressure in addition to the five sacks.
"The passing game will be OK," Romo said. "We've held back a lot of plays. Hopefully, that will be for our benefit."
Against Houston, you could call out youngsters and veterans alike for the mistakes.
Fullback Chris Gronkowski, trying to earn a spot on the team, got tossed aside by Texans linebacker Zac Diles to kill a second-and-1.
His competition, Deon Anderson, appeared to be at fault in the third quarter when the team had to call a timeout to avoid a penalty for 12 men in the huddle.
Austin dropped a pass; Jason Witten took a bad false start penalty; left tackle Doug Free had a holding call wiped out only because Jones was thrown for a loss ... the miscues were across the board.
No one will remember this if the Cowboys march crisply down the field in Washington and score on their first possession Sept. 12.
The good news perhaps is that the Cowboys, after struggling to produce points in four exhibition games with AFC teams, have to play only four AFC opponents during the regular season.
Of course, this is a franchise that aspires to face five, including one in February. There was nothing you could watch with this team's offense in August and say, "That's how it's going to happen."
• • •
12:31 AM CDT on Sunday, August 29, 2010
Column by TIM COWLISHAW / The Dallas Morning News
Column by TIM COWLISHAW / The Dallas Morning News | wtcowlishaw@dallasnews.com
Tim Cowlishaw
Archive | Blog | E-mail
HOUSTON – The numbers tell an ugly story. We just don't know what the moral of the story will be.
The Cowboys' first-team offense, which had been anything but sharp in the first three preseason games, looked even worse Saturday night in a 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans.
"We're not ready for prime time yet," coach Wade Phillips said. "We can see that."
To get the team ready, he might even play starters against Miami on Thursday in the final preseason game.
Whatever the case, the offense needs a lot of work.
Both teams played starters into the third quarter, where the score was 20-0 Houston by the time Tony Romo trotted off the field after throwing his second interception of the preseason.
Romo and the passing attack were nothing to scare people this month.
But they were a heck of a lot better than the Cowboys ground game.
Felix Jones and Marion Barber combined to gain 4 yards rushing on seven carries Saturday night. That figure does not include the play where Jones took the wrong angle and missed a pitch from Romo that resulted in a first-half fumble.
Jones did not hear Romo's audible at the line of scrimmage. Romo said it was good the team made the mistake now so it could put it in a hand signal before the games actually count.
Still, the Cowboys' inability to run against Cincinnati, against Oakland, against San Diego and against Houston was baffling.
The preseason numbers on the Cowboys' lead backs: Jones, nine carries for 21 yards; Barber, 12 carries for 23.
Romo's numbers are better – 26-of-46, 287 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions – but he was sacked five times.
Can this line protect Romo? Can it open any holes for the running game?
Maybe offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is hiding everything. Maybe the Cowboys haven't run a single play they hope to execute two weeks from now in Washington or in four weeks when they return to Reliant Stadium.
But that's not likely.
You don't want to go overboard in taking an NFL team to task for August failures. The Buffalo Bills aren't playoff-bound just because they put 35 on the board against Cincinnati on Saturday.
Likewise, I'm not sure the Colts are dead after they surrendered 59 to Green Bay on Thursday.
But, hey, until the NFL figures out a system that shortens the preseason, the league is charging top dollar for these games. Cowboys fans have earned the right to say what they have seen so far has been a joke.
Maybe Dallas gets the last laugh when this stuff matters. Right now, we can only see what's been on display.
The Cowboys' first unit has had 12 possessions in the preseason and scored 13 points. Miles Austin caught the only touchdown last week in San Diego. The unit produced field goals in the first quarter of games with Cincinnati and Oakland.
But mostly, the offense sputtered the same way it did at season's end in a 34-3 loss to Minnesota. Romo has been under attack. He has had to hurry too many throws to avoid pressure in addition to the five sacks.
"The passing game will be OK," Romo said. "We've held back a lot of plays. Hopefully, that will be for our benefit."
Against Houston, you could call out youngsters and veterans alike for the mistakes.
Fullback Chris Gronkowski, trying to earn a spot on the team, got tossed aside by Texans linebacker Zac Diles to kill a second-and-1.
His competition, Deon Anderson, appeared to be at fault in the third quarter when the team had to call a timeout to avoid a penalty for 12 men in the huddle.
Austin dropped a pass; Jason Witten took a bad false start penalty; left tackle Doug Free had a holding call wiped out only because Jones was thrown for a loss ... the miscues were across the board.
No one will remember this if the Cowboys march crisply down the field in Washington and score on their first possession Sept. 12.
The good news perhaps is that the Cowboys, after struggling to produce points in four exhibition games with AFC teams, have to play only four AFC opponents during the regular season.
Of course, this is a franchise that aspires to face five, including one in February. There was nothing you could watch with this team's offense in August and say, "That's how it's going to happen."
• • •