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Fraley: Perturbed Phillips hints starters may play vs. Miami
12:27 AM CDT on Sunday, August 29, 2010
Column by GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
Column by GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News | gfraley@dallasnews.com
Gerry Fraley
Archive | Bio | E-mail
HOUSTON – The Cowboys did the unthinkable Saturday night.
They pushed coach Wade Phillips beyond his limit with a sloppy and lifeless showing in a 23-7 exhibition loss to Houston at Reliant Stadium.
In the locker room, genial Wade turned into perturbed Wade. He kept the room closed longer to scold his team, telling it it's not ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 12 at Washington.
Not even close to ready.
"I told them a few things that I wanted to impart to them," Phillips said.
It is not Phillips' nature to rage. But however he delivered the message that this will not do, it sunk in with the intended audience.
"He made some valid coaching points," said Alex Barron, the third starter at right offensive tackle in the exhibition season. "He said some things that we needed to hear."
The mistake-ridden performance moved Phillips to consider something he has not done in his previous three seasons in this job. He could give the first-teamers some playing time in Thursday's final exhibition, at home against Miami. That game is usually off-limits to all starters to ensure they will be healthy when the regular season begins.
"I'm not ruling out that we won't play our guys," Phillips said. "We have to evaluate this."
The evaluation process will show a multitude of mistakes by the offense and the defense.
Phillips took some of the blame for not having the defense ready for Houston's four-wide-receiver sets. The Cowboys did not use any blitzes, the usual tactic against that offensive alignment. Houston quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 183 yards and one score in three quarters.
The defensive pratfalls went on from there. The Cowboys allowed scoring drives of nine, 12 and 17 plays.
The run defense, an essential element of last year's team, vanished. Arian Foster set a franchise record for exhibition play with 110 yards on only 18 carries. The Texans averaged 4.8 yards per carry. A year ago, they averaged 3.5 yards per carry, third-lowest figure in the league.
"Emotion is a lot of the game," Phillips said. "Flying around is a lot of the game. I didn't see a lot of that."
The offense? Still missing.
In five full series, the first offense produced zippo. For 12 full possessions in the exhibition season, the first offense has managed 13 points on a touchdown and two field goals. The touchdown capped an 8-yard drive against San Diego.
No wonder offensive coordinator Jason Garrett acknowledged the first offense probably will play some against Miami. It needs the work.
"We had too many mistakes," quarterback Tony Romo said. " We need to get better."
Romo was actually a highlight, completing 13 of 18 throws with drops by wide receiver Miles Austin and tight end Jason Witten. The Cowboys again had nothing resembling a ground game.
The three-back combination of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice combined for nine yards on nine carries. Barber and Jones, the top two backs in this arrangement, have combined for 44 yards on 24 carries in exhibition play. Jones also did not pick up a Romo audible in the second quarter and was not in position to take a pitch. It was enough to upset Phillips, which means it was really bad.
• • •
12:27 AM CDT on Sunday, August 29, 2010
Column by GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
Column by GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News | gfraley@dallasnews.com
Gerry Fraley
Archive | Bio | E-mail
HOUSTON – The Cowboys did the unthinkable Saturday night.
They pushed coach Wade Phillips beyond his limit with a sloppy and lifeless showing in a 23-7 exhibition loss to Houston at Reliant Stadium.
In the locker room, genial Wade turned into perturbed Wade. He kept the room closed longer to scold his team, telling it it's not ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 12 at Washington.
Not even close to ready.
"I told them a few things that I wanted to impart to them," Phillips said.
It is not Phillips' nature to rage. But however he delivered the message that this will not do, it sunk in with the intended audience.
"He made some valid coaching points," said Alex Barron, the third starter at right offensive tackle in the exhibition season. "He said some things that we needed to hear."
The mistake-ridden performance moved Phillips to consider something he has not done in his previous three seasons in this job. He could give the first-teamers some playing time in Thursday's final exhibition, at home against Miami. That game is usually off-limits to all starters to ensure they will be healthy when the regular season begins.
"I'm not ruling out that we won't play our guys," Phillips said. "We have to evaluate this."
The evaluation process will show a multitude of mistakes by the offense and the defense.
Phillips took some of the blame for not having the defense ready for Houston's four-wide-receiver sets. The Cowboys did not use any blitzes, the usual tactic against that offensive alignment. Houston quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 183 yards and one score in three quarters.
The defensive pratfalls went on from there. The Cowboys allowed scoring drives of nine, 12 and 17 plays.
The run defense, an essential element of last year's team, vanished. Arian Foster set a franchise record for exhibition play with 110 yards on only 18 carries. The Texans averaged 4.8 yards per carry. A year ago, they averaged 3.5 yards per carry, third-lowest figure in the league.
"Emotion is a lot of the game," Phillips said. "Flying around is a lot of the game. I didn't see a lot of that."
The offense? Still missing.
In five full series, the first offense produced zippo. For 12 full possessions in the exhibition season, the first offense has managed 13 points on a touchdown and two field goals. The touchdown capped an 8-yard drive against San Diego.
No wonder offensive coordinator Jason Garrett acknowledged the first offense probably will play some against Miami. It needs the work.
"We had too many mistakes," quarterback Tony Romo said. " We need to get better."
Romo was actually a highlight, completing 13 of 18 throws with drops by wide receiver Miles Austin and tight end Jason Witten. The Cowboys again had nothing resembling a ground game.
The three-back combination of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice combined for nine yards on nine carries. Barber and Jones, the top two backs in this arrangement, have combined for 44 yards on 24 carries in exhibition play. Jones also did not pick up a Romo audible in the second quarter and was not in position to take a pitch. It was enough to upset Phillips, which means it was really bad.
• • •
