Jerry Jones:Offensive line is probably where I've let us down most

[bkeavs]

DMN: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: Offensive line is ‘probably where I’ve let us down most

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: Offensive line is ‘probably where I’ve let us down most’
By Jon Machota / Special Contributor

Jerry Jones the owner is placing the blame for a struggling offensive line on Jerry Jones the general manager. During an interview Thursday with NFL.com, Jones said the offensive line is “probably where I’ve let us down most.”

“The O-line, if I look back the last two years, if I had some mulligans or some re-dos, I might’ve done that differently,” he told the website’s Albert Breer. “We’re trying to do that this year.”

Over the last two seasons, the Cowboys have failed to put together a line that can adequately protect quarterback Tony Romo. The Cowboys have some stability on the outside with tackles Tyron Smith and Doug Free but the interior was arguably one of the worst groups in the NFL in 2011.

Phil Costa improved later in the 2011 season, but made several mistakes in his first year at center. He has been sidelined with a lower back injury during much of training camp.

Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings were signed in free agency to solidify the guard positions but both have also struggled to stay healthy. In addition, the Cowboys added one of the top line coaches in the league, Bill Callahan, to improve the group this off-season.

Judging by the team’s preseason opener — a 3-0 victory over Oakland — the protection hasn’t improved. Romo was left scrambling for his life on a couple of occasions and the running game was non-existent with the first team offense. Starting running back DeMarco Murray finished with no yards on two carries. Felix Jones managed four yards on two rushing attempts.

But if there is any type of immediate solution out there, Jones seems to be ready to act on it. After all, he prides himself on never attempting to re-build.

“What we do with the Cowboys, using the analogy of going to Las Vegas and putting it all on the table, we’re shoving it all out there,” he said. “I shove it all out there with the Cowboys every year.”

 

[Midswat]

That's great that he blames himself.

Still won't be any consequences though. He'll still be the guy making the decisions.

 

[CowboysRMX]

Im actually starting to believe once livings bernadeau and costa get healthy this is going to be a pretty solid OL. I know alot of you dont because u didnt know who livings or bernadeau were before they got to Dallas. And because u dont know them they cant possibly be any good. Costa isnt a pro bowler but he'll be alot better than last yr

 

[NoDak]

Im actually starting to believe once livings bernadeau and costa get healthy this is going to be a pretty solid OL. I know alot of you dont because u didnt know who livings or bernadeau were before they got to Dallas. And because u dont know them they cant possibly be any good. Costa isnt a pro bowler but he'll be alot better than last yr

Do you know them? Watch them play more than just a passing glance?

 

[CowboysRMX]

Do you know them? Watch them play more than just a passing glance?

Nope which is why im not basing my judgement on them until they play. Which is why i said i think rather than saying oh they suck its all done season over romo will get killed

 

[Midswat]

Well, you ought to realize RMX that last year our guard play, while not exceptional, wasn't THAT bad.

It was the center play that was horrid.

And we're bringing the same center back.

We're just "hoping" he'll be better with better coaching. But all reviews from TC has been negative. Still can't anchor. Still has bad snaps.

The team believes that with added size to his right and left, he'll be improved.

 

[NoDak]

Nope which is why im not basing my judgement on them until they play. Which is why i said i think rather than saying oh they suck its all done season over romo will get killed

Oh. So when you say this

Im actually starting to believe once livings bernadeau and costa get healthy this is going to be a pretty solid OL.

you actually have no basis for saying it. Other than hope. Which has about as much substance as anyone elses stance. We all hope that they'll turn out to be good players and solidify our OL. But considering they were both journeymen, that might be a stretch. I think I'd settle for servicable, without getting our QB killed.

 

[CowboysRMX]

Well, you ought to realize RMX that last year our guard play, while not exceptional, wasn't THAT bad.

It was the center play that was horrid.

And we're bringing the same center back.

We're just "hoping" he'll be better with better coaching. But all reviews from TC has been negative. Still can't anchor. Still has bad snaps.

The team believes that with added size to his right and left, he'll be improved.

Well you do realize the guy was playing his first nfl yr right? with no offseason to prepare. No TC to learn, No preseason to adapt to the game speed. And he did improve slightly towards the end of the yr. What makes you think he wont have improved enough to be adequate this yr? Last yr it wasnt so much about Costa not having the physical tools, rather him not knowing who to block and didnt know how to correct the blocking with adjustments to the defense. Callahan has made it clear he knows. So if when Costa gets back and is still making the mistakes and getting beat physically then ill jump ship and say this guy just sucks. But im not gonna base my judement on him without seeing him play this yr as most of you have with all your nfl coaching experience.

 

[CowboysRMX]

Oh. So when you say this

you actually have no basis for saying it. Other than hope. Which has about as much substance as anyone elses stance. We all hope that they'll turn out to be good players and solidify our OL. But considering they were both journeymen, that might be a stretch. I think I'd settle for servicable, without getting our QB killed.

I always say i think. Because i think it could happen. You guys speak in absolutes like you know for a fact he will sucks. Big difference.

 

[Midswat]

Last yr it wasnt so much about Costa not having the physical tools, rather him not knowing who to block and didnt know how to correct the blocking with adjustments to the defense.

No, it was him not having the physical tools. Was smallish in size. Short arms. Wasn't able to anchor at the point of attack. Got run over by bull rushers.

And yeah, those adorable high snaps.

 

[cmd34]

Wait, wait, wait... “probably where I’ve let us down most.”

“The O-line, if I look back the last two years, if I had some mulligans or some re-dos, I might’ve done that differently,”

I thought Jerry wasn't in charge anymore. Help me understand this. Dbair? Zoners? Superpunk? I'm sorry, zoners and superpunk is redundant. Anyone?

 

[CowboysRMX]

No, it was him not having the physical tools. Was smallish in size. Short arms. Wasn't able to anchor at the point of attack. Got run over by bull rushers.

And yeah, those adorable high snaps.

So how come he wasnt having these issues when Demarco Murray was playing? Because teams had to respect the run. When he went out teams overloaded the middle. They werent blitzing like that when Murray was playing. Nobody in the nfl respects Felixs' ability to run the ball. plain and simple. Im not saying The OL and costa are great but to say it will be shit before they even play is obsurd.

 

[junk]

Wait, wait, wait... “probably where I’ve let us down most.”

“The O-line, if I look back the last two years, if I had some mulligans or some re-dos, I might’ve done that differently,”

I thought Jerry wasn't in charge anymore. Help me understand this. Dbair? Zoners? Superpunk? I'm sorry, zoners and superpunk is redundant. Anyone?

You just don't get it. It is a committee.....or something. Ultimately, Garrett has the call. Jerry just reads reports. Ciskowski is essentially the GM. This is no different than any other team in the league! One time Rooney fired super secretly fired Bruce Arians, but Tomlin covered it up therefore justifying everything that Dallas does. It all starts with the head coach. When the Bears sucked for 15 years in the 80s and 90s they didn't even have a GM!

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Nope which is why im not basing my judgement on them until they play. Which is why i said i think rather than saying oh they suck its all done season over romo will get killed

cmd has, and he says Livings is terrible.

He also thought David DeCastro was worth the 11th overall pick as well, so...

you'll have to make your own judgement.

 

[bbgun]

Wait, wait, wait... “probably where I’ve let us down most.”

“The O-line, if I look back the last two years, if I had some mulligans or some re-dos, I might’ve done that differently,”

I thought Jerry wasn't in charge anymore. Help me understand this. Dbair? Zoners? Superpunk? I'm sorry, zoners and superpunk is redundant. Anyone?

"Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan."
- John F. Kennedy

 

[CowboysRMX]

cmd has, and he says Livings is terrible.

He also thought David DeCastro was worth the 11th overall pick as well, so...

you'll have to make your own judgement.

id say right now Costa is having a better camp then decastro and costas been hurt.

 

[Iamtdg]

id say right now Costa is having a better camp then decastro and costas been hurt.

You are a bigger homer than even dbair, and I didn't think that was even possible.

 

[CowboysRMX]

You are a bigger homer than even dbair, and I didn't think that was even possible.

Thats not saying Costa is good, It just means Decastro seems to suck

 

[NoDak]

id say right now Costa is having a better camp then decastro and costas been hurt.

lol

God damn. dbair is contagious.

 

[ZeroClub]

“I shove it all out there with the Cowboys every year.”

Funny. I tell Jerry to shove it every year.