2012 Season Game Threads Mega-Merge
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Matt Johnson, Danny Coale among 5 to watch
August, 25, 2012
Aug 2511:00AM CTBy Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com Recommend1Tweet4Comments5EmailPrintARLINGTON, Texas – Preseason game No. 3 is usually about the starters, but for the Cowboys it’s still about finding players to fill roles, in part because of injuries.
PODCAST
ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins previews the Cowboys' third preseason game against the Rams, who the team might cut, surprises in camp and more.
Listen
That being said, we give you five players to watch after Tony Romo & Co. pack it up for the night.
Matt Johnson – The fourth-round pick has practiced only three more times than you or I in training camp because of a hamstring injury. He missed all but one day of the organized team activities and minicamp because of league rules. Now he gets to put those months of frustration to work against St. Louis. He never really had a chance to earn a starting safety spot because of the hamstring injury, but the Cowboys like his potential. He has to be considered a lock to make the roster even with the limited work but he can show tonight whether he can handle a special teams role.
Danny Coale – A stress fracture and quadriceps injury kept Coale in much the same boat as Johnson, but Coale’s roster spot just doesn’t seem as secure. Such is the price of seeing guys like Cole Beasley, Andre Holmes, Tim Benford and Kevin Ogletree get more snaps. Coale had some nice work in the two practices against the Chargers and showed some good hands and the ability to get open. He is still working on getting his speed and quickness back. He has not worked much on special teams but he was a holder for Delbert Alvarado on field goals.
Adrian Hamilton – The Cowboys like how he can get after the passer. That seems to be a natural trait, but there are some adjustments he is still making at outside linebacker in terms of run responsibilities and coverage. But teams just don’t let pass rushers go. What Hamilton has to do is show he can cover kicks. It’s been a little adventurous in that regard but if he wants to claim one of the final linebacker spots, he better do it tonight.
Phillip Tanner – The broken hand came at the wrong time, but Tanner has a lot of value as a special teamer and the third tailback. He runs with pretty good power. He is pretty good in pass protection, too. If there is a player pushing Tanner for a spot, I believe it’s Lance Dunbar, who might get in the return game mix, and not Jamize Olawale, who had a touchdown run last week. Tanner is a better all-around back and will get his chance to show his toughness. He will play with his right hand wrapped tight, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
Clifton Geathers – I had him in the five to watch for the San Diego game and I’m still waiting. He looks the part, but he just has not made enough plays at this point. Coaches and scouts do not want to give up on his size and potential, but sometimes potential can be a killer, too. I wondered if Geathers could push a veteran like Marcus Spears out of a spot, but he’s not done enough yet to warrant that. If he flashes tonight vs. the Rams then he could get in the mix again.
August, 25, 2012
Aug 2511:00AM CTBy Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com Recommend1Tweet4Comments5EmailPrintARLINGTON, Texas – Preseason game No. 3 is usually about the starters, but for the Cowboys it’s still about finding players to fill roles, in part because of injuries.
PODCAST
ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins previews the Cowboys' third preseason game against the Rams, who the team might cut, surprises in camp and more.
Listen
That being said, we give you five players to watch after Tony Romo & Co. pack it up for the night.
Matt Johnson – The fourth-round pick has practiced only three more times than you or I in training camp because of a hamstring injury. He missed all but one day of the organized team activities and minicamp because of league rules. Now he gets to put those months of frustration to work against St. Louis. He never really had a chance to earn a starting safety spot because of the hamstring injury, but the Cowboys like his potential. He has to be considered a lock to make the roster even with the limited work but he can show tonight whether he can handle a special teams role.
Danny Coale – A stress fracture and quadriceps injury kept Coale in much the same boat as Johnson, but Coale’s roster spot just doesn’t seem as secure. Such is the price of seeing guys like Cole Beasley, Andre Holmes, Tim Benford and Kevin Ogletree get more snaps. Coale had some nice work in the two practices against the Chargers and showed some good hands and the ability to get open. He is still working on getting his speed and quickness back. He has not worked much on special teams but he was a holder for Delbert Alvarado on field goals.
Adrian Hamilton – The Cowboys like how he can get after the passer. That seems to be a natural trait, but there are some adjustments he is still making at outside linebacker in terms of run responsibilities and coverage. But teams just don’t let pass rushers go. What Hamilton has to do is show he can cover kicks. It’s been a little adventurous in that regard but if he wants to claim one of the final linebacker spots, he better do it tonight.
Phillip Tanner – The broken hand came at the wrong time, but Tanner has a lot of value as a special teamer and the third tailback. He runs with pretty good power. He is pretty good in pass protection, too. If there is a player pushing Tanner for a spot, I believe it’s Lance Dunbar, who might get in the return game mix, and not Jamize Olawale, who had a touchdown run last week. Tanner is a better all-around back and will get his chance to show his toughness. He will play with his right hand wrapped tight, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
Clifton Geathers – I had him in the five to watch for the San Diego game and I’m still waiting. He looks the part, but he just has not made enough plays at this point. Coaches and scouts do not want to give up on his size and potential, but sometimes potential can be a killer, too. I wondered if Geathers could push a veteran like Marcus Spears out of a spot, but he’s not done enough yet to warrant that. If he flashes tonight vs. the Rams then he could get in the mix again.
GloryDaysRBack
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Rumor is he isn't even going to make the team
Theebs
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IRVING, Texas -- Most teams use the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season and play their regulars for at least a half if not into the third quarter.
It's a sound plan, but it's not necessarily one the Dallas Cowboys can follow Saturday night against the St. Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium.
Tight end Jason Witten (spleen), wide receivers Miles Austin (hamstring) and Dez Bryant (knee) and center Phil Costa (back) will not play against the Rams because of injuries. The defense will celebrate the returns of linebacker Anthony Spencer (hamstring), defensive end Jason Hatcher (hamstring) and nose tackle Jay Ratliff (foot), but its best player, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, will not play because of a hamstring injury.
Miles Austin and Jason Witten are out for the rest of the preseason because of injuries.
Quarterback Tony Romo will start and have four-fifths of the expected offensive line in front of him with guard Nate Livings' return from a hamstring injury, but running back DeMarco Murray will be the only starting skill player around him.
Coach Jason Garrett will play his regulars more than he did against the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, but he doesn't have a plan set in stone.
"If things go well, they might play less," Garrett said. "If things don't, they might play more."
In reality, Saturday's game against the Rams might more closely mirror a regular-season game because of the need to replace injured players.
Go back to the 2011 regular-season finale at the New York Giants. Seven players who weren't on the roster at the start the season played starting or significant roles on offense, defense and special teams in that game.
"Ideally, before you start your OTAs in the offseason you say, 'This is my starting 11 on offense. This is my starting 11 on defense. These are the starting 11s in every situation on our team. You guys go play together for 10 OTAs, for minicamp and all throughout training camp,'" Garrett said. "That's just not realistic."
Injuries happen in the NFL. Teams have to change starting lineups, tweak the backup plans and alter game plans throughout the regular season.
The Cowboys' injuries piled up once the pads came on in training camp.
Austin will not see a snap in the preseason for the second straight summer. Witten will have fewer than 10 snaps of preseason action. Bryant has a case of patella tendinitis that should not be a problem for the Sept. 5 season opener, but he is hardly a finished product. Costa might be the only starter on offense to play in the last preseason game, Wednesday against the Miami Dolphins.
Ware's preseason action came to an end when his hamstring tightened up. No need to rush the NFL's premier pass-rusher back, especially when he was as dominant as he was in camp. The first snap cornerback Mike Jenkins sees will come in a regular-season game because of offseason shoulder surgery.
Saturday's game will be about the understudies. Again.
Can undrafted rookie wide receiver Cole Beasley fill a role on the offense? Who else fills out the backup receiver spots? Can James Hanna handle all of the tight end business? Can Sean Lissemore really push for a starting defensive end job? Who fills out the final linebacker spots?
Can draft picks Matt Johnson and Danny Coale make an impact to at least secure roster positions after missing so much of the offseason and training camp because of injuries?
The good part is they will go against the Rams' regulars, not just the backups, to give them a better test to see what and how much they can handle.
Sometimes, players fighting for a roster spot complain about a lack of opportunity to make a 53-man team when they are shown the door. There can be no complaints this summer.
"It does provide an opportunity for other young players to step up and show us what they can do," Garrett said. "A lot of guys have done that throughout training camp and they've shown us, 'Hey, I deserve to be on this team,' or, 'I deserve this particular role on this team.' It allows us as coaches to evaluate them that much better and that much more. They've been in practice situations and probably played a little more in the preseason games than they would have otherwise. All in all, it's good for your football team."
The Cowboys won't know just how good it will be for them until later in the season.
It's a sound plan, but it's not necessarily one the Dallas Cowboys can follow Saturday night against the St. Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium.
Tight end Jason Witten (spleen), wide receivers Miles Austin (hamstring) and Dez Bryant (knee) and center Phil Costa (back) will not play against the Rams because of injuries. The defense will celebrate the returns of linebacker Anthony Spencer (hamstring), defensive end Jason Hatcher (hamstring) and nose tackle Jay Ratliff (foot), but its best player, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, will not play because of a hamstring injury.
Miles Austin and Jason Witten are out for the rest of the preseason because of injuries.
Quarterback Tony Romo will start and have four-fifths of the expected offensive line in front of him with guard Nate Livings' return from a hamstring injury, but running back DeMarco Murray will be the only starting skill player around him.
Coach Jason Garrett will play his regulars more than he did against the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, but he doesn't have a plan set in stone.
"If things go well, they might play less," Garrett said. "If things don't, they might play more."
In reality, Saturday's game against the Rams might more closely mirror a regular-season game because of the need to replace injured players.
Go back to the 2011 regular-season finale at the New York Giants. Seven players who weren't on the roster at the start the season played starting or significant roles on offense, defense and special teams in that game.
"Ideally, before you start your OTAs in the offseason you say, 'This is my starting 11 on offense. This is my starting 11 on defense. These are the starting 11s in every situation on our team. You guys go play together for 10 OTAs, for minicamp and all throughout training camp,'" Garrett said. "That's just not realistic."
Injuries happen in the NFL. Teams have to change starting lineups, tweak the backup plans and alter game plans throughout the regular season.
The Cowboys' injuries piled up once the pads came on in training camp.
Austin will not see a snap in the preseason for the second straight summer. Witten will have fewer than 10 snaps of preseason action. Bryant has a case of patella tendinitis that should not be a problem for the Sept. 5 season opener, but he is hardly a finished product. Costa might be the only starter on offense to play in the last preseason game, Wednesday against the Miami Dolphins.
Ware's preseason action came to an end when his hamstring tightened up. No need to rush the NFL's premier pass-rusher back, especially when he was as dominant as he was in camp. The first snap cornerback Mike Jenkins sees will come in a regular-season game because of offseason shoulder surgery.
Saturday's game will be about the understudies. Again.
Can undrafted rookie wide receiver Cole Beasley fill a role on the offense? Who else fills out the backup receiver spots? Can James Hanna handle all of the tight end business? Can Sean Lissemore really push for a starting defensive end job? Who fills out the final linebacker spots?
Can draft picks Matt Johnson and Danny Coale make an impact to at least secure roster positions after missing so much of the offseason and training camp because of injuries?
The good part is they will go against the Rams' regulars, not just the backups, to give them a better test to see what and how much they can handle.
Sometimes, players fighting for a roster spot complain about a lack of opportunity to make a 53-man team when they are shown the door. There can be no complaints this summer.
"It does provide an opportunity for other young players to step up and show us what they can do," Garrett said. "A lot of guys have done that throughout training camp and they've shown us, 'Hey, I deserve to be on this team,' or, 'I deserve this particular role on this team.' It allows us as coaches to evaluate them that much better and that much more. They've been in practice situations and probably played a little more in the preseason games than they would have otherwise. All in all, it's good for your football team."
The Cowboys won't know just how good it will be for them until later in the season.
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Cowboys need to be explosive and make some plays. Starters need to be on their game. This is when you establish yourself as a contender and not just another team. They need to pound the fuck out of the Rams.
GloryDaysRBack
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I hope so!
Theebs
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I just dont want to see anyone get hurt.
I am going to enjoy getting to watch the defense in person though.
Without, witten, austin, dez and ware I am pretty sure you can count the explosive plays out. We will probably methodical and hopefully not get romo hit.
i mean finnegan and jenkins are going to lineup against ogletree and beasley....I wouldnt expect much.
I am going to enjoy getting to watch the defense in person though.
Without, witten, austin, dez and ware I am pretty sure you can count the explosive plays out. We will probably methodical and hopefully not get romo hit.
i mean finnegan and jenkins are going to lineup against ogletree and beasley....I wouldnt expect much.
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Every time i make a point about the starters playing well you guys get stuck on the final scores. Not my point. A team at some point in preseason has to prove it can move the ball and score some points. I remember the 90’s Cowboys right around the 3rd game, would put one drive together that made you think...yea, they are ready.
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It’s the Rams dude.
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First lOok at the white rookies? Hope it's the cowboys broadcast
GloryDaysRBack
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I have a bad feeling we will lose someone of relative importance tonight for week 1
Theebs
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looks like they have a pretty improved group on defense. And sam bradford can throw the ball down the field which is what claiborne has struggled with in camp...you know when he has practiced.
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I hope they test the kid because you know Eli will again and again. Although i don’t think the Rams have alot of WR threats. Amendola can run some clean routes.
GloryDaysRBack
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It'll be interesting to see how rob plays it
I imagine he will roll coverage mos way very often
Carr will likely be singled up
GloryDaysRBack
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Is spencer playing tonight?
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Awesome..I hope he gets 2 sacks tonight
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