Today’s trade of Roy Williams surprises me in the sense that the Cowboys seem to be willing to get aggressive. Not aggressive in the sense that they assume they can resign Williams-because they surely will. I mean, what kid from Texas would not want to play for the Cowboys? And we know Jerry Jones will get the deal done.
But aggression in the sense that the Cowboys will do almost anything to appease Terrell Owens. Yes, appease Owens. What has happened since the Packers game is that teams are pressing Owens at the line of scrimmage and forcing the ball to be thrown to other wide receivers. He has not been a factor in the offense other than a decoy. Press Owens and have help over the top is the best way to play him. And everyone is doing it. The Redskins covered the Cowboys wide receivers very easily and their corners never seemed to be threatened. But now with Williams, if teams choose to play this way, he will wear out the other corner. So this move helps Owens, but it really helps their run game. I suspect now the Cowboys will face much more seven man fronts and have rolled coverages into both receivers.
All this looks like good with Tony Romo as your quarterback, but now with Brad Johnson, this will not work as well. Romo now has incredible skill players and these are guys who fit the offense very well. Williams will not have any trouble getting involved in the offense right away. He will know the numbering system of the Cowboys offense and can adapt rather quickly.
The man on the spot now is Cowboy head coach Wade Phillips. Phillips had one of the hardest jobs in sports, and now it just got harder. His locker room was not in sync before the trade and now blending another talented player into the system will be even harder. Phillips will have to deal with wide receivers Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton, and make them feel that they are still involved.
Chemistry needs to play a role in building a championship team and Phillips will be responsible for making sure he can blend and manage this unit. So far this year, he has yet to prove he can blend the players and adding Roy Williams makes their talent look even better, but it does not assure more wins and better chemistry. Jerry Jones does not care about chemistry, he cares about getting players. And the burden of developing these pieces all fall right into Wade’s lap. I don’t see this team having the right chemistry for the rest of the year.
I kept asking what was the reward with signing Pacman? And clearly, there was none. The Commissioner is doing the Cowboys a favor.
The Chiefs released Napoleon Harris today and he was supposed to be Junior Seau for the Raiders. Someone missed that pick. He never had any instincts at any level and when college teams move players from position to position they are telling you something. I was never a big fan of Harris and was amazed when he was able to get that deal he got from the Chiefs. The only team or system that might suit his skill set is that of the Eagles, where he would just be asked to attack the line of scrimmage and not read and react.
Hi Mr Lombardi
Thoroughly enjoy reading your thoughts on a daily basis. Have been a long time Cowboy fan and I hate this trade. I am just a fan, but I cannot understand why Dallas would give a 1st, 3rd, and 6th for Roy Williams and a draft pick (7th) just ahead of the free agent pool. If you were the GM would you have done this deal??? Is it all about this year and filling the new stadium next year? Is ANY wide receiver worth a future 1st round pick?
What are your early thoughts on the Skins signing up Alexander? With Portis the primary back, maybe there's a role that Alexander can play as a backup in DC? I'm happy that he's back in the league, I used to really enjoy watching Alexander running the football.
I have a question from the diner news, since I'm just catching up, regarding Brad Childress...
Does he deserve all the criticism from Viking fans that he's receiving? Living amongst Viking fans, I'm seeing a lot of "Fire Childress" sentiment, as if they were 1-5 instead of 3-3. Is it deserved? And more important, will Viking management listen to the fans if the team finishes 8-8?
In the long run it is a very good move for Cowboys to get Roy Williams, who is a good young receiver. If Cowboys replace Wade with Garret as expected next year, they will again be one of the teams to beat in NFC.
Cowboys fans should temper expectations with Roy...sure he'll have better players around him, but he is way overrated. He will disappoint those who are expecting a pro bowl caliber receiver. Lions got the better deal if they can find a GM who is a good talent evaluator.
I'm not sure it is fair to say the Cowboys are appeasing TO by trading for Roy. If it is easy to cover TO because of the lack of a threat at the other WR spot, and if adding Roy really opens up the running game, then it was a great move to get him...great for the team, not just for TO. They made a good move to try to get more out of the offense. It was not a knee jerk reaction; Jerry had been salivating over Roy for months.
I love you analysis normally but I have some disagreements here. I don't see how this is a move to appease TO as much as it is recongition that their offense lives and dies with him right now. To me, TO has shown that he cares about winning more than anything else this season, he is all over the field regardless of whether he gets the ball.
So, as of today, the top three receiving options of Owens, Williams and Witten looks pretty darn good. How can you suggest teams will use a seven man front, of all things, stop the run? Defensive coordinators better get creative trying to get a 12th player on the field! I could see a 3-4 with an extra SS at one of the LB spots being the best option though.
To me this is a team that wants to be aggressive about not putting off their chances to win. In 2006 the Patriots had a chance to trade for Randy Moss, didn't and lost a heartbreaker in the AFC Championship because their number one receiver (Caldwell) was a legit #3. Jerry Jones doesn't want to play wait and see. He wants to do what is clearly in the best interest of the team now and in the future.
How close was Tony Gonzalez to being traded? It was reported the Chiefs wanted a 3rd rounder and some team, presumably Buffalo, offered a 3rd. So why did no deal happen?
The Cowboys should have saved that pick for Nnamdi's tender matching offer next year.
They need a ton of corner help and will not fix it in one year's time with few draft picks.
As for Williams catching passes, TO is already mad that he doesn't get enough throws. How many no. 1 wr can you have when you only have one football to throw them?
As for Napoleon, he was always a class act to fans as a Raider, I've been fortunate to consider him a friend. He put one of the hardest hits I've seen in the game on Richardson when he was a Chiefs situational back and Napo was a Raider. Unfortunatley he was injured in a later game and hasn't been able to finish plays to the same level. He's got a lot of football smarts. If you narrowed some of his assignments and let him be aggressive he could still fit into schemes in that capacity.
It seems to me that Jerry Jones is aspiring to be the new and improved Al Davis. If one uses the euphemism of the Hotel California for Oakland what name should we plug in for this dysfunctional Cowboys team?
bobd, how about the branch davidian for this dysfunctional cowboys team?
I think TO wanted someone on the other side to stop seeing all the press coverage
"He’s got a lot of football smarts. If you narrowed some of his assignments and let him be aggressive he could still fit into schemes in that capacity."
Isn't this a ridiculous contradiction? If he had as much football smarts as you suggest Murder he wouldn't need to have his assignments narrowed.
I think what you really mean is what Mr. L was saying: the guy is dumb as a stump and the only thing he can handle is "see ball, get ball"
he can not read and react...he has no instincts...
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Oct 14, 2008
06:29 PM
Sunday, on CBS, I heard someone mention that due to the collective bargaining agreement coming up next year (college palyers will want to get a contract before the cba), this will be the best talent pool ever in the NFL draft. Is there any truth to that? As a Lion's fan I truely hope so. This could be the perfect year to stock up on draft picks. I hope you are right about the Boys struggling to find chemistry. Two top twenty picks would be great.