DeMarcus Lawrence is back and as dangerous as ever. Dan Quinn’s defense has leveled up

 “Y’all know me, still the same O.G. but I been low-key” — Dr. Dre

To steal a lyric that plays in my head just about every time I see DeMarcus Lawrence doing what he does since his return, I suspect some of you have forgotten about Tank.

Lawrence is back and he is wrecking things. There was a play early in this game in New Jersey on Sunday that demonstrates what this all means. You see, Lawrence is one of the most productive defensive edges in the NFL in the past five years even though his own fan base often questions his quality. This, of course, is all the more remarkable when you consider that he has never really had much help with him.

https://theathletic.com/3030601/2021/12/22/demarcus-lawrence-is-back-and-as-dangerous-as-ever-dan-quinns-defense-has-leveled-up/

Cowboys’ win in New York is nice, but the offense needs to be much better: Decoding Kellen Moore

 The object of this Tuesday series which we have been doing for more than a decade is to break down the offense in such a way where we can define what the Cowboys are trying to accomplish and evaluate how well they are doing that. Basically to establish what the offense alone is doing to help or hurt the team.

Often, we can go in different directions each week and break things down from a 30,000-foot view of it all.

https://theathletic.com/3029230/2021/12/21/cowboys-win-in-new-york-is-nice-but-the-offense-needs-to-be-much-better-decoding-kellen-moore/

The glorious Cowboys’ defensive turnover train continues at full-steam ahead: Quinn Report

 The Cowboys defense is rolling and takeaways are the fuel.

There is no football deodorant quite like getting the ball. It can make a bad defense look good and a good defense look great.

https://theathletic.com/2886271/2021/10/13/the-glorious-cowboys-defensive-turnover-train-continues-at-full-steam-ahead-quinn-report/

Cowboys continue to boss games with another dominating offensive day: Decoding Kellen Moore

 We discussed on Monday that this team is certainly much better after five games than the teams that came before it and necessitated massive coaching changes. You may recall that the 2018 team felt like it was on the verge of something pretty special after its playoff win against Seattle and then falling just short in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

https://theathletic.com/2883698/2021/10/12/cowboys-continue-to-boss-games-with-another-dominating-offensive-day-decoding-kellen-moore/

Cowboys’ homestand finished with another demolition of battered rival: The Morning After

 The Dallas Cowboys approach their third road test this season with plenty to feel great about.

Sweeping through a three-game homestand is a sign of a team that has a strong likelihood to be playing meaningful football in January. Especially when that team is thoroughly posting divisional wins that are flat-out mismatch destructions.

https://theathletic.com/2882035/2021/10/11/cowboys-homestand-finished-with-another-demolition-of-battered-rival-the-morning-after/

Cowboys pregame riffing: The Giants present issues, but Dallas should have answers

 Well, let us never suggest that the NFL schedule-makers do not possess a sick sense of humor.

Are you kidding me? Fifty-two weeks later — 364 days later? The exact fixture on the schedule as it was in 2020 when it all went down and the 2020 season all but ended for the Cowboys.

There is only one week where the Cowboys’ schedules in each of the last two seasons are completely identical. One.

Week 5.

https://theathletic.com/2875956/2021/10/08/cowboys-pregame-riffing-the-giants-present-issues-but-dallas-should-have-answers/

Unveiling the 2018 Preseason All-NFC-East Team

https://theathletic.com/506596/2018/09/05/unveiling-the-2018-preseason-all-nfc-east-team/

NFC East Divisional Digest – Big Blue tries relaunch around Eli

https://theathletic.com/462411/2018/08/08/nfc-east-divisional-digest-big-blue-tries-relaunch-around-eli/

2015 NFL Draft #60 - Landon Collins, S, Alabama

I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.

Find all the profiles here.

Click here to see an interactive of how Collins compares with the top DBs of the draft.

Landon Collins, S, Alabama - 6'0, 228 - Junior - 4.53 40

Alabama defensive back Landon Collins (26) celebrates a play against Ohio State in the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

I think Jimmy Johnson taught us all a pretty solid lesson about where football was headed when he brought his ideas to the NFL.  He wanted to make safeties out of cornerbacks, linebackers out of safeties, defensive ends out of linebackers, and defensive tackles out of defensive ends.  The lessons there were that speed and not might were going to have to be the most important skill of any defensive player in the NFL.  He was well ahead of his time and the evolution is still happening today.  There is nothing more useless than a big hitter who can't move well in today's NFL.

With that in mind, every year during draft season, we judge without mercy the prospects based on that simple question about their mobility - change of direction with an emphasis on the fluidity of a prospect's hips.  Can this player turn those hips, accelerate, and get there before the QB can thread the needle in front of him?  This is the question of Landon Collins, the highly-touted safety from Alabama.  Everyone who follows college football has been following his progress since he annoyed his mother on decision day by going to Alabama over LSU.  Now, let's see what his tape shows.  For the study, I grabbed West Virginia, Florida, Mississippi State, and Ohio State.

Collins is #26 in the videos.

What I liked:  There are many things to enjoy about Landon Collins game.  He is a very good player who is flat-out devastating at the line of scrimmage.  He hits, blitzes, and intimidates like many of your favorite safeties before him.  He will certainly rattle some teeth at the NFL level.  He is also a standout special teams player at Alabama and I would expect that to translate as well.  Now, in coverage, his ball skills are exceptional, which means he can make plays on the ball and serve as a bit of a ball hawk when a pass is in his vicinity.  So, of course, the issue is going to be about whether his vicinity is going to be big enough at the NFL level.  But, if he is on the scene, he is a heck of a player who does all sorts of things that a team covets.  If he is a early down safety and a 3rd down "big nickel" LB, I think you will like what you get.

What I did not like:  There are not just roses being thrown at his feet.  He does have some limitations that require his new employer to figure out how to use him right.  In the college game, he seemed to have "numbers range" which means if the play is inside the numbers (or hash marks in college) he will be fine.  Unfortunately, we know that NFL QBs make you defend the entire width of the field and this is why there are so few exceptional CF safeties in the NFL.  Those sideline throws are what separate the elite from the rest in the free safety division, and Landon Collins is not going to be elite if you want him to play CF.  He also seems to lack a little nitro and can be left in the flat as he has to measure his speed so that he doesn't over-run a RB in space.  He is a decent open field tackler, but he can be defeated.

Summary:  In today's NFL, he makes people nervous who want him to be a cover safety. I think he is better than some are saying, but it is clear that he would be best served the way Arizona used Deone Bucannon last year.  Early down safety, late down linebacker.  He  is very good and the positives outweigh the negatives, but we should play to those strengths so we get the most out of this prospect.  He is a ball hawk and a special teams star, along with a play making safety who can turn games.   But, he is not going to foil Aaron Rodgers over the top very often.  Fine, but don't discount his many attributes that I feel put him safely in the first round for a team that wants this type of guy to add some pop to their back end.  He is very good, but you better figure out how to deploy him effectively. Easily the best strong safety in the draft, but this is also a very weak field.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.

And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

2015 NFL Draft #46 - Ereck Flowers, T, Miami

I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can. Find all the profiles here.

Click here to see an interactive of how Flowers compares with the top lineman of the draft.

Ereck Flowers, T, Miami - 6'6, 329 - Junior - 5.31 40

Miami offensive lineman Ereck Flowers talks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

I shall say right at the top here that I can't recall ever being bullish on a tackle who weighs 330 pounds or so.  They are just too big, too immobile, and also too much of a risk that the high life of a paycheck and a NFL career could convert that to 350 if he isn't very careful with his lifestyle.  But, we must never have hard rules about measurables.  Whether it is height, weight, hand-size, bench press, or whatever, we are looking for football players and not measurements.  With that in mind, the massive specimen Ereck Flowers from "The U" comes down the conveyor belt for examination.  He is 20 years old and a true junior who is young, for sure, but has also played against the best pass rushers in the country and has started nearly 30 games at tackle in big time football.  To look him over, we grabbed games against Florida State (Mario Edwards), Nebraska (Randy Gregory), and Virginia (Eli Harold).

Flowers is #74 in these highlights, the Hurricanes' left tackle.

What I liked:  He is without question as mobile as I have ever seen from a prospect at that weight.  His feet are not heavy and he has agility and mobility that you really have to admire.  He is a massive man, but at times, he looks like he weighs 305 (and that is a compliment).  He is a very strong, bully run-blocker who blinds you from the sun when Duke Johnson is running behind him into space.  He moves to the 2nd level with ease and seldom loses on a run block at all.  In pass protection, he isn't bad at all.  He looked comfortable in the games against Florida State and Nebraska, and even when he gets knocked off balance, he is able to recover and re-anchor his stance before his man can get around him.  What is most impressive to me is his effectiveness as a Left Tackle against edge rushers, despite perhaps having some real technique deficiencies at this stage of his young career.  He has a great demeanor and battle about him.  He is engaged mentally in the fight.

What I did not like:  Pretty much his whole day against Eli Harold.  We have learned to watch many games and a few hundred snaps because some guys just can't deal with a certain matchup, or perhaps they are hurt or just not having much of a day.  For whatever reason, he looked like a 1st rounder in 2 games and Phil Loadholt in the other game (not a compliment).  He also has a weird habit of being slow off the snap.  Again, this seems like a technique issue and perhaps an aversion to false starts, but you cannot lose the race out of your stance in the NFL or your QB is going to get hurt.  In each game, he had at least 2 instances where he is late.

Summary:  There is a lot to look at here.  He is a very talented big man.  He is also a very young prospect.  To imagine him in 3 years is a very exciting possibility that he might be a very strong tackle - maybe even a left tackle.  He is as strong as you can imagine with 37 reps on the bench press and his feet are quite impressive.  This one might come down to your coaching staff and your faith in them to bring him along.  I also might like to treat him as a prospect who you don't want to start on day 1.  That would be odd for certain teams to not ask their 1st rounder to start, but I bet he could use some low-pressure settings to get everything squared away in his rookie season.  But, there is plenty here to get excited about and to invest in for the future.  I think he has all the makings of a very good tackle and a guy that will watch your flank against big rushers for many years.  You almost have to run around a mountain to get to the QB with Flowers.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.

And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

2015 NFL Draft #18 - Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA

I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.

Find all the profiles here.

Click here to see an interactive of how Odighizuwa compares with the top DEs of the draft.

Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA - 6'3, 266 - RS Senior

UCLA defensive lineman Owamagbe Odighizuwa waits to face Colorado in the first quarter of an NCAA football game in Boulder, Colo., on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Today's study is one of the more difficult names to master, but Odighizuwa could also be one of the better defensive ends in the entire mix.  He is a bit older than your average draft prospect as he will hit his 23rd birthday the month of the draft.  He was born in Ohio, raised in Nigeria, and a 5-Star recruit out of high school that suggested his greatness was inevitable in 2010.  Since then, he has missed an entire season with 2 hip surgeries and now is trying to prove he is worth the potential health red flag.  To study his work, we took a good look at the UCLA games against Texas, Virginia, USC, and Kansas State.

What I liked:  When watching this player do his work, you can see there is a lot to like.  He appears to be very versatile in many regards with his ability to do things that help you up front.  First, he rushes from that RDE spot and can get some things done there with his array of moves.  He can turn the corner reasonably well and is helped by his relentless battle.  Then, you can line him up at the strong-side (LDE) where his ability to deal with the run is put on full display and that might be where he is really better than his size would indicate.  He squares to the line and then can shoot gaps and anticipate the snap with speedy "get-off" and demonstrate some great athleticism.  Additionally, he is moved inside on pass rush downs and can get isolated with a guard and push the pocket up.  He has really long arms and uses them well with a push/pull technique that is too much for many of the college linemen he faced.  His motor and his dimensions both really work in his favor.

What I did not like:  When you see a player who missed an entire year with hip issues in college, that surely gives you pause.  There is no question that the version of Odighizuwa in September and the same player in November were two different players, so his recovery might mean that he is available a bit deeper in the draft if all things were equal health-wise.  He also doesn't show the bend to turn the corner that someone like DeMarcus Ware had. This means that his angles to the Quarterback are not as sharp, meaning he cannot get there as quickly.  This is not a major issue, just an admission that he might not have as high a ceiling as those above him, but still very solid.

Summary:  Overall, I really like this player for the Cowboys in the late 1st or 2nd.  He is perfect for their scheme and he possesses the tools that Rod Marinelli values with a high motor and a relentless battle level.  He seems like the type of young piece that you could add to Tyrone Crawford and DeMarcus Lawrence and feel pretty solid about, provided he passes all of his medical exams to make sure the hip is not the sort of thing that is recurring.  His production has not been quite as high as I might like at UCLA (6 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss in 2014), but keep in mind that he really was working his way back and had a quiet first month.   After that, his production was pretty solid for the remainder of the year.  You don't always find defensive ends who appear to have better than average ability at pass rushing and run stopping, but I think Odighizuwa can be that type of guy. He appears to be a piece that Marinelli could really mold into another edge rush option that could offer reasonably-priced sacks for years to come.  I would keep an eye on this guy in the Cowboys range.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.