SB Nation - Jason Hatcher

Final Notes for the Third and Fourth Quarter

John Morgan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:10:59 -0000

by LM Otero - AP

I would be surprised if Matt Hasselbeck makes it through this season without missing further time.

Here's a final notes roundup for the third quarter and whatever it was that followed.

Max Unger struggled playing from behind. Jason Hatcher ran through him with ease and hit Matt Hasselbeck, producing the image we see above.

I cringe thinking Nate Burleson is Seattle's #1 receiver. He is low motor, struggles with drops and is every bit the receiver DVOA casts him as: -5.2%. When we talk trade candidates and remaking the Seahawks roster, I hope Burleson continues his thousand yard pace and can fetch something fair this spring.

To the bitter end, Greg Knapp got his fullback involved in the pass game. To the bitter end.

Kelly Jennings has worked the futile attempt at the ball into his repertoire. It joins the "fall down", the "where's the ball", the "leapt over" and, of course, the "close but no cigar".

It's not epidemic, but it is weekly. Colin Cole was doubled almost to the first down marker and Marion Barber converted the first on his was to an easy 15.

Cory Redding played extensively at defensive tackle and looked active and disruptive. His presence inside allows Seattle a couple new looks in its rotation: the double three paired with Brandon Mebane and the hands unit paired with Red Bryant.

David Hawthorne blitzed into Mebane but moved with such force that he freed himself and Mebane from his blocker. Mebane delivered a finishing hit on Tony Romo, but Hawthorne tore through for the hit and strip. Hawthorne might be the best in-line blitzer on this roster - better even than Leroy Hill.

Jordan Babineaux continued to play ably against an elite corps of Cowboys skill position players. If he can continue to improve, don't be surprised if Babineaux is Seattle's free safety in 2010 and beyond.

The Valley Ranch Review: Coaches, Players, Fans Excited for OTA Week

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:18:07 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Coach Joe D is back! His presence should help players, such as #31 DeAngelo Smith, return the Cowboys' special teams units to hard-nosed dependability.

Browse more photos »

The Cowboys are set to participate in this week's OTAs at Standridge Stadium in Carrollton. Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis is even there!

DeCamillis showed up today for the first day of organized team activities, wearing a neck brace but walking around among the players as they warmed up. He was released from the hospital May 10, just eight days after getting hurt.

The 43-year-old DeCamillis was carrying coaching notes as he made his way around the team's temporary practice facility with another assistant coach.

Hat tip to cowboy78 for the FanShot.

Roy Williams looks forward to being an integral part of the passing game, starting today. So does all-world TE Jason Witten.

"There is a lot of pressure, myself included, to make up that ground," said tight end Jason Witten. "In order for us to be the best team, we've got to be able to make some plays in the passing game. There are going to have to be a lot of guys step up, I know Roy (Williams) embraces that challenge of being the guy."

Per the DMN blog, here are some of the expected absences for practice thus far:

K Nick Folk (recovering from hip surgery), G Kyle Kosier (recovering from foot surgery), CB Mike Mickens (school), OLB Victor Butler (school), DE Jason Hatcher (knee scope), and DT Tim Anderson (toe injury which will require surgery).

More VRR after the jump, including some quick notes on today's practice and a video (thanks to DCFanatic) on Coach Joe's return!

Coach Joe D shows up for OTA's (via DCFanatic8)

Much gratitude to Timmy Mac for his OTA observations today. Below are some quick hits I pulled from his blog. Click here for McMahon's complete rundown.

- While the QBs and WRs were getting their timing down, it sounds like the 'best-hands' battle so far is between Roy Williams and Sam Hurd.

- Jon Kitna's arm looks strong as ever.

- SS Gerald Sensabaugh and CB Mike Jenkins took all the 1st-string reps at their respective positions.

- Tony Romo conducted his first press conference of the season. Todd Archer has more of what QB#9 said here.

Thanks also to DC.com's Nick Eatman. I also pulled a few observations off of his blog. Click here for his complete rundown.

- Greg Ellis ran with the first team at OLB; Keith Brooking (as expected) started at ILB.

- Montrae Holland started at LG for Kosier.

- Felix Jones looked to be at full strength. Sweet!

Felix Jones is excited to be working out again with the team.

Jones has gone through only one longer absence, when he broke his ankle as a junior in high school.

"This humbled me a little bit more, led me to be more aware of what is going on," Jones said.

Rehab was slow and monotonous but necessary. And the burst has returned.

"I've tested my body," Jones said. "My body is finally responding the way I want it to respond."

[snip]

"The vets look at me as a rookie still, but I still have something to prove every time I step on the field," he said. "I just can't wait to get on the field with the same intensity I had when I came in as a rookie. I have it even more now."

Friend of BTB, Tashard Choice, is quickly becoming an even bigger friend to the Dallas community. His charity golf event held yesterday at the Brookhaven Country Club, benefitted the Single Parent Foundation of Dallas and the North Texas Georgia Tech Student Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Jason Garrett won't let last year's disappointments or rumors regarding his Dallas future distract him from his job.

"I think the biggest thing I’ve learned, and it’s from personal experience but also talking to other people, is don’t be distracted by either one," Garrett said. "Don’t believe it when it’s good and don’t believe it when it’s bad."

[snip]

"They’re going to say great things about you and say things that aren’t so great," Garrett said. "But what you have to do is believe in what you believe in and you try to come to work every day, you try to work hard and put your best foot forward and you go forward."

Former USC Trojan Matt Spanos, who worked mostly at center in the rookie mini-camp, expects to get some work at guard this week.

Former PGA champ Rich Beem has set up a charity for injured Cowboys' asst. scout Rich Behm, calling it the Beem Fore Behm plan.

Beem has pledged $100 for every birdie he makes to the Behm family. With the help of the PGA TOUR and the Cowboys, pledges will be taken at both tournaments, where fans can name their own donation for birdies made by Beem or any other player in the field. Those pledges will be collected, and the donors who come closest to guessing the total number of birdies made each week will win a set of custom-fit Callaway Golf clubs.

In addition, Beem's golf bag, signed by other players, is being offered as a silent auction item in the Cowboys tent at the TPC Four Seasons Resort.

Here are some new pics showing the progress at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

Film review: Defense, Cowboys @ Browns

Dave Halprin — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:37:15 -0000

The second part of the film review focusing on the defense. You can read the review of the offense, here.

NT – I liked the game Jay Ratliff played. None of the Cowboys racked up a lot of tackles in the game because their offense controlled the clock. Ratliff had a couple of good tackles though on run defense, penetrated the line to disrupt a run and had a good pressure from the DE position - he got quite a few reps at that spot. He looked to be the most active player of the front three and the backups. Tank Johnson really didn’t have a lot to show for the game except a nice QB hit but he also picked up an offsides penalty. But in general, the Browns weren’t that successful sustaining the run so some credit goes to the guys up the middle.

DE – Well, not much from Marcus Spears in the game. He made one great stuff in the backfield and not much else. Chris Canty didn’t play that great, I saw him twice get blown off the line against the run and he never really got pressure on the QB. He batted a pass down but the play was negated by a penalty and picked up a couple of tackles. Jason Hatcher was invisible, a big disappointment. Stephen Bowen got one good tackle against the run.

While the front-six rotation didn’t get make a lot of dynamic plays, they did control the line of scrimmage pretty well. A solid game up front but no real highlights.

OLB – DeMarcus Ware was actually one of the better players against the run in this game. He made some good tackles after fighting off blocks. He never generated much of a pass rush, Joe Thomas played a good game and they chipped Ware on occasion to slow him down. He did get a sack and a fumble on a speed rush at the end of the game. Greg Ellis’ role of knocking Winslow around and dropping into coverage has already been discussed. When Ellis didn’t bump Winslow, Kellen was much more successful. Ellis got one QB pressure on a stunt to the middle. But he missed a couple of key tackles in the running game that helped Jamal Lewis bust off a couple of long runs.

ILB – Bradie James was not the most active player out there on Sunday. He also missed a tackle on Lewis on a long run. He did have one nice fill of the hole but was largely absent from playmaking on the day. Zach Thomas played a pretty good game against the run but it was his blitzing skills that really paid off. Three different times he came on blitzes up the middle and got pressure on the QB forcing quick throws and incompletions. Kevin Burnett didn’t do a lot on defense except for one good penetration at the goal line but he did have three different plays on special teams coverage that stood out. Bobby Carpenter was largely absent from the proceedings.

CB – Anthony Henry had more plays occur around him than almost anybody on the defense. He made a sweet tackle on a hitch pass, broke up passes twice on third down, and got pressure on a blitz but the Browns capitalized on the play anyway. On the negative side, he gave up a couple of pass completions, and had a miscommunication with Hamlin on the Winslow TD. He also looked like he was beat by Braylon Edwards deep on the ball that was dropped, but he had outside coverage and Hamlin was supposed to be inside coverage, but Hamlin let Edwards go and doubled the dig route underneath, leaving Henry exposed. Adam Jones was most notable for his pass interference call in the endzone and for muffing a punt. But he did break up a pass on third down and really didn’t get beat for much otherwise. Orlando Scandrick had a bad penalty to extend the Browns TD drive after they were stopped on third down and he whiffed on a tackle after giving up a completion. He redeemed himself with good coverage on a third down pass and not giving up a lot of receptions. I really never saw Mike Jenkins involved in a play; with corners that can be a good thing, I just don't know how many reps he got though.

S- Ken Hamlin cleaned up a lot of the catches in the secondary by making quick tackles and he also lowered the boom on a Browns WR causing an incompletion. But he had the two issues with Henry mentioned before, something they need to work on this week. Roy Williams was neither here nor there. He gave up two passes on the day to the TE’s for modest yards and really wasn’t involved in stopping the run. Pat Watkins and Courtney Brown never showed up on film making plays.