There is a big difference in college level strength and pro level. It also mostly comes down to his technique. He is slow off the ball, that can be coached up. Everything else I think can be coached or taught.

Woods Ag said:

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He was drafted to be a pillar. He was drafted because he ALREADY was strong.

Now he needs time to develop strength? I don't buy it.

Go look at the last 5-10 drafts and find a DT that was drafted in the 1st round that became someone if he wasn't already good his rookie year. You'll have an even harder time finding a NT like he was projected to be.

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Yeah he's strong and explosive but he clearly has a lot to learn. He gets handled by experienced interior lineman and he's a mess fighting double teams. These aren't easy things he needs to do while on the field.

Can he really be coached up if he's slow off the ball? Can you teach reaction time? I always heard you can't teach speed.

Or are yall saying he's just thinking too much in the split second post snap and his reaction time is fine?

Macarthur said:

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bonfarr said:

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Danny Vermin said:

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Some of us have been saying that all year. I realize it's a different position but look at Tolbert, he was awful his first season and has improved so much. It takes time for most players.

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Tolbert wasn't a first round pick, there is a huge difference between the guy you take in the 1st vs the 3rd. With a 1st unless the position is QB you expect immediate production from your 1st rd pick every year. Not saying he is a bust at all but if we draft a guy in the 1st too often that take three years to provide meaningful snaps then the talent level is going to drop quickly.

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What production would you expect w a rookie 1T that everyone knew was not in a position that generates a ton of stats?

Let me give you the numbers on two guys.

Player 1 - 14 games 12 tackles 8 solo 1 sack

Player 2 - 13 games 18 tackles 8 solo 0 sacks

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I don't really care about tackle stats. The fact that we are in the last quarter of the regular season and the coaches still don't see him as capable of being in the 2 deep is all I care about. As a NT if he had 1 tackle a game but was able to hold ground and redirect people in the middle I would be good with that as long as he was able to see the field. He was drafted to be a run stuffing NT so I don't expect double digit tackles or sacks out of the guy like Aaron Donald

But he is in the 2 deep and starting now because Hankins was dinged up

bonfarr said:

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Macarthur said:

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bonfarr said:

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Danny Vermin said:

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Some of us have been saying that all year. I realize it's a different position but look at Tolbert, he was awful his first season and has improved so much. It takes time for most players.

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Tolbert wasn't a first round pick, there is a huge difference between the guy you take in the 1st vs the 3rd. With a 1st unless the position is QB you expect immediate production from your 1st rd pick every year. Not saying he is a bust at all but if we draft a guy in the 1st too often that take three years to provide meaningful snaps then the talent level is going to drop quickly.

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What production would you expect w a rookie 1T that everyone knew was not in a position that generates a ton of stats?

Let me give you the numbers on two guys.

Player 1 - 14 games 12 tackles 8 solo 1 sack

Player 2 - 13 games 18 tackles 8 solo 0 sacks

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I don't really care about tackle stats. The fact that we are in the last quarter of the regular season and the coaches still don't see him as capable of being in the 2 deep is all I care about. As a NT if he had 1 tackle a game but was able to hold ground and redirect people in the middle I would be good with that as long as he was able to see the field. He was drafted to be a run stuffing NT so I don't expect double digit tackles or sacks out of the guy like Aaron Donald

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He'd been playing 15-20 snaps a game prior to the Hankins injury. I bet his numbers were higher against Buffalo and will continue to be higher the rest of the season.

ChemAg15 said:

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Can he really be coached up if he's slow off the ball? Can you teach reaction time? I always heard you can't teach speed.

Or are yall saying he's just thinking too much in the split second post snap and his reaction time is fine?

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Natural speed, you're right cannot be taught. You can however teach someone to anticipate snap counts, and learn to be proactive instead of reactive. I know the defense can't really be proactive perse, but you can def teach him to just get off the damn ball and penetrate.

gigem1223 said:

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So there's still a small chance that if both the Eagles and Cowboys win out that the Cowboys can win the tiebreaker based on strength of victory. Currently our SOV is 5 games back of Philadelphia's. Obviously with 3 weeks to play we could make that up if the cards fall right.

Always Root for:
Seahawks

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Very true.

We trip on our dicks when it counts and have for 28 years.

It's hard to win a championship. But we trip on the sidewalk on the way into the dance and it'll take someone or some team special to break it.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/cowboys-players-personal-info-leaked-disgruntled-fans-social-media-blowout-loss-bills

I thought Kearse stunk the place up last Sunday but not cool to doxx his address and phone number on the net.

Tyron officially ruled out Sunday. Let's hope Edoga can hold things down

All I do is Nguyen said:

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Tyron officially ruled out Sunday. Let's hope Edoga can hold things down

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great timing

I dont think any team is unbeatable in the playoffs this year

Cowboys line is not providing any protection .. pocket non existent

Bah. I made prime rib, ate until i could bust, and passed out.

What'd I miss?

Cowboys are frauds. Offense is not good in any way currently.

Cowboys have been bipolar.

This team sucks. It's every freaking year we do this. Every. Freaking. Year.

Whatever. At least it won't be heartbreaking when they lose in the wildcard round.

Winnable game but offense went in to a coma for too long.

This game is just a microcosm of the Cowboys for the past 27 years. Start out strong enough, s4|t the bed in the end. The defense did a good enough job most of the game until the last drive, but the offense going nonexistent after the 2nd drive(after they came away with zero on the first drive) is what F'd them this game.

ChemAg15 said:

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Whatever. At least it won't be heartbreaking when they lose in the wildcard round.

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Lol this team isn't losing to the NFC south. Gtfo

I don't know how you fix this team either without some coaching and player changes. They've GOT to find some better beef upfront on both lines and linebackers. We are soft as a team because of this, but also because of our coaches mentality imo.

This game doesn't matter if the Eagles drop one to the giants. Need to win next week.

Good thing I bet on the dolphins straight up

gigem1223 said:

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This game doesn't matter if the Eagles drop one to the giants. Need to win next week.

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Technically it doesn't but the ability to go on the road and beat a playoff team matters. I know a play or two or a call or two changes that to a road win but I would've liked Dallas taking matters into their own hands instead of relying on Tommy Devito x2 and Kyler to bolster the Boys chances of a home playoff game.

While I agree the LT play today was horrendous, you do NOT move lineman around like that. There's so much that goes into technique, footwork, pass sets, etc that change from guard to tackle. Even if it worked for this game he may have been screwed up for the next weeks game also