Blocking

[DallasDiehard]

Want evidence of why Coach Bennett is recruiting all these offensive linemen? Did you see that loss to the Redskins today? Emmitt Smith didn't have room to breathe. Washington has a good defense, but Dallas made them look like the 1986 Bears today. How depressing! You can make arguments that the team had quit because of Jerry Jones and his theatrics with Campo and Bill Parcells (I don't believe the Dennis Green talk for a minute), but come on! Emmitt had no running lanes, and Chad Hutchinson might be in traction for a month the way the Skins were killing him today. They have some studs over there, like LaVar Arrington, but this was not a great Washington defense. There was no Dexter Manley, or Dave Butz, of (for the older fans out there) Diron Talbert (at least Manley and Talbert are Texans.)

Anyway, what today showed is that you can NEVER have too many good blockers. At the beginning of the season, most fans looked at Larry Allen, Solomon Page, Flozell Adams and that rookie from Colorado and thought that we might not win a ton of games, but at least Emmitt would have running room and Quincy Carter/Hutch would live through the season.

Carry that over to our team. We need Steve Reindl, Brad Kieschnick, Sterling Harris and Townsend Hargis to come back in August in amazing condition - and be stronger than ever before. We need them to not only put the work in, but to teach the young guys that the 2003 season has started already, and that they need to spend every non-classroom/study minute in the weightroom or outside running. They should get to know Coach Faucette better than their roommates and girlfriends. They need to take Dustin Morton, Martin Guidry, Chris Urbanus and the rest of the redshirt linemen and make them into conditioning fanatics. And as soon as they're allowed to, we need guys like Justin Boren, Bryan Turner, Kenard Burley and the rest of the incoming freshmen to do the same.

We can (and should) be excited about the return of Comet, and we should enjoy the skill guys we have like Keylon Kincade, Daniel Francis, Jonas Rutledge, etc. But without the big guys on the line, nothing will work on either side of the ball. What an ugly end to an ugly season for the Cowboys. I hope we never see SMU's line in that condition. That was pitiful.

[whatasteve]

Our man PerunaPunch has sold me out enough times that it's no secret that I'm a huge Redskins fan. But even I admit that no matter how nice it was to see that awful streak of losses to Dallas end, that was one of the ugliest "wins" ever. I don't think Washington won yesterday - Dallas just lost worse than Washington did.

However, I echo everything Dallas Diehard said about the importance of the linemen. They are vital to everything we want and need to accomplish, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of the new beef.

Nice Dave Butz reference, by the way! #65 was a beast.

[MustangFan]

Who let a Redskins fan on our site?

Who's Dave Butz?

[EastStang]

I was at the game yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed the outcome. Although give the Redskins d-line some credit, Darrell Gardner was an all-pro with Miami before he hurt his back. I think he missed the last game with Dallas. Bruce Smith is a Hall of Fame end. LaVar is the real deal. The W. Post said that they prepared to stop the run. It was their goal to deny any lanes to Emmitt and to deny him the 1000 yard season. Once they stuffed Emmitt, they forced Hutchison to pass. I was surprised he got up after that fumble sack by Smith. I was glad they got the ball to Darrell Green on that reverse. He started his career against the Cowboys and ended it against the Cowboys. No one here in DC will forget him catching Tony Dorsett from behind.

[whatasteve]

That play when Green chased down Dorsett, along with John Riggins' 43-yard run in the Super Bowl when he crushed Don McNeal for the winning TD against Miami, are my two favorite plays ever.

And MustangFan, Dave Buts was a huge DT for the Skins for about a dozen years. Big, nasty, ugly, and a terrific player.

[FloridaMustang]

As a diehard Florida Gators fan, GO SPURRIER! oops..i mean, hooray..cowboys...*snore*