Originally posted by themole
Perhaps it should be made a manditory read before a member can log on. That would certainly cut down on the anti Norv post.
If anything it should increase the anti-Norv posts.
What Mr. Murder pointed out was that the Cowboys had the offensive talent to get it done. The Saint Louis Rams (since the trade for Faulk) have had the talent to get it done. If you notice a downfield scheme is always dependant upon two excellent wide receivers (Holt and Bruce, Price and Moulds, Irvin and Harper). We don't have that and it's damn difficult to find a team will. The Cowboys attained theirs through the Herschel Walker trade. The Rams attained theirs through perennially sucking and a gift from Indianapolis in Marshall Faulk. Buffalo meanwhile could not mount the defense or offensive line to match their skill players last year.
My point is that you have to go horizontally (ala Walsh) to meet the average play that can be attained. The scheme has to be "average" to meet the "average" talent.
This blueprint is all over the NFL. Philadelphia can't seem to find out which RB to use because they all succeed because of the system. New England has the same trait. The Ravens won the SB with a lessor QB that was quickly snapped up by another Walsh coach in Seattle. The teams that are winning today are the teams that are giving their players a chance with the system. It's not the reverse case as it was with the 90's Cowboys and 1999 Rams.
Check out the "success" a downfield attack based upon running between the tackles to bring the linebackers in is having in the NFL. In the AFC "giveaway" department, the teams that run a Walsh system or a similar spread offense seem to be taking care of the ball better.
Check it out (AFC).
Meanwhile in the NFC, our counterparts that are running the same Gillman approach of running between the tackles to open up downfield lead the division in "giveaways".
Check it out (NFC).
I believe that it is not coincidence that the two guys (Martz and Turner) that are linked at the Zampese hip are turning the ball over the most. You think it's coincidence?
Check out the results for the 2002 season. Same system, same results in the "giveaway" department.
AFC (Miami 30)
NFC (Rams 45)
The difference between the two teams is that one has more offensive talent to overcome the turnovers. That is why this system is flawed. It's difficult to amass the talent needed for it to succeed in the free agency era.
Look back to where the system first gained it's prominence. Dan Fouts, Charlie Joiner, and Kellen Winslow were the stars that made it successful. The 90's Cowboys were Aikman, Irvin, and Novachek. The 1999 Rams were Warner, Bruce, Hakim, and Holt.
The question you have to ask yourself in the free agency era is "Are we one name away from Fiedler, McMichael, Thompson, and Chambers matching the names above?" I believe we have two. The problem is that one of them is a year away from free agency.