APDez Bryant deserves credit for playing the last two weeks at less than 100%. He made the key catch in the win against the Redskins and caught two touchdowns against the Lions.
The problem is that Bryant has yet to play four healthy quarters in a row all year. By the second half on Sunday, he was clearly gassed or not feeling right. All three of his catches against Detroit came in the first half.
“Receivers need to be able to run throughout the ballgame, and when you don’t practice and you don’t run throughout the week, it’s hard for you to maintain the pace that you need to maintain throughout a 60-minute game,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday.
Garrett said that conditioning is definitely a concern because Bryant has barely practiced this season. The team is hoping that the bye week helps to heal Dez and Miles Austin.
While Laurent Robinson had a big day against Detroit, the last three weeks have exposed Dallas’ lack of receiver depth. This just isn’t a playoff-caliber offense unless Bryant and Austin are both at full speed.
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This is truly shocking. Dez has been pretty injury free over his career, no?
This guy could be a MONSTER if he spent an off season with Larry Fitzegerald.
It was good to see him finally wearing thigh pads anyway. Good thing they don’t play the playoffs in September or October.
Make him practice with all his bling on. It’d be like running with a weight jacket on.
Funny. You would think he would get quite the workout from running back and forth to the mall with all that heavy jewelry around his neck.
This headline is kind of misleading.
I thought it was going to be Garrett questioning his dedication to staying in shape, but it’s really just him being injured hasn’t allowed him to practice fully.
U mean Rob Ryan my have exaggerated when he said his defense practices against better receivers everyday in practice when asked about defending Calvin Johnson?
Well, yeah. I can’t agree more. It’s wonderful to catch two touchdown passes and all, but when you FREAKING disappear when your team needs you and your QB is trying to throw to guys who don’t know the playbook is a bit of a problem, DEZ!
Put a little more work in on conditioning, maybe you’ll make it to the THIRD quarter!
I guess Dez didn’t get the memo that this is the NFL, not college, and you have to be a conditioned athlete to make it at this level and play four full quarters.
Yes, WR depth is an issue, but it could be worse.
Dallas WR castoffs go to Chicago.
Chicago WR castoffs go to Minnesota.
Yeah, good thing Dallas addressed this in the off season. I mean, there aren’t any serviceable WR’s out there (housh, moss).
I know injuries happen, and the next guy up has to step up, but realistic fans are starting to get concerned about this house of cards.
“This just isn’t a playoff-caliber offense unless Bryant and Austin are both at full speed.”
LOL…this isn’t a playoff caliber offense unless Tony Romo stops playing like a luxury version of Rex Grossman and figures out what color jersey he’s supposed to throw to…receivers be damned!
PS, that was sarcasm in regards to the WR comment. I was trying not to let my boss see how much I am posting, haha
Their third WR is Megatron, right?
He’s 22 and gassed?
That is a B.S. excuse. I have seen many other PROFESSIONAL WR’s be hampered by injury, not practice all week, and still be able to run for 4 quarters. This is an issue of his work ethic. period. Hurry up Miles Austin!
Face it Jason, Dez Bryant is an OVERALL, unstable concern.
Dez Bryant = tick tick tick…BOOM on many levels
” This just isn’t a playoff-caliber offense unless Bryant and Austin are both at full speed.”
Don’t think anyone who watched the Cowboys wouldn’t agree with that statement.
Hey, where’s Vox…er…Melonhead…er…Bring backtheflex?
Well lets not forget Calvin Johnson has been fighting an injury all year and what has he done. 2 touchdowns in every game. Plays hard all 4 quarters. And what the Lions are 4-0.
I am by far not a Cowgirl fan, but they will never go anywhere unless you solve the real problem. Get rid of Romo.
Dez could become a poor mans Roy Williams if he puts in the proper effort for a half year or two
Every Wednesday put 20,000 dollar stacks 100 yards apart, make him run back and forth with a wheelbarrel to collect his pay, and he continues to do this until his game check is fully collected or 20 minutes is reached…
WOW! How many EXCUSES can the COWBOYS come up with?
Hey, where’s Vox…er…Melonhead…er…Bring backtheflex?
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spell melonhead’s name with two N’s in a post and you’ll find out what happened to him.
Dallas needs to hire TO as the strength and conditioning coach. Conditionong would never be a concern.
But all in all the biggest, failure is not just on the player it is on the STR % Cond coach. There are alternate low impact was to build conditioning that anyone with even an inkling of knowledge knows. It is called swimming, it uses almost every muscle in the body, and really challenges cardio.
The Cowboys just need to stop thinking they are going to win because they are “The Cowboys” and start pushing their players instead of having them rest on their butts in the Blinged out locker rooms, that Jerry built.
I am always surprised when I see articles about professional athletes not being in shape for their sport over a quarter of the season deep.
This is similar to my office admin / manager telling us she isn’t prepared to type today or prepare our excel spreadsheets.
comeonnowguys says:
Oct 4, 2011 9:40 AM
Yes, WR depth is an issue, but it could be worse.
Dallas WR castoffs go to Chicago.
Chicago WR castoffs go to Minnesota.
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LMAO!! And if you’re Randy Moss, Minnesota WR castoffs go to Minnesota.
I believe his nutrition has just as much to do with his conditioning issues as anything else. I’m certain that the Cowboys have a nutritionist on staff, and if not, he could easily hire one. With proper nutrition, alot of these conditioning issues can be resolved. He’s still young too, so if he gets into those good nutritional habits now, it could prolong his career by a couple years.
Just a thought.
But all in all the biggest, failure is not just on the player it is on the STR % Cond coach.
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Yeah well the lockout made it hard on a lot of guys. Mike Woicik is their S&C coach so no worries there. Bryant just hasn’t been able to practice much with that deep thigh bruise thing.
Gotta wonder if he was really working hard during the lockout. You can really see the guys who spent their free time staying in top shape. Injuries happen to well conditioned athletes, but with his history of attitude problems we have to wonder if he has a great work ethic.
Would be nice to see what he could do at 100% though…
I don’t see why they’re coming up with excuses for this guy. He’s a chump and won’t amount to anything because his attitude sucks.
I don’t see why they’re coming up with excuses for this guy. He’s a chump and won’t amount to anything because his attitude sucks.
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As poorly conditioned as he may be, he’s still on pace for 12 TDs. That’s with guys like Ogletree, Holley and Robinson on the other side mostly.
His conditioning is a symptom and not the problem. His attitude is the problem. Granted, he has been injured but it is his attitude that drives the level of commitment he shows. Looks like JJ may have found his Randy Moss. Dez is great for a while and then completely disappearsdue to lack of effort. With Jerry Rice’s attitude and work ethic Dez could be the greatest receiver in NFL history. Unfortunately, he has Moss’ attitude and will do the bare minimum. It’s a shame when talent like that is not used to its fullest extent.
Maybe Dez and Donovan McNabb should work out together.
kingkreg12 says:
Oct 4, 2011 11:30 AM
Gotta wonder if he was really working hard during the lockout. You can really see the guys who spent their free time staying in top shape.
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He was coming off a broken ankle and wasn’t cleared to run until after the lockout ended. He likely did some conditioning but not as much as he could have if he was cleared.
gcsuk says:
Funny. You would think he would get quite the workout from running back and forth to the mall with all that heavy jewelry around his neck.
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That there is racist but I love it.
FREE DEZ BRYANT!
Tell him to pull his pants up!
The Cowboys and Eagles lead the NFC East in complaining, whining, and excuses. Matter of fact they have to be 1 and 1a in the entire league.
If Dez hadn’t spent so much energy flapping his gums, he might have been able to catch a pass in the second half.
How about your play calling???
He’s still got one of the three best WRs on this team.
(Calvin continues to look down at the podium while smugly defying it with subliminals).
prophetic, now do something about it Garrett !!!
@jacunn2000:
NO IF HE WAS GOING TO HANG OUT WITH ANYONE IN THE OFF SEASON IT SHOULD BE MICHAEL IRVIN AND IF NOT HIM SOMEONE IN THE HALL OF FAME