Has TO lost a step? (1 Viewer)

[Da Guru]

TO will be 35 in a month.

Watching the game yesterday I focused on TO on many plays. Although still a huge WR, it seemed like he was not quite as explosive off the line like he has been in the past. The DBs were able to lock him up and run with him.

There is no doubt that TO will still be productive but at 35 are we starting to see a decline in the speed of TO?

It seems like the Cowboys should start using TO like the cards use Fitz, letting Fitz out jump smaller DBs, Fitz is not a burner but uses his big body to make plays.

 

[SCT]

no.

 

[phthalatemagic]

Judging by his drops, I think he lost a hand too

 

[NorrisB]

no.

 

[Da Guru]

no.

Owens is not getting the separation that he has in the past. Something else must be going on then.

 

[B Maverick]

he looks like he isnt giving the effort on plays he thinks arent designed for him to get the ball. he runs the same routes every week. I saw three straight plays where he got jammed and went outside the defender then a fly route. How can you expect him to get a ball when his routes are all deep. The one or two short routes or drag routes he didnt get the ball and he dropped the one post i remember.

This week was the first time i have seen him in the slot or changing sides of the field. There were several passes that went to the shorter route when TO was open down field.

BUT I think he is turning back into TO (from his end in Philly and SF) and sulking when he isnt the focal point. His tirade after his 18 target day seems to have made Romo want to look elsewhere first and now TO knows it. He isnt giving his best effort, very Randy Moss like in his taking plays off.

 

[Manster]

TO will be 35 in a month.Watching the game yesterday I focused on TO on many plays. Although still a huge WR, it seemed like he was not quite as explosive off the line like he has been in the past. The DBs were able to lock him up and run with him.There is no doubt that TO will still be productive but at 35 are we starting to see a decline in the speed of TO?It seems like the Cowboys should start using TO like the cards use Fitz, letting Fitz out jump smaller DBs, Fitz is not a burner but uses his big body to make plays.

ummm, you saw the TD pass against Cincy, right? TO still has that extra gear. TO is not the problem with this offense. if the O-line was playing up to par this thread wouldnt exist.

 

[Ballstein]

TO-NO

Too many weapons and opions for cowboys. If he wasnt there, the other players on offense wouldn't be as effective

 

[BigTuna]

He should be declining soon. He's older than dirt. If I had him in a dynasty league, I'd be looking to move him. This year he'll continue to be a stud when romo comes back. When you get as many targets as he does. you're bound to put up some stats.

 

[ImTheScientist]

YES! He has lost a step.

 

[texasheat]

Ci

 

[Da Guru]

You are right, maybe TO is just taking plays off that are not coming to him.

And I agree, I am seeing a transformation into the old TO the last few weeks, the pouting and yelling on the bench. I don`t like it. I have him in two leagues so I hope he does not erupt.

 

[doubletrouble]

see this clip, he is behind Felix and then catches up to him....does it look like he lost a step?

 

[Mr. Black]

HELL NO...... I love how people watch the football shows on t.v. after a game and they show you 1-2 clips where TO was bumped and now all of the sudden TO doesn't like contact and these stupid questions come up about has TO lost a step. Did you just not watch the catch and run against Cinci and did you not watch TO on the block to spring Felix a fee weeks ago. People quit over reacting.

 

[cowboyz]

You are right, maybe TO is just taking plays off that are not coming to him.And I agree, I am seeing a trasformation into the old TO the last few weeks, the pouting and yelling on the bench. I don`t like it. I have him in two leagues so I hope he does not erupt.

he's going to erupt with BJ at the helm. you better trade him now while he still has value

 

[buck naked]

no.

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

 

[Da Guru]

no.

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

TO will be 35 in a month. That was the basis of my original post. Father time catches every great WR. Jerry Rice played on after he slowed down but he was not the same player. TO will still be effective, but he seems to drop more passes and take more plays off as he is getting older.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

no.

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

TO will be 35 in a month. That was the basis of my original post. Father time catches every great WR. Jerry Rice played on after he slowed down but he was not the same player. TO will still be effective, but he seems to drop more passes and take more plays off as he is getting older.

He hasn't lost a step. If he loses heart, that's one thing, but there was a story on him earlier in the year on ESPN about how he zeroed in on his speed more this off-season and how it was paying dividends in practice against Pacman and in the first couple games.

 

[Manster]

no.

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

TO will be 35 in a month. That was the basis of my original post. Father time catches every great WR. Jerry Rice played on after he slowed down but he was not the same player. TO will still be effective, but he seems to drop more passes and take more plays off as he is getting older.

He hasn't lost a step. If he loses heart, that's one thing, but there was a story on him earlier in the year on ESPN about how he zeroed in on his speed more this off-season and how it was paying dividends in practice against Pacman and in the first couple games.

the guy is a physical specimen. he should have a couple more top-tier WR yrs. if he has a mental breakdown, thats a different thread.

 

[T Bell]

I'm both a Cowboys hater and a TO hater, and I'll straight up say "No, he hasn't lost a step."

I think what you're seeing is a combination of things. First, as Shawn Springs showed a couple of weeks ago, if you have a big, physical CB who can jam him at the line in combination with a safety over the top, this is the best way to defend him. Despite his big size, TO is not all that physical of a player in terms of playing style. He relies more on speed than toughness/strength to make his plays. And with that sort of coverage scheme, Romo has shown a willingness to check down off of TO and go elsewhere with the ball.

Second, I do believe that beneath the surface there are tensions brewing with TO. As I've said before, he's a fair weather friend as a player. When things are going well (meaning, well for TO and maybe for the team too), then he's happy and smiling. When they're not, he starts to pout. It's been said for sometime that if you don't get TO "involved in the offense" early in games, he has a tendency to throttle down on his routes. That too may have been what you were looking at.

 

[KingEl]

A few weeks ago, Romo was intercepted, TO got pancaked blocked to the ground, got up, ran ACROSS the field, caught up to the interceptor who had a 20yd ahead and across the field lead, and was the only Cowboy to catch him! The same game as others have showed. TO started from a deadstop as a full speed Felix Jones ran past him, caught Jones and passed him!! I posted it at the time and still say-- his speed is amazing and the man puts it out on the fball field!!! My opponent had him yesterday so I was rooting against him, but the past several weeks, TO has been doing real team player things like above... Maybe he is starting to revert back and lose focus.. but it's not his speed that is in question..

Remember, even the Raiders were saying Moss "couldn't run" anymore a few years ago. Then last year, he was all world.. this year not so much when things are going against him.. we may be seeing that with TO!

 

[Mr. Black]

I'm both a Cowboys hater and a TO hater, and I'll straight up say "No, he hasn't lost a step." I think what you're seeing is a combination of things. First, as Shawn Springs showed a couple of weeks ago, if you have a big, physical CB who can jam him at the line in combination with a safety over the top, this is the best way to defend him. Despite his big size, TO is not all that physical of a player in terms of playing style. He relies more on speed than toughness/strength to make his plays. And with that sort of coverage scheme, Romo has shown a willingness to check down off of TO and go elsewhere with the ball. Second, I do believe that beneath the surface there are tensions brewing with TO. As I've said before, he's a fair weather friend as a player. When things are going well (meaning, well for TO and maybe for the team too), then he's happy and smiling. When they're not, he starts to pout. It's been said for sometime that if you don't get TO "involved in the offense" early in games, he has a tendency to throttle down on his routes. That too may have been what you were looking at.

Some of you act like this is the 1st time TO has ever been covered like this before. LOL! at TO not being physical. He hasn't lost anything physically so lets just stop with those questions. It is easy to take a wr out of a game all you have to do is roll coverage and double team and any smart QB is gonna throw else where especially when you have other talented players like Witten.

 

[OU#1]

I only read the OP, and with that being said:

I can't believe I'm seeing this post after TO caught up to that guy on that INT...

I can't believe I'm seeing this post after TO caught and passed Felix Jones...

I can't believe I'm seeing this post after TO ripped a 70 yarder last week on a skinny post/slant...

Unfortunately I get every Dallas game here and TO has NOT lost a step. You need to be thinking along the lines of the NFL's Usain Bolt. Dude can blaze with the best of em.

If he's lost anything it's his mind. He's got all the physical ability in the world.

 

[Mr. Black]

I only read the OP, and with that being said:I can't believe I'm seeing this post after TO caught up to that guy on that INT...I can't believe I'm seeing this post after TO caught and passed Felix Jones...I can't believe I'm seeing this post after TO ripped a 70 yarder last week on a skinny post/slant...Unfortunately I get every Dallas game here and TO has NOT lost a step. You need to be thinking along the lines of the NFL's Usain Bolt. Dude can blaze with the best of em.If he's lost anything it's his mind. He's got all the physical ability in the world.

 

[T Bell]

I'm both a Cowboys hater and a TO hater, and I'll straight up say "No, he hasn't lost a step." I think what you're seeing is a combination of things. First, as Shawn Springs showed a couple of weeks ago, if you have a big, physical CB who can jam him at the line in combination with a safety over the top, this is the best way to defend him. Despite his big size, TO is not all that physical of a player in terms of playing style. He relies more on speed than toughness/strength to make his plays. And with that sort of coverage scheme, Romo has shown a willingness to check down off of TO and go elsewhere with the ball. Second, I do believe that beneath the surface there are tensions brewing with TO. As I've said before, he's a fair weather friend as a player. When things are going well (meaning, well for TO and maybe for the team too), then he's happy and smiling. When they're not, he starts to pout. It's been said for sometime that if you don't get TO "involved in the offense" early in games, he has a tendency to throttle down on his routes. That too may have been what you were looking at.

Some of you act like this is the 1st time TO has ever been covered like this before. LOL! at TO not being physical. He hasn't lost anything physically so lets just stop with those questions. It is easy to take a wr out of a game all you have to do is roll coverage and double team and any smart QB is gonna throw else where especially when you have other talented players like Witten.

He's not physical. He doesn't do well when he gets hit, and he gets alligator arms. All of those things are true, you just don't see it very often because you don't tend to see CB's big enough and talented enough to stay with him out of fear that they miss on the jam and he gets open. As for not the first time, I agree as to the safety coverage up top, but the jam on the line is not something that is done very often with him until recently.

 

[Mr. Black]

I'm both a Cowboys hater and a TO hater, and I'll straight up say "No, he hasn't lost a step." I think what you're seeing is a combination of things. First, as Shawn Springs showed a couple of weeks ago, if you have a big, physical CB who can jam him at the line in combination with a safety over the top, this is the best way to defend him. Despite his big size, TO is not all that physical of a player in terms of playing style. He relies more on speed than toughness/strength to make his plays. And with that sort of coverage scheme, Romo has shown a willingness to check down off of TO and go elsewhere with the ball. Second, I do believe that beneath the surface there are tensions brewing with TO. As I've said before, he's a fair weather friend as a player. When things are going well (meaning, well for TO and maybe for the team too), then he's happy and smiling. When they're not, he starts to pout. It's been said for sometime that if you don't get TO "involved in the offense" early in games, he has a tendency to throttle down on his routes. That too may have been what you were looking at.

Some of you act like this is the 1st time TO has ever been covered like this before. LOL! at TO not being physical. He hasn't lost anything physically so lets just stop with those questions. It is easy to take a wr out of a game all you have to do is roll coverage and double team and any smart QB is gonna throw else where especially when you have other talented players like Witten.

He's not physical. He doesn't do well when he gets hit, and he gets alligator arms. All of those things are true, you just don't see it very often because you don't tend to see CB's big enough and talented enough to stay with him out of fear that they miss on the jam and he gets open. As for not the first time, I agree as to the safety coverage up top, but the jam on the line is not something that is done very often with him until recently.

Okay no one ever plays bump and run on TO, WOW! Sports fans have short memories. The only reason this is being talked about is because the TV analyst showed 2 plays where he was bumped and the passes were defended otherwise we are not even having this discussion. TO has been in this league a long time he has seen and played against every kind of coverage possible.

 

[TheSoup]

T.O. came out of the womb bumpin' and runnin'.

 

[SCT]

no.

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

Dallas has more weapons to choose from than your average team. They don't have to depend on getting him the ball more than they are. Someone linked the video of the felix jones block, there are a dozen others you could link. His first 2 tds of this season had me calling league mates asking if they saw how far past the defense he was, amazing.

 

[Jous]

I really don't think TO has lost a step at all. He's just had a couple mediocre games. It's funny how when a young player has a few mediocre games, people will shrug it off, but when an older player does everyone starts thinking they've lost their touch. Owens will be fine. Granted, he may not be as clear a FF starter while Romo is out, but he still has the same ability.

 

[KnowledgeReignsSupreme]

Lost a step? Not really.

They do seem to be trying to force the ball to him and the throws haven't been spot on.. partly because you don't want to get intercepted.

As far as being a physical receiver, he generally isn't. Despite his size, he's never been the Randy Moss type. He is a bigger/faster version of Jerry Rice with worse hands.

 

[joseywales]

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.

He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

I wouldn't have guessed that if you didn't point it out. I just looked up the numbers. In his last 10 games he has 82 targets, 37 catches, 522 yards and 7 TDs. That's 131 targets, 59 catches, 835 yards and 11 TDs over 16 games. I know, selective end points, small sample size, etc., but that's a worrisome trend for those of us who own him.

 

[two_dollars]

A lot of his targets have been uncatchable balls.

 

[joffer]

the TD catch against Cincy should answer that question for you.

 

[CalBear]

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.

He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

I wouldn't have guessed that if you didn't point it out. I just looked up the numbers. In his last 10 games he has 82 targets, 37 catches, 522 yards and 7 TDs. That's 131 targets, 59 catches, 835 yards and 11 TDs over 16 games. I know, selective end points, small sample size, etc., but that's a worrisome trend for those of us who own him.

It's not a trend, it's cherry-picking; if you cut it off at 10 games, you leave out the 11th game where he had 7/156/1. And here's how it looks if you want to choose a more rational sample, like his last 16 games: 143 targets, 81 catches, 1318 yards, 17 TDs.TO is a nutjob, but he is still physically one of the best receivers in the game. If he had better hands and a better head he could have been the best ever.

 

[Interseptopus]

Ummmm did you see his last TD?????? He hasn't lost a step.

When he actually decides to use his hands, he can catch the ball. Get him in the open field and he can outrun the best CBs in the NFL still

 

[joseywales]

Please explain to me then - anybody - why TO has gotten 89 yards or less in 10 straight games. He also has caught more than 5 passes only once during that span. EVERY stud WR blows up every few games, but he sure hasn't. His only saving point is his 5 tds so far.

He is hitting the wall. It happens to every WR. Some people just refuse to face that fact.

I wouldn't have guessed that if you didn't point it out. I just looked up the numbers. In his last 10 games he has 82 targets, 37 catches, 522 yards and 7 TDs. That's 131 targets, 59 catches, 835 yards and 11 TDs over 16 games. I know, selective end points, small sample size, etc., but that's a worrisome trend for those of us who own him.

It's not a trend, it's cherry-picking; if you cut it off at 10 games, you leave out the 11th game where he had 7/156/1. And here's how it looks if you want to choose a more rational sample, like his last 16 games: 143 targets, 81 catches, 1318 yards, 17 TDs.TO is a nutjob, but he is still physically one of the best receivers in the game. If he had better hands and a better head he could have been the best ever.

You don't have to scold me, I know it's cherry-picking. I basically said that in the last sentence. But let me ask you this: How many consecutive games of sub-par production do you have to see to be worried?By the way, I'm not saying he's lost a step, just that he isn't producing the way he used to. I don't claim to know the reason. But he is catching a lower percentage of his targets lately. Hands, bad throws, not physical enough, I have no idea why.

 

[CalBear]

You don't have to scold me, I know it's cherry-picking. I basically said that in the last sentence. But let me ask you this: How many consecutive games of sub-par production do you have to see to be worried?

How about, "more than 2." He had 7/71 and a TD two games ago.

By the way, I'm not saying he's lost a step, just that he isn't producing the way he used to. I don't claim to know the reason. But he is catching a lower percentage of his targets lately. Hands, bad throws, not physical enough, I have no idea why.

Here are TO's numbers from his last 10 games in San Fran: 50/724/7. That annualizes to 80/1158/11. He's always had problems with his hands. He's always had games where he takes time off and pouts. In the long run, he still has produced. With Romo out and the o-line not performing well, it's very possible he will continue to have average to poor games for him, but he's still one of the best in the business, physically.

 

[EdwardCat]

No way in hell he's lost a step. He's simply amazing. He'll be playing when he's 40/41.

 

[big0mar]

T.O. has not lost a step. The Cowboys OL has lost a step. Romo doesn't have the time he used to, and the deep routes can't develop.

 

[EdwardCat]

T.O. has not lost a step. The Cowboys OL has lost a step. Romo doesn't have the time he used to, and the deep routes can't develop.

Brad Johnson will solve all of Owens' woes. He can launch the ball 50-60 yards down field and has amazing skills to avoid tacklers.

 

[Cookiemonster]

But how long 'till I start seriously thinking about starting Matt Jones over T.O.?