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February 2008
Categories
Movers and Shakers Pre-season Texas Stadium dallasnews.com
Sports Blogs |
For all the attention Terrell Owens got on Sunday -- and it says here it was all deserved -- there was perhaps no bigger play than the 51-yard pass interference penalty assessed to Redskins defensive back Reed Doughty. It converted a third-and-6, moved the Cowboys from their own 27 to the Washington 22, and set up T.O.'s 31-yard, go-ahead touchdown. Mental mistake by the Redskins? Part of it was. But another component to the call was receiver Patrick Crayton setting the table for Doughty to skirt the rules. Crayton, relegated to a walking boot with a sprained ankle and unlikely to play tomorrow, broke it down for us today in the locker room. Crayton started flanked right, on Doughty, a safety filling in at corner in a nickel look. At the snap, Crayton came off the ball and trained his eye on the safety, LaRon Landry. Crayton recognized cover-2, with Doughty underneath to his side and Landry over the top. But he also saw that Landry wasn't in place to cover the deep half. "It was an adjustment, they went to a cover-2 late but the safety didn’t get to his landmark," Crayton said. "So I just adjusted the route and ran." In essence, he switched over to a "9" route, and Doughty -- seeing the open space left by Landry -- seemed to give chase to cover the busted coverage. Crayton knew he had separation. There was just one problem. "Texas Stadium has some funny lights," Crayton said. "So (the ball) kind of got lost for a split-second." What Crayton could see was that it was high in the air. To set Doughty up, he kept running. Then, with the ball descending, he saw it would be short. As it got closer, he slowed, then turned for the ball. Doughty, who in trying to catch up, didn't have time to turn his head for it. Crayton knew it. So he was looking for Doughty to run right into him. "If it’s underthrown, I’m gonna stop, if he’s not looking back especially," Crayton said. "I’m gonna let him stop and run into me." Then, came the collision. Then, came the flag. Then, came a lead the Cowboys wouldn't relinquish. |
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Comments
Posted by Dan @ 9:10 PM Wed, Nov 21, 2007
With all that smarts going on, Crayton's behavior over the last month becomes all the more inexplicable.
Crayton makes huge 3d down plays.
Just the other day, I checked out the archive film of the games from last year, and CRAYTON showed up BIG TIME. On one play, he carries three guys over the goal line.
And the guy is always on the same page as Romo.
It must be a plea for attention, so that more people will observe his play, and next year, compensate him accordingly.
And thanks ALBERT for sharing that conversation with the rest of us.
Posted by TSmith @ 10:05 PM Wed, Nov 21, 2007
A.B. if you had headlined this "Crayton Speaks Again" posters would be all over this one. PC has been more than anyone expected from day one. I am glad to see him confident and making a statement as to the depth of WRs on this team. TG may never comeback and we will miss his insane ability to fly down the field and make every catch. But PC has filled in nicely and can be stated that he no longer is a "fill in" at all. Sam Hurd will do his Turkeyday job well and further showcase the depth on the roster.
Posted by chris graham @ 9:50 AM Thu, Nov 22, 2007
crayton shutup and play thursday, if not huard is the word.