Fisher: 5 Dallas Cowboys 'FishTips' In Review In LA
Follow The Fan: Facebook | Twitter
LOS ANGELES (105.3 THE FAN) - We review my Five FishTips going into Cowboys at Rams, Preseason Game 1 … and how those FishTips turned out in LA's 28-24 victory at the Coliseum:
FISHTIP 1: The pageantry for the Rams' return home after 45 years would be off the charts; the franchise-move involvement of Cowboys boss Jerry Jones would make this a "Preseason Super Bowl.''
RESULT: Jerry privately feels like Dallas' inclusion in this nationally-televised exhibition was like "getting awarded a bowl game.'' And now you see why: 89,000 people, the largest U.S. crowd to ever watch a preseason game, having a raucous good time. The NFL didn't move back to LA for the fans; it did it for the money. But the spectacle was special.
FISHTIP 2: It's all about the QBs.
The Cowboys haven't developed a legit backup QB in 14 years. Suddenly, they publicly say they think they've done so in 14 DAYS - and done so twice, with Dak Prescott and Jameill Showers. It sounded like baloney to me going into this one … and...
RESULT: It's not baloney.
Dak started in place of Tony Romo and was nothing short of perfect. Jameill looked cool in relief of him. Does this kill forever the idea of trading for a vet QB? No, but it kills the idea of meeting Cleveland's third-or-fourth-round-pick asking price for one.
FISHTIP 3: This would be The Darius Jackson Show … with a need for offensive success, too, from O-lineman Chaz Green, a prediction of success for tight end Geoff Swaim, and a competition at receiver between Brice Butler (moving up towards first-team-rotation snaps) and Andy Jones (trying to push Lucky Whitehead and Devin Street away from significance).
RESULT: FishTips nailed the Jackson call, blew the Swaim call, saw Lucky lap Jones and … man, Chaz Green is in no condition to start in an NFL offensive line right now.
FISHTIP 4: Marinelli's hand-picked ends need to rush the passer.
RESULT: Dallas' D got some good front-seven work from McClain, Jenkins, Jack Crawford, Nzoecha and others, and got some playmaking in the secondary from Olatoye and friends. But a huge lead was frittered away and in the clutch, Dallas couldn't get a sack, couldn't avoid a penalty and couldn't get fourth-down stops.
FISHTIP 5: "Condoms, Bro, Condoms.''
Coach Jason Garrett is giving his players Saturday night and Sunday day off. No curfew. Freedom to play in LA. I'll keep an eye on things, of course. So, we fear, will TMZ. In the meantime, heed my advice, fellas: Condoms, bro. Condoms.
RESULT: One decision is already filed. Travis Frederick, who just before the game agreed to a new $56.4-mil contract, was asked if he was going to hit the LA streets to celebrate.
"Do I look like a Hollywood guy?'' he said, before boarding a Cowboys bus back to Oxnard.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
