SPORTS
The Dallas Cowboys will not have a prototypical No. 1 receiver for this upcoming season after cutting Dez Bryant early in the offseason.
While Bryant did not perform up to his standard of production the last three years, his reputation around the league usually made it so he got the opposing teams best defensive backs’ attention.
Dallas signed Allen Hurns this offseason, who has battled some injuries the past two years after posting 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015. While he is nice at his best, Hurns does not have the physical upside Bryant possessed.
This has been a sign Dallas will go to a receivers by committee approach instead of featuring a guy who can break a game open if he is not accounted for at all times.
While having those players on your team is fun and scary when your team faces one, having the prototypical No. 1 receiver is not exactly necessary in the present day NFL to succeed at the highest level.
The Philadelphia Eagles won last year’s Super Bowl with no No.1 receiver and featured an offense where their leading receiver was tight end Zach Ertz catching 74 passes for 824 yards and eight touchdowns. Alshon Jeffery led the team with nine touchdown catches.
With these kinds of targets, were the Eagles just an average pass offense that relied on their running game and defense to win the Super Bowl? No. Philadelphia led the league with 38 passing touchdowns. Their running game was third in the league in rushing yards, but was 23rd in rushing touchdowns with nine. They were the third highest scoring team in the league.
Guess who was ahead of the Eagles in rushing and second in the league overall last year? Dallas, even with leading rusher Ezekial Elliot missing six games.
They are not alone in successful teams with no traditional superstar wide receiver. Tom Brady’s only traditional super star wide receiver he ever played with was Randy Moss and he never won a Super Bowl with him. Instead, he made stars of inside possession receivers Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowksi and spread the ball around to whoever stepped up.
One argument traditional super star receivers are known for is the ability to score in the red zone. For years, the Cowboys have struggled scoring in the red zone.
This was where Bryant earned his fat contract years ago as he and former quarterback Tony Romo developed a quick back shoulder fade chemistry that proved to be almost unstoppable in the red zone.
With Romo gone, new Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has shown a preference to favor inside receivers and never really clicked with Bryant chemistry wise. Some of it was Bryant’s fault as well, with him never really wanting to really refine his route running and instead relying on his dominant physical ability that has seemed to decline in the recent years as well.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
In its first match since last year’s state semifinal appearance, Saint Jo hosted Bryson Aug. 11 and took a 25-13, 25-12, 25-21 win over the Cowgirls.
The Lady Panthers lost some talent to graduation but have five seniors ready to have a successful season. Savannah Hil, one of the five, got Saint Jo rolling offensively with a four-point serving string, including a pair of aces. Abby Carter’s kill and Kamron Skidmore’s block helped put the Lady Panthers up 5-2 in game one.
Hadleigh Moore added a four-point string of her own to extend the lead to 10-3. Tatum Morman’s pair, helped by a Hill kill, gave Saint Jo a 14-5 lead. Bryson got within five before a Hill 3-pointer, with help by a Carter kill, put the lead back at 18-10.
After an Olivia Johnson kill broke serve, Jordyn O’Neal served up the final five points, with Johnson providing a kill to move things along.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Despite being the smallest school in the Brock varsity classic volleyball tournament, the Lady Indians finished 4th out of the eight teams there.
After losing to the host team in its first pool play match Aug. 14 18-25, 14-25 and also to Class 3A Wall 12-25, 8-25, Nocona rebounded to close out pool play with a 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 win over Christoval. Sy Parker had 16 kills and 7 blocks in the three matches. Raylea Bowles had 12 kills, 17 digs and served up three aces. Maddyn Bowles had seven kills and 14 digs while Paige Davis had seven kills and 15 digs. Baylee Thomas added 11 digs.
From the setter spot, Kasi Castro had 20 assists, served up five aces and contributed 14 digs. Leah Meekins added 18 assists and six digs during the three matches.
To open Saturday’s bracket play, the Lady Indians posted a 25-18, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19 win over Fort Worth Christian. Castro staked Nocona to a 2-0 lead in game one. Kills by Parker set up pairs of points from Raylea Bowles and Leah Meekins helped Nocona negate an early deficit and take a 10-9 lead.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
County football teams had their first scrimmage of the season Aug. 14 with mixed results.
Forestburg hosted Azle Christian and Victory Christian. Under a new system with new head coach Cori Hayes, the Longhorns looked pretty good in the coach’s eye.
“The first team looked good,” Hayes explained. “Overall we need to work on our pace and blocking assignments and blocking assignments. Overall we looked good for the new regime.”
Forestburg hits the road to scrimmage Newcastle Aug. 21.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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