There is a lot of complaining about Thompson

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

But, what do you want the kid to do? Throw the ball and get open and catch the balls he throws?

The truth is, we don't have an elite group of receivers. Out of the guys we have now, we have a walk-on leading the way. We've got the last JUCO from the Dodge JUCO binge. Chancellor is the main ingredient, and he's now injured.

So, with leading receiver Delgado suspended for the game and Chancellor breaking his collarbone early in the game, what did you expect?

I don't think many people appreciate the importance of offseason work between the QB and receivers. Thompson has had an ever evloving group of walk-ons, JUCOs, and scholarship players who - other than Chancellor - haven't really panned out.

Is that Thompson's fault? I really don't know what else anyone can expect, given the tools he has to work with.

You have to have playmakers at the skill positions. He has exactly one "playmaker" among the WRs, Chancellor.

Players have to make plays when they are given the ball. Derek has nine TDs thrown this year - five to Chancellor, two to running back Jimmerson, one to tight end Drew Millers. That's eight.

The ninth - one of Carlos Harris' two catches on the year. Yes, Carlos Harris with two catches on the year has more TD receptions than Ivan Delgado and Chris Byrnes.

Complain about Thompson all you want. But, the other half of the equations is the receiving corp. If we're going to scrutinize the guy running the patterns and catchng the ball as well. Outside of Chancellor, the truth is, this is not a group that makes many big plays.

With Chancellor out, someone among them needs to step up and make plays. As Coach McCarney has said many times, someone has to make plays. It's time way past time for this group to stop waiting around for Chancellor to make the plays in the receiving game. It's okay to have more than one playmaker among the receivers. Will anyone step up to the plate and do it?

[CurveItAround]

But, what do you want the kid to do? Throw the ball and get open and catch the balls he throws?

The truth is, we don't have an elite group of receivers. Out of the guys we have now, we have a walk-on leading the way. We've got the last JUCO from the Dodge JUCO binge. Chancellor is the main ingredient, and he's now injured.

So, with leading receiver Delgado suspended for the game and Chancellor breaking his collarbone early in the game, what did you expect?

I don't think many people appreciate the importance of offseason work between the QB and receivers. Thompson has had an ever evloving group of walk-ons, JUCOs, and scholarship players who - other than Chancellor - haven't really panned out.

Is that Thompson's fault? I really don't know what else anyone can expect, given the tools he has to work with.

You have to have playmakers at the skill positions. He has exactly one "playmaker" among the WRs, Chancellor.

Players have to make plays when they are given the ball. Derek has nine TDs thrown this year - five to Chancellor, two to running back Jimmerson, one to tight end Drew Millers. That's eight.

The ninth - one of Carlos Harris' two catches on the year. Yes, Carlos Harris with two catches on the year has more TD receptions than Ivan Delgado and Chris Byrnes.

Complain about Thompson all you want. But, the other half of the equations is the receiving corp. If we're going to scrutinize the guy running the patterns and catchng the ball as well. Outside of Chancellor, the truth is, this is not a group that makes many big plays.

With Chancellor out, someone among them needs to step up and make plays. As Coach McCarney has said many times, someone has to make plays. It's time way past time for this group to stop waiting around for Chancellor to make the plays in the receiving game. It's okay to have more than one playmaker among the receivers. Will anyone step up to the plate and do it?

Is it the QB that makes the WRs or the WRs that make the QB? Hard to say which it is, but pretty easy to spot when it is neither.

[foutsrouts]

We've got three quality backs splitting time on the field, so send Jimmerson or Brown out there to take over for Chancellor. As desperate as we are for playmakers, why not give it a shot? We need something to shake things up offensively.

[UNTcrazy727]

It's hard to be a playmaker when your QB can't throw you the ball

[UNTLifer]

TFLF, I agree and the loss of Teagarden just continues to decimate an already thin position.

Either way, it is time for Harris, Sampson, Bynes, Smith, Pleasant, etc... to step up. I wonder if there is any thought to moving Mike Marshall back to WR?

Here are DT's stats through 8 games. I wish there were more TD's, but overall not a bad stat line.

PASSING GP Effic Cmp-Att-Int Pct Yards TD Long Avg/G Thompson, Derek 8 127.7 128-226-8 56.6 1748 9 80 218.5

[TK70]

It's hard for WR to make plays when the balls are not thrown in the vicinity to make catches. Balls are thrown late, thrown into double coverage when other WR are in single coverage and open. He accuracy, vision, and decisions is not good. To be honest I don't know what the other QB are like but we need to stop throwing downfield so much and go to a quick screen, slant, and bubble passes that is where he and the WR can be successful and that's what's worked. This takes a lot of bad decision making out of his hands and gives the opportunity to the WR or RB to get the yards after the catch.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Is it the QB that makes the WRs or the WRs that make the QB? Hard to say which it is, but pretty easy to spot when it is neither.

If he's throwing to a spot where no one is there, that's generally a receiver not running the right route. The QBs know where the WRs are supposed to be with any given play called. The other half, again, is the receiver getting there.

Passing games are based on timing. I think Thompson has done a pretty good job of not turning the ball over more often, given that he really doesn't have a group of good receivers. Other than Chancellor, what are these guys?

If they don't step up in the last four games, many will leave here just as guys who filled a jersey for a little bit of time.

On the pro level, think of what Troy Aikman had to work with versus what Tony Romo has to work with. I mean, the QBs know they'll take more blame - and glory - than they're really due most of the time. With Thompson, once you drill down and look at what we have here and what theyre doing, he doesn't have, nor has he had, a bunch of go-to guys among the receivers.

[cdizzle86]

There reason I complain so much about Thompson in particular is because I've seen him have great games and make clutch passes. I know that he can do it, but it's all about consistency. The good news is that he can fix that by working his tail off in practice. He should be eating, sleeping, and breathing football...and of course a little school work.

[aztecskin]

From what I've seen, I don't buy the "it's the WRs" line. I'm writing a post on this over on MGN but here is the gist:

The first INT - H- guy ran the wrong route. Took it up field when he should have gone across. Thompson threw him the ball. The guy that ran the wrong route into double coverage. HE was thrown the ball. Not the Y guy with a step on his man. Not the Z Wr who was 1v1 on the out side. Not the X who had similar coverage. That is the problem.

Second INT - Bad throw. The ball was leading Bynes toward a defender. If it hits him in the numbers it is a five yard gain and there is room to make a play.

Third INT - Post/Corner combo on the outside. Streak/comeback to the right of play action. There were two safeties high which pretty much means you don't throw the corner route to the 5'9'' guy -- especially an underthrown ball. The pass should have been to the right on a comeback or a throw away. Hell. Take a sack.

I don't think Canales lets him go through progressions. He is only reading one or two options. His best throws are the ones where he has only on option: Throw it deep. He looks so much more comfortable and decisive.

[H-towngreen]

While I agree with you that we don't have playmakers at the WR position, DT still isn't helping anyone. Whether the WR is wide open or double covered DT has a tough time getting the ball to the WR. He consistently under/overthrows WR's no matter if it's a pitch to the long side of the field a 10 yd out, whatever. The ball is hardly put where it needs to be.

[los1614]

@aztecskin I agree he doesn't go through progressions. I've seen him on numerous occasions stare the receiver down coming out the huddle. As I said earlier he would make better plays if short quick passes and letting the RB or WR make the yards after the catch. When you have a QB that's limited in his accuracy you need to get the ball out his hand quicker and into the hands of the skilled position players. If you think about it if we are not running the ball DT success have been dump passes and yards after the catch has padded both the QB and skilled position stats.

[KRAM1]

We talking about Tony Romo here??????

Edit: Seriously...really? Some dunderhead gives me a -1 for this post...it's darn funny folks..if of course you have any sense of humor at all...someone just has zero sense of humor...as the great philosopher might say....GOOD GRIEF!

Edited October 30, 2012 by KRAM1

[oldguystudent]

We talking about Tony Romo here??????

The Ticket was brutal with Tony Romo this morning. "Hey Tony! Every time you throw yet another pick, make sure to start yelling at receivers on camera so everybody knows it's not your fault!"

[UNTFan23]

The Ticket was brutal with Tony Romo this morning. "Hey Tony! Every time you throw yet another pick, make sure to start yelling at receivers on camera so everybody knows it's not your fault!"

Yet, the Cowboys still had a chance to win that game. Unbelievable.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

You'll buy it when we have more than one receiver who can get open consistently and make plays.

[UNT 04]

So we need some playmakers that can catch the ball off their shoe laces and catch passes that sail 6 feet above their hands as well as catching the ball behind their back on a dead sprint

[aztecskin]

It is difficult for two wideouts to get open when only one is on the field.

seriously. There are guys getting open beside Brelan and Ivan.