clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Division Links: Jalen Reagor’s struggles, the Judge-Colombo fight, and tanking for draft position in Dallas

By Bill-in-Bangkok
Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Bleeding Green Nation

Did Joe Judge get beat up by Marc Colombo?

The lack of answers may be the answer

Joe Judge and his now former offensive line coach Marc Colombo had a heated argument, there was some kind of incident, and Judge immediately fired Colombo. Prior to Wednesday, Judge was unhappy with his offensive line. He brought in former Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo as a consultant. This wasn’t one of those situations where you bring in a retired guy to be a sounding board for a coach, DeGuglielmo is only 52. And Judge himself took a more active role in the offensive line preparation, according to Pat Leonard.

Judge’s plan wasn’t to fire Colombo, sources said. It was to bring in DeGuglielmo as a complementary resource to address their obvious inconsistency on the offensive line.

Judge had spent more time coaching the line himself in practices in recent weeks, per sources. Adding DeGuglielmo could give the O-line the help it needed from an experienced coach and free Judge up.

Clearly neither side was happy. Judge was understandably frustrated at the lack of performance by the offensive line. 4th overall pick Andrew Thomas has really struggled, and Colombo was really up front about it. Colombo was in a bad spot. He had his replacement in waiting brought in, and his boss was looking over his shoulder. The boss brings in a trusted face to help out, and they wind up replacing the person they were ostensibly brought in to assist. Situations happen like this in all walks of life. The only way this was going to end was with Colombo leaving the Giants. No one could see it happening so spectacularly.

Why now though? Everyone agrees that there was a heated argument, but what led up to it or happened after is in dispute.

Big Blue View

Dave DeGuglielmo: What are the Giants getting?

Veteran offensive line coach is well-traveled, and there appear to be reasons for that

Dave DeGuglielmo’s history is pretty clear. He’s a really good coach with an abrasive personality who can really rub people the wrong way.

NFL assistant coaches are vagabonds who bounce from team to team regularly, losing a job whenever a head coach does, or whenever he needs a sacrificial lamb to save his own job. Still, DeGuglielmo’s resume raises as many questions as it answers:

That’s eight jobs since 2012, only one for longer than a full season. I don’t know what to compare that to; speed-dating maybe. It’s like a series of temp jobs, with team after team trying DeGuglielmo out and, no matter the results, deciding to move on.

Blogging the Boys

Point-counterpoint: Winning may be losing for the Cowboys

To fight or tank, that is the question.

The Dallas Cowboys come out of their bye week tied for dead last in the NFC East and still in position for a top five draft pick. They also remain in the thick of the race for the division “crown” and an automatic playoff berth. It could go either way, or just see them land somewhere a bit lower in the draft order. So what is really best for the team in the long run? Are they better off trying to capitalize on what looks like a fairly weak schedule for the rest of the season, or would it work out better to stay in the basement? Our Tom Ryle and Terence Watson try to figure it out.

Dallas Cowboys v Los Angeles Rams Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Bleeding Green Nation

Early on, Eagles passing on Justin Jefferson to draft Jalen Reagor is looking like a mistake

Let’s talk about these two rookie wide receivers.

there’s no denying that the Philadelphia Eagles passing on Justin Jefferson to select Jalen Reagor with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is looking like a big mistake.

It was hard not to think as much during the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 10 win on Monday Night Football while Jefferson went over 100 receiving yards for the fourth time in just nine games this season.

It’s really not hyperbole to say that Jefferson is already one of the NFL’s best receivers. He ranks first overall in Football Outsiders’ DVOA and DYAR metrics. He ranks second overall in Pro Football Focus grading.

Jefferson’s 54 targets have resulted in:

  • 42 receptions (20th among wide receivers)
  • 762 yards (6th)
  • 18.3 yards per reception (tied for 2nd with D.K. Metcalf)
  • 6.6 yards after catch per reception (4th)
  • 3 touchdowns (tied for 28th)
  • 2 drops

Jefferson has clearly debunked the myth that he’s merely a slot receiver (43rd in slot percentage) or simply just a product of getting to play with Joe Burrow in LSU’s high-powered offense.

Reagor’s numbers obviously don’t compare, in part because he missed five games due to injury. But availability is part of the equation.

Reagor’s 21 targets have resulted in:

  • 12 receptions (109th)
  • 159 yards (105th)
  • 13.3 yards per reception (43rd)
  • 4.5 yards after catch per reception (45th)
  • 1 touchdown (tied for 79th)
  • 1 drop

Big Blue View

Film Room: Daniel Jones, two weeks, and hope

Looking at the tape of the Giants quarterback from the past two weeks

In the wake of the New York Giants’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in Week 8, questions were swirling about quarterback Daniel Jones and his future as the signal-caller for Big Blue. The Giants lost on that Monday night in large part due to three mistakes by the second-year passer. A pair of interceptions, and a late throw on the final 2-point conversion try doomed New York.

New York Giants v Washington Football Team Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Since then? The Giants have won two straight games, they are back in contention in a weak division, and Jones has not turned the ball over.

What we have seen in the past two weeks is the promise, and the hope, that Jones indeed can put things together. We have seen improvement in the mental side of the game, as well as the physical. Perhaps, just perhaps, that failed conversion lit a match.

More From Hogs Haven