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WR technique. "hip stacking" and Austin's improvements
During the preseason I spoke with a lot of you about Miles Austin in the chat room - I thought he was the most improved player on the team and was beginning to look like a wide receiver with tons of potential. He has always had the speed but this season he seems to have learned how to catch the ball with really good technique. I always focus on receivers and QBs and their technique and Austin actually came out tops this preseason, ahead of even Owens and Crayton.
Austin began doing something I saw Crayton do actually in his first season - correctly positioning his hands so he can see both the ball and his hands in flight which gives him the extra split second before the ball arrives to make an adjustment. Also, he began keeping his thumbs together on balls thrown at or above his numbers - another key to solid pass catching.
Also, for those of you who watched him in the preseason, he also exhibited a trait that I think will bring him to the next level. He was coming back to the ball on hook routes AND making great adjustments to the ball while it was in the air. That along with his now good hand positioning technique helped him eliminate the drops that were hurting his production so much last season.
One thing that he still needs to work on is route running but again it is FAR superior to last season...
One thing some people are forgetting is that Austin was responsible for one of the key plays in beating Green Bay LAST season. He got the deep pass interference call that helped us clinch the win at Texas Stadium versus Green Bay.
He has shown the speed to consistently get behind the secondary which is one major trait of a deep threat (that we all know cannot be taught). However the exciting thing that we saw Sunday night on his TD catch was something called "hip stacking" which is basically shielding the defender with your back hip so he can't get around you and play the ball. He did a masterful job of this and we all saw the result. If he learns that technique and can repeat it - with his great speed he can be the deep threat we need to complete this offense...
Heck- there are fans in Green Bay, after seeing him this year and last, that probably think he is already the right man for the job...
- Danny Smith's blog
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Austin's development has
Austin's development has been, along with the emergence of Felix Jones, one of the really bright spots of this young season. You hit all the right points, for sure. I am very interested to see how we work in Owens, Crayton, Austin - and now, once again, Hurd. Lest we forget, he was a very solid #3 on the best passing offense in Cowboys history last year. he returns vs. the Redskins.
We have an embarrassment of riches at RB - and maybe at WR, too, if Austin can keep it up.
Yea - I like Hurd in a
Yea - I like Hurd in a possession role - he still does not adjust to the deep ball in the air well enough to be a threat there but his crossing and comeback routes are extraordinary. I could see a day possibly soon where you have Austin starting opposite of TO and Crayton back in his #3 spot with Hurd as the primary backup. Hurd knows the position TO plays as his primary position so if TO ever gets dinged he will take on a much bigger role for sure...
Danny Smith
Dallas Cowboys Fan Network Creator and Administrator
Danny Smith
Dallas Cowboys Fan Network Creator and Administrator