I hate to assume this...

[gollum]

but assuming we lose tomorrow night as 95% of the country predicts, we will currently be slotted to have the 9th(ours) and 10th(Buffalo's) draft choices in the 2005 draft. That means that CB Rolle will be gone unless we trade up. I haven't figured out where our pick will be if we when...cost benefit analysis. :)

[Dale]

The scary thing is that if we won, we're one game out of the wildcard race. I doubt we win, but that says a lot about the sad state of the NFC.

[BlueStar22]

The guy on the NFL Network broke down Rolle last nite. It appears that Rolle lacks speed. He's good as long as he's playing press coverage. However, he was shown getting beat when playing off the receiver and lacked the make-up speed to catch up.

[jobberone]

the Boys get their heads out of their butts and play without shooting themselves in the foot then they have a chance.

[Hostile]

The scary thing is that if we won, we're one game out of the wildcard race. I doubt we win, but that says a lot about the sad state of the NFC.
Actually I have a gut feeling we're going to win.

[trickblue]

The scary thing is that if we won, we're one game out of the wildcard race. I doubt we win, but that says a lot about the sad state of the NFC.

what Dale said...

jints and skins lost today... and a Cowboy victory tomorrow night puts us right back in the thick of things... not sure if this is a good thing...

One loss and TO is chasing down McNabb on the sidelines barking at him... you know TO is posturing for this game... a shutout would make him more of a distraction... I will cry my eyes out if TO is unhappy... ;)

[jamez25]

we will get 2 good players no matter what...IMHO the top 10 players in the draft in 2005 who are not QB's:
Antrell Rolle
Bralon Edwards
Matthias Kiwanuka( if he comes out )
Derrick Johnson
Mike Williams
Cadillac Williams
Rod Wright ( if he comes out )
Cedrick Benson
David Pollack
Marlin Jackson

[Dale]

Actually I have a gut feeling we're going to win.

The thing I hate about this season is we have rarely attacked the opponent's weakness. Cincinnati had a terrible run defense, but we never tried to expose it. Philadelphia has a similarly weak run defense, while their aggressive pass defense has produced a high amount of turnovers and sacks. Will we actually go out and try to run it down their throats, or will Vinny throw the ball 35 times?

I'm also not convinced our defense can keep up with Philly's offense. I can see Westbrook's style giving us problems, much like Duce Staley routinely did. And I'm just not convinced we can keep Owens under 100 yards and two scores.

[windward]

Actually I have a gut feeling we're going to win.

I don't know, I have this weird feeling we'll be competitive but feel that I'll jinx it if I say we win.

Oh great, now I said it.

Sorry guys.

[Hostile]

The thing I hate about this season is we have rarely attacked the opponent's weakness. Cincinnati had a terrible run defense, but we never tried to expose it. Philadelphia has a similarly weak run defense, while their aggressive pass defense has produced a high amount of turnovers and sacks. Will we actually go out and try to run it down their throats, or will Vinny throw the ball 35 times?

I'm also not convinced our defense can keep up with Philly's offense. I can see Westbrook's style giving us problems, much like Duce Staley routinely did. And I'm just not convinced we can keep Owens under 100 yards and two scores.
I was going to say the same thing. It seems to me that each game has been more an experiment with a philosophy. Nothing has been steady and even keel all season long. Very sporadic, almost jerky.

[jobberone]

The thing I hate about this season is we have rarely attacked the opponent's weakness. Cincinnati had a terrible run defense, but we never tried to expose it. Philadelphia has a similarly weak run defense, while their aggressive pass defense has produced a high amount of turnovers and sacks. Will we actually go out and try to run it down their throats, or will Vinny throw the ball 35 times?

I'm also not convinced our defense can keep up with Philly's offense. I can see Westbrook's style giving us problems, much like Duce Staley routinely did. And I'm just not convinced we can keep Owens under 100 yards and two scores.

They'll try an onsides kick to start the game.

[DLK150]

I was going to say the same thing. It seems to me that each game has been more an experiment with a philosophy. Nothing has been steady and even keel all season long. Very sporadic, almost jerky.

I've gotten that vibe myself. It seems like most of our games are filled with trying this or that, never really sticking with one approach or another whether it works or not.

I'm hoping for the best tomorrow night, but I've already told my wife to prepare for sporadic outbursts of profanity. ;)

[trickblue]

They'll try an onsides kick to start the game.


Nahh... they are too afraid of our secret weapon... Randall Williams... ;)

[Redball Express]

but assuming we lose tomorrow night as 95% of the country predicts, we will currently be slotted to have the 9th(ours) and 10th(Buffalo's) draft choices in the 2005 draft. That means that CB Rolle will be gone unless we trade up. I haven't figured out where our pick will be if we when...cost benefit analysis. :)


Frankly..

What I'm beginning to see is..

we have so many holes right now on both sides of the ball..those 2 #1 picks are going to be moved around and the Cowboys are going to try to multiply those picks into 3-5 picks.

They trade down onto the mid first round or even with one of the #1's, trade out of the first round altogehter like they did with Buffalo and get two picks for it and pickup a second round for this year and somebodies #1 next year.

This is very foreseeable again. That way..they can keep going into each draft with two #1 picks over the next few seasons and wait to cash in when they get the traded picks to be a 1-5 pick one year.

That would be extremely wise. This team is not going to be fixed in the off-season with FA's and cashing in both our #1's this year in the draft.

The cost is going to be steep cap-wise and team chemistry-wise.

This year is a prime example. With so much expectation this season after going 10-6 last year and then falling flat on our faces this season..

..I'd expect the team to step back and take another season to access who they have, bring in another #1 pick for the biggest position of need and look to sign a few reasonable FA's who can play on short contracts to see if they are what BP needs.

Delay using both #1 picks until we know where the other biggest need position is that can't be filled with a FA signing and then use it as insurance to get what we need.

There are plenty of teams who would trade with us much like the Jets did..figuring their choice won't fall too far into the first of the draft the following year because they will use our #1 pick we trade to them to get better immedaitely. And, because most around the NFL figure the Cowboys won't stay bad..BP will have the Cowboys winning again and any draft pick of our own we may add to any trade will be a low one only for a year or so..

..therefore, they would trade seing that at least in the short term..they will get value as we won't get that good that fast and therefore lose value on picks they accept from us that are based on our record.

Of course, we have another steep losing season like this one..and our picks become more valuable to another team willing to trade.

So it's a gamble, but one I think the team will continue to mine in order to get better long term.

I think the biggest factor looming for this team is on the defensive side of the ball. If the defense can't get it straightened out..with the players we have, then that means a big overhaul in drafting needs and a shift to a 3-4 defense and the need to draft for that scheme and not our present scheme.

That could really throw a monkey wrench into things to have to make those changes if necessary. But if Zimmer and the defense can raise their level of play and be more like last year over the last 8 games..we may not doing anything big to the defense in the off-season as far as doing a big transition in "05 defensively.

That would alow the coaches to continue to get the offense developed with Henson and whatever pieces still needed to get them producing. Maybe a stud WR is needed and still OL help or even a RB or QB still.

Hard to say..but the needs are clearly there and you just can't be trying to rebuild a team on both sides of the ball at the same time unless you are willing to accept a blood-bath financially as you cut and release players still under contract to do it.

So we have to hope as fans that Zimmer and the defense can regroup and get better to take some of the pressure off the team for the off-season when it comes time to look at FA's and draft picks.

We tried to rebuild the offense with vets this season and that didn't work. It will need to be retooled next year and it needs to be with youth and that means draft choices.

The defense is going to have to rely on it's present core of players and some new talent brought in, but I don't think it will be a heavy investment defensively in '05..pending how much happens in '05 offensively.

'06 looks to me to be the big year for defensive changes including possibly a new defensive coordinator to ramrod any true changes there. Zimmer will get a 'pass' for this year because of the injuries and such. But next year, he will have to show significant improvement to keep his job after what happened this year.

We'll see.

Later.

Parcellswaterboy