7-9?

[jterrell]

If Dallas can beat the Giants and rookie QB Eli Manning they can finish a respectable 7-9. That would likely mean drafting around 15 and 25 which isn't exactly the 2 top 10 picks it seemed we might have earlier this season but it does offer some hope for the future. Falling 3 games short of last season isn't all that suprising given the injury bug that struck this team starting with Ring of Honor caliber safety Darren Woodson.

I have went back and forth on the spectrun of 'please just lose every game and finish with a top 5 draft pick' to win every game possible aand continue to fight through the suckiness.

In the end I have chosen to side with the win every game mentality because I do not think we want this team getting the message it is acceptable to ever lose a game. I understand the frustration with watching Vinny wheel his walker out to midfield BUT VT's old behind does give us a bit better chance to develop Julius, Jason Witten, and for one day anyways, Patrick Clayton. That was a truly great pass beating top 5 pick Redskin safety Sean Taylor. We want to lose to draft players that can be beaten by VT and Pat Crayton??

With the 15th pick I still think Dallas can choose the best overall fit for them: Haloti Ngata-DT-Oregon

At 25 there will be a bit more of a crap shoot but Thomas Davis-S-Georgia may very well be there. If not Daryl Blackstock-LB-Virginia or Erasmus James-DE-Wisconsin are possibilities.

The offense needs to be addressed in free agency. RT is a big hole right now and while moving Flozell to RT is a possibility freeing up the LT spot for Jacob Rogers it is likely the team needs a proven RT backup plan. Someone like Oliver Ross, Jonas Jennings or a guy I really like as a fit here, LJ Shelton. Shelton is 335 and played for the current OL coach in Arizona. He would add a lot of strength and size to the OL and should help even out the tilted OL in the running game.

Other possible FA positonal targets could be: WR where a bevy of guys lead by Plaxico Burress should be available. Jerry Porter looks like he has his bags packed for Tampa but they are cap strapped so we may be aplayer there.

RB: I like Dominic Rhodes as a fit here on 3rd down and as the kick returner. He's a Texas kid with some explosion. A lot more juke than Reshard Lee. I alos like Taurean Henderson of Texas Tech as a possible fit here in the same role. He is an absolute gem as a pass receiver and offers excellent quickness. Tauren could probably be grabbed in the draft for a round 6 selection. He's not thought of as big enough to be an every down guy but he could offer an offense some explosion in a 10 to 12 touch role.

[MichaelWinicki]

If Dallas can beat the Giants and rookie QB Eli Manning they can finish a respectable 7-9. That would likely mean drafting around 15 and 25 which isn't exactly the 2 top 10 picks it seemed we might have earlier this season but it does offer some hope for the future. Falling 3 games short of last season isn't all that suprising given the injury bug that struck this team starting with Ring of Honor caliber safety Darren Woodson.

I have went back and forth on the spectrun of 'please just lose every game and finish with a top 5 draft pick' to win every game possible aand continue to fight through the suckiness.

In the end I have chosen to side with the win every game mentality because I do not think we want this team getting the message it is acceptable to ever lose a game. I understand the frustration with watching Vinny wheel his walker out to midfield BUT VT's old behind does give us a bit better chance to develop Julius, Jason Witten, and for one day anyways, Patrick Clayton. That was a truly great pass beating top 5 pick Redskin safety Sean Taylor. We want to lose to draft players that can be beaten by VT and Pat Crayton??

With the 15th pick I still think Dallas can choose the best overall fit for them: Haloti Ngata-DT-Oregon

At 25 there will be a bit more of a crap shoot but Thomas Davis-S-Georgia may very well be there. If not Daryl Blackstock-LB-Virginia or Erasmus James-DE-Wisconsin are possibilities.

The offense needs to be addressed in free agency. RT is a big hole right now and while moving Flozell to RT is a possibility freeing up the LT spot for Jacob Rogers it is likely the team needs a proven RT backup plan. Someone like Oliver Ross, Jonas Jennings or a guy I really like as a fit here, LJ Shelton. Shelton is 335 and played for the current OL coach in Arizona. He would add a lot of strength and size to the OL and should help even out the tilted OL in the running game.

Other possible FA positonal targets could be: WR where a bevy of guys lead by Plaxico Burress should be available. Jerry Porter looks like he has his bags packed for Tampa but they are cap strapped so we may be aplayer there.

RB: I like Dominic Rhodes as a fit here on 3rd down and as the kick returner. He's a Texas kid with some explosion. A lot more juke than Reshard Lee. I alos like Taurean Henderson of Texas Tech as a possible fit here in the same role. He is an absolute gem as a pass receiver and offers excellent quickness. Tauren could probably be grabbed in the draft for a round 6 selection. He's not thought of as big enough to be an every down guy but he could offer an offense some explosion in a 10 to 12 touch role.

Nice post JT.

And you're right we aren't that far away.

You add a decent safety, some improved depth at DT and a little more consistent play at two of the OL spots and this is a playoff team.

You add a good corner, more pass rush at DE, some depth at RB and a good WR and it becomes a quality playoff team, even if Vinny WAS the full-time starter next year.

Nope, we aren't that far away I do believe.

[Cbz40]

With any kind of a D during the first half of the season you can add 2-3 more W's. ;)

[Yakuza Rich]

The tough part about "playing for the future" is that it can instill a mentality that you don't want in your players. Other players can feel that the coaching staff has given up on the season and the players wind up quitting on the coach as well.

So what happens in the next season if things don't start off well? Let's say the Cowboys start the season 1-3 and are down by 10 points in the first quarter to Philly? It's pretty easy for those players to figure that "today isn't our day" or "this isn't our season" and give up once again.

Not only that, but "playing for the future" often takes away from a QB's leadership abilities. Other players tend to resent the fact that the young QB is getting so much popularity, money, and playing time without ever really proving that he was the best QB for the starting spot.

As far as the offseason goes, give me Will Demps and Ken Lucas. Then a mid-grade run stopping Nose Tackle. Then give me pass rushers in the draft.


Rich..............

[dbair1967]

If Dallas can beat the Giants and rookie QB Eli Manning they can finish a respectable 7-9. That would likely mean drafting around 15 and 25 which isn't exactly the 2 top 10 picks it seemed we might have earlier this season but it does offer some hope for the future. Falling 3 games short of last season isn't all that suprising given the injury bug that struck this team starting with Ring of Honor caliber safety Darren Woodson.

I have went back and forth on the spectrun of 'please just lose every game and finish with a top 5 draft pick' to win every game possible aand continue to fight through the suckiness.

In the end I have chosen to side with the win every game mentality because I do not think we want this team getting the message it is acceptable to ever lose a game. I understand the frustration with watching Vinny wheel his walker out to midfield BUT VT's old behind does give us a bit better chance to develop Julius, Jason Witten, and for one day anyways, Patrick Clayton. That was a truly great pass beating top 5 pick Redskin safety Sean Taylor. We want to lose to draft players that can be beaten by VT and Pat Crayton??

With the 15th pick I still think Dallas can choose the best overall fit for them: Haloti Ngata-DT-Oregon

At 25 there will be a bit more of a crap shoot but Thomas Davis-S-Georgia may very well be there. If not Daryl Blackstock-LB-Virginia or Erasmus James-DE-Wisconsin are possibilities.

The offense needs to be addressed in free agency. RT is a big hole right now and while moving Flozell to RT is a possibility freeing up the LT spot for Jacob Rogers it is likely the team needs a proven RT backup plan. Someone like Oliver Ross, Jonas Jennings or a guy I really like as a fit here, LJ Shelton. Shelton is 335 and played for the current OL coach in Arizona. He would add a lot of strength and size to the OL and should help even out the tilted OL in the running game.

Other possible FA positonal targets could be: WR where a bevy of guys lead by Plaxico Burress should be available. Jerry Porter looks like he has his bags packed for Tampa but they are cap strapped so we may be aplayer there.

RB: I like Dominic Rhodes as a fit here on 3rd down and as the kick returner. He's a Texas kid with some explosion. A lot more juke than Reshard Lee. I alos like Taurean Henderson of Texas Tech as a possible fit here in the same role. He is an absolute gem as a pass receiver and offers excellent quickness. Tauren could probably be grabbed in the draft for a round 6 selection. He's not thought of as big enough to be an every down guy but he could offer an offense some explosion in a 10 to 12 touch role.

good post JT, but if the Bills dont reach the playoffs then our pick from them will likely be 20th overall..

also, it apears both of Virgina;s outstanding LB prospects are returning to school (Brooks and Blackstock)...its too bad too because either would have made a nice addition if we were indeed switching to the 3-4

David