Cowboys need sturdier building blocks - Dallas Cowboys Forum

**jobberone** · 11-24-2012

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post...uilding-blocks

I like to write some sort of substantial analysis post on each of our division's teams after they play games, and more often than not I'll write the winning team first, which is why you see a Robert Griffin III column on this blog but haven't yet seen anything major on the Dallas Cowboys since Thursday's loss to Washington.

But the fact is, I've been struggling to think up something to write about the Cowboys that I haven't already written a dozen times. Other than their very first game of the season, no game the Cowboys have played this year (including Thursday's) has given me any reason to change my opinion of what they are -- an average team with a few really good players capable of looking better or worse than they really are in any given week, game or quarter. They're not awful, as many have been suggesting since about 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, and they're not great either. They're just kind of... meh.

Now, the folks who run the Cowboys aren't content with "meh," and they're certainly not happy about it. But they do perceive themselves to be in the process of building something that remains incomplete. So while the current state of affairs isn't a whole lot of fun, it will be acceptable in retrospect if they are someday soon looking back on it as a step along the road from "meh" to "very good."

perrykemp · 11-24-2012

Interesting article.

In summary they say the Cowboys need to start steering away from "talented by can't stay healthy" college players -- they list Sean Lee, Demarco Murray, and Bruce Carter as examples. They say it's ok taking one of these guys once in a while, however, it's dangerous to fill the roster with them.

I guess I can't argue with the basic logic that guys who missed significant time in college are more likely to miss time in the NFL.

CowboysPhan · 11-24-2012

The last point he made, to paraphrase, is that if the Cowboys are looking at two about equal players at a position, and one of them has an injury history, take the other one. Well duh! Of course you do! The problem is, what if there is a guy who is waaaaay better than the other guy, but has an injury history? Do you take the "meh" player who is healthy, or the fantastic player who has an injury history hoping he can put it behind him? It's a real issue, because as we've seen with Lee and Carter, you can get some amazing talent for a song that way, but like Graziano said, if you get too many you end up losing half your roster to injury every year. I'm still glad we got those guys, though.

MaineBoy · 11-24-2012

Our taking players with injury histories is another symptom of the Same Old problem...Jerry's poor drafts, bad contracts, and worse trades. He is so desperate for talent to compensate for all of his other mistakes that he has to keep gambling on talent wherever it can be found. He keeps "doubling down" on people who are talented but available because other teams do not ignore the warning signs of injuries and personal issues. Jerry is so bad GM-wise that if you subtract undrafted free agents and injury prone/personal issues players there are gaping holes all over the place.

ddh33 · 11-24-2012

So now fans are mad that we have Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and DeMarco Murray? I could have sworn that three months ago we were thrilled to have them? I guess the pitchforks really are out.

Injuries happen. It's bad luck, unfortunate, and this team has really been hit hard by them this year. I think the better option would be to build up some depth on this team behind some of those frontline type guys.

T-RO · 11-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddh33

So now fans are mad that we have Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and DeMarco Murray? I could have sworn that three months ago we were thrilled to have them? I guess the pitchforks really are out.

Injuries happen. It's bad luck, unfortunate, and this team has really been hit hard by them this year. I think the better option would be to build up some depth on this team behind some of those frontline type guys.

With some players it's not just bad luck. It's their physical composition. For instance, at this point I'm convinced that you cannot look at Miles Austin as a starting WR anymore. That guy is almost always hobbled.

--Which is sad, because I've always really liked the player.

Eddie · 11-24-2012

Yes, stop drafting injured players.

Jerry's trying to get top round talent for bargain basement prices ... but these are damaged goods.

perrykemp · 11-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddh33

So now fans are mad that we have Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and DeMarco Murray? I could have sworn that three months ago we were thrilled to have them? I guess the pitchforks really are out.

Injuries happen. It's bad luck, unfortunate, and this team has really been hit hard by them this year. I think the better option would be to build up some depth on this team behind some of those frontline type guys.

All these guys were considered to one extent or another damaged good coming out of college. Nobody is mad at the players... all of them are good to great when they play. Problem is it is really hard to build a team around these kinds of players. It's not just luck. The Cowboy have been specifically targeting these kind of players.

**jobberone** · 11-24-2012

I do feel there are players who have muscle injuries all the time. I've played with some. Maybe Miles is in that category. I don't know.

It's foolish IMO to lump all the other injuries in together as if all cancers were the same.

All injuries aren't the same. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that a separated shoulder one year and an ACL the next doesn't count even if its not 'injury prone'. If you aren't on the field due to injury then it doesn't matter what the injury is. If you can't get out of the treatment room then I can't use you said one coach

atomicgdog · 11-24-2012

I think that a great team is built from the trenches outward. Meaning we should build great offensive and defensive front lines first and with a decent qb (Romo is very good) we can win some games and maybe take it to the playoffs.

ologan · 11-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by atomicgdog

I think that a great team is built from the trenches outward. Meaning we should build great offensive and defensive front lines first and with a decent qb (Romo is very good) we can win some games and maybe take it to the playoffs.

You'll learn, atomicgdog, that common sense is the exception, not necessarily the rule on this here board! BTW, WELCOME!!!

pancakeman · 11-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddh33

So now fans are mad that we have Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and DeMarco Murray? I could have sworn that three months ago we were thrilled to have them? I guess the pitchforks really are out.

Injuries happen. It's bad luck, unfortunate, and this team has really been hit hard by them this year. I think the better option would be to build up some depth on this team behind some of those frontline type guys.

Yes. There's good talent 1-22, but 23-53 need to be better, and ready.

Doomsay · 11-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaineBoy

Our taking players with injury histories is another symptom of the Same Old problem...Jerry's poor drafts, bad contracts, and worse trades. He is so desperate for talent to compensate for all of his other mistakes that he has to keep gambling on talent wherever it can be found. He keeps "doubling down" on people who are talented but available because other teams do not ignore the warning signs of injuries and personal issues. Jerry is so bad GM-wise that if you subtract undrafted free agents and injury prone/personal issues players there are gaping holes all over the place.

Great post. Doubling down is a great way to put it. It's essentially the way he made his money in the first place - buying up sub-standard/unproven plays that the Majors weren't interested in and then monetizing them.

Add that to all of the friendly up-front money he pays to unproven players / twilight veterans, and you have a chronically under strength team.

Bluestang · 11-25-2012

Injuries are unpredictable, and both Lee and Carter have suffered bad luck in both cases.

These guys had ACL tears yet one of them had a toe injury and the other had an elbow injury.

I don't follow the logic as to having an ACL injury in college will result in an injury-riddled career in the NFL.

If you guys would supply some factual information or maybe evidence to support your arguments than this can make for an interesting discussion.

However, since it's just rah-rah nonsense with people making generalities than it is what it is.

CowboysYanksLakers · 11-25-2012

I'll take Lee and Carter... Murray is iffy.