DC.COM: Spagnola: This Program Heading In The Right Direction - Page 4 - Dallas Cowboys Forum

HoustonFrog · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idgit

I wonder what it is that people find so threatening about some of us liking the direction of this 8-8 team?

It's not threatening but I find it disconcerting. I mean last year was a better schedule and less injuries and we are 8-8. This year I hear the injury excuse and all but the reality, as pointed out in other threads, is that we were .500 with the players before injury and other teams, in the playoffs, had more guys on IR. The offense didn't progress or change from what Garrett did the year before and he still made the same mistakes and we had the same penalties. In fact I could say we regressed because of how we started every game and fell behind...preparation. The only thing people are hanging their hats on is "toughness" or "not giving up" yet that still got us .500. Why do so many get so excited about those 4th quarters but ignore the first 3 quarters of bad football and futility? They all count the same. So, yeah, after 16 years of nothing and a team that didn't do too much the last few years I don't find being at .500 while other bottom dwellers in the division pass us as the "right direction." JMO

DFWJC · 01-05-2013

The defense and punt return game progressed this year.

The offense? Not so much...except Dez.

**Idgit** · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aven8

..IMO our season was just a microcosm of one season, and that's all. Every season is different in the NFL. You know that. Otherwise the Gents would be planning for there trip to NO this year. They were healthy all year and found a great running back and returner.

I'm not sure we even got hot, we played from behind in every game and fought, but I put that on Romo more then coaching.

Then as we always do, we lost our last two games. We can never make it easy. This team needs new voices, now! Before its too late.

Every season is different, I agree. Though there are trends.

I don't think we ever really got hot, either. Our offense was in a shambles early and the defense playing very well. As we got up to speed with the brand new C and every single starter new or playing a new position, we gradually started to play better offense. But by then the defense was hurting through attrition. The whole season was sort of an abortion in that regard.

It looked like we started playing better mid-season, but that was a function of the OL solidifying from the early chaos, the WRs fixing their adjustment problems, and the schedule. From that point on, we played well, and just didn't have the firepower on defense to beat the better teams consistently.

That said, I do see the trends. We're getting deeper. We're doing a good job identifying veteran FAs. We're drafting well. We're playing well in the 4th quarters of games. We've always had good QB play. Our defense is quite good when healthy. Dez looks like he might have developed into a young gamebreaker for us.

Personally, I'm fairly sure we're on the right track under JG. Let's say a 75 on a scale of 1-100. Now, I completely understand people being fairly unsure of the guy. In fact, I understand the entire range of possible takes on that same scale. I think it's perfectly reasonable to look at record alone and to have a negative take on the guy for that reason alone. I don't agree with the take, but I see that there are valid reasons to believe it.

What I don't get is people looking at the sum total of what's going on with the team and concluding that there aren't reasons to be excited, too. It's been a while since we've seen some of the signs of life we're seeing now. And it's been since Parcells' time since we've seen the young part of the roster getting stronger instead of weaker. I just don't see how being patient hurts us in this case.

Tony Romo and Demarcus Ware are the reasons most often cited for being impatient, but I think any change at this point means a year or two more of adjusting the roster no matter who we hire. With Garrett, at least, we're only looking at one more season of leeway here before something significant is changed. Why not sit tight and see what happens?

stasheroo · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idgit

It's not just talk. You're seeing it in the results and in the play on the field, and in the way the team has changed under Garrett. It just hasn't translated into additional victories yet.

Right. Only around here does 8-8 and 8-8 = improvement.

Ever hear the term 'enabler'?

Quote:

And, I'll agree, if the sole measurement of the success of the rebuilding project is victories, then by that measure JG has not succeeded. Are you willing to admit that successful rebuilding projects exist where teams really do have to work for a couple seasons before breaking through? Because we both know I can find countless examples where this is the case.

Yes, the sole measure of success in the NFL is victories. All else is hollow speculation amounting to nothing.

And this has never been a 'rebuilding project'. Unless maybe that's the latest excuse for Garrett?

Quote:

The measure of a successful team should be how well the team performs relative to it's ability, not the team's end-of-the-season record. It's not reasonable to expect our coaches to do more, with less, than other teams' coaches can do. Last year, we had less because we had significant holes in the roster. This season, we ended up with less because of a host of key injuries. But the effort was there, and it showed up--clearly--in the way the team played the 4th quarter of games and how they got better as the season wore on.

Save the 'injury excuse', it simply carries no weight. And I find 'effort' to be a loser's mantra as well. Did you win? No? Then you lost.

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As to the talent, the QB and the start pass rusher and all pro TE are getting older. At the same time, you're seeing young players like Dez and Murray and Harris and Lee and Carter step up to play at blue chip or near blue chip levels. So it goes in the NFL. The important thing is whether or not you think this current group is capable of adding talent faster then they lose it. Signs look hopeful in that regard in my book. What makes you think they can't?

And you tell me where the more valuable players are. QB or RB? OLB or ILB? I know what my answers are.

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I think most of you are just disappointed and are still venting. Our window's wide open as long as we continue to draft well and do good work in veteran FA.

And I think most of you are fans who will accept anything you get in the name of that fandom. To the point of trying to defend mediocrity with no tangible results to do so.

john van brocklin · 01-05-2013

[quote=WoodysGirl;4943766]Mickey Spagnola
DallasCowboys.com Columnist

IRVING, Texas – Home is usually good.

You know, home for the holidays; home for the summer; home on leave.
But home for the playoffs is not.

And for the third consecutive season the Dallas Cowboys are sitting at home this weekend, not involved in the NFL playoffs. Not this wild-card weekend and certainly not next weekend’s divisional round of games reserved for the top two teams in each conference and this weekend’s four winners.

Ba-humbug. Nobody is in a good mood.

Not you.

Not the local media.

Not the coaching staff here at The Ranch.

Not the players.

And for sure, not the owner, Jerry Jones spewing his frustration this past Wednesday on his local 105.3 The Fan radio segment, saying, unprovoked, mind you, “I can assure our fans this, it’s going to be very uncomfortable from my standpoint, very uncomfortable for the next few weeks and months at Valley Ranch.”

Absolutely, not a soul is happy with 8-8, especially on the heels of an 8-8 season, the only time in the 53-year history of the Cowboys that they have finished .500 in consecutive seasons and just the fourth time overall. Not a soul is happy landing there by losing the final two games of the past two seasons, which includes the final game of each season playing for the division title.

Please pass the Kool Aid...

Coy · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoustonFrog

It's not threatening but I find it disconcerting. I mean last year was a better schedule and less injuries and we are 8-8. This year I hear the injury excuse and all but the reality, as pointed out in other threads, is that we were .500 with the players before injury and other teams, in the playoffs, had more guys on IR. The offense didn't progress or change from what Garrett did the year before and he still made the same mistakes and we had the same penalties. In fact I could say we regressed because of how we started every game and fell behind...preparation. The only thing people are hanging their hats on is "toughness" or "not giving up" yet that still got us .500. Why do so many get so excited about those 4th quarters but ignore the first 3 quarters of bad football and futility? They all count the same. So, yeah, after 16 years of nothing and a team that didn't do too much the last few years I don't find being at .500 while other bottom dwellers in the division [View Full Quote]

Great Post, my thoughts exactly.

Risen Star · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by CATCH17

Mickey is the biggest Cowboy homer out there. He's defended every Cowboy coach.

There is nothing to see here.

Correct.

CATCH17 · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by newlander

...just as I said earlier in the thread: hes simply a company man...one of Jerrah's underlings.

The next time he is critical of a Cowboy coach will be the 1st time.

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-05-2013

Comparing the team from a year ago to the current team:

Romo... Same. Romo is Romo, lot's of good. And can fall apart when trying to do too much. Much prefer Orton over Kitna as the main backup.

WR's... Same. Dez wasn't as good a year ago, but Robinson had put in a terrific season. No Robinson this year. But Dez stepped up his game. Harris shows some potential.

TE's... A little + this year. Witten is a year older, but hasn't shown to be declining. Phillips is Phillips... Just sorta there. Really like what Hanna showed.

Offensive line... A push. It was poor last year. Just as poor (but in different ways) this year.

RB's... A push. Kinda unsettled last year with injuries and Felix not performing up to snuff. The same this season.

DL... A fall-off this year due to Ratliff's almost full season of injuries and the Brent situation. Hatcher did extremely well this year and Crawford was showing a little bit.

LBers... A big ++ this year. Injuries, but the overall group is much better.

Secondary... +. Not as much as the linebackers but a tandem of Carr and Mo is superior to Jenkins and Newman... Not even close.

Yeah, this year's team looks better to me than it was a year ago.

Bigdog24 · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I have to agree with Mickey...

This team is better than the one in 2011.

And the one next season will be better than this one.

I don't know if its better....but I REALLY don't know where the Cowboys are headed....what type of team are the Cowboys....IMO there are more holes to fill this year than last year.... The Brent situation really puts the handcuffs on the Cowboys in a bad way.....RATLIFF has to be shown the door... but all that does is create another hole on the DL.

Cowboys are in bad shape...they need OL/DL help in the worst way...but they just have to many needs at this point.

Offense...needs overhauled 2-3 players at least on the OL
Defense...needs...a NT is a must....OLB..resign Spencer(?/doubtful) Then what about Safety......

Face it folks.Cowboys are in trouble.....Pete Carroll rebuilt the Seahawks to be big and aggressive team in 2-3 years..... While Dallas is still trying to figure out how to play finesse football. What type of players are the owner and HC really looking for.....Big and aggressive or RKG stuff

JPM · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

Comparing the team from a year ago to the current team:

Romo... Same. Romo is Romo, lot's of good. And can fall apart when trying to do too much. Much prefer Orton over Kitna as the main backup.

WR's... Same. Dez wasn't as good a year ago, but Robinson had put in a terrific season. No Robinson this year. But Dez stepped up his game. Harris shows some potential.

TE's... A little + this year. Witten is a year older, but hasn't shown to be declining. Phillips is Phillips... Just sorta there. Really like what Hanna showed.

Offensive line... A push. It was poor last year. Just as poor (but in different ways) this year.

RB's... A push. Kinda unsettled last year with injuries and Felix not performing up to snuff. The same this season.

[View Full Quote]

Focus on the OL and DL this off-season and I do see improvement next year.

tyke1doe · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCount

Nah. Next year we'll have a playoff caliber 8-8 team. Then a Super Bowl caliber 8-8 team. We might have the first ever dynasty that doesnt even need to make it to the playoffs.

tyke1doe · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCount

8-8 ain't far from 5-11 either.

A lot of people were saying early on that the injuries would be used as an excuse if the team fizzled at the end of the year again, and it looks like they were right.

I'm sure the excuses being made in here are the same excuses the personell are currently feeding Jerry as they try to cover their own butts as well.

You can rationalize away anything if you try hard enough. We'll just ignore how terribly the team was playing even when most of those guys were healthy, that's the ticket.

Didn't the Packers get to the Super Bowl with several significant injuries?

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyke1doe

Didn't the Packers get to the Super Bowl with several significant injuries?

Maybe the Packers had a better overall club?

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPM

Focus on the OL and DL this off-season and I do see improvement next year.

No question, players need to be "churned" on both lines.