After watching this weekend's games, are the Cowboys close?

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by Gemini Dolly

To make the playoffs, we are close.

To make any noise in the playoffs...eh no.

That's more reasonable.

Bad teams can make the playoffs in this NFL. So we got a shot.

[Zordon]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

Pretty meaningless.

That's like saying the Eagles or Redskins were close last year because they beat the Super Bowl champion Giants.

Close to what? Winning a title? That would take winning a minimum of 3 games in a row against top competition. We probably haven't done that in nearly 20 years.

This sort of thinking is what leads to failed offseasons. There's a reason why we are always in the same spot every January. We're not good enough. We've got no offensive line whatsoever and about as ordinary a defensive line as you'll find in the league. How can any team be close when that is true?

hey but at least the young savvy numbers guru, stephen jones, has left us in a position where we have lots of cap room to spend on multiple free agents this offseason.


oh wait...

[Dash28]

If we really invest in the trenches...

Biggest hold back is the main man at the top.

[TheFinisher]

We need a complete culture change, and I don't see that happening until Garrett is removed from the picture and Jerry hands the keys over to a real HC.

Once that happens, and the necessary overhaul takes place, there will be hope.

But until then we're just running in place. 9-7 to 7-9 football team that is not a serious SB contender.

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

That's more reasonable.

Bad teams can make the playoffs in this NFL. So we got a shot.

Especially if they expand the playoffs.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by Zordon

hey but at least the young savvy numbers guru, stephen jones, has left us in a position where we have lots of cap room to spend on multiple free agents this offseason.


oh wait...

Yeah, you'd think with a roster full of holes in so many critical positions you'd at least have some cap room available to address it.

Outstanding work by the front office.

If any one of us was as incompetent in our job we would be fired.

[mahoneybill]

Originally Posted by tyke1doe

Lessons from this weekend?

- Invest in the offensive line. (San Francisco)
- Get homefield advantage. (Atlanta)
- If at all possible, don't play in the cold. (Denver)
- Never play a safety who doesn't know how to play prevent defense up by seven. (Denver)
- Don't leave points on the field. (Seattle)
- Playing to honor a soon-to-be-retired teammate can be inspirational. (Baltimore)
- Players who take steroids will soon let you down when you need them to perform. (Green Bay)
- Choke artists don't just reside in Dallas. (Denver)
- Tom Brady is better than Peyton Manning by a country mile. (New England)

I think that about covers it.

Excellent

[yimyammer]

Originally Posted by Teague31

Have any of this weekends teams suffered any devastating injuries like we did? They all seemed very healthy.

NE lost their best receiver (debatably second best) and their best RB at the start of the game & then they proceeded to hang 40+ on Houston

[CowboyChris]

personally i think we are miles away, who here thinks Romo couldve outdueled Manning in Denver, or Ryan in Atlanta, or Brady in NE, or Kapernick in SF?

now we are having to re-build our defense, i dont care what anyone says, you are not just going to go from a 3-4 to 4-3 overnight and be a great defense. this is at least a 2-3 year transition.

offensively we are handicapped right away by garrett and his gameplanning, his poor situational and clock management. and the slop we have for an OL.

we have so many holes to fill around here, by the time we can get the players we need, the core players will be too old, and we will have to start all over again.

[Arkyvarminter]

What do these teams have that we don't? They are well coached, balanced football teams that don't shoot themselves in the foot with penalties. They have good O and D lines. Something we don't have. We also don't have the mindset that we are going to win at all costs and everyone is going to play mistake free football. The Cowboys are not that far away from going deep in the playoffs.

We could have played with any of these teams this weekend if we were healthy,had a playcaller, and cut out the penalties. When your in the redzone and dumb plays are called you usually don't score. Our coach doesn't run screens very often and has the perfect backs to do so. When the line isn't blocking, which is often, where are the quick slants? Why does Romo refuse to throw the ball away instead of forcing the ball into coverage? Its coaching. Even when we are healthy we make the same mistakes and the playcalling is part of the problem when we fail to move the ball. I don't know where JG ranks as a playcaller but I bet he is on down the list. If we would have started out 2012 with a good playcaller, we would have won a few more games in my opinion. I'm not making excuses for Romo but he is asked to do too much while very talented players he lines up with could take a load off his shoulders with good playcalling. I think Romo knows that the playcalling sucks but he would never admit it. Can Bill Callahan call a good game? I don't know but I bet he would be better than Garrett. Its like this team has a bunch of really good players but only a handfull can make plays in crucial situations. We have to cut out the penalties in 2013 because they will cost a team games just like a turnover will. Garrett may become a good coach and I haven't really given up on him. He just needs to swallow his pride and turn over the playcalling to someone else and preferably an accomplished one. As for Rob Ryan, I was surprised he was fired but I don't think he was anything special. Hopefully this Kiffin guy will be better. I think if Tony Romo had a good playcaller his numbers may go down but winning would happen more often. Just my opinion and I"m sure others will disagree and thats ok too.............

[BoysFan4ever]

I don't think they are close but hoping.

[HowAboutThemCowboys]

Originally Posted by Zordon

Who are you refering to? I think we have a guy like that by the name of Doug Free.

He's probably referring to Clay Mathews. Guilt by association?

[DoomsDayD]

Originally Posted by Zordon

When you compare what you saw today and yesterday to our Boys, do you guys think we are close? Do you feel less optimistic about our chances next season? Are there some common themes or lessons we can take from the final 8 playoff teams?

I say by the 2020 season we might have things right.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by yimyammer

NE lost their best receiver (debatably second best) and their best RB at the start of the game & then they proceeded to hang 40+ on Houston

They have a system and a team. When you have that, its next man up.

When you don't, its sign the next street FA because your depth is used to hold 3 kickers and other developmental gems. A real FO carries depth and expects that depth to actually play.

[BoysFan4ever]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

They have a system and a team. When you have that, its next man up.

When you don't, its sign the next street FA because your depth is used to hold 3 kickers and other developmental gems. A real FO carries depth and expects that depth to actually play.

Amen.