Where's your Optimeter needle pointing?

[CouchCoach]

I've done this every off season after the draft just to check and see where posters' heads are at with the upcoming season. I did not do it last season because I am not sure what last season was.

Which brings me to this season. I am really feeling good about this season, I think the Cowboys will win the East and possibly a playoff game that first weekend.

But it's not the record this season or the playoffs that have me extra tuned in, it is to see if I can get that feeling I had in 1990-91 when I could see something special coming together. That's when that defense began to emerge and I could see the speed and the train coming.

New DC, 8 D players drafted and more signed in FA and UDFA and some of the missing pieces returning like Diggs and we'll see about Vander Esch. Not to mention the OL coming back an of course, the QB and Jarwin and we'll get a good look at Lamb's soph season and I do think it will be impressive. Ya know, I got the feeling watching him at OU when Hollywood Brown was there that this guy was just meant to be a WR, he's a natural.

If I were a clever illustrator, I would put a graphic up with the needle and different categories but I am neither clever nor an illustrator so I will just list them.

Your choices are: Let's Talk Draft 2022, 2020 in Hindsight (no better), Barely Better than 2020, Wild Card, Division Champs, Noisemaker in the Playoffs, This is Our Year.

I am in that Division Champs section of the Optimeter.

Please state your reasons for where your needle is pointing and could we try and refrain from going after someone or name calling like Homer or Hater because of where their needle is? You feel how you feel and don't have to defend it.

 

[MarcusRock]

Listen mister, you put your needle in your arm and don't go telling me what needles I need to be putting in my arm. This is CONSPIRA ....

Oh ....... right. Sorry.

 

[Diehardblues]

Division champs

Assuming Dak and our offense stays healthy and defense is not worse in franchise history.

Winning worst division in NFL should be a reasonable goal for this team.

 

[Rayman70]

at a quarter tank right now.

 

[fivetwos]

I'm always hopeful this time of year.

Why wouldn't anyone be?

 

[MyFairLady]

I'm always hopeful this time of year.

Why wouldn't anyone be?

Uhhhh gee I dunno maybe because of the last 25 years.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Uhhhh gee I dunno maybe because of the last 25 years.

There's always next year!

 

[CouchCoach]

Uhhhh gee I dunno maybe because of the last 25 years.

Weren't there some good years within that 25?

 

[big dog cowboy]

There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the upcoming season.

2 good rookie classes in a row, the OL back, the QB back, every level of D will be better, LVE back.....

 

[aikemirv]

wait and see approach....

 

[jazzcat22]

Cautiously optimistic. Trying to not get too excited but not at all down either. More of a wait and see approach.
However, I am always more on the up side than the downside. Sometimes a lot (most of the time), sometimes not so much. All depends on health. If healthy my "optimeter" is pointing up. (that doesn't sound right does it)

I want to say, I expect NFCE champs. But will hold off as to temper my enthusiasm. I want to see what transpires in TC.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Basically it comes down to Quinn getting this defense from looking pitiful and helpless in 2020 to a somewhat respectable unit ranked in the 20ish range in 2021. I believes he has much better players to work with particularly in the front 7. So with that and better luck with injuries on the OL, this is a 10-7/11-6 team and in contention for the division title.

 

[Jipper]

I think right now this is a wildcard weekend winner....but a few injuries cut them back to missing the playoffs...

The team is just not deep enough to absorb a rash of injuries and I could easily see something like last year happening again

 

[Diehardblues]

Weren't there some good years within that 25?

Yea, we had a few with Romo and a couple with Dak. Division titles and playoffs is the new Bar for this franchise.

 

[75boyz]

Less than a quarter tank with no gas available. Wait...

 

[Future]

Yea, we had a few with Romo and a couple with Dak. Division titles and playoffs is the new Bar for this franchise.

So then I guess the Chiefs shouldn't have had any hope before they won their SB two years ago, right?

 

[Bobhaze]

I've done this every off season after the draft just to check and see where posters' heads are at with the upcoming season. I did not do it last season because I am not sure what last season was.

Which brings me to this season. I am really feeling good about this season, I think the Cowboys will win the East and possibly a playoff game that first weekend.

But it's not the record this season or the playoffs that have me extra tuned in, it is to see if I can get that feeling I had in 1990-91 when I could see something special coming together. That's when that defense began to emerge and I could see the speed and the train coming.

New DC, 8 D players drafted and more signed in FA and UDFA and some of the missing pieces returning like Diggs and we'll see about Vander Esch. Not to mention the OL coming back an of course, the QB and Jarwin and we'll get a good look at Lamb's soph season and I do think it will be impressive. Ya know, I got the feeling watching him at OU when Hollywood Brown was there that this guy was just meant to be a WR, he's a natural.

If I were a clever illustrator, I would put a graphic up with the needle and different categories but I am neither clever nor an illustrator so I will just list them.

Your choices are: Let's Talk Draft 2022, 2020 in Hindsight (no better), Barely Better than 2020, Wild Card, Division Champs, Noisemaker in the Playoffs, This is Our Year.

I am in that Division Champs section of the Optimeter.

Please state your reasons for where your needle is pointing and could we try and refrain from going after someone or name calling like Homer or Hater because of where their needle is? You feel how you feel and don't have to defend it.

My needle on this team is generally pointing northward. I’m currently leaning toward Wild Card, and by Sept, I hope to be at Division Champs. This team certainly has enough talent to make the playoffs and if the cards break right, perhaps more.

Reasons for my views:

• Whatever anyone thinks of Dak (I’m of the opinion he’s better than many here think) he’s the best QB in the NFCE. Since QB play is so big in this league, that warrants some uptick.
• The talent on offense is the best in the NFCE, and arguably top 5-10 in the league.
• This year’s draft is way too early to judge, but I do like the Parsons pick and the philosophy Dan Quinn has brought to the table. Warrants some optimism.
• This is a year to year league. If the cards fall right, this team can win the division and perhaps win a game or two in the playoffs. IF...
• The defense was so unbelievably putrid last year, we have no where to go but up. I expect this defense to be much improved. How much? We’ll see. But I don’t think it’s bottom of the league bad anymore.
• I’m not a huge Mike McCarthy fan, but with a full offseason with more time and in person implementation as opposed to last year, I expect his performance to be better.

So with all those reasons, I say this team is at the very least a wild card team, maybe even division champs. The one thing holding them back has been the Charmin-soft culture this owner has engendered. If that somehow changes and this team gets mentally and physically tougher, they can go places. Hope so,

 

[Stash]

Right now, I’m going with:

Noisemaker in the Playoffs

As a fan, I want to believe that there are reasons for optimism and that things are headed in the right direction. I think we can all agree that 2020 sucked on just about every conceivable level, and certainly fit the Cowboys.

But I think that the coaching will be better, not just in quality but in quantity in that the players and coaches will be together more. I think that hurt a lot last year, especially early on.

And I think the talent level will be much higher, based on both the draft and (hopefully) improved health fit the veterans. I refuse to believe that we can have as many guys get hurt as we did last year.

So that’s my story at this point. I think we’re the best team in our division (not saying much), but I think we can win a few games when we do get to the playoffs.

 

[jazzcat22]

My needle on this team is generally pointing northward. I’m currently leaning toward Wild Card, and by Sept, I hope to be at Division Champs. This team certainly has enough talent to make the playoffs and if the cards break right, perhaps more.

Reasons for my views:

• Whatever anyone thinks of Dak (I’m of the opinion he’s better than many here think) he’s the best QB in the NFCE. Since QB play is so big in this league, that warrants some uptick.
• The talent on offense is the best in the NFCE, and arguably top 5-10 in the league.
• This year’s draft is way too early to judge, but I do like the Parsons pick and the philosophy Dan Quinn has brought to the table. Warrants some optimism.
• This is a year to year league. If the cards fall right, this team can win the division and perhaps win a game or two in the playoffs. IF...
• The defense was so unbelievably putrid last year, we have no where to go but up. I expect this defense to be much improved. How much? We’ll see. But I don’t think it’s bottom of the league bad anymore.
• I’m not a huge Mike McCarthy fan, but with a full offseason with more time and in person implementation as opposed to last year, I expect his performance to be better.

So with all those reasons, I say this team is at the very least a wild card team, maybe even division champs. The one thing holding them back has been the Charmin-soft culture this owner has engendered. If that somehow changes and this team gets mentally and physically tougher, they can go places. Hope so,

Last year and with all the injuries. No off-season work, limited TC and no PS games. It was like a 16 game Preseason.
So hopefully the returning players will put that to good use. Even in the stupid defensive scheme. They had to come out with something from that. Such as Diggs did. Just playing time alone and how the team prepares overall, including travel, and what is expected helps.

 

[Stash]

I'm always hopeful this time of year.

Why wouldn't anyone be?

Absolutely!

If you can’t be somewhat hopeful this time of year, you’re in rough shape and likely already in for a long season.