Before you blame Dak

[atlantacowboy]

Time for the front office to start drafting offensive lineman again. Smith is old in NFL years and if you want to have a Super Bowl contender, you need to have a great offensive line.

Smith is far from the problem on the OL. He had an ankle sprain for a few games, but other than that, he is one of the highest graded OTs in the NFL. Its going to take a top 10 draft pick to replace him. The worst performing OL starter this year is Biadez and he is very replaceable in the draft. He is ranked 23rd at his position. Here are the other positional rankings of OL starters. This is the best OL in the NFL, overall.

Zach #2
Tyron #2
La El #6
Connor #17

Bottom line is the OL is not the problem. The issue on offense is Dak. His performances are inversely proportionally to the quality of the opponent. The better the competition , the worse he plays. He can't have 4-5 ball batted down by the DL and fumble on a critical 4th quarter drive and expect to win against playoff caliber teams. He's got to do better than a single TD drive in a half of football. .... and that drive was only 23 yards.

 

[atlantacowboy]

A bullcrap statistic that is bolstered by 6 games played against division opponents that are weak.

Now lets pull up the numbers against teams over .500 ............ not so impressive.

 

[LittleD]

Smith is far from the problem on the OL. He had an ankle sprain for a few games, but other than that, he is one of the highest graded OTs in the NFL. Its going to take a top 10 draft pick to replace him. The worst performing OL starter this year is Biadez and he is very replaceable in the draft. He is ranked 23rd at his position. Here are the other positional rankings of OL starters. This is the best OL in the NFL, overall.

Zach #2
Tyron #2
La El #6
Connor #17

Bottom line is the OL is not the problem. The issue on offense is Dak. His performances are inversely proportionally to the quality of the opponent. The better the competition , the worse he plays. He can't have 4-5 ball batted down by the DL and fumble on a critical 4th quarter drive and expect to win against playoff caliber teams. He's got to do better than a single TD drive in a half of football. .... and that drive was only 23 yards.

The problems start in the Cowboy's Front Office, filter down to the coaches and land squarely on the team captains of this team. No accountability and no ramifications for bad players. Just another year of scapegoating.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Now lets pull up the numbers against teams over .500 ............ not so impressive.

Yep, but kudos to Dak for getting paid on the strength of BS stats and a GM/owner dumb enough to actually pay for that.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Just because they had some starters out means nothing. People tend to forget 2nd and 3rd stingers are still pro football players, fighting to be starters.

We most likely will play them again in the playoffs and yall act like this is the end of our season.

I'm glad our team does have the same "We should just give up" mentality some of yall share here.

Some starters? They were missing 7 starters. Thats a lot for any team. And the difference between 1st string in the NFL and back-ups can be enoumous. Just ask the WFT. Heck, we lose Tyron for a few games and we can't beat anyone. The roster is paper thin and out back-ups are marginal NFL players in most cases and would struggle to make a roster on all but the worst NFL teams.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Yep, but kudos to Dak for getting paid on the strength of BS stats and a GM/owner dumb enough to actually pay for that.

I just hope he re-writes that narrative in the post season b/c we are stuck with him for a long time.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Smith is far from the problem on the OL. He had an ankle sprain for a few games, but other than that, he is one of the highest graded OTs in the NFL. Its going to take a top 10 draft pick to replace him. The worst performing OL starter this year is Biadez and he is very replaceable in the draft. He is ranked 23rd at his position. Here are the other positional rankings of OL starters. This is the best OL in the NFL, overall.

Zach #2
Tyron #2
La El #6
Connor #17

Bottom line is the OL is not the problem. The issue on offense is Dak. His performances are inversely proportionally to the quality of the opponent. The better the competition , the worse he plays. He can't have 4-5 ball batted down by the DL and fumble on a critical 4th quarter drive and expect to win against playoff caliber teams. He's got to do better than a single TD drive in a half of football. .... and that drive was only 23 yards.

I was told he only had two bad passes, loool.

 

[CATCH17]

I have said over and over it took me a long time to come around on Dak. He is not Brady or Rodgers. But guess what...NEITHER IS ANYONE else. So do we keep searching until we find them...or do we build out the rest of the team and play football? He is good enough to win with. But yes, we are going to have to run it well and play defense. Just like you would for 90% of the other QBs in the history of the NFL.

I think this is really about how much money Dak makes. Guess what...they ALL make a ton of money. And are any of them Rodgers or Brady? So I guess you guys want the Cowboys to operate in a league where the "rules" of finances and free agency don't apply to them? And honestly, had they offered 32m a few years ago....we would not be having this conversation. That is on the front office.

If you think how much money he makes should mean he has to overcome false starts. He has to overcome holding penalties. He has to overcome a head coach who can't manage the clock. He has to overcome a head coach who does not pay attention to details. He has to overcome DL lining up in the neutral zone. He has to overcome dropped passes. He has to overcome the early retirement of Travis Frederick. He has to overcome an inaccurate kicker. He has to overcome TEs who cannot block. He has to overcome COVID protocols. Etc....there are a LOT of things that determine whether you win or lose a football game. And Dak SHOULD shoulder a lions share of the responsibility for winning football games...but not ALL of the responsibility. And whether he makes 32m or 40m million...he is not....nor will he ever be perfect. Like I said...Rodgers is better than him..and he has ONE...ONE Super Bowl. What does that tell you? It tells you that being the most talented QB does not automatically mean championships.

Dak has to clean up a few things. But that ALONE will not guarantee us anything.

Dak’s never the answer to problems. That’s the problem.


He’s a 40 million dollar player and he’s never the answer.

Arizona had a ton of problem yesterday. Kyler Murray was the answer to all of it.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Dak’s never the answer to problems. That’s the problem.


He’s a 40 million dollar player and he’s never the answer.

Arizona had a ton of problem yesterday. Kyler Murray was the answer to all of it.

This is an excellent point. That guy won the game in spite of missing D. Hopkins and his top 2 rbs. No excuses. He ran for first downs when he had to and even sacrificed his body pitching the ball on that final drive to kill the clock. Thats taking ownership and understanding that winning is the job.

 

[shabazz]

I still think he's got an outside shot at the MVP thingy.....

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

I just hope he re-writes that narrative in the post season b/c we are stuck with him for a long time.

The only way that happens is if the O-Line and Zeke suddenly rediscover their form and go on a tear because Dak Prescott isn't going to beat anyone with his arm.

 

[atlantacowboy]

I still think he's got an outside shot at the MVP thingy.....

Yeah, like 0.0005%

 

[atlantacowboy]

The only way that happens is if the O-Line and Zeke suddenly rediscover their form and go on a tear because Dak Prescott isn't going to beat anyone with his arm.

Zeke is definitely not running like he did after the Charger game. The OL is by all measures having a good year. Zeke just hasn't taken advantage of it. Pollard has when he gets some touches. I know he dropped one yesterday but that guy is running for 6 almost YPC on the season.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Dak’s never the answer to problems. That’s the problem.


He’s a 40 million dollar player and he’s never the answer.

Arizona had a ton of problem yesterday. Kyler Murray was the answer to all of it.

Never the answer?

Hyperbole maybe?!!!

In the last 25 years (the last time we have won the Super Bowl), the Cowboys have had 9 double digit win seasons. Dak has 3 of them...in 5 years...because he basically missed a season due to injury. I think you all forget how BAD it has been around here the last 25 years!!

 

[CATCH17]

Never the answer?

Hyperbole maybe?!!!

In the last 25 years (the last time we have won the Super Bowl), the Cowboys have had 9 double digit win seasons. Dak has 3 of them...in 5 years...because he basically missed a season due to injury. I think you all forget how BAD it has been around here the last 25 years!!

Ok.. Daks the answer against lowly teams such as Washington.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Listen I don’t ever bash Dak, I’m not one of those posters that do that. But this proves the point that everything has to go right in order for him to play well. What separates elite quarterbacks from the pack is they always find away to win.

I know we aren't suppose to use Brady in these discussions...but since I am here in Tampa Bay....he's on TV so that is who I watch.

He was down several top WR's....and still found a way to win the game at the end with a 4-5 WR. Co-incidentally....he did it on T-giving Day too....when we lost ours with a bad pass at the end.

It seems we're having trouble with the offense in crunch time.

 

[Slick]

Yup they do i guess... but I remember the experts saying Peyton Manning couldn't win the big one. How'd that work out??

You proved my point, again. That even the experts are wrong. Dak also isn’t elite.

Have a nice day!

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Dak has 3 of them

Against whom? Please list the teams and the years these were achieved. I'd like a laugh.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Zeke is definitely not running like he did after the Charger game. The OL is by all measures having a good year. Zeke just hasn't taken advantage of it. Pollard has when he gets some touches. I know he dropped one yesterday but that guy is running for 6 almost YPC on the season.

When Tony runs the same plays as Zeke...we (usually) get the same results.

The difference....Tony's plays....as (usually) "change of pace"....are out in space. They rarely ask Tony to run up the middle. But check it when he does.

I'm so peed about this stubbornness to run it up the clogged middle. MOVE! Get plays in space. Get O-line moving and go hit someone. Tony and to some extent zeke...will make things happen if they aren't evading tackles upon handoff.

I found it odd that both Zeke and Tony dropped the same pass....I think it was just opposite sides. Weird.

 

[atlantacowboy]

When Tony runs the same plays as Zeke...we (usually) get the same results.

The difference....Tony's plays....as (usually) "change of pace"....are out in space. They rarely ask Tony to run up the middle. But check it when he does.

I'm so peed about this stubbornness to run it up the clogged middle. MOVE! Get plays in space. Get O-line moving and go hit someone. Tony and to some extent zeke...will make things happen if they aren't evading tackles upon handoff.

I found it odd that both Zeke and Tony dropped the same pass....I think it was just opposite sides. Weird.

Oh like this one https://www.nfl.com/videos/tony-pollard-explodes-for-blazing-fast-42-yard-td-run

Pollard was the better RB this year. He also had a 58 Yard TD run which is longer than anything Zeke has accomplished in his NFL career. Zeke has the stats b/c he gets the opportunities. But play for play, Pollard has been better this year.