Are Dak's Problems Mostly Mental or Physical?

[PAPPYDOG]

I think the main reason there is not a lot of talk about it is that they recognize that before Zeke got hurt they were killin it in the run game and the expectation is that with Zeke and Pollard both back from injury and Mr. "Holding, offense, number 52" gone it will return to form. I don't really see a problem with that reasoning. Provided of course they plug someone better in at LG. I have no confidence that McGovern is the answer but I am here to be proven wrong. I also think (hope) that someone gets into Kellen Moore's ear and tells him to get back to running the ball. And to do it somewhere other than up the middle 90% of the time.

Ronnie T killing it once again!!!

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

People want to harp on the completed pass stat....it's a red herring. If you want to see what OhReally is talking about...watch the 2021 Bucs Cowboys game. I mean REALLY watch it. Note how the Bucs receive the pass and how Dallas receives passes.

There is a REMARKABLE difference...stride, momentum, motions....just the comfort level alone of receiving the ball.

It's weird because that is regarded as one of Dak's better games...STAT wise. I say set aside your stat worshiping..and do truly use your eyes.

Yep...I said it...the eye test. The things stat abuse won't tell you.

is that an eye test thing? and are you comparing Dak to Brady? is it fair to compare anyone to Brady?

 

[Cboyfan4ever]

Lolz, funny, but can you show evidence that what I posted about his accuracy is untrue? I'll wait.

Ok Tad!

 

[Cboyfan4ever]

You are clueless!

and/or drunk

 

[MaineBoy]

Unfortunately I think we have a double whammy situation with Dak, i.e., he has both mental and physical problems. On the one hand he has weird mechanics and this results in worm burners and passes sailing over the outstretched arms of receivers. On the other hand, his inaccuracy has clearly affected his confidence, to the point he never attempts difficult passes especially in clutch situations, culminating in that wonderfully comic slide to end last season.
What do the rest of the zoners think?

Yes.

 

[Cboyfan4ever]

Ok, Dak may not be the answer, but his completion percentage is higher than Brady, Rodgers, Mahomes, and right there with Drew Brees, considered one of the most accurate passers ever. Many of those passer's numbers got better as they got older, so it is possible Dak's completion percentage ends up considerably higher than all of them. His YPA is higher than Brady's and right there with Rodgers and I would guess Dak gets much less of his yardage from RAC than either of them so it is really hard to point at him being inaccurate.

You can argue that he isn't clutch and have a better chance of proving your theory.

Also, you do know that Dak didn't call that play at the end of the game, right? That came from wonder boy Moore.

Take your stats and put them where the sun don’t shine.Completion % is higher because he rarely throws the ball downfield because he either doesn’t see receivers and is too scared or if he does they’re wiiiiide open.Dump offs will keep % higher as those great QB’s would actually take some chances occasionally.There isn’t any sane person on this planet who would say that Dak is more accurate throwing “ downfield” than the greats previously listed.I don’t need to see any stats for that for anyone w/ functional eyes can see that.

 

[Flamma]

There was an article recently saying that Garoppolo is on pace to be the highest percentage completion in history and that his YPA is actually higher than QB's who are thought of as deep passers.

My point being that none of that by itself makes a player a great QB nor tells the full story. When you see stats that are so far different from how the player is viewed, it's because stats are flawed. They don't support the player, they are telling you that there is a deeper story about how the statistic is composed.

I can't remember who it was. I can't remember if it was on this forum or the old Cowboys forum. What I'm about to tell you might make your head hurt. But someone on these boards actually said the opposite. To be careful. To not always trust what you see. Trust the stats. I swear I am not lying.

 

[noshame]

He struggles with strength and accuracy. When he tries to put a little extra on/or take some off he is inaccurate. That's why I've been preaching move him around. Give time for more separation, why he looked so good in 2016.
If he comes out in the pocket u can count on a five win season at best.
And yes, now it's in his head too.

 

[shabazz]

Cool, your choice.. But if he gets back to playing lights out after a healthy offseason I will be more inclined to believe he was lying than less. And of course there is reason to be untruthful.. It's called pride. But whatever.. we'll know soon enough whether pre-injury or post-injury Dak was the real Dak.

…..or it could just that he went through a normal slump after the Broncos shut out the offense the first 3 quarters. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play well at times and below average at times. He’s been like that his whole time here. Flashes of good and flashes of ineffectivity . Pretty normal for a lot of qbs

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

is that an eye test thing? and are you comparing Dak to Brady? is it fair to compare anyone to Brady?

1) Yes..."eye test thingy". You object? Then why even watch just check the box scores.
2) Yes..I am comparing Dak to Brady. Who would you prefer I compare him to? Cooper Rush?
3) Yes I think it's fair. Brady is the "standard". It's how it's done.
Addendum: If done in good taste and without malice.


Look if you choose to have low standards...fine. I understand not everyone is going to be Brady. What would happen if I compared Rodgers to Brady? Stafford to Brady? WOuld the differences be so evident? Not as...I say.

Does Dak need to be brady? Of course not.

Not sure why you object so much about it. Oh wait....I know. An apologist. Dak needs your protection and defense. Okay.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Unfortunately I think we have a double whammy situation with Dak, i.e., he has both mental and physical problems. On the one hand he has weird mechanics and this results in worm burners and passes sailing over the outstretched arms of receivers. On the other hand, his inaccuracy has clearly affected his confidence, to the point he never attempts difficult passes especially in clutch situations, culminating in that wonderfully comic slide to end last season.
What do the rest of the zoners think?

Dak's biggest issue as a passer coming out was his accuracy. Thats a hard thing for a QB to fix. He has improved, but he is still off on throws more often than you like. I do think the leg injury compounded that the second half of the season

 

[FTWayne]

…..or it could just that he went through a normal slump after the Broncos shut out the offense the first 3 quarters. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play well at times and below average at times. He’s been like that his whole time here. Flashes of good and flashes of ineffective. Pretty normal for a lot of qbs

or was it like after the Atlanta game where he saw ghosts the rest of that season and part of the next one?

 

[blueblood70]

Blue, never said Dak was solely responsible for the slide.
His performance was just the easiest one to identify as falling off.
He clearly was not the same player for whatever reason.
I am sure that their were many factors for the slide, but I do feel he was the major contributor.

NO the OL, penalties, run game, and play calling all VERY easy to identify BEFORE Dak..

 

[john van brocklin]

NO the OL, penalties, run game, and play calling all VERY easy to identify BEFORE Dak..

Hope you are right as those issues are cheaper and easier to fix.

 

[Pantone282C]

the fact that he said it AFTER the season gave it merit. If it was mid season i would take it with a grain of salt. No reason to be untruthful after the season. He made a point of saying it wasn’t a convenient excuse.

He manned up and I believe him…….I wish some others here would too

What bothers me is that he alluded to it during the season. He said he would play hurt.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Dak needs to physically work on his low arching fast balls. And Dak needs to mentally be strong enough to tell Moore to stop calling BS plays.

Romo didn't listen to Garrett and co. You want to know why? BS play calling. Dak needs to take a page from Romo.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Take your stats and put them where the sun don’t shine.Completion % is higher because he rarely throws the ball downfield because he either doesn’t see receivers and is too scared or if he does they’re wiiiiide open.Dump offs will keep % higher as those great QB’s would actually take some chances occasionally.There isn’t any sane person on this planet who would say that Dak is more accurate throwing “ downfield” than the greats previously listed.I don’t need to see any stats for that for anyone w/ functional eyes can see that.

He was 7th in the league in air yards last year Chief. Shoots your argument down the drain.

 

[Playmaker247]

He was 7th in the league in air yards last year Chief. Shoots your argument down the drain.

People have made up their mind about Dak. Idk where this idea came from that he isn’t accurate but it’s just stupid. He’s one of the more accurate QB’s in the league whether it’s short or long passes. There’s tons of numbers that prove that. That narrative never makes any sense. There’s stats like expected completion over expected, target distance, air yards, % of throws on target, % of tight window throws, etc. All have Dak as being one of the better QB’s in terms of accuracy so anyone who says he’s not accurate is just repeating a dumb narrative and literally making stuff up

 

[nobody]

People have made up their mind about Dak. Idk where this idea came from that he isn’t accurate but it’s just stupid. He’s one of the more accurate QB’s in the league whether it’s short or long passes. There’s tons of numbers that prove that. That narrative never makes any sense. There’s stats like expected completion over expected, target distance, air yards, % of throws on target, % of tight window throws, etc. All have Dak as being one of the better QB’s in terms of accuracy so anyone who says he’s not accurate is just repeating a dumb narrative and literally making stuff up

I think he can improve, but if you look at his completion percentages in his playoff games before 2021 and then at his 2021 playoff performance, you can see a precipitous drop in his numbers. There was something off. He himself said it was mental.

He does have some accuracy issues in that he constantly throws behind receivers....that they catch it skews his numbers. He's definitely one of the better QB's for sure. And he can get better. But he's not been playing elite. Let's hope he fixes it. I expect that he'll focus hard in the off-season to improve. I think a lot of fans get tired of those that tireless defend him even if fairly criticized just as much as those that constantly bash him even when he's doing good. He's a good QB with strengths and weaknesses. Since he's our qb, we should all be hoping that he improves because he's not going anywhere.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Maybe zeke was "manning up" by not accepting an actual real "excuse". Excuses aren't always faked...something to blame that didn't actually happen.

It could easily be that he WAS indeed injured and hampered....but doesn't want it to be a scapegoat. THAT...is "manning up".

So if he was injured and I agree there's no evidence to indicate he wasn't....why was he playing?
Surely, someone on the coaching team could see (everyone else could). So question is, if he's unfit, why isn't out eminently capable RB2 out there? Is it, reason:
1) KM can't devise two running game strategies for the different abilities of our RB1 and RB2.
2) Zeke would kick up a fuss if he was benched for Pollard.
3) Jerry wants "my guy" playing
WHICHEVER way they want to play it (injury or not) Zeke wasn't performing...if we didn't have another RB then fine we're stuck leaving a less than optimal Zeke out there....but we do, Pollard is eminently capable.
Let's try and be a football (rather than personalities) first team.