xwalker
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Thinking about the upcoming season, it's really hard for me to get a gauge on what might happen. I can see things going really well, and the team loading up for a significant run at a championship, or I can see a crash and burn scenario where they crash and burn.
Either way, what I don't see is a middle of the road, 8-8 season coming.
Do we start with the good news or the bad news first? Let's start with the bad news and end on a high note.
We're looking at another year under Jason Garrett's coaching, with a totally inexperienced offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore being handed the reigns. That inexperience could be a recipe for disaster. There are an awful lot of moving parts in coordinating an entire offense, and this guy has but one year out of the game in coaching. If someone has an example of another team doing that, let me know because I've never seen it before, certainly not in the modern era. What if both Moore and Garrett buckle under the obvious pressure? Or can't figure out how to make things better? What if Frederick can't return to form and the offensive line continues to struggle?
Then there are the various contract situations. Demarcus Lawrence is obviously at the top of that list as he is currently out of contract. And he either needs to be tagged or signed long term. If it's long term? No problem, he'll obviously be happy and available. If not? Does he accept another tag or does he grumble, miss the offseason, or even possibly hold out for some games?
Then there are Prescott and Elliott. While both are under contract, it's rumored that both are looking for new deals. If they don't get them, might either or both also holdout? If so, that could be even more bad news. And missing either and certainly both, could totally derail the season.
Now for the good news. What if Kellen Moore is as good as many people say? What if we do have the league's next wunderkind? What if he's able to realize what this offense's strengths are and play to them? What if this offensive line, that was so screwed up under the Paul Alexander debacle, returns to form? What if Frederick is healthy and back to being himself? What if an offseason in the system and practicing together helps to make Dak, Cooper, and Gallup a better passing game? What if Jarwin and Schultz continue to develop and improve? There's certainly a lot of potential upside there.
If you can pair a potent, multi-faceted offense with the defense we had for much of last year - and they've worked out their tells - you might truly have a team to contend with. And if you were able to add an Earl Thomas to the mix to improve what I feel is that defense's biggest weakness, and maybe an upgrade at defensive tackle? Yeah, it wouldn't take much to convince me that this team would be a contender.
And that's my point, I think this upcoming season can go one of two ways, either really good, or really bad. But I don't see an in-between.
What say you?
The one thing that is predictable is that the general consensus in terms of fans/media is almost always wrong, especially in terms of specifics.
There was not a big concern last year about the OLine. The general thought was they'll plug somebody in between All-Pro Tyron and Frederick and have minimal issues, especially once they signed a veteran backup OT.
LB on the other hand was a big concern because it had been a disaster in 2017 with Lee and Hitchens both getting injured and Jaylon looking terrible for much of the season.
There was concern at WR and that proved to be an issue early in the season but ended up being a high point with Cooper added and Gallup progressing quite well in the 2nd half.
The group-think for the Rams game was the Rams passing offense and the Cowboys running game being the big problems for each defense. It turned out the opposite.
The worst case is a good but not great season. With a losing season, they'll start planning on a Garrett replacement early. With a good not great season Garrett might stay and even if fired, they might not be prepared to get the best replacement.
My concerns:
1. Distractions. Either player contract issues or too much media focus on Moore as OC and Garrett with no contract extension.
2. OT. If Tyron has a season ending injury in training camp, they might as well just focus in getting a top 10 pick in 2020 because they're not winning by just re-signing Fleming.
3. Offensive play execution. I'm confident Moore can design and call plays as well as Linehan or better; however, more complicated plays require more practice reps to perfect. Offensive execution has not been a strength with Garret as the HC. Only the OLine execution when Bill Callahan was the OL coach was elite. They do have smarter players with Cooper/Gallup over the years with Dez/TWill. Getting Frederick back is huge. He's the smartest guy on the team. Looney's individual play was good-enough but they really really missed Frederick's game knowledge and leadership.
4. DT. Other teams will copy what the Rams did to the Cowboys DL if they don't make DL scheme adjustments and/or add more talent.
5. Not really a worry per se, but what happens at DC? The media will make it a distraction if Kris Richard is NOT promoted to DC. I don't think Richard can do much about the DL problems that came up in the Rams game if he is not the DC.