Just a What If. 2016

[Sevenup3000]

Boy, we can tell who missed the point of the thread. It isn't about moving on. Everybody knows that it's in the past. The man just asked a hypothetical. If you didn't have anything to add to the thread why post.

How about this? Instead of dwelling on the 2016 season, which did not need saving, why don't we talk more about the 2015 season--you know, the ACTUAL season that needed a hero.

In 2015, all world Tony Romo had a chance go to the Superbowl with a dominant running game, dominant OL, younger Dez and Witten, same defense, and same coaching staff as in 2016. And, IMO, 2015 was set up far better for Romo than 2016 on account that the NFC East was flat out terrible.

What happened? Why didn't/couldn't all-world, experienced, much better QB than Dak could ever dream to be, Romo save the day in 2015?

And then after discussing the 2015 season, we can talk about the 2014, 13, 12, 11 etc seasons next.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

A belief is something that people hold to be true even though there is no clear evidence to back up their claim. It is extremely difficult to talk someone out of their beliefs. For instance...extraterrestrials, life after death and the Pyramids were spaceships. Those are all beliefs that are extremely hard to get people to stop believing them.

So arguing with someone over their beliefs can be considered foolish. Becsuse the argument could last for years, but they'll never stop believing.

I believe we win it all if Romo was given his job back in the playoffs. And there is nothing no one can say to change my mind.

 

[408Cowboy]

Boy, we can tell who missed the point of the thread. It isn't about moving on. Everybody knows that it's in the past. The man just asked a hypothetical. If you didn't have anything to add to the thread why post.

Hypothetically the defense lays down regardless of who is behind center. As they usually do.

 

[starfan1]

No it wasn't Dak fault. But we got of to an awfully slow start where I think experience was a factor early. Would we have started that slow with Tony? Would Tony being a better passer and experience with Zeke and Dez be too much for Packers injured sexondary?

We’ll never know I’m not certain his brittle body holds up

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

A belief is something that people hold to be true even though there is no clear evidence to back up their claim. It is extremely difficult to talk someone out of their beliefs. For instance...extraterrestrials, life after death and the Pyramids were spaceships. Those are all beliefs that are extremely hard to get people to stop believing them.

So arguing with someone over their beliefs can be considered foolish. Becsuse the argument could last for years, but they'll never stop believing.

I believe we win it all if Romo was given his job back in the playoffs. And there is nothing no one can say to change my mind.

Same with me. I'm sure Romo wouldn't make it through a game. Even if he was healthy I still think we lose because he never proved he could take us to the big game before. Never even came close.

 

[Jake]

Are you serious. Anybody with a shade of sense knew Romo was a better qb and more experienced than Dak. We left points on the field a Dak rookie mistake that turned into a pick 6 in the red zone. Are you seriously saying Romo wasn't capable of a monster game with a runner like Zeke...lol man please.

Are YOU serious? There was no pick 6 in the Packers-Cowboys playoff game after the 2016 season.

The Packers four TD drives went for 75, 90, 80, and 75 yards. Just like the Rams playoff loss, the Cowboys defense couldn't do the job in the playoffs. But never fear, because revisionist history tells us Romo would've put up 40.

Next time, know which game you're even talking about before ripping into someone else.

Packers 34, Cowboys 31

 

[HungryLion]

Are YOU serious? There was no pick 6 in the Packers-Cowboys playoff game after the 2016 season.

The Packers four TD drives went for 75, 90, 80, and 75 yards. Just like the Rams playoff loss, the Cowboys defense couldn't do the job in the playoffs. But never fear, because revisionist history tells us Romo would've put up 40.

Next time, know which game you're even talking about before ripping into someone else.

Packers 34, Cowboys 31

I do have to say that I find the “offense started slow” comments to be a little tough on the offense too.

The cowboys first 3 drives:

FG
Punt
Punt.

The second drive, the offense would have also been easily in FG range with a first down, if not for that phantom 15 yard penalty on Brice Butler.

The Packers first 3 drives:

TD
TD
TD


So the cowboys only had 2 drives where they failed to score points (again one scoring opportunity blown by a stupid and massive penalty)

And then found themselves down by 18 points.

Cowboys then scored a TD on their 4th drive. I believe the Dez TD bomb.

It’s being pretty harsh on an offense to blame
them, when they only have 2 drives without scoring and find themselves down by 18 points.

The defense got their butts handed to them, again, in the playoffs.

Even if Romo did start. He would have needed to be almost perfect to win that game. Which is a position he found himself in often during his career due to piss poor defensive play.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Same with me. I'm sure Romo wouldn't make it through a game. Even if he was healthy I still think we lose because he never proved he could take us to the big game before. Never even came close.

And I can't talk you out of that belief no matter what, so why try. Right?

I just dont see why some people try to talk other people out if their beliefs. It makes no sense to me. Because at the end of the day they are going to believe what they want to believe anyway.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I am wanting the opinions of the fans here on this. I know the season is coming, and what if is a stupid game. But I have changed my opinion about a piece of history in 2016 and wish to see if I am alone.

So,

What if:

In the last game against the Eagles in regular season what would the results have been if Jerry stepped in and advised Dak he has a future, but this is Tony's team, win, lose, or draw for the rest of this season.

1. Would the team (players) have accepted that?

2. They were already going to the play-offs. How would they have fared with a healthy Romo dropping dimes on his receivers and Zeke tearing the league a new rear end?

I was in favor of keeping Dak under center. You don't break a streak.

But upon reflection, I can't help thinking, Tony, knowing this was his swan song, and his ability to recognize the defenses and exploit them, he would have gotten the team - past those butt ugly Packers - to the NFC Championship game and taken the Cowboys to the Super Bowl.

I just see this moment in time, where the stars aligned, and Jones and The Red Headed cheerleader made the wrong move.

I think Tony would have handed the Patriots their butt in the first half, and then dissected them in the second to win it all.

Opinions?

I was in favor of going with Tony. Tony had an MVP quality year in 2014, and we had already paid for him. If I want a guy to throw us to a win, it's Tony over Dak.

Maybe Tony would never be that guy again. Then you find out, and move on to Dak in 2017.

If Tony *is* the same guy, the Cowboys now have two hot QBs and can trade one. Jackpot.

I viewed going back to Tony as getting 2 bites at the apple for a great QB. We owned Dak. There was no hurry to play him. There was a hurry to play Tony. His 2016 salary was sunk cost. His 2017 salary was not.

On the GB game, Dez had a great game against the sub standard CBs of the Packers. They were just physically outmatched. Tony and Dez would have abused them even more. Ball placement to Dez is something Tony gives you that Dak doesn't.

Assuming that Tony is back in form. It's fair to think his skills had eroded past effectiveness two seasons and lots of broken bones removed from his stellar 2014. He looked sharp on his one drive of 2016 - highest season rating ever for Tony! - but that's not a lot of proof that he still had it.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I think he did it in 2008 with Aaron in his first season as the full time starter there.

Yep, I just didn't recall at the time. Dak did it as a rookie while Rodgers was in his prime.

 

[BourbonBalz]

But we did see Dak go into GB that same year and beat them. I can't recall anytime Romo did.

I do. I was there at Lambeau when he beat them on Sunday night. It was either 2008 or 2009. I forget which.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Yep, I just didn't recall at the time. Dak did it as a rookie while Rodgers was in his prime.

Ah, the bliss of being so senile that you view football as two quarterbacks wrestling at midfield in a titanic war to receive the “QB win”...

 

[buybuydandavis]

The Packers first 3 drives:
TD
TD
TD

The defense got their butts handed to them, again, in the playoffs.

Marinelli got pantsed in our last two playoff losses. Coaches matter.

 

[sbark]

My point is that I don’t believe tony would save the day like Willis reed at that point it was more likely he’d a been like Demarcus cousins and get injured again

Realize that, but tony would've taken the risk

Willis reed only played part of the historic game also, but it was enough

 

[HungryLion]

Marinelli got pantsed in our last two playoff losses. Coaches matter.

Who knew that screaming and yelling at mediocre players to “try hard and fight” isn’t enough to get it done against the best offenses in the league.

I was surprised as everyone else.

I really liked how all season long Aaron Rodgers was catching defenses during their substitutions to have 12 players on the field and get a free play.

Then our wily vet of a defensive coordinator still lets himself get caught with substituting on a key third down early in the game. You would think a guy with decades of experience as a coach in the NFL might have had a plan to not let it happen. But not Rod.

Now in Rod’s defense. His call to blitz Heath from
The blindside on the last drive, should have been a game winning play if Rodgers doesn’t miraculously hold onto the ball.

 

[Jake]

I do have to say that I find the “offense started slow” comments to be a little tough on the offense too.

The cowboys first 3 drives:

FG
Punt
Punt.

The second drive, the offense would have also been easily in FG range with a first down, if not for that phantom 15 yard penalty on Brice Butler.

The Packers first 3 drives:

TD
TD
TD


So the cowboys only had 2 drives where they failed to score points (again one scoring opportunity blown by a stupid and massive penalty)

And then found themselves down by 18 points.

Cowboys then scored a TD on their 4th drive. I believe the Dez TD bomb.

It’s being pretty harsh on an offense to blame
them, when they only have 2 drives without scoring and find themselves down by 18 points.

The defense got their butts handed to them, again, in the playoffs.

Even if Romo did start. He would have needed to be almost perfect to win that game. Which is a position he found himself in often during his career due to piss poor defensive play.

It's typical of our fan base. Even in a game where Romo threw for 500 yards and put up 48 points, we have morons who still blame him for losing 51-48 to the Broncos.

No matter how bad the defense plays, it's on the offense to outscore them. It's delusional thinking. The 90s Cowboys allowed less than 19 points per game in their Super Bowl runs. It's not a coincidence. Defense isn't optional, especially in playoff games.

 

[Cowboysfan917]

The ‘Romo was brittle crowd’ always amaze me. The reason Romo was hurt was because the front office neglected the offensive line for so long until Romo was already being affected by hits.

To the original posters point, I think there’s no doubt he would’ve faired better in the playoffs than an inexperienced rookie. I also think he should’ve been given the reigns as soon as he was healthy that year because they had nothing to lose. Rookie this is Romo’s team. If he got hurt again, just put Dak back in.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Who knew that screaming and yelling at mediocre players to “try hard and fight” isn’t enough to get it done against the best offenses in the league.

I was surprised as everyone else.

I really liked how all season long Aaron Rodgers was catching defenses during their substitutions to have 12 players on the field and get a free play.

Then our wily vet of a defensive coordinator still lets himself get caught with substituting on a key third down early in the game. You would think a guy with decades of experience as a coach in the NFL might have had a plan to not let it happen. But not Rod.

Now in Rod’s defense. His call to blitz Heath from
The blindside on the last drive, should have been a game winning play if Rodgers doesn’t miraculously hold onto the ball.

Rogers was catching the defense unprepared all first half.

Naturally, you call on the GOAT, and good things happen!

Marinelli made up for it on the big loser play, though, deciding to play 10 on 11 against GB with one of our LBs playing spy on a 3rd and 20.

#ClownCoach

 

[HungryLion]

It's typical of our fan base. Even in a game where Romo threw for 500 yards and put up 48 points, we have morons who still blame him for losing 51-48 to the Broncos.

No matter how bad the defense plays, it's on the offense to outscore them. It's delusional thinking. The 90s Cowboys allowed less than 19 points per game in their Super Bowl runs. It's not a coincidence. Defense isn't optional, especially in playoff games.

So true. It’s why most people credit the Charles Haley acquisition for getting them over the top.

 

[Jake]

Who knew that screaming and yelling at mediocre players to “try hard and fight” isn’t enough to get it done against the best offenses in the league.

But...but...Richard yells and he's the guy too many people want to see be our next head coach.

This was Richard after the defensive debacle versus the Rams:



Garrett sucks, but let's put away the "anointing oil" on Kris Richard until the Cowboys defense actually makes a difference in the playoffs. It hasn't since the 90s.