Why Wouldn't You Start DiNucci?

If we lost, but he showed some flashes that he could be a NFL QB, then okay... continue to play him.

Clearly, as awful as the coaches have been, they can see it too....there's no way they would consider Cooper Rush and Garrett Gilbert if Ben had even a fraction of potential in their eyes.

ChronicCowboy said:

It was pretty obvious last weekend that he wasn’t even close to being ready for NFL action. MM genuinely likes DiNucci and doesn’t want to use him as a sacrificial lamb.

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Never seen a worse first performance in my life.

CowboyRoy said:

Never seen a worse first performance in my life.

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He reminded me of Drew Henson on Thanksgiving a hundred years ago.

ChronicCowboy said:

It was pretty obvious last weekend that he wasn’t even close to being ready for NFL action. MM genuinely likes DiNucci and doesn’t want to use him as a sacrificial lamb.

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THIS

And against Pittsburgh no less. They lead the NFL in sacks.
The kid might have his career end before it even gets started.

The last time we had a potentially 3 game stretch without no TDs and truly horrific QB play was in the 2017.
Probably better for the young one to stay out of that mess.

No, this team needs to build consistency around credible Veteran QB play and decent coaching. We also need to see Dalton, with decent OP play, actually make Dak’s numbers look like the inflated paper-tiger numbers it really is, so all his defenders can stop crying about how he deserves a billion dollars a year.

With DeNucci all your going to get us “Boy Wonder” snapping it to Zeke in an open backfield three times in a row and a bunch of irrelevant analogies to Dak’s situation to justify a billion dollars a year....

DFWJC said:

THIS

And against Pittsburgh no less. They lead the NFL in sacks.
The kid might have his career end before it even gets started.

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imagine if they decided to rest Zach Martin this game...

Because they still think they can win the division. Crazy I know.

Oh damn, I just read Dalton is coming back after the bye-week and Cooper Rush will probably be starting.. Well, we got somebody with experience in the offense...

he have no aware ness at all like none he could die against the steelers. that would not be a good experience for him.

Pick on the kid....

Did you know that 2015 Peyton Manning once went 5 for 20 for 35 yards and threw 4 picks vs Kansas City? His passer rating was 0.0.
Joe Namath once threw for 96 yards on 8 of 24 while tossing 6 picks.
Dan Pastorini threw 4 picks in a 3 for 23 outing.
Ryan Leaf (can't be left out). He went 1 for 15 for 4 yards and threw two picks in his third game.

Troy Aikman's first year wasn't all roses.....
His first game against Washington he was 6 of 21 for 83 and 2 picks.
The following week against the Giants he was 1 of 6 for 11 yards
Two weeks later he threw 3 picks while completing 7 of 21 for 54 yards against Philly.

Don Meredith started the Divisional Play-off vs Cleveland going 3 for 9 for 42 with 3 picks. At halftime Landry pulled him in favor of Craig Morton who finished the game 9 of 23 for 163 and 1 pick.

CoachD said:

Give the kid a chance to learn and grow and get some much needed experience. At this point in the season and with your record at 2-6 why not see what DiNucci can do, actually he should start until Dalton is able to come back. Put it this way I've see a lot worse at quarterback for the Cowboys in their first start than DiNucci i.e. Quincy Carter who threw for all of 34 yards in his first start in the NFL against Tampa Bay. I would also keep Terence Steele at right tackle (yes I know he bad) and see what he can do for the rest of the season no reason to go fishing at this point as start moving Zack Martin to right tackle plus Steele is learning and gaining a ton of experience out there, now if the Cowboys were decent and still in the hunt then yes I would have benched Steele weeks ago but since it's a lost cause keep his but out there for the remainder of the season.

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what about the rest of the team? you can't do that to a lockerroom. The whole team recognizes DiNucci is not ready. You can't lose your lockerroom by going with a kid who is clearly unprepared.

rnr_honeybadger said:

You are going to destroy the kids confidence if you do.

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Assuming he makes it out the game in one piece which, considering that TJ Watt is going to be bearing down on him, is not guaranteed.

DiNucci has no business starting he does nothing well and its not his fault.....he had no preseason and no offseason and shouldnt be thrust into this position

CowboyRoy said:

Never seen a worse first performance in my life.

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You must be very young. Because I feel like I've seen plenty of worse first starts by QBs with stars on their helmet. Especially after Troy was lost in 2000.

DiNucci had a bad game, sure. A passer rating of 64.6. A completion percentage of only 52.5%. 0 touchdown passes (but, to his credit, 0 interceptions either). 2 turnovers. Only 180 passing yards (plus 22 more yards rushing). 3 scoring drives. Definitely bad.

But the worst?

Anthony Wright's first start in 2000 was worse.

In 2001, we had a couple of dreadful first performanes. Quincy Carter and Clint Stoerner were both much worse passers in their debuts. Both had completion percentages in the 40's. Neither threw any touchdowns, but they threw interceptions and each lost a fumble. Passer ratings of 14 and 40. Neither could even crack 100 yards passing on the day.

In 2004, Drew Henson made his first start and he was a nightmare. Got himself benched during the game. Completed only 33% of his passes. Averaged 2.95 yards per passing attempt. 0 touchdown passes, 1 interception. Passer rating of 7.6. To be fair, it's a small sample size because he didn't play the entire game. Maybe he'd have had a great 2nd half and turned it around. (And I managed to keep a straight face while I said that last part.)

ChronicCowboy said:

It was pretty obvious last weekend that he wasn’t even close to being ready for NFL action. MM genuinely likes DiNucci and doesn’t want to use him as a sacrificial lamb.

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Eh I don't know if it was pretty obvious. Maybe they run a real gameplan not some bs they were cooking up in a madden league we could really see. All that wildcat and reverses they never do any other time is junk. Should have called a normal game and let the chips fall where they may not that junk we got.

ABQCOWBOY said:

Why do you draft a kid like DiNucci? You do it because you see something there that you think you might be able to develop right? What is the point of throwing the kid in and simply letting him drowned? You are just wasting money and resources. You throw that kid out there now and you'll ruin him. That's not the right way to develop a QB.

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Exactly, having a 7th round rookie in his second start face TJ Watt, Stephen Tuitt, and the rest of that defence is a great way to ruin him.

CoachD said:

Give the kid a chance to learn and grow and get some much needed experience. At this point in the season and with your record at 2-6 why not see what DiNucci can do, actually he should start until Dalton is able to come back. Put it this way I've see a lot worse at quarterback for the Cowboys in their first start than DiNucci i.e. Quincy Carter who threw for all of 34 yards in his first start in the NFL against Tampa Bay. I would also keep Terence Steele at right tackle (yes I know he bad) and see what he can do for the rest of the season no reason to go fishing at this point as start moving Zack Martin to right tackle plus Steele is learning and gaining a ton of experience out there, now if the Cowboys were decent and still in the hunt then yes I would have benched Steele weeks ago but since it's a lost cause keep his but out there for the remainder of the season.

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Because this kid is not NFL material. You can see right away if he has a future and to me he doesn't. I know it is only 1 game but when you have a future qb when he gets a chance he shows something.

TwistedL0g1k said:

It would be difficult for any QB to be successful behind this offensive line, especially a rookie.

I doubt DiNucci will ever amount to anything. The team got exactly what it paid for when it used a 7th round pick on a QB no other team wanted. The GM continues his underinvestment in this important position!

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We franchised our expected started QB and signed a QB in FA that was considered one of the best on the market (as far as back-ups go). You can't carry 10 QB's on the team with starting experience who are proven winners in the NFL and you can't spend a high-pick on one every year in today's NFL. Most teams don't expect to be starting a 3rd QB and if you are, they don't expect to win.

Mr_V said:

Because this kid is not NFL material. You can see right away if he has a future and to me he doesn't. I know it is only 1 game but when you have a future qb when he gets a chance he shows something.

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I think he might be, but he'll take development. And the last thing you do is start him against a defence like Pittsburgh, especially with how bad our oline is atm.