A More Positive Look on the Season

Jake · Nov 30, 2020

Bobhaze said:
Cowboys fans- myself included- tend to overrate this team’s talent. That’s just what fans do. If I’m taking off the fan glasses, this team has a lot of holes.

If you look at last season when we were mostly healthy, after that 3-0 start, this team went 5-8. Yes, the injuries have hurt this year, but if you increase the size of this picture and also include 2018- the last time this team made the playoffs- through this year so far- that’s 43 games. And over those 43 games, we are 21-22.

This team is loaded. Those losses were all Garrett's fault. This year it's all Covid and injuries fault.

We'll get 'em next year. Just wait, you'll see.

GMO415 · Nov 30, 2020

Bobhaze said:
Cowboys fans- myself included- tend to overrate this team’s talent. That’s just what fans do. If I’m taking off the fan glasses, this team has a lot of holes.

If you look at last season when we were mostly healthy, after that 3-0 start, this team went 5-8. Yes, the injuries have hurt this year, but if you increase the size of this picture and also include 2018- the last time this team made the playoffs- through this year so far- that’s 43 games. And over those 43 games, we are 21-22.

My point is, I believe this team has a talent problem, especially on defense. This team has been devastated by injuries, but even when healthy, it’s been mostly mediocre. We probably need an infusion 4-6 new starters on defense, not to mention improving the depth. This current defensive roster is one of the least talented in the league.

And although offense is loaded at WR, and we have a very good QB, (assuming he’s healthy) the OL is a complete shadow of its former self. We may need a new LT with Ty Smith’s declining health, maybe a guard too. Zeke is clearly declining so we cannot just assume this offense will hum without some upgrade too.

All in all, I see a mediocre roster at best. It can be upgraded fairly quickly. But I believe we have to take the fan glasses off to see this team for what it is.

Bullet, I do it every damn year. I start off the off season holding my expectations and then I hear the BS flowing from TC. By September, we're SB favorites. Vegas doesn't help either. They draw is in too as favorites just to watch us loose our shhhhh.

cowboyblue22 · Nov 30, 2020

Bobhaze said:
Cowboys fans- myself included- tend to overrate this team’s talent. That’s just what fans do. If I’m taking off the fan glasses, this team has a lot of holes.

If you look at last season when we were mostly healthy, after that 3-0 start, this team went 5-8. Yes, the injuries have hurt this year, but if you increase the size of this picture and also include 2018- the last time this team made the playoffs- through this year so far- that’s 43 games. And over those 43 games, we are 21-22.

My point is, I believe this team has a talent problem, especially on defense. This team has been devastated by injuries, but even when healthy, it’s been mostly mediocre. We probably need an infusion 4-6 new starters on defense, not to mention improving the depth. This current defensive roster is one of the least talented in the league.

And although offense is loaded at WR, and we have a very good QB, (assuming he’s healthy) the OL is a complete shadow of its former self. We may need a new LT with Ty Smith’s declining health, maybe a guard too. Zeke is clearly declining so we cannot just assume this offense will hum without some upgrade too.

All in all, I see a mediocre roster at best. It can be upgraded fairly quickly. But I believe we have to take the fan glasses off to see this team for what it is.

there is a long way to go for this team to be even mediocre and i jsut dont think the front office and there old antique general manager are going to make the right decesions to bring thim out of that i see more years of the same as long as jerry and son are here

JJHLH1 · Nov 30, 2020

I’m usually optimistic but that changed after last season.

This team just isn’t very good. We have a few excellent players (Dak, Martin, Tyron when healthy), but overall our talent level is below average.

Our coaching and management are also poor.

I see us continuing to struggle for the foreseeable future.

CowboyRoy · Nov 30, 2020

cmoney23 said:
I for one am looking at this season as the glass is half full. After Dak went down, the season was over. Going 9-7 or 8-8 wasn't going to help us anyway.

Mediocrity in the NFL is a curse.

To improve you have to be bad. You have to have top picks and you have to have the right people making those picks.

I firmly believe we have the right people making the picks. We are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. You can look with hindsight and question this player vs that player. But that is seldom done on the wins, like Martin over Manzel or Fredrick over Sharrif Floyd. I also believe we nailed this last year's draft.
We quickly learned that the guys coaching on the defensive side of the ball aren't the answer, but we also learned that the guys on the offensive side are very skilled.

When Dak went down, the holes on this team became glaring. Making them easier to fix. This team is broken along the O-Line and Secondary. Both of those positions are quicker to adapt to the NFL and can be fixed quickly via FA and the draft.

With Dak back, a few of the right moves we are going to actually be good. This season will suck to watch and they will win a few games they shouldn't but it will be the kickstart for another 4 year run at it.

I look at it this way..................last we finally got Garrett and Marinelli out of here. And the draft was amazing. Best offseason in 15 years all told.

We have some crazy injuries...........ok, no big deal, so success is off the hook. Now it looks like we are going to get a top 5 pick in each round which is incredible. EXACTLY what the new regime needs to retools the roster and get some of their type of players in here. And to top it off, guys like Zeke and Jaylon are getting exposed.

This team had big time needs and these last two offseason you actually couldnt hope for anything more. I can love with two down years in order to speed up the possibility of fielding a contender.

CowboyRoy · Nov 30, 2020

cowboyblue22 said:
there is a long way to go for this team to be even mediocre and i jsut dont think the front office and there old antique general manager are going to make the right decesions to bring thim out of that i see more years of the same as long as jerry and son are here

Nah, they just have injuries. This is a 8-11 win team going into this season. With a top 5 pick offseason this team could be right there as one of the better teams in the NFC.

CouchCoach · Nov 30, 2020

I think this team is further away than they are close and I am looking for progress. I am looking for necessity picks on the D and OL and not a luxury pick like this past draft.

With this secondary, it's not going to get fixed in one off season and they have decisions to make about keeping several players. Diggs looks like a keeper.

The problem with this team and it's brain trust is that it hasn't been built right on the D yet. The build starts in the middle of the DL and MLB, that's where the run gets stopped. Safety hasn't been a priority position since Parcells and Johnson did the picking.

The problem with the D has always been the same thing, the Joneses thinks it's all about that "war daddy" DE and a CB. The blueprint for building a D hasn't changed even with the accent on passing, stop the run first. Teams don't even need high level backs to gut the D. McVay has proven that with two different backup backs and this run D made Gibson look like the second coming of Emmitt.

Until I see progress with the assemblage of talent, particularly on the D side, I don't get carried away with lofty expectations. Now, the issue is the same as the previous HC, he's an O guy. But that's better than letting the DC bring on players like Charleton and Hill.

I also have yet to see the magic of McClay.

stilltheguru · Nov 30, 2020

cmoney23 said:
I for one am looking at this season as the glass is half full. After Dak went down, the season was over. Going 9-7 or 8-8 wasn't going to help us anyway.

Mediocrity in the NFL is a curse.

To improve you have to be bad. You have to have top picks and you have to have the right people making those picks.

I firmly believe we have the right people making the picks. We are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. You can look with hindsight and question this player vs that player. But that is seldom done on the wins, like Martin over Manzel or Fredrick over Sharrif Floyd. I also believe we nailed this last year's draft.
We quickly learned that the guys coaching on the defensive side of the ball aren't the answer, but we also learned that the guys on the offensive side are very skilled.

When Dak went down, the holes on this team became glaring. Making them easier to fix. This team is broken along the O-Line and Secondary. Both of those positions are quicker to adapt to the NFL and can be fixed quickly via FA and the draft.

With Dak back, a few of the right moves we are going to actually be good. This season will suck to watch and they will win a few games they shouldn't but it will be the kickstart for another 4 year run at it.

The oline is broken? Lol how would you fix the oline sir? I couldn't even read the rest of the thread after that

CouchCoach · Nov 30, 2020

CowboyRoy said:
I look at it this way..................last we finally got Garrett and Marinelli out of here. And the draft was amazing. Best offseason in 15 years all told.

We have some crazy injuries...........ok, no big deal, so success is off the hook. Now it looks like we are going to get a top 5 pick in each round which is incredible. EXACTLY what the new regime needs to retools the roster and get some of their type of players in here. And to top it off, guys like Zeke and Jaylon are getting exposed.

This team had big time needs and these last two offseason you actually couldnt hope for anything more. I can love with two down years in order to speed up the possibility of fielding a contender.

The bolded, what am I missing?

Rockport · Nov 30, 2020

cmoney23 said:
I for one am looking at this season as the glass is half full. After Dak went down, the season was over. Going 9-7 or 8-8 wasn't going to help us anyway.

Mediocrity in the NFL is a curse.

To improve you have to be bad. You have to have top picks and you have to have the right people making those picks.

I firmly believe we have the right people making the picks. We are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. You can look with hindsight and question this player vs that player. But that is seldom done on the wins, like Martin over Manzel or Fredrick over Sharrif Floyd. I also believe we nailed this last year's draft.
We quickly learned that the guys coaching on the defensive side of the ball aren't the answer, but we also learned that the guys on the offensive side are very skilled.

When Dak went down, the holes on this team became glaring. Making them easier to fix. This team is broken along the O-Line and Secondary. Both of those positions are quicker to adapt to the NFL and can be fixed quickly via FA and the draft.

With Dak back, a few of the right moves we are going to actually be good. This season will suck to watch and they will win a few games they shouldn't but it will be the kickstart for another 4 year run at it.

Good post. We also need the Jones to quit with this "we're entitled" mentality they've instilled.

Future · Nov 30, 2020

Bobhaze said:
Cowboys fans- myself included- tend to overrate this team’s talent. That’s just what fans do. If I’m taking off the fan glasses, this team has a lot of holes.

K, now do the rest of the NFC.

Rockport · Nov 30, 2020

jazzcat22 said:
I am ready for this season, and year to be over with. Even want the playoffs to be done. Get into the next off-season. The next 2 months can't go fast enough.

I will, as usual forget this season and move on to the next season. Ready to look at all the positives that can happen. High draft picks, plus 3 or 4 comp picks.
Get all the players healthy. Maybe a new DC & OC, as I think overall the staff is pretty safe for another year.
We get rid of some overpaid underperforming players, such as Crawford. See what impact FA will have, then on to the draft.

Hopefully and there should be OTA's and mini camps this time around, and a regular TC as well, some PS games also. And I will not mind if there are 4 of them, plus the HOF game, if they keep it the same.

As I said, I will move on from this season, as it does no good to whine about the past seasons. Look forward to improvement, what is done is done, nothing anyone can do about it. Whining is a waste of energy.

Go Cowboys

I don't get the "need a new OC" thinking. The Cowboy had the #1 offense in the entire NFL last year and were again #1 this year until Dak went down. So why do we need a new OC?

CowboyRoy · Nov 30, 2020

CATCH17 said:
Disagree.. The oline might have 1 more great year left in them if they are lucky.

We will need them to somehow be healthy for the long haul and that is our only chance at potentially being great quick.

Dak's not good enough to carry.

Zeke aint Zeke anymore.

The Oline is getting old quick.

WR's are awesome.. Yay.

Dline has some upside but I feel like i've said that about them for years.

LVE good but not dependable. Jaylon is a liability.

Safeties? Joke.

Corners? Maybe Diggs develops into something but right now he's as raw as it gets and the rest of of the guys are having a very poor year.

Sadly, the strength of this team is their WR's.

All Jerry can sell us is this team being healthy next year and another year with the coaching staff and that is for suckers.

Dallas needs Trevor Lawrence or to get lucky with a inexpensive QB. Everything else is a direct path to mediocrity and maybe a wildcard win every 4 years.

When healthy, this is a top 3 offense in the NFL. Before Dak got hurt, he was literally carrying the team on his back to the tune of 37 points per game. Dak has been carrying this team for the last 2 years.

This team just needs to get healthy, and is a top 10 defense away from being a legitimate contender.

Rockport · Nov 30, 2020

acr731 said:
They were 1-3 when Dak was playing. Dak going down didn't destroy the season, it was already headed in that direction before that happened. Hell, even last season they only managed 8-8 with a mostly healthy roster, so how was Dak's injury so devastating?

I didn't realize that Dak played every position on offense, defense and special teams. Wow, who knew.

CouchCoach · Nov 30, 2020

stilltheguru said:
The oline is broken? Lol how would you fix the oline sir? I couldn't even read the rest of the thread after that

First, assess Big Smitty and ascertain how much he has left in the tank because his level of play had diminished before they IR'd him. Any lasting effect from Collins injury? Is this rook C a keeper? Williams still a project? McGovern?

Then they get into the real problem area, that secondary. Diggs looks like he worth taking another year with but he did get burned when he was healthy. They need a starting caliber CB and 2, count them, 2 Safeties.

Here's the real challenge if the cap dips down to 175M, they can't address any of those positions with blue chippers in FA so they have to address it in the draft and play the bargain basement game in FA, if they can even do that. Or consider not keeping this QB because to tag him again will take 20% of the 2021 cap.

I do not see this getting done in one off season but progress will be acceptable.

stilltheguru · Nov 30, 2020

CouchCoach said:
First, assess Big Smitty and ascertain how much he has left in the tank because his level of play had diminished before they IR'd him. Any lasting effect from Collins injury? Is this rook C a keeper? Williams still a project? McGovern?

Then they get into the real problem area, that secondary. Diggs looks like he worth taking another year with but he did get burned when he was healthy. They need a starting caliber CB and 2, count them, 2 Safeties.

Here's the real challenge if the cap dips down to 175M, they can't address any of those positions with blue chippers in FA so they have to address it in the draft and play the bargain basement game in FA, if they can even do that. Or consider not keeping this QB because to tag him again will take 20% of the 2021 cap.

I do not see this getting done in one off season but progress will be acceptable.

Doesnt sound broken, more like uncertain.

CouchCoach · Nov 30, 2020

Rockport said:
I don't get the "need a new OC" thinking. The Cowboy had the #1 offense in the entire NFL last year and were again #1 this year until Dak went down. So why do we need a new OC?

Before Prescott went down, they were 9-11 with that #1 O so stats do not tell the entire story.

The O has seldom been the problem, except against the better teams last year.

There seems to be this flippant "just fix the D" that's been broken for decades. First, they have to consider the D on the same cap level as the O or at least close to it, and then address it with talent. Have they done that?

You start with the main problem. The GM is a follow the ball GM and has never been able to build a defense.

CouchCoach · Nov 30, 2020

stilltheguru said:
Doesnt sound broken, more like uncertain.

Agree, there are just quite a few questions they need answers to because the OL might be the easiest to address.

However, I consider the D broken. We sent the GM to the repair shop to get the car fixed and he decided to buy some new hubcaps with that 1st pick.

CATCH17 · Nov 30, 2020

CowboyRoy said:
When healthy, this is a top 3 offense in the NFL. Before Dak got hurt, he was literally carrying the team on his back to the tune of 37 points per game. Dak has been carrying this team for the last 2 years.

This team just needs to get healthy, and is a top 10 defense away from being a legitimate contender.

It's not.

You're a sucker if you think that because of some empty calorie stats.

Cmac · Nov 30, 2020

Creeper said:
After reading your post it occurred to me there is a contradiction in my thinking, and yours. Last season was the epitome of mediocrity, yet the Cowboys had an excellent draft. This is evidence you don't have to draft at the top of the board to have a good draft. I suppose it could be argued that 2020 was a fantastic draft class and a lot of teams did well in the draft. Look at the Vikings and Justin Jefferson. It could be argued he is a better receiver than those taken before him.

So maybe there is an element of luck too. If you needed an OT in 2020, you had a great chance of getting one in the draft. Same for WR. Some draft classes are pretty bad. You can peruse the drafts going back many years and see that some classes did not produce as many all-pro players as others. I guess what I am saying is, if you ae good at drafting, mediocrity does not have to be a curse.

The Cowboys need to rebuild that defense and it has to start with the middle of the DL. There are no stud DTs in the 2021 draft class. There is no Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw. Maybe they can get one in Free Agency. The Cowboys can trade down and maybe that is the best course of action, but more picks in a bad draft year doesn't help much does it? I am asking, not making a comment. This class seem overall weak with some quality QBs, WRs and a stud OT. I am hearing a lot of good things about Micah Parsons, the LB from Penn State. He got hurt this year and I want to make sure he is not another Seann Lee before I spend a 1st round pick on him. I do think there will be a couple of good safeties at the top of the 2nd round. I would be looking to draft one right there. The 3rd round is where I might look for LB, OL, CB depth, or RB.

There is still time to see what happens with the college season and who emerges as they near their playoff schedule. I am hoping there is a combine and college pro days too.

…..just maybe, coaching ought to figure in the equation, and player development.

A More Positive Look on the Season

Jake

Beyond tired of Jerry

GMO415

Well-Known Member

cowboyblue22

Well-Known Member

JJHLH1

Well-Known Member

CowboyRoy

Well-Known Member

CowboyRoy

Well-Known Member

CouchCoach

stilltheguru

Well-Known Member

CouchCoach

Rockport

AmberBeer

Future

Intramural Legend

Rockport

AmberBeer

CowboyRoy

Well-Known Member

Rockport

AmberBeer

CouchCoach

stilltheguru

Well-Known Member

CouchCoach

CouchCoach

CATCH17

1st Round Pick

Cmac

Well-Known Member