CFZ 13 Games In: What this team is and isn’t

[Joe Realist]

Exactly...........this team is just like last year's team, good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to make a run.

Since we will almost certainly be the 5th seed barring a collapse from the Eagles, we will have to win 3 consecutive road games to reach the Super Bowl. Does anybody seriously believe that is going to happen?

Keep in mind our last road playoff win was 1992 at San Fran, so yeah, we are talking 30 years.

They will lose their first playoff game to a bad buccaneer team, because Tom Brady will always beat them

 

[cnuball21]

Are you talking about Gallops hit in the end zone? He got drilled! That was not a drop! That was a forced incompletion.

No, I’m talking about anyone not named Lamb struggling to see rare for the entire season. Gallup has not looked like the same guy since injury.

The FO clearly agrees as we tried to trade for Cooks, sign OBJ and eventually sign Hilton.

The WR room is a big problem IMO.

 

[Irv88]

Strength

Zeke is money in short yardage. Absolute monster and lock to deliver the first or TD!

 

[Bigtex67]

Does Parsons look tired to anyone else? Maybe running him into 330lb people every play isn't the best idea. Letting him roam and pick his attack might be a better plan. He is a LB.

This ^^

I have heard or seen anything that says he is hurt, but he is definitely not the same powerhouse that he was at the beginning of the season.

 

[fivetwos]

We have plenty of evidence now to assess this 2022 Cowboys team. I certainly hope the team continues to fight hard to improve. Lord knows they have a lot of areas to improve and if we want a deep playoff run, it usually happens with teams that have become hot late in the season.

So IMO, here are the team’s strengths and weaknesses so far starting with weaknesses:
WEAKNESSES

• Having sluggish starts, especially on offense.
  
• Not much of a killer instinct as a team.
• Too many INTs from Dak; something he used to not do nearly as much.
• WRs running too many lazy, un-precise routes, causing some of the INTs.
• Vulnerable against the run, especially on the edges and against QBs who can run.
• Secondary has two of its best corners out for the season and their best corner has a banged up hand. Backup corners are suspect.
• OL is banged up with Terrance Steele out for the season.
• 80 yr old GM who never shuts up and undermines his coaches.
• 27 year old monkey on their backs.

STRENGTHS

• Micah Parsons, when healthy, best defensive player in NFL.
• Best pass rush in the league.
• Defense can force turnovers in bunches at times.
• Running game with Pollard and Zeke is solid.
  
• Pollard is a weapon that can break a huge play at any moment. Best weapon we have.
• When Dak runs and moves well in the pocket he’s at his best.
• Cedee Lamb can be outstanding in the slot, making it easier to get favorable matchups.
• Coach Mac has always been good at managing injuries as we saw earlier in season. He will need to do that again with latest rash of injuries.
• Team has confidence that it can win against anyone.

I’m sure I missed a bunch in both categories. What would you add?

Shockingly, I’d add Maher as a strength.

FG short and long, XP and kickoffs, the guy has been money all year.

Jonathan Garibay feels like a very long time ago.

 

[TexasHillbilly]

One thing I would add to your list of strengths is rookies performance. This team has several rookies, especially on defense, that are coming into their own. That helps this year but is really encouraging for the next 1-3 years. I feel this season is the first season of a 4 year window for us to get a Championship. Basing that off of the draft the last two years. Moving forward into next year we need a solid #2 outside CB and a solid RT depending on Steele's future.

I feel we have a shot this year, albeit a small one, but the next 3 years is more realistic. If we don't win a super bowl in one of these 4 years then it's never going to happen IMHO. Unless we completely luck out and draft a Tom Brady type QB.

Can't wait to get another qb so this board will have someone else to kick around.

 

[CouchCoach]

The greatest weakness of this team is the owner. He takes every opportunity to blow sunshine up players’ skirts when they have accomplished nothing.

He has continually tried to make just becoming a Cowboy the accomplishment because of the ratings and revenue.

Play well or play poorly, doesn’t matter because accountability for poor performance is not allowed to exist with this franchise.

“I am great. I chose you. Therefore, you are great”. Textbook example of a man’s own ego keeping him from that which he desires.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Lack of talent at WR is a killer when we struggle running the ball IMO. Outside of Lamb I don’t trust anyone to be able to win 1:1 and finish.

Believe we had 4 drops yesterday. 1 led to a pick and 1 was in the endzone that would’ve been a huge TD.

Dak was average yesterday, but it doesn’t help that our pass O is easy to defend due to a lack of talent.

Good coaching can over come a lack of talent. Parcells made the playoffs with Q.Carter and Troy Hambrick. But.....

Gallup is still good. Lamb is good. Washington was drafted high. Our tightends are good. So where is the lack of talent anyway?

 

[McKDaddy]

At this stage of the season I would have hoped we would have more games where all three phases were good.

Is Minn the only game you could really say that?

 

[rambo2]

This team is what it has been for years until proven otherwise in the postseason. Flashes of brilliance, but enough breakdowns to fall short in the end.

This team is a very good team.

 

[rambo2]

At this stage of the season I would have hoped we would have more games where all three phases were good.

Is Minn the only game you could really say that?

Hard to do better than they have been doing. They will finish between 12 and 5 and 14 and 3.

 

[SoBlue128]

For me my concern lies with the inconsistency on both sides of the ball. You just never know from game to game what you’re gonna get. This is the time of the year you should be peaking and playing your best ball in order to heighten your chances of being successful in the playoffs. They aren’t doing that right now but it doesn’t mean they can’t. On the flip side, when this team comes out and plays good fundamentally sound football they are good enough to beat anyone.

 

[Big D]

Does Parsons look tired to anyone else? Maybe running him into 330lb people every play isn't the best idea. Letting him roam and pick his attack might be a better plan. He is a LB.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

We have plenty of evidence now to assess this 2022 Cowboys team. I certainly hope the team continues to fight hard to improve. Lord knows they have a lot of areas to improve and if we want a deep playoff run, it usually happens with teams that have become hot late in the season.

So IMO, here are the team’s strengths and weaknesses so far starting with weaknesses:
WEAKNESSES

• Having sluggish starts, especially on offense.
  
• Not much of a killer instinct as a team.
• Too many INTs from Dak; something he used to not do nearly as much.
• WRs running too many lazy, un-precise routes, causing some of the INTs.
• Vulnerable against the run, especially on the edges and against QBs who can run.
• Secondary has two of its best corners out for the season and their best corner has a banged up hand. Backup corners are suspect.
• OL is banged up with Terrance Steele out for the season.
• 80 yr old GM who never shuts up and undermines his coaches.
• 27 year old monkey on their backs.

STRENGTHS

• Micah Parsons, when healthy, best defensive player in NFL.
• Best pass rush in the league.
• Defense can force turnovers in bunches at times.
• Running game with Pollard and Zeke is solid.
  
• Pollard is a weapon that can break a huge play at any moment. Best weapon we have.
• When Dak runs and moves well in the pocket he’s at his best.
• Cedee Lamb can be outstanding in the slot, making it easier to get favorable matchups.
• Coach Mac has always been good at managing injuries as we saw earlier in season. He will need to do that again with latest rash of injuries.
• Team has confidence that it can win against anyone.

I’m sure I missed a bunch in both categories. What would you add?

As always Bob, thank you for having a sane take on this team. It's rare around here these days.

 

[Jimcz]

The fact that this team loses the same way everytime they get to the playoffs, penalties, dak forgot how to throw, the defense can't cover, o/c can't call plays. .how many times do we have to hear just have to do better! Just have to play better. I would love another S/B in my lifetime. I see no change other than plays.

 

[Blackrain]

For me my concern lies with the inconsistency on both sides of the ball. You just never know from game to game what you’re gonna get. This is the time of the year you should be peaking and playing your best ball in order to heighten your chances of being successful in the playoffs. They aren’t doing that right now but it doesn’t mean they can’t. On the flip side, when this team comes out and plays good fundamentally sound football they are good enough to beat anyone.

Great post this is it in a nutshell.

We are inconsistent and this is caused by a lack of discipline.
It's not enough for a coaching staff just to come up with good game plans They must instill discipline that makes a team consistent and keeps it from shooting itself in the foot.

Until we do that we will always be that team that has plenty of talent to go further but makes enough mistakes at crucial times that keeps us from getting further.

 

[starfan1]

Is the coaching a strength or a weakness?

Both

 

[starfan1]

They will lose their first playoff game to a bad buccaneer team, because Tom Brady will always beat them

I think we have a good shot at Brady and the Bucs

 

[tyke1doe]

This team has exceeded my expectations. I had them going 9-8, maybe 10-7 but missing the playoffs.
But I'm not surprised. We've drafted great talent over the past few years.
We just need COACHING!
That has been the team's Achille's heel since Johnson and Parcells left.
If we get good coaching, we'll make it to the NFC Championship Game.
We don't, and it'll be the same ole' same ole'.

 

[Captain-Crash]

Super Bowl Bob. glad you're back on the jerrywagon.