A Few Reasons Why I'm Still Optimistic After the Loss...

[Yakuza Rich]

I'm really not down on this game as much as I thought, for a couple of reasons.

- Our defensive effort was mainly due to poor tackling which is problematic, but something that seems to creep up in our defense from time to time even in years where it hasn't been a problem. Usually in the years when tackling hasn't been an issue (2003, 2005, 2007) if we had a bad tackling game we came right back with a good tackling effort. I think everybody has been impressed with Special Teams so far, especially on covering punts. And I'm confident DeCamillis will really be on those guys for missing all of those tackles.

- Romo played very well and I thought Garrett did a good job. Romo's stats in December and beyond have not been good, but he did very well here. I'm still not ready to let him off my hook just yet, but if he plays like this in the next four games, even if we lose all of them, then it at least shows me he can be an impact player in December and beyond. That being said, if he plays like this in the next 4 games, I'm guessing we don't go any worse than 2-2, if not 3-1 (the Saints will be tough to beat in New Orleans regardless of how well any QB plays). And I give Garrett credit for doing the things I think the team needs to do:

1. Stick with the run even when it's not working that well to keep defenses honest.

2. Get Miles involved early in the game.

3. Use an occasional gadget or trick play to help the offense (the 2nd Roy TD was a beautifully designed gadget play).


- We're getting Witten involved in the offense more without forcing it to him. That to me is when the pass offense is at its best...not so much with Witten getting involved, but when he does and it's not being forced to him.


Sure, there are some things to be concerned about and I'm not convinced Tony can get the job done yet nor am I convinced Garrett is our guy to call plays, but we did lose to a divisional rival that desperately needed this game playing at their home field and we still made a game of it. Plus, I think most of the negatives can be easily repaired.







YAKUZA

 

[DaBoys4Life]

I have no hope for this team. They have no identity they're mental midgets. The offense doesn't know which was is up. The defense gets out run by brandon jacobs.

 

[canters]

I still can not believe we lost. Twilight Zone stuff here.

I can not help but think that we are good enough to get into the playoffs and do some damage. But, we need a head shrinker to get us past the mental blocks.

speaking off blocks, I am disappointed in the OL, and have been for some time. Romo is running for his life and we can not impose our physical will on other teams for the most part. Gurode is over rated---he cannot call OL plays when other teams blitz and is inconsistent on run blocking. Davis is not consistent either. Road grader one play and then misses his guy the next.
Poor Kosier get pushed around too much.

We need 2, maybe 3 linemen for next year, and a head shrink.

 

[chinch]

:laugh2:

you (like jerry and our coaches) make excuses and create fixes for problems that already happened LAST WEEK TOTALLY FAILING to anticipate the PROBLEMS THAT WILL SURFACE NEXT WEEK.

day late and a dollar short as they say.

I'm really not down on this game as much as I thought, for a couple of reasons.

- Our defensive effort was mainly due to poor tackling which is problematic, but something that seems to creep up in our defense from time to time even in years where it hasn't been a problem. Usually in the years when tackling hasn't been an issue (2003, 2005, 2007) if we had a bad tackling game we came right back with a good tackling effort. I think everybody has been impressed with Special Teams so far, especially on covering punts. And I'm confident DeCamillis will really be on those guys for missing all of those tackles.

- Romo played very well and I thought Garrett did a good job. Romo's stats in December and beyond have not been good, but he did very well here. I'm still not ready to let him off my hook just yet, but if he plays like this in the next four games, even if we lose all of them, then it at least shows me he can be an impact player in December and beyond. That being said, if he plays like this in the next 4 games, I'm guessing we don't go any worse than 2-2, if not 3-1 (the Saints will be tough to beat in New Orleans regardless of how well any QB plays). And I give Garrett credit for doing the things I think the team needs to do:

1. Stick with the run even when it's not working that well to keep defenses honest.

2. Get Miles involved early in the game.

3. Use an occasional gadget or trick play to help the offense (the 2nd Roy TD was a beautifully designed gadget play).


- We're getting Witten involved in the offense more without forcing it to him. That to me is when the pass offense is at its best...not so much with Witten getting involved, but when he does and it's not being forced to him.


Sure, there are some things to be concerned about and I'm not convinced Tony can get the job done yet nor am I convinced Garrett is our guy to call plays, but we did lose to a divisional rival that desperately needed this game playing at their home field and we still made a game of it. Plus, I think most of the negatives can be easily repaired.

YAKUZA

 

[Vintage]

Agreed Yakuza. If nothing else, perhaps this gives Romo a little boost of confidence heading into the tough stretch of the schedule.

The sad part is, if the defense is going to falter down the stretch, this is the type of game Romo is going to need to have consistently for us to stand a chance.

 

[EPL0c0]

This team *CAN* beat SD/WAS/PHI. It's fundamentals; talking, blocking. And hopefully the refs catch the other team's penalties.

 

[ShiningStar]

I would feel better if Garrett was fired this morning. 4th down and you throw to Barber behind the 1st down marker. Garrett SHOULD have been all over this from the last time Dallas did it.

That is the only way I would remain optimistic. I think Garrett proved he is a hinderance to this organization and I dont see how JJ can defend this anymore.

 

[rangers71]

I have no hope for this team. They have no identity they're mental midgets. The offense doesn't know which was is up. The defense gets out run by brandon jacobs.

Well if you have no hope for this team don't waster your time watching them anymore. It will keep your blood pressure from going up and you will be a happier person.

 

[EPL0c0]

I would feel better if Garrett was fired this morning. 4th down and you throw to Barber behind the 1st down marker. Garrett SHOULD have been all over this from the last time Dallas did it.

That is the only way I would remain optimistic. I think Garrett proved he is a hinderance to this organization and I dont see how JJ can defend this anymore.

I think part of that is on Barber and maybe Romo could have run it himself.

Barber should have run beyond the marker...it's 4yds away, come on. The defender was off another 3-4yds beyond the 1st down marker. Don't stop short Barber.

That's one of those plays where maybe Romo needs to just tuck it and run. He had a lane and Barber there to block. I know Romo's not much of a runner but this was one where he might have been able to get the 1st down. Who knows.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

ROMO is the least of our worries......I wish everyone played thier position as effective as Moxie and we would not have any issues.

 

[jobberone]

I have no hope for this team. They have no identity they're mental midgets. The offense doesn't know which was is up. The defense gets out run by brandon jacobs.

Imagine that.

 

[ShiningStar]

I think part of that is on Barber and maybe Romo could have run it himself.

Barber should have run beyond the marker...it's 4yds away, come on. The defender was off another 3-4yds beyond the 1st down marker. Don't stop short Barber.

That's one of those plays where maybe Romo needs to just tuck it and run. He had a lane and Barber there to block. I know Romo's not much of a runner but this was one where he might have been able to get the 1st down. Who knows.

I agree with you, but it falls on Garrett, drill this crap into these guys heads, drill this crap into these players heads. You know playing divisional rivals is going to be tough and its the small plays that make the game.

I want a lot of the coaches fired, and I want to start with Garrett, this falls on him.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Well if you have no hope for this team don't waster your time watching them anymore. It will keep your blood pressure from going up and you will be a happier person.

I have no hope for them but I still have to see how the season plays out.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I have no hope for this team. They have no identity they're mental midgets. The offense doesn't know which was is up. The defense gets out run by brandon jacobs.

Well if you have no hope for this team don't waster your time watching them anymore. It will keep your blood pressure from going up and you will be a happier person.

My exact sentiments, rangers71. DaBoys4Life spends 24/7 of his time being negative about the Cowboys. If there is no hope whatsoever, then why are you here? Why torture yourself? Why even be a fan of something so inept, so awful, so hopeless?

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Teams generally go on a losing streak, particularly at this part of the season because they have something wrong with them that is 'incurable' to some degree.

Like a huge weakspot that gets 'exposed' (Dallas in '06 --- defense couldn't stop running backs in coverage).

Like a huge injury and the replacement is horrid.

Like a QB that loses their effectiveness for whatever reason.

I really didn't see that in this game. If I did, I would be posting here how I don't see this team making the playoffs. I could probably spot something in the December and beyond since 2003 where one of the three things I listed happened. But right now I don't see it.






YAKUZA

 

[DaBoys4Life]

My exact sentiments, rangers71. DaBoys4Life spends 24/7 of his time being negative about the Cowboys. If there is no hope whatsoever, then why are you here? Why torture yourself? Why even be a fan of something so inept, so awful, so hopeless?

Because I was here the good and the bad. Just because it gets bad doesn't mean I'm going to turn tail and start rooting for someone else. Once it gets good again it will be that much better.

Teams generally go on a losing streak, particularly at this part of the season because they have something wrong with them that is 'incurable' to some degree.

Like a huge weakspot that gets 'exposed' (Dallas in '06 --- defense couldn't stop running backs in coverage).

Like a huge injury and the replacement is horrid.

Like a QB that loses their effectiveness for whatever reason.

I really didn't see that in this game. If I did, I would be posting here how I don't see this team making the playoffs. I could probably spot something in the December and beyond since 2003 where one of the three things I listed happened. But right now I don't see it.

YAKUZA

I have to wonder about the RB in coverage the past 3 weeks Dmac Rock cartwright and now Jacobs have been able to make catches in the passing games.

 

[RS12]

Garrett does seem to have a love for throwing passes behind the LOS and expecting guys to make plays for positive yards after catch. Only like three guys on the squad have the ability to do it, and one of em isnt MBIII. Jimmy J said at half time, need to throw down field more.

 

[twentytwo]

After this game, my biggest concerns going down the stretch are Nick Folk and our offensive line.

I'm not going to be one of those people yelling for Nick Folk to be cut, but he is definitely starting to concern me. I'm hoping it's just a funk.... but I'm worried that funk won't end until after the season. The off-season surgery he had has had it's effects I'm sure. Not sure if having a new holder should affect him at all... McBriar seems to be doing a great job.

And I worry about our O-Line breaking down towards the end of the season. We have an older line, and if we can't run-block, people are going to continue to send the house at Romo. Hopefully, he can make them pay like he did last night, but we'll see. If you had told me what Romo's stat line was going to be before the game, I would have said there was NO way we lose.

I have confidence that our defense and special teams won't play that bad again..... but then again, we are about to go up against some VERY good offenses.... so we'll see

 

[Zman5]

I have no hope for this team. They have no identity they're mental midgets. The offense doesn't know which was is up. The defense gets out run by brandon jacobs.

We can win the SB and you'll say the same thing because we didn't win by 3TDs.

 

[MaineBoy]

There are absolutely no facts to support any hope for this team because they've already proven who they are. They win, sometimes barely, against poor teams, they are 1-4 against good teams, and when they lose they do it is a stupid, heartless, fashion. They are mentally weak, a penalty machine usually, and are poorly coached. That's who they have proven themselves to be. They are frauds. I do think they will win some more games, including against the Chargers, though I am positive they will win just enough games to raise expectations just to choke and fold when it really matters. We've all seem this movie again and again and again. We know how it ends. And we also know the sequel: Jerry fires coaches and brings in new coaches and free agents and we begin the whole exercise over again. We're the Dallas friggin Cowboys and havent won a playoff game in 11 or 12 years ?