A Peak around the Corner

[erod]

Whatever this is - and dang it if this ain't the funnest season in years - my mind can't help but wander forward, beyond whatever the next two months bring.

It's as if the Cowboys stumbled into a fortuneteller's lair, and found the one gypsy that knows her stuff. Everything we thought we knew to be true, isn't anymore. Time tables are turned upside down, the who's and what-fors have new names and meaning. Forks in the road appeared from nowhere.

For a good while now, Cowboy reality had been locked in 5th gear with the gas needle touching red and no last-chance-for-gas sign anywhere in site. Romo or bust. Duct tape, super glue, whatever it took to keep our Frankenstein together for one more run. Quarterback development be damned. No time for wishful football futility. Better luck trying to find the God Particle.

We knew the roster had taken some crafty turns under the guise of Stephen/Garrett and the ruse of Will McClay's band of draft thieves. We could see the quality of the plan front and center, but it still all hinged on Romo. You thought so. I thought so. Fans and haters alike. Even the Cowboys thought so, from the front office to coaches to players.

Such was football scripture etched in stone for a team once mismanaged and always in the spotlight. But suddenly, no more. How Dak and Romo works itself these the next several months is irrelevant to the grander picture. There's finally a future beyond.

Mood and prospects have no doubt changed, and I can easily imagine the extra spring in the personnel department's step these days with a major hurdle solved by sheer dumb luck. The elephant in the room is finally gone, as is the constant obsessing over it.

Building a defense is checkers compared to the chess of finding a franchise quarterback, especially in a sea of college chuck-and-duck spread offenses. Jared Goff looks almost undraftable now. The cast of misfits taken before Dallas 4th-round flier look like yesterday's stale donuts.

Whatever, that's no longer our problem. Dallas has the best QB corps in the NF-freaking-L.

So amidst 11-1 en route to whatever glory holds for us or not, I anxiously await the next phase, which is now WIDE open for McClay. Another smart draft, coupled with an equally smart and aggressive free agency look-see, and this team could be the standard for a good long while.

A defense to match this offense with youth and depth to boot. Can you imagine?

Players will want to come here this offseason. Brilliance on one side of the ball, and opportunity on the other. A present and a future. Substance beyond just the folksy star and spotlight. More enticing than ever since free agency began.

So bring on the playoffs. Dak or Romo, I don't care. Bend or break, let the defense be. Let 'er rip, tater chip. Win it all, or leave it out there trying.

There's really no bad ending because this is just the beginning.

 

[Clarkson]

As much as I want to make and win the Super Bowl this year, all of this is the exact reason why I won't be devastated if we don't. The future is incredibly bright. We're a young team all over the field, especially on offense. If not this year, we're probably making it in one of the upcoming seasons. This year isn't do-or-die anymore, like I thought it was going to be with Romo. That feeling of comfort is great.

 

[erod]

As much as I want to make and win the Super Bowl this year, all of this is the exact reason why I won't be devastated if we don't. The future is incredibly bright. We're a young team all over the field, especially on offense. If not this year, we're probably making it in one of the upcoming seasons. This year isn't do-or-die anymore, like I thought it was going to be with Romo. That feeling of comfort is great.

That's where I'm at. I'd like to see a dynasty built without this huge weakness on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[Trouty]

Erod, I really enjoyed the part about the "aggressive free agency look-see."

One smart signing, a big signing, is key, IMO.

Great write up, bud.

 

[Doomsay]

How Dak and Romo works itself these the next several months is irrelevant to the grander picture. There's finally a future beyond.

LOL, the grand picture is the next few months - which appear to be our best chance to win a SB in two decades.

So bring on the playoffs. Dak or Romo, I don't care. Bend or break, let the defense be. Let 'er rip, tater chip. Win it all, or leave it out there trying.

That would be Dak.

.

 

[DEA_dad]

Theres a great Q&A with Kiper today on espn discussing that the upcoming draft is exceptionally loaded with defense, especially defensive backs and pass rushers. Tank about great timing, the future is looking great!

 

[CATCH17]

As much as I want to make and win the Super Bowl this year, all of this is the exact reason why I won't be devastated if we don't. The future is incredibly bright. We're a young team all over the field, especially on offense. If not this year, we're probably making it in one of the upcoming seasons. This year isn't do-or-die anymore, like I thought it was going to be with Romo. That feeling of comfort is great.

While that sounds good you never know what can happen from 1 year to the next in the NFL.

The opportunity presents itself now.. Right now.. We need to take advantage of it.

 

[SDCowboy]

LOL, the grand picture is the next few months - which appear to be our best chance to win a SB in two decades.



That would be Dak.

.

Yep.

It's a great writeup other than those two bits about Dak and Romo. They seem kind of...odd.

 

[Jarv]

Win while you can, let's not miss this run.

 

[erod]

LOL, the grand picture is the next few months - which appear to be our best chance to win a SB in two decades.



That would be Dak.

.

Maybe, only because the NFL is weaker this year than I ever remember. The Cowboys defense would get them quickly eliminated in years past.

Likely, but he'd better play a lot better than last week and a few others if this team is going that far.

 

[Clarkson]

While that sounds good you never know what can happen from 1 year to the next in the NFL.

The opportunity presents itself now.. Right now.. We need to take advantage of it.

Obviously I won't be upset if we win this year and desperately want to. But I don't think we're like the Panthers of last year. We aren't relying on our QB to miraculously score 45 TDs while the defense plays out of its mind. We're more like the offensive Seattle. They had/have an incredible core on defense, we have an incredible core on offense. Their offense was ahead of our defense at this point in time, but we have drafts and free agency to close that gap.

 

[SDCowboy]

Maybe, only because the NFL is weaker this year than I ever remember. The Cowboys defense would get them quickly eliminated in years past.

Likely, but he'd better play a lot better than last week and a few others if this team is going that far.

By that standard, Zeke better, too. And especially the oline. Our offense is allowed to have an off game.

 

[erod]

By that standard, Zeke better, too. And especially the oline. Our offense is allowed to have an off game.

Dak had about 80 yards passing mid-4th quarter against Philly, and the offense couldn't move. This happened a bit against Pittsburgh, too, as well as others. Each time, the offense has awakened, so that's good. But will it against Seattle? Atlanta? Hopefully so, but Romo is there if needed. Make no mistake, it is an option.

 

[Clarkson]

Make no mistake, it is an option.

Heavily disagree with that.

 

[erod]

Heavily disagree with that.

They won't say it, but if he struggles down the stretch and Dallas is down 17 in the first half in the playoffs, they would do it.

In fact, Dak is such a class guy, he'd probably tell Romo to go in.

 

[Bullflop]

Things are definitely going swimmingly right now and next year should rightfully be one that sees the defense getting help. Whether it's enough to resolve our pass rush significantly or not remains to be seen but we're definitely on the right track. The future looks bright. It's a new era and one that promises to hold tangible hope for better things to come. Here's hoping Jalon Smith heals well and our defensive backfield keeps improving.

 

[CATCH17]

They won't say it, but if he struggles down the stretch and Dallas is down 17 in the first half in the playoffs, they would do it.

In fact, Dak is such a class guy, he'd probably tell Romo to go in.

I used to think that... But Dallas has came back 2 or 3 times this year from being down double digits.

It's over.

The only thing getting Romo on the field is injury or a severe amount of turnovers with the game still in reach.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

I used to think that... But Dallas has came back 2 or 3 times this year from being down double digits.

It's over.

The only thing getting Romo on the field is injury or a severe amount of turnovers with the game still in reach.

Nonsense.

It doesn't really have anything to do with the particular situation here either. Most teams only have one decent quarterback, so if their starter has a day like we saw from Hoyer or Palmer last year where they just don't have it, they are doomed because of the sudden death nature of the playoffs. If you have 2 QBs you trust, you have another option to try and save the season.
Joe Montana was benched, in his prime, healthy and with Super Bowl rings on his hand, in a playoff game. Why? Because he was off his game that day and more importantly, they had Steve Young on the roster. The Cardinals and Texans last year had no plan B.

 

[CATCH17]

Nonsense.

It doesn't really have anything to do with the particular situation here either. Most teams only have one decent quarterback, so if their starter has a day like we saw from Hoyer or Palmer last year where they just don't have it, they are doomed because of the sudden death nature of the playoffs. If you have 2 QBs you trust, you have another option to try and save the season.
Joe Montana was benched, in his prime, healthy and with Super Bowl rings on his hand, in a playoff game. Why? Because he was off his game that day and more importantly, they had Steve Young on the roster. The Cardinals and Texans last year had no plan B.

That's why I threw in the severe amount of turnovers stipulation.


If Dallas is just down a couple of scores they aren't taking Dak out. That ship has sailed.

It will take injuries or turnovers.

Maybe 2.5 quarters of no passing attack could do it.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

That's why I threw in the severe amount of turnovers stipulation.


If Dallas is just down a couple of scores they aren't taking Dak out. That ship has sailed.

It will take injuries or turnovers.

Maybe 2.5 quarters of no passing attack could do it.

I don't think it has anything to do with turnovers. I think it would be any situation later in the game down more than one score and when the running game is no longer an option.