A short list of what will have to happen in ‘22 to have success

[baltcowboy]

Washington may have upgraded its quarterback situation by trading for Wentz. How much is hard to say.

The Eagles have three first-round draft picks and added a better pass rusher than we did in Hassan Reddick. The Kyzir White and Zach Pascal moves also are an improvement.

The Giants have been about like we have and haven't fixed their biggest issue since Daniel Jones is still quarterback.

There are reasons why there is not usually a repeat winner in the NFC East, so I'm not getting my expectations up, especially since we got worse the second half of the season instead of better. The Eagles didn't finish far behind us, actually used free agency to at least improve slightly and have multiple first-round picks.

Come on now let’s not overrate the East. The division has been a joke since Eagles won the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were never threatened in the East last season. Remember we went 6-0 in division. You really give the Eagles to much credit. They took advantage of a last place schedule and a gimmick running game. Hurts is a poor man’s Lamar Jackson when he runs but might be the worst passer in the playoffs last season. Wentz is a joke. The Commander’s offensive line is worse then ours. The Giants…… Only injuries like 2021 can derail us from the division again.

 

[Bobhaze]

Our team sucks. We got worse. We are tanking for a new coach and QB. You people don't get it.

What is it you get about a new coach? Is Jerry going to suddenly out of character decide to hire a real NFL head coach who has authority and no puppet strings.

I say it’s an absolute pipe dream that someone like Sean Payton, who is used to calling his own shots as a HC, suddenly is going to agree to join this 3 ring circus run by PT Barnum Jones and his unqualified giggling sidekick son. I’ll believe that happens…when it happens.

 

[DandyDon52]

It’s still way too early to declare this off-season successful or not. Not finished with FA and the draft hasn’t happened yet. But it is safe to say it’s been a fairly typical off-season for the Jones front office as we watch teams with a good front office run circles around the Cowboys with both vision and financial creativity.

Remember when people were saying the rams had “mortgaged their future” to win now? Rams GM Les Snead just smiles at people like Stephen Jones and says “hold my beer”.

But here’s my OP question- What must be different about this team next year in order for it take have success? Here’s my list:

• A mental and physical toughness this team hasn’t shown in a very long time. Last January the niners told us in advance they were going to get physical with us and run the ball down our throats. Then they did just that. If this team is ever going to truly playoff relevant again, this must change.

• Being able to run the ball consistently again. When this team has a running game, it opens everything else up. Either a better OL or better play calling must be part of this.

• Better football IQ. Stop the stupid penalties, missed extra points, missed assignments, poor execution, etc. This team got dumber as the season progressed. One of these days maybe- just maybe we’ll have a HC who realizes small details matter. Practices matter. Attention to things like penalties and clock management matter.

• Being willing to not play Zeke as much even though his contract is huge. Look, we get that he’s paid like a star. He’s not performing that way. Anyone who is honest will say that Tony Pollard was a consistently better RB last year and needs more touches. Pollard will never be a “bell cow”. But he needs more than 5-8 touches in a game.
  
  
• Better creativity with the offense. At times it seems like as soon as Kellen Moore shows some creativity he gets a call from Jason Garrett to tap the creative brakes. I just don’t understand. Is it DCs have figured out what his style is and he has no answers? Kellen Moore has to be better or he should be gone.

• For the first time in 15 years, make the playoffs two years in a row. For a franchise that once made the playoffs in 16 of 17 seasons back in the day, surely they could make it two years in a row for a change.

• Finally- the bottom line for any Cowboys team right now- at least make a conference championship game. It’s embarrassing that this team can’t get past the divisional round of the playoffs. Until they do this is a giant gorilla on their backs.

This is obviously and incomplete list. What else? What else must change?

Well bob for a short list, lol that is sort of long! many people here cant read more than 2-3 lines, some only read the title lol.
But yeah all of those are needed , and much more, but jones boys wont allow any of that!

Now kellen, even jones boys have admitted he needs help lol, that why we got the mike will be more involved with offense statement.
thats why they hired a OC to help him. So he is like a baby in a high chair and if he cant get the food in his mouth, he has 2 guys to help him do that.

Thats how jones boys fix things, instead of demoting kellen to asst OC, and hiring a real OC, and not the guy they hired lol, they hire guys to help the guy
who just isnt ready for the job.

Elliot, will still be the main guy lol as for pollard, expect same thing as last year.
I think last year they said more pollard in passing game etc, and it never showed up except a couple of games.

make the playoffs two years in a row or at least make a conference championship game....this requires the fixes to happen 1st!

Better football IQ.......get better HC and staff lol (not going to happen)

A mental and physical toughness...... this comes with a better HC and staff.
also players need to stop glorifying themselves everytime they make a play in reg season. that is one thing I am sick of seeing, not just dallas but all
teams have players that do this, and I think nfl encourages it.
By the time they get to playoffs, they already think they are great and wonderful, stars , hof players, so whats the big deal on a SB win?

Stop patting players on the back , or butt (JG) just because they make a play here and there. Save all that for div and conf champ game. and if you dont get there
they dont deserve glorification, or pats on the back.

My short list is

1.Better HC and OC
2.Draft a good qb to compete with dak, I think dak would play better if they did that, plus if dak is hurt or slumping put that qb in the game. it is a team sport right?
it isnt the dak cowboys.
3.Make pollard the main RB, and rethink all your blocking schemes to just get rb past the los, forget the downfield blks by linemen.
This would get the run game going.
of course then kellen would have to understand how to use a run game , and not just call run plays at random spots, but better to have a real OC.

and of course jones boys have no plans to do anything on my list lol.

 

[DandyDon52]

Come on now let’s not overrate the East. The division has been a joke since Eagles won the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were never threatened in the East last season. Remember we went 6-0 in division. You really give the Eagles to much credit. They took advantage of a last place schedule and a gimmick running game. Hurts is a poor man’s Lamar Jackson when he runs but might be the worst passer in the playoffs last season. Wentz is a joke. The Commander’s offensive line is worse then ours. The Giants…… Only injuries like 2021 can derail us from the division again.

your probably right, but remember each year is a new year , things change.
Dallas may have injurys, one of the 3 other bozo teams in our div may come alive. You just never know.
There is a reason why east is won by different team each new season, and I dont know that trend wont continue.

Dallas may make playoffs as a wc.

I know at start of season , no one would have predicted Cin to be in the SB ! Stuff happens. As gomer used to say lol Surprise Surprise!

 

[ICP]

We're doomed

 

[Calvin2Tony2Emmitt2Julius]

Good point on the defense stopping the run. Good one indeed.

Gotta disagree with you though on Zeke. He IS chopped liver. Sure he had 1,200 combined yards last year. But he was horrible the last half of the season. Yes, I know he was hurt but he has zero burst now even when he’s healthy. He averaged 58 yards per game last year even though he was force fed on many games. The last two seasons combined he averages 990 yards rushing a season. Not that great. Zeke is a middle of the road RB with a ton of miles on the tires. Honestly IMO, he’s an OK RB by committee guy worth 10 touches a game. That’s it.

Cool I just wanted to know what you thought . Like I said I respect your opinion

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

It’s still way too early to declare this off-season successful or not. Not finished with FA and the draft hasn’t happened yet. But it is safe to say it’s been a fairly typical off-season for the Jones front office as we watch teams with a good front office run circles around the Cowboys with both vision and financial creativity.

Remember when people were saying the rams had “mortgaged their future” to win now? Rams GM Les Snead just smiles at people like Stephen Jones and says “hold my beer”.

But here’s my OP question- What must be different about this team next year in order for it take have success? Here’s my list:

• A mental and physical toughness this team hasn’t shown in a very long time. Last January the niners told us in advance they were going to get physical with us and run the ball down our throats. Then they did just that. If this team is ever going to truly playoff relevant again, this must change.

• Being able to run the ball consistently again. When this team has a running game, it opens everything else up. Either a better OL or better play calling must be part of this.

• Better football IQ. Stop the stupid penalties, missed extra points, missed assignments, poor execution, etc. This team got dumber as the season progressed. One of these days maybe- just maybe we’ll have a HC who realizes small details matter. Practices matter. Attention to things like penalties and clock management matter.

• Being willing to not play Zeke as much even though his contract is huge. Look, we get that he’s paid like a star. He’s not performing that way. Anyone who is honest will say that Tony Pollard was a consistently better RB last year and needs more touches. Pollard will never be a “bell cow”. But he needs more than 5-8 touches in a game.
  
  
• Better creativity with the offense. At times it seems like as soon as Kellen Moore shows some creativity he gets a call from Jason Garrett to tap the creative brakes. I just don’t understand. Is it DCs have figured out what his style is and he has no answers? Kellen Moore has to be better or he should be gone.

• For the first time in 15 years, make the playoffs two years in a row. For a franchise that once made the playoffs in 16 of 17 seasons back in the day, surely they could make it two years in a row for a change.

• Finally- the bottom line for any Cowboys team right now- at least make a conference championship game. It’s embarrassing that this team can’t get past the divisional round of the playoffs. Until they do this is a giant gorilla on their backs.

This is obviously and incomplete list. What else? What else must change?

Right you are, govnor. Right you are.
I especially believe that replacing Zeke is essential.

But more than anything, ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS THE BOARD IS CRUCIAL.

No more of this work ethic/team leadership/passion BS after a bad game, bloke.
Produce or move over!

 

[kskboys]

Only way this all makes sense is if we're aiming for 23.

 

[CouchCoach]

By contrast, the Joneses short list. Get more face and voice time, sell more stuff and find more jobs for family members too ugly to get work in a haunted house.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Culture,accountability, & discipline.

Along with the OP's original list I would add these three as an overarching banner.

We need crazy and insane playmakers, but they need to do within controlled rage confines in order to be successful in this violent sport.

Just being violent crazy is not good enough. You have to add football intelligence and maturity to the mix.

 

[baltcowboy]

your probably right, but remember each year is a new year , things change.
Dallas may have injurys, one of the 3 other bozo teams in our div may come alive. You just never know.
There is a reason why east is won by different team each new season, and I dont know that trend wont continue.

Dallas may make playoffs as a wc.

I know at start of season , no one would have predicted Cin to be in the SB ! Stuff happens. As gomer used to say lol Surprise Surprise!

I would feel different if the Giants had drafted Josh Allen instead of Barkley or the Commanders had drafted Herbert instead of Young.

 

[Verdict]

Good point on the defense stopping the run. Good one indeed.

Gotta disagree with you though on Zeke. He IS chopped liver. Sure he had 1,200 combined yards last year. But he was horrible the last half of the season. Yes, I know he was hurt but he has zero burst now even when he’s healthy. He averaged 58 yards per game last year even though he was force fed on many games. The last two seasons combined he averages 990 yards rushing a season. Not that great. Zeke is a middle of the road RB with a ton of miles on the tires. Honestly IMO, he’s an OK RB by committee guy worth 10 touches a game. That’s it.

I will have to say that I think you are probably right on Zeke, and that he is one the verge of being done. But I do think that there is an outside chance that his injury held him back, and it MIGHT be possible for him to regain his old form.

Let’s be honest here. Our OL SUCKED last year. It’s the elephant in the room that very few want to really admit how BAD we really were on the OL. Pollard performed better than Zeke did last year, but wouldn’t you expect him to with the “jail break” to the RB going on all year with Pollard’s running style?

And don’t get me started on Kellen Moore’s play calling for Zeke. Everything was inside the tackles. Maybe that’s because Zeke couldn’t hit the edge and turn the corner, but all the really big runs seemed to be “off tackle”.

Im sure that the smart money is betting against Zeke and it’s probably right. But I still think Zeke has some chance of having another good year. We will see, but ONLY if the OL improves.

 

[gimmesix]

Come on now let’s not overrate the East. The division has been a joke since Eagles won the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were never threatened in the East last season. Remember we went 6-0 in division. You really give the Eagles to much credit. They took advantage of a last place schedule and a gimmick running game. Hurts is a poor man’s Lamar Jackson when he runs but might be the worst passer in the playoffs last season. Wentz is a joke. The Commander’s offensive line is worse then ours. The Giants…… Only injuries like 2021 can derail us from the division again.

If the Eagles had played their stars in the finale against us, I'm not sure if we would have beat them. They won six of their last eight regular-season games (seven of last 10), including blowing out the Broncos, who blew out us.

I think you may be overestimating the distance between us and them, especially when they actually did a little bit to try to get better in free agency while we spun our wheels.

Wentz had a 94.6 QB rating last year with 27 TDs and 7 ints. His completion percentage was 62.4. He's not near as bad as what you want to believe.

 

[gimmesix]

I will have to say that I think you are probably right on Zeke, and that he is one the verge of being done. But I do think that there is an outside chance that his injury held him back, and it MIGHT be possible for him to regain his old form.

Let’s be honest here. Our OL SUCKED last year. It’s the elephant in the room that very few want to really admit how BAD we really were on the OL. Pollard performed better than Zeke did last year, but wouldn’t you expect him to with the “jail break” to the RB going on all year with Pollard’s running style?

And don’t get me started on Kellen Moore’s play calling for Zeke. Everything was inside the tackles. Maybe that’s because Zeke couldn’t hit the edge and turn the corner, but all the really big runs seemed to be “off tackle”.

Im sure that the smart money is betting against Zeke and it’s probably right. But I still think Zeke has some chance of having another good year. We will see, but ONLY if the OL improves.

I think based on how he played the first part of the season, you'd have the say that the injury affected him. He looked like the player we expected him to be and then it went downhill fast. The question is whether he can get it back to that level again or if it will continue to go downhill for him.

 

[baltcowboy]

If the Eagles had played their stars in the finale against us, I'm not sure if we would have beat them. They won six of their last eight regular-season games (seven of last 10), including blowing out the Broncos, who blew out us.

I think you may be overestimating the distance between us and them, especially when they actually did a little bit to try to get better in free agency while we spun our wheels.

Wentz had a 94.6 QB rating last year with 27 TDs and 7 ints. His completion percentage was 62.4. He's not near as bad as what you want to believe.

Listen you sound like an Eagles/Wentz homer. The Eagles rested all their starters and got smashed in the first round. Game was not close. Hurts was exposed. Wentz had to win one of two games to get a superior to the Commanders, Colts team to the playoffs. He scrubbed it up and was run out of town. You forgot how the Cowboys destroyed a healthy Eagles team earlier in the season. Stop trolling please.

 

[gimmesix]

Listen you sound like an Eagles/Wentz homer. The Eagles rested all their starters and got smashed in the first round. Game was not close. Hurts was exposed. Wentz had to win one of two games to get a superior to the Commanders, Colts team to the playoffs. He scrubbed it up and was run out of town. You forgot how the Cowboys destroyed a healthy Eagles team earlier in the season. Stop trolling please.

It's always funny how some resort to calling others trolls or haters when they disagree. Actually, it's not that funny. It's kind of sad.

I don't see how the way that we played the second half of the season shows we're much better than our division foes. And even if we are, it certainly doesn't show that we can compete when we get in the playoffs. And we've done absolutely nothing to improve that this offseason. Best we can do is hope that some of our young players take major leaps forward this year. Of course, other teams want the same thing, look to draft well like we hope AND use free agency to their advantage.

Be blind to that if it makes you feel better.

 

[baltcowboy]

It's always funny how some resort to calling others trolls or haters when they disagree. Actually, it's not that funny. It's kind of sad.

I don't see how the way that we played the second half of the season shows we're much better than our division foes. And even if we are, it certainly doesn't show that we can compete when we get in the playoffs. And we've done absolutely nothing to improve that this offseason. Best we can do is hope that some of our young players take major leaps forward this year. Of course, other teams want the same thing, look to draft well like we hope AND use free agency to their advantage.

Be blind to that if it makes you feel better.

It’s funny to me how a so called Cowboys fans can poop on the Cowboys 12-5 season but pump up opponents that were absolute garbage. The Eagles were the worst team that made the playoffs but you act like they were a threat. You are sad. You use the game against the Broncos as in argument. What about the Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers games. Did not fit your agenda. Three teams that finished ahead of the Broncos.

 

[gimmesix]

It’s funny to me how a so called Cowboys fans can poop on the Cowboys 12-5 season but pump up opponents that were absolute garbage. The Eagles were the worst team that made the playoffs but you act like they were a threat. You are sad. You use the game against the Broncos as in argument. What about the Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers games. Did not fit your agenda. Three teams that finished ahead of the Broncos.

Eagles improved as the season progressed. They were a lot better the second half than they were the first. We regressed for whatever reason. There was a huge gap between the teams the first half of the year, but us getting worse and them getting better closed it some. Since they did not play their starters against us in that final game, I can't gauge how much they closed it.

I'm not sure pointing out that they lost to the same AFC West teams we did (Kansas City and Las Vegas), and played the one team we beat closely, actually does a lot for your argument. It's great that we went 12-5, but we didn't beat anyone worth a flip the second half of the season. (Philly didn't really, either.) But you are clearly being belligerent and I'm tired of dealing with that type of fan, the ones who think you are only allowed to have the same opinion they do, so I'll end our conversation here.

 

[quickccc]

It’s still way too early to declare this off-season successful or not. Not finished with FA and the draft hasn’t happened yet. But it is safe to say it’s been a fairly typical off-season for the Jones front office as we watch teams with a good front office run circles around the Cowboys with both vision and financial creativity.

Remember when people were saying the rams had “mortgaged their future” to win now? Rams GM Les Snead just smiles at people like Stephen Jones and says “hold my beer”.

But here’s my OP question- What must be different about this team next year in order for it take have success? Here’s my list:

• A mental and physical toughness this team hasn’t shown in a very long time. Last January the niners told us in advance they were going to get physical with us and run the ball down our throats. Then they did just that. If this team is ever going to truly playoff relevant again, this must change.

• Being able to run the ball consistently again. When this team has a running game, it opens everything else up. Either a better OL or better play calling must be part of this.

- i don't seeing this team becoming tougher mentally and more physical ..under this coaching regime..in fact the HC seems more like
a label than actual hands on HC. He's just a paper HC. And he doesn't assert urgency or inspiration or discipline within his team and it shows.
Too bad nuthin was built on games such as Bucs and Pats that could've been spring boards to a greater team,..

This is not McCarthy's offense,.. This is not Andy Reid, Payton or McVey and he doesn't intervene in in game adjustments, there seems to be some indifferences
between HC and management. i don't think they really believe in him, and preparing to life without McCarthy in near future, .. either Quinn or Payton

 

[Bobhaze]

By contrast, the Joneses short list. Get more face and voice time, sell more stuff and find more jobs for family members too ugly to get work in a haunted house.

For sure. I mean Jerry’s family is growing so more NFL executive positions must be created. His long lost secret love child daughter could be running this thing someday, lol!