Am I alone? I believe this team will go to the SB if we stay healthy

[fortdick]

Every team plays with 7 men in the box pretty much all the time.

But to answer the question: Going all the way with the current defense might be a bridge too far. The offense will be good enough to do it if they have health on their side, but the defense - while I think it might be better than people think - probably won't hold up against playoff caliber opponents well enough to win it all.

Not against us. They seemed to play a lot of 8 after Romo went down. You can't double Dez with 4 in coverage. 7 won't stop to run game and if we have a viable passing threat they will not be able to stop it without playing nickle.

I know a lot of posters here want to see the team fail because they hate Jerry, or Garrett, or Romo, or Witten, or whomever. I like to look at the positive side.

 

[fortdick]

He played in every game in 2011.

He played in every game in 2012.

He played in all but one game in 2013.

He played in all but one game in 2014.

He missed all but four games last year.

It isn't unreasonable to think that he will play the vast majority of this year.

Don't argue with facts. That just makes the trolls angry.

 

[fortdick]

Defense is better then 2014.....don't get the hate. I hear people say last year. ..blah, blah, blah. Nothing in the team was good last year, that's not how offense out defense will play


We will have top 15 and more likely top 10 defense. Offense will be top 5

This time last year everyone was convinced we were SB bound.

 

[KJJ]

Dude seriously go sit in a corner somewhere. Doesn't matter what anybody says you ain't changing what you think. I believe what I want you believe what you want. Tired of going in circles with you

If anyone needs to sit in a corner it's you. You just made a statement that our defense is better than it was in 2014 and can't provide one thing to back it up. We're only in the 3rd week in June and you've already come to conclusions that our defense is better than it was during a 12-4 season. I asked you what you based it on and you based it on wishful thinking and you being a FAN.

 

[Blackspider214]

If Dez and Romo can return to 2014 form I don't see a reason why not but I don't think this team is built to beat Arizona

What is so special about Arizona? We almost beat them with Weeden a few years ago.

Their defense is highly overrated. GB and Carolina put up numbers on them in the playoffs. And their offense can be anemic at times.

I fear Green Bay, Carolina and still Seattle more than Arizona.

 

[AsthmaField]

Not against us. They seemed to play a lot of 8 after Romo went down. You can't double Dez with 4 in coverage. 7 won't stop to run game and if we have a viable passing threat they will not be able to stop it without playing nickle.

I know a lot of posters here want to see the team fail because they hate Jerry, or Garrett, or Romo, or Witten, or whomever. I like to look at the positive side.

Well yeah. They all pretty much play with at least 7 in the box for all offenses, which I why I thought it was strange to say if we could force them to play 7 it will be good. Elliott and the run game will be forcing 8 and 9 men up in the box (depending on down and distance, of course) which, as you mentioned, will definitely open up Romo and the passing game. If Elliott is as good as most think he will be, it is going to force defenses into a real catch 22. Even moreso than they were in 2014.

Heck, defenses would have been in a bind last year if Romo would have been healthy and there would have been a real chance of converting 3rd downs through the air.

Anyway, your point is completely valid, I just thought the "7" was off.

 

[KJJ]

You could be right on all of that... and you're certainly correct that we've been losing the games that Romo has missed.

It is just a pet peeve of mine when it is assumed that Romo is going to be injured all season (not saying you said that). So many fans (particularly Washington, Philly and NY fans) act like it is a foregone conclusion that Tony is going to be hurt most of this season. His back is better than it has been in a long time and last year was a collar bone... not exactly something that is a recurring injury (unless you rush back like Tony did last season). That is without mentioning that he had a Mumford procedure so the collar bone won't be an issue going forward.

If they want to argue that Tony is in his mid 30's and so is a little more brittle than he was 10 years ago... then I can at least understand that argument, although they'd have to say the same thing for Brady, Brees, Eli, Rivers, etc.

Football fans are notorious for looking at recent events and thinking that's how things are going to be going forward. Just because Tony missed last year and is in his mid 30's, they think he's going to stay injured. Nevermind that it was a collar bone and he had the procedure to make sure it doesn't happen.

Like I said... just a pet peeve of mine really.

I'm more concerned about the defense than Romo. We could survive a few games without him if we had a defense that could make critical stops and force some turnovers and we had an offensive scheme that wasn't so geared to Romo. All it takes is one or 2 mistakes by any QB we put behind center including Romo to help cost us a game because of our defense. If our defense would have been better through the years some of the mistakes Romo's made wouldn't have come back on us. He played a brilliant game vs Denver a few years ago with over 500 yards passing and 5 TDs but because the defense played so poorly his only mistake cost us the ball game.

Our D comes back to haunt us every season especially in critical games. McCoy ran all over us in a season finale elimination game in 2013. Our offense never saw the field in 2 OT games last season because of our defense. What little pass rush we had last season will be suspended the first 4 games this year. In 2014 our defense finally caught up with us in the playoffs against a one legged Aaron Rodgers. I can't even remember the last time the Cowboys had a defense to be proud of. A big part of Rod Marinelli's scheme is rotating players and we're not going to have near the depth the first 4 games of the season to have a solid rotation.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

If anyone needs to sit in a corner it's you. You just made a statement that our defense is better than it was in 2014 and can't provide one thing to back it up. We're only in the 3rd week in June and you've already come to conclusions that our defense is better than it was during a 12-4 season. I asked you what you based it on and you based it on wishful thinking and you being a FAN.

Your assuming what I based it on. You can't read my mind, you don't know what I'm thinking. Before you say it no I'm not getting in a debate with how I came to that conclusion. You won't listen anyways so go ahead and think what you want. ....that's fine, I won't reply telling you different. But for the last time do your own thing and leave me out of it.

 

[CATCH17]

We could do it but bad defense along with coaches that don't try and give us any type of edge are factors we have to overcome along with the team lining up across from us.

 

[waving monkey]

My post in this thread got deleted;. Go ahead and deactivate my account.

the unforgiven

 

[KJJ]

Your assuming what I based it on. You can't read my mind, you don't know what I'm thinking. Before you say it no I'm not getting in a debate with how I came to that conclusion. You won't listen anyways so go ahead and think what you want. ....that's fine, I won't reply telling you different. But for the last time do your own thing and leave me out of it.

I've read enough of your posts to know what you based it on you're a FAN. You're assuming, hoping and praying the defense is better than it was in 2014 which is why you don't want to debate It. You're one of those who accuses me of assuming things but most of my opinions are based on some facts. There's not one opinion or claim I've ever made on this board that I can't provide a good argument to support it.

You came to the conclusion that the defense is better than it was in 2014 for the reasons I gave, wishful thinking and your FANDOM. I gave a number of solid reasons why we should be concerned about the defense especially the first four weeks of the season and what needs to happen if it's going to be better than expected.

 

[stilltheguru88]

We will see. It's not like Carolina had a great defense. Their d line wasn't some magical unit they just played hard, smart and together. They had 2 great lbs as do we. We have about the same secondary as them if healthy. Besides Norman they were weak but again, they played smart unlike our confused bunch.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I've read enough of your posts to know what you based it on you're a FAN. You're assuming, hoping and praying the defense is better than it was in 2014 which is why you don't want to debate It. You're one of those who accuses me of assuming things but most of my opinions are based on some facts. There's not one opinion or claim I've ever made on this board that I can't provide a good argument to support it.

You came to the conclusion that the defense is better than it was in 2014 for the reasons I gave, wishful thinking and your FANDOM. I gave a number of solid reasons why we should be concerned about the defense especially the first four weeks of the season and what needs to happen if it's going to be better than expected.

That's nice. .....keep assuming you know my thoughts

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

We will see. It's not like Carolina had a great defense. Their d line wasn't some magical unit they just played hard, smart and together. They had 2 great lbs as do we. We have about the same secondary as them if healthy. Besides Norman they were weak but again, they played smart unlike our confused bunch.

Not like our d can be not great as theirs. lol.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

It would be great. I want nothing more than to see Wit and Romo win a SB. Just doubt it will happen.

 

[chagus]

You probably are not alone, lad. I am reminded of the 40 or so cult members who believed a spaceship would arrive and take them to Nirvana. They filed in happily into the Ihop and seemed happy and joked with the servers. Then they went home and, unconsciously, awaited the spaceship.

Really? A

You probably are not alone, lad. I am reminded of the 40 or so cult members who believed a spaceship would arrive and take them to Nirvana. They filed in happily into the Ihop and seemed happy and joked with the servers. Then they went home and, unconsciously, awaited the spaceship.

You going applewhite?

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

My post in this thread got deleted;. Go ahead and deactivate my account.

What? Superbowl! When did we get a new Head Coach.

 

[TheFinisher]

I don't think Romo is physically capable of consistently threatening defenses vertical.

I can buy into him as a top flight bus driver, limiting his mistakes and taking advantage of what's there, and hopefully with this OL and Zeke that's all he'll have to do. Get the ball to 88 and let him do his thing once defenses start loading the box. Witten and Beasley to move chains.

Tony's experience and mastery of this offense is his greatest asset now. He has arguably the greatest supporting cast in the NFL, let those guys do the heavy lifting and just navigate this ship Tony.

 

[DandyDon52]

Or getting sacks

sacks are over rated, getting pressure all the time, hurrying the qb, not allowing passing lanes,
batting down passes, hitting qb as he throws, getting strips, playing the run good.
That is what is needed each game.

Dallas should make the playoffs , it is in the playoffs, where they might struggle.

 

[JBS]

I don't think Romo is physically capable of consistently threatening defenses vertical.

I can buy into him as a top flight bus driver, limiting his mistakes and taking advantage of what's there, and hopefully with this OL and Zeke that's all he'll have to do. Get the ball to 88 and let him do his thing once defenses start loading the box. Witten and Beasley to move chains.

Tony's experience and mastery of this offense is his greatest asset now. He has arguably the greatest supporting cast in the NFL, let those guys do the heavy lifting and just navigate this ship Tony.

Tony has never been a game manager...not that I agree or disagree with what you are saying...but it'll be interesting if Tony can make this transition successfully or not...I still think he this he's more than a game manager..itll be interesting to see this one play out