Are NFC East Defenses Ready For Romo and the Cowboys?

[LittleBoyBlue]

No.

Duh.

Succinct.

 

[Crown Royal]

Jim Haslett was the only person in the NFCE who I feel could really 'figure out' Romo with any consistency. And he is now gone.

Not to say all 6 games are a cake walk, but overall, no, we'll be fine.

 

[CCBoy]

Philadelphia has two defensive tackles being rated in the top 30 in the NFL. Dallas has zero at present.

 

[Alexander]

Jim Haslett was the only person in the NFCE who I feel could really 'figure out' Romo with any consistency. And he is now gone.

Not to say all 6 games are a cake walk, but overall, no, we'll be fine.

If "fine" means to pre-2014 levels, I agree. Romo was unstoppable with an intimidating run game. He will need that again, otherwise it is about what we have seen for the greater chunk of Romo's career. The more he's asked to shoulder the load, the less effective he is. That applies to most QBs, so it is not an insult.

 

[Enlightened32]

If "fine" means to pre-2014 levels, I agree. Romo was unstoppable with an intimidating run game. He will need that again, otherwise it is about what we have seen for the greater chunk of Romo's career. The more he's asked to shoulder the load, the less effective he is. That applies to most QBs, so it is not an insult.

This is what worries me about the running game. If Romo has to be 80% of the offense (as was the case in those 8-8 years) then we may be in trouble.

Nothing against Romo, we just can't go back to being one-dimensional/predictable.

 

[Alexander]

This is what worries me about the running game. If Romo has to be 80% of the offense (as was the case in those 8-8 years) then we may be in trouble.

Nothing against Romo, we just can't go back to being one-dimensional/predictable.

It is not even the predictability part.

It is about the effectiveness of moving the chains forward.

When we could hand off the ball on first down and pretty much get an automatic 2nd and 5, it makes things so much easier. It also loosens up a defense dramatically. We played situational football more often and it made a difference. The fewer times you have your QB face long yardage situations, the better.

 

[CF74]

Of course they are ready. They know it is Romo to Dez, Romo to Witten. And they know Jason's game plan. run on 1st down, then half to pass on 2nd and third.

However, if Dez thow a monkey retch into the contract talks and he hold out, look for Beasley to half a breakout year when ever body is keying on the two WRs and Witten, enabling Beasley to emerge in a big way in the flat.

Nobody can stop The Bease Neese...

 

[Enlightened32]

It is not even the predictability part.

It is about the effectiveness of moving the chains forward.

When we could hand off the ball on first down and pretty much get an automatic 2nd and 5, it makes things so much easier. It also loosens up a defense dramatically. We played situational football more often and it made a difference. The fewer times you have your QB face long yardage situations, the better.

I get that, however, the reason we had 3 8-8 seasons was primarily being predictable on offense. Teams knew we were going to pass because we had no running threat.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

It is not even the predictability part.

It is about the effectiveness of moving the chains forward.

When we could hand off the ball on first down and pretty much get an automatic 2nd and 5, it makes things so much easier. It also loosens up a defense dramatically. We played situational football more often and it made a difference. The fewer times you have your QB face long yardage situations, the better.

It's both. More than former.


The former helps the latter.

I get that, however, the reason we had 3 8-8 seasons was primarily being predictable on offense. Teams knew we were going to pass because we had no running threat.

We flat out abandoned ed the run.
Even if ineffective you have to use run game to keep defenses from zeroing in on QB.


We run. We win.

We go shotgun crazy. We wont win enough to advance.

 

[Sportsbabe]

Of course they are ready. They know it is Romo to Dez, Romo to Witten. And they know Jason's game plan. run on 1st down, then half to pass on 2nd and third.

However, if Dez thow a monkey retch into the contract talks and he hold out, look for Beasley to half a breakout year when ever body is keying on the two WRs and Witten, enabling Beasley to emerge in a big way in the flat.

Yep...they've been the Romo-stopper for the past 12 years.

 

[Idgit]

I get that, however, the reason we had 3 8-8 seasons was primarily being predictable on offense. Teams knew we were going to pass because we had no running threat.

We had a bad defense. We lost 5 games by a total of 8 points in 2013 with one of the worst defenses in the league.

Our problems haven't been primarily on offense for years. Though running the ball more often did help Romo play more effectively last season, no doubt.

 

[Enlightened32]

We had a bad defense. We lost 5 games by a total of 8 points in 2013 with one of the worst defenses in the league.

Our problems haven't been primarily on offense for years. Though running the ball more often did help Romo play more effectively last season, no doubt.

I was afraid my post may have come off that way, I did not mean it that way at all. However, Romo is more likely to make a mistake throwing 35-40 times a game. I'd like to be able to run 25-30 times a game.