Areas Of Improvement Over 2010

[Hostile]

Let's start at the top, Head Coach. We all saw what happened when the the coaching change was made. This team transformed itself over night into one paying attention to details. We all are naturally wondering, how does this translate over a full season? New head coaches in the NFL were allowed 2 extra OTAs. Obviously we have seen that destroyed. If the CBA gets done and TC starts on time how much can one TC improve this entire team under Garrett and his attention to details desire to do things right?

I also believe there is an improvement in the coaching staff as a whole. For me it starts with Mike Woicik. I want to make it very clear, I was not unhappy with Joe Juraszek. However, I cannot help but be excited about the attention Mike Woicik can bring to this team.

I have a feeling Jimmy Robinson is going to have a positive effect on the WR corps too. Something about his coaching philosophies and how they gel with Garrett's is encouraging.

What I want from Rob Ryan he has been talking about. An attack all the time and never stop Defense. QB sacks, pressures, and takeaways. That to me is the formula for Defense. Last year this team was dreadful on Defense. We cannot afford a slow start. Ryan brags about Eberflus, and we need to see this Defense live up to the talking part. I've been impressed with Brian Baker, but I openly admit I wanted new secondary coaches. I hope keeping them was not a monumental mistake.

I'm anxious to see how a running game coordinator and a passing game coordinator will work.

Returning from injury is a key ingredient to this team. It all starts with Tony Romo of course, but he is hardly the only injured player returning. We all should be excited to hear that Dez Bryant is 100%. Last year as a rookie he was one of the most unstoppable players in the NFL. Hopefully Jimmy Robinson can make a difference.

Last year when we lost John Phillips I said it was going to be a bigger loss than people realized. He was more than just the 3rd TE. Anyone besides me glad to know he is coming back?

The Receiving cops lost more than just Dez. Kevin Ogletree and Sam Hurd may also be showcasing their last chances. with this team. Along with the guys called up to replace them, Jesse Holley and Manuel Johnson.

A much bigger loss than people would have wanted to admit years ago was Marcus Spears. We may not get him back due to Free Agency, but I confess, I'd sure like to.

Akwasi Owusu Ansah also returns to hopefully show some of the promise that he did last year before he went down. His primary role may continue to be Special Teams, but there is some hope for depth in the defensive backfield too.

I think the vast majority of us are thrilled with the upgrade on the OL via the Draft. Anyone who isn't excited about Tyron Smith is going to eat some crow this year IMO. There is not a doubt in my mind that he will be an impact player immediately. I liked everything I read about David Arkin too. I'm intrigued by Bill Nagy. Throw in Brewster and bright from the Practice Squad and I feel like the OL depth is at least encouraging. Now it is up to Houck to live up to his genius label.

I really like the selection of Bruce Carter. I think this kid is going to be a fan favorite with the way he flies all over the field. I also think Thomas at CB provides some needed depth.

I think DeMarco Murray will surprise a lot of people more than they think right now. Dwayne Harris in the slot is a prospect I really am amped about. I think he can be an improvement over what Patrick Crayton gave us there. Don't overlook what a good FB can do for a passing game, and Shawn Chapas won't let Romo get killed. Bet on it.

I guess last but certainly not least is the prospects of filling holes via Free Agency once the league year starts. I feel pretty confident Michael Huff is headed here. I'm intrigued by the persistence of the Nnamdi rumors. You notice there are never denials of interest in him like some teams have shown? I don't know what this means. I would like to find a way to keep Terence Newman and move him to Free Safety. An option I have liked for quite a while now. Not so sure it is a likely change though. Daniel Manning intrigues me as well. Eric Weddle would be quite a splash.

Topping Free Agency lists for the Cowboys should be Free and Kosier. With Spears and Sensabaugh just behind.

I can be a season of marked improvements, but we still need lady luck to smile on us too. Bottom line, there are really no excuses for this team to underwhelm. None at all.

I don't think they will.

 

[danzig]

im with you on the effect the loss of john phillips had last year. hopefully he comes back healthy.

i just want some football. this limbo land sucks big time

 

[DFWJC]

There is really a ton to look forward to!

I'm more excited about this season than I've been awhile....and I'm always excited to some degree about a coming season.

 

[casmith07]

A much bigger loss than people would have wanted to admit years ago was Marcus Spears. We may not get him back due to Free Agency, but I confess, I'd sure like to.

This is one that I was touting last year after the GB game. I hope we can keep him. He occupies blockers and allows linebackers to make plays.

 

[Star-Fan]

Hos, thanks for posting this. It sure makes my mouth water for some football!!! I am looking forward to some great screen passes, terrific Fullback play, and of course some Tight End TD catches. This offense has some awesome potential.

The defense has some weak spots, but I can only hope they will come together, pick up some free agents, and become Doomsday again...:starspin

 

[The30YardSlant]

Number one is easily head coach, and everything else is very, very minor in comparison. Garrett went 5-3 (should have been 6-2, thanks Roy) with a patchwork O-Line and Romo out for the year. Looking back on it, as close as we were in every game with him it is not inconceivable that we could have won out had Romo been healthy.

 

[CoCo]

Number one is easily head coach, and everything else is very, very minor in comparison. Garrett went 5-3 (should have been 6-2, thanks Roy) with a patchwork O-Line and Romo out for the year. Looking back on it, as close as we were in every game with him it is not inconceivable that we could have won out had Romo been healthy.

WOW! The optimism is flowing full bore in this thread. No harm I guess. It's all hypothetical right now.

 

[Hostile]

WOW! The optimism is flowing full bore in this thread. No harm I guess. It's all hypothetical right now.

I didn't think my post was optimism. I clearly talked about Houck, Campo, and the entire team not having any excuses. I talked about how horrid the defense was.

 

[The30YardSlant]

I didn't think my post was optimism. I clearly talked about Houck, Campo, and the entire team not having any excuses. I talked about how horrid the defense was.

I think he was referencing my post, but I fail to see how it was overly optimistic (has anyone EVER accused me of that?)

We went 5-3 with Garrett. Without Roy's fumble against NO, we're 6-2. One of the other two losses was at Arizona with Stephen McGee playing the whole second half, and that was only because of a missed XP. The only game where we actually got beat was Philly and they had to get three first downs and run out the clock before securing the win. is it really outside the relm of possibility that we go 8-0 under Garrett had Romo been healthy?

 

[CoCo]

I didn't think my post was optimism. I clearly talked about Houck, Campo, and the entire team not having any excuses. I talked about how horrid the defense was.

Well your post was titled Areas of Improvement. So I get that you're playing the upside there. But once we got to considering a possible 8-0 finish under Garrett in 2010 I just needed to get my feet back on the ground. :laugh2:

Not knocking the post or the thread. Just an observation.

I'm as hopeful as the next Cowboy fan that we'll be better overall in 2011. Lots of hope, and some scary question marks too.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Well your post was titled Areas of Improvement. So I get that you're playing the upside there. But once we got to considering a possible 8-0 finish under Garrett in 2010 I just needed to get my feet back on the ground. :laugh2:

Not knocking the post or the thread. Just an observation.

I'm as hopeful as the next Cowboy fan that we'll be better overall in 2011. Lots of hope, and some scary question marks too.

Again, if you actually look at the games I fail to see how it's so obnoxious to suggest. Romo is much better than Kitna and McGee, and we were a couple plays away from going 8-0 with them.

 

[CoCo]

I think he was referencing my post, but I fail to see how it was overly optimistic (has anyone EVER accused me of that?)

We went 5-3 with Garrett. Without Roy's fumble against NO, we're 6-2. One of the other two losses was at Arizona with Stephen McGee playing the whole second half, and that was only because of a missed XP. The only game where we actually got beat was Philly and they had to get three first downs and run out the clock before securing the win. is it really outside the relm of possibility that we go 8-0 under Garrett had Romo been healthy?

No, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. I get your point. I was just getting a bit dizzy with it all. A Parcells-ism might be appropriate grounding here. "You are what your record says."

 

[CoCo]

Again, if you actually look at the games I fail to see how it's so obnoxious to suggest. Romo is much better than Kitna and McGee, and we were a couple plays away from going 8-0 with them.

Obnoxious? Slow, deep, breaths.

If I've offended, forgive me.

 

[DFWJC]

Again, if you actually look at the games I fail to see how it's so obnoxious to suggest. Romo is much better than Kitna and McGee, and we were a couple plays away from going 8-0 with them.

No doubt, a lot a things could have gone either way last year. For that matter, before the total collapse after Tony went down, the team could have easily won most of the games before Garrett too. ALL of the losses were by 7 points or less and many hinged on 1 or 2 plays.

Because we were all so frustrated from higher expectations and sloppy play, we forget that they could have won all of the games prior to Tony's injury.

I'm excited about the new regime, but an average of 11-5 under the old regime was not horrible. It was just flat out time for a change due to discipline and focus breakdowns. At least start of the demise starte in game one with Garrett's call right before halftime. The holding call at the end during the winning TD was just a harbringer of what was to come.
But don't get me wrong, I think Jason will do great.

 

[burmafrd]

I KNEW after the holding call on Barron that our season was not going to be good. just knew it. But had no idea it would be as bad as it turned out to be.

 

[CoCo]

No doubt, a lot a things could have gone either way last year. For that matter, before the total collapse after Tony went down, the team could have easily won most of the games before Garrett too. ALL of the losses were by 7 points or less and many hinged on 1 or 2 plays.

Because we were all so frustrated from higher expectations and sloppy play, we forget that they could have won all of the games prior to Tony's injury.

I'm excited about the new regime, but an average of 11-5 under the old regime was not horrible. It was just flat out time for a change due to discipline and focus breakdowns. At least start of the demise starte in game one with Garrett's call right before halftime. The holding call at the end during the winning TD was just a harbringer of what was to come.
But don't get me wrong, I think Jason will do great.

I generally do as well.

But I also believe there are some personnel problems on this team that won't be solved simply because Garrett is HC instead of Wade, and Ryan is onboard as DC.

The problems at OL, DL, Secondary & LB were very real. Our draft hopefully addressed some of that and that coaching and pending FA will help too. But I am wary.

Even if Garrett had managed 8-0 last year it would not be (IMO) representative of this team's reality anymore than 1-7 was to begin the year.

 

[CoCo]

I KNEW after the holding call on Barron that our season was not going to be good. just knew it. But had no idea it would be as bad as it turned out to be.

What that holding call foretold was the fact that our O-Line was a weakness that would have to be overcome through a variety of means.

And when the secondary revealed itself likewise. And the sloppy play surfaced on top of it. And Romo was lost for the year...

Well collectively that was too much for this team to overcome.

 

[Picksix]

This is one that I was touting last year after the GB game. I hope we can keep him. He occupies blockers and allows linebackers to make plays.

I agree with the idea that Spears was a big loss, but only to the point where we didn't have anyone to replace him. I like what he does against the run, but I still hate the fact that he gives us nothing as a pass rusher. I understand a 3-4 DE's primary job is to help stop the run, but not having any pressure from our base DE's has been a problem ever since we went to the 3-4.

 

[Hostile]

Well your post was titled Areas of Improvement.

Just an observation...7-9 is improvement. Teams still have to execute.