Average is as average does

[dupree89]

If you're around .500, aren't your "plans" more "solid" than they'd be if you were 3-13?

Not in my opinion. Hovering around .500 for a few yrs, to me, means you are trying to patch things here and there and not building a rock solid foundation. Just going for a quick fix. And settling for drafting mid-pack.

Whereas gutting the team, having a 2-14 or 3-13 year means to me you are starting over. Out with the old and in with the youngsters. Getting a top 3 draft pick and building from the bottom up. And thats why I said WITH A SOLID PLAN. Building an identity. Drafting and signing young guys that fit the exact vision you have for the team's future.

So no, I dont think 8-8 means you have a more solid plan than if you were 3-13.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Yes id rather do worse and get better draft picks! I think were looking at a 6-10 season. So hopefully we can take advantage of it this draft. 2 things need to change!!

1) we need a whole new offensive system and oc. Our offense is lame and vanilla and was figured out by other teams 5 years ago.

2) we need to switch back to the 3-4. Thats why almost nobody runs a 4-3 it doesnt work!!.

Do those 2 things and get a real hc which wont happen this offseason but I can wish. Get a solid draft of mainly dl and ol and a safety and this team will be a contender for the next 4-5 years!!

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Going into this year what position was a weakness that did not get addressed in the off season?

Somehow EVERYONE except the Cowboys knew Jay Ratliff never wanted to play for Dallas. I could stop right there. The role of Warren Sapp is vital to this defense. And if Anthony Spencer was injured so badly that he could not withstand a few snaps...again, it was wishful thinking relying on him. So that is half your defensive line we were relying on with fingers crossed. And let's be honest. We added Brian Waters AFTER the season. And to think we did not want him LAST off-season...nor did we think we needed him prior to entering training camp. Only to re-discover what we ALREADY knew about the guards on this team. I think we CHOSE to keep 4 CBs. I mean there are so many holes on this team I could go on and on. The rookie Center and rookie WR are/were needs and we have hit on them. Not sure why we used a 2nd rd pick on a TE. Jordan Reed for the Commanders was drafted in the 5th I believe. And when you look at where Mo Claiborne is ranked amongst CBs...CLEARLY....CLEARLY...he is a bust to this point. I would be much more optomistic if he was top 50...but I believe he his ranked like 103 by PFF for CBs.

 

[cowboys2233]

Guess I should not be too concerned, once Romo is gone, we will go 5 and 11 again just like after Troy
was released.

It's a shame we are wasting Romo's prime years.

Yup, that's the real crime here and so many don't even realize it. It is SO hard to find a true franchise QB and we fell backwards right into one. A guy who has the talent and ability to win several SBs but instead has 1 playoff win to his name. Frankly, I think your 5 and 11 post-Romo prediction is optimistic. Without Romo, this team has the stink of a 3-13 team.

 

[Alexander]

Going into this year what position was a weakness that did not get addressed in the off season?

Safety, guard, defensive tackle just for starters. All of these positions were ignored as we "hoped" things would work out.

We "hoped" that the scheme familiarity for Will Allen would overcome the fact he has never been a solid starter in the NFL. We "hoped" Matt Johnson would be competing for a job.

We "hoped" Jay Ratliff would be the Warren Sapp of the scheme and did nothing to improve the depth, not just blowing off the position in the draft but did not even bother to sign a single undrafted free agent.

We "hoped" that Livings would be able to contribute.

The more we use hope as a strategy, the more often it invariably blows up in our faces.

 

[texbumthelife]

Consider the following:

• The Cowboys this season have earned their 4-4 record, having spent four of the season's first eight weeks at the break-even mark. They were 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and now are 4-4. Three times they've had the opportunity to climb two games over .500, and three times they've reverted to form, losing 17-16 at Kansas City in Week 2, by 11 at San Diego in Week 4 and by a point to the Lions, on the strength of that remarkable Matthew Stafford-Calvin Johnson-led comeback.

• Dallas in 2012 finished 8-8, and in third place in the NFC East, six times sporting a .500 record: At 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 5-5, 6-6, and finally 8-8, thanks to a two-game season-ending losing streak that cost it a playoff berth.

• The Cowboys in 2011 finished 8-8 and in third place in the NFC East, five times reaching the break-even mark: At 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and 8-8. Stop us if you've heard this one before, but a season-ending two-game losing streak cost Dallas a playoff berth.

• And most remarkable of all? Behold their historic balance: With Sunday's loss, the Cowboys from the start of the 1997 on -- a span of 16 1/2 seasons since the franchise's latest Super Bowl glory era closed -- are a too-beautiful-for-words 132-132 in the regular season, with every win matched perfectly with a loss. It's like being sentenced to life in the middle of the pack, with no chance of parole.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20131029/dallas-cowboys-mediocrity/#ixzz2jGQe0i1p

Wow, I wrote an article nearly identical to this, though much shorter, on Monday.

 

[Seven]

I've often wondered how many teams are .500 the last 16 years or so? Are we one of the few or are there several? I know being average keeps you drafting average or at least to a point since we do waste picks. I still believe that Jerry is going to get to a point, and the fans already are sick of it, to where he HAS to hire a big name coach because being average will eventually get in his pocket book, or at least I hope it does........

Hiring a big name coach ain't gonna fix the Cowboys' issue. We all know what hiring needs to be done but the position is currently filled indefinitely.

 

[Seven]

The more we use hope as a strategy, the more often it invariably blows up in our faces.

That's jerrys operational matrix. His business objective. He sells it like water in the desert.

 

[Tabascocat]

Hiring a big name coach ain't gonna fix the Cowboys' issue. We all know what hiring needs to be done but the position is currently filled indefinitely.

Hiring a young and upcoming HC who dances on Jerry's strings isn't gonna fix it either
A big name coach may be the only answer because Jerry the GM is not going to change.

 

[Alexander]

Hiring a young and upcoming HC who dances on Jerry's strings isn't gonna fix it either
A big name coach may be the only answer because Jerry the GM is not going to change.

Not sure Jerry Jones is ready to walk on eggshells again just yet. The team is still relevant.

 

[IrishAnto]

I've often wondered how many teams are .500 the last 16 years or so? Are we one of the few or are there several? I know being average keeps you drafting average or at least to a point since we do waste picks. I still believe that Jerry is going to get to a point, and the fans already are sick of it, to where he HAS to hire a big name coach because being average will eventually get in his pocket book, or at least I hope it does........

Hiring a Big Name Coach guarantees you nothing other than starting over again.

The main problem is with the guy doing the hiring.

 

[Seven]

Hiring a young and upcoming HC who dances on Jerry's strings isn't gonna fix it either
A big name coach may be the only answer because Jerry the GM is not going to change.

How many coaches do we have to go thru before we all realize it ain't the coach? Who is going to come in here and override the GM? We could dig up Vince Lombardi and he'd still have to answer to jerry. The GM.

Now....if a coach came in and said I'm bringing in my own guys, (Like Jimmy did) AND that includes my hand picked GM, we'd stand a chance............ Yeah. Lead balloon.

We're doomed my friend.

IMO, his hiring pool of "big name" coaches is becoming increasingly smaller.

 

[Tabascocat]

How many coaches do we have to go thru before we all realize it ain't the coach? Who is going to come in here and override the GM? We could dig up Vince Lombardi and he'd still have to answer to jerry. The GM.

Now....if a coach came in and said I'm bringing in my own guys, (Like Jimmy did) AND that includes my hand picked GM, we'd stand a chance............ Yeah. Lead balloon.

We're doomed my friend.

IMO, his hiring pool of "big name" coaches is becoming increasingly smaller.

Is why I think Gruden may be our only chance. For a few years anyways until Jerry wears thin on him. If he hires a new no-name guy, then Jerry is that much closer to being the head coach himself and that is far worse than Gruden.

 

[Seven]

Is why I think Gruden may be our only chance. For a few years anyways until Jerry wears thin on him. If he hires a new no-name guy, then Jerry is that much closer to being the head coach himself and that is far worse than Gruden.

Could we please stop with the Jon Gruden as HC cause. You wanna talk about starting from scratch. Oy-vey. Guys like him have been out too long. They can't brow beat players anymore. It doesn't work in todays over-paid NFL. We'd waste two years getting him re-acclimated,IMO

I appreciate posters and their ideas however, Dex, my friend, The Dallas Cowboys go as Jerry goes. It's been proven since '95. The last time they "did it their way, baby!"

 

[KJJ]

The Cowboys are 500 due to repeated ill-timed mistakes turnovers/penalties and poor game management. Allowing a lot of single coverage on Megatron last week especially when the game was on the line in the final minute was about as stupid as it gets.

 

[Tabascocat]

Could we please stop with the Jon Gruden as HC cause. You wanna talk about starting from scratch. Oy-vey. Guys like him have been out too long. They can't brow beat players anymore. It doesn't work in todays over-paid NFL. We'd waste two years getting him re-acclimated,IMO

I appreciate posters and their ideas however, Dex, my friend, The Dallas Cowboys go as Jerry goes. It's been proven since '95. The last time they "did it their way, baby!"

I know that Jerry is the major hurdle here but that will not change anytime in the near future. So, what is next? The head coach probably.

Scenario 1 - John Doe with minimal experience. Jerry hires his coordinators for him and tells him what schemes to run. The HC will have zero authority over Jerry. Nothing will change really, small chance of success.

Scenario 2 - Gruden(or insert any big name) with skins on the wall. He should be allowed to hire his own staff and would have much more authority and leeway. Been out of the game awhile but is still young enough and relevant(Jerry likes relevance ). Something might change with an increased chance of success.

I don't know the answers either, just spit-balling here. Looking for the best way to circumvent Jerry.

 

[Seven]

Not sure Jerry Jones is ready to walk on eggshells again just yet. The team is still relevant.

............and that's debateable.

 

[cowboyblue22]

this is bad team with bad coaching and average players at best

 

[Seven]

I don't know the answers either, just spit-balling here. Looking for the best way to circumvent Jerry.

Now were talkin' Dex! Too bad it's next to impossible. ~Throw my hands up in disgust emoticon.~


He so badly wants to be the face of this franchise. He can't. Won't happen. That's an athlete or coach. Just goes with the territory. I didn't make the rules. Sorry jerry.

 

[Alexander]

............and that's debateable.

Not to Jerry Jones.