Babe Laufenberg comments on Zeke

[TwoDeep3]

It would have been interesting to have watched the season TwoDeep apparently watched last season. I wonder how we did. It sounds like we weren't very good in his world, either. Only there, it was because of the RB and not the quarterback position.

There are a great deal of opinions like yours. And I surely don't discount Romo and Dez sitting and watching. But what made the 2014 season different than any other with Romo under center is he had a running game that was featured, which allowed him to be the counter punch.

And this is significant, because it took the onus off Romo to carry the team. Most of you guys who tout Romo miss that point. I am not taking away from the tremendous things Romo does. But the running game was as potent as the passing game, and that created something most of you armchair quarterbacks either ignore, have no clue about, or leave out on purpose because it blunts your agenda,

Balance on offense!

Surely something this team is trying to replicate now.

It also allowed the team to control the clock.

It was so reminiscent of the early 90's Cowboys on offense. A carbon copy of the championship teams then.

So swing away at your straw man. Build your sandcastles and smash them down. But the thinking of the brain trust is fairly evident in how they utilized the first round pick, and what their target is for the 2016 offense.

 

[percyhoward]

"Elliott has a chance to honestly be something crazy special. When I was talking about Elliott and people said, 'You don't need Elliott because that offensive line would make an average back good.' But I said, 'Why not make a great back a Hall of Famer?'"

If we'd had the current OL since 2011, Murray -- a good, not great back -- could have had four Hall-of-Fame caliber seasons (instead of just one), and we still wouldn't have won anything because the defense wasn't good enough.

 

[jazzcat22]

If we'd had the current OL since 2011, Murray -- a good, not great back -- could have had four Hall-of-Fame caliber seasons (instead of just one), and we still wouldn't have won anything because the defense wasn't good enough.

Then they should have drafted a defensive player over Murray back then too by using that theory.

 

[JPostSam]

http://sportsday.***BANNED-URL***/d...ott-potential-something-crazy-special-cowboys

"Elliott has a chance to honestly be something crazy special. When I was talking about Elliott and people said, 'You don't need Elliott because that offensive line would make an average back good.' But I said, 'Why not make a great back a Hall of Famer?'"

This got me thinking and of a few other things I read. I have a question.

How many of you last year was saying you would give up a first for AP...then when the team said RBBC, you disagreed and wanted the likes of Michael from Seattle...then changed to, any RB can run behind OL coming into this years draft, we don't need a RB in the 1st, but yet was willing to trade a first last year for AP....

No this is not a call out thread, I am just curious, if you will be honest and went back and forth between all of this. And there is nothing wrong with it either. Just wondering how fans change their minds and / or opinions over the course of a year.

Like I started out saying go QB, you must go QB up to a few weeks before the draft, I realized Zeke was really more of a possibility, and QB was not. Then pushed for Zeke big time.
Now fast forward to next year, I may push Defense from the get go, then change to needing another WR, or may go QB again.
But picking 32, just BPA....

i didn't want AP but i didn't want christine michael or RBBC, either. i wanted to draft a RB last year.

in the end, i'm glad we got one who seems much better than what was available for us last year.

and, while i hate to make such comparisons, i think zeke can do for this team something very similar to what emmitt did in the 90s.

 

[JPostSam]

If we'd had the current OL since 2011, Murray -- a good, not great back -- could have had four Hall-of-Fame caliber seasons (instead of just one), and we still wouldn't have won anything because the defense wasn't good enough.

well, that's true, too.

 

[jazzcat22]

i didn't want AP but i didn't want christine michael or RBBC, either. i wanted to draft a RB last year.

in the end, i'm glad we got one who seems much better than what was available for us last year.

and, while i hate to make such comparisons, i think zeke can do for this team something very similar to what emmitt did in the 90s.

I agree, I get that feeling too with Zeke. Emmitt was the missing piece and the last piece added to have a very good offense. And the defense was just building too.
Same now, Zeke is that 3rd piece as the defense gets better.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

If they use him like Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk in the passing game then I think he will help us on offense a lot. Linehan already is force feeding him per his comments and they have the packages that they used on Glass Dunbar to work with. Zeke runs a better route tree than Dez coming out. There is some real possibility here. Steven Jackson did have 90 catches one year under Linehan.

He will get us some cheap TDs off of the occasional run which will help score points as well but I don't think his impact there will be as much as people think. People brought up S to stop DMC last year already and he ran efficiency esp once you consider that. We still couldn't score points because our QB play was awful. RB don't carry teams running the ball.

 

[JPostSam]

I agree, I get that feeling too with Zeke. Emmitt was the missing piece and the last piece added to have a very good offense. And the defense was just building too.
Same now, Zeke is that 3rd piece as the defense gets better.

i know it's popular to say that haley or deion made those defenses -- but really, it was depth. so, although i think the defense still needs a lot more help, i am encouraged by the significant improvement in creating decent depth. if we keep amassing talent on that side of the ball, the 90s comparisons will be flying.

 

[percyhoward]

Then they should have drafted a defensive player over Murray back then too by using that theory.

We did actually. Bruce Carter in the 2nd. Murray was a 3rd-round pick.

 

[CCBoy]

If we'd had the current OL since 2011, Murray -- a good, not great back -- could have had four Hall-of-Fame caliber seasons (instead of just one), and we still wouldn't have won anything because the defense wasn't good enough.

A healthy Tony Romo alone, might have changed the out comes, although.

 

[percyhoward]

A healthy Tony Romo alone, might have changed the out comes, although.

If the current OL were all three years older and the commitment to the running game had begun three years earlier (2011), it's quite possible that Dallas would have made the playoffs every year from 2011-13. But it's a problem when you can't field a defense capable of stopping a good QB in the playoffs.

 

[Aven8]

If the current OL were all three years older and the commitment to the running game had begun three years earlier (2011), it's quite possible that Dallas would have made the playoffs every year from 2011-13. But it's a problem when you can't field a defense capable of stopping a good QB in the playoffs.

The commitment came about when Linny was hired. When JG was running things I thought Mike Leach was running the show!

 

[wileedog]

Then they should have drafted a defensive player over Murray back then too by using that theory.

No one would be complaining if we drafted a RB in the 3rd or 4th instead of #4 overall.

Devontae Booker or Kenneth Dixon might have more question marks, but they might look real good running behind this line too.

 

[jazzcat22]

No one would be complaining if we drafted a RB in the 3rd or 4th instead of #4 overall.

Devontae Booker or Kenneth Dixon might have more question marks, but they might look real good running behind this line too.

But could they help keep Romo upright? Could they be a 3 down back if needed? Or how long would it take to even see if they could. How are they at holding onto the ball?
It's not all about the running behind a great OL.

 

[percyhoward]

But could they help keep Romo upright? Could they be a 3 down back if needed? Or how long would it take to even see if they could. How are they at holding onto the ball? It's not all about the running behind a great OL.

Without a doubt, this player could add a new dimension to the offense. But as long as Romo has been healthy, offense hasn't been the problem.

 

[wileedog]

But could they help keep Romo upright? Could they be a 3 down back if needed? Or how long would it take to even see if they could. How are they at holding onto the ball?
It's not all about the running behind a great OL.

I'm not saying they would be just as good out of the box as Elliot. Obviously not.

But would they be a big upgrade to what we have and then add a Jalen Ramsey to the secondary to boot? Which makes the overall team better?

Remember Romo got initially hurt last year on a play with an empty backfield. It's not like some RB screwed up and he got planted. We could have Elliot on the team and still lose Romo to injury.

 

[DCowboyz]

I wanted AD. I would of traded our late 1st if we had one. And I also wanted Zeke. Yes, most solid backs will run for 1,000 yards behind this OL. But what can great backs do behind this line? I think Zeke is a better overall player than Murray. I expect a much bigger impact than when Murray rushed for 1,800+ in 2014.

 

[phildadon86]

I was for getting AP. But, we didn't. And I think EE is the better gamble.....But we sort of lost a year. I know Romo was hurt. But , my gut feeling was we weren't as good as we were the prior year... even with Healthy Romo.

The DM thing was puzzling to me. Okay , I get it, we don't think DM is worth the money he was asking, so we play it conservative. We had a lot of momentum , team chemistry, swag built up, and DM played a major role in all of that.....but okay, this guy isn't worth the money.....

..But to have a backup plan of Randle/DMC was inexcusable to me. Especially if you consider the amount of time we have left with Romo.

If we are to make any noise in the playoffs, its going to be because of the Offense....

And, the FO is making it clear. Signing Morris, drafting EE 4th overall....Jackson...... Were going to run the ball; Were going to score TDs via the running game. Were going to protect our aging, beat up, franchise QB, Tony Romo, who has had 2 back surgeries, broken his collarbone 3 different times, and god knows what else..and is showing signs of falling apart these last few years........he isn't aging well. Once that body starts that downhill decline.....its doesn't stop;

We protect Romo by running that freaking football. Letting the big boys upfront, which we have spent a lot of resources on, win the game. Let them boys fire off the ball....not retreat. And wear down that defense. Then Romo chucks it to Dez late in the 3rd qrt, winning by 7, to put the game away on a 60 yard TD pass.....

But for the most part, I wanna hear EE left, EE right, Morris for 2.

I havent seen any signs of Romo breaking down. Broken bones happen when your 16 or 60.

 

[CCBoy]

Without a doubt, this player could add a new dimension to the offense. But as long as Romo has been healthy, offense hasn't been the problem.

Percy, I'm looking forward to seeing a little pop come to the defensive side of things. I think a black 'n blue zone will be growing in the Cowboy's box area, now.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I havent seen any signs of Romo breaking down. Broken bones happen when your 16 or 60.

That back is what worries me. I agree the collarbone is overblown.