Baldinger: Are the Cowboys watching what the Ravens linebackers tandem does?

[Sydla]

That's why the Cowboys should sign Patrick Queen and Chris Jones and draft another linebacker in the 2nd. Easy peezy.

LOL.

You have a better shot of coaching the Cowboys than of them signing those two (or even one of them)

 

[Jumbo075]

The Cowboys did invest in linebackers in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. Then they spent another 1st round pick on Micah Parsons. In theory, the Cowboys should have Parsons and Vander Esch, two 1st round picks at linebacker. But Dan Quinn moved Micah to DE, and Vander Esch has chronic health issues. They spent a 3rd round pick on Overshown, only to have him go down in the preseason to a freak knee injury.

It is easy to criticize, but it's not like the Cowboys haven't tried to upgrade the linebacker position. The reality is that a lot of teams try to get better at key positions, and for whatever reason, the efforts fail. This is why Kansas City spent 5 decades between Super Bowls, and why Matt Millen spent three 1st round pick at wide receiver for the Lions before finally snagging Megtron. Matt Stafford was a #1 overall pick, that for whatever reason couldn't win in Detroit - no matter how many times the lions drafted Olinemen, running backs and wide receivers to help him.

It takes a little bit of luck, and health to become winners. Does anyone really believe the Eagles would have been in the Super Bowl a year ago, if not for the 49ers bad luck at getting a QB. Heck, they traded for Garoppolo, spent a draft fortune to move up for Trey Lance, and then simply lucked out by using the last pick in the draft on some unknown kid from Iowa named Purdy. Then Purdy got hurt in the Championship game, opening the way for the Eagles a year ago.

I know everyone is frustrated by 28 years of futility. It sucks. I also realize that no one gets graded on a curve for trying really, really hard, and then continuing to fail. But honestly, Cowboys fans were blessed and spoiled by going to 16 Championship games and 8 Super Bowls in the first 30 years of Super Bowls between 1966 and 1995. The worm turned, and now we fans and the team are getting a taste of what so many other fan bases have put up with for years. Again, it sucks. But sometimes, a little gratitude for what you've had in the past, instead of bitterness over current problems helps with your frame of mind.

I'm grateful for all the years of winning in the past. And I sympathize with younger fans who didn't get to experience the joy of being perennial winners. But life and the NFL doesn't owe the Cowboys fans success. That's just a cold hard fact. I believe the players, coaches, front office and owners want to win as much as any team in the NFL. What happens now is they keep trying - like 31 teams do every year, when they come up short.

That isn't "accepting" losing. It is simply the willingness to keep trying, even in the face of defeat. That's sports, folks.

 

[stilltheguru]

He's barely played lb but he's been good when he has. He started 1 game his freshman year at lb but lead the team in tackles. As a sophomore he won the butkus award and was an all American. In his second year playing lb ever and first year starting.

He's better at de cause that's what he's always played. He would be every bit as good as roquan if he played MLB as his regular position and had a year or two to hone his skills there. I don't believe he is one dimensional like everyone here says. He's shown he can move in coverage and run sideline to sideline. Ive seen he's physical enough playing de and throwing guys around, he can shed guys as a lb.

I'm talking about being sudden on impact. When has he ever shown that? Shedding isn't what I'm talking about. Micah lacks physicality upon contact. That's a fact

 

[HanD]

I'm talking about being sudden on impact. When has he ever shown that? Shedding isn't what I'm talking about. Micah lacks physicality upon contact. That's a fact

So big hits? That's what you're talking about?

 

[rambo2]

The Cowboys did invest in linebackers in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. Then they spent another 1st round pick on Micah Parsons. In theory, the Cowboys should have Parsons and Vander Esch, two 1st round picks at linebacker. But Dan Quinn moved Micah to DE, and Vander Esch has chronic health issues. They spent a 3rd round pick on Overshown, only to have him go down in the preseason to a freak knee injury.

It is easy to criticize, but it's not like the Cowboys haven't tried to upgrade the linebacker position. The reality is that a lot of teams try to get better at key positions, and for whatever reason, the efforts fail. This is why Kansas City spent 5 decades between Super Bowls, and why Matt Millen spent three 1st round pick at wide receiver for the Lions before finally snagging Megtron. Matt Stafford was a #1 overall pick, that for whatever reason couldn't win in Detroit - no matter how many times the lions drafted Olinemen, running backs and wide receivers to help him.

It takes a little bit of luck, and health to become winners. Does anyone really believe the Eagles would have been in the Super Bowl a year ago, if not for the 49ers bad luck at getting a QB. Heck, they traded for Garoppolo, spent a draft fortune to move up for Trey Lance, and then simply lucked out by using the last pick in the draft on some unknown kid from Iowa named Purdy. Then Purdy got hurt in the Championship game, opening the way for the Eagles a year ago.

I know everyone is frustrated by 28 years of futility. It sucks. I also realize that no one gets graded on a curve for trying really, really hard, and then continuing to fail. But honestly, Cowboys fans were blessed and spoiled by going to 16 Championship games and 8 Super Bowls in the first 30 years of Super Bowls between 1966 and 1995. The worm turned, and now we fans and the team are getting a taste of what so many other fan bases have put up with for years. Again, it sucks. But sometimes, a little gratitude for what you've had in the past, instead of bitterness over current problems helps with your frame of mind.

I'm grateful for all the years of winning in the past. And I sympathize with younger fans who didn't get to experience the joy of being perennial winners. But life and the NFL doesn't owe the Cowboys fans success. That's just a cold hard fact. I believe the players, coaches, front office and owners want to win as much as any team in the NFL. What happens now is they keep trying - like 31 teams do every year, when they come up short.

That isn't "accepting" losing. It is simply the willingness to keep trying, even in the face of defeat. That's sports, folks.

Well said.

 

[OrigCowboy]

The current interior LB for the Cowboys are light years different in talent to the Ravens. I am considering Parsons as something else. If not fixed we will get our heads beat in come playoff time every year.

 

[vlad]

I wanted Roquan when he was on the block, bummer

 

[MapleLeaf]

I'm grateful for all the years of winning in the past. And I sympathize with younger fans who didn't get to experience the joy of being perennial winners. But life and the NFL doesn't owe the Cowboys fans success. That's just a cold hard fact. I believe the players, coaches, front office and owners want to win as much as any team in the NFL. What happens now is they keep trying - like 31 teams do every year, when they come up short.

That isn't "accepting" losing. It is simply the willingness to keep trying, even in the face of defeat. That's sports, folks.

I think the part you are missing is it is beyond most fans understanding how poorly the Cowboys have performed with the most valuable sports franchise in the world, the most over the top facilities, high grades in the players survey this past year, and team bus that is stupidly opulent along with an owner who has joined the eschelon of the exotic yacht crowd.

With all these resources how is it possible that the year in year out performances in post season have been so poor. Other teams have bought and sold out for better performances and SuperBowls.

Other teams have made their one run. But the Cowboys???

Gosh sakes this isn't the Cardinals and the Bidwells who charge players for socks, but they still found success during a period the Cowboys have not.

I agree there is a lot of luck within a season, but by in large, you can always tell by week 17-18 who is a good football team and who is not. I would say the cowboys were a middling team who was inconsistent, and their 3-3 record in January was a strong indicator that they were not who we were hoping they would be.

 

[Jumbo075]

I think the part you are missing is it is beyond most fans understanding how poorly the Cowboys have performed with the most valuable sports franchise in the world, the most over the top facilities, high grades in the players survey this past year, and team bus that is stupidly opulent along with an owner who has joined the eschelon of the exotic yacht crowd.

With all these resources how is it possible that the year in year out performances in post season have been so poor. Other teams have bought and sold out for better performances and SuperBowls.

Other teams have made their one run. But the Cowboys???

Gosh sakes this isn't the Cardinals and the Bidwells who charge players for socks, but they still found success during a period the Cowboys have not.

I agree there is a lot of luck within a season, but by and large, you can always tell by week 17-18 who is a good football team and who is not. I would say the cowboys were a middling team who was inconsistent, and their 3-3 record in January was a strong indicator that they were not who we were hoping they would be.

If you were looking, you could see the glaring weakness on defense. Turns out the Packers were looking.

 

[ccb04]

You can definitely make the argument that they select the wrong/oft-injured guys. But to say they don't value the position isn't entirely accurate. The teams starting MLB prior to getting injured, was a 1st rd pick. Even Jaylon was a high 2nd. The lack of valuing depth & Quinn's love affair with playing 3 safeties, is what bit them in the arse. Quinn also could have went big up front & moved Parsons to LB vs. Green Bay, etc...but failing to make adjustments is also something that often bites this bunch.

 

[Bob-Lillys-War]

DQ isnt watching , he isnt even interested .

He is trying to get the HC position over at Seattle .

 

[VaqueroTD]

Jerry don’t hire all pro LBs. Unless they dropped a round or two because of neck injuries or severe ACL issues. Then it’s game on.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

well we have safties playing LB. what do you expect?

 

[Chasing6]

Not sure what the point of watching what the Ravens LB tandem does to help us?

We don't have LB's on our roster and the legit one that we do have plays DE.

 

[ak47kaehu]

Loved Roquan when he came it in the draft we should have went and made a deal with Chicago for him. But there will be some thumpers in the draft we can get if we’re smart.

Wasn't that the draft we took LVE?

 

[Chasing6]

Wasn't that the draft we took LVE?

Yes, Jeruh loves drafting LB's with Neck injuries.

 

[ak47kaehu]

Remember when LVE and Jaylon Smith were supposed to be our elite LB duo?

...

And they were for a small window in time....i just remember that saints game where LVE and Jaylon shut that top run game down....then they were exposed against the rams in the divisional and were never the same!

 

[Chasing6]

Remember when LVE and Jaylon Smith were supposed to be our elite LB duo?

...

Yes, I remember our broke back LBer duo.

 

[Streifenkarl]

The Cowboys did invest in linebackers in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. Then they spent another 1st round pick on Micah Parsons. In theory, the Cowboys should have Parsons and Vander Esch, two 1st round picks at linebacker. But Dan Quinn moved Micah to DE, and Vander Esch has chronic health issues. They spent a 3rd round pick on Overshown, only to have him go down in the preseason to a freak knee injury.

It is easy to criticize, but it's not like the Cowboys haven't tried to upgrade the linebacker position. The reality is that a lot of teams try to get better at key positions, and for whatever reason, the efforts fail. This is why Kansas City spent 5 decades between Super Bowls, and why Matt Millen spent three 1st round pick at wide receiver for the Lions before finally snagging Megtron. Matt Stafford was a #1 overall pick, that for whatever reason couldn't win in Detroit - no matter how many times the lions drafted Olinemen, running backs and wide receivers to help him.

It takes a little bit of luck, and health to become winners. Does anyone really believe the Eagles would have been in the Super Bowl a year ago, if not for the 49ers bad luck at getting a QB. Heck, they traded for Garoppolo, spent a draft fortune to move up for Trey Lance, and then simply lucked out by using the last pick in the draft on some unknown kid from Iowa named Purdy. Then Purdy got hurt in the Championship game, opening the way for the Eagles a year ago.

I know everyone is frustrated by 28 years of futility. It sucks. I also realize that no one gets graded on a curve for trying really, really hard, and then continuing to fail. But honestly, Cowboys fans were blessed and spoiled by going to 16 Championship games and 8 Super Bowls in the first 30 years of Super Bowls between 1966 and 1995. The worm turned, and now we fans and the team are getting a taste of what so many other fan bases have put up with for years. Again, it sucks. But sometimes, a little gratitude for what you've had in the past, instead of bitterness over current problems helps with your frame of mind.

I'm grateful for all the years of winning in the past. And I sympathize with younger fans who didn't get to experience the joy of being perennial winners. But life and the NFL doesn't owe the Cowboys fans success. That's just a cold hard fact. I believe the players, coaches, front office and owners want to win as much as any team in the NFL. What happens now is they keep trying - like 31 teams do every year, when they come up short.

That isn't "accepting" losing. It is simply the willingness to keep trying, even in the face of defeat. That's sports, folks.

That last paragraph is the truth. Yet everything coming before that is simply not the way we should look on it all. Sorry but that's "loser talk". If you were able to be constantly up there in the play offs and make repeated trips to the NFCCG for almost half a century and then all of a sudden can't even make the play offs something severe has happened or you just lost the ability to win.

Did something severe happen? Yes. The salary cap was implemented. And the simple fact of the matter is, our owner / GM does not know how to deal with that. Plus he has totally lost his ability to hire the right coaches. Plus he has created some sort of country club mentality after those 90s in the limelight.

Either way, didn't want this reply to get so long. But my feelings are basically just the opposite of what you wrote. And I'm frustrated about so many fans here seemingly accept all this as "just happens, look at the other 31“ fate stuff. This has nothing to do with luck. No one here expected us to win 5 more Superbowls since 95. But this team changed from a league leader into a clown show and that my friend is not something we as fans should just accept or be happy with. This is nothing like the Lions or Browns or Dolphins.

 

[Chasing6]

The Cowboys did invest in linebackers in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. Then they spent another 1st round pick on Micah Parsons. In theory, the Cowboys should have Parsons and Vander Esch, two 1st round picks at linebacker. But Dan Quinn moved Micah to DE, and Vander Esch has chronic health issues. They spent a 3rd round pick on Overshown, only to have him go down in the preseason to a freak knee injury.

It is easy to criticize, but it's not like the Cowboys haven't tried to upgrade the linebacker position. The reality is that a lot of teams try to get better at key positions, and for whatever reason, the efforts fail. This is why Kansas City spent 5 decades between Super Bowls, and why Matt Millen spent three 1st round pick at wide receiver for the Lions before finally snagging Megtron. Matt Stafford was a #1 overall pick, that for whatever reason couldn't win in Detroit - no matter how many times the lions drafted Olinemen, running backs and wide receivers to help him.

It takes a little bit of luck, and health to become winners. Does anyone really believe the Eagles would have been in the Super Bowl a year ago, if not for the 49ers bad luck at getting a QB. Heck, they traded for Garoppolo, spent a draft fortune to move up for Trey Lance, and then simply lucked out by using the last pick in the draft on some unknown kid from Iowa named Purdy. Then Purdy got hurt in the Championship game, opening the way for the Eagles a year ago.

I know everyone is frustrated by 28 years of futility. It sucks. I also realize that no one gets graded on a curve for trying really, really hard, and then continuing to fail. But honestly, Cowboys fans were blessed and spoiled by going to 16 Championship games and 8 Super Bowls in the first 30 years of Super Bowls between 1966 and 1995. The worm turned, and now we fans and the team are getting a taste of what so many other fan bases have put up with for years. Again, it sucks. But sometimes, a little gratitude for what you've had in the past, instead of bitterness over current problems helps with your frame of mind.

I'm grateful for all the years of winning in the past. And I sympathize with younger fans who didn't get to experience the joy of being perennial winners. But life and the NFL doesn't owe the Cowboys fans success. That's just a cold hard fact. I believe the players, coaches, front office and owners want to win as much as any team in the NFL. What happens now is they keep trying - like 31 teams do every year, when they come up short.

That isn't "accepting" losing. It is simply the willingness to keep trying, even in the face of defeat. That's sports, folks.

Dan moved Micah or Micah moved Micah???