Biggest Surprises, Biggest Disappointments

[AzorAhai]

Based on your expectations for specific players coming into this season, who fits these categories for you?

For me D. Lawrence, B. Jones and Claiborne have been the biggest surprises. I had high hopes for Lawrence, but he's been solid from the start of the season and really good in the 2nd half. Jones has been very good in the roles they've put him in. Yes he's been beaten, but overall for a rookie CB/S he's surpassed my expectations this year. I expected nothing from Claiborne. He's actually been a solid player for us this year.

For my Disappointments, Wilcox, Church and Free. Wilcox and Church have both regressed this season. Wilcox even more so. I think it's time the team admits he was another failed project and bench him. Church has looked lost also. Lots of blown coverages, but even worse, lots of missed tackles. Time to move on. Free has also went backwards from last season. Age and injuries I guess. I didn't expect greatness, but I expected better from him.

 

[sureletsrace]

Lawrence, Claiborne, Jones, and Whitehead have impressed me. I expected nothing out of Whitehead, but he has been very good lately.

The biggest disappointments for me have been Tony Romo's skeletal integrity, Garrett's scheme, and our safeties.

 

[Killerinstinct]

Biggest surprises - Mcfadden is legit.

Biggest disappointments - Just about everything else. I want to totally revamp the secondary. I want a backup QB that can not only win games now but be Romo's replacement down the road. As far as the coaching staff, I hate the schemes. Offensively and defensively. Offense must execute perfectly just to make it to field goal range. Defensively, put the opposition in 3rd and long and give it up again and again.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

People were hating on Lawrence and Crawford up until a few weeks ago. Now they're the fan favorites.

 

[perrykemp]

People were hating on Lawrence and Crawford up until a few weeks ago. Now they're the fan favorites.

If Lawrence were playing for the Eagles or Commanders, his season so far would be ridiculed here on CZ.

 

[Bleu Star]

Based on your expectations for specific players coming into this season, who fits these categories for you?

For me D. Lawrence, B. Jones and Claiborne have been the biggest surprises. I had high hopes for Lawrence, but he's been solid from the start of the season and really good in the 2nd half. Jones has been very good in the roles they've put him in. Yes he's been beaten, but overall for a rookie CB/S he's surpassed my expectations this year. I expected nothing from Claiborne. He's actually been a solid player for us this year.

For my Disappointments, Wilcox, Church and Free. Wilcox and Church have both regressed this season. Wilcox even more so. I think it's time the team admits he was another failed project and bench him. Church has looked lost also. Lots of blown coverages, but even worse, lots of missed tackles. Time to move on. Free has also went backwards from last season. Age and injuries I guess. I didn't expect greatness, but I expected better from him.

Surprise: Our insistence on all players wearing suits for road trips

Disappointment: That Garrett might not break last year's record for total claps from scrimmage

 

[cowboys1981]

People were hating on Lawrence and Crawford up until a few weeks ago. Now they're the fan favorites.

The CZ life. The struggle is real.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Surprise: Jones being an impact player so early. Seemed a little raw to me during draft season. Show's what I know

Disappointment: Wilcox. Looked like he was on his way to at least being a quality Safety but has been horrendous

 

[Miller]

People were hating on Lawrence and Crawford up until a few weeks ago. Now they're the fan favorites.

Lawrence is a split to me. He was non-existent for what seemed like 10 weeks to me thus me lamenting moving up for him vs QB like Carr. Then he picked it up and last 4 games went nuts.

 

[CF74]

Surprise maybe D-Law.
Disappointment Wilcan't.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Like Romo Under-Rate, Murray is as well ... especially since, unlike Philthy, Dallas knew how to use the best 1st down RB in the NFL.

Hardy was over hyped by me at least and Crawford was over paid as well but Lawrence is coming on very nicely for a 2nd rounder. However the biggest disappointment was Dez Bryant, the Oline coming in a distant 2nd, 3rd worst the run game in general and then cap the disappointment off with the less than impressive depth at WR.

 

[RS12]

Surprise: J Crawford

Disapointment: Romo

 

[Staubacher]

Surprise: Jones being an impact player so early. Seemed a little raw to me during draft season. Show's what I know

Disappointment: Wilcox. Looked like he was on his way to at least being a quality Safety but has been horrendous

By impact, do you mean Jones blowing two games with blown coverage's?

He was ok but jury is still out

 

[dallasdave]

Surprise maybe D-Law.
Disappointment Wilcan't.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Surprise: That we didn't adjust schemes and game plans on both sides of the ball as the season unfolded.

Disappointment: See surprise

 

[Dallas_Cowboys50]

I dont get all this love for McFadden.....He's still a major bust for what he was supposed to be comin outta Arkansas.....all he's proven this year is he can be serviceable when he stays healthy.....

I also dont see many, if any positive surprises.....

QB- Obvious letdown (Romo's ever failing health and horrible backups)
RB- Push at best (Dunbar injured, Randle bein Randle, McFadden has surprised in that he's stayed on the field, we traded for a guy only to have him ultimately wind back with his original team, only a 7th rounder but we got owned...
FB- Meh
WR- Dez injured and even when back supposedly never fully healed/whatever bs excuses...TWill disappeared, who is this Street guy on the roster? Beasley can only play with Romo apparently
TE- Witten is ol reliable but key word bein "ol", Hanna, Escobar, Swaim YAWN
OL- still excited about this crew but theyve definitely not earned that highly touted "best OL in the league" line we've been hearin for over a year now....

DL- We've gotten somethin cookin here, but I expected so much more....gotta ax Hayden and get us a ferocious beast of an elephant in the middle..Hardy and Gregory were ultimately letdowns but Gregory will get better and Hardy? maybe we can get a "we gave you a 2nd chance" discount? probably not though....
LB- I so friggin Love Lee and McClain, but both are letdowns...Lee's body is made of glass and McClain's brain is made of glass apparently....
DB's- Bye Carr, Bye Church, Bye Heath, and Bye Claiborne unless we can bring you back for dirt cheap..... Jones is legit, but he didnt "surprise me"....

K- Bailey for team MVP, no surprise though
P- Jones might be the only surprise this year actually, very much improved
KR/PR- Whitehead looks like a keeper for now, but still not a surprise....and why havent we had Dez returnin punts these past few weeks with the season on the line? I guess he really must be truly still hobbled? still shouldnt stop him from so many drops though......

Havin said all that, Im actually more of a Homer type.....ultimately this is a good team, we just need to keep draftin well, be smart but active in FA, and hope Romo can have another relatively healthy year like 2014.....Get us a Fitzpatrick type backup and a 1st/2nd round draft pick just in case....wouldnt cry at all if Jerry decided on a coaching change, but probably best to just stay the course, but maybe demand a major offensive scheme change? nothin asinine like Chip's circus, but we need to open things up greatly, sure as shootin......

 

[sureletsrace]

Surprise: Jones being an impact player so early. Seemed a little raw to me during draft season. Show's what I know

Disappointment: Wilcox. Looked like he was on his way to at least being a quality Safety but has been horrendous

He was raw. He's just smart enough to learn and absorb information and integrate it into his physical play. A very impressive rookie season for a DB. I still maintain that DB is, barring QB, probably the hardest position to transition to from college.

 

[fredp22]

surprise- Whitehead, Jones, Dunbar
disappointment- Hardy, Dez

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Surprise - Jack Crawford played better than I expected. H emakes a lot of plays for not much playing time. Irvin came out of nowhere too.
Disappointment - I continue to show I don't know how to project S in Wilcox. I thought he had a chance. Hitchens at SAM. Hayden. Dez. Leary.

 

[LatinMind]

Based on your expectations for specific players coming into this season, who fits these categories for you?

For me D. Lawrence, B. Jones and Claiborne have been the biggest surprises. I had high hopes for Lawrence, but he's been solid from the start of the season and really good in the 2nd half. Jones has been very good in the roles they've put him in. Yes he's been beaten, but overall for a rookie CB/S he's surpassed my expectations this year. I expected nothing from Claiborne. He's actually been a solid player for us this year.

For my Disappointments, Wilcox, Church and Free. Wilcox and Church have both regressed this season. Wilcox even more so. I think it's time the team admits he was another failed project and bench him. Church has looked lost also. Lots of blown coverages, but even worse, lots of missed tackles. Time to move on. Free has also went backwards from last season. Age and injuries I guess. I didn't expect greatness, but I expected better from him.

Biggest suprise for me, Nick Hayden, ay what you want but the guy has outplayed Crawford.
Biggest disappointment, i dont see how anybody cant put Dez at the front of that list.