Cowboys have no splash players on defense

[Silly]

So Aaron Donald isn't a splash player to you?

good question. hmmmm... An interior lineman can win the game with a sack at the right moment. For example, when Rogers blasted the cowboys in the playoffs with thay 20 yards pass. A sack on that play might have won the game.

I see where you are going. I think maybe I agree with you. The op was talking about splash players and not splash plays. Ok.... I agree that dallas has the "players" but I think they need to step up and make some splash PLAYS on D.

 

[Galian Beast]

You mean a 4-3 instead of a 3-4?

No, Marinelli. He would have fit in a 4-3. He might not be an every down player from the get go, but he would have worked just as well here.

 

[Galian Beast]

It's not the players its the scheme that Kris has no flexibility on. Some weeks we will look great and others we will not. No doubt in my mind we will end up in the top 10 by seasons end but coaches have to adjust when the time calls for it and Kris has never done that.

Tell me the last time we looked great against a top 10 offense.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

good question. hmmmm... An interior lineman can win the game with a sack at the right moment. For example, when Rogers blasted the cowboys in the playoffs with thay 20 yards pass. A sack on that play might have won the game.

I see where you are going. I think maybe I agree with you. The op was talking about splash players and not splash plays. Ok.... I agree that dallas has the "players" but I think they need to step up and make some splash PLAYS on D.

I agree. I think they have the players....just don’t seem to get those plays.

 

[Galian Beast]

I seriously didn't read any more than that.

Cool story.

 

[Galian Beast]

care to explain what that means?

He doesn't believe in this team or coach, but he doesn't want to give up on them either. It's the worst position an owner can take. He wants to do nothing and hope for the best.

If the team fails this year, he will hire a new coach next year, but won't put that coach in a better position. If the team succeeds he will be happy, but won't put this team in a better position to do so.

 

[Galian Beast]

I sometimes wonder if this message board is filled with out of work teachers the way everyone grades every aspect of the team, coaches, players, GM, water boy, cheerleaders et al.

You're right, this team is beyond critique. Great performances over the years.

 

[Galian Beast]

Another genuis saying lawrence shouldnt have gotten signed. @Galian Beast

What wouldve been your dline plan for this year without lawrence?

You look at this in a vaccum but I would have drafted TJ Watt who is thriving on a rookie contract right now. Lawrence could have been traded for a lot of resources. You would have had draft picks and money in lieu of him.

 

[Galian Beast]

But...but...but the Dak haters say Dak is surrounded by talent galore compared to what the glorious one was not.

The team isn't all world, but it is significantly better than what Romo had most of his career.

 

[jaythecowboy]

They said at the time (and since) they thought DLaw's position was the only spot Watt would play so they weren't using a #1 pick there. They also had Randy Gregory on the roster who would be the natural RDE on passing downs if available.

I think the uncertainty about DLaw was part of drafting Taco like you say, DLaw had only been healthy one of three seasons at that point. But a lot of it was they just didn't have bodies at the position. Tyrone Crawford and Jack Crawford had taken most of the DE snaps in 2016 and the Benson Mayowa experiment had failed.

Its like the Conner Williams pick last year, they went into that draft needing someone at that position. Takk McKinley was the guy I wanted but he was off the board at that point.

Do you have a source on that? That really makes no sense to say they saw TJ Watt as a 3-4 linebacker, but then say he would have played left end here, which is generally the larger defensive end.

 

[robertfchew]

He’s been one of the best ends in the league for the past 3 years. Just because he’s coming off a injury and looks rusty....I can’t say he’s not. Teams treat him like he’s still one of the best.

an injury that he refused to address until he got money. Why not get the surgery and be the best you can regardless of who paid you.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Are there any players that you would put in the top 50 nfl defenders?

Signing Lawrence was a mistake. He has been a peaky player his whole career and paying players generally don't get them to improve or become more consistent. That they've continued to pay Crawford for years after they paid Brandon Carr for years, just shows how ridiculous this front office is.

But this defense lacks catalytic players. Byron Jones is a good player, but he isn't a catalyst. We have some good linebackers, but they aren't catalysts. Sean Lee used to be when he was healthy, but he isn't anymore.

The defense isn't good enough to win consistently with this offense against good teams. I think this team makes the playoffs edging out the Eagles, but that is due to the weakness of this division, rather than the strength of the Cowboys. This is not a 12 win team or even an 11 win team. At best they go 10-6, but more likely 9-7. Yet nothing was done at the trade deadline to either push this team to 11-5/12-4 or to put us in a better position to do so next year.

Jerry Jones is hedging, which is hilarious for a businessman like him. He doesn't want to pour more resources into this but also doesn't want to get more resources for next year and a new coach. That is how invested and determined he is into Dak and Garrett. We'll see if Dak gets his 30+ million dollar contract.

 

[stilltheguru]

You look at this in a vaccum but I would have drafted TJ Watt who is thriving on a rookie contract right now. Lawrence could have been traded for a lot of resources. You would have had draft picks and money in lieu of him.

Tj watt has nothing to do with resigning lawrence smh. If he was here then sure but he wasnt, so we resigned him which was the right move to anyone not thinking emotionally

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

an injury that he refused to address until he got money. Why not get the surgery and be the best you can regardless of who paid you.

Because he used it as leverage to get paid.

 

[CowboysLegends2]

The issues as always start up front. We don't have a defensive line that can dominate the line of scrimmage and with that your linebackers and defensive backs can and will only be so good.

I agree completely. IMO, you build a team from the inside out. We did a great job committing to the O-Line but the D-Line has been neglected and mismanaged since the 90’s.

 

[CowboysLegends2]

If the team fails this year, he will hire a new coach next year, but won't put that coach in a better position. If the team succeeds he will be happy, but won't put this team in a better position to do so.

I think it’s crucial that Dak’s contract extension be put on hold until the decision on Garrett has been made. You can’t eliminate 3/4 of the coaching candidates because they don’t want to be set up to fail. Dak is polarizing enough but the significant cap space that his contract will consume will make it impossible for a new coach to succeed unless he is an expert at the skill set Dak brings to the table.

 

[CWR]

Are there any players that you would put in the top 50 nfl defenders?

Signing Lawrence was a mistake. He has been a peaky player his whole career and paying players generally don't get them to improve or become more consistent. That they've continued to pay Crawford for years after they paid Brandon Carr for years, just shows how ridiculous this front office is.

But this defense lacks catalytic players. Byron Jones is a good player, but he isn't a catalyst. We have some good linebackers, but they aren't catalysts. Sean Lee used to be when he was healthy, but he isn't anymore.

The defense isn't good enough to win consistently with this offense against good teams. I think this team makes the playoffs edging out the Eagles, but that is due to the weakness of this division, rather than the strength of the Cowboys. This is not a 12 win team or even an 11 win team. At best they go 10-6, but more likely 9-7. Yet nothing was done at the trade deadline to either push this team to 11-5/12-4 or to put us in a better position to do so next year.

Jerry Jones is hedging, which is hilarious for a businessman like him. He doesn't want to pour more resources into this but also doesn't want to get more resources for next year and a new coach. That is how invested and determined he is into Dak and Garrett. We'll see if Dak gets his 30+ million dollar contract.

We have a lot of players that haven't played up to their potential. I think Quinn has been a splash player for us this season, but unless the other guys step up he won't be enough. Dlaw, Jaylon and LVE all need to ball. Hopefully Bennett makes a difference as well. Jamal Adams would have been a hige splash addition.

 

[Galian Beast]

I think it’s crucial that Dak’s contract extension be put on hold until the decision on Garrett has been made. You can’t eliminate 3/4 of the coaching candidates because they don’t want to be set up to fail. Dak is polarizing enough but the significant cap space that his contract will consume will make it impossible for a new coach to succeed unless he is an expert at the skill set Dak brings to the table.

This is the only sane position to have. If the next coach for some reason wants to keep Dak, they can sign or franchise him in the offseason, but making that move now would be ridiculous. And if I'm a head coach worth my salt, I don't jump into that situation of coming here with a QB signed already.

 

[Galian Beast]

Tj watt has nothing to do with resigning lawrence smh. If he was here then sure but he wasnt, so we resigned him which was the right move to anyone not thinking emotionally

Mistakes don't happen in a vacuum, but even without Watt here, re-signing lawrence was a mistake.

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/franchise-tag-demarcus-lawrence-the-salary-cap.394386/

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Move Awuzie to strong safety, move Brown to free safety and let Lewis take over the slot.

They thought X.Woods was going to step up and play like a mini- E.T...phfffb. That was a pipe dream, so let's just put some speed on the backside of our defense.

Brown's speed will choke-off the passing lanes on some of those deep throws. While Awuzie's tackling and coverage skills will help out along the line of scrimmage.

Just spit-balling, so don't bite my head off if you don't agree with my idea.