Cowboys must eventually overcome recent history

[BotchedLobotomy]

When you are only a game up in the Division, the game is a must win no matter how you spin it.

 

[dropdeadfred5]

When you are only a game up in the Division, the game is a must win no matter how you spin it.

if we do not win tonight we are tied with the eagles; right now we have the tiebreaker in both head to head and division record. Right now anyway.

 

[punchnjudy]

We are not a super talented team. Take a look at the teams with winning records that we struggle to defeat.

How many of those teams would start our RBs?
How many teams would even have our #2-3-4 TEs on their rosters?
After Dez, how many of our WRs would start on winning teams?
Would any other player on our OL besides Smith and Frederick (1st round picks) start or even make rosters?

Our best safety is injured, and all the rest are just guys. We have a stud LB with a bunch of guys underperforming week in and week out. We are one more injury at CB from total disaster because we were extremely thin to begin with.

My greatest fear, now that we appear to be on the right course with drafting, is that by the time our OL and DL are rebuilt and we have a real RB who can be a front liner, Romo may be fading, and we will be looking for a QB.

This team also really misses a blocking TE and a FB who can block and catch.
I have not given up on this team this year, but here's my plan to be a serious NFL team next year:

1. Sign a veteran FA RB....not a big dollar guy, but a proven runner who will answer the bell each week...pair him with Murray.

2. Sign a FA blocking TE....again, inexpensive.

3. Find a true blocking, pass catching/screen pass type FB....does not need to be a battering ram because we are not going to become a power team...just a solid blocker who can find the right guy on both levels.

4. Draft another interior guy on the OL.

5. Draft at least one DT (pressing need) and one DE (Spencer unlikely to be back and Ware getting older).

6. Find another CB via free agency or later rounds (like Scandrick).

* I really love where we are with our special teams.

Except for QB, the hardest element to replace imo will be the pass rush. Almost every team is looking for pass rushing DL, and for whatever reason even the so called blue chip guys seem to bust out a lot. I expect them to solidify the OL this off-season though.

Dallas seems to be snake bit at safety...can't think of another franchise that has struggled at that position as long as Dallas has. They can't catch a break there.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Time for me to make another excuse:

How many fans realize how old and slow this team was when Garrett took over in 2010? Garrett has spent the past few years remaking the roster, and saying goodbye to guys like Andre Gurode, Kyle Kosier, Bradie James, Keith Brooking, Terence Newman, Patrick Crayton, and many others.

As a result, we can argue the Cowboys are still a young team. The current cornerstones (Dez Bryant, Sean Lee, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Morris Claiborne, etc.) are all 26 years old or under. At the risk of (again) sounding like an apologist, let's give a healthy 2014 team one last chance under Garrett.