I hate that this has become about Dak vs Dalton. Seriously.. its not like we were 5-0 and flying coming into this game. We have STUNK all year.. even with Dak and his massive stats. We won a game by a magic minute - we should have lost if we are honest - and our second win was against the hapless Giants.. and even that took some heroics.
This is a BAD football team, no matter who the QB is. Did Dalton play well? Nup, nope and No but he also wasn't as bad to warrant the hate flowing his way.
A couple of things that really stink.. Kellen Moore is a DUD OC.. seriously has no idea how to create space through design.. and his play calling is woeful, just woeful. Nolan is a joke.. seriously.. our defence isn't star studded but they are getting beaten before the ball is snapped half the time. it is a train wreck. MM has failed to impress me.. I was very hopeful after the departure of clapper.. but wowsers.. I haven't seen ANY indication that MM has any clue how to coach a modern football team. We have gone backwards in EVERY phase of the game.
Next is the fumbles by Zeke. Wow. 5 in 4 years and now 4 in 6 games.. something is not right. Also he is under conditioned. There is no doubt he is not playing with the same energy he did as a rookie. I also think he has NO faith in Moore.. and knows that this is a 'pass first' offence and that limits his ability to do what he does. Moore gives him 2 runs.. and if he doesn't bust out.. then we abandon the run immediately. I think this has led to Zeke feeling the pressure to do something special every play.. and he has failed badly. Right now.. a liability. The rookie O Line also doesn't help.
Right now.. we need to realise that this game is won and lost on the LOS. We recognised that ten years ago and built our OLine.. that is what gave us the shot in 2014-2018. A range of factors meant we never got the success the team/squad deserved. We are now at the point of going back to the starting gate and recruiting for the OLine and DLine all over again. That is why I wouldn't be paying Dak.
Also.. how quickly people forget how much Dak stunk it up behind a banged up Oline just a few seasons ago. This offence was built for dak. The playbook was built for Dak. I still think Dalton has the tools to get the job done. The question is whether that is a benefit or whether we bottom out and start a rebuild with some top end talent this year.
The lack of star power on D hurts.. and Tank Lawrence needs to be fired out of a cannon.. everyone loads on Zeke/Dalton etc.. but seriously.. the Dude takes almost half the cap allocated for D and does what each week? We are lucky if he has one decent play a game. Shocking.