Creating the all-time Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster: Offense and Defense

[Hardline]

This should create some discussion.


Offense
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...ubach-emmitt-smith-michael-irvin-jason-witten

Defense
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...-parsons-demarcus-ware-deion-sanders-ed-jones

 

[acr731]

I would have put in Jay Novacek instead of Witten.

 

[sunalsorises]

I would have put in Jay Novacek instead of Witten.

Jason Witten heard you say that but you won't hear Jason Witten.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Aikman was a better playoff QB than Staubach.

Erik Williams pre wreck was better than Tyron Smith.

 

[Risen Star]

Aikman was a better playoff QB than Staubach.

Erik Williams pre wreck was better than Tyron Smith.

You make a good point on Staubach being a choke artist.

 

[pancakeman]

Was Jay Ratliff better than La'Roi Glover? I honestly can't remember.

 

[Setackin]

T.O. Needs to be on this, he’s top 3 all time… I’d take Hayes out for him.

 

[The Fonz]

No Dale Hellestrae? No Bates?
why include current players? they just started their career

 

[Star Guard_31]

Bill Bates at CB...LOL

 

[Star Guard_31]

Some weirdness here. Why fill out a complete depth chart for the defense but only do starters for offense?

Some recency bias too. You can tell the blogger is probably a young dude. Jay Ratliff shouldn't sniff that list.

Dexter Coakley has no bigger fan than me, but even I have a tough time putting him on any all time list. Dat Nguyen making honorable mention screams "I'm not old enough to have seen the Cowboys win Super Bowls".

Personally would have gone Drew Pearson over Lamb but I can at least understand the argument, as I can with Frederick over Stepnoski.

 

[ArtClink]

Aikman was a better playoff QB than Staubach.

Erik Williams pre wreck was better than Tyron Smith.

Aikman was an exceptional playoff QB but he is way way behind on playoff come from behind victories compared to Staubach. I saw both of their careers and while Aikman was more accurate, Staubach > Aikman. Staubach remains underrated likely due to losing to the Steelers twice in the Super Bowl.

 

[jazzcat22]

Very hard to make a list. You have old school vs. new school type thing going on. Different players, schemes, rules.

Yes some simply stand out over others. Other players are subject to opinions and what one grew up with and currently know and remember.

DB's today can't get away with what was done even 10 years ago, let alone back in the 70's. Sacks and QB hits are now so much different also.
The catch rule, we all know that one too well. How many remember the judgement call of a WR getting pushed out of bounds. If the ref felt the WR would have landed in bounds without being shoved after the catch, it was a completed pass at that spot.

Still interesting though to see different opinions on some players.

 

[ArtClink]

You make a good point on Staubach being a choke artist.

Pure fiction. I saw Staubach's entire career (did you?) and he was the king of comeback victories in the playoffs. Super Bowl X Dallas was a wild card team (the first to mk a SB) and Staubach was the reason they reached the Super Bowl and the reason that game was so close. Staubach played in a lot of playoff games and was one of the reasons Landry has 20 consecutive winning seasons.

 

[OmerV]

I like the offense. The only player I hate leaving off is Drew Pearson. He was such a clutch performer for the team and so much a part of the 1970's success that his omission is tough to swallow. If it were me I would probably leave CeeDee off and include Pearson since CeeDee doesn't have many years with the team, but CeeDee is probably the better talent.

Defense is a little tougher for a few reasons. One is that this shows the full defensive roster and not just the starters, and once you start getting past the no brainers it can be a tough call on the backups. The other is that it doesn't account for the fact that the Cowboys ran a 3-4 for awhile. For example, D. Ware is listed as a LB, but he would not be a LB in a 3-4. But maybe that doesn't really matter if the goal is just to name the 53 best rather than create a roster built to actually play games.

I like the choice of Danny White as punter. He didn't have quite the booming leg some punters have had, but he was so consistent and so accurate at locating the punt that he was a weapon at the position. He was incredibly good at pinning back opponents with the "coffin corner" kicks

 

[Risen Star]

Pure fiction. I saw Staubach's entire career (did you?) and he was the king of comeback victories in the playoffs. Super Bowl X Dallas was a wild card team (the first to mk a SB) and Staubach was the reason they reached the Super Bowl and the reason that game was so close. Staubach played in a lot of playoff games and was one of the reasons Landry has 20 consecutive winning seasons.

I guess I just can't let go of that bad pass he threw to a wide open Jackie Harris in the end zone in the Super Bowl.

 

[kskboys]

Bill Bates at CB...LOL

In his entire career, Bates was the starter for exactly one year. I think that was at S.

Bates is one of the best STers of all time. Lying about him otherwise is cheap.

 

[kskboys]

T.O. Needs to be on this, he’s top 3 all time… I’d take Hayes out for him.

Noooo, not even. Irvin/Pearson/Tony Hill.

Then you have to ask yourself, are you going top WR's or are you trying to fill out a team? Different category.

Irvin as the chain mover w/ Hayes as the deep threat would be unguardable. Especially w/ Pearson on the other side. Two of the best route runners in NFL history w/ a guy that no one can keep up w/? Unbeatable.

TO dropped too many key passes to be on the top 3 list.

 

[OmerV]

I guess I just can't let go of that bad pass he threw to a wide open Jackie Harris in the end zone in the Super Bowl.

You apparently haven't dwelled on it that much because you forgot the TE's name (Jackie Smith)

 

[DallasEast]

Some weirdness here. Why fill out a complete depth chart for the defense but only do starters for offense?

Thank you! I thought I was going cuckoo because my math wasn't mathing. They say 53-man roster but suggest 11 offensive and 27 defensive/special teams, which would leave 15 slots. There would still be ten vacancies even if there are only 48 'active roster' players dressing out for this fictional list.

To be honest, I am a bit peeved how strict the offensive selections were published. For example, how do you reasonably omit Tony Dorsett from any Cowboys all-time list?

Personally would have gone Drew Pearson over Lamb but I can at least understand the argument, as I can with Frederick over Stepnoski.

I would have gone with Pearson before last season but would side with CeeDee Lamb given the single choice and how they finally decided to optimize his use as a #1 receiver. Even so, both receivers would be a 1A/1B beast running out of the slot.

 

[DuncanIso]

Andrie should be in the HoF.

And Niland.

Elite.