I watch cowherd but he works off agendas, for instance to prove that LeBron is the GOAT he tears down or diminishes Jordans, Kobe's, Durant's accomplishments to lift the players he likes. Cowherd hates Dez so he has to tear down Dez and lift up Dak the same as he did for Lebron. He uses this tactic to try to sway people to his side and to some it works.
You start with the opinion that Dak is good and we just need the online to do their job and the wr to do their job and he'll be in the mvp discussion.
I start with the fact that Beasley, Witt, Twill, and Dez did not all fall off at once so the QB play must have fell last year. When QB play falls, for what ever reason, then wr play falls that just how it works. You can't make excuses for Dak that don't also go for the receivers. Take the Atlanta game, should we have had a 100 yard receiving game from any wr or te?
If I told you my kitchen sink was having trouble draining, you'd probably tell me to try to unplug that sink and that should solve the problem. What if I told you that all the sinks in my house were having trouble draining, then you tell me to check the main drain because if none of them will drain then the problem lies with what they have in common.
In 2017 Dak was the main drain.
I was referring to Colin's evaluation of NFL qb's and their tiers; and how Dak fits into that. He does use biases in alot of things especially in the NBA, but he's been pretty accurate the last few years in his NFL predictions and I think he makes valid sound points occasionally. When it comes to the Boys especially, he isn't overly biased either way. Specifically his segment on NFL QB's and their tiers.
I wasn't saying each player lost the physical ability to play, I'm saying the whole group took a step back because of the nature of the passing offense. I can't remember which podcast it was but Broaddus offered some insight on why the passing offense experienced some of the difficulties it did in 2017. Starting in 2014, the team really began to show a commitment to running the ball. With DeMarco and the 3 all-pros on the line, the team was able to shape the offense into what we saw in Romo's last years and beginning of Dak's. An older and more injury prone Romo was the reason the team invested so much into the o-line and running game; to take the pressure off him and allow him time and mismatches to make plays.
Dez had just come into his own as a superstar and had an amazing chemistry with Romo. It has been documented that Romo checked out of run plays to make the big play to Dez (something Garrett never appreciated). Romo liked to have as much control as possible towards the end of his career, and because of his relationship with Dez and Witten the coaching staff implemented schemes and game plans that fit Romo and Dez's ad lib style to a T. Why didn't Dez Bryant learn to run more routes and crisper routes? Because he didn't have to. Tony could simply make him open at all times, something very few qb's can do. Dez's career highlights are filled with contested jump balls and breaking free after a Romo scramble. Throw in some broken tackles on slants and that's Dez's career reel. Romo loved to be able to ad lib on offense and Dez benefited from it. The passing offense subsequently ran through Dez and the more effective he was and more attention he commanded, the more the offense opened up for the other receivers. Dez was quite literally the main valve that funneled production to T-Will and Beas. Without Dez, T-Will has never stepped up. Without Dez taking the double team consistently, Beas gets bracketed and can't do much.
Now in 2016, the team was ready to roll with Romo. But since the injury happened and they had to roll with a 4th round rookie, in order to make sure he was comfortable, the team gave him a dumbed down play book that used plays to highlight his strength (read-option, play-action boots, etc.). Just like any team with a rookie QB, they were not going to give him too much with the full Romo offense. With a playbook suited more to his strengths and a running game to match, coupled with Dez being in and out of the line-up, we got to see how Dak likes to play. Strong running game and going through reads quickly to pass to guys on-time. Instead of seeing this and tailoring an offense to him specifically for 2017, the team decided to give him Romo's full offense.
Now since Romo's passing offense relies on ad-libs and going through Dez with the special chemistry they had, Dak was already at a disadvantage scheme wise. This may have been able to work but once it became clear that Dez was no longer the Dez from 2014, the scheme became a detriment. Dez is unsigned and there's a good chance he will remain so until an injury opens up a spot. His tape is bad and shows a guy who is extremely inconsistent as a route runner and suddenly as a catcher. He no longer is the #1 guy you can run your passing game through, and while that could've been masked with his chemistry with Romo, no longer is a fit for what the team wants to do.
in 2018, the team wants to build an offense around Dak's strengths because duh. They should have done this last offseason. Dez cannot do what is going to be asked of him in this system and wouldn't be a positive influence on Dak. Romo could always handle Dez as he was older and had success in the league before; he was the best one to corral him and make him happy.
I'm not doubting that T-Will and Beas still have the physical ability to be contributors. What I am saying is that with the scheme the team had in place for Romo and the dependence on Dez, the passing game cannot be effective. Dez is no longer Dez and Romo is one hit away from being paralyzed. The team needed to adapt its scheme to the current personnel. They finally have. Dak cannot reach his full potential in an offense suited for another QB with WR's who don't play to his strengths. The team's personnel and scheme were not in sync last year as they were in 2016 when Dez was off the field and the offense highlighted Daks strengths.
No QB can reach their full potential without the proper set up around them. Derek Carr is the perfect example. 2016 he had his o-line, running game, and 1-2 punch at receiver. In 2017 the team tweaks passing attack scheme (went through 2 offensive coordinators last year and didn't retain either this offseason), the o-line under-performs and so does the running game, and Crabtree and Cooper have down years. So when Derek Carr didn't play as well in 2017, it wasn't surprising. Only the elite QB's can win despite multiple issues; last I checked Dak's last name isn't Brady or Rodgers. Our QB can play when the team is built correctly around him and can't when the team isn't. That's football guys, its a team game and Dak needs his team to play well. Only the very elite win when their team plays poorly.
When Dak starts losing games when the team is playing good ball and receivers are more than 24th and 89th in separation, then I'll be worried. If he plays poorly when the team plays poorly and well when the team plays well, I'd be more focused on making the guys around him more consistent; which is hopefully what will happen in 2018.