Diagnosis and Prognosis: Not good

[erod]

Reality has a way of kicking you in the shin right before it's time to start your race.

Forget 2-2 and just look at the football before us. It ain't good for Dallas the way these games are playing out. This is an 8-8 team, maybe, unless some things get figured out quickly. Most likely, that's an offseason or two or three away.

The defense is wilting. The running game is surrounded. The quarterback is lost and failing. The coaches are hamstrung by the reality of an mediocre team that needs both time to develop, but better hurry up quick for the aging side of its roster. The answers don't seem attainable at the moment.

The curtain has been pulled back from the illusion of 13-3. The NFL waited for Romo to return like we did last year, but he never did. Dak and Zeke piled up wins against easy and injured opponents to the tune of 11 amazing wins in a row. The future promised to be unstoppable and spectacular.

But quietly, the league went to work. Good defenses showed the template to stop this offense, and as of now, that's got this team hog-tied. Minnesota, Philadelphia, and the Giants showed the way, even in losing efforts. They provided the plan.

Time of possession won last year for Dallas in spades. Dallas just drained the life out of opponents with brutally long and exhausting drives that left QBs standing, watching, and waiting. That is not happening this year. Too many third-and-longs and three-and-outs have turned that table upside down.

The book is out. Dak Prescott can't beat you from the pocket. Not today anyway.

Gang up on Zeke Elliott by stacking the line tight. Dallas is struggling at left guard and right tackle, so run blitz it to death. Sell out on Zeke. Make the Cowboys throw the football. Cover everything short with man coverage, especially on Beasley and Witten. Single high safety. Pass rush with discipline and don't allow the quarterback to escape outside the pocket. Watch for the rollouts to the right. Keep that quarterback in the pocket where he's hesitant and inaccurate.

That's it. It's working, at least for teams with good defenses.

The Cowboys defense has some good, young talent, but they won't hold up, especially if they have to log too many minutes. There are holes to expose, especially if you have a good quarterback and a reasonable offensive line.

The answer screams for coaching, but what are they to do with so much baby-young talent at all the key positions. This team needs time, as in seasons, before we really know what we have.

I know this. This team is not a contender this season. This is a middle-of-the-pack poser with great rankings that isn't ready for the big stage right now. Borderline playoff team thanks to a division lacking a great team.

 

[ShiningStar]

idk what garrett is trying to do. depending on which way he goes, he has an already installed excuse, which can help, or if he tries to win out, he has no excuses left.

The only one who should be making the decision is Jerry. 1 because hes still the owner and 2 i dont think Stephen has the strength to take over and at least in my opinion has proven to just be a yes man.

 

[IheartRomo]

Reality has a way of kicking you in the shin right before it's time to start your race.

Forget 2-2 and just look at the football before us. It ain't good for Dallas the way these games are playing out. This is an 8-8 team, maybe, unless some things get figured out quickly. Most likely, that's an offseason or two or three away.

The defense is wilting. The running game is surrounded. The quarterback is lost and failing. The coaches are hamstrung by the reality of an mediocre team that needs both time to develop, but better hurry up quick for the aging side of its roster. The answers don't seem attainable at the moment.

The curtain has been pulled back from the illusion of 13-3. The NFL waited for Romo to return like we did last year, but he never did. Dak and Zeke piled up wins against easy and injured opponents to the tune of 11 amazing wins in a row. The future promised to be unstoppable and spectacular.

But quietly, the league went to work. Good defenses showed the template to stop this offense, and as of now, that's got this team hog-tied. Minnesota, Philadelphia, and the Giants showed the way, even in losing efforts. They provided the plan.

Time of possession won last year for Dallas in spades. Dallas just drained the life out of opponents with brutally long and exhausting drives that left QBs standing, watching, and waiting. That is not happening this year. Too many third-and-longs and three-and-outs have turned that table upside down.

The book is out. Dak Prescott can't beat you from the pocket. Not today anyway.

Gang up on Zeke Elliott by stacking the line tight. Dallas is struggling at left guard and right tackle, so run blitz it to death. Sell out on Zeke. Make the Cowboys throw the football. Cover everything short with man coverage, especially on Beasley and Witten. Single high safety. Pass rush with discipline and don't allow the quarterback to escape outside the pocket. Watch for the rollouts to the right. Keep that quarterback in the pocket where he's hesitant and inaccurate.

That's it. It's working, at least for teams with good defenses.

The Cowboys defense has some good, young talent, but they won't hold up, especially if they have to log too many minutes. There are holes to expose, especially if you have a good quarterback and a reasonable offensive line.

The answer screams for coaching, but what are they to do with so much baby-young talent at all the key positions. This team needs time, as in seasons, before we really know what we have.

I know this. This team is not a contender this season. This is a middle-of-the-pack poser with great rankings that isn't ready for the big stage right now. Borderline playoff team thanks to a division lacking a great team.

Every single defense last year attempted the "stop the run and make Dak beat you" strategy. This is not new or even remotely ingenious. The only difference is that it's working now.

 

[Reality]

Reality has a way of kicking you in the shin right before it's time to start your race.

For the record, I have never kicked anyone in the shin since I was 4 years old!

 

[TheHerd]

Every single defense last year attempted the "stop the run and make Dak beat you" strategy. This is not new or even remotely ingenious. The only difference is that it's working now.

OL is stinking it up. And it's not just the LG and RT, don't believe that narrative. That's the lazy man's excuse.

 

[ShiningStar]

OL is stinking it up. And it's not just the LG and RT, don't believe that narrative. That's the lazy man's excuse.

change ups should be made.

 

[DenCWBY]

Reality has a way of kicking you in the shin right before it's time to start your race.

Forget 2-2 and just look at the football before us. It ain't good for Dallas the way these games are playing out. This is an 8-8 team, maybe, unless some things get figured out quickly. Most likely, that's an offseason or two or three away.

The defense is wilting. The running game is surrounded. The quarterback is lost and failing. The coaches are hamstrung by the reality of an mediocre team that needs both time to develop, but better hurry up quick for the aging side of its roster. The answers don't seem attainable at the moment.

The curtain has been pulled back from the illusion of 13-3. The NFL waited for Romo to return like we did last year, but he never did. Dak and Zeke piled up wins against easy and injured opponents to the tune of 11 amazing wins in a row. The future promised to be unstoppable and spectacular.

But quietly, the league went to work. Good defenses showed the template to stop this offense, and as of now, that's got this team hog-tied. Minnesota, Philadelphia, and the Giants showed the way, even in losing efforts. They provided the plan.

Time of possession won last year for Dallas in spades. Dallas just drained the life out of opponents with brutally long and exhausting drives that left QBs standing, watching, and waiting. That is not happening this year. Too many third-and-longs and three-and-outs have turned that table upside down.

The book is out. Dak Prescott can't beat you from the pocket. Not today anyway.

Gang up on Zeke Elliott by stacking the line tight. Dallas is struggling at left guard and right tackle, so run blitz it to death. Sell out on Zeke. Make the Cowboys throw the football. Cover everything short with man coverage, especially on Beasley and Witten. Single high safety. Pass rush with discipline and don't allow the quarterback to escape outside the pocket. Watch for the rollouts to the right. Keep that quarterback in the pocket where he's hesitant and inaccurate.

That's it. It's working, at least for teams with good defenses.

The Cowboys defense has some good, young talent, but they won't hold up, especially if they have to log too many minutes. There are holes to expose, especially if you have a good quarterback and a reasonable offensive line.

The answer screams for coaching, but what are they to do with so much baby-young talent at all the key positions. This team needs time, as in seasons, before we really know what we have.

I know this. This team is not a contender this season. This is a middle-of-the-pack poser with great rankings that isn't ready for the big stage right now. Borderline playoff team thanks to a division lacking a great team.

"This team needs time, as in seasons, before we really know what we have".
Agree will most all you said, However you can't keep waiting for the "babies" to improve. In the meantime there will be contracts due where you will lose some of the better vets and improved babies to FA. Therefore you have to replace/exchange these babies with more babies in the draft and alternative FA's. It just keeps churning and there is no real overall improvement without a proactive coach/FO. The Lees and Martins are hard to find and harder to keep.

 

[erod]

Every single defense last year attempted the "stop the run and make Dak beat you" strategy. This is not new or even remotely ingenious. The only difference is that it's working now.

No, the difference is last year's schedule was easy. This one isn't.

 

[Sydla]

Any post that seems to excuse the coaches and blame "youth" and the like is misguided.

 

[erod]

OL is stinking it up. And it's not just the LG and RT, don't believe that narrative. That's the lazy man's excuse.

The quarterback has to throw teams out of those fronts. Brady or Rodgers would kill a team for lining up like that every play.

 

[erod]

"This team needs time, as in seasons, before we really know what we have".
Agree will most all you said, However you can't keep waiting for the "babies" to improve. In the meantime there will be contracts due where you will lose some of the better vets and improved babies to FA. Therefore you have to replace/exchange these babies with more babies in the draft and alternative FA's. It just keeps churning and there is no real overall improvement without a proactive coach/FO. The Lees and Martins are hard to find and harder to keep.

I think the biggest objective right now is determining if Prescott is, or is not, the guy to take this team to a championship.

I don't want to do the Rivers, Dalton, Tannehill thing. I don't even want to do the Flacco thing where you hope to luck into a championship.

 

[TheHerd]

The quarterback has to throw teams out of those fronts. Brady or Rodgers would kill a team for lining up like that every play.

Their schemes create wide open receivers against those fronts. We don't have anything like that from our coaching staff.

Whenever Jordy Nelson catches the ball, it seems like there is rarely anyone within 5 yards of him. That's not all route running, that's scheme. Same for Brady. A ridiculous percentage of his TDs and 3rd down conversions are to receivers who have no defender within 3 yards. That's scheme. Lots of picks, lots of misdirection clear out routes, drags under zones. We just don't have those plays in the playbook.

 

[NeonNinja]

Coaching stinks. Tired of people making excuses for them. Yeah, defense needs more talent but doesn’t Rod get a say in who he wants for his outdated scheme? Some of the situational calls is incompetent.

Offense has problems as well. Easily scouted. They don’t move Dez around much. Louis Riddick has been screaming for them to utilize Dez correctly. These deep routes with Dez are not working at a high percentage. Slants, crossing, etc. Of course Dak, OL, Zeke can perform better but a lot of this is on our coaching, IMO.

 

[erod]

Their schemes create wide open receivers against those fronts. We don't have anything like that from our coaching staff.

Whenever Jordy Nelson catches the ball, it seems like there is rarely anyone within 5 yards of him. That's not all route running, that's scheme. Same for Brady. A ridiculous percentage of his TDs and 3rd down conversions are to receivers who have no defender within 3 yards. That's scheme. Lots of picks, lots of misdirection clear out routes, drags under zones. We just don't have those plays in the playbook.

We run much of the exact same stuff. Where is Beasley and Witten? Covered by these defensive schemes.

The middle of the field is wide open downfield. However, you have to be accurate to throw in there. Teams are betting he can't do it, and he's holding the ball forever, which shows his lack of confidence to throw there.

 

[mattjames2010]

We run much of the exact same stuff. Where is Beasley and Witten? Covered by these defensive schemes.

The middle of the field is wide open downfield. However, you have to be accurate to throw in there. Teams are betting he can't do it, and he's holding the ball forever, which shows his lack of confidence to throw there.

He's missing opportunities down the field as well. He's not scanning the field as well as he did last year.

 

[Sydla]

Coaching stinks. Tired of people making excuses for them. Yeah, defense needs more talent but doesn’t Rod get a say in who he wants for his outdated scheme? Some of the situational calls is incompetent.

Offense has problems as well. Easily scouted. They don’t move Dez around much. Louis Riddick has been screaming for them to utilize Dez correctly. These deep routes with Dez are not working at a high percentage. Slants, crossing, etc. Of course Dak, OL, Zeke can perform better but a lot of this is on our coaching, IMO.

Stinks? I don't know about that but this is not a high quality staff, that's for sure.

Making excuses for them at this point is just silly.

I mean how many years are we going to lament the same problems over and over before we realize it isn't the players?

Riddick ranted about how we use Dez just a few weeks ago again.

 

[NeonNinja]

Stinks? I don't know about that but this is not a high quality staff, that's for sure.

Making excuses for them at this point is just silly.

I mean how many years are we going to lament the same problems over and over before we realize it isn't the players?

Riddick ranted about how we use Dez just a few weeks ago again.

Yeah, they’re not good at all, IMO. We can say bad or average but do we really believe we can go where we want to with this staff?

 

[TheHerd]

We run much of the exact same stuff. Where is Beasley and Witten? Covered by these defensive schemes.

The middle of the field is wide open downfield. However, you have to be accurate to throw in there. Teams are betting he can't do it, and he's holding the ball forever, which shows his lack of confidence to throw there.

We don't. I have never seen a 3 man bunch with 2 guys pushing away and the inside man cutting to the outside behind them. We never drag Dez short across the field after Witten and Williams clear like Nelson does. The one route we used to run was the in and out pivot route, which Beasley ran to perfection last year. This year defenses are blanketing him and and out.

When defenses tried doing that to Edelman last year, they sent him deep down the seam for a big play. Our coaches have it that Beas doesn't and can't go deep, so no matter what is happening we won't call plays to send him deep. We get a narrative and stick to it.

 

[Oh_Canada]

I think the biggest objective right now is determining if Prescott is, or is not, the guy to take this team to a championship.

I don't want to do the Rivers, Dalton, Tannehill thing. I don't even want to do the Flacco thing where you hope to luck into a championship.

Tom Brady was pedestrian his first three, four years in the league. He was considered a bus driver.
Rodgers didn't even start until year four and sucked up until he did.
Not sure how you make an assesment until at least after next season.

 

[Eddie]

We're not as good as we thought.

But we put up 30 points yesterday. 90% of the time, that's enough to win the game.

Our D is toast. Giving up 35 points is why we lost.