News: DMN: Babe Laufenberg analyzes Dallas' 27-23 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday

[NewsBot]

*** Message was removed by demand from DMN ***

 

[WoodysGirl]

Chat wrap from Babe..

 

[DogFace]

Escobar was the one that still bothers me. What a stupid choice.

Don't remind me of who we could've got. It's depressing.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Cowboys radio broadcaster and former quarterback Babe Laufenberg analyzes Dallas' 27-23 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday:

What do you think of Dak Prescott after two games? How premature is the hype and talk about him replacing Romo?

Laufenberg: He has been beyond impressive. If he were the first pick in the draft, he would still be everything you could hope for. To get this production out of a fourth-round pick, well, they may have won the lottery.

And I don't consider it "hype" as he is doing the things a good QB does: managing the mechanics of the game, throwing the ball accurately and not throwing it to the other team. Can I make the leap of faith that he is replacing Romo? Can't go there yet, but he looks like a keeper. His success has not been smoke and mirrors.

What do you think of Ezekiel Elliott's second game? Do the fumbles concern you?

Laufenberg: I have been around long enough to hear guys say, "I am not a fumbler." And they may not have been in the past. But ball security in college and the NFL are decidedly different. They strip the football in the NFL and the hits are more violent. I can go through a litany of players who struggled holding on to the football, and you can probably put Tiki Barber, the former Giants running back, at the top of that list. Here comes the bad part: every team for the next four weeks will see that tape of Zeke's two fumbles, and attack the football like a teenager attacks a cheeseburger.

Who were some of the unsung heroes of the win over Washington?

Laufenberg: I really believe it was the type of game where 8-10 guys made game-altering plays. Beasley picking up 12 yards on a critical third-and-11 on the game-winning TD drive. Church with the interception. Sean Lee making a huge stop on third-and-1 after Dallas took the lead, then Justin Durant knocking down the Cousins pass on the ensuing fourth-one-1 play. Just the quintessential team win.

What was your reaction to Jason Garrett and the play-calling overall, including the onside kick call?

Laufenberg: The onside kick is something you see during the week. You see the front line retreating before the ball is kicked, then you wait for your chance to run it. That decision is not made in a vacuum or on a whim. It was a good call, but poor execution. Which, by definition, makes it a bad call. Funny how Dan Bailey has no trouble drilling a kick from 54 yards with no time on the clock but couldn't get it 10 yards. If he does, probably an easy Dallas recovery. The defense bailed him out by holding Washington to a field goal.

What did you think of Randy Gregory now reportedly being suspended for 14 games?

Laufenberg: I thought it was predictable. He "fell" to the Cowboys at No. 60 because other teams backed off due to character issues. So, as the late Denny Green famously uttered, "The Bears are who we thought they were."

Randy Gregory has been what the rest of the league thought he was. So your last four second-round picks were, in order, Gavin Escobar (rarely sees the field), DeMarcus Lawrence (suspended), Randy Gregory (suspended), and Jaylon Smith (most likely out for the year with a knee injury suffered at Notre Dame). To get zero production out of your last four second-round picks is staggering.

Twitter: @BabeLaufenberg

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He nails every one.

 

[DoomsDayD]

NAILED IT in my eyes!!!!

 

[Stash]

And maybe I'm being a 'Conspiracy Theorist' about it, but I see a clear pattern of risks being taken with these 2nd round picks. As if a conscious decision is being made with regard to them, or someone is being indulged and allowed to 'play' with them, wheel and deal, and take risks.

One or two may simply be random coincidence, but this pattern dates back several years now.

But, whatever it is, the failures need to be pointed out and called out, and the decision-making needs to change.

I'm glad to see someone pointing them out.

 

[haleyrules]

Knows what he is talking about.

 

[haleyrules]

I

And maybe I'm being a 'Conspiracy Theorist' about it, but I see a clear pattern of risks being taken with these 2nd round picks. As if a conscious decision is being made with regard to them, or someone is being indulged and allowed to 'play' with them, wheel and deal, and take risks.

One or two may simply be random coincidence, but this pattern dates back several years now.

But, whatever it is, the failures need to be pointed out and called out, and the decision-making needs to change.

I'm glad to see someone pointing them out.

It smells of Jerry trying to find gems in a coal mine! He has always ènjoyed rolling the dice on problem players. Goes back to taking Charles Haley...he got a great one and has been trying ever since.

 

[CowboyRoy]

And maybe I'm being a 'Conspiracy Theorist' about it, but I see a clear pattern of risks being taken with these 2nd round picks. As if a conscious decision is being made with regard to them, or someone is being indulged and allowed to 'play' with them, wheel and deal, and take risks.

One or two may simply be random coincidence, but this pattern dates back several years now.

But, whatever it is, the failures need to be pointed out and called out, and the decision-making needs to change.

I'm glad to see someone pointing them out.

Its all Jerry Jones. Its pretty obvious to me that because he likes to go offense with the first pick, he is desperate to get that home run defensive player that he needs so badly . So he is willing to take huge risks to get them. And the positions of need.............CB, DE, MLB are all prime position that you typically need a high pick to get a good one. Premium positions.

So when you bomb and take a RB with the 4th pick in the draft, you have to make that up somehow.

Just look what they did with Jones the safety. Took a workout warrior hoping to turn him in to a dynamic football player. Instead of just taking the football player.

 

[Stash]

I

It smells of Jerry trying to find gems in a coal mine! He has always ènjoyed rolling the dice on problem players. Goes back to taking Charles Haley...he got a great one and has been trying ever since.

That's definitely the vibe I get. Almost as if a compromise has been made to satisfy the old man and he gets to play around with that 2nd round pick.

But whatever is going on, there's far too much risk being taken with such a valuable draft commodity and the lack of return is seriously hurting this organization and the behavior needs to change.

 

[haleyrules]

That's definitely the vibe I get. Almost as if a compromise has been made to satisfy the old man and he gets to play around with that 2nd round pick.

But whatever is going on, there's far too much risk being taken with such a valuable draft commodity and the lack of return is seriously hurting this organization and the behavior needs to change.

Amen. Your preaching to the choir. Its a certainty its ole Jerry boy behind the shaky 2nd picks. This will not change until Jerry steps down.

 

[DBOY3141]

That's definitely the vibe I get. Almost as if a compromise has been made to satisfy the old man and he gets to play around with that 2nd round pick.

But whatever is going on, there's far too much risk being taken with such a valuable draft commodity and the lack of return is seriously hurting this organization and the behavior needs to change.

Sadly, you can't teach an old dog new tricks and until JJ is in the ground, don't see it changing. Just gotta hope DLaw has no more issues and Smith heals up. Hope is not a strategy...but for 2nd rounders, it's the best we got.

i've given up on Gregory and Cowboys have no plan on how to use TE's outside of Witten, so Escobar will be good for 5-7 catches a year.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Laufenberg: I have been around long enough to hear guys say, "I am not a fumbler." And they may not have been in the past. But ball security in college and the NFL are decidedly different.

This is incorrect. The propensity of a player to to fumble or not to fumble typically translates between college and the NFL.

 

[Stash]

Sadly, you can't teach an old dog new tricks and until JJ is in the ground, don't see it changing. Just gotta hope DLaw has no more issues and Smith heals up. Hope is not a strategy...but for 2nd rounders, it's the best we got.

i've given up on Gregory and Cowboys have no plan on how to use TE's outside of Witten, so Escobar will be good for 5-7 catches a year.

Escobar is a non-factor with one foot out the door already. I would expect him to be cut if and when Hanna is able to return from the PUP list. Some people tried to defend picking him until the bitter end, but that end is within sight. There's no use in even trying to defend that move any longer. An absolute waste of valuable draft resources and indefensible.

Gregory is another complete waste of a pick until he can show otherwise, which would now be 2017 at best, along with Jaylon Smith? And even if either one does, does anybody think they're going to give Jerry a discount for missed time? I tend to doubt it.

 

[tyke1doe]

And maybe I'm being a 'Conspiracy Theorist' about it, but I see a clear pattern of risks being taken with these 2nd round picks. As if a conscious decision is being made with regard to them, or someone is being indulged and allowed to 'play' with them, wheel and deal, and take risks.

One or two may simply be random coincidence, but this pattern dates back several years now.

But, whatever it is, the failures need to be pointed out and called out, and the decision-making needs to change.

I'm glad to see someone pointing them out.

Don't forget Bruce Carter.

 

[Aven8]

When is the last time Jerry and Co took a risk and it panned out?? Ro for 2 years and what else? JG for 6 years can be lumped in with the 2nd round draft choices as far as I'm concerned.

 

[tyke1doe]

Some nuggets from Babe's post. Particularly:

It (the onside kick) was a good call, but poor execution. Which, by definition, makes it a bad call.

Thank you! If a call doesn't work, it's a bad call. It can only be a good call if it works because you make the call assuming it will work.

The onside kick was a bad call - PERIOD! Fortunately, it didn't hurt us.

I thought it was predictable. He "fell" to the Cowboys at No. 60 because other teams backed off due to character issues. So, as the late Denny Green famously uttered, "The Bears are who we thought they were."
Randy Gregory has been what the rest of the league thought he was. So your last four second-round picks were, in order, Gavin Escobar (rarely sees the field), DeMarcus Lawrence (suspended), Randy Gregory (suspended), and Jaylon Smith (most likely out for the year with a knee injury suffered at Notre Dame). To get zero production out of your last four second-round picks is staggering.

We need to change our second-round philosophy because not picking productive players in a round where you should get them is, well, embarrassing not to mention holding this franchise back.

 

[WoodysGirl]

And maybe I'm being a 'Conspiracy Theorist' about it, but I see a clear pattern of risks being taken with these 2nd round picks. As if a conscious decision is being made with regard to them, or someone is being indulged and allowed to 'play' with them, wheel and deal, and take risks.

One or two may simply be random coincidence, but this pattern dates back several years now.

But, whatever it is, the failures need to be pointed out and called out, and the decision-making needs to change.

I'm glad to see someone pointing them out.

It's not a conspiracy. If I could find the quote, there's something from Stephen (I believe) about risk taking in the 2nd round. Taking players with 1st round talent who had question marks. I don't think that includes Escobar or the back-to-back TEs. But go back Bruce what's his face, Sean Lee, etc.

Having said, I *thought* that they would be going away from taking guys with injury histories when Will took over due to comments he made in an interview. I don't think he's a believer in those players, but clearly our team owners don't mind.

 

[Stash]

Don't forget Bruce Carter.

Going back as far as 1995, about the only quality contributor the team has gotten from the 2nd round has been Andre Gurode in 2002, and the great play of Sean Lee since 2010, when he's managed to stay healthy.

Between risks on injured players, wasted picks on what ended up being backup TE's (Fasano, Bennett, Escobar), and trades, the Cowboys have gotten little to nothing from that round for over two decades.

Take a look at this list:

http://www.fftoday.com/nfl/drafttracker.php?o=by_team&TeamID=9014

It's pretty disappointing.

 

[tyke1doe]

And maybe I'm being a 'Conspiracy Theorist' about it, but I see a clear pattern of risks being taken with these 2nd round picks. As if a conscious decision is being made with regard to them, or someone is being indulged and allowed to 'play' with them, wheel and deal, and take risks.

One or two may simply be random coincidence, but this pattern dates back several years now.

But, whatever it is, the failures need to be pointed out and called out, and the decision-making needs to change.

I'm glad to see someone pointing them out.

What's the saying, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, thrice is a pattern.