ESPN: Dallas Offensive Line is League MVP

[Elusive6thRing]

Is there an MVP candidate out there who has not had a down game though?

You're right but context matters. Derek Carr was pretty much eliminated as being an MVP candidate because he struggled against his division rival Chiefs, who you struggle against matters. The Giants were our division rival /biggest game of the year just as the Chiefs was Carr's biggest game of the year.

 

[Eddie]

Love the OL, but what was our record last year? I fuggets.

 

[thunderpimp91]

You're right but context matters. Derek Carr was pretty much eliminated as being an MVP candidate because he struggled against his division rival Chiefs, who you struggle against matters. The Giants were our division rival /biggest game of the year just as the Chiefs was Carr's biggest game of the year.

Fair enough. I'm more so playing devils advocate than anything else.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Love the OL, but what was our record last year? I fuggets.

I don't understand that line of thinking at all. The pats won without Brady. The Falcons had Matt Ryan last year. The Raiders had Carr. Why is it an argument against the o-line?

 

[Eddie]

I don't understand that line of thinking at all. The pats won without Brady. The Falcons had Matt Ryan last year. The Raiders had Carr. Why is it an argument against the o-line?

Our OL is great. It was here last year.

 

[gimmesix]

MVP is voted on and decided at the end of the regular season. It just isn't announced right away.

My vote isn't decided then.

 

[Elusive6thRing]

The argument for the o-line being "MVP" or most valuable unit or whatever would go out the window if you asked "could they be doing this with Brock Osweiler?" 2015 proved the answer is no.

 

[KJJ]

Same OL we had last season that some claimed didn't have a very good year because we didn't have a stud RB or a solid QB behind it. Regardless the OL, the QB and the RB matters which is why our OL looks better this season. You can't just stick any QB or RB behind this OL and expect to be 12-2. If we were stuck with Matt Cassel, Brandon Weeden or some other average QB along with McFadden and some of the other backs we used last season we would be in the same boat as last year at this time, playing for next year.

 

[ksadler1]

For these people to say "it's all the oline" is a bunch of crap. Morris is a pretty damn good RB and he's doing nothing when he's in the game. Zeke has a lot to do with it.....

 

[Toruk_Makto]

It didn't seem to help Bishop Sankey and company last year.
It didn't stop them from trading for Demarco or drafting the Heisman trophy winner from last year.

You realize one of those tackles was taken this past draft right?

And oh you mean you can get great rb play in free agency/trade market and not use a top 4 pick? Imagine that!

 

[Toruk_Makto]

For these people to say "it's all the oline" is a bunch of crap. Morris is a pretty damn good RB and he's doing nothing when he's in the game. Zeke has a lot to do with it.....

What exactly would you point to in evaluating Morris' play?

 

[DFWJC]

fwiw
even last year, the oline ranked top in the league.
that 4-12 record had to do with:

• worse QB play than in 2014 or in 2016
• worse RB play than in 2014 or 2016
• worse defense than in 2014 and 2016
• the play calling being overly conservative to over compensate for the loss at QB (they learned after that)
• no Dez for much of the year and the QBs not able to make up for it
• etc
• etc

 

[punchnjudy]

It's fine if the NFL wants to give out these awards, but the game is far too interdependent to isolate individual achievements or even unit achievements. That's why even the 2007 version of Tom Brady could go from looking like a jugs machine all year to a tomato can in the super bowl. A really strong player or unit can make the rest of the team's job easier but can also be virtually wasted without the right supporting cast (see this OL paired with Cassel or last year's MVP paired with a makeshift OL this year). Individual stats are also far less meaningful in football compared to baseball or basketball.

 

[ksadler1]

What exactly would you point to in evaluating Morris' play?

Because all these experts seem to feel that anyone could run behind this oline. They can't admit that just maybe Zeke is that good.

Actually I just realized I misred your post. The fact that Morris isn't playing much, doesn't do much when he's in, and seems to have lost his role to McFadden tells me enough.....

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Because all these experts seem to feel that anyone could run behind this oline. They can't admit that just maybe Zeke is that good.

Actually I just realized I misred your post. The fact that Morris isn't playing much, doesn't do much when he's in, and seems to have lost his role to McFadden tells me enough.....

Who had said Zeke isn't good? Can you point these people out?

 

[bsbellomy]

"How Dallas Built a 1,586 pound MVP"

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ak-prescott-carried-cowboys-back-top-nfl-2016
---------------------
insert quote:
"The Dallas offensive line is unbelievable. They're by far the best in the league that I've seen."

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer"
--------------------------------

I'm all for this on.one condition, you have to give it to "The Cowboys OL minus Doug Free"

 

[Texas_Pete]

You realize one of those tackles was taken this past draft right?

And oh you mean you can get great rb play in free agency/trade market and not use a top 4 pick? Imagine that!

Ramsey is 2-12
Zeke is 12-2

 

[Gaede]

You realize one of those tackles was taken this past draft right?

And oh you mean you can get great rb play in free agency/trade market and not use a top 4 pick? Imagine that!

Really sticking with that anti-Zeke position eh?

It's Ok to admit you were wrong. I mean, we're sitting at 12-2 staring homefield advantage in the face, largely because the dominant play of our runningback.

 

[plymkr]

Each part is valuable. Hard to determine which is more valuable. That line in 2015 went 4-12 because the other parts were lacking namely the QB spot.. lacking really bad. However Zeke and Dak wouldn't be balling without that line. It's synergistic. It's not a black and white issue. Some things are but this isn't. However I know folks like to categorize and put things in a neat little box and so the MVP is a nice little box. I'm okay with the oline getting it though. What Dak says about the oline is correct. "We go as they go" "they are the heart of the team". He is correct.

Don't forget the bad receivers play of last year. Twill didn't get it done with the backups and being the #1 cuz Dez was injured for most of the year last year. Brice Butler was new and ineffective and also injured. Beasely was a no show last year. Witten was the only consistent receiver we had.
But that point also re-enforces Dak as the MVP because Bryant was injured for a couple games this season and we continued to roll. Beasely has become a force with Dak throwing him the ball. Twill is playing well and Butler is even getting some touches.
The only difference is Randle was our starter for RB for the beginning of the season. He sucked and now is in prison somewhere. Zeke started the season as our RB. So again comparing last year to this year the main differences is Dak and Zeke.
I give the nod to Dak cuz when Romo went down in preseason it didn't seem like Dak was a backup, even though he technically is our 3rd stringer, or was at the time. Even the players said it was a different feeling in the huddle with Dak as opposed to Weeden and Cassell. So for lifting a team's spirit with his confidence and also rejuvenating a franchise, I have to go with Dak as MVP. And of coarse I'll give the obligatory I'm a Romo guy, but Dak did re-energize the team and got this franchise off life support. Give me any other player in the league that did that for their franchise. Give me a player who singlehandedly changed the culture of a franchise in one season.

 

[superonyx]

You realize one of those tackles was taken this past draft right?

And oh you mean you can get great rb play in free agency/trade market and not use a top 4 pick? Imagine that!

It doesn't change your failed point at all.
5 guys on a line and suddenly a rookie tackle is the difference between Demarco Murray production and Sankey.