ESPN Football Outsiders projections

[DTown214]

Yes. Paper is a wonderful thing.

The point is, we've proven we can win with a bad defense. If this defense is better on paper then there's probably a good chance they WILL be better. Yes, it's just on paper. But what is paper without a nice printer? And what is a printer without a nice technically-savy mechanic? I don't know what I just said. Please forgive me.

 

[Idgit]

Commanders won't be a 6-10 team this season.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Not that this means a hill of beans, but national perception is always interesting sport.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insi...ball-outsiders-early-2016-nfc-projections-nfl

https://lh3.***BROKEN***/-vIKMF9Upi2I/V0XpwCkKV1I/AAAAAAAFD1E/RwLYnhi1Yv8SSoSekXUFB5S2KGYF8Fhqg/w346-h614/18NLJ.gif

 

[YosemiteSam]

Commanders won't be a 6-10 team this season.

Objections! Speculation!

 

[erod]

Commanders won't be a 6-10 team this season.

They got beat at home against Dallas with Matt Cassell. I'm far from sold on that team.

 

[erod]

Lee, Claiborne, Jones, Gregory and Irving were on this defense last year. And they were dreadful.

Tapper and Collins are complete unknowns. Mayowa is a flyer. He's done nothing to date. The Raiders, who have tons of salary cap space, were fine in letting him walk.

However I do like the Thornton signing.

Lee was fantastic last year. Claiborne was more than respectable. Jones showed great promise. Irving looks like a rotational guy. Gregory was hurt almost all year.

Not sure what you watched.

 

[jobberone]

Well that's a relief. Now we don't have to play the games. Let's go straight to the Wild Card game.

Dude, we get a bye week one!

 

[jobberone]

Lee, Claiborne, Jones, Gregory and Irving were on this defense last year. And they were dreadful.

Tapper and Collins are complete unknowns. Mayowa is a flyer. He's done nothing to date. The Raiders, who have tons of salary cap space, were fine in letting him walk.

However I do like the Thornton signing.

Some unknowns for sure and I'd wager we won't have the pressure we'd like. But Lee was good and Claiborne was solid last year. Jones exceeded expectations and should be better than solid this year. Gregory was injured and didn't play well that is true but not 'dreadful'.

We will be better on D this year. How much is TBD.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

Lee, Claiborne, Jones, Gregory and Irving were on this defense last year. And they were dreadful.

Tapper and Collins are complete unknowns. Mayowa is a flyer. He's done nothing to date. The Raiders, who have tons of salary cap space, were fine in letting him walk.

However I do like the Thornton signing.

Leave that poor chicken alone.

 

[Direwolf63]

Lee was fantastic last year. Claiborne was more than respectable. Jones showed great promise. Irving looks like a rotational guy. Gregory was hurt almost all year.

Not sure what you watched.

I watched a defense unable to pressure the QB.
I watched a defense that couldn't force a turnover to save their lives.
I watched a defense that continually crumbled late in close games.
I watched a defense that never made a play when it counted most.

Now I will grant you that some of these issues were related to Romo and Dez being gone for most of the year. But the defense certainly didn't do anything to make up for that loss either.

 

[erod]

I watched a defense unable to pressure the QB.
I watched a defense that couldn't force a turnover to save their lives.
I watched a defense that continually crumbled late in close games.
I watched a defense that never made a play when it counted most.

Now I will grant you that some of these issues were related to Romo and Dez being gone for most of the year. But the defense certainly didn't do anything to make up for that loss either.

When 17 points is all you can afford to give up, defense is hard. Teams took no chances against Dallas. Didn't have to. They just waited for exhaustion to set in.

Dallas' defense was good in the first half last year when they were fresh.

 

[Direwolf63]

Some unknowns for sure and I'd wager we won't have the pressure we'd like. But Lee was good and Claiborne was solid last year. Jones exceeded expectations and should be better than solid this year. Gregory was injured and didn't play well that is true but not 'dreadful'.

We will be better on D this year. How much is TBD.

While there may have been individuals like Lee and Jones who had respectable individual seasons, the group as a whole was dreadful. It is going to take a major turnaround as a group to get to double digit wins. Many think it's just going to happen because.......well just because.

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Fletch]

Yah we win.

Was there ever any doubt?

 

[Fletch]

I watched a defense unable to pressure the QB.
I watched a defense that couldn't force a turnover to save their lives.
I watched a defense that continually crumbled late in close games.
I watched a defense that never made a play when it counted most.

Now I will grant you that some of these issues were related to Romo and Dez being gone for most of the year. But the defense certainly didn't do anything to make up for that loss either.

Every year is different.

 

[DFWJC]

Any predictions from last year got thrown out as soon as the broken collarbone happened. Unless someone predicted that and included it as part of their prediction.

This year, I'd expect a really good race in the NFC East.
But if any team runs away with it, it would be Dallas.
This again, obviously, is barring any catastrophic injury to the QB.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Redsins really getting disrespected. McLoughan is doing a nice job building that roster. I think they will be our biggest challenge.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I rather be picked to finish last. Whenever we're picked to win anything we flop.

 

[waving monkey]

While there may have been individuals like Lee and Jones who had respectable individual seasons, the group as a whole was dreadful. It is going to take a major turnaround as a group to get to double digit wins. Many think it's just going to happen because.......well just because.

I'll believe it when I see it.

If the 2014 group could do it with surprizing success the 2016 group can

 

[Dorsett33]

I don't see how this team wins 12 games with this defense. No pass rush. Holes all over the back end. To get to 12 wins, you have to make numerous assumptions regarding the defense. Assumptions based on no evidence.

They won 12 games in 2014 and you couldn't have thought that was a good defense.

 

[Jstopper]

While there may have been individuals like Lee and Jones who had respectable individual seasons, the group as a whole was dreadful. It is going to take a major turnaround as a group to get to double digit wins. Many think it's just going to happen because.......well just because.

I'll believe it when I see it.

I would bet money your response was the exact same in the off-season of 2014