First Impressions are Sometimes Right

[ESisback]

It was pass interference

Gip, don't bother. He's trolling.

 

[Cowpolk]

Gip, don't bother. He's trolling.

I can do that

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

No team is able to be 3 deep at every position.

 

[ESisback]

If they get something out of Gathers? That’s a big IF. He’s a head case that will be forgotten in a year in my opinion.

Most players today are "head cases".

 

[Cowpolk]

Most players today are "head cases".

Dang that is why I never made it to the NFL I was ahead of my time

 

[cern]

That's my expression after reading youtr your last post.

Dez is the greatest common denominator? That makes no sense.

Nothing prevented Dak from throwing to the open man except his own ability.

being able to disagree is what makes these boards great.

 

[cern]

My first impression was that they don't know if they've got the QB of the future and they're going to find out quickly because with what the DC's saw last season when the game was on Dak, he was not the guy. They will sell out to stop the run and put the game on him and that's a good thing, find out if he's the guy going forward.

The other impression was Dak didn't get a lot of help from his WR corps so I thought they might address that but not to the point of cutting Dez. He is the closest thing they have to a #1 on the team and there is not immediate help in the draft. Hurns was a pleasant surprise as I was thinking more like Moncrief.

So, how do they help Dak? Get an OT and move Collins back to LG? Get a #2 RB that's a pass receiver as well as backup? Get a TE if Gathers isn't ready to go? Spend the 1st on a WR?

My only real first impression came during the 2017 season, not after it, and the best way they can help the young QB is by upgrading the D, especially in the run. They are vulnerable when Lee is out and the middle is soft. They need LB and DT in the first two picks and I would throw another of each, at the minimum, in the first 6 picks. With the unknown condition of Smith and known condition of Lee, he will not play all 16, the team is exceptionally vulnerable at the LB position, all three. And there is not a DT on the team that forces the OC to commit 2 OL and keep one off the LB's.

The DC's are going to put the game on Dak. If he has a soft D, his own team will put it on him and force him to score 28+ and that means forcing the ball. I do believe Dak can execute the offense but I do not think he can create it and if this D isn't improved, that is exactly what he's going to have to do.

a friend of mine came to the ranch today to hunt turkeys over the weekend. he brought me two boxes of rocky patel sungrown maduro robustos. just smoked my first. wow!!!!! if you get the chance, get one. fantastic smoke.

 

[fansince68]

Going back to January, in the immediate aftermath of the season, these were my thoughts then

• Offensively, the Cowboys need
  • Backup QB
  • Backup RB
  • Starting Oline - preferably OT, and move Collins back to OG
  • Resign FB - (Replacing with Jamize Olawale is acceptable)
  • Stand pat at WR and TE, because the issue with the drop off in pass production had more to do with bad play by Dak (who is still developing) than the receiving Corps
  • Hopeful that Rico Gathers bounces back, and becomes the heir apparent to Witten
• Defensively, the Cowboys need
  • Three new Linebackers
  • Resign Irving and Lawrence
  • No way Hitchens was staying
  • Draft a 1-tech
  • Need a true free safety
  • Stand pat at DE and CB, allowing the young players to further develop
  • Admittedly, I still believe that Gregory will come back, and take over the starting RDE position, although I'm sure he'll have to work his way into the rotation
• Special Team, the Cowboys need
  • Better return game
  • resign Ladouceur
  • Stand pat with Bailey and Jones as kickers

Those were my thoughts in January. Then I started hearing all the ruckus about Wide Receiver upgrades, and I was very disappointed to find out the Cowboys were so intent on that. I still don't believe the Cowboys problems in the passing game are the fault of the receivers. Dak doesn't throw with anticipation. You can brag all day about his tight window throwing percentage, but one of the reasons he has so many tight window throws is he doesn't throw receivers open. He waits for them to get open, and then reacts. By the time he makes the throws, those windows tighten back up.

I like that Dak is so careful to try to take care of the football. But sometimes, he tries to be too safe. He doesn't trust the receiver to uncover BEFORE he makes the throw. He waits. That led to more sacks last year, and also lower production by the recieving corps. He MUST get better.

The good news is that Dak is the type of player who will commit himself to getting better. The bad news is we, as fans, still don't really know if he'll take that next step in his development. Like many others, I think he greatly benefitted from Romo being on the sideline in 2016. I'm rooting for Dak. Regardless of my fond memories of Romo, it was time for him to retire. I would like to have fond memories of Dak 10 years from now. But Dak is a work in progress.

I've come to grips with the idea (even if I don't like it) that the Cowboys are serious about upgrading the WR corps. I hope it doesn't come at the expense of improving the middle of the Cowboys defense, which is easily the weakest part of the team. And the LB corps needs a serious infusion of talent.

I still think my first impressions were correct.

AKOYE..has YouTube evaluations of Dak..and Dez. Please watch and witness. He presents film evidence that Dez is open 80 percent of the time. During AKOYE'S..assessment he overlays the negative Shannon Sharp comments along with other critics of Dez. All criticism is UNFOUNDED. You mentioned Dak MUST get better. Why does the organization not watch the same coaches film to analyze the players. Utilized correctly, I think Dez will work fabulously with Christian Kirk.

 

[ESisback]

Dang that is why I never made it to the NFL I was ahead of my time

I saw Roberto Duran on TV today.

 

[Cowpolk]

I saw Roberto Duran on TV today.

Was he smiling?

 

[ESisback]

Was he smiling?

Actually, a little. They were hunting for ghosts in his home country. One of those shows where a team of guys wet their pants over faint tapping noises picked up by their paranormal technology.

 

[kskboys]

While I agree dez should have caught it. Which was my initial response seeing it live, I can't say it was a well placed ball either. If you watch the video again you will see the db holding the arm as dez starts to go up for the ball. Like you said though. Dez should be catching everything thrown at him at the money he is getting

Dez was looking over the wrong shoulder. Dak is instructed to throw that pass over the shoulder where the DB isn't. In this instance, the throw was perfect.

 

[CouchCoach]

a friend of mine came to the ranch today to hunt turkeys over the weekend. he brought me two boxes of rocky patel sungrown maduro robustos. just smoked my first. wow!!!!! if you get the chance, get one. fantastic smoke.

Thanks form the heads up, I like Patel but haven't tried that one.

 

[kevm3]

I would love to know who IS the guy with this offensive scheme. You can bring the vast majority of qbs in here and they will look like Dak did when your O-line is getting beat, your wrs are always covered because the opposing defense already knows what routes the receivers are going to run and your run first offense is without the runningback. Drafting a new wr isn't going to fix anything, especially if the other team already knows what route he's going to run.We're not at a talent deficit. We're at a head coach and fo competence deficit.

This isn't the 90s. You aren't going to win for long by bullying the other team. There's a reason we never have gotten to the conference championship. We keep rotating players out and blaming them and yet the SAME RESULTS. Let's keep on slamming on Dak and Dez but keep Jerry and Stephen as GM and Garrett as head coach and watch as we levy the SAME complaints with a whole roster of new players.

 

[cwbyfn88]

Dez was looking over the wrong shoulder. Dak is instructed to throw that pass over the shoulder where the DB isn't. In this instance, the throw was perfect.

Fair point. I played receiver my whole youth. As you can see I'm more partial towards the WR. In highschool qbs rarely threw a receiver open. So if I turned to look for the ball and it was thrown to the opposite shoulder it was the QB's fault.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Going back to January, in the immediate aftermath of the season, these were my thoughts then

• Offensively, the Cowboys need
  • Backup QB
  • Backup RB
  • Starting Oline - preferably OT, and move Collins back to OG
  • Resign FB - (Replacing with Jamize Olawale is acceptable)
  • Stand pat at WR and TE, because the issue with the drop off in pass production had more to do with bad play by Dak (who is still developing) than the receiving Corps
  • Hopeful that Rico Gathers bounces back, and becomes the heir apparent to Witten
• Defensively, the Cowboys need
  • Three new Linebackers
  • Resign Irving and Lawrence
  • No way Hitchens was staying
  • Draft a 1-tech
  • Need a true free safety
  • Stand pat at DE and CB, allowing the young players to further develop
  • Admittedly, I still believe that Gregory will come back, and take over the starting RDE position, although I'm sure he'll have to work his way into the rotation
• Special Team, the Cowboys need
  • Better return game
  • resign Ladouceur
  • Stand pat with Bailey and Jones as kickers

Those were my thoughts in January. Then I started hearing all the ruckus about Wide Receiver upgrades, and I was very disappointed to find out the Cowboys were so intent on that. I still don't believe the Cowboys problems in the passing game are the fault of the receivers. Dak doesn't throw with anticipation. You can brag all day about his tight window throwing percentage, but one of the reasons he has so many tight window throws is he doesn't throw receivers open. He waits for them to get open, and then reacts. By the time he makes the throws, those windows tighten back up.

I like that Dak is so careful to try to take care of the football. But sometimes, he tries to be too safe. He doesn't trust the receiver to uncover BEFORE he makes the throw. He waits. That led to more sacks last year, and also lower production by the recieving corps. He MUST get better.

The good news is that Dak is the type of player who will commit himself to getting better. The bad news is we, as fans, still don't really know if he'll take that next step in his development. Like many others, I think he greatly benefitted from Romo being on the sideline in 2016. I'm rooting for Dak. Regardless of my fond memories of Romo, it was time for him to retire. I would like to have fond memories of Dak 10 years from now. But Dak is a work in progress.

I've come to grips with the idea (even if I don't like it) that the Cowboys are serious about upgrading the WR corps. I hope it doesn't come at the expense of improving the middle of the Cowboys defense, which is easily the weakest part of the team. And the LB corps needs a serious infusion of talent.

I still think my first impressions were correct.

Good first impressions and they're generally always right

 

[kskboys]

Fair point. I played receiver my whole youth. As you can see I'm more partial towards the WR. In highschool qbs rarely threw a receiver open. So if I turned to look for the ball and it was thrown to the opposite shoulder it was the QB's fault.

That's old school football. In today's world, the WR is instructed to cut away from the DB. In this instance, Dez goes the wrong way. If he goes away from the DB, it's an easy pitch and catch.

Am I right? Who knows, but that's what it appears to be in this case. The truth is, Dez has trouble running the right route, and Dak has accuracy issues.

Going to be interesting to see what happens going forward. There's a good chance this mess will be cleared up.

 

[cwbyfn88]

That's old school football. In today's world, the WR is instructed to cut away from the DB. In this instance, Dez goes the wrong way. If he goes away from the DB, it's an easy pitch and catch.

Am I right? Who knows, but that's what it appears to be in this case. The truth is, Dez has trouble running the right route, and Dak has accuracy issues.

Going to be interesting to see what happens going forward. There's a good chance this mess will be cleared up.

You are right. It really is old school football. That's why the likes of Brees Rodgers Brady and Manning awed me. And you are correct. Dez was a freakish athlete. Def not the smartest guy on the team.
Who knows though. With reports of dez working on his routes in the offseason and Dak on his accuracy we may have an improved offense this time around. Not to mention with a full season of Zeke and an improved oline depth we just might see the offense click again. I just hope dez is working on his hands this off season too because he really had a lot of drops last year.

 

[Carter]

Good Post. In My Opinion everything Points to the Cowboys taking a LB in the 1st. Its just too obvious. But that makes it scary and we have to send prayers up if Calvin Ridley i there at 19 and Jerry is awake in the War Room.