Video: First Things First-Nick and Chris debate:Can Dak and the Cowboys offense carry them to a Super Bowl?

[Redball Express]

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Can Zeke & the defense show up vs the Rams? That was the teams downfall.

 

[StarBoyz83]

No itll have to be a team effort. If this defense is average theres no chance. This is not a high scoring or fast scoring offense.

 

[GenoT]

 

[Idgit]

Today I learned we “snuck” into the playoffs last season, winning the East like we did and resting our starters in week 17.

Red zone was terrible. It’s where no Dez, no TE threat, and the loss of Frederick combined to really hurt us. The fact that Amari wasn’t a big RZ threat shouldn’t really surprise anybody. That’s not his game.

 

[MWH1967]

Thanks Red. Shame Rico has not advanced, problem solved! Big time.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Dez and T.Will were good in the redzone. If you don't have those type of players then the coaches have to scheme better. They have to be creative. Blake Jarwin, Noah Brown, and Rico Gathers all seem like they could help out in that area. Running Zeke from a spread set could help too. Cause 52% is not going to get you deep into the playoffs too often.

 

[Diehardblues]

Not the 2018 Cowboys led Dak offense.

 

[starfan1]

Missed opportunities play a role receivers dropping balls . FB dropping balls . Predictability and penalties . 1st and goal at 1 turns into 1st and goal at 6. Then Lal Collins holds or something to that nature

No scott Linehan ups our % right off the bat

 

[Stash]

It was a good (not great) conversation on the subject, and Wright pointed out their well-established red zone issues. He has a face for radio, but he does his homework and brings it when making his points. But I think more should be said regarding the patchwork offensive line not playing up to their usual standards too. There's no doubt that Linehan's playcalling was pathetic, I've said that since 2016, but I'm also not putting it all on him. The line underperforming was a big factor in everything too, as well as some issues the quarterback has in his game, like making fast decisions. You get down there and you're passing, you better decide in a hurry because everything is happening much faster.

 

[starfan1]

It was a good (not great) conversation on the subject, and Wright pointed out their well-established red zone issues. He has a face for radio, but he does his homework and brings it when making his points. But I think more should be said regarding the patchwork offensive line not playing up to their usual standards too. There's no doubt that Linehan's playcalling was pathetic, I've said that since 2016, but I'm also not putting it all on him. The line underperforming was a big factor in everything too, as well as some issues the quarterback has in his game, like making fast decisions. You get down there and you're passing, you better decide in a hurry because everything is happening much faster.

I agree I wish they would let him use his legs more but I understand when you have the back ups we do you’re cautious with your starter but Dak is pretty stout. And typically he understands how to take a hit

 

[Stash]

I agree I wish they would let him use his legs more but I understand when you have the back ups we do you’re cautious with your starter but Dak is pretty stout. And typically he understands how to take a hit

I'm hopeful that Kellen Moore will use him in that role more than Linehan did. I think the difference between what Linehan accomplished and what a better coordinator can do with this talent is potentially huge. And now we'll see if Moore can be that.

 

[CouchCoach]

The majority of Garrett's offense is what he grew up on in the NFL, man on man, our man beats their man. That's great with perfect execution but let one man miss his assignment and it fails. His offense is predicated on his guys will execute better and are better players at their position than their guys opposing them. That is not always the case.

I think Garrett's offensive strategy is fine; it is his tactics when that is not working that are missing. Good coaches go into a game thinking their strategy is going to work. Great coaches go into a game thinking it might not work and if it doesn't, what do we do?

Moore is a wild card, unknown what he will do except when we've been told that there is some misdirection and trickery involved with the offensive sets. Gone are the days when an OC can show them the play and then run it, they have to show them something else and make them guess but still execution is a large part of that. And Garrett assumes the play will be executed by his guys the way it is drawn up. The challenge for his guys is that the D's guesswork is too easy, too few options to consider.

And this RZ issue is not new, they drafted Escobar to fix that and they failed to do so. Moore can call better plays or even the same plays out of a different alignment but the bottom line is and always will be execution.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Thanks Red. Shame Rico has not advanced, problem solved! Big time.

It's not that Rico has not evolved. It's that Rico is not being used. The other TEs are being given more opportunities for whatever reason(s). Granted, Swaim is no longer here, but Jarwin showed much improvement. Ex-rookie Schultz saw more action than Rico, yet Rico looked like the better blocker and as equal in pass catching. Having Witten come back does not help Rico, but I feel the Cowboys do need to keep their recent years standard 4 TEs on the team, so Rico should be safe. He does need to pick it up this training camp and preseason.

 

[CouchCoach]

I believe they asked the wrong question, can the defense carry them to the SB?

For the first time since the 90's run, the Cowboys are not O heavy with their stars. They have focused on the lines for the first time since then as well and it will show.

People can talk about the triplets all they want, that was about D as much as O back then. They can talk about Brady being GOAT and every ring he's won, he had a strong D and he's an only child, no triplets.

You want the Dallas Cowboys triplets, try Lawrence, Smith and Vander Esch.