News: Gil Brandt: Early signs point to rebound season for Dallas Cowboys

[jazzcat22]

It truly is amazing to me the amount of negativity that still lingers on this board like a hot fart four hours after Taco Bell. How soon they forget about 2014 going into a season with arguably more talent. Last years rookies should make a jump. The young players from 2014 should be significantly better following two years of experience. This years crop of rookies have the potential to contribute. The key really is Romo. If Romo can stay healthy, they could break offensive records. And sometimes, having a really good offense makes a good enough defense. Time will tell.

You can beat them over the head with the Lombardi Trophy with a pic of Tony as the MVP...but yet, they will find ways to hate, well I will give them a few days though to collect their thoughts, or is that thoughtlessness.....

 

[jazzcat22]

The playing well part of that is one that's overlooked. People think if he's on the field he'll be elite. He's at the age where you can't just assume that anymore.

Tom Brady will be 39 by the time the season starts, but yet no one is worried about him.
Yes injuries to Romo and all that, but I don't go into season on the past injury thing too much. Brady is at the age where he is not exempt from any injuries either.
It's not like either are out there pulling hamstring type things. It's from weird hits that you can't control.

But I agree, you just can't assume a player will go out and perform like he did 2 seasons ago. But chances are he will perform well, and not poorly.

 

[jazzcat22]

That's because Dallas will play last place team schedule rather than 1st place schedule the prior year.

Last place schedule vs 1st place schedule is over hyped. There really isn't that much of a difference.
All team in each division plays basically the same teams.
So for the NFC East, we each play 6 games against each other. We all play the AFC North, The NFC North...all places of 1 through 4.

The only differences are 2 teams....that is 2 teams where we play the last place teams of the NFC South and the NFC West in TB & SF.

So that means Washington gets the Panthers and the Cardinals.....2 games difference....

 

[jazzcat22]

The annual there is something different about this team...

We'll see come December.. Until then it will most likely be another roller coaster season.

Jason Garrett coaches a 50/50 brand of football so I wouldn't expect any kind of dominance.

The annual...correction...daily, hourly, by the minute even...this team sucks post....

 

[ufcrules1]

The only differences are 2 teams....that is 2 teams where we play the last place teams of the NFC South and the NFC West in TB & SF.

So that means Washington gets the Panthers and the Cardinals.....2 games difference....

Washington is very likely to lose those 2 games and we are likely to win those 2 games.

 

[jazzcat22]

Washington is very likely to lose those 2 games and we are likely to win those 2 games.

Well then great for us...but it's still only 2 games difference in the schedule. However fans of SF & TB look at it differently, as Commanders fans too.

 

[CATCH17]

The annual...correction...daily, hourly, by the minute even...this team sucks post....

I don't think they suck.

I think it's like every other year. We'll be in the hunt all year if Romo stays healthy.

I do think our coach sucks.

 

[jazzcat22]

I don't think they suck.

I think it's like every other year. We'll be in the hunt all year if Romo stays healthy.

I do think our coach sucks.

I am not against nor for Garrett overall. More for though, maybe 60 / 40 or a bit less, like 57 / 43 LOL. But I will let this season decide which way I feel beyond this season.
I do think we need better positional coaches other than HC, OC, DC spots, for this year anyway.
I think they get 2 more years though unless the wheels fall off this year while being healthy.

 

[Doomsday101]

No doubt about it this team has a lot to prove. Are they the 12-4 team of 2014 or the 4-12 team of last season? For me I do have high expectation of this team and it is always good to hear positive reports from those attending these practice sessions. I can understand those who are leery of these reports but some of the comments around here seems as if they want all negative reports and somehow that will make them feel better. I know reports good or bad will not determine the outcome of this season the play of this team will it just seems strange to see any positive news being slammed. Each to their own.

 

[CATCH17]

I am not against nor for Garrett overall. More for though, maybe 60 / 40 or a bit less, like 57 / 43 LOL. But I will let this season decide which way I feel beyond this season.
I do think we need better positional coaches other than HC, OC, DC spots, for this year anyway.
I think they get 2 more years though unless the wheels fall off this year while being healthy.

If Romo stays healthy he will win games.

The problem is he adds nothing to it other than solid structure throughout the week.

On game day the other team knows exactly what we are doing and when we're going to do it and our only choice is to out-athlete the other team.

I don't expect Garrett to make this team anymore dynamic on gameday. He is going to stick to what he does and never take full advantage of the team he has.


The front office realized a few years ago that he needed to ditch the playcalling but they need to ditch his bland philosophies as well and add some wrinkles to a offense that can impose it's will on the ground, a WR who is incredible with the ball in his hands, and a QB that can extend plays

 

[CowboyRoy]

Really think Gregory takes a major step this season. He will show the blue chip talent.

Well he is going to need to take 3 steps forward this year because he just took two steps back by getting suspended. And then he will miss the first 4 games of the year and wont be allowed on the premises for a month. yah, what a recipe for taking a big leap forward eh?

 

[JoeBoBBY]

Dak Prescott's progression. The Cowboys knew Prescott would be a work in progress, but I'm not sure they expected it to come this quickly. Credit should go to offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson for getting Prescott up to speed so quickly. Prescott wasn't getting first- or second-team snaps, but when he did get in there he looked like someone who had taken the ball from under center all of his life. He made several good sight adjustments in passing drills and his mechanics were very sound. He also showed natural leadership qualities; players gravitate toward him and seem to genuinely like him.


Interesting, very interesting.....

 

[slick325]

Well he is going to need to take 3 steps forward this year because he just took two steps back by getting suspended. And then he will miss the first 4 games of the year and wont be allowed on the premises for a month. yah, what a recipe for taking a big leap forward eh?

Just a gut feeling CowboyRoy...it won't be a surprise to me but I think he will surprise a lot of Cowboys fans on the field.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

Well he is going to need to take 3 steps forward this year because he just took two steps back by getting suspended. And then he will miss the first 4 games of the year and wont be allowed on the premises for a month. yah, what a recipe for taking a big leap forward eh?

Gregory let a lot of people down, mostly himself.... Apparently it hasn't sunk in yet...... which , to me at least, indicates, it probably never will.....

Maybe he can string some really good years together without getting caught.

 

[CowboyRoy]

As much as last season stunk I'm inclined to agree with other fans and Romo in thinking it was an aberration.

As Romo was quoted:
"I feel like last year is an anomaly,'' Romo said. "If we're going to base it all on that then...you have to come back and prove differently.

8-8, 8-8, 8-8 There is a history here of this team and with Romo. If 4-12 is an an aberration then maybe 12-4 was. Im not sure that Romo going down is an aberration either. That has happened before in the recent past as well.

If Romo doesnt go down, I could definitely see 11-5 or 12-4. Even with our shoddy defense. But that season of 12-4 nearly everything went right for us with injuries and on the field.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Just a gut feeling CowboyRoy...it won't be a surprise to me but I think he will surprise a lot of Cowboys fans on the field.

My concern is not with him on the field. I think given the clean opportunity, he would develop nicely. My concern is him failing another test in the next 4 months. My concern is his rust after a month of not playing and after playing sparingly last year. And lets say he stays out of trouble this entire year and has like 8 sacks. All he has to do is fail a drug test next year and he is gone for a year.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I am not against nor for Garrett overall. More for though, maybe 60 / 40 or a bit less, like 57 / 43 LOL. But I will let this season decide which way I feel beyond this season.
I do think we need better positional coaches other than HC, OC, DC spots, for this year anyway.
I think they get 2 more years though unless the wheels fall off this year while being healthy.

Im not sure how anyone can NOT have an opinion about the head coach. He is one of the most valuable pieces to this entire puzzle or for any team. A great coach can make a big difference. IF you dont have much of an opinion in favor of the head coach then that should be a sign for you. The head coach is as important as the QB is or any single player on the team. Would you not have an opinion about the QB?

 

[slick325]

8-8, 8-8, 8-8 There is a history here of this team and with Romo. If 4-12 is an an aberration then maybe 12-4 was. Im not sure that Romo going down is an aberration either. That has happened before in the recent past as well.

If Romo doesnt go down, I could definitely see 11-5 or 12-4. Even with our shoddy defense. But that season of 12-4 nearly everything went right for us with injuries and on the field.

Those 8-8 teams were Garrett's rebuilding years especially looking at the offensive line. The 2014 team was, IMO, the fruits of the Front Office and Garrett's labor. Last year, they made a mistake regarding backup QB but...Romo going down plus Dez is the only reason they weren't a 10 win team and in the playoffs (IMHO). This season, should Romo and Dez stay healthy, they will again be a team capable of winning double digit wins and making the playoffs.

I'm not the "Dallas does no wrong" type nor am I a "woe is me" Cowboys fan. I call it like I see it. Based on the way they are constructing the roster since McClay, Garrett and Stephen Jones has had more say is encouraging to me.

 

[slick325]

My concern is not with him on the field. I think given the clean opportunity, he would develop nicely. My concern is him failing another test in the next 4 months. My concern is his rust after a month of not playing and after playing sparingly last year. And lets say he stays out of trouble this entire year and has like 8 sacks. All he has to do is fail a drug test next year and he is gone for a year.

I understand the angst and it is warranted. He has to own this and get the help he needs off the field.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Those 8-8 teams were Garrett's rebuilding years especially looking at the offensive line. The 2014 team was, IMO, the fruits of the Front Office and Garrett's labor. Last year, they made a mistake regarding backup QB but...Romo going down plus Dez is the only reason they weren't a 10 win team and in the playoffs (IMHO). This season, should Romo and Dez stay healthy, they will again be a team capable of winning double digit wins and making the playoffs.

I'm not the "Dallas does no wrong" type nor am I a "woe is me" Cowboys fan. I call it like I see it. Based on the way they are constructing the roster since McClay, Garrett and Stephen Jones has had more say is encouraging to me.

With this Oline, Romo, and Elliott, there should be no reason we cant compete for a playoff spot. Especially in the NFC east and with our easy schedule. I am also not giving Garrett a pass in those 3 seasons going 8-8. Maybe you want to call them Garretts tutoring years. He couldnt coach his way out of a paper bag and we lost several games a year directly related to his horrid coaching, poor clock management, and lame play calling. All 3 of those years came down to the last game of the season win and move on and we lost all 3 of them.

But as you mentioned we have to rely on guys NOT getting injured that have injury histories. Then we have the suspension issues of our two DE's. Not a good start so far.