Great pick in Prescott, but we will have to score 30+ points per game to win

[windward]

I, like everyone else, was sitting there mesmerized, watching Dak Prescott have a perfect game his first time playing vs another team. (The two drops weren't his fault). I love what I see as the future franchise QB of this team took total control of the offense. I also really like what I saw from our RB corps, whether it was Morris or Jackson or whoever. However, I also saw the other side of the ball. Going into the past few drafts, this team saw it too, but did little about it. Sure, they drafted knuckleheads, like Gregory & Lawrence, and LBs that couldn't play until the following season, but nothing even close to a Super Bowl winning defense. (See: Broncos, Seahawks, Giants, ect.)

Looking at the Jags' draft, I can't help wish that their first 4 picks: Jalen Ramsey, Miles Jack, Yannick Ngakoue, & Sheldon Day, were ours & vice-versa. We would still have a very solid RB corps, but our secondary would be much better off. Even after that, the Jags drafted two more DEs. Now, THAT'S how you build a SB defense. LB Jack is already playing, while our LB, Jaylon Smith, is out all season. Our franchise QB is THIRTY SIX years old. You don't wait until later to give him a defense. Now, the only way we can sack the QB is to manufacture a pass rush with blitzes, leaving a terrible secondary susceptible to big plays.

This year, we will have to score 30+ points per game, because our D will be giving up 28/game. That's not, nor ever will be, a formula for a championship trophy. Stop drafting injured players in the first 3 rounds, & select defensive players the first five rounds next year, like the Jags did, & maybe we can begin to build a defense worthy of a ring. I just hope our QB can last that long.

No we won't.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I also saw the other side of the ball. Going into the past few drafts, this team saw it too, but did little about it.

I have to disagree with that pretty strongly.

2016 - Smith, Collins, Tapper, Brown, Frazier

2015 - Jones, Gregory, Wilson, Russell, Nzeocha

2014 - DLaw (2 picks), Hitchens, Gardner, Smith, Dixon, Bishop, Mitchell

26 players drafted in last 3 years. 17 on the defensive side. Over 65%. That is doing little about it?

 

[dfense]

Maybe we can wait and see if the Jags win 8 games first.

 

[ccb04]

I did like the aforementioned players the Jags drafted. How much each contributes of course remains to be seen. The Cowboys undoubtedly need to continue to build their defense. They did spend 3rd & 4th rd. selections on D-Linemen...& I like CB Anthony Brown. The previous two years, they traded up for Lawrence & selected Gregory in the 2nd, & Jones in the 1st.

I think the Boys' D-Line has a chance to be improved. The quickest way to pressure the QB is up the middle...collapsing the pocket. A healthy Crawford & Thornton replacing Hayden, are steps in that direction...with Thornton looking pretty darn good against the Rams. Depth with guys like T. McClain, Collins, possibly Jenkins, etc. could also help. At DE, I think a guy like Irving could take the next step...and am interested to see how Mayowa progresses. If having issues at RDE, I'd move Lawrence there when he returns, as it's been reported he's even given T. Smith some fits in camp.

Think the secondary could be improved with the return of Scandrick...Jones at safety...Carr moving to his more comfortable spot, the addition of Brown, etc. The other safety spot & depth remains a concern. At LB, Mark Nzeocha showed quite a bit of promise for a guy that missed all of last season, was a 7th rd. pick & has limited experience. Akunne has also practiced/played pretty well. Durant was brought in for depth & potential sub package play. Now hopefully a guy like Wilson can begin to step up.

The defense needs to be solid at forcing turnovers as they were in 2014...which of course gives the offense more chances. If they are better at collapsing the pocket with stronger interior play, I'll take it. That makes most any QB uncomfortable when they can't step up & there's pressure in their face. We'll have to see how things shake out, and hope that they can remain relatively healthy.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

COWBOYS DRAFT > jaguars draft

 

[jday]

No...no they really won't have to score 30 points per game to win. This defense was much worse last year and they allowed an average of 18.56 points per game...and that with an offense that could not keep drives going and thus the opposing offense off the field....so yeah, your way off on that one sir...

 

[Sarge]

I would rather not be the Jaguars..

Don't sleep on the Jaguars. That is one team clearly headed in the right direction. .02

 

[Killerinstinct]

No...no they really won't have to score 30 points per game to win. This defense was much worse last year and they allowed an average of 18.56 points per game...and that with an offense that could not keep drives going and thus the opposing offense off the field....so yeah, your way off on that one sir...

Was the defense worse last year? I guess we will see. Scandrick back might help as should Jones playing FS but our de's are much worse and the LB corp looks weak as well.

 

[jday]

Was the defense worse last year? I guess we will see. Scandrick back might help as should Jones playing FS but our de's are much worse and the LB corp looks weak as well.

DE is weak by comparison without Lawrence, and Lawrence alone. But as a whole, the defense is better. Scandrick is back. Jones can settle into one position - you touched on that. Furthermore, the defense will not be on the field nearly as much due to the offenses ability to keep drives alive (see 2014). And I am starting to look at the loss of Hardy, Gregory and McClain as addition by subtraction.

 

[funkytown]

I would rather not be the Jaguars..

I wouldn't want to be a fan of any other team. I love the Boys.

But the Jags are no laughing matter anymore. I loved their draft but we can wait a few years to talk about that. The young talent they already have is really something to envy. Not to mention all the money they spent on free agents. This is a playoff team guys.

 

[ilykdrama]

Murray was a complete player , and McF did good considering we had no passing game when he played.

Elliot is ...... well we wont know till he plays, hopefully he is good , real good, but it is possible he wont be as good
as expected.

Murray is not a complete player. Can't hold the ball and a hole a diesel could drive through to break one.

 

[zrinkill]

A safety number 4 overall was not gonna help our defense this year.

 

[DogFace]

No...no they really won't have to score 30 points per game to win. This defense was much worse last year and they allowed an average of 18.56 points per game...and that with an offense that could not keep drives going and thus the opposing offense off the field....so yeah, your way off on that one sir...

Yes. Everyone seems to think we had the worst D in the league last year.

It can't be unstated about how the terrible offense affected the D. It had to be mentally demoralizing as well as always being put in terrible field position.

 

[Risen Star]

Murray was a complete player , and McF did good considering we had no passing game when he played.

Elliot is ...... well we wont know till he plays, hopefully he is good , real good, but it is possible he wont be as good
as expected.

I would trade Murray and McFadden for Zeke Elliott.

 

[Walker]

No ty on Jack, that dude is going to get worse every season health wise till he can't go no more.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

If yall guys say we can't go off of what Dak did because it's preseason then the same applies to the defense. Especially when so many guys didn't even play. 2 years ago we played terrible in preseason and went on to win 12 games that year.

 

[DandyDon52]

Murray is not a complete player. Can't hold the ball and a hole a diesel could drive through to break one.

Well each to his own opinion.
lets see how they both do this year.
Murray broke one for 71 yard td in PS game 1 and had 93 yards. Henry had 74 yards 167 total in 1 half.

 

[DandyDon52]

I would trade Murray and McFadden for Zeke Elliott.

Hmmm I guess your saying you like elliot better than those 2?
Even though elliot has never played a down in the nfl ?
We have him good or bad, but I want to see him play a real game before I say he is better than backs who have
already played in nfl.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

We have no idea how this defense will play. They could be top 10 or bottom 15, we have no clue. We can speculate and the past few years haven't been great but players develop. That's what preseason is for, make mistakes get them out the way and learn from them before the season starts.

We are an offense minded team, we have some young pieces on defense that need a chance to prove themselves. A very young, talented DL but none with tons of experience. T. Crawford is our longest veteran on the line, think about that. These guys have potential, suspensions and injuries have hurt, but young none the less.

LBs seem weak from again suspension and injuries. Tons of young guys there as well. Lee is the vet there and Durant as well but most other guys are really young.

Secondary is the strongest as vets are concern. Jones being at FS has tons of potential but only going into his 2nd year. Church at SS might be better with a real FS beside him and the corners are good at man coverage.....struggle in zone.

We don't have a Denver, Seattle, Arizona or Carolina defense but we do have a young group that hopefully will improve. I think the biggest weakness is DE and LB right now. I don't see them being worst since they are mostly young, I see a group that can potentially get better as the season goes on. We need to 15 defense, would love top 5 but we can win with top 15. They keep teams under 20-25 points we will do special things and with our power run game and explosive pass game we can run clock all day

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

you make a good point , but it is too late to build a great defense to help tony, by the time it is built he could be too old.

Jerry and his boy, have focused on "bargain" Defensive players like gregory,Ro, and J. Smith,
and injured players like smith and green and even crawford.
Our defense, hopefully wont be so bad as to allow 28 a game though.
In past 2 years, the main problem has been the 4th qtr, where our defense cant seem to stop anyone.
That to me could be a coaching and scheme issue ??

Look at the NO game we lost, they scored on a play where brees saw a rookie player sent in late, and took advantage of that.
The cowboys should have called timeout after the injury, so that to me was a coaching mistake.
Knowing when to blitz and when not to, and also being effective in blitzing is something the cowboys are not too good at.
Again more of a coaching issue than personnel ??

What did the space bar ever do to you? Everyone of your posts reads like something a fifth grader typed out from the comfort of a trunk.