How do we compare to Pats and Falcons now

[robjay04]

They were down to Jacoby Brissett at one point last year and didn't really miss a beat. They acquired guys who can play right away, which is what they needed to do. I have a hard time questioning anything they've done.

The Pats were shut out with Brissett...

The Raiders and Pats were competing for home field advantage, Raiders lose their QB and important pieces of their OL and they predictably crash and the only competition for the Pats is out of the picture.

I suspect the Pats to win the conference again, they are a better team but they are putting all their chips on the next couple years with Brady. The point is, you don't trade away your draft in the most deep draft in recent history if you are trying to build something to last. The Patriots dropped the ball in this draft.

I get it though...Bellichick has nothing to prove, he will likely retire when Brady retires and ride off in the sunset. Why prepare a team for the next coach?

 

[Proof]

This team has a second year quarterback and a hand full of rookies that need to make a difference on defense.

I am for seeing the bright side of life here, but think this team needs one more string draft and a little seasoning on what we have before this team can get into the NFC Championship game.

Get there and it's two wins and you're golden. Until then its wait and see.

I feel like we've been dealt a similar hand to what propelled the Seahawks on their rise.

Hitting on a mid round franchise qb coupled with back to back strong drafts with hits in the later rounds. Oh and a beastly LB.

The see saw nature of the Falcons was pre Dan Quinn, Vic Beasley and the dynamic 1-2 running game. I think they'll be back. Adding Poe and that lunatic Takk should help considerably

 

[ShiningStar]

we dont, both those teams played in the SB. we bought tickets to go. lets wait til we can crack that stage.

 

[robjay04]

I feel like we've been dealt a similar hand to what propelled the Seahawks on their rise.

Hitting on a mid round franchise qb coupled with back to back strong drafts with hits in the later rounds. Oh and a beastly LB.

The see saw nature of the Falcons was pre Dan Quinn, Vic Beasley and the dynamic 1-2 running game. I think they'll be back. Adding Poe and that lunatic Takk should help considerably

Falcons are a very young, good football team. That offense has too many weapons to faulter and the defense seems to have improved.

The thing is with the NFL...it's so hard to get through complete seasons without major injuries. An injury to Julio or Ryan will be the only thing that slows them down...they aren't like many of the Super Bowl hangover teams due to their youth.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Why do we need to wait another draft to advance 1 week further than we did last season?

Because they just swapped the defensive backfield with several rookies that have not played at the top level as yet.

Dak and Zeke showed the world what young guns can do. But I am skeptical these guys can be starters and major contributors this season.

 

[TonyS]

yep Poe will be tough.
Tak will line up wide 9 and make it tough for slow RTs...

I don't see Tak being effective with having to rush carrying his grandma's portrait and all.

 

[robjay04]

Because they just swapped the defensive backfield with several rookies that have not played at the top level as yet.

Dak and Zeke showed the world what young guns can do. But I am skeptical these guys can be starters and major contributors this season.

You may be right but I wonder how much worse can they be?

Now I don't believe they were awful players but Mo/Carr were never fits in Marinelli's system. Our defense is pretty much built around our offense. If our offense is efficient and consistently putting up points...other teams start to press and take chances. Our secondary's main job is to not give up big plays---we are okay giving up catches as long as we aren't giving up quick scores.

That style of defense is fairly corner friendly. As long as our offense is dominant, our defense will be good enough due to the scheme. I don't know if we will win 13 games but we will still be as competitive as any team in the conference.

 

[waldoputty]

Because they just swapped the defensive backfield with several rookies that have not played at the top level as yet.

Dak and Zeke showed the world what young guns can do. But I am skeptical these guys can be starters and major contributors this season.

The DBs would probably be just fine by the playoffs at the end of the season.

The problem is the DL and whether it is up to it.
Is Taco and anyone else going to demand double teams or not...

 

[waldoputty]

I don't see Tak being effective with having to rush carrying his grandma's portrait and all.

lol, actually the sport radio in SF talked a lot about that.
apparently he had a really tough life abandoned by both parents and was raised by his grandma - hence the emotions...

 

[big dog cowboy]

How do we compare to Pats and Falcons now

I'm more anxious to see how the Cowboys compare to them in 9 months.

 

[tyke1doe]

We can beat anybody as long as the coaching staff doesn't screw up like they did vs Green Bay

Twice.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

I'm happy because the packers had another bad draft IMO. They continue to ignore a true MLB and elite pass rusher, they also took 2 low end RBs, and a bunch of project WRs like always. I'll give them credit for the King pick but other than that they sucked.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Better worry about getting past the Packers and Giants first.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Better worry about getting past the Packers and Giants first.

Eli at qb, no worries.

 

[waldoputty]

Better worry about getting past the Packers and Giants first.

if you cannot be the top tier teams, anything else is not important.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I was pleased to see McKinley go. He lacks size and quickness. Charlton's ceiling is much higher. We would only play that Pats in the Super Bowl.

We are going to be very hard to run against with the size and quickness of our front 4 and our LB are instinctual and athletic. DLaw is in his contract year, Irving and Collins have a real chance to emerge and we have the making of an excellent DL rotation that goes 10 deep.

Back 7 is talented, athletic, and deep. With Jaylon, Jones, Lee, and Heath, we have excellent range and coverage ability in the middle of the field. You cannot help but love the 5 corners we have on the outside.

Doug Free started to fall off the cliff last year and his replacement should easily replace what he brought. If Green can stay healthy with his feet we have a good chance to see improvement. Bell at worst would tread water.

Zeke Elliott and Dak Prescott were MVP candidates as rookies. Players see the most improvement between their first and second seasons. DMC is back to health and provides a talented rotation with Morris.

Rico is a wildcard but he has a chance to be a contributor. Swaim should be better in his second year starting. Witten continues to play at a high level. Some level of concern with his tooth one year longer.

Dez and TWill are in their prime and headline a receiving corps that returned all of Dak's weapons helping fuel his improvement. Dez is due for a healthy season as he has not had any degenerative injuries and has stayed out of trouble. Beasley emerged as a force and the addition of Switzer should created havoc in the middle of opposing defensive backfields.

We also have a great returner that can create something out of nothing using his elite quickness that we have lacked since Harris left a few year ago.

Teaching them are a group of coaches that have a track record of recent success developing all the position groups.

The main concerns are growing pains in the secondary, a trainwreck at RT and Witten's age but we have a good chance of having a roster that has no holes and depth at almost every position to absorb injury.

I think we are competitive with any team in the league.

 

[TheKey]

We upgraded with youth and ball skills in the secondary, a couple young bodies on the D-Line, plus Jaylon and Tapper. Excited about the offense at four wide with Dez and Twill on the outside and Bease and Switz in the slots.

 

[CCBoy]

The DBs would probably be just fine by the playoffs at the end of the season.

The problem is the DL and whether it is up to it.
Is Taco and anyone else going to demand double teams or not...

Actually, in the box arena, the Cowboys now add Taco Charlton, Charles Tapper, Stephen Paea, and Jaylon Smith. Add to the healthy return of DeMarcus Lawrence. But the defensive tackles should be improving as well...Maliek Collins, David Irvin, Tyrone Crawford, and Cedric Thornton. Sounds like a strong rotational group to this fan, backed up by Smith and Sean Lee.

 

[DogFace]

The Bills recovered from super bowl losses 3 times.

They never, and no one has, had a more demoralizing collapse like the Falcons. That one will leave a mark.

 

[gmoney112]

A lot better than last year, that's for sure.