Is this years team right back to 2014 status?

[ICP]

Our defense sucks!

Yeah That

 

[cowboys2233]

Who cares? If it creates 8-man fronts and he picks up blitzes for Romo and Dez and Dallas wins, what's the problem?

Elliott creates huge defensive problems. Play action because devastating. Short yardage is easier. And he finishes runs.

Stats are for the paste eaters.

I simply don't understand why this is so hard for some to get their minds around. Oh well.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Incorrect.
Byers had the same perceived or real explosiveness?
I knew you'd say schools. Somehow that's significant to some people. Explain to me why? Is it the "what's in the water thing"??

They were both stars in college at Ohio State. Byars was drafted #10 overall. Was considered a smart, tough player who wasn't going to wow you with athleticism. Zeke is practically the same guy. They are almost the same exact height except Byars had about 15 pounds on him.




YR

 

[MRV52]

Our defense sucks!

Defense was ranked 16th for points allowed some of you make it sound like we are trash. That defense played there hearts out being on the field so long while our offense went 3 and out all season long.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Who cares? If it creates 8-man fronts and he picks up blitzes for Romo and Dez and Dallas wins, what's the problem?

Elliott creates huge defensive problems. Play action because devastating. Short yardage is easier. And he finishes runs.

Stats are for the paste eaters.

The fact is that this league is based on winning the passing game battle. The level of production needed to change the game is quite a task to be asked for, especially for a rookie. Meanwhile we have nothing on defense. We are the worst tackling team in the league with one of the worst secondaries in the league. And it will be a miracle if Romo can remain effective and healthy for another 3 years.




YR

 

[gimmesix]

In 2014 Romo was coming back from off season surgery and his heath was in question. We went on to establish a dominate running game with Murray and really form a team identity, ultimately wining the division and ending one game out from the NFC championship. We were ranked 7th in offense and 19th in defense.

In 2015 we lost our captain and the ship sank. Our running game arguably suffered from the lack of a complete back, while still being top 5 due to the best OL in football. We all know the story. Offense ranked 22nd, defense ranked 17th.

Now in 2016, we again see Romo returning from off season surgery. We again have our bell cow RB to enjoy our dominate OL. Our defense, while still a work in progress, should be again mediocre. Obviously Romo's heath is paramount, but keeping faith that he stays upright, 2016 is shaping up to look a lot like 2014. If we can keep Romo healthy and find a way to move the defense from mediocre to good (like top 15) then this team has every chance of being a contender, just like they were in 2014.

Well, we had Mincey starting at one end and George Selvie at the other so we're close to being back to where we were in 2014.

 

[erod]

The fact is that this league is based on winning the passing game battle. The level of production needed to change the game is quite a task to be asked for, especially for a rookie. Meanwhile we have nothing on defense. We are the worst tackling team in the league with one of the worst secondaries in the league. And it will be a miracle if Romo can remain effective and healthy for another 3 years.




YR

The league is not based on anything. It's based on winning.

In fact, with all the defenses gearing up for passing games with small linebackers and strong safeties, I would argue that Dallas is doubly as tough to stop now. That's why Marshawn Lynch was so effective.

If you could reach to the past and grab either Emmitt Smith or Darren Woodson as rookies, which would you choose? Dallas chose Emmitt.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Defense was ranked 16th for points allowed some of you make it sound like we are trash. That defense played there hearts out being on the field so long while our offense went 3 and out all season long.

Our defense was trash.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Defense has to get turnovers. They were able to be Top-10 in turnovers forced in 2014 and that helped the offense get the ball back and stay on the field. If they can't get turnovers then it's back to 8-8!

 

[DogFace]

They were both stars in college at Ohio State. Byars was drafted #10 overall. Was considered a smart, tough player who wasn't going to wow you with athleticism. Zeke is practically the same guy. They are almost the same exact height except Byars had about 15 pounds on him.




YR

I haven't heard anyone but you say Zeke doesn't wow with his athleticism. Read some of the other threads. Many professional analyst were very impressed.
4.45 at his weight is pretty good.

15 pounds made Byers a totally different player than Zeke. He was not explosive and became a fullback.
What was his forty time? Or other athletic measurables?

 

[Yakuza Rich]

The league is not based on anything. It's based on winning.

And how do you win?

You pass the ball more effectively than the other team.

Keep trying to deny facts.

In fact, with all the defenses gearing up for passing games with small linebackers and strong safeties, I would argue that Dallas is doubly as tough to stop now. That's why Marshawn Lynch was so effective.

Lynch was effective in part because Russell Wilson is an effective passer of the ball and the Seahawks have had a tremendous pass defense.

Y'know...winning the passing game battle.

When the Seahawks replaced him with Rawls who ran the ball just as effectively, the Seahawks were not as dominant.

Why?

Because their pass defense started to struggle.

We have no pass defense. Our secondary can't stop pick plays and can't mix-match coverages. Wilcox and Church can't make tackles.

It basically comes down to the odds of finding a player like Ramsey in the draft is far worse than us being able to find a RB like EE in the draft. The Seahawks were able to get Lynch type production from a UDFA in Thomas Rawls.

We are just an ignorant organization that is still playing checkers...and doing poorly at that.





YR

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I haven't heard anyone but you say Zeke doesn't wow with his athleticism. Read some of the other threads. Many professional analyst were very impressed.
4.45 at his weight is pretty good.

15 pounds made Byers a totally different player than Zeke. He was not explosive and became a fullback.
What was his forty time? Or other athletic measurables?

Look at EE's SPARQ scores. He's not Troy Hambrick, but he isn't even in the same galaxy as an Adrian Peterson.





YR

 

[BulletBob]

But our defense is still pretty bad. But I don't know if it's much worse than it was in 2014. As it stands now, I think our secondary is currently better than it was in 2014. We're the same exact secondary with the addition of Byron Jones going into his 2nd year. I think our LBers are even currently better than what they were in 2014 considering we're basically the same exact LBer corps with the addition of a healthy Sean Lee (he was injured all of 2014). But I was say, in its current state, the DL looks worse than it was two years ago. But not by much. In 2014, our DL consisted of a Tyrone Crawford in his first year as a starter, a rookie D-Law who missed most of the season anyway, the Golden Cock, and newly added veteran Mincey. After the draft, I can see us being about as good as, if not slightly than, what we were going into 2014.

We added Cedric Thornton, who I think will be a big upgrade to Nick Hayden. Hopefully, we get Demarcus Lawrence back (I'm not counting on Gregory), and his play seems to be steadily improving. And we don't yet know what pieces we will add in this year's draft.

Yes, the defense might be a wash compared with 2014, but on paper, I think we have the potential to become better ... maybe significantly better.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Nope.

Asking your RB to gain 1,800+ yards rushing in his rookie year is outrageous. And it's all for not if Romo isn't sharp. Given his age and the injuries, optimistic to think he will as sharp as he was in 2014.





YR

I agree. Our running game, in 2014, didn't have a complete back gaining the yards to begin with so I really don't agree that a complete back thing plays a role in this. To me, this is really about two things. 1) does Romo stay healthy or not? 2) do we really want to be a physical running team?

I've really seen nothing that makes me believe that Romo will not be on the shelf again this season. He may stay healthy but that's not been the trend the past few seasons. If he sustains a season ending injury or if he misses a long period of time, we are done and the running game is not going to save us. Will likely only get us a crappy pick in the next draft. The other thing is that prior to Dumbar's injury, I didn't really see this desire to establish ourselves as a Run Dominant, Physical Offense we hear so much about. What I saw is what I've seen from Linehan, pretty much everywhere he's gone and what I've seen from Garrett, pretty much since he's been in Dallas. A desire to throw the ball as opposed to limiting the passes and establish the run. If we get, what we've gotten in most other seasons, which is a heavy lean towards throwing the ball, then no. If we actually use our running game, then it is certainly possible.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Our defense, while still a work in progress, should be again mediocre.

I don't agree with this at all. Not even close.

 

[zrinkill]

And we are expecting Keith Byars 2.0 YR

The lengths you people go too.

 

[erod]

And how do you win?

You pass the ball more effectively than the other team.

Keep trying to deny facts.


YR

Are you really arguing that Seattle won a title with a dynamic passing game? That team won with Lynch and defense.

Dallas has an infinitely better passing game than Seattle with Romo right now. And yes, Elliott just made it even better because he's an excellent pass protector and receiver.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I don't agree with this at all. Not even close.

What, that it will be mediocre? You think it will be better or worse?

 

[percyhoward]

The league is not based on anything.

That statement isn't based on anything.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

We added Cedric Thornton, who I think will be a big upgrade to Nick Hayden. Hopefully, we get Demarcus Lawrence back (I'm not counting on Gregory), and his play seems to be steadily improving. And we don't yet know what pieces we will add in this year's draft.

Yes, the defense might be a wash compared with 2014, but on paper, I think we have the potential to become better ... maybe significantly better.

Yeah, I agree. I think as it stands now the defense is on par with the 2014 defense. We can hopefully improve a bit before the season starts. The offense just be just as good as 2014 if not better if Elliott is anything close to what he's being hyped up to be.

I do like the Cedric Thornton signing. I just really want a DT because this class is absolutely loaded this year. Guys who will be around in the 3rd would be 1st rounders in any other year. That being said, we might feel comfortable with Crawford and Thornton as our starters. I can see us trying to improve on depth. Apparently we really liked Sheldon Day. He can be had in the 3rd, maybe even the 4th, and I think he's a guy who will kinda be like Hitchens was for us as a rookie - able to play any position on the D-line, hard worker, good teammate, good at everything but great at nothing, what you look for in a backup.