Is this years team right back to 2014 status?

[theebs]

People forget in 2014 we were fortunate to play the rams, jags, titans, Texans with either a lousy qb or a young qb. In each of those games a major reason we won was because the qb of those teams couldn't make plays in the 4th qtr.

those are 4 big wins.

That was an excellent confident team which played with a nasty streak, but luck and circumstance played a part also.

this year will be much more difficult I think with games vs GB, Balt, Pitt, Minn and Cincy.

divisional games are always difficult but those games with the offenses those teams have are going to be extremely difficult especially since three are on the road.

If det and tampa are not good we should be set up for a strong December finish but getting there is going to be hard.

 

[theebs]

We got lucky in 2014 beating the lions and eventually lost to Green Bay with a hobbled Aaron Rodgers. Have we improved enough to beat a healthy Aaron Rodgers with two good legs? Has our dline improved enough to get pressure and sacks on the opposing qbs esp in playoff scenarios? Has romos and wittens skills declined since 2014? Eventually time catches up to us all.

sorry pet peeve of mine.

There was Zero luck in beating the lions in the playoffs.

We scored on the final play of the third quarter by running it in against the number 1 team against the run from the goaline on fourth down.
we forced Stafford to turn the ball over three times in the second half and kept them out of the endzone. Zero luck.

the luck was on the packers side, the officials blew the call on dez's catch and then on the ensuing drive Rodgers threw what should have been a pick six on third down that went right through scandricks hands...if he catches it he goes the distance to the end zone and gb has about 1:30 to score a TD.

 

[bsbellomy]

He's going to have to get the majority of it, probably close to 1,500 yards. Even Peterson did not have 1,500 yards rushing last year.




YR

Peterson did not have the best OL in football

 

[bsbellomy]

Both went to Ohio State. Both big recruits out of high school. Byars was drafted 10th overall, Zeke was drafted 4th overall. About the same amount of explosiveness for that time frame, but had football smarts.





YR

Are you kidding? Byars was nothing like Elliott. He didn't even play RB.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Peterson did not have the best OL in football

And EE isn't Peterson.





YR

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Are you kidding? Byars was nothing like Elliott. He didn't even play RB.

Nonsense.

He didn't play FB until later in his career. He was drafted as a tailback.





YR

 

[DogFace]

Injuries are part of the point. It's a position that is very injury prone. Let's look at our last 4 tailbacks.

Murray - oft-injured player throughout his career.

DMC - oft-injured player throughout his career.

Dunbar - Oft-injured player throughout his career

Randle - no longer in the league.

Morris - has slowed down dramatically as the game has taken its toll on him.

Now we just expect EE to go in, gain 1,500+ yards with 12+ TD's like it's no big deal.

And I keep hearing that the Cowboys staff looks at him like he's a defensive player. If that's the case, fire the entire scouting department right now. They are as dumb as it gets.





YR

That is a good point. Luckily his injury record is very good. Knock on...

Otherwise you're wrong and are going to be pleasantly surprised. He's a stud and may very well turn out to be the number one pick in a redraft after 3 years. We'll see.

 

[waving monkey]

If I recall correctly we headed into the 2014 training camp and then into the season with 6&10,8&8,9&7
predictions on this board.Myself included. Someone up thread said our defense is worse then the 2014 season?
Would some remind me who was on our defense that year? Special RB can produce their rookie season.
Our middle of the Defensive line is certainly better. BJones has a year under his belt. Offensive line is certainly
stouter,without question. Why wouldn't we be as good?

 

[Galian Beast]

Zeke is head and shoulders better than Murray ever was. And we have better backups as well. The only problem is the defense is worse and Romo is two years older. Like 2014 it will come down to health and injuries.

Defense is actually better.

 

[noshame]

The success or failure of the upcoming season mostly falls on the shoulders of Linehan 2014 his offense was new and different , last year everybody figured it out.

Teams will come out playing us the same way they did last year they'll move everybody up stop the run and challenge us to throw deep.

I don't care how well your offensive line plays if there's no threat of a deep ball defense has a big advantage.
to be a serious contender Linehan pretty much has to redesign his offense andromo has to have the arm and accuracy to throw downfield and stay healthy.

I don't see playoffs this year.

We are building a good team and a couple years from now we'll be ready

 

[Sarge]

Pretty easy schedule. I can see a big turn around this year. Defense still needs to be addressed though. Time will tell. I know this, we won't be 4-12.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Defense is actually better.

Did you wake up from your dream yet?

 

[Galian Beast]

Did you wake up from your dream yet?

Tell me where the 2014 defense was better than the 2016 defense.

 

[Eddie]

Zeke is head and shoulders better than Murray ever was. .

I will disagree. Murray has proven himself in a Cowboys uniform. Zeke has yet to take the field. Easy on those remarks.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Tell me where the 2014 defense was better than the 2016 defense.

We dont have and DE's. First 4 games we are going to be running out there scrubs to play. And even if these two guys come back from suspension we have no idea how Gregory is going to play.

But I think we can both agree that both defenses are bad. One is just worse that the other.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I will disagree. Murray has proven himself in a Cowboys uniform. Zeke has yet to take the field. Easy on those remarks.

You will disagree because you havent seen it yet? Ok, well I have the guts to actually make a prediction. And Murray did it one out of 5 years. Hardly anything to crow about.

 

[Galian Beast]

We dont have and DE's. First 4 games we are going to be running out there scrubs to play. And even if these two guys come back from suspension we have no idea how Gregory is going to play.

But I think we can both agree that both defenses are bad. One is just worse that the other.

Who were the Defensive ends in 2014... were they scrubs or no?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Who were the Defensive ends in 2014... were they scrubs or no?

Our two starting DE's are out for 4 games. Were starting backups. Guys we just signed in FA that were nobodies. Then when Gregory comes back, if he does how much experience does he have?

 

[Denim Chicken]

We dont have and DE's. First 4 games we are going to be running out there scrubs to play. And even if these two guys come back from suspension we have no idea how Gregory is going to play.

But I think we can both agree that both defenses are bad. One is just worse that the other.

2014 DEs not here any longer were Mincy & Selvie.

We have upgraded the middle with Thornton and a health Crawford. I do not believe that the defense will be worse in 2016, in fact I think it will be an improvement from the 19th ranked defence in 2014.

 

[Galian Beast]

Cmon man, get with the program here. Our two starting DE's are out for 4 games. Were starting backups. Guys we just signed in FA that were nobodies. Then when Gregory comes back, if he does how much experience does he have? This isnt rocket science. If you cant analyze that our DE's are worse, then there is no point in even having a conversation with you.

Who were the defensive ends in 2014?