Is this your most optimistic season since the mid 90's?

[Toruk_Makto]

Like I said I'm not saying the Cowboys won't be able to run the football but that will be the spin from the agenda crowd when they do however I don't believe they'll run it as "efficiently" as we did last season especially in short yardage situations. You just can't remove a talented runner and replace them with average runners and not lose something. Who knows Randle may end up being better than average but we haven't seen him enough to know what he is.

My problem with Murray is that his rugged style with limited speed and wiggle is actually better suited for an offense with a line much worse than ours.

He simply couldn't take gigantic holes and maximize them as effectively as you'd like.

I'll sacrifice (if necessary and I'm not sure it is) some short yardage production for overall effectiveness 10 times out of 10.

 

[Tabascocat]

Nope! Every time I get over-confident or excited....I get let down

Going to take it in one game at a time and enjoy the ride

 

[DallasDomination]

Every big season we've had since 07 has been a disappointment the following year.. but this season and this team just feel different.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'm very optimistic about this year and can't see how anyone couldn't be.

Can we run the ball without Murray? Sure, but can we run it as "efficiently?" I don't think so. You don't lose a player of Murray's caliber and not lose something

The overvaluation of Murray continues.

 

[AsthmaField]

Every big season we've had since 07 has been a disappointment the following year.. but this season and this team just feel different.

Yeah, the make-up of this team is light years away from the make-up of both the 2008 and the 2010 squads.

Wade was a terrible coach. Particularly in keeping his player grounded. As soon as they won something, they were all fat cats the following season.

Garrett is very careful about that and was already getting the team focused on next year before the crown had filed out of Lambeau Field.

This team is hungry, focused and has no false sense of accomplishment.

 

[mattjames2010]

I'm very optimistic about this year and can't see how anyone couldn't be.


The overvaluation of Murray continues.

And the gushing over unproven and injury prone RBs continues as well.

 

[big dog cowboy]

And the gushing over unproven and injury prone RBs continues as well.

Who said anything about our current RB's?

 

[mattjames2010]

Who said anything about our current RB's?

In about countless threads here daily. ****, Randle will rush for 150 yards and get 3 TDs I just read. Really?

All of our current RBs, depending on who you ask here, is going to be the top RB in the league this year because of our supposedly, but not yet proven, historic offensive line.

So, the complaining because someone brings up Murray and how he helped with our success while ignoring the dozens upon dozens of others anointing our crappy group of RBs makes me laugh.

 

[Bungarian]

I don't know what to think about this season yet. Need to see some preseason to make a judgement.

 

[NickZepp]

2007 season was definitely one we were confident about. Kick *** defense was hitting it's peak. Had some great offensive talent. We weren't that far from the Super Bowl that year really. But this year is pretty close. Defense isn't amazing although it should be improved. Offense looks solid although not as talented as that group probably was overall.

 

[Fredd]

the way I see it, the team needs to stay healthy. If so, then I am optimistic because both sides of the line are very good, not great, but very good...the offense should be dynamic (28+ points per game, IMO) and the defense in two years just improved the DL incredibly. That will have HUGE ripple effects on the LB's and secondary...a QB with happy feet makes Fredd happy...with someone chasing you down, you are going to throw errant passes or make poor decisions...Marinelli's defense thrive on things like that...I see a lot more 3&outs this year once the entire gang is there (post suspensions)...

the optimism is strong in this one (say that in your best Darth Vader voice)

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

Maybe, but I never hit expectation mode until the end of the preseason.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Every big season we've had since 07 has been a disappointment the following year.. but this season and this team just feel different.

You nailed it!


"Things"'for lack of a better words are just different.

It feels like our year simply because ....

ITS ...

TIME...

AGAIN...

For the star to shine!

 

[YosemiteSam]

8-8.

 

[Dodger12]

OK Phil.

I'm going to enjoy watching all the crow eating after this line and these disrespected backs dish out butt whooping after butt whooping.

Can you tell me who ate crow after all the 10, 11 and 12 win predictions didn't pan out year after year? The questions surrounding our running game are valid and if any back has been disrespected, it's Murray who may have the same motivation as the disrespected backs you mentioned on our roster.

 

[Dodger12]

My problem with Murray is that his rugged style with limited speed and wiggle is actually better suited for an offense with a line much worse than ours.

Really? So you're being critical of Garrett for not using him more before the line was rebuilt? Oh, I know what your answer will be but I just find this an odd statement since the excuses for not using our running game more was we didn't have the line to make it effective.

 

[TwoDeep3]

My problem with Murray is that his rugged style with limited speed and wiggle is actually better suited for an offense with a line much worse than ours.

He simply couldn't take gigantic holes and maximize them as effectively as you'd like.

I'll sacrifice (if necessary and I'm not sure it is) some short yardage production for overall effectiveness 10 times out of 10.

This post is the epitome of a fan's perspective and the greed which inundates that position.

Murray rattled off the best single season in RB history for this team, but people want to makes these nonsensical comments about meat on the bone, or yards left on the field. How is this not a pessimistic point of view when the guy posted over 1800 yards running?

But wait, Emmitt said, and Ladainian said...

Every running back that has played this game has left yards on the field. Everyone of them including Emmitt and Ladainian.

Murray posted 1845 yards
A 4.7 average
13 TDs
85 first downs

The year before
1121 yards
5.2 average
9 TDs
59 first downs

and this was with a lesser offensive line.

People can't be satisfied. They take a bromide the league has fostered that RB's are a dime a dozen, and ignore the one that doesn't fit that mold. Nor do they see how the offense responded.

This is not about Murray for me, but about a championship. My biggest fear is the team's running game will be a yard and a cloud of dust, with the occasional long run.

I think Run DMC is done. He is a ham string away from the tub and useless.

I think Randle showed behind this very line in the Green Bay game that he can run a nice twelve yarder, then get stuffed every other time behind the line of scrimmage. I expect much more of that this coming season.

The other guy is a third down specialist who will not get those tough yards between the tackles, and another guy who could not make it somewhere else.

Dismiss this as you like, but at this moment all that Dallas has is crossed fingers that someone will be cut who can run tough between the tackles and protect Romo on passing downs.

Because if this team cannot generate a running game with any success, that moves them back to the days when it was Romo and a defense waiting on him to pass.

Sometimes you need to be thankful you have a car that is in good condition and stop lusting over someone else's hotrod.

 

[DogFace]

This is the year we make the transition to being a dominant team. We are about to go on a run.

Murray had one good year. Overrated isn't even the word for what has been made of him. Well I guess it is. Yeah he's overrated.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Barring a catastrophic injury, I'm sold on cowboys making the playoffs. Finally getting over the hump? Going through seattle and GB to get to the big game? Tough

 

[jday]

Or are you jaded with the memory of the 2010 season?

For myself I have to say I'm an optimist by nature so I'm very pumped for this season. after finishing the season last year 12-4 and one controversial play away from the NFC championship game against a team we dominated in the regular season you can't help but feel good about the upcoming season. Add Romo is the healthiest he's been in several years (and yes, I have always considered him an elite top 5 QB before last year), we addressed our pass rush with additions of Hardy and Gregory (plus DL and Crawford getting another year in the system). Finally the trenches are a strength on both sides of the ball.....the first time since the 90's. A healthy Lee paired up with RoMac albeit only for 12 games. Our first round pick is an intellect who is an athletic freak (I think that is a great combination for a DB). A happy and motivated Dez. And a process oriented head coach that is getting the entire team to buy into the philosophy. Not to mention the NFC East appears to be in a down year with respect to the other three teams (I ain't drinking the Chip Kelly Kool-aid and Eli is who he is. ...RGIII will be a backup after this year).

Even with all of this optimism, I can't help be reminded of that feeling at the beginning of the 2010 season and how quickly it all came crashing down. I find myself trying to temper my enthusiasm. Partly because I'm afraid of jinxing the team and partly because I know each season is independent of previous season's success.

Am I the only one who is feeling a bit nervous like it is too good to be true?

Cautiously optimistic.

This is the best I have felt about this team since the 90's, but every season there are thousand ways a good team can get derailed, so...