jday
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No, you did not fall asleep and wake up 15 days later; training camp, preseason, and meaningful football are still just out of reach. I’m bored again. I’ve done everything I can possibly do at my job and find myself once again sitting behind my desk doing my best hard-at-work impression. Cue the Oscar music.
Reading the room here in the fanzone, it would seem many here have carry-over depression from last year’s catastrophe. While I understand that stance all too well, at some point context has been lost in the conversations. What context you may ask? Last year’s team featured a roster devoid of Scandrick, Romo, Dez, as well as, many other key contributors throughout the season. The context I speak of is good ole lady luck and how she seemed to hate her some Cowboys in 2015. But luck is a fickle mistress and is predisposed to mind-changing. Take 2014. Lady luck up until that last fateful game in Green Bay was loyal to our Cowboys. The question many our asking now is can Cowboys find favor with her once again?
Honestly, I really haven’t the slightest idea. I’d like to think so. And I think the Cowboys may have done enough in the offseason to swing to the favorable side of chance. But, obviously, there are still issues that could easily arise, potentially sinking hopes for Cowboys nation in 2016. Need I even ask who/what is at the top of the list? No…okay I won’t. If ever a season was jinxed by the amount of times that particular question has been voiced/wrote/signed (as in for the hearing impaired), this would be that season, so I won’t contribute to that little monster…anymore…in this thread…no promises for the future thread’s/comments, you understand…
Anywho, as I stated before, I’m bored and let’s face it, the zone’s present offering of thread’s are the many meaningless opinions of people who really shouldn’t have a forum for their opinion, but they do because of us starved football fans. I’m referring not to my fellow zoners, but to the mediots by and large who like to say bad things about the Cowboys because it actually improves their readership…some how…some way…not sure why…but maybe because 31 other team’s fans can’t get enough bad news about the Cowboys…maybe…makes sense, so I’m gonna stick with that opinion.
But circling back to the temperature of the zone room, I do wonder why the doom & gloom is so prominent in this neck of the woods. It would seem most of the nation outside our cozy little blog cottage are expecting better than 2015 from the Cowboys; top of the NFCE better. Granted, it’s not a Super Bowl ring they are handing us on a platter, but I do think we have more to be excited about than to dread. For instance, looking at their schedule for this year, the first question that you should ask yourself when attempting to temper your expectations is who has a better combination of QB/WR/TE/RB/OL on their team than the Cowboys. Call me a homer all you like, if you used a scale of 1 to 10 to grade each position group and then add it all up, the Cowboys win…handedly and convincingly. Now granted, games are played on grass (or turf) not on paper. I get that. And I’ll agree that some of the team’s on the Cowboys schedule do have better position group’s than the Cowboys. I get that. Lastly, I understand that just like we cannot use the Cowboys performance last year to baseline our expectations for 2016 the same could be said of the opposition. But when you consider everything that the Cowboys have to offer and you throw out the potential of injuries, since the team’s on the Cowboys schedule for the most part have the same potential for injuries, there is not a single team that will field an offense quite as potent as the Cowboys. So, while I wouldn’t attempt to convince anyone to hand the Cowboys the Lombardi trophy now on the merit of that argument alone, I do think that’s reason for a little optimism…don’t you?
The defense is another story all together. I get that. But I do also think there is reason for hope on that side of the ball, as well. Much has been made of the suspension-3. On this topic, I feel there is a context-deficiency, as well. The first four games are in chronological order: Giants/Commanders/Bears/49ers. Those are winnable games, with or without a pass rush and an overweight, out of shape knucklehead MLB. Granted, as a result, they may be close, but I don’t see at least 3 of those team’s being able to match up point for point with the Cowboys offense. The Giants are the dark horse in the NFCE by merit of a very impressive WR crew and a good enough QB in Eli Manning combined with what could by an invigorated offense due to the Coaching changes that transpired. We will see.
I do, however, think it’s a bit shortsighted to simply state, “our defense sucks.” Perhaps you can make that statement with the addendum “on paper” and walk away with credibility intact. But to simply state it without any further disclaimer is disregarding a lot of potential this team has. Both Mo and Carr are in contract years; what their best is remains to be seen, but with Carr approaching what will likely be his last contract in the NFL and Mo competing to stay with the Cowboys or at the very least cash-in in Free Agency following 2016, I think it’s reasonable to expect a good showing from them both…millions of dollars in their pocket depends on it. Having Scandrick back is the equivalent of adding a 1st rounder, if you consider his experience and athleticism. How he responds returning from injury is still a question mark, but being familiar with his work-ethic, I honestly don’t think we have anything to worry about on that front. The suspension of RoMac, I believe will end up being much ado about nothing because the Cowboys spend the majority of their time in the Nickel and only need 1 linebacker to step up beside Lee. I like our odds of finding 1 guy who can hold down the fort, provided Lee can stay healthy. Lastly there is the DL. The first four weeks without Lawrence and Gregory look dismal until you take a look at who they are playing. The Cowboys should be able to walk away with nothing less than a 2 and 2 record and I would not be surprised if the Cowboys were to roll into the season 4 and 0. A pass rush is important, no question; but the Cowboys should be adequate to good in that department and will likely get better as the season progresses. At the very least the middle of that line is looking a whole lot better to me than it did a year ago.
So there you have it in true Wonder Year’s fashion. I am really excited about the upcoming season. I wasn’t a year ago…and that was following the best season the Cowboys have had since the 90’s. Perhaps I’m setting myself up for a huge let down…but I really, really don’t think so.
Thoughts?
Reading the room here in the fanzone, it would seem many here have carry-over depression from last year’s catastrophe. While I understand that stance all too well, at some point context has been lost in the conversations. What context you may ask? Last year’s team featured a roster devoid of Scandrick, Romo, Dez, as well as, many other key contributors throughout the season. The context I speak of is good ole lady luck and how she seemed to hate her some Cowboys in 2015. But luck is a fickle mistress and is predisposed to mind-changing. Take 2014. Lady luck up until that last fateful game in Green Bay was loyal to our Cowboys. The question many our asking now is can Cowboys find favor with her once again?
Honestly, I really haven’t the slightest idea. I’d like to think so. And I think the Cowboys may have done enough in the offseason to swing to the favorable side of chance. But, obviously, there are still issues that could easily arise, potentially sinking hopes for Cowboys nation in 2016. Need I even ask who/what is at the top of the list? No…okay I won’t. If ever a season was jinxed by the amount of times that particular question has been voiced/wrote/signed (as in for the hearing impaired), this would be that season, so I won’t contribute to that little monster…anymore…in this thread…no promises for the future thread’s/comments, you understand…
Anywho, as I stated before, I’m bored and let’s face it, the zone’s present offering of thread’s are the many meaningless opinions of people who really shouldn’t have a forum for their opinion, but they do because of us starved football fans. I’m referring not to my fellow zoners, but to the mediots by and large who like to say bad things about the Cowboys because it actually improves their readership…some how…some way…not sure why…but maybe because 31 other team’s fans can’t get enough bad news about the Cowboys…maybe…makes sense, so I’m gonna stick with that opinion.
But circling back to the temperature of the zone room, I do wonder why the doom & gloom is so prominent in this neck of the woods. It would seem most of the nation outside our cozy little blog cottage are expecting better than 2015 from the Cowboys; top of the NFCE better. Granted, it’s not a Super Bowl ring they are handing us on a platter, but I do think we have more to be excited about than to dread. For instance, looking at their schedule for this year, the first question that you should ask yourself when attempting to temper your expectations is who has a better combination of QB/WR/TE/RB/OL on their team than the Cowboys. Call me a homer all you like, if you used a scale of 1 to 10 to grade each position group and then add it all up, the Cowboys win…handedly and convincingly. Now granted, games are played on grass (or turf) not on paper. I get that. And I’ll agree that some of the team’s on the Cowboys schedule do have better position group’s than the Cowboys. I get that. Lastly, I understand that just like we cannot use the Cowboys performance last year to baseline our expectations for 2016 the same could be said of the opposition. But when you consider everything that the Cowboys have to offer and you throw out the potential of injuries, since the team’s on the Cowboys schedule for the most part have the same potential for injuries, there is not a single team that will field an offense quite as potent as the Cowboys. So, while I wouldn’t attempt to convince anyone to hand the Cowboys the Lombardi trophy now on the merit of that argument alone, I do think that’s reason for a little optimism…don’t you?
The defense is another story all together. I get that. But I do also think there is reason for hope on that side of the ball, as well. Much has been made of the suspension-3. On this topic, I feel there is a context-deficiency, as well. The first four games are in chronological order: Giants/Commanders/Bears/49ers. Those are winnable games, with or without a pass rush and an overweight, out of shape knucklehead MLB. Granted, as a result, they may be close, but I don’t see at least 3 of those team’s being able to match up point for point with the Cowboys offense. The Giants are the dark horse in the NFCE by merit of a very impressive WR crew and a good enough QB in Eli Manning combined with what could by an invigorated offense due to the Coaching changes that transpired. We will see.
I do, however, think it’s a bit shortsighted to simply state, “our defense sucks.” Perhaps you can make that statement with the addendum “on paper” and walk away with credibility intact. But to simply state it without any further disclaimer is disregarding a lot of potential this team has. Both Mo and Carr are in contract years; what their best is remains to be seen, but with Carr approaching what will likely be his last contract in the NFL and Mo competing to stay with the Cowboys or at the very least cash-in in Free Agency following 2016, I think it’s reasonable to expect a good showing from them both…millions of dollars in their pocket depends on it. Having Scandrick back is the equivalent of adding a 1st rounder, if you consider his experience and athleticism. How he responds returning from injury is still a question mark, but being familiar with his work-ethic, I honestly don’t think we have anything to worry about on that front. The suspension of RoMac, I believe will end up being much ado about nothing because the Cowboys spend the majority of their time in the Nickel and only need 1 linebacker to step up beside Lee. I like our odds of finding 1 guy who can hold down the fort, provided Lee can stay healthy. Lastly there is the DL. The first four weeks without Lawrence and Gregory look dismal until you take a look at who they are playing. The Cowboys should be able to walk away with nothing less than a 2 and 2 record and I would not be surprised if the Cowboys were to roll into the season 4 and 0. A pass rush is important, no question; but the Cowboys should be adequate to good in that department and will likely get better as the season progresses. At the very least the middle of that line is looking a whole lot better to me than it did a year ago.
So there you have it in true Wonder Year’s fashion. I am really excited about the upcoming season. I wasn’t a year ago…and that was following the best season the Cowboys have had since the 90’s. Perhaps I’m setting myself up for a huge let down…but I really, really don’t think so.
Thoughts?
