For me this season is predicated on two distinct areas.
1. Defensive push by the front.
Don't hand me the Marinelli get out of jail free card. You cannot take a cast off and make them a pro bowler.
The defense will need to pressure the quarterback or the secondary will AGAIN be exposed. This defense was built in the opposite direction because Jerry sees defenders getting beat in the passing game and doesn't understand the pass rush is what protects them. Just like the offensive line protects Romo. The game is skewed toward the offense to begin with by rules. So the best defense is to provide a hearty pass rush. Dallas did not build this defense that way. They threw money and picks at the backfield.
They still have no free safety which is the center fielder of the team. Now add in Lee going down, Carter still a question mark, and what do you have? Questionable up the middle, no consistent rush to pressure the quarterback, and defensive backs that cannot cover long enough which opens up the WR's.
2. Murray and TWill.
The offensive line should be better. But the real factors which will determine this offense are Murray and TWill.
Can Murray be consistent in the run game to keep the defenses honest?
Can TWill be enough of a threat to ease the pressure off Dez being the focal point of the passing game.
To me Witten has showed down. Escobar is still a what if. Street is a rookie and Harris and Beasley aren't consistent enough to force teams to look away from Dez.
I also have a real concern about Romo's back. I have never seen him as this super accurate passer to begin with. He has been more of a vicinity passer to me. So how will his back affect his accuracy? That remains to be seen. But age and health will begin to factor into his game. There will be a point when things just don't get better for him. Laffenberg thinks this is the beginning of the end for Tony. Who knows.
So pass rush and the running game and how effective TWill will be in his second year is what this season comes down to for me.
I will happily admit I was wrong if these no name defensive linemen can actually step up. But as it stands this isn't enough to cause me to think there will be any pass rush whatsoever. Because I don't see an edge rusher here at all and I see the team somehow counting on Spencer who may have played his last game. Now marry that with a soft interior defense that will give up the rushing yards and this is still a bottom dweller.
Now add an offense that is ASSUMED to be top five but could well slip to the middle of the pack because of age, health, and too few stars.
That spells 5-11 for me.
So many seem to think posts like this are emotional, gutless, an easy prediction, or some such.
I love this team as much as anyone on this board and have loved them longer that most. I cannot shut off my logical mind and override it with hope that so many things have to align for this team to be competitive.
It never works that way.
But I will enjoy the season because I love watching this team play.
