Key Off-season questions will determine if we make the playoffs in 26

[Diehardblues]

BULLET!!!
Come on Bruh, how many 85 year olds would actually do a 180 degree turn? It never happens, so therefore DAL will never be in a SB until the front office changes.

The problem here is there’s no pressure to win. The front office jobs are secure.

 

[Diehardblues]

They went from 31st in 2020 to 7th in both yards allowed and scoring in 2021!
Fixing the Mike position and playing the secondary in a coherent scheme that suits their skillset should go along way.
Maybe not top 10, but top 15 shouldn't be out of the question!

Our defense improved drastically in 2020 when we drafted Parsons. He created havoc and pressure masking our other weaknesses on defense, especially secondary.

 

[ShiningStar]

Every NFL off-season is important. Especially for the 18 teams that did not make the playoffs the prior season. In the case of the Cowboys, we haven’t made the playoffs two seasons in a row and the last playoff game we played was the 48-32 shellacking put on us by the packers.

In the current decade on the 2020’s, we’ve made the playoffs 3 seasons (2021-23) and missed the playoffs 3 seasons (2020, 2024 and 2025) This off-season could not be more important in getting this team back in contention.

IMO, here are the key off-season questions that will determine if this team is able to turn it around and get back to the playoffs in 2026:

• Are Jerry and Stephen truly changing the way they conduct an off-season (as they “tell us” they are) or not?
• Will the Cowboys join the teams that are serious about spending some cap space in free agency or will they continue their long practice of dumpster dives and minor cheap moves?
• Will the strategy of placing George Pickens on the non-exclusive franchise tag pay off in the long run or not? (Will they be able to sign him long term?)
• Will the Cowboys draft defensive help that will have immediate impact? (And will they avoid drafting injured players?)
• Will Christian Parker be able to turn this awful defense around into a playoff defense in one off-season?
• Will young players already on the team - like Shavon Revell, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Tyler Guyton make a big step forward this year?
• Will the Cowboys and Brandon Aubrey get a new deal done?
• Will Brian Schottenheimer be a more effective HC with more attention to details?

This question list is certainly incomplete. Feel free to add some more and/or answer the ones here.

NFL seasons can be won or lost in the off-season. This off-season is one of the most important in a long time for the Cowboys if we are to avoid missing the playoffs 3 years in a row.

Lets see if we ask the correct questions and break down what is fact vs peoples myths. Here we go.

1 We dont know yet with Jerry and Stephen. Lets start with the obvious and pull out the known stupid. We know Jerry can sell ice to eskimos, fooling this fan base is no huge leap for him. So again, as i posted a bit back, FA and the Draft are going to tell us everything we know. Im not saying they have follow the names that our fan base scream for, thats just silly. But what we need to know and they have to do is have a path and purpose for FA and yes FA has to set up the draft. So until we know for sure what they do in FA, everything else is just talk, people love talk. Winners need to see decisions made. We dont talk about that.

2. Even if they do or dont. doesnt matter, what you spend or dont isnt the issue, is it effective? thats what we are looking for. Effective and the players we need, not the players the fan base want. They want Crosby, thats a stupid buy. We dont want stupid or bad signings, we need effective. Not just what the player is or what he did before, can our coaches make use of it, does he fit our system. That will be discussed in a few more questions.

3. George Pickens so far is being used for PR and he should shut it down.

4. Stupid question, everyone has different resutls for what is immediate impact.

5. Another wrong question. Question is not will he, the Question is as it has been, Will Jerry commit time to letting him grow? Thats what we want to know. Everyone wants to move up, some fail upwards, thats how it goes. We know he wont fail up, but he has to have time to grow and show if he has what it takes. Parker has to have time. the Cowboys are a mess and will take time to fix. we as fans dont accept that, but its the truth.

6, Again, bad question, different levels for fans and coaches. the real answer, who cares, the realty of it, put in who best works the spot. This isnt a popularity contest. its a job. What we want is for players who fit the scheme and what the coaches want. We have to think long term and not selling merch.

7. The correct question is the same as with Parsons. If you love Audrey, pray he signs elsewhere. if he continues to stay here, well just pity and root for him but know he threw it away.

8. We hope, all we can do is that he learned, hopefully the DC makes the job easier. When all cyclinders click, everything makes the HC more effective. Lets see if the staff is much improved.

the Cowboys lose their season at the draft. Fans dont want to accept that, but when you look at the facts, that is what is shown and matters. No this season isnt as important as any other, Go about your lives, there are more important things. the Dallas Cowboys Empire will thrive or die based on what Jerry wants, and for him, the past 30 years have been thriving. fans wont accept that, he doesnt care.

 

[ShiningStar]

Our defense improved drastically in 2020 when we drafted Parsons. He created havoc and pressure masking our other weaknesses on defense, especially secondary.

which REALLY paid off when we not only won massive playoff games but hoisted that Lombardi. Good times.

 

[Diehardblues]

which REALLY paid off when we not only won massive playoff games but hoisted that Lombardi. Good times.

Doesn’t matter. We wouldn’t have been that 12 win playoff team without him and that defense.

The fact it wasn’t enough for more isn’t all on him. We saw how it crumbled without that presence.

You don’t cut off your best talent , you try to build around it.

 

[ShiningStar]

Doesn’t matter. We wouldn’t have been that 12 win playoff team without him and that defense.

The fact it wasn’t enough for more isn’t all on him. We saw how it crumbled without that presence.

You don’t cut off your best talent , you try to build around it.

it went like this.

We pay him and lose

or dont pay him and lose. those were the only reality of the situation. Everything else is opinion.

 

[Diehardblues]

it went like this.

We pay him and lose

or dont pay him and lose. those were the only reality of the situation. Everything else is opinion.

No, you pay him and continue building around him.

Just like Dak wasnt enough . Did we trade him or try to add more talent around him.

 

[ShiningStar]

No, you pay him and continue building around him.

Just like Dak wasnt enough . Did we trade him or try to add more talent around him.

lol, How many decades? if Jerry isnt interested in winning, and seems you need 30 years to see that, how much longer do you give him? before the winning and building pay off? Does parsons not age in your fantasy?

 

[DandyDon52]

It certainly would be a change. In your opinion, what would that translate to?

• Making the playoffs but not winning a game
• Making the playoffs and winning a game.
• Making the playoffs and winning at least two games (for the first time in 30 seasons)
• Improving but not making the playoffs.

Which do you think? I honestly don’t know what next year looks like.

Making the playoffs and maybe winning a game.
Depends on who they play,and seeding.

 

[exciter]

Our defense improved drastically in 2020 when we drafted Parsons. He created havoc and pressure masking our other weaknesses on defense, especially secondary.

Nonsense!

 

[Diehardblues]

lol, How many decades? if Jerry isnt interested in winning, and seems you need 30 years to see that, how much longer do you give him? before the winning and building pay off? Does parsons not age in your fantasy?

Unfortunately Jethro gets as long as he wants.

And yes, Parsons age will catch up with him if injuries don’t first.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

It certainly would be a change. In your opinion, what would that translate to?

• Making the playoffs but not winning a game
• Making the playoffs and winning a game.
• Making the playoffs and winning at least two games (for the first time in 30 seasons)
• Improving but not making the playoffs.

Which do you think? I honestly don’t know what next year looks like.

Well, NE was near the bottom in offense and defense in 24-25 and near the top in both in 25-26. This proves major improvement CAN occur in one year....in this case on both sides of the ball and with complete new staffs.

Lip service isn't going to do it. Bargain bin signings won't either. The Jones boys need to poop or get off the pot.

 

[ratkinson]

Great song...good memories