Let's take things into overall perspective - Currently

[AKATheRake]

Guys, imagine if our All Pro LT, C and RG were their usual selves? Which I don't think they dropped off in talent. I just think there's been bad luck with Frederick and defenses are mauling more against our run which wears down on these guys because there's extra men to block in that box. That's more guys to get physical with than what you got to get physical with, so there is more wear and tear.

I also think Joe Looney is doing a great job and is only going to make our o-line deeper for next year and Connor Williams is also coming along. He is. Our o-line rotation if Frederick comes back, which he says is highly likely, will be outstanding. For the first half of the season we were utilizing a style through the then o-line coach Alexander, that is more hand technique and letting defenders come at your more than the zone blocking power schemes our guys are used to delivering on defenders. That's changed since the bye but the o-line did take their licks for it the first half regardless.

Dak is not this disaster everyone is trying to make him out to be.

He's getting hit like a pinata. Anybody other than Big Ben taking shots from guys like this warrior is taking shots wouldn't be out there.

Believe me, I don't care if it's Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson or RGIII in his rookie year. Romo would be in a casket, so let's stop the "if Romo was in there we wouldn't have a loss talk". Nobody can escape and/or stand in the pocket and take this much pressure and survive, albeit WIN like this guy is doing.

I know about the fumbles, he's trying to throw the ball and needs to tone it down a bit but then he's being criticized that he's not letting it loose enough cause he can't see the field. You want him to tuck it in and take the sack? You'll all still complain. He see's guys in his face, not that he can't see the field. He's missing at times because he's thinking about tucking. tucking too much only gives the defense more confidence, you have to burn them anyway you can at times. Dak does it when we need it most.

No defense is letting Dak out of the pocket if anybody is noticing, so he can't just throw it out of bounds either. The guy is awesome rolling out and the whole league knows it. So they're collapsing the pocket, not giving any lanes to escape and sitting on the WR's routes. The deep stuff is opening up 25 % of the time which is a lot in this league. A lot! It's timing and cohesion for those throws and it's coming. It's that half second that's not coming but it will. If it doesn't expect the same. But don't get mad at taking the sack if you want to lower the fumbles.

We just need this line to heal up a bit and get the cohesion going. Dak is getting more accurate and the players on offense are all settling into their positions/responsibilities. The coaching staff which has 7 new members is starting to come together too which helps develop and prepare these young players we got.

Let's just stop for a bit bashing Dak and all of this contract talk. He's tied up for next year and can get franchised the next, albeit at top 5 QB money. But if he's proven it won't get to that.

But come on! This guy is not the joke all the fans and media are trying to make him look like. This team is following Dak. Not that Dak is following them. They all know he's the leader of this team and he is. "He's not making anyone better around him". Right! "Amari Cooper is only making Dak". Not that Dak is playing better than what Amari Cooper was playing with prior to Dak. Derek Carr? Guys, they're making each other better. Zeke's better. Dak's better. Relax!

I'll tell you this much. Carson Wentz and Jared Goff did not look any better than Dak did last week and they weren't anywhere as good when it came down to having to be. That's the 1st and 2nd overall picks in Dak's draft.

Guys chill out on this guy! It's more than just "he has no talent like the other guys". It's not the truth, Dak has as much talent and more leadership. More toughness. The o-line's injuries and poor coaching to start the year threw the whole cohesion off with this offense, it's system and timing of it off. We also did not have that threat at WR which obviously did not help. We went to bat and solidified having a threat there. Parts are starting to come together on offense and the defense has bought us some time to do that. They have come together and if Irving comes back will only be better. But like the defense, the offense needs time to come together and I believe they are starting too. The coaches will trust them more now too.

Indy knows an awful lot about us and they're fighting for their lives at home with the hottest QB in the league right now. They just went on the road and beat a division opponent who was the hottest team in the league, who beat us not too long ago.

We need to focus on them and not Dak and his contract. We can survive not winning this game, but this game will tell us what we can do in the playoffs if both sides of the ball come together this Sunday. It's important to keep us in this mentality, this zone we're in.

Chime in please.

 

[AKATheRake]

Tough long read that goes against the general consensus around the media and our fans but it's the reality.

 

[gimmesix]

Tough long read that goes against the general consensus around the media and our fans but it's the reality.

Not completely.

Dak does not deserve a lot of the criticism he is getting, but a certain percentage of the sacks are on him for holding the ball too long. When the design of the play is a three-step drop then the quarterback has to get the ball out quickly because there isn't much cushion between him and the defensive line. When he takes a three-step drop, then pats the ball and shuffles his feet, then the pressure is going to get there. If he takes a three-step drop and no one is open, then it's his job to have that internal clock that tells him he's got to either get the ball out or run with it to at least get back to the line of scrimmage. A sack in those situations is the worse-case scenario. Throw it away and live to fight another down.

Yes, the line needs to protect him and give him more time, but not all of the sacks can be blamed on the line. There's a middle ground between the two extremes of it's Dak's fault or it's the line fault, but most seem to want to go to extremes.

 

[AKATheRake]

Not completely.

Dak does not deserve a lot of the criticism he is getting, but a certain percentage of the sacks are on him for holding the ball too long. When the design of the play is a three-step drop then the quarterback has to get the ball out quickly because there isn't much cushion between him and the defensive line. When he takes a three-step drop, then pats the ball and shuffles his feet, then the pressure is going to get there. If he takes a three-step drop and no one is open, then it's his job to have that internal clock that tells him he's got to either get the ball out or run with it to at least get back to the line of scrimmage. A sack in those situations is the worse-case scenario. Throw it away and live to fight another down.

Yes, the line needs to protect him and give him more time, but not all of the sacks can be blamed on the line. There's a middle ground between the two extremes of it's Dak's fault or it's the line fault, but most seem to want to go to extremes.

I agree but until Cooper the WR's haven't been open much as the opposition was taking Beasley away. Gallup was still trying to get his legs under him and Hurns is Hurns. With Amari he get's open but when there's coverage shaded right over there, that will be the issue if there's no check down or Gallup, Beasley beating their man.

So Dak had to hold onto the ball at times on those 3 step drops. The improvement is coming and you see it in his yardage. The next step is all of their timing together. O-line, Dak dropping back and WR's in their breaks. Then the whole thing comes together and Dak won't be holding the ball so long.

 

[gimmesix]

I agree but until Cooper the WR's haven't been open much as the opposition was taking Beasley away. Gallup was still trying to get his legs under him and Hurns is Hurns. With Amari he get's open but when there's coverage shaded right over there, that will be the issue if there's no check down or Gallup, Beasley beating their man.

So Dak had to hold onto the ball at times on those 3 step drops. The improvement is coming and you see it in his yardage. The next step is all of their timing together. O-line, Dak dropping back and WR's in their breaks. Then the whole thing comes together and Dak won't be holding the ball so long.

You still can't hold the ball because three-step drops are not designed to allow that, they are designed to get the ball out quickly. You don't have time to scan the field for the open player on those plays. You hit your reads and if they are not open, you airmail it out of bounds in the direction of a receiver or you take off running.

 

[AKATheRake]

You still can't hold the ball because three-step drops are not designed to allow that, they are designed to get the ball out quickly. You don't have time to scan the field for the open player on those plays. You hit your reads and if they are not open, you airmail it out of bounds in the direction of a receiver or you take off running.

When they sit on the route or the safety is jumping in, it's an interception if you don't and they know you're going intermediate.

Everyone thinks Dak is an intermediate QB. So they play against that, the check down and the run. They don't allow rolling out or lanes to run out of the pocket. They bull rush the o-line on passing downs to just put pressure on the pocket and sit on intermediate routes.

We have absolutely no opportunities to try play action because of this and we're 1 of the best running teams in the league.