RustyBourneHorse
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Normally, I would save this for after the preseason. This may change depending on how things look in preseason and TC. However, here are my expectations for the 2024 Dallas Cowboys (prior to the preseason games).
Firstly, let's look at what what did us in against Green Bay, at least from my perspective. While Dak gets a lot of blame (and he does deserve a certain chunk of the blame), I think there were a lot more issues in play. Firstly, I wasn't surprised we lost to Green Bay. Surprised we got blown out? Yes. But surprised we lost? No. Why? Because we couldn't run the ball and stop the run. Aaron Jones owns us. Everyone wants to talk about the Packers' QBs Rodgers and Love. However, Aaron Jones has been a killer to us.
If you look at our blow out losses last year against Arizona, San Francisco, and Buffalo, what did they all have in common? We couldn't establish the ground game and we couldn't stop the run. This was an issue that was not addressed throughout the season.
So, during the offseason, what would you expect the FO to fix? Stopping the run and being in a better position to establish the run game. What did they do? Well............. basically expect Mazi to be the answer (makes sense as he was a 1st round pick) and drafted a decent one in round 7. We are going to need this to work, but, if Mazi still doesn't have much explosiveness and still can't hold the line (expected for a NT), then we are going to expect a 7th rounder to do it. I hope Rodgers can become basically Jay Ratcliff (minus the physical confrontations with Jerry). However, this isn't exactly an area that I'm not necessarily confident that we have fixed this area. As for the ground game, we could have had Derrick Henry. We didn't. We brought back Zeke. Hopefully this works....but yeah.
Let's have a look at the 2024 schedule from ESPN:
Sun, 9/8
@
CLE
2Sun, 9/15
vs
NO
3Sun, 9/22
vs
BAL
4Thu, 9/26
@
NYG
5Sun, 10/6
@
PIT
6Sun, 10/13
vs
DET
7BYE WEEK
8Sun, 10/27
@
SF
9Sun, 11/3
@
ATL
10Sun, 11/10
vs
PHI
11Mon, 11/18
vs
HOU
12Sun, 11/24
@
WSH
13Thu, 11/28
vs
NYG
14Mon, 12/9
vs
CIN
15Sun, 12/15
@
CAR
16Sun, 12/22
vs
TB
17Sun, 12/29
@
PHI
18Sun, 1/5
vs
WSH
So, the teams that scare me with their running abilities are the following: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincy, Baltimore, San Francisco, Philly, and Detroit. I think we may have some trouble with Houston with Stroud, but our defence is good against the pass. I think we probably keep it close with Houston and can beat them. Especially if we get pass rush against them. However, given where we struggled, I think we will be 9-8. I think we split with Philly (who will win the division because NFC East rules). I think we just edge out Houston in OT. I think we sweep New York. I think we split with Washington. I think we will get swept by the AFC North. I think we will get blown out by San Francisco. I think we lose to Detroit (who are going to want vengeance for last year). I think we should win the rest of our games (though, Atlanta might be surprisingly tough with Bijan Robinson and Kirk Cousins). 9-8 should get us into the playoffs as a WC team.
I think the NFC playoffs will be the following (by seed): San Francisco, Philly, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Chicago (I think the Bears will edge out Green Bay for the last playoff spot). So, yes, I think we get eliminated by Detroit (who I think will end up in the SB this year, tbf).
So, basically, I'm expecting a 9-8 season and a one and done season losing to Detroit.
Firstly, let's look at what what did us in against Green Bay, at least from my perspective. While Dak gets a lot of blame (and he does deserve a certain chunk of the blame), I think there were a lot more issues in play. Firstly, I wasn't surprised we lost to Green Bay. Surprised we got blown out? Yes. But surprised we lost? No. Why? Because we couldn't run the ball and stop the run. Aaron Jones owns us. Everyone wants to talk about the Packers' QBs Rodgers and Love. However, Aaron Jones has been a killer to us.
If you look at our blow out losses last year against Arizona, San Francisco, and Buffalo, what did they all have in common? We couldn't establish the ground game and we couldn't stop the run. This was an issue that was not addressed throughout the season.
So, during the offseason, what would you expect the FO to fix? Stopping the run and being in a better position to establish the run game. What did they do? Well............. basically expect Mazi to be the answer (makes sense as he was a 1st round pick) and drafted a decent one in round 7. We are going to need this to work, but, if Mazi still doesn't have much explosiveness and still can't hold the line (expected for a NT), then we are going to expect a 7th rounder to do it. I hope Rodgers can become basically Jay Ratcliff (minus the physical confrontations with Jerry). However, this isn't exactly an area that I'm not necessarily confident that we have fixed this area. As for the ground game, we could have had Derrick Henry. We didn't. We brought back Zeke. Hopefully this works....but yeah.
Let's have a look at the 2024 schedule from ESPN:
Sun, 9/8
@
CLE
2Sun, 9/15
vs
NO
3Sun, 9/22
vs
BAL
4Thu, 9/26
@
NYG
5Sun, 10/6
@
PIT
6Sun, 10/13
vs
DET
7BYE WEEK
8Sun, 10/27
@
SF
9Sun, 11/3
@
ATL
10Sun, 11/10
vs
PHI
11Mon, 11/18
vs
HOU
12Sun, 11/24
@
WSH
13Thu, 11/28
vs
NYG
14Mon, 12/9
vs
CIN
15Sun, 12/15
@
CAR
16Sun, 12/22
vs
TB
17Sun, 12/29
@
PHI
18Sun, 1/5
vs
WSH
So, the teams that scare me with their running abilities are the following: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincy, Baltimore, San Francisco, Philly, and Detroit. I think we may have some trouble with Houston with Stroud, but our defence is good against the pass. I think we probably keep it close with Houston and can beat them. Especially if we get pass rush against them. However, given where we struggled, I think we will be 9-8. I think we split with Philly (who will win the division because NFC East rules). I think we just edge out Houston in OT. I think we sweep New York. I think we split with Washington. I think we will get swept by the AFC North. I think we will get blown out by San Francisco. I think we lose to Detroit (who are going to want vengeance for last year). I think we should win the rest of our games (though, Atlanta might be surprisingly tough with Bijan Robinson and Kirk Cousins). 9-8 should get us into the playoffs as a WC team.
I think the NFC playoffs will be the following (by seed): San Francisco, Philly, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Chicago (I think the Bears will edge out Green Bay for the last playoff spot). So, yes, I think we get eliminated by Detroit (who I think will end up in the SB this year, tbf).
So, basically, I'm expecting a 9-8 season and a one and done season losing to Detroit.
