My random thoughts on yesterday's game

[THEHEREAFTER]

Great thread but I disagree with you regarding Dak's running. He ran the read option twice and that's a 50/50 play that Dak can keep if he chooses. We seldom run a designed run. Dak is so smart when deciding to run. He either gets out of bounds or slides but still has a knack for the first down. He's wise beyond his years. His mobility is so key... His 18 yard run set up the Twill TD.. which was the result of Dak stepping up in the pocket and flushing right... buying time to find T Will.. he made that play look easy. On his TD run...boot.. once again putting the defense in a bind. I think Dak uses his smarts and athleticism beautifully.

 

[jday]

I am very pleased with Dak's game, just wish he passed a little more than the running he was doing -- those read option plays are fine, but I like Dak when he stays in the pocket, and, while a large contingent here likes the designed run plays, I'm not a huge fan -- unless it's in the redzone. Call it ptsd from Cam and Colin. I know it's a strength of his, but his arm is his true strength -- what sets him apart from the Tyrod's and Cam's of the world. And I'm not talking about the scramble, as he's a rook, and it (scrambling when flustered, rather than stepping up) is to be expected, and better, always, than a sack. Still, Dak played great, and perhaps I'm falling victim to the yds stat, lol.

He made some big boy throws yesterday. Some BIG BOY throws. A beaut that isn't getting enough attention is the pass to Butler, the long out against the sidelines that was a blatant PI. It was gorgeous. Dak is Tom Brady. I have a thread somewhere comparing the two, and I think I'm dead on. He was deadly accurate, again. He is Tom (comparatively, as a rook) but with wheels. Doesn't make mistakes, prefers the intermediate or short routes, to the deep routes, but can make all the throws.

As Brady grew in the league, he learned to trust his deep throws/patterns. Dak has all kinds of touch on the deep pass, but he's reluctant cuz he's still wet behind the ears, much like Tom was as a rookie.

The defense is what it is, we all know it and don't like it, but I think this team can do damage as there are very few, if any, complete teams in the league this year. Plus, we forced WSH to go one dementional as has been pointed out, already, so that accounts for some of Cousins' gaudy stats. SEA is probably the closest (to a well-rounded team) as Wilson continues to heal and Graham starts to shine. Baldwin is a stud, and they just got Rawls back. Their D is stout, they scare me. Hoping some scrub team pulls an upset on them in the playoffs so we don't face them lol

But it's looking like it'll be us and them in the NFCC <knock on freaking wood>

I wasn't much in the game thread as I was preoccupied with my largish family and facetiming the boy. But I went in a few times to scream my arse off. Lol

For those of you who haven't chimed in yet, what are you thoughts on the game?? And any others, your thoughts, too!

I'll say what I've said since the beginning: if your team strength is your defense, this is not your year....the Cowboys offense is better and will not be denied for four quarters. However, if your team has a good both, they could give the Cowboys problems and it will likely come down to who has the ball last.

 

[Nightman]

I've got no problem with Dak running.....he is built for it

 

[Kaiser]

I've got no problem with Dak running.....he is built for it

I love those plays when a DL gets a hand on him and Dak barely notices. Its funny how the NFL goes in cycles, there was a point where all teams wanted a Bledsoe/Eli Manning QB that was tall and goofy but had a rocket arm. Then there was a phase for mobile QBs like Russell Wilson.

Maybe Dak is the start of the next wave - a field general built like a linebacker.

 

[Nightman]

I love those plays when a DL gets a hand on him and Dak barely notices. Its funny how the NFL goes in cycles, there was a point where all teams wanted a Bledsoe/Eli Manning QB that was tall and goofy but had a rocket arm. Then there was a phase for mobile QBs like Russell Wilson.

Maybe Dak is the start of the next wave - a field general built like a linebacker.

Exactly.......no need to be stupid but Dak isn't a china doll........he can use the rules to protect himself and slide when needed but he is a huge weapon as a mobile QB......it changes everything when they have to account for him

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

His burst was impressive on some of those runs as well. He's not quick to full speed but he's got some burners once he gets his feet under him.

 

[JDSmith]

The Romo comp falls flat, too. Romo is a gunslinger and squirmy, oily slick in the pocket. Dak is not this.

I will say, the McNabb and McNair comps are wildly, wildly out of bounds. Frustratingly out of bounds. Way worse than a Romo comp (but the Romo comp is off, too, I agree, X).

He is a Brady/Aikman with legs hybrid, thus far. There's nothing to argue with there, there just isn't.

Aikman had legs, go back and watch him his first few years. He could take off and run surprisingly fast his first couple of years in the league. He didn't have any moves, and he was super reluctant to run, but he could take off.

 

[Kaiser]

Aikman had legs, go back and watch him his first few years. He could take off and run surprisingly fast his first couple of years in the league. He didn't have any moves, and he was super reluctant to run, but he could take off.

Exactly, Aikman was a tactician that saw running as a complete failure to execute on the play. He also was so accurate that he could thread the ball into spots most QBs couldn't, so he was less likely to hold the ball and run when he could make a spectacular throw into traffic.

 

[Trouty]

I like Dak as a pocket passer. That is all. His legs are second in importance to his arm. If you think differently, I outright disagree with you. I hate read option QBs, they've done nothing in the annals of QB glory. Or maybe I'm way off here?

Site me an example of an elite QB that was a duel threat. If you say McNair I'm pulling your cred card for a day. McNair was a scrub, he had one elite season and never won ****. McNabb was a gunslinging, sometimes wild, sometimes running, never was, and nothing like our Dak. Cred card pulled if you comp these two.

Steve Young was the closest to a "running" elite QB, but nothing like Dak. Steve Young was elite, tho

I have a horrid stomachache (unrelated)

 

[dogunwo]

Dak had to run. The Skins were making it obvious that they were going to crash down on EE no matter what. That's when EE wasn't very effective. Once Dak kept the ball and beat them with his legs...things opened up for EE and the Skins couldn't stop it.

I'm not a big fan of my QB running the ball either, but during the game I kept saying that Dak had to keep the ball as Kerrigan and Smith were not accounting for him and helping clog up the running lanes.

The only other problem is that Linehan started to favor the left side too much in the running game. Once he ran a few towards Martin/Free, we got some large holes for EE to run thru.




YR

Read option right seems to be over-called. I would like to see some balance there. Maybe it's just my perception.

 

[dogunwo]

@Trouty

I really enjoy that you post so often that you provide new content for me to enjoy or laugh at you even when I just refreshed the page 5 minutes ago. Keep it up "brutha"

 

[lukin2006]

I'm not good at breaking down games. It's nice that posters on here like trouty give such good in-depth analysis, thank you. As for me in a nutshell, it was entertaining, frustrating and nerve racking...entertaining as in lots of O, frustrating in the bend but don't break defence makes it nerve racking at times...because the odds are in a close fourth quarter game when we need a score because the D did break the O may stumble, hopefully not, but it seems we are living a charmed life at the moment. Hopefully, we continue with this charmed life to the super bowl.

 

[TrailBlazer]

I love those plays when a DL gets a hand on him and Dak barely notices. Its funny how the NFL goes in cycles, there was a point where all teams wanted a Bledsoe/Eli Manning QB that was tall and goofy but had a rocket arm. Then there was a phase for mobile QBs like Russell Wilson.

Maybe Dak is the start of the next wave - a field general built like a linebacker.

Guys with rocket arms will always have a place in this league. Everything else is just cyclical.

 

[Bullflop]

I'll keep it fairly short and sweet -- I've never seen a rookie who's able to produce under the extreme pressure the way that Dak does with such ease and regularity. He's extraordinary to the point where I'm anticipating greatness for Dak in very timely fashion. It won't take long at all at the rate he's going. He's convincing thousands of exactly that on a weekly basis.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Brady's mechanics were always flawless. I don't see Dak as anywhere close to Tom Brady as a thrower, yet. At least not consistently. He does throw a good deep out already.

 

[Bullflop]

Brady's mechanics were always flawless. I don't see Dak as anywhere close to Tom Brady as a thrower, yet. At least not consistently. He does throw a good deep out already.

Brady had a year and some change to be groomed before taking the reins for the Pats when Bledsoe faltered. He wasn't totally flawless when other teams saw fit to pass on him throughout the first five rounds of the draft, although he developed rapidly throughout year one to become the flawless one that you've described.

 

[dogunwo]

I'm not good at breaking down games. It's nice that posters on here like trouty give such good in-depth analysis, thank you. As for me in a nutshell, it was entertaining, frustrating and nerve racking...entertaining as in lots of O, frustrating in the bend but don't break defence makes it nerve racking at times...because the odds are in a close fourth quarter game when we need a score because the D did break the O may stumble, hopefully not, but it seems we are living a charmed life at the moment. Hopefully, we continue with this charmed life to the super bowl.

@FuzzyLumpkins
@Plankton
@LatinMind
@Galian Beast

All also do a great job of breaking down games from their viewpoint weekly.

 

[Trouty]

@FuzzyLumpkins
@Plankton
@LatinMind
@Galian Beast

All also do a great job of breaking down games from their viewpoint weekly.

Fuzzy and Plankton are on a different level, as are people like @xwalker @gmoney112 @plasticman @Sydla @Dale and others. Of course @percyhoward and @AdamJT13 are in their own strata.

My assessment is a whole hell of a lot less nuanced than their (usually) brilliant analysis. There's a whole slew of others, too. Just wanted to add to your list, Dog

 

[MileyDancer]

Good post Trouty as for Seattle scaring you well not me that is the same team the 2014 Cowboys went to Quest Field and beat and this 2016 team is the same exact team and can beat this Seattle team and I hope that this game happens actually. In order to make the playoffs and remain there and go on to the SB then teams like Seattle, and New England are the teams you will have to face and I will say bring it.

Exactly. We can beat Seattle. Everyone needs to pack up and move out of their jock straps.

 

[ghst187]

I think the early comparisons were fair but he is evolving quickly as are his comparisons.
I'm starting to wonder if defenses will start bronzing footballs whenever anyone is able to intercept him it's been so rare.