Not as Bullish on Dallas as I was a week ago

[JBond]

Human emotions are fickle things.

After the first 5 weeks, I was feeling very bullish about Dallas this season. After the win yesterday most seem to be praising Dallas for a gritty, come from behind, overcome adversity, beat the GOAT coach performance that ended decades of losses to the Pats.

This is all true.

But man, it should not be this hard. Dallas' offense stats are impressive. But some things really scratch at me from this weeks performance because while the gritty win might seem "different" (it actually reminds me a lot of the win in Pittsburgh in 2016) there are some things that seem all too familiar to many other years in our 25 year old drought.

1. We can't Qb sneak the ball. I'd like some stats on this, but it seems Dallas is the only team in the last 30 years who is pretty awfully ineffective at QB sneaks. We were terrible yesterday at this. Big strong QB, terrible at sneaks. I have no idea why. No idea.

2. Picking up 1 yard when necessary. We have perhaps the second most punishing back in the league (Henry?). Why can we not line up and pound it for a yard? We were terrible at this!

3. Linebackers. Our linebackers played like meh. The upgraded performance here was palpable in the first 5 weeks. Yesterday they couldn't make plays against a mediocre offense.

4. Defense overall. Gave up 4 touchdowns to a bottom tier offense. Could not make stops in the red zone. Gave up long plays all over the field (trend that was also there first 5 weeks).

Yes, it's just one game. Yes, sometimes you don't win the TO battle. But man, my spidey sense is not liking these characteristics because I've seen this script before too many times.

Have a beer and relax. Blowouts are fun. The other team is also getting paid. We just put up the most yards in history against BB. It was one of the most fun games in a while.

If you didn't go nuts on the Diggs pick 6 and understand Dak and his crew would make something great happen, not sure what else to say.

 

[Bobhaze]

Dallas obviously has a good team. They’ve been better than every team they have played this year including Tampa.

It’s at the stage of the year where you just collect wins but this week to week style pointing is ridiculous.

Dallas will drop a game eventually and those who ride the weekly roller coaster of emotion won’t be able to handle it.

So true. This is a loooooong season. There will be surprises. Just when we fans think we have it figured out, the long season remind us that the NFL is a new challenge every week. Never look at the schedule and call any game as a win…or a loss.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

I hope Jerry or McCarthy come out and apologize for having won the game! A win like this should only cost for half a win!
/sarcasm

 

[CATCH17]

So true. This is a loooooong season. There will be surprises. Just when we fans think we have it figured out, the long season remind us that the NFL is a new challenge every week. Never look at the schedule and call any game as a win…or a loss.

Like the Bills just lost to the Titans who lost to the Jets lol.

It’s pro football and anything can happen.

The Bills are still the best or 2nd best AFC team. Heck the Ravens nearly lost to Detroit but made the longest field goal in NFL history to win.

 

[Redsfan_83]

Stupid penalties killed us...when Mac comes out of his dizzy spell following Gregory's hit ask him if our D is better

 

[CATCH17]

Stupid penalties killed us...when Mac comes out of his dizzy spell following Gregory's hit ask him if our D is better

Exactly. The game got junked up. It was clear all game who the better team was.

New England needed Dallas to beat themselves because they weren’t capable of beating Dallas.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

@windjc The Pats played the Bucs and almost beat them. The Pats were down 4 OL and Mac Jones still put up 2 TDs and a FG and almost won against the TB defense which is really good. The NE defense only gave up 19 points to Brady and the Bucs.

Context. Maybe NE is a pretty good team. The Cowboys caught them when they got back 2 or 3 of their OL and the Pats are gaining confidence and getting better every week. I think the Patriots have wild card potential.

I think this Patriot team might be as good as the Charger team. Cowboy mistakes in the redzone kept this from being an easy win.

 

[Mk2_Cowboys]

You’re over thinking it OP

 

[Captain-Crash]

what I hate was that romo saw the game-winning play before anyone else. "he's more wrong than he's right". lmao. you recline coaches go sell another used car, you crap talkers.

 

[BAT]

Belichick had DQ on his heels Q1 and again Q4, showing formations that Pats rarely used all season.

Bill is still a crafty old fox and should never be underestimated.

 

[windjc]

@windjc The Pats played the Bucs and almost beat them. The Pats were down 4 OL and Mac Jones still put up 2 TDs and a FG and almost won against the TB defense which is really good. The NE defense only gave up 19 points to Brady and the Bucs.

Context. Maybe NE is a pretty good team. The Cowboys caught them when they got back 2 or 3 of their OL and the Pats are gaining confidence and getting better every week. I think the Patriots have wild card potential.

I think this Patriot team might be as good as the Charger team. Cowboy mistakes in the redzone kept this from being an easy win.

Interesting points.

 

[Grapevine49]

So in essence for 5 weeks you were either happy or not unhappy with production but on the basis of week 6 you want to rewrite your assessment for weeks 1-5.

I am not sure I quite understand the assumption this should not be hard. Is not the NFL the elite competition of the sport with elite professional coaches, coordinators and players across all franchises competing to win? Is it not meant to be hard? Is not the entire industry now structured through salary caps and the draft designed to provide a level hard fair competition?

If it is not hard at this level just where and when were you expecting it to get hard?

I was under the impression through agency and the draft we had restructured the entire defence under a new defensive coordinator. On such a basis why you would have any expectation of a lock out defence. In such circumstances it is and will continue to be a journey particularly as opposing coordinators get more film. They will scheme for weaknesses and it is a question of how coaches, coordinators and players individually and collectively adjust.

Such adjustment if everybody is on the same page happen « in game « and you win. Other adjustments will be worked on during the week as new challenges are identified from which players will develop and grow. I am no expert but I do detect a fundamental difference in mentality and approach. Certain players are being encouraged to play on the edge to attack opposing attacking game plays. It is a double edged sword because playing on the edge you sometimes fall off.

People will make mistakes. Indeed 90-99% of scores come from people making mistakes. It is how you respond that matters. I would argue to this point the response has been pretty impressive but there is more work to be done. Isn’t that part of the fun of sport?

Yes the current numbers are important but the underlying trend underneath those numbers is a cause for optimism. It is a matter of confidence. It is natural for many to project forward as many disappointments as they can. They may be right but everything I have seen suggest the mentality, the approach and skills are there to rise to the challenges to get the job done and wins on the board.

Now that is not something I could said at any point over the past 20 years.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Dallas obviously has a good team. They’ve been better than every team they have played this year including Tampa.

It’s at the stage of the year where you just collect wins but this week to week style pointing is ridiculous.

Dallas will drop a game eventually and those who ride the weekly roller coaster of emotion won’t be able to handle it.

Just win, baby. Who cares if it's pretty or ugly.

 

[johneric8]

Human emotions are fickle things.

After the first 5 weeks, I was feeling very bullish about Dallas this season. After the win yesterday most seem to be praising Dallas for a gritty, come from behind, overcome adversity, beat the GOAT coach performance that ended decades of losses to the Pats.

This is all true.

But man, it should not be this hard. Dallas' offense stats are impressive. But some things really scratch at me from this weeks performance because while the gritty win might seem "different" (it actually reminds me a lot of the win in Pittsburgh in 2016) there are some things that seem all too familiar to many other years in our 25 year old drought.

1. We can't Qb sneak the ball. I'd like some stats on this, but it seems Dallas is the only team in the last 30 years who is pretty awfully ineffective at QB sneaks. We were terrible yesterday at this. Big strong QB, terrible at sneaks. I have no idea why. No idea.

2. Picking up 1 yard when necessary. We have perhaps the second most punishing back in the league (Henry?). Why can we not line up and pound it for a yard? We were terrible at this!

3. Linebackers. Our linebackers played like meh. The upgraded performance here was palpable in the first 5 weeks. Yesterday they couldn't make plays against a mediocre offense.

4. Defense overall. Gave up 4 touchdowns to a bottom tier offense. Could not make stops in the red zone. Gave up long plays all over the field (trend that was also there first 5 weeks).

Yes, it's just one game. Yes, sometimes you don't win the TO battle. But man, my spidey sense is not liking these characteristics because I've seen this script before too many times.

You should have called consulted me then I could have told you how great they were

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Think about a very ordinary running back for NE didn’t seem to be bothered by a Cowboy until he was about 5 yards into the interior . What would an Aaron Jones in a playoff game do GB vs Dallas ?

what would the crap GB defence do against our boys

 

[RonWashington]

what would the crap GB defence do against our boys

With Jaylon they’ve become winterized tough

 

[vlad]

The way NE ran on us was concerning. I look fwd to dlaw coming back though seems I’m in minority there. That kazee play was alarming. Assuming we make the playoffs seems he middle of our team on both sides are still the weakness.

 

[Scotman]

It’s hard to be good at QB sneaks when the refs don’t call a TD, a TD.

Dak needed to get to the BACK of the end zone for it to count.

 

[AsthmaField]

The University of Alabama football team under Nick Saban has been a dominant force for about a decade. They have been a powerhouse that has been at the very top of collegiate sports.

What do you hear in every single Saban press conference during the season? You hear him complain and moan about the penalties his team had, or about the turnovers his guys had. Alabama mistakes. He always says they can’t continue to win if they don’t fix those things.

What does that tell you? It says that even a team that has been consistently dominant and the best for the past 10 years makes plenty of mistakes. The best program in college football makes errors in every game that they play. They have off days and they have games where the other team forces Alabama to make mistakes.

That happens in football. There are always mistakes made and the other team is trying to win too. You can’t expect perfection in every game that is played because there will always be errors made. There will always be narrow escapes. Calls will go against you sometimes, and the ball won’t always bounce your way.

That’s just football.

What matters is that the good teams manage to overcome those obstacles. They have great enough players, and great enough coaching, and great enough schemes to overcome the mistakes, the refs, and the underdogs adrenalin.

Getting the win matters. Grinding it out and perseverance matters. Winning as a team when you maybe shouldn’t have, matters. Teams learn much more about themselves from those games than when they blow out a bad opponent. The will to win is a seed that must be watered to grow… and it is starting to flourish in Dallas.

What we saw in Foxboro was the growth of this Dallas team. We saw their heart, their will to win, and their ability to overcome.

It should give Dallas fans joy and confidence in this team going forward. Yes there are things to clean up. There always are. But they will clean them up and they won a game that they would have lost most of the time, going back to probably Jimmy Johnson’s teams.

We should be excited about this win, and about what is starting to take root at the Star.