jday
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Coming into the season you would have been hard-pressed to find someone more enthusiastic about the upcoming year than myself. I honestly thought this team would run over the majority of the opposition, in particular, the NFCE. I wasn’t necessarily claiming a Super Bowl spot for our beloved Cowboys (considering that defense), but the Play Offs in my mind were a given. And you would think, sitting at 2 and 1 and tied for second in the division, I would not dare back away from that assessment. Nevertheless, here I stand with doubts filling my mind. I’m not saying they won’t make an appearance in the Play Offs now…just saying the road to the playoffs is no longer paved and far narrower then I could have known prior to the season getting underway.
Three things surprised me: 1. Despite convention, it look’s as though the Giants were able to do what many before them (including the Cowboys) have tried to do and failed – they went out and bought themselves a defense in Free Agency (who knew that could be done?). 2. The Eagles today (like the Cowboys) should in no way be confused with their 2015 iteration. Wentz is for real and so too is that Jim Schwartz led defense…thus far. 3. Is having two quarterbacks who can win really a good problem to have?
The Cowboys should have won their meeting with the Giants. Ultimately, I put the loss on the coaches based on what looked to be a conservative-to-a-fault game plan. Of course, I have no way of truly knowing what the game plan was, what the plays actually called were vs what Dak checked out of and who was the ideal target based on the play design vs who Dak actually threw the ball to or checked down to. That is information that likely will never (and should never) come to light.
On the other hand, with a rookie QB at the helm, I completely understand why the Cowboys wanted to keep things as simple and as conservative as possible. For most rookie QB’s it is far too soon to ask them to go out, put the team on their back and go win the game. Armed with what Linehan knows now about Dak and how this offense plays around him 3 games in, I suspect given another chance at September 11th, he would have drawn up things a whole lot differently.
Of all the units that were active in that game, the one unit that potentially failed the team the most was the offensive line; in particular Tyron Smith, Doug Free and La’el Collins. I’m not saying they didn’t win their share of battles, but they did lose the ones that counted and failed to consistently give Zeke room to operate. I’m not saying Zeke didn’t make his share of mistakes nor am I ignoring the lack of patience he showed on many of his carries…I’m merely pointing out the offensive line as a unit did not do him a whole lot of favors in their collective effort. I suspect facing a substandard defensive line throughout training camp and practice leading up to that game may have lulled the offensive line to sleep as a whole…or at least that is what I am guessing.
Next, I blame a few receivers who failed to pull down catchable balls; not to be confused with perfect passes or uncontested passes, but passes that an NFL receiver should make; namely both Dez and Beasley dropped passes that would likely have resulted in Touchdowns. Finally, I blame Terrance Williams for not having the presence of mind to step out of bounds and stop the clock to at least give Bailey a chance to clinch the win with a long field goal…a field goal that I think Bailey would make 3 out of 5 tries.
The blame game aside, I at least came away from the game still feeling pretty good about these Cowboys chances to win games in Romo’s absence. Afterall, of all the reasons you could sight for the Cowboys losing the game, Dak’s ability, or lack thereof, wasn’t really one of them…and that truth became all the more apparent in the win against the Commanders and Bears.
Again, I think a second chance at that game on that day here in Dallas stadium would likely produce more favorable results for the Cowboys. But the next meeting that is in New York (Dec 11th) is a different story and by then these could be two completely different teams.
The Cowboys first meeting with the Eagles occurs October 30th and is the day many have marked on their calendars as Romo’s first game back. Allow me to be clear: A healthy Romo gives the Cowboys a better chance to win than Dak. But in order for that statement to be true, he must be 100% ready and have no physical limitations. Because I am convinced a Dak at 100% gives the Cowboys a better chance than Romo at or anything less than Romo at 75%, possibly higher (i.e. even with Romo at 80% or 90%, Dak may still be the better QB for the job). Not because Dak is a better overall football player but simply because he is more physically able to weather the rigors of the position, particularly against a defense that has been showing out like the Eagles have to date.
Nevertheless, the worst truth that we Cowboys fans must come to grips with is the fact that it might not matter who plays; Romo or Dak. Because the Eagles for the moment are firing on all cylinders with offense, defense and special teams, the Cowboys team as a whole may not be ready for that level of a challenge…at least not now…that could change very quickly as we have seen time and time again within a season. But as of today, based on what we have seen, particularly from the Cowboys defense, the Eagles as a whole may be the better team. This statement is not attempting to suggest that Wentz is better than Romo or Dak; it is merely acknowledging that should both offenses be similar in productivity and the Eagles defense is better than that of the Cowboys, logic holds that the Eagles may win, unless the Cowboys defense figures it out between now and then. With the addition of Demarcus Lawrence back to the rotation that very well could be a reality…but we won’t know until we see it. And as perennial fans of short-comers, we will also reserve the right to harbor doubts….
A Good Problem to Have?
That’s the label the Cowboys are riding with now having two quarterbacks capable of winning games in the NFL (or, at least, so we think, once Romo is healthy again – we haven’t seen Romo of the Romdini variety since 2014). But is it? Is it really a good problem to have? I, for one, am starting to have my doubts.
Lemme Splain ~
A team is much like a controlled biosphere/habitat. Continuity is extremely important. Changes to the smallest detail can derail the whole team. Many positions you can plug & play, with little to no lingering negative effect, provided both parties being swapped are similar in talent and physical ability. The Quarterback position, however, is another matter altogether regardless of both QB’s talent and ability. The cadence, the voice, the adjustment are all unique…and every player especially on the offensive line needs consistency to operate at their best. Swapping out quarterbacks for a team midseason is like swapping out deities for a religion in the middle of being born again; a prayer started to God ending in salutation’s to Buddha. It doesn’t double your chances of your prayers being answered; if anything it nullifies the prayer altogether. And I wonder if having two good QB’s, given the Cowboys current situation, will have the same effect on the many prayers of the Cowboys faithful for the 2016 season.
Think about it! What happens if Romo comes back and struggles? How many games do the coaches stubbornly keep a winner on the bench attempting to be patient with a guy who truly has earned patience with all that he is given to this franchise. Granted, I’m not saying the fans will be patient…I know how they will react. I’ll have to swear off blogging for at least a couple of weeks while the Cowboys get things straightened out, but I do hope that whatever happens the Cowboys don’t miss the playoffs by one game, as they have done many times in my fandom. Because if they miss the playoffs by one game and Romo loses any game while trying to get back in football shape, the amount of negativity that would be slung at Romo will be atrocious to witness…and completely out of line. Because if there is anything that we as a fan base should take from this season, playoffs or no playoffs, it is that we have found our quarterback of the future. No matter how many things go wrong this year, that is something to be excited about….just ask the Browns fans!
Thoughts?
Three things surprised me: 1. Despite convention, it look’s as though the Giants were able to do what many before them (including the Cowboys) have tried to do and failed – they went out and bought themselves a defense in Free Agency (who knew that could be done?). 2. The Eagles today (like the Cowboys) should in no way be confused with their 2015 iteration. Wentz is for real and so too is that Jim Schwartz led defense…thus far. 3. Is having two quarterbacks who can win really a good problem to have?
The Cowboys should have won their meeting with the Giants. Ultimately, I put the loss on the coaches based on what looked to be a conservative-to-a-fault game plan. Of course, I have no way of truly knowing what the game plan was, what the plays actually called were vs what Dak checked out of and who was the ideal target based on the play design vs who Dak actually threw the ball to or checked down to. That is information that likely will never (and should never) come to light.
On the other hand, with a rookie QB at the helm, I completely understand why the Cowboys wanted to keep things as simple and as conservative as possible. For most rookie QB’s it is far too soon to ask them to go out, put the team on their back and go win the game. Armed with what Linehan knows now about Dak and how this offense plays around him 3 games in, I suspect given another chance at September 11th, he would have drawn up things a whole lot differently.
Of all the units that were active in that game, the one unit that potentially failed the team the most was the offensive line; in particular Tyron Smith, Doug Free and La’el Collins. I’m not saying they didn’t win their share of battles, but they did lose the ones that counted and failed to consistently give Zeke room to operate. I’m not saying Zeke didn’t make his share of mistakes nor am I ignoring the lack of patience he showed on many of his carries…I’m merely pointing out the offensive line as a unit did not do him a whole lot of favors in their collective effort. I suspect facing a substandard defensive line throughout training camp and practice leading up to that game may have lulled the offensive line to sleep as a whole…or at least that is what I am guessing.
Next, I blame a few receivers who failed to pull down catchable balls; not to be confused with perfect passes or uncontested passes, but passes that an NFL receiver should make; namely both Dez and Beasley dropped passes that would likely have resulted in Touchdowns. Finally, I blame Terrance Williams for not having the presence of mind to step out of bounds and stop the clock to at least give Bailey a chance to clinch the win with a long field goal…a field goal that I think Bailey would make 3 out of 5 tries.
The blame game aside, I at least came away from the game still feeling pretty good about these Cowboys chances to win games in Romo’s absence. Afterall, of all the reasons you could sight for the Cowboys losing the game, Dak’s ability, or lack thereof, wasn’t really one of them…and that truth became all the more apparent in the win against the Commanders and Bears.
Again, I think a second chance at that game on that day here in Dallas stadium would likely produce more favorable results for the Cowboys. But the next meeting that is in New York (Dec 11th) is a different story and by then these could be two completely different teams.
The Cowboys first meeting with the Eagles occurs October 30th and is the day many have marked on their calendars as Romo’s first game back. Allow me to be clear: A healthy Romo gives the Cowboys a better chance to win than Dak. But in order for that statement to be true, he must be 100% ready and have no physical limitations. Because I am convinced a Dak at 100% gives the Cowboys a better chance than Romo at or anything less than Romo at 75%, possibly higher (i.e. even with Romo at 80% or 90%, Dak may still be the better QB for the job). Not because Dak is a better overall football player but simply because he is more physically able to weather the rigors of the position, particularly against a defense that has been showing out like the Eagles have to date.
Nevertheless, the worst truth that we Cowboys fans must come to grips with is the fact that it might not matter who plays; Romo or Dak. Because the Eagles for the moment are firing on all cylinders with offense, defense and special teams, the Cowboys team as a whole may not be ready for that level of a challenge…at least not now…that could change very quickly as we have seen time and time again within a season. But as of today, based on what we have seen, particularly from the Cowboys defense, the Eagles as a whole may be the better team. This statement is not attempting to suggest that Wentz is better than Romo or Dak; it is merely acknowledging that should both offenses be similar in productivity and the Eagles defense is better than that of the Cowboys, logic holds that the Eagles may win, unless the Cowboys defense figures it out between now and then. With the addition of Demarcus Lawrence back to the rotation that very well could be a reality…but we won’t know until we see it. And as perennial fans of short-comers, we will also reserve the right to harbor doubts….
A Good Problem to Have?
That’s the label the Cowboys are riding with now having two quarterbacks capable of winning games in the NFL (or, at least, so we think, once Romo is healthy again – we haven’t seen Romo of the Romdini variety since 2014). But is it? Is it really a good problem to have? I, for one, am starting to have my doubts.
Lemme Splain ~
A team is much like a controlled biosphere/habitat. Continuity is extremely important. Changes to the smallest detail can derail the whole team. Many positions you can plug & play, with little to no lingering negative effect, provided both parties being swapped are similar in talent and physical ability. The Quarterback position, however, is another matter altogether regardless of both QB’s talent and ability. The cadence, the voice, the adjustment are all unique…and every player especially on the offensive line needs consistency to operate at their best. Swapping out quarterbacks for a team midseason is like swapping out deities for a religion in the middle of being born again; a prayer started to God ending in salutation’s to Buddha. It doesn’t double your chances of your prayers being answered; if anything it nullifies the prayer altogether. And I wonder if having two good QB’s, given the Cowboys current situation, will have the same effect on the many prayers of the Cowboys faithful for the 2016 season.
Think about it! What happens if Romo comes back and struggles? How many games do the coaches stubbornly keep a winner on the bench attempting to be patient with a guy who truly has earned patience with all that he is given to this franchise. Granted, I’m not saying the fans will be patient…I know how they will react. I’ll have to swear off blogging for at least a couple of weeks while the Cowboys get things straightened out, but I do hope that whatever happens the Cowboys don’t miss the playoffs by one game, as they have done many times in my fandom. Because if they miss the playoffs by one game and Romo loses any game while trying to get back in football shape, the amount of negativity that would be slung at Romo will be atrocious to witness…and completely out of line. Because if there is anything that we as a fan base should take from this season, playoffs or no playoffs, it is that we have found our quarterback of the future. No matter how many things go wrong this year, that is something to be excited about….just ask the Browns fans!
Thoughts?
