Offense and Dak should have won more games

[GINeric]

Your confused with the idea that if you haven’t won a SB then you’re not capable of winning a SB.
If you look around the league at all 32 QBs and watch them week in and week out there are QBs that are just not good enough and it doesn’t matter who they have as a supporting cast around them. Then there are QBs that are good enough but don’t have a good enough supporting cast.
As you have stated a QB needs help but as I have stated once he gets that help he needs to be able to make plays under pressure.
Stats don’t define how good a QB is. It’s what he does when he is under pressure and off balance. There will be times when he is under heavy pressure and needs to make a play on the run falling down. How fast his mind processes the defense and how quickly and accurately he gets rid of the ball. How strong is his arm and how well does he move around in the pocket. Ball placement is crucial along with consistency to prevent leading players into trouble. Does Dak even know what that is ?
The better you do those things the better chance you have of getting to a SB. But of course there are no guarantees because both QBs might play a fantastic championship game but it comes down to who had the ball last. See Josh Allen vs Patrick Mahomes.
There are games like the SB last year where Hurts couldn’t rely on Barkley or defense and neither could Mahomes. Hurts was under heavy pressure and made some nice throws but he also took off running and his legs basically killed the chiefs in the end. But he showed he was also capable of throwing under heavy pressure. We just never see Dak shoulder the team against better teams with any consistency.
There are outliers like you named that have done well only because the defense was so dominant that everything clicked that year. But those defenses have been watered down by the NFL
rules. QB play today is more important than ever.
The Raiders are going to take Mendoza with the #1 pick. Give the kid a year and the Raiders will be beating Dallas for the next 10 years.

Great post, no doubt.

But there's not one single quarterback you've mentioned in your great post who's capable of winning in the playoffs with a last ranked defense, if they even get to the playoffs.

It has never happened before so I don't understand why people expect Dallas to do it.

 

[Cmac]

Get a QB that can win the big moments, and maybe we win more games!

.....this is like going to the Doctor for a leg injury and he's flashing his light in my eyes.

 

[GINeric]

Get a QB that can win the big moments, and maybe we win more games!

Quarterbacks don't win in big moments. TEAMS do. Then you have to toss in coaching staffs that can call the right plays and properly manage the clock and timeouts in big moments.

There are a couple quarterbacks who people say can "win in big moments" that either missed the playoffs or was one and done the first playoff game. So apparently its not just about a quarterback.

There's no quarterback in the NFL that could have expected to win anything of significance with our last place ranked defense this season.

This isn't boxing or golf. Teams win games.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Quarterbacks don't win in big moments. TEAMS do. Then you have to toss in coaching staffs that can call the right plays and properly manage the clock and timeouts in big moments.

There are a couple quarterbacks who people say can "win in big moments" that either missed the playoffs or was one and done the first playoff game. So apparently its not just about a quarterback.

There's no quarterback in the NFL that could have expected to win anything of significance with our last place ranked defense this season.

This isn't boxing or golf. Teams win games.

Then why are they paid so much they're paid to be the leader and lead in big moments

 

[GINeric]

Then why are they paid so much they're paid to be the leader and lead in big moments

The quarterback position is one of sports more overpaid positions.

But here's the thing. Quarterbacks need people to catch the ball, block for them and they need RBs to pick up blocks for them and also assist the entire offense in running the ball.

Quarterbacks need defenses to help them get the most opportunities to get the ball back.

Yes, great quarterbacks can lead their guys by great attitudes, great play making abilities and great poise.

But once again, no quarterback is winning anything by themselves. Mahomes is arguably the greatest quarterback to have ever lived and has shown he can ASSIST in winning in the biggest moments.

He didn't even make the playoffs, did he.

Tom Brady is considered the greatest quarterback to have ever lived and shown he can ASSIST in winning in the biggest moments. Well the biggest moment of his career, the Patriots had a chance to go undefeated and break the 72 Dolphins streak.

He couldn't win in that biggest moment. You would think that these GOAT QBs can do anything, correct? Not without a TEAM.

But no quarterback has ever won anything

 

[Miguelitomama]

Lol. Below are the NFL teams that have allowed more than 29 ppg over the past 10 years, along with their final W-L records. 14 teams.

Facts:
- Only 7 defenses have allowed more than 30ppg in that period
- NO team allowing more than 30ppg won more games than the 2025 Dallas Cowboys.
- ONE team allowing more than 29ppg won more games than the 2025 Dallas Cowboys (Raiders with 8 in 2020).

Reach your own conclusion.

Year	Team	Allowed PPG	Record (W-L-T)
2020​	Las Vegas Raiders	29.9​	8-8-0
2025​	Dallas Cowboys	30.1​	7-9-1
2015​	New Orleans Saints	29.8​	7-9-0
2025​	Cincinnati Bengals	29.6​	6-11-0
2024​	Carolina Panthers	31.4​	5-12-0
2020​	Detroit Lions	32.4​	5-11-0
2019​	Miami Dolphins	30.9​	5-11-0
2019​	Carolina Panthers	29.4​	5-11-0
2018​	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	29​	5-11-0
2023​	Washington Commanders	30.5​	4-13-0
2021​	New York Jets	29.6​	4-13-0
2018​	Oakland Raiders	29.2​	4-12-0
2016​	San Francisco 49ers	30​	2-14-0
2020​	Jacksonville Jaguars	30.8​	1-15-0

I was disappointed in the fact that Dak had so few sacks this season, and Lamb didn't come up with an interception.

In all seriousness, nice post and some compelling stats.

 

[JustChip]

The quarterback position is one of sports more overpaid positions.

But here's the thing. Quarterbacks need people to catch the ball, block for them and they need RBs to pick up blocks for them and also assist the entire offense in running the ball.

Quarterbacks need defenses to help them get the most opportunities to get the ball back.

Yes, great quarterbacks can lead their guys by great attitudes, great play making abilities and great poise.

But once again, no quarterback is winning anything by themselves. Mahomes is arguably the greatest quarterback to have ever lived and has shown he can ASSIST in winning in the biggest moments.

He didn't even make the playoffs, did he.

Tom Brady is considered the greatest quarterback to have ever lived and shown he can ASSIST in winning in the biggest moments. Well the biggest moment of his career, the Patriots had a chance to go undefeated and break the 72 Dolphins streak.

He couldn't win in that biggest moment. You would think that these GOAT QBs can do anything, correct? Not without a TEAM.

But no quarterback has ever won anything

Bottom line is, if all you have is a QB, you aren’t winning anything. The same if you have a team, but no QB.

 

[kevm3]

What qb has averaged 30 points this season? Thats how much you'd need to have a winning season this year

 

[GINeric]

Bottom line is, if all you have is a QB, you aren’t winning anything. The same if you have a team, but no QB.

Ive seen elite quarterbacks retire without a Superbowl win.... and I've seen non elite quarterbacks win the Superbowl.

We're both pretty much saying its called a team game for a reason.

 

[Hadenough]

Quarterbacks don't win in big moments. TEAMS do. Then you have to toss in coaching staffs that can call the right plays and properly manage the clock and timeouts in big moments.

There are a couple quarterbacks who people say can "win in big moments" that either missed the playoffs or was one and done the first playoff game. So apparently its not just about a quarterback.

There's no quarterback in the NFL that could have expected to win anything of significance with our last place ranked defense this season.

This isn't boxing or golf. Teams win games.

Have you ever seen a QB that gets that shell shocked deer in the headlights look like Dak gets. I wonder why nobody goes over and tries to talk him thru his choking! I watch other QBs and they are looking at a tablet and going over plays with the OC and trying to figure out what happened. I’ve just never in all my years of watching NFL games ever seen a QB get that look that Dak gets.

 

[GINeric]

Have you ever seen a QB that gets that shell shocked deer in the headlights look like Dak gets. I wonder why nobody goes over and tries to talk him thru his choking! I watch other QBs and they are looking at a tablet and going over plays with the OC and trying to figure out what happened. I’ve just never in all my years of watching NFL games ever seen a QB get that look that Dak gets.

Ive seen Dak looking at the tablet with the OC throughout his career. You can tell me you have never seen him do that before.

As far as a deer in the headlights look thing is.... I really don't look at every quarterback's face and try to guess what they're thinking. I only look at what they do on the field.

Now with that said, if a deer in the headlights makes a quarterback a perennial top 10 player at the quarterback position, make him become an All-Pro and MVP candidate, then maybe more quarterbacks should practice deer in headlight looks.

I was told that Justin Herbert was better than Dak, yet he has zero playoff wins. I was told Lamar Jackson was better than Dak and they have the same amount of playoff wins. Maybe they should pretend to be a deer in headlights too. Nobody has talked any of them through their choking either.

 

[Hadenough]

Ive seen Dak looking at the tablet with the OC throughout his career. You can tell me you have never seen him do that before.

As far as a deer in the headlights look thing is.... I really don't look at every quarterback's face and try to guess what they're thinking. I only look at what they do on the field.

Now with that said, if a deer in the headlights makes a quarterback a perennial top 10 player at the quarterback position, make him become an All-Pro and MVP candidate, then maybe more quarterbacks should practice deer in headlight looks.

I was told that Justin Herbert was better than Dak, yet he has zero playoff wins. I was told Lamar Jackson was better than Dak and they have the same amount of playoff wins. Maybe they should pretend to be a deer in headlights too. Nobody has talked any of them through their choking either.

Oh Herbert is now considered a choker and so is Lamar. The minute Herbert got the ball on the NE 10 yard line and he tried to run it in himself it just reminded me of Dak. No trust in his own arm.

 

[GINeric]

Oh Herbert is now considered a choker and so is Lamar. The minute Herbert got the ball on the NE 10 yard line and he tried to run it in himself it just reminded me of Dak. No trust in his own arm.

Think about it though. Both Herbert and Lamar were drafted in the 1st round, EXPECTED to be a franchise quarterback.

Dak was drafted in the 4th round, probably expected to be a backup at best, yet he's had a better career than alot of other quarterbacks drafted higher than he was. No Dak isn't elite, but I'd take him over Lamar, Herbert and a few other quarterbacks who were drafted higher than him.

I don't think I've ever seen a 4th round drafted quarterback who was held to higher expectations than 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round drafted quarterbacks. Is there any other 4th rounder who went through that before?

 

[JustChip]

Ive seen elite quarterbacks retire without a Superbowl win.... and I've seen non elite quarterbacks win the Superbowl.

We're both pretty much saying its called a team game for a reason.

Correct.

Peyton Manning was absolutely not elite when he QBed the Broncos Super Bowl win against the Panthers. That was all defense. Manning completed barely 50% of his passes for about 100 yards. The only thing elite about his performance was knowing his significant limitation.

Personally, I don’t doubt Dak could win a Super Bowl with Denver’s defense that year. As could Romo. In fact, swap Romo and Eli and Romo probably has a SB win and Eli doesn’t.

 

[Hadenough]

Think about it though. Both Herbert and Lamar were drafted in the 1st round, EXPECTED to be a franchise quarterback.

Dak was drafted in the 4th round, probably expected to be a backup at best, yet he's had a better career than alot of other quarterbacks drafted higher than he was. No Dak isn't elite, but I'd take him over Lamar, Herbert and a few other quarterbacks who were drafted higher than him.

I don't think I've ever seen a 4th round drafted quarterback who was held to higher expectations than 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round drafted quarterbacks. Is there any other 4th rounder who went through that before?

Once Dak held out to be the highest paid QB in the league he lost his 4th round immunity. I think Dak has gotten the most out of the tools he was born with. Herbert and Lamar have a better arm strength,mobility, accuracy. I think Herbert or Lamar would be an upgrade over Dak enough that if the defense was fixed the Cowboys would have a chance to reach a SB. The reason for thinking is Daks arm strength causes his ball to float on those longer outside the number and deep crossing throws and Daks mobility and pocket awareness has declined.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Once Dak held out to be the highest paid QB in the league he lost his 4th round immunity. I think Dak has gotten the most out of the tools he was born with. Herbert and Lamar have a better arm strength,mobility, accuracy. I think Herbert or Lamar would be an upgrade over Dak enough that if the defense was fixed the Cowboys would have a chance to reach a SB. The reason for thinking is Daks arm strength causes his ball to float on those longer outside the number and deep crossing throws and Daks mobility and pocket awareness has declined.

how BS gets perpetuated...

he has never held out. when you are not under contract. you are not holding out. its negotiations.
when he was under contract, he showed up, he was at camp. he was there pre-season.
that's not a hold out.

its the idiot jones, negotiation tactics. stirring things up. liking the drama, that got the contract literally signed an hour before first game of the season.

and I find it interesting and funny. now the spin for lamar and herbert. up to this point you were crying playoffs, playoffs. now that you can't hold that argument its they have better arm strength and mobility and accuracy....well for those who kept posting the video of Dak in his second year throwing a ball at Dave and Busters, if you count that as accuracy, Dak was more accurate in a game they played in joint practices with Chargers (both are stupid measures, but some of you all kept clinging to that).

accuracy wise, all the stats say otherwise. but yes, your biased eye test is the ultimate we should all defer to.

I have said it before. I say it again. Mahomes would not have won a superbowl or even get there if he played in dallas. if the defense was fixed, this year's team would have been contender and have a chance to reach superbowl.

 

[JeffInDC]

Once Dak held out to be the highest paid QB in the league he lost his 4th round immunity. I think Dak has gotten the most out of the tools he was born with. Herbert and Lamar have a better arm strength,mobility, accuracy. I think Herbert or Lamar would be an upgrade over Dak enough that if the defense was fixed the Cowboys would have a chance to reach a SB. The reason for thinking is Daks arm strength causes his ball to float on those longer outside the number and deep crossing throws and Daks mobility and pocket awareness has declined.

You mean 0-3 in the playoffs Herbert with 2 defenses in ‘24 & ‘25 that were Top 10 units in PPG? Or 3-5 in the playoffs Lamar that also had TOP 10 DEFENSES (in PPG & YPG) EVERY YEAR the Ravens made the playoffs with him at QB? And, Dak has a higher passing rating than both of them in the playoffs. In other words, these dudes OBVIOUSLY are no better than Dak when it comes to being the difference between winning and losing when it matters.

 

[kevm3]

Once Dak held out to be the highest paid QB in the league he lost his 4th round immunity. I think Dak has gotten the most out of the tools he was born with. Herbert and Lamar have a better arm strength,mobility, accuracy. I think Herbert or Lamar would be an upgrade over Dak enough that if the defense was fixed the Cowboys would have a chance to reach a SB. The reason for thinking is Daks arm strength causes his ball to float on those longer outside the number and deep crossing throws and Daks mobility and pocket awareness has declined.

The chargers and Herbert only put up 3 points against the pats. How would that translate to putting up 30 plus that he would need to win on the cowboys?

 

[Dorsett33]

As good as the offense was, they left a lot of points on the field and off the scoreboard. Had the offense been better in the redzone we might have a won a couple of extra games even with the atrocious defense

I expect more out of the offense with the amount of resources we have pumped into it.

Something tells me had the offense scored 70 points a game and ended up with the same record....you'd still say this.

 

[kevm3]

Front office is the most important aspect of winning in modern football. The pats had amazing success, fell off and now they look like contenders again. Same with the seahawks. You need the right combo of coaches, players and a football atmosphere to win. One player is not going to be able to overcome our front office. If we get some generational qb talent, the fo would say the team is good enough and let the defense slide off a cliff and we would wonder why the team never gets past the hump. One or two players cannot overcome cohesive TEAMS put together by high performing front offices