Our QB is broken

[OGSixshooter]

Gotcha. Yeah, I can't disagree with that.

I'm just not sure I'd call him "broken." Zach Wilson's broken.

Dak choked under the bright lights, but maybe he grows from this and plays more free next time we're in the playoffs.

Almost like a "nowhere to go but up" situation.

He was definitely in his own head vs Green Bay. So maybe there's some confidence that can be obtained by realizing, "It was nothing that the opponent did. I beat myself."

The reason I say "broken" is because I don't think it's like broken leg that can be reset and heal better than before. To me, his psyche is like a shattered vase...it can't be reassembled while he's under the same pressure. If he had some time away or was able to gain some unique perspective maybe...but most times that kind of deep-seated insecurity can't be fixed with "coaching". It's in the person's head. The problem with Dak is that everyone knows it now. The family is saying the quiet part out loud. So now what...Dak gets better with this pressure? It's unlikely. He's BROKEN.

 

[Kingofholland]

Dak has overcome a lot personally, but I do wonder how mental health ties into the playoffs and his in game performance? With the added pressure perhaps anxiety kicks in and leads to inability to fully focus and subpar play. Though I'm speculating, Dak has been treated for anxiety before so its not out of the realm of possibility and why he often looks like a totally different QB in these playoff games, especially when the team gets off to a slow start.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

Maybe Jerry and half our fans choked, by thinking we had a SB team.

I certainly choked on what Jerry has been feeding us.

 

[Nav22]

So much of the sport is psychological, people forget. Often times, if the quarterback puts up a valiant effort it inspires the Defense to play hard. Other times, when the quarterback is part of the problem, interceptions for instance, the defense won't put up their best effort. That is why the greatest on the field leaders, are the ones that aren't part of the problem.

That's fair, but how about the fact that when we did score 10 straight points (cutting the lead to 27-10 early in the 3rd quarter), the defense immediately gave up a quick TD to make it 34-10?

And then when we again scored to cut the deficit to 34-16, the defense immediately gave up another TD to make it 41-16?

If the defense wanted to show up or "be inspired" that day, those were 2 golden opportunities to do so right there.

Dak sucked in the 1st half, and unfortunately the defense sucked all game.

 

[Chasing6]

Yes. And Lance is no serious threat to replace Prescott.

So our great GM choked, giving up a 4th round pick and $5M of our salary cap for next year. Good think we are under the cap. Oops we are currently $20M over.

 

[OGSixshooter]

So.............................. Jones does not believe in Prescott.............................. but he has had two full offseasons since he stopped "believing in him"................... and has neither invested any high round picks at the position..................... nor made any serious trades to bring in veteran competition to replace Prescott........................... and has only done enough to acquire a former first round pick who could not cut it in San Francisco..............?

All of your points do not disprove my point. He did Trade for Lance...without consulting his son or his coach. What does that say for Jones' personal belief? Oh by the way, we had the best backup in the league at the time. And how Did Dak feel about it? Well, Dak wasn't happy. So again, Jerry doesn't really believe in Dak the way he did in Romo.

For example, outside of Aikman and Quincy Carter, Jerry has NEVER invested a high pick in a QB. In fact, that's one of my problems with him. So the absence of a high pick in the last few years doesn't prove a thing one way or another.

 

[diamonddelts]

Did Dak choke vs Green Bay? Absolutely. But let's not rewrite history. He was balling in the regular season.

Against teams below .500.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

That's fair, but how about the fact that when we did score 10 straight points (cutting the lead to 27-10 early in the 3rd quarter), the defense immediately gave up a quick TD to make it 34-10?

And then when we again scored to cut the deficit to 34-16, the defense immediately gave up another TD to make it 41-16?

If the defense wanted to show up or "be inspired" that day, those were 2 golden opportunities to do so right there.

Dak sucked in the 1st half, and unfortunately the defense sucked all game.

Yes plenty of blame to go around.

 

[Chasing6]

So our great GM choked, giving up a 4th round pick and $5M of our salary cap for next year. Good think we are under the cap. Oops we are currently $20M over.

Glad we had unanimous consent to make this trade without talking to anyone about it, because the decision had to be made immediately, due to the lack of interest by the other 30 NFL teams.

Because that is what good GM's do.

 

[DallasEast]

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Well since people love just making things up about Dak's mental state.

Dak hates the fan base. He reads the stupid things they say and thinks they're a bunch of morons. He sees that there are fan bases who don't endlessly litigate every incompletion and make conclusions that he doesn't know how to read a defense. He loses in the playoffs on purpose to spite them.

That's equally as stupid as the OP.

 

[OGSixshooter]

The only thing that is really going to help Dak at this point in his career is a POWER running game. I think that should be the focus this offseason and getting players in FA/draft to make that happen. It's the only way the Cowboys can reach their goals wth Dak IMO. Does that mean adding better OL and RB's or is it more about coaching and scheme...I'm thinking both.

To me, this is obvious. Asking Dak to make 40 correct decisions against the best teams puts too much pressure on him. I think he's plenty smart and he has improved his passing ability beyond what I thought possible...BUT...in the biggest games he doesn't trust his mechanics because they are 2nd nature. His first nature is to be Tim Tebow, like he was in HS and college.

This is also why I think Jones doesn't believe in Dak. He went and traded for Lance instead of spending that on a Derrick Henry or even a flyer on a RB in the draft.

 

[OGSixshooter]

So Dak having Jerry hamstrung is not "belief". It's "business".

 

[OGSixshooter]

Something weird is going on in his head in the post season (and against SF). His mind had to be racing, his vision had to be blurry when he almost threw the other two picks against GB.
It's some kind of big game anxiety, kind of like the yips with the golf match on the line. This is back to back playoff games in the first half...scary.

He was so good in the regular season

totally agree. He goes through his reads TOO quickly according to him and tape shows it. This is why I said he's plenty smart, but choking isn't about being smart. It's about confidence combined with focused execution. Dak loses confidence and starts seeing ghosts because he's got too many competing thoughts and weights in his head. This is why I think his well-intentioned offseason retreats are backfiring. Now everyone knows your insecurity and dirty laundry. There's a reason you keep a respectful distance from the men (or women) you're trying to lead. I think he should focus on being a demanding battle field commander not a positive, locker room culture warrior.

 

[KJJ]

The playoffs have been an issue with him and it’s been an issue with the entire team. The problem is Dak has been an excellent regular season QB. Something goes real wrong for him and the team in the playoffs.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

You forgot No Trade Clause!

 

[Nav22]

The reason I say "broken" is because I don't think it's like broken leg that can be reset and heal better than before. To me, his psyche is like a shattered vase...it can't be reassembled while he's under the same pressure. If he had some time away or was able to gain some unique perspective maybe...but most times that kind of deep-seated insecurity can't be fixed with "coaching". It's in the person's head. The problem with Dak is that everyone knows it now. The family is saying the quiet part out loud. So now what...Dak gets better with this pressure? It's unlikely. He's BROKEN.

I'm an optimist by nature, so I'm going the other way with this.

He can't choke any harder than he did vs Green Bay. It's impossible.

Even with our playoff failures of yesteryear, NOBODY saw this coming. We all expected to beat Green Bay.

So Dak choked under the high expectations.

Last year we got crushed in Week 18 at lowly Washington (with Dak playing terribly) and everyone expected us to lose at Tampa Bay a week later. We saw how Dak bounced back at TB when the world expected him to blow it: he was sensational.

So maybe, just maybe, this Green Bay loss was the COLOSSAL choke-job that he has no choice but to rebound from.

Expectations and optimism will be low next time around. And maybe that's just what the doctor ordered.

 

[ccb04]

Instead of Jerry pissing down his leg, it was Dak. Parsons had arguably his worst game of the season. Lamb picked the playoffs to start openly sulking. The only player to show up and sack up, was Ferguson. Then add in Quinn's zone based game plan & failure to adjust to the run, more idiotic penalties, 12 safeties in a pear tree, etc.

The organization is broken and has been for 30 years. While I like McCarthy, I wanted them to pursue Harbaugh. The guy took Kaepernick to multiple NFC Championship games and the super bowl. And now he's fresh off a college championship. He has a way of galvanizing teams...and brings a different personality.

 

[Nav22]

Against teams below .500.

And against Philly, Detroit and Miami.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

The playoffs have been an issue with him and it’s been an issue with the entire team. The problem is Dak has been an excellent regular season QB. Something goes real wrong for him and the team in the playoffs.

I wonder if that would be true, if we were in a less pitiful division.