News: PFT: Stephen Jones: Cowboys have “secret sauce” to win

[Chocolate Lab]

Yes, I did. And it's perfectly sensible, unless you come up with a legitimate reason why our roster became dramatically worse over about six months following the 2009 season. We didn't lose Romo, Ware, Witten, or any of our other best players.

Plus, the last few years and probably this one, the division has been worse than it was in 2009.

I bet Jerry loves this line of thinking, though. He has fans convinced things are great even though the results on the field don't show it.

 

[Idgit]

Of course, the Cowboys are riddled with injuries to both lines, and haven’t shown any indication their offensive line is settled or any better than it was last year

I'd say there are indications that this year's line has been improved.

I get so tired of the 8-8 argument. Yes, we've been a 500 team the last two years. The NFL is full of teams that have gone 8-8 under very different circumstances. Some of them were otherwise good teams with specific personnel weaknesses. Some of them had injury problems. Some of them turned the ball over a flukey number of times. Some were good teams in the process of aging and becoming bad ones. Some were bad teams getting better in the process of becoming good ones. You don't base what you're organization is doing on last year's record alone. You have to look at your roster, look at your depth, look at your plan for addressing what it is that's getting you beat, and, if you believe in it, you stay the course. If you do not, you make a change. NFL history is full of good coaches and good teams who have 500 stretches or worse in back-to-back years.

And, yes, I think this team ought to be better than 500 this season. And, yes, I think they ought to have been better than a 500 team last season. But I understand the intervening circumstances from 2012, and I wouldn't let them interfere with what I'm trying to accomplish if I'm running things. Honestly, I'm surprised that there are still some good, smart posters who don't recognize the difference yet in how this organization is run and in how we're assembling our talent. It's night-and-day from what we've done in the recent past. Last year's record notwithstanding.

 

[Nation]

‏@greggrosenthal 27m Cowboys secret sauce ingredients: Terrible self-scouting, dead cap money, writers that fall for them

 

[BoysFan4ever]

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Rockport]

I'd say there are indications that this year's line has been improved.

I get so tired of the 8-8 argument. Yes, we've been a 500 team the last two years. The NFL is full of teams that have gone 8-8 under very different circumstances. Some of them were otherwise good teams with specific personnel weaknesses. Some of them had injury problems. Some of them turned the ball over a flukey number of times. Some were good teams in the process of aging and becoming bad ones. Some were bad teams getting better in the process of becoming good ones. You don't base what you're organization is doing on last year's record alone. You have to look at your roster, look at your depth, look at your plan for addressing what it is that's getting you beat, and, if you believe in it, you stay the course. If you do not, you make a change. NFL history is full of good coaches and good teams who have 500 stretches or worse in back-to-back years.

And, yes, I think this team ought to be better than 500 this season. And, yes, I think they ought to have been better than a 500 team last season. But I understand the intervening circumstances from 2012, and I wouldn't let them interfere with what I'm trying to accomplish if I'm running things. Honestly, I'm surprised that there are still some good, smart posters who don't recognize the difference yet in how this organization is run and in how we're assembling our talent. It's night-and-day from what we've done in the recent past. Last year's record notwithstanding.

Looks like we'll be starting a rookie center and a second year free agent who's never started. I think the offensive line play will be no better than last year at least for the first parof the year. Hopefully after 6 games or so, they'll start to jell. What worries me the most is if we have an injury to one of the starters. Then the line will be worse than last year.

 

[Aurican]

Tired of the Super Bowl every year talk with these guys, how about proving you can make the playoffs before you start talking big.

 

[mrmojo]

The secret sauce must be the new defensive scheme and some changes in the O-line beacuse I can't think of another area that has been a secret. I hope the "sauce" refers to being relatively healthy for all of 2013, if that's the case then this team has a chance to be better than 8-8.

 

[erod]

He inherited the team last year that went 8-8?

Time to move past that line of thinking.

He has had his time to put his stamp on this team.

Now if we wind up with an 8-8 or similar (giver or take a game) this year will you still use that line of thinking?

For me I am tired of the talk about this or that being the change...I have moved on to don't tell me...SHOW ME.

Garrett has cleaned house. Only 17 players remain from the Wade days, and next year you'll see a few more gone.

The culture is very different, and the roster is much younger. It's set up for multiple years, not a single hope and prayer.

 

[FiveRings]

Sounds like Jerry might be going full Al Davis

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Garrett has cleaned house. Only 17 players remain from the Wade days, and next year you'll see a few more gone.

The culture is very different, and the roster is much younger. It's set up for multiple years, not a single hope and prayer.

And what happens if we finish middle of the road yet again? Different Players, Different Culture, Different coaches.

Hmmm

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Sounds like Jerry might be going full Al Davis

Unfortunately this was Stephen.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Jerry is salesman. That people have not just taken it as fait accompli is beyond me. The season cannot start soon enough.

 

[Idgit]

Looks like we'll be starting a rookie center and a second year free agent who's never started. I think the offensive line play will be no better than last year at least for the first parof the year. Hopefully after 6 games or so, they'll start to jell. What worries me the most is if we have an injury to one of the starters. Then the line will be worse than last year.

I rookie first round pick, in place of the discarded OL we traded a 7th rounder for in desperation after losing three guys we liked better in training camp? And a second year player the team was high on who never got the chance to beat out Nate Livings, who's nearly universally considered a FA leper in these parts? Sure.

Not sure that anyone can watch the OL in preseason and not think the talent has been upgraded. And I'm not sure why you'd think the depth this season would be any worse than it was last season. It's the same players, only we've got Kowalski and Costa back where they weren't options in 2012. We've also got options for sliding Frederick or Free to OG that weren't realistically available to us last year. Our OT depth is marginally better, though that's because it was non-existant last year. All around, we're definitely in better shape, the only real question is was it enough improvement overall.

 

[erod]

And what happens if we finish middle of the road yet again? Different Players, Different Culture, Different coaches.

Hmmm

Then, you figure out the reason why and make the needed changes.

All I know is that Jerry holds on to players forever, and Garrett has managed to get rid of the has-beens depite Jerry. Ratliff is next, and Miles, too, if he can't stay healthy.

 

[Rockport]

I rookie first round pick, in place of the discarded OL we traded a 7th rounder for in desperation after losing three guys we liked better in training camp? And a second year player the team was high on who never got the chance to beat out Nate Livings, who's nearly universally considered a FA leper in these parts? Sure.

Not sure that anyone can watch the OL in preseason and not think the talent has been upgraded. And I'm not sure why you'd think the depth this season would be any worse than it was last season. It's the same players, only we've got Kowalski and Costa back where they weren't options in 2012. We've also got options for sliding Frederick or Free to OG that weren't realistically available to us last year. Our OT depth is marginally better, though that's because it was non-existant last year. All around, we're definitely in better shape, the only real question is was it enough improvement overall.

Like Costa and Kowalski are stud offensive lineman? Right. If you don't think a rookie center and a 2nd year FA who's never started won't struggle initially, then you aren't being realistic.

 

[FiveRings]

Unfortunately this was Stephen.

You're right, did the thread have Jerry's name on it before? Because I could have sworn it said Jerry. But then again, Stephen is on his way to being senile

 

[Zordon]

I think they've made significant strides since the Wade-era...

We'll see what the new season begets.

Wade won us a playoff game. Something Jason has yet to do. I hate how little credit he gets for that.

 

[Zordon]

He inherited the team last year that went 8-8?

Time to move past that line of thinking.

He has had his time to put his stamp on this team.

Now if we wind up with an 8-8 or similar (giver or take a game) this year will you still use that line of thinking?

For me I am tired of the talk about this or that being the change...I have moved on to don't tell me...SHOW ME.

Your posts in this thread are making me hot and bothered. Whew!

 

[davey999]

Do people actually believe what these 2 salesmen say? Give me a break. There's a strong possibility that Jeremy Parnell and Mack Bernadeau will be starting in our opening game. Is that a secret sauce?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Your posts in this thread are making me hot and bothered. Whew!

Don't start Twerking there Miley.