Plasticman's Fearless (And Occasionally Correct) Predictions: 2017 Season

[waving monkey]

1. Ezekiel Elliott will play in all 19 games.

2. That's right, 19, because this is the year the Cowboys return to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys will win the NFC Championship this year. Will they win the Super Bowl?.....not predicting.

3. No more "rookie fluke" talk when it comes to Dak. He is the Real Deal. Although his QB rating won't be as impressive, his leadership, poise, and performance in critical situations will cement his stature as an elite quarterback.

4. Ezekiel Elliot will get more rest this season, he won't get the same rushing yardage, the running game will get help from McFadden. However, he will get similar total yards from scrimmage due to more involvement in the passing game

5. The defense will struggle in the first quarter of the season. However, young stars will begin to emerge, particularly the secondary. They will actually get a lot of INT's.....no, really.

Orlando Scandrick will draw praise and comparisons with Dennis Thurman, the leader of Thurman's Thieves in the 1981-1983 seasons.

6. Breakout years for Maliek Collins and La'El Collins.

7. Offensive line will continue to dominate despite uncertainty at left guard where there will be an almost weekly rotation. It won't matter. Some will begin to consider them the best in history.

8. The Cowboys will go 13-3 during the regular season with only one real defeat. The others will be due more to their own mistakes. Their youth and inexperience will cost a game or two.

9. Someone on this forum will remind me of my Stephen McGee prediction back in 2012.

10. The NFL and all fans will begin to learn a lot more about Jason Garrett and his role in building this team.

11. Jaylon Smith will play well in 2017, although perhaps not up to elite expectations. He will show flashes and make key plays. His breakout season will be discussed this same time next year.

12. Jason Witten's star will begin to fade.....or perhaps he was just pacing himself. Although his stats will sharply decline in the regular season, he will be there for the Cowboys during the playoffs with game and season defining catches.

13. As one star fades, another shines brighter. Dez won't lead the NFL in receptions this season, but he will lead them in receiving TD's and yards per catch. He will have his best season. With Elliot and McFadden running and catching, with the involvement of all the other receivers, there just won't be enough defense left to effectively cover him all the time.

Im not as positive as you are but I'm backing your tip sheet all the way.

 

[DogFace]

Excellent post and attitude towards the team we root for. I'm with you. We need a lomabardi icon mods.

 

[casmith07]

I'm on board with all of it except the Witten prediction. Witten's star will start to fade when he starts to consider retirement at age 46.

 

[irishline]

Hey man, is that Colombian? Pass it around! Put down the mind altering chemicals. I like a good story once in a while but this is too much fiction.
There is no evident s that the defense will be anything other than average. The OL is still the weak link (OG and LOT) until proven otherwise.
The NFL has made Zek a target and plan to make an example of him (more than a 5 game appearance is going to be hard on the Cowboys). The talking heads have us at 9 - 7 maybe 10-6 as highest record. I see this as a transition year for next years SuperBowl.

The Offensive line is "still" the weak link until proven otherwise?

First time I have heard anyone describe Tyron Smith as a weak link on the OL.

So much this. Has to be a typo....

 

[Verdict]

I appreciate the original post. Any of it is plausible. I think Witten's star athletically has already faded significantly. As a player he is savvy and has value. Not worth his cap number but that is another story.

I am not sure that Dez will accomplish all you have laid out for him, but we are paying him like he can do it, and he is in his prime, so if he doesn't do it this year, its probably not in the cards for him.

Regarding RT Collins, I think he is going to be a road grader in the running game. A beast. I'm not as sold on him blocking in space. It could easily be problematic, especially early. Having said that he is probably still better than Doug Free.

 

[plasticman]

Hey man, is that Colombian? Pass it around! Put down the mind altering chemicals. I like a good story once in a while but this is too much fiction.
There is no evident s that the defense will be anything other than average. The OL is still the weak link (OG and LOT) until proven otherwise.
The NFL has made Zek a target and plan to make an example of him (more than a 5 game appearance is going to be hard on the Cowboys). The talking heads have us at 9 - 7 maybe 10-6 as highest record. I see this as a transition year for next years SuperBowl.

With three 1st Team All-Pros on the offensive line you could insert any other O-line starter in this league and you would have one of the best lines.

Choosing between the likes of Chaz Green and Jonathon Cooper for starting Left Guard is a far cry from choosing between Nate Livings, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Montrae Holland, Derrick Dockery, etc.

Barring injury, Collins just has too many skills and physical gifts not to prosper from the talent around him. There is also the matter of his contract and the memory of draft day. He has demonstrated a competitive attitude. This should be a breakout year for him.

Today, my predictions are fiction.

In the future they will be........................mostly fiction, just like the majority of them whether they are espoused by respected and credentialed NFL analysts or a simple fan of the game like myself.

As for what I am smoking, you should ask those that predict the Cowboys winning less than 8 games. That's who scored the Bogota Brainmelt.