Quick game thoughts

[jterrell]

If you are here to complain and cry then this won't be the post for you.
Might be time to hit eject on this thread.

Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games.

I thought Dallas was playing about as vanilla as possible for 3 quarters.
In fact I think only Dak starting to bail and run caused Kellen to ditch the basics and open it up late.
You cannot get your QB hurt in a game like that where you are already Division champs with a home playoff game.

They did a good job of competing that final quarter. Arizona still doesn't scare me. I'd never block Chandler Jones with Dalton Schultz again but basic scheme adjustments and I like Dallas by 14 in a rematch.

The negative is not losing by 3 to a playoff team but losing Michael Gallup. That hurts. Dallas just never got much from Gallup this year and his deep play ability was and will be missed.

Ced Wilson is "fine" but he's not that deep threat guy to open up the rest of the field.

GB wasn't giving up the 1 seed with MIN not having a QB. Dallas being healthy and having schematic advantages means more than a 2nd home game. Jerry makes a little less money... boo friggin hoo.

But, but ,but... IDC, seriously. You almost certainly are going to have to beat Tampa and GB to go to the Super Bowl. The rest is just talk. I really don't care whether we face Tampa there or here. Weather in Tampa is as good as it gets late in year and home field is pointless versus Tom Brady.
You'd love to avoid GB but that wasn't happening once Dak was injured. Far better to get healthy, prepare for the playoffs and handle this all like you've been there before. --McCarthy and Quinn certainly.

What I'd like to see is a strong first half next week. Nail that opening drive for a TD. Get up by 14 or more and sit guys in the 2nd half. Rest up some and get ready for the Arizona rematch everyone with a brain knew was likely coming.

 

[Sydla]

They had a chance to get the #1 seed. Also the #2 seed is more preferable than the #4 seed.

To argue that we played vanilla because we didn't want to get Dak hurt and were OK with possibly losing and giving up a chance at the 1 or 2 seed and that we didn't want to give away some super secret scheme we've been hiding all year is just rationalizing away a loss.

 

[Wezsh0T]

Good summary. My biggest issue is that Dallas still can't seem to put it together when a big game is on the line. It's what we've seen for years and is mantra that seems to follow us: Dallas folds in big games. We need to get over that "big game" hump. Granted, this is a pretty young team and we are going to have to retool the oline and linebacking core in the offseason. For now, we need to hope that our, maybe good, maybe bad, probably somewhere in the middle coaches, can somehow cobble together a coherent game plan in the next couple of weeks to do some damage in the playoffs. I'm sick of getting outplayed, outcoached, and losing in big games. I think that is why we are seeing all the vitriol. We just want our team to take it to the next level.

 

[Smith22]

If you are here to complain and cry then this won't be the post for you.
Might be time to hit eject on this thread.

Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games.

I thought Dallas was playing about as vanilla as possible for 3 quarters.
In fact I think only Dak starting to bail and run caused Kellen to ditch the basics and open it up late.
You cannot get your QB hurt in a game like that where you are already Division champs with a home playoff game.

They did a good job of competing that final quarter. Arizona still doesn't scare me. I'd never block Chandler Jones with Dalton Schultz again but basic scheme adjustments and I like Dallas by 14 in a rematch.

The negative is not losing by 3 to a playoff team but losing Michael Gallup. That hurts. Dallas just never got much from Gallup this year and his deep play ability was and will be missed.

Ced Wilson is "fine" but he's not that deep threat guy to open up the rest of the field.

GB wasn't giving up the 1 seed with MIN not having a QB. Dallas being healthy and having schematic advantages means more than a 2nd home game. Jerry makes a little less money... boo friggin hoo.

But, but ,but... IDC, seriously. You almost certainly are going to have to beat Tampa and GB to go to the Super Bowl. The rest is just talk. I really don't care whether we face Tampa there or here. Weather in Tampa is as good as it gets late in year and home field is pointless versus Tom Brady.
You'd love to avoid GB but that wasn't happening once Dak was injured. Far better to get healthy, prepare for the playoffs and handle this all like you've been there before. --McCarthy and Quinn certainly.

What I'd like to see is a strong first half next week. Nail that opening drive for a TD. Get up by 14 or more and sit guys in the 2nd half. Rest up some and get ready for the Arizona rematch everyone with a brain knew was likely coming.

Normally agree with your posts, but hard disagree with this one. This offense has been a mess for 2 months minus the WFT game and a moment here and there.

And I'm pretty sure Dak and the offense have night n day differences in stats playing at home versus on the road. You can't sell me the team wasn't trying to win that game.

And how do you favor us by 14 in a rematch? We lost MG, while they will be getting back multiple players who were out.

 

[Sydla]

Normally agree with your posts, but hard disagree with this one. This offense has been a mess for 2 months minus the WFT game and a moment here and there.

And I'm pretty sure Dak and the offense have night n day differences in stats playing at home versus on the road. You can't sell me the team wasn't trying to win that game.

And how do you favor us by 14 in a rematch? We lost MG, while they will be getting back multiple players who were out.

Yep. This offense we saw yesterday has been pretty much the same offense we've seen for weeks now other than the WFT blow out. Are we going to argue that Moore has been playing vanilla for weeks here in order to hide things for the playoffs?

Yeah, they will get back two dominant pass rushers. That doesn't bode well for an OL that struggled at times yesterday giving Dak a clean pocket.

 

[jterrell]

Good summary. My biggest issue is that Dallas still can't seem to put it together when a big game is on the line. It's what we've seen for years and is mantra that seems to follow us: Dallas folds in big games. We need to get over that "big game" hump. Granted, this is a pretty young team and we are going to have to retool the oline and linebacking core in the offseason. For now, we need to hope that our, maybe good, maybe bad, probably somewhere in the middle coaches, can somehow cobble together a coherent game plan in the next couple of weeks to do some damage in the playoffs. I'm sick of getting outplayed, outcoached, and losing in big games. I think that is why we are seeing all the vitriol. We just want our team to take it to the next level.

wasnt a big game.
but yes it remains to be seen how they fare in the playoffs.
can they go on a 4 week run? seems a lot to ask but getting a playoff win is the right place to start.

 

[Sydla]

wasnt a big game.
but yes it remains to be seen how they fare in the playoffs.
can they go on a 4 week run? seems a lot to ask but getting a playoff win is the right place to start.

How was playing a winning team that could be a playoff foe in Week 17 of the season while you, yourself, are fighting for the #1 seed (or #2 seed) not a big game?

It's comical the lengths some will go to in order to excuse a loss.

 

[LucaBrasi]

Watched it again, no expert but…

a handful of killer penalties stalled drives in 1h. 3rd and 12 offsides on defense (Gregory) when tgeyvgot a stop led to 3 extra points for Cards (they failed on 2 pt play)

Hooker deflects ball on 4th down cards td in 2Q. A touch unlucky.

3Q was god awful football, especially on offense.

I still thinks it’s going to be a tough haul to get out of 1st round, but I’m slightly more encouraged after rewatch.

offense still too many empty possessions, I worry about the secondary when there is not any semblance of pressure. You could say that about any secondary, but Diggs, Brown, J Lew weren’t good yesterday. Joseph came in and gave 15 yards of cushion.

 

[jterrell]

Normally agree with your posts, but hard disagree with this one. This offense has been a mess for 2 months minus the WFT game and a moment here and there.

And I'm pretty sure Dak and the offense have night n day differences in stats playing at home versus on the road. You can't sell me the team wasn't trying to win that game.

And how do you favor us by 14 in a rematch? We lost MG, while they will be getting back multiple players who were out.

Not selling anything just telling you how I feel.

Dallas is not going to guard 6'5" Antoine Wesley with anyone other than Diggs in 2 weeks.
Dallas used zero of their big packages this week to pound the ball.
I seriously doubt Tyron Smith looks beatable in two-weeks' time.

Dallas offense has been all over the place for sure. But they still rank 1st overall. Hard to complain about that.
A missed fumble away from a win where the other team was fake punting form their own end and playing it like a playoff game? OK, cool.

Mostly I just believe in Dallas's talent. They'll be ready and play well imo.

 

[Aven8]

Only thing I disagree with is the playoff opponent. I think Zona wins the west.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

Reads like a bunch of lame excuses. Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games? Why? Because that story makes you feel better about losing a game most had them winning?

 

[Wezsh0T]

wasnt a big game.
but yes it remains to be seen how they fare in the playoffs.
can they go on a 4 week run? seems a lot to ask but getting a playoff win is the right place to start.

I think the team was treating it as a big game as well; MM saying the team was going to treat this like a playoff game.

Tall order to make a deep playoff run. We are going to have to get lucky or have something really click like it did for the Giants the year their defense carried them on their improbably Super Bowl run.

 

[JBS]

If you are here to complain and cry then this won't be the post for you.
Might be time to hit eject on this thread.

Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games.

I thought Dallas was playing about as vanilla as possible for 3 quarters.
In fact I think only Dak starting to bail and run caused Kellen to ditch the basics and open it up late.
You cannot get your QB hurt in a game like that where you are already Division champs with a home playoff game.

They did a good job of competing that final quarter. Arizona still doesn't scare me. I'd never block Chandler Jones with Dalton Schultz again but basic scheme adjustments and I like Dallas by 14 in a rematch.

The negative is not losing by 3 to a playoff team but losing Michael Gallup. That hurts. Dallas just never got much from Gallup this year and his deep play ability was and will be missed.

Ced Wilson is "fine" but he's not that deep threat guy to open up the rest of the field.

GB wasn't giving up the 1 seed with MIN not having a QB. Dallas being healthy and having schematic advantages means more than a 2nd home game. Jerry makes a little less money... boo friggin hoo.

But, but ,but... IDC, seriously. You almost certainly are going to have to beat Tampa and GB to go to the Super Bowl. The rest is just talk. I really don't care whether we face Tampa there or here. Weather in Tampa is as good as it gets late in year and home field is pointless versus Tom Brady.
You'd love to avoid GB but that wasn't happening once Dak was injured. Far better to get healthy, prepare for the playoffs and handle this all like you've been there before. --McCarthy and Quinn certainly.

What I'd like to see is a strong first half next week. Nail that opening drive for a TD. Get up by 14 or more and sit guys in the 2nd half. Rest up some and get ready for the Arizona rematch everyone with a brain knew was likely coming.

bad day for Chelsea Cowboys fans and Liverpool Cowboys fans

 

[Stash]

Reads like a bunch of lame excuses. Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games? Why? Because that story makes you feel better about losing a game most had them winning?

Exactly. It’s a clear example of people telling themselves something that’s untrue so they can feel better.

 

[jterrell]

Reads like a bunch of lame excuses. Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games? Why? Because that story makes you feel better about losing a game most had them winning?

Cool story but I predicted this in advance on this board.
I was only shocked Arizona played it as aggressively as they did.

Feel free to cry though. That always helps.

 

[jterrell]

bad day for Chelsea Cowboys fans and Liverpool Cowboys fans

Been a rough 3 weeks for Chelsea fans. The Lukaku situation has been heart-breaking now twice. Such a talented player but just has never been happy here for any length of time.
Chillwell loss was huge as they just lack another solid 2-way option there. He was so in form.

All that said a top 4 EPL finish, UCL round of 16, and still alive in the Carabou Cup is a pretty good version of awful.

.

 

[jterrell]

Only thing I disagree with is the playoff opponent. I think Zona wins the west.

Can't see Rams losing at home with a division title on the line but it is possible.

 

[Blake]

Glad we played vanilla so we could grab the 4th seed. Makes perfect sense.

 

[reddyuta]

normally i agree with the OP but this time,we were plain beat on all 3 phases of the game including the coaching.

 

[Jarv]

If you are here to complain and cry then this won't be the post for you.
Might be time to hit eject on this thread.

Dallas was always going to sleepwalk through 1 of the last 2 games.

I thought Dallas was playing about as vanilla as possible for 3 quarters.
In fact I think only Dak starting to bail and run caused Kellen to ditch the basics and open it up late.
You cannot get your QB hurt in a game like that where you are already Division champs with a home playoff game.

They did a good job of competing that final quarter. Arizona still doesn't scare me. I'd never block Chandler Jones with Dalton Schultz again but basic scheme adjustments and I like Dallas by 14 in a rematch.

The negative is not losing by 3 to a playoff team but losing Michael Gallup. That hurts. Dallas just never got much from Gallup this year and his deep play ability was and will be missed.

Ced Wilson is "fine" but he's not that deep threat guy to open up the rest of the field.

GB wasn't giving up the 1 seed with MIN not having a QB. Dallas being healthy and having schematic advantages means more than a 2nd home game. Jerry makes a little less money... boo friggin hoo.

But, but ,but... IDC, seriously. You almost certainly are going to have to beat Tampa and GB to go to the Super Bowl. The rest is just talk. I really don't care whether we face Tampa there or here. Weather in Tampa is as good as it gets late in year and home field is pointless versus Tom Brady.
You'd love to avoid GB but that wasn't happening once Dak was injured. Far better to get healthy, prepare for the playoffs and handle this all like you've been there before. --McCarthy and Quinn certainly.

What I'd like to see is a strong first half next week. Nail that opening drive for a TD. Get up by 14 or more and sit guys in the 2nd half. Rest up some and get ready for the Arizona rematch everyone with a brain knew was likely coming.

I really really hope you are 100% correct.