jday
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For those of you unfamiliar with the Ring Side Seats concept, essentially this grants you (the reader) an opportunity to view the battle that internally rages between my ears amongst my inner-optimist, pessimist and realist, represented by Me, Myself, and I respectively. The following is my 3-way-split impressions from the mollywhopping the Cowboys suffered at the hands of the Broncos.
Me
Very few (if any) encouraging signs for our Cowboys were on display in this last contest. The youth of the defense was painfully evident (particularly with the absence of Orlando Scandrick, the hobbled Byron Jones attempting to make a go of it with a groin injury, the early exit of Chidobe Awuzie and the eventual exit of Nolan Carroll; though, Carroll’s midgame loss may have been addition by subtraction) and had it turned into a shootout between our offense and the Broncos offense, this loss may have been far more palatable and understandable, all things considered. After all, most of us expected growing pains from that young secondary…eventually…what we did not expect was a complete and utter shutout of our supposed dominant pick-your-poison offense. Last year the Broncos were the 28th ranked defense against the run; rare is the team that can reverse fortunes in a category such as that over the course of an offseason, and yet, evidenced by the 9 carries for 8 yards managed by Zeke, that is seemingly exactly what the Broncos did.
But the Broncos didn’t just take away the run game; they stole the Cowboys self-confidence; they mugged the Cowboys of their swagger; they robbed the Cowboys faithful’s of their ability to believe in the greatness of their team. It wasn’t just a loss; it was a statement game. One, it said Siemian is not who we thought he was; he looks very much like a franchise quarterback. He was the better quarterback in this game and as many a gambler knows all too well, the better quarterback usually wins, as was the case on Sunday. Second, beyond the “no fly zone,” it appears that someone within the Broncos organization may have stolen signs from a local public pool, because I was also seeing “No Running” signs throughout the game. The Broncos just may have the best defense in the NFL…I say “may” though, because I believe there were more forces at work than simply their defense out-executing our offense.
Be all that as it may, there are a few silver-linings to this otherwise heart-wrenching loss. For starters, it was only game 2 of the season. It was by no means a must-win game. And if your team is going to get exposed on the level the Cowboys were exposed Sunday, better for that to happen sooner than later while the Cowboys still have time to make adjustments and learn from their many mistakes.
Beyond exposing our scheme, play calling, execution (or lack thereof), overall youth and lack of experience, it also revealed an opportunity for this team to collectively get better. Granted, they may not face a defense of that ability again this year, but even so, after the Broncos stole their lunch money and subjected them to the dreaded swirly, you can bet there in no hurry to be bullied in that manner ever again. Our collective hope as a fanbase has to be that the sour taste left in the Cowboys mouth in the wake of what was an embarrassing beatdown will renew their commitment and desire to be great.
I’ll be the first to admit that whilst impatiently waiting for my day to be ruined Sunday, I was seriously thinking Super Bowl…this year…so to see the Cowboys so effectively and utterly
Edit Post by jday
manhandled throughout the game (before & after the inclement weather delay) was quite the unwelcome education. Sadder still was the fact that the final score made it seem closer than what it really was. The majority of the Cowboys points were not necessarily manufactured by their own offensive ability but were actually the result of Bronco mistakes presented to the Cowboys on a silver platter throughout the game that kept Da Boys in contention. Otherwise, both sides of the Cowboys ball (minus a few key contributors) looked completely and utterly at a loss on how to stop the Broncos from doing whatever whenever they wanted.
It would seem I’m being pessimistic there and have allowed my negative mood today to bleed into what is supposed to be an optimistic point-of-view; a little patience here on your part is necessary because I’m building towards what I hope will be viewed as an optimistic point.
What we witnessed yesterday hasn’t been seen in these parts since 2015. The ugly truth of it all is very few players looked prepared in that game. So, if ever there was an instructional video on how not be an NFL player, the film from that game should serve Jason Garrett’s purpose well.
It is games like this were the culture of your team is the most important. If Garrett has in fact amassed the Right Kind of Guys, the viewing of their individual film should serve as inspiration to improve and fix what they can as opposed to the confirmation of everyone’s worst individual fear: they simply are not good enough. Because despite how poorly they played in Sunday’s embarrassment, I think we all know they are better than that…the question is how much better?
I still believe in this collection of talent; call me crazy, but I do. I suspect that the Cowboys (from the 53rd player all the way up to the members of the front office) were somewhat surprised by the Broncos. Like me, I am sure they felt they should be able to get Zeke going; they failed. Like me, they likely expected Dak to outplay Trevor; he did not…playing what was likely one of Dak’s worst games as a professional quarterback. The hope for us, the front office, the coaches, and the players is that this game was an outlier and not by any means a reflection of what is to be the norm in 2017.
My closing silver linings is, of course, the cavalry is on its way. Demontre Moore will be added back to the roster this week from suspension and may assist in complementing the pressure Demarcus Lawrence has applied fairly consistently in the first two outings. David Irving will be back in times to face what may end up being the Cowboys biggest challenge yet: the Aaron Rogers led Packers. The Broncos may have provided a blue print to the rest of the NFL, but without the tools and the personnel to implement it, that blueprint’s value is less than toilet paper…so good luck with that teams remaining on the Cowboys schedule.
Myself
Me is under the mistaken impression I revel in these losses; they add fuel to the fire that makes me hate being a Cowboys fan. Me is sadly mistaken. I take no enjoyment from seeing the team I love destroyed in that manner. But like any normal hot-blooded human being, I do enjoy seeing my assertions and predictions coming to fruition. And since I did predict the Cowboys would win (I even suggested they may dominate) against the Broncos, clearly this loss was just as depressing for myself, as it was for me and I.
Earlier in the offseason, I did predict growing pains for that secondary, in consideration of all the new working parts. But after their completely shutting down the Giants (even without Scandrick) in the first weekend of football, I allowed that victory to carry more weight in my head than it should have. After all, for what became obvious reasons in the watching (the Giants terrible offensive line and ground game), I predicted the Cowboys would dominate the Giants; though, it didn’t exactly go down as I expected.
After long and thoughtful deliberation, I realize now I glossed over the fact that the Cowboys offense never seemed to hit its stride and that the Giants were who I thought they were. But against the Broncos it became a very important consideration because now after two games we have yet to see much of anything from the Cowboys current offense resembling the 2016 iteration. Granted, Zeke did put up over 100 yards in the first game, however, in hindsight, it was not exactly the same game-breaking performance we witnessed from Zeke in 2016. It is still early, to be fair, but Zeke does not seem to be in top tier condition and it may have negatively impacted his ability to contend with the elements synonymous with Mile High.
Throughout the offseason, the talking heads discussed the possibility of a Dak sophomore slump. Dak, the team, and people close to the organization/player dismissed those chances, in consideration of the type of competitor and leader Dak has proved to be. Dak noted that teams do have tape on him, but he, in turn, also has more tape on them. He indicated he is committed to getting better and would not rest on his laurels. Nevertheless, now after two games, while his stats garnered are not necessarily alarming considering the defenses he has faced, he has yet to look in the regular season like the same Dak we came to know and love in 2016. Needless to say (since I know you are going to anyway) it warrants watching closely in the upcoming contest.
Zeke is on the cusp of becoming another cautionary tale. Offseason issues abound and once again, despite assurances from the team and Zeke that these would not negatively impact his play on the field, it is hard to ignore the attitude he wore throughout the game. Were it his body language on the sideline or him placing his hands on his hips as he watched an interception move the ball in the opposite direction and him just standing there as though he too was a spectator, it’s hard not to attribute these early signs that the league’s pitchfork mob is having a negative impact on his overall demeanor and approach to being a professional football player.
Dez is once again under fire. Nothing new there; it’s a reoccurring theme in every season. Based on his stats garnered in two games, the haters are once again out in force asserting to anyone who will listen that he is not a #1 receiver. He is proficient at only a few routes and if a corner can match his physicality, a corner can remove him from the game. Meh. How Dez ranks versus other WR in the game is ridiculously irrelevant. It matters now how his talent matches up against his contemporaries. All that matters is how the Cowboys use him and misuse him. In the first two contest, in my opinion, the Cowboys have misused him by force-feeding him. This offense doesn’t need a #1 target; this offense begs for balance. I intend to delve further into that at a later date, but this is not this concept piece is not the forum for further explanation.
I know, in this section I am supposed to be a pessimist towards my team. But today I can only be a pessimist towards the naiveté of my fellow-fans. Open your eyes! No one player, coach, front office employee, general manager, or owner is responsible for the Cowboys loss to the Broncos. That was absolutely a team loss for the Cowboys and a team win for the Broncos.
Some say, “the offense couldn’t keep drives going and so the defense was tired and missing players, it’s the offense’s fault!” That was certainly true of the Giants in week 1, but the Cowboys defense was getting their butt kicked by the Broncos from the opening whistle; they did not force the Broncos to punt until the fourth quarter. Get out of here with that nonsense.
Some say, “Zeke and Dez need to help Dak; he can’t do it all by himself!” Really? I thought Dak could do it all by himself….thank you for clearing that up for me. (shaking my head)
Each side of the ball is like the inner-workings of a clock. To put it simply, if even one part fails, your clock will only tell you the correct time twice every 24 hours (or score 17 points in the face of 42)…otherwise it simply doesn’t work. If you have watched any of the tape that has come out in various plays, it wasn’t the same player every play failing to execute his mission. And in this game, that is all it takes; 1 player losing his personal battle.
I honestly believe the team as a collective in the wake of their revenge on the Giants started feeling themselves a little too much….started to approach their craft with a little too much swagger….started to lose sight of the little details, as they focused on the supposed greatness of their team. As it turns out, I could easily prescribe the perfect medication for what ails the Cowboys, but at this point it would be an overdose because they already took that medicine this past Sunday!
I
I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.
~ Isoroku Yamamoto ~
Before the history geeks slay me, admittedly, there is no actual printed evidence that Isoroku actually uttered those words; it is, however, largely held that these words perfectly encapsulated the Japanese Naval Marshal’s fear in the wake of attacking Pearl Harbor. The rest of the NFL may harbor a similar fear in regards to our Cowboys….and they absolutely should.
At this point in the week, I am viewing the Cowboys loss to the Broncos as part aberration, part great defense and defensive strategy on behalf of the Broncos, part offensive ineptitude on the part of the Cowboys, and part effect of the elements on the Cowboys collective conditioning in the higher altitude of Mile High. These various parts collaborated to undermine everything the Cowboys wanted to do.
I’m not a big fan of unsubstantiated stats, which is why I typically dismiss them upon hearing them. For me a prime example of that brand of stat is home record. Going into the game there was in fact compelling evidence that suggested the Cowboys were in for a heck of a battle, however, as stated in my aforementioned reasoning, I quickly dismissed the trend of the Broncos winning record at home in September as mere coincidence. After what we witnessed on Sunday, I honestly am no longer so sure. Perhaps there is in fact something to it. Maybe the fact that even Tom Brady has struggled in that environment is in fact worthy of consideration, having gone 3 & 7 in his last 10 away games at Mile High.
I still struggle to accept that truth, as I do also feel there were other unseen forces at work in the Cowboys complete decimation, but I can no longer ignore it as I did in the days leading up to it. The good news is if the Cowboys do in fact meet with the Broncos again this season, it will not be in that setting, as this year’s Super Bowl host city is Minneapolis. Mind you, I’m not predicting Super Bowl; I’m merely pointing out that would be the only occasion for a rematch.
For those hitting the panic button, put your hands away and use instead your feet to tap the proverbial breaks. That was game 2. The Cowboys are still in contention and I do not believe their showing against the Broncos is an indication of what we can expect going forward. Quite the opposite actually, however, a few things will have to change and change quickly if we are to see evidence of their redemption against the Cardinals.
Thoughts?
Me
Very few (if any) encouraging signs for our Cowboys were on display in this last contest. The youth of the defense was painfully evident (particularly with the absence of Orlando Scandrick, the hobbled Byron Jones attempting to make a go of it with a groin injury, the early exit of Chidobe Awuzie and the eventual exit of Nolan Carroll; though, Carroll’s midgame loss may have been addition by subtraction) and had it turned into a shootout between our offense and the Broncos offense, this loss may have been far more palatable and understandable, all things considered. After all, most of us expected growing pains from that young secondary…eventually…what we did not expect was a complete and utter shutout of our supposed dominant pick-your-poison offense. Last year the Broncos were the 28th ranked defense against the run; rare is the team that can reverse fortunes in a category such as that over the course of an offseason, and yet, evidenced by the 9 carries for 8 yards managed by Zeke, that is seemingly exactly what the Broncos did.
But the Broncos didn’t just take away the run game; they stole the Cowboys self-confidence; they mugged the Cowboys of their swagger; they robbed the Cowboys faithful’s of their ability to believe in the greatness of their team. It wasn’t just a loss; it was a statement game. One, it said Siemian is not who we thought he was; he looks very much like a franchise quarterback. He was the better quarterback in this game and as many a gambler knows all too well, the better quarterback usually wins, as was the case on Sunday. Second, beyond the “no fly zone,” it appears that someone within the Broncos organization may have stolen signs from a local public pool, because I was also seeing “No Running” signs throughout the game. The Broncos just may have the best defense in the NFL…I say “may” though, because I believe there were more forces at work than simply their defense out-executing our offense.
Be all that as it may, there are a few silver-linings to this otherwise heart-wrenching loss. For starters, it was only game 2 of the season. It was by no means a must-win game. And if your team is going to get exposed on the level the Cowboys were exposed Sunday, better for that to happen sooner than later while the Cowboys still have time to make adjustments and learn from their many mistakes.
Beyond exposing our scheme, play calling, execution (or lack thereof), overall youth and lack of experience, it also revealed an opportunity for this team to collectively get better. Granted, they may not face a defense of that ability again this year, but even so, after the Broncos stole their lunch money and subjected them to the dreaded swirly, you can bet there in no hurry to be bullied in that manner ever again. Our collective hope as a fanbase has to be that the sour taste left in the Cowboys mouth in the wake of what was an embarrassing beatdown will renew their commitment and desire to be great.
I’ll be the first to admit that whilst impatiently waiting for my day to be ruined Sunday, I was seriously thinking Super Bowl…this year…so to see the Cowboys so effectively and utterly
Edit Post by jday
manhandled throughout the game (before & after the inclement weather delay) was quite the unwelcome education. Sadder still was the fact that the final score made it seem closer than what it really was. The majority of the Cowboys points were not necessarily manufactured by their own offensive ability but were actually the result of Bronco mistakes presented to the Cowboys on a silver platter throughout the game that kept Da Boys in contention. Otherwise, both sides of the Cowboys ball (minus a few key contributors) looked completely and utterly at a loss on how to stop the Broncos from doing whatever whenever they wanted.
It would seem I’m being pessimistic there and have allowed my negative mood today to bleed into what is supposed to be an optimistic point-of-view; a little patience here on your part is necessary because I’m building towards what I hope will be viewed as an optimistic point.
What we witnessed yesterday hasn’t been seen in these parts since 2015. The ugly truth of it all is very few players looked prepared in that game. So, if ever there was an instructional video on how not be an NFL player, the film from that game should serve Jason Garrett’s purpose well.
It is games like this were the culture of your team is the most important. If Garrett has in fact amassed the Right Kind of Guys, the viewing of their individual film should serve as inspiration to improve and fix what they can as opposed to the confirmation of everyone’s worst individual fear: they simply are not good enough. Because despite how poorly they played in Sunday’s embarrassment, I think we all know they are better than that…the question is how much better?
I still believe in this collection of talent; call me crazy, but I do. I suspect that the Cowboys (from the 53rd player all the way up to the members of the front office) were somewhat surprised by the Broncos. Like me, I am sure they felt they should be able to get Zeke going; they failed. Like me, they likely expected Dak to outplay Trevor; he did not…playing what was likely one of Dak’s worst games as a professional quarterback. The hope for us, the front office, the coaches, and the players is that this game was an outlier and not by any means a reflection of what is to be the norm in 2017.
My closing silver linings is, of course, the cavalry is on its way. Demontre Moore will be added back to the roster this week from suspension and may assist in complementing the pressure Demarcus Lawrence has applied fairly consistently in the first two outings. David Irving will be back in times to face what may end up being the Cowboys biggest challenge yet: the Aaron Rogers led Packers. The Broncos may have provided a blue print to the rest of the NFL, but without the tools and the personnel to implement it, that blueprint’s value is less than toilet paper…so good luck with that teams remaining on the Cowboys schedule.
Myself
Me is under the mistaken impression I revel in these losses; they add fuel to the fire that makes me hate being a Cowboys fan. Me is sadly mistaken. I take no enjoyment from seeing the team I love destroyed in that manner. But like any normal hot-blooded human being, I do enjoy seeing my assertions and predictions coming to fruition. And since I did predict the Cowboys would win (I even suggested they may dominate) against the Broncos, clearly this loss was just as depressing for myself, as it was for me and I.
Earlier in the offseason, I did predict growing pains for that secondary, in consideration of all the new working parts. But after their completely shutting down the Giants (even without Scandrick) in the first weekend of football, I allowed that victory to carry more weight in my head than it should have. After all, for what became obvious reasons in the watching (the Giants terrible offensive line and ground game), I predicted the Cowboys would dominate the Giants; though, it didn’t exactly go down as I expected.
After long and thoughtful deliberation, I realize now I glossed over the fact that the Cowboys offense never seemed to hit its stride and that the Giants were who I thought they were. But against the Broncos it became a very important consideration because now after two games we have yet to see much of anything from the Cowboys current offense resembling the 2016 iteration. Granted, Zeke did put up over 100 yards in the first game, however, in hindsight, it was not exactly the same game-breaking performance we witnessed from Zeke in 2016. It is still early, to be fair, but Zeke does not seem to be in top tier condition and it may have negatively impacted his ability to contend with the elements synonymous with Mile High.
Throughout the offseason, the talking heads discussed the possibility of a Dak sophomore slump. Dak, the team, and people close to the organization/player dismissed those chances, in consideration of the type of competitor and leader Dak has proved to be. Dak noted that teams do have tape on him, but he, in turn, also has more tape on them. He indicated he is committed to getting better and would not rest on his laurels. Nevertheless, now after two games, while his stats garnered are not necessarily alarming considering the defenses he has faced, he has yet to look in the regular season like the same Dak we came to know and love in 2016. Needless to say (since I know you are going to anyway) it warrants watching closely in the upcoming contest.
Zeke is on the cusp of becoming another cautionary tale. Offseason issues abound and once again, despite assurances from the team and Zeke that these would not negatively impact his play on the field, it is hard to ignore the attitude he wore throughout the game. Were it his body language on the sideline or him placing his hands on his hips as he watched an interception move the ball in the opposite direction and him just standing there as though he too was a spectator, it’s hard not to attribute these early signs that the league’s pitchfork mob is having a negative impact on his overall demeanor and approach to being a professional football player.
Dez is once again under fire. Nothing new there; it’s a reoccurring theme in every season. Based on his stats garnered in two games, the haters are once again out in force asserting to anyone who will listen that he is not a #1 receiver. He is proficient at only a few routes and if a corner can match his physicality, a corner can remove him from the game. Meh. How Dez ranks versus other WR in the game is ridiculously irrelevant. It matters now how his talent matches up against his contemporaries. All that matters is how the Cowboys use him and misuse him. In the first two contest, in my opinion, the Cowboys have misused him by force-feeding him. This offense doesn’t need a #1 target; this offense begs for balance. I intend to delve further into that at a later date, but this is not this concept piece is not the forum for further explanation.
I know, in this section I am supposed to be a pessimist towards my team. But today I can only be a pessimist towards the naiveté of my fellow-fans. Open your eyes! No one player, coach, front office employee, general manager, or owner is responsible for the Cowboys loss to the Broncos. That was absolutely a team loss for the Cowboys and a team win for the Broncos.
Some say, “the offense couldn’t keep drives going and so the defense was tired and missing players, it’s the offense’s fault!” That was certainly true of the Giants in week 1, but the Cowboys defense was getting their butt kicked by the Broncos from the opening whistle; they did not force the Broncos to punt until the fourth quarter. Get out of here with that nonsense.
Some say, “Zeke and Dez need to help Dak; he can’t do it all by himself!” Really? I thought Dak could do it all by himself….thank you for clearing that up for me. (shaking my head)
Each side of the ball is like the inner-workings of a clock. To put it simply, if even one part fails, your clock will only tell you the correct time twice every 24 hours (or score 17 points in the face of 42)…otherwise it simply doesn’t work. If you have watched any of the tape that has come out in various plays, it wasn’t the same player every play failing to execute his mission. And in this game, that is all it takes; 1 player losing his personal battle.
I honestly believe the team as a collective in the wake of their revenge on the Giants started feeling themselves a little too much….started to approach their craft with a little too much swagger….started to lose sight of the little details, as they focused on the supposed greatness of their team. As it turns out, I could easily prescribe the perfect medication for what ails the Cowboys, but at this point it would be an overdose because they already took that medicine this past Sunday!
I
I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.
~ Isoroku Yamamoto ~
Before the history geeks slay me, admittedly, there is no actual printed evidence that Isoroku actually uttered those words; it is, however, largely held that these words perfectly encapsulated the Japanese Naval Marshal’s fear in the wake of attacking Pearl Harbor. The rest of the NFL may harbor a similar fear in regards to our Cowboys….and they absolutely should.
At this point in the week, I am viewing the Cowboys loss to the Broncos as part aberration, part great defense and defensive strategy on behalf of the Broncos, part offensive ineptitude on the part of the Cowboys, and part effect of the elements on the Cowboys collective conditioning in the higher altitude of Mile High. These various parts collaborated to undermine everything the Cowboys wanted to do.
I’m not a big fan of unsubstantiated stats, which is why I typically dismiss them upon hearing them. For me a prime example of that brand of stat is home record. Going into the game there was in fact compelling evidence that suggested the Cowboys were in for a heck of a battle, however, as stated in my aforementioned reasoning, I quickly dismissed the trend of the Broncos winning record at home in September as mere coincidence. After what we witnessed on Sunday, I honestly am no longer so sure. Perhaps there is in fact something to it. Maybe the fact that even Tom Brady has struggled in that environment is in fact worthy of consideration, having gone 3 & 7 in his last 10 away games at Mile High.
I still struggle to accept that truth, as I do also feel there were other unseen forces at work in the Cowboys complete decimation, but I can no longer ignore it as I did in the days leading up to it. The good news is if the Cowboys do in fact meet with the Broncos again this season, it will not be in that setting, as this year’s Super Bowl host city is Minneapolis. Mind you, I’m not predicting Super Bowl; I’m merely pointing out that would be the only occasion for a rematch.
For those hitting the panic button, put your hands away and use instead your feet to tap the proverbial breaks. That was game 2. The Cowboys are still in contention and I do not believe their showing against the Broncos is an indication of what we can expect going forward. Quite the opposite actually, however, a few things will have to change and change quickly if we are to see evidence of their redemption against the Cardinals.
Thoughts?