Schein: Dallas Cowboys enter 2013 season mired at bottom of NFC heap

[DABOYZ]

If you want to be taken seriously, whether you are the author of an article from a national media source, or an anonymous fan poster on a message board, there should be some supporting material for a given claim. I think that is what most of the people that are denigrating this article are saying.

It's not so much that he is downgrading Dallas. No problem with that opinion. If he feels Dallas should be 4th in the Division, I can accept that if he gives us any reason why that should occur. His brash statement that it is undeniable basically sets himself up for the reaction that follows. The fact that after making the statement he really doesn't give any reasons why it will happen means one of two things: he either is just trying to stir the pot by calling out one of the biggest fan bases in the sports world or he is just lazy and is half assing his job.

Not only does he neglect to explain why he thinks Dallas is the bottom of the barrel, he doesn't explain why any of the other contenders are any better than they were at the end of the season.

Despite his opinion, the fact remains that of the four teams, Dallas was by far affected the most by injuries to significant players and it really isn't close. And since the season ended, probably the biggest improvement that any of these teams has made is the fact that they will get players back to health for the start of next year. That alone gives the Dallas Cowboys organization hopes for an improved year. Garrett now feels that this is his team, he has things built his way. He has high expectations. You know Jones has high expectations every year and this one is no different.

Other than the return to health, the two biggest factors right now that would affect a team's quality from this year until last would be the loss of players and the acquisition of players. Is there really anyone that Dallas has lost this offseason that anyone thinks is a big loss? I'd say the best player we have lost is Sensabaugh and that was a voluntary cut. Now we haven't really gained anyone outside of Brian Price and the resigning of Ernie Sims. We have retained our biggest free agent in Spencer. As for the other teams, I have spelled out most of their gains and losses in other posts in this thread. Of the four teams in the NFC East, the Cowboys have probably lost the fewest quality players. The Eagles and Commanders have both lost better players than the Cowboys. Heck, one of the Giant's signings that is being lauded is that of Dan Conner, who barely made it out of camp with a job last year and played at best at an average level.

Finally, the last chance for improvement would be an improvement within the coaching staff but that is hard to ascertain until we see the product on the field. The Eagles lost one of the most successful coaches in the league over the past 10-15 years and have replaced him with a guy that runs a gimmick offense and has never coached in the NFL. Maybe he will be the next Jimmy Johnson and shake things up....but even Johnson took a couple years to get things up to snuff. The Commanders are pretty much status quo along with the Giants in this aspect to the best of my knowledge. The Cowboys have a change in defensive scheme and coordinator with Monte Kiffin, a guy who was thought to be one of the best in the game prior to his college stint. What's the norm and what is the exception? The guy that put together strong defenses in the pros year after year, or the guy that had mediocre defenses in college? The answer to that question is going to go a long way in determining whether the Cowboys are going up from 8-8 or down.

With months to go before training camp, there is still time to add free agents and there are still a lot of players available that could help this team. The draft, which everyone says is the best way to build your roster, is yet to come. The indications for this draft are that it is strong in many of the areas where Dallas needs improvement, so it isn't out of the question that the draft could provide immediate help at 2-3 spots.

The point is anyone can throw out an inflammatory statement and then give no factual argument for the statement. You should expect more from the "media" and really from anyone. Don't let them get away with being lazy, which is exactly what we are letting Schein do with this piece of garbage.

Even the mediots are entitled to their opinion. Funny thing is they get paid for their opinion.

How do you expect anyone to give factual information on an opinion about something that hasn't even happend yet? Would you feel better if he said the Cowboy's are by far the best team in the East without posting any factual information on that?

This team had alot of injuries last year. We could sit here and say if it wasn't for all the injuries we would have been a much better team. But the fact is we don't know that.

I personally don't think we will be the worst team in the East. I don't have anything factual to back it up though. I also don't think it's possible to properly grade teams based on Free agency alone.

I didn't even read the article that Schein wrote cause I don't care what he said. Based on history and what this team has done so far this year I would say the Cowboy's could be 7-9 or 9-7 this year. That two game gap could be the difference between the best team in the East or worst team in the East. Just a prediction though.

 

[CATCH17]

Catch, don't you think Safety is a big problem area at the moment? It needs some attention one way or the other. I wouldn't mind a veteran like Barber or even Woodson that could help the young players learn the D, but I also wouldn't mind using a high pick to get a quality player there....probably not a first but maybe a second or third.

Signing a vet to compete on the OL and drafting at least one that could start would solidify the OL.

Is it a problem area? Absolutely...

But that is a position we need to spend on in Free Agency.

It's almost impossible to get any kind of QUALITY OLinemen in FA without breaking the bank. You can usually find a nice safety and not spend a ton of Money.


The rules are making the game less physical except on the offensive and defensive lines. If we want to impose our will on teams that is where we will have to do it.

With Carr and Claiborne as our corners we shouldn't have to use extremely valuable resources on SAfeties anyways.


It's time Dallas starts boosting the talent on the lines because building from the outside in has not worked out at all for us.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Even the mediots are entitled to their opinion. Funny thing is they get paid for their opinion.

How do you expect anyone to give factual information on an opinion about something that hasn't even happend yet? Would you feel better if he said the Cowboy's are by far the best team in the East without posting any factual information on that?

This team had alot of injuries last year. We could sit here and say if it wasn't for all the injuries we would have been a much better team. But the fact is we don't know that.

I personally don't think we will be the worst team in the East. I don't have anything factual to back it up though. I also don't think it's possible to properly grade teams based on Free agency alone.

I didn't even read the article that Schein wrote cause I don't care what he said. Based on history and what this team has done so far this year I would say the Cowboy's could be 7-9 or 9-7 this year. That two game gap could be the difference between the best team in the East or worst team in the East. Just a prediction though.

To not read the article and comment on it is being pretty lazy as well. Fine that you don't care about his opinion, I really don't care about his either and it won't affect the team at all either.

I just hate seeing crap thrown at the wall to see what sticks. Hack article by a hack writer. If he had at least explained his position I'd give him his due.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Is it a problem area? Absolutely...

But that is a position we need to spend on in Free Agency.

It's almost impossible to get any kind of QUALITY OLinemen in FA without breaking the bank. You can usually find a nice safety and not spend a ton of Money.


The rules are making the game less physical except on the offensive and defensive lines. If we want to impose our will on teams that is where we will have to do it.

With Carr and Claiborne as our corners we shouldn't have to use extremely valuable resources on SAfeties anyways.


It's time Dallas starts boosting the talent on the lines because building from the outside in has not worked out at all for us.

Good point, especially about the physicality of the game being taken away.

I am hoping we go OL first myself unless a certain DT falls to us. Hard to go wrong that way in my opinion.

 

[DABOYZ]

To not read the article and comment on it is being pretty lazy as well. Fine that you don't care about his opinion, I really don't care about his either and it won't affect the team at all either.

I just hate seeing crap thrown at the wall to see what sticks. Hack article by a hack writer. If he had at least explained his position I'd give him his due.

LMAO at being lazy. You must be one miserable dude. Go ahead and keep reading these articles that ruin your days. You call it lazy and I call it time management. I don't need to read it when I can read all the cry baby posts on here.

 

[Idgit]

Let me be clear. I don't give a rat's rump what the article says.

I think this team will end up trailing all other teams in the East this season unless something substantial is done between now and the opening kick-off of game one.

That is up to and includes fixing the offensive line. Because that is where this team will fail.

Fix that and my opinion will change.

But that requires getting players that can play. And any idea the draft will be the avenue for that needs to come back to planet earth. Because this team drafts OL as well as OJ takes to marriage counseling.

We'll, see, this is an entirely different argument. And it's not unreasonable. I can see us hypothetically in the cellar, too, if we don't address the current weaknesses at OL and S. Or at least I see good reasons why people would think that.

But little of that has anything to do with Schein's article or the general topic of the particular thread. My criticism all along is that Schein clearly just wrote a really poorly-argued glorified blog-post without any research or interest in fairly evaluating his own chose topic for the sole purpose of getting negative attention. Which he got, at the expense of some of whatever small reputation he had in the first place.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I thought he gave plenty of reasons behind thinking. Basically, that we were 3rd in the East last year and the only team behind us, the Eagles, has added several players and a very successful college coach. Meanwhile we haven't added anything.

Also, he said plenty of things that lots of us agree with:

- Jerry is the biggest problem
- Garrett has had serious playcalling and game management issues, and now has been neutered by Jerry
- Kiffin wasn't good at USC last year and we don't know how our players will adapt to his scheme
- Murray is good but often hurt
- Same for Miles
- Average safeties

Now I don't agree that the Giants have done much, or that our front seven doesn't stack up, or that we'd be behind the Cards in the West. I don't think we're as bad as he says (or that some of the teams he puts ahead of us are that good). But most of what he said I think is either correct or isn't far off.

 

[JackWagon]

Article is pretty spot on ...

Welcome to Cowboys Fandom.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

LMAO at being lazy. You must be one miserable dude. Go ahead and keep reading these articles that ruin your days. You call it lazy and I call it time management. I don't need to read it when I can read all the cry baby posts on here.

Hate to burst your bubble but I'm one happy dude. Article hardly ruins my day....are you for real? Funny how you would rather read a hundred cry baby posts instead of reading one article.

I think my favorite team is going to blow away the predictions of doom and gloom. Why wouldn't I be happy?

So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

 

[zrinkill]

I think my favorite team is going to blow away the predictions of doom and gloom. Why wouldn't I be happy?

So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I thought he gave plenty of reasons behind thinking. Basically, that we were 3rd in the East last year and the only team behind us, the Eagles, has added several players and a very successful college coach. Meanwhile we haven't added anything.

Also, he said plenty of things that lots of us agree with:

- Jerry is the biggest problem
- Garrett has had serious playcalling and game management issues, and now has been neutered by Jerry
- Kiffin wasn't good at USC last year and we don't know how our players will adapt to his scheme
- Murray is good but often hurt
- Same for Miles
- Average safeties

Now I don't agree that the Giants have done much, or that our front seven doesn't stack up, or that we'd be behind the Cards in the West. I don't think we're as bad as he says (or that some of the teams he puts ahead of us are that good). But most of what he said I think is either correct or isn't far off.

Ahh, but here's the rub...he said it is not even up for debate.

So Philly is not just slightly better than Dallas right now...they are MUCH better. This is because why?

-Michael Vick has been bad more than he has been good in his career - why now at this point in his career is he suddenly going to get it? Why is he going to excel in a spread type offense which likely will only expose him to more hits when he already isn't the toughest fella in the world.

-Dallas has a new DC, one that has decades worth of experience and success in the NFL and somehow it's a question mark. The Eagles have an NFL untested head coach and a completely new coaching staff and somehow that makes them automatically better than us? That makes a lot of sense.

-Dallas hasn't made any significant personnel moves. Um, the Eagles have lost a ton of players, and in most cases the players they signed to replace them are lesser players.

-Philly's RB is good but often hurt.

-Jackson is good but often hurt.

-Their OL sucked worse than ours a year ago and it wasn't due to massive injuries

I still don't get why the Eagles are suddenly so much better than us that it can't even be debated.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Ahh, but here's the rub...he said it is not even up for debate.

So Philly is not just slightly better than Dallas right now...they are MUCH better. This is because why?

-Michael Vick has been bad more than he has been good in his career - why now at this point in his career is he suddenly going to get it? Why is he going to excel in a spread type offense which likely will only expose him to more hits when he already isn't the toughest fella in the world.

-Dallas has a new DC, one that has decades worth of experience and success in the NFL and somehow it's a question mark. The Eagles have an NFL untested head coach and a completely new coaching staff and somehow that makes them automatically better than us? That makes a lot of sense.

-Dallas hasn't made any significant personnel moves. Um, the Eagles have lost a ton of players, and in most cases the players they signed to replace them are lesser players.

-Philly's RB is good but often hurt.

-Jackson is good but often hurt.

-Their OL sucked worse than ours a year ago and it wasn't due to massive injuries

I still don't get why the Eagles are suddenly so much better than us that it can't even be debated.

The idea the new defense will offer immediate results is questionable for me. I think it will take both time in becoming rote for the team and a couple of drafts to get the right players in line.

But the team will franchise Spencer and then over pay this guy, which will further handcuff the team in the cap.

Someday this will come due and no matter how much S Jones chuckles over the term room, we are watching a season that Dallas is not a player in free agency not because cooler heads prevail, but because of the cap.

In whatever term you wish to use to keep the giggles coming from S Jones.

This team is also about to give Romo a golden parachute. Now there is a thread here that has a raging debate on how great Romo is - it's a team sport - no Tony wins it all by himself arguments.

Stats are a flying and he is even being compared to a Hall of Famer.

But the truth is the cap is real, and sinking 40 million in Romo is on the border of asinine to me.

I like Romo.

Here, let me do that again.

I like Romo.

But this team is on the cusp of something really tragic in cap accountability. And while some argue you'll lose without Romo, and I agree.

Maybe it's time to have a really sucky season and position for drafting a stud quarterback.

Because year after year of no play-offs but - gosh darn entertaining .500 football - will end up coming to a day Romo goes away and nothing has been accomplished but his stats that some hold as dear as their wives hand.

I am not ashamed to say that the 1988 season was one of the more enjoyable for me. I understood the team needed a quarterback and did my homework and came to the conclusion Aikman was the guy.

So while I hated to see the team lose, that bruise was eased a bit knowing we were one step closer to Aikman.

If you lived next door and you were there when Green Bay won their last game, you would have thought Dallas won the Super Bowl.

And you know what, they did. They won three.

I like Romo. But 18 million or 17 million or 15 million or 20 million is too much for him and what his legacy will be for several years after he departs.

This decision could be the one that cripples this franchise for three or four years after Romo leaves.

I am for the team. I have favorite players, but the team comes first with me.

That is not the case for everyone on this board. I can respect that, but then when you are wearing your Tony Romo signature Underoos, don't argue with me about logic in train wrecking this team because of stats that don't equal championships.

 

[J-DOG]

This guy is a mooch!
He loves the Giants off-season so far. They signed Dan Conner and he loves that. ????

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

This guy's a tool. Don't eat the cheese!

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

The idea the new defense will offer immediate results is questionable for me. I think it will take both time in becoming rote for the team and a couple of drafts to get the right players in line.

But the team will franchise Spencer and then over pay this guy, which will further handcuff the team in the cap.

Someday this will come due and no matter how much S Jones chuckles over the term room, we are watching a season that Dallas is not a player in free agency not because cooler heads prevail, but because of the cap.

In whatever term you wish to use to keep the giggles coming from S Jones.

This team is also about to give Romo a golden parachute. Now there is a thread here that has a raging debate on how great Romo is - it's a team sport - no Tony wins it all by himself arguments.

Stats are a flying and he is even being compared to a Hall of Famer.

But the truth is the cap is real, and sinking 40 million in Romo is on the border of asinine to me.

I like Romo.

Here, let me do that again.

I like Romo.

But this team is on the cusp of something really tragic in cap accountability. And while some argue you'll lose without Romo, and I agree.

Maybe it's time to have a really sucky season and position for drafting a stud quarterback.

Because year after year of no play-offs but - gosh darn entertaining .500 football - will end up coming to a day Romo goes away and nothing has been accomplished but his stats that some hold as dear as their wives hand.

I am not ashamed to say that the 1988 season was one of the more enjoyable for me. I understood the team needed a quarterback and did my homework and came to the conclusion Aikman was the guy.

So while I hated to see the team lose, that bruise was eased a bit knowing we were one step closer to Aikman.

If you lived next door and you were there when Green Bay won their last game, you would have thought Dallas won the Super Bowl.

And you know what, they did. They won three.

I like Romo. But 18 million or 17 million or 15 million or 20 million is too much for him and what his legacy will be for several years after he departs.

This decision could be the one that cripples this franchise for three or four years after Romo leaves.

I am for the team. I have favorite players, but the team comes first with me.

That is not the case for everyone on this board. I can respect that, but then when you are wearing your Tony Romo signature Underoos, don't argue with me about logic in train wrecking this team because of stats that don't equal championships.

See....now you're talking...you are at least explaining your issues and making sense. Basically what Schein didn't do. I can respect that.

So here we go....how is it you don't think that we might be in the middle of that transition that you seem to be hoping for? The fact that to this point we have not given Romo a big deal and we haven't signed Spencer long term might just mean we aren't being taken for a ride and doing what the player and the agents want.

If we don't sign these two long term and they play out their respective deals, is Dallas really hurting itself? Might be the best thing that they could do. Maybe they are putting the honus on the players. If you want the deal, then you have to get us over the 8-8 hump.

Jones and Jones give their company spiel that they have expectations. Garrett acknowledges that year three is probably do or die for him and he says that he finally has the team he wants, from the coaching staff to the players. It's his do or die as well.

This team is positioned right now to state their case that they are better than what they have shown, and if they don't prove it, the rebuilding probably starts next year, possibly with a new coach and a new QB.

As for Romo, you know I think he is a pretty damned good QB. But he isn't top 5 and he hovers in that 5-10 range. He shouldn't be rewarded with a Brady, Manning, Brees, Manning, Rodgers, Flacco, Rothlisberger, etc contract.

 

[TwoDeep3]

See....now you're talking...you are at least explaining your issues and making sense. Basically what Schein didn't do. I can respect that.

So here we go....how is it you don't think that we might be in the middle of that transition that you seem to be hoping for? The fact that to this point we have not given Romo a big deal and we haven't signed Spencer long term might just mean we aren't being taken for a ride and doing what the player and the agents want.

If we don't sign these two long term and they play out their respective deals, is Dallas really hurting itself? Might be the best thing that they could do. Maybe they are putting the honus on the players. If you want the deal, then you have to get us over the 8-8 hump.

Jones and Jones give their company spiel that they have expectations. Garrett acknowledges that year three is probably do or die for him and he says that he finally has the team he wants, from the coaching staff to the players. It's his do or die as well.

This team is positioned right now to state their case that they are better than what they have shown, and if they don't prove it, the rebuilding probably starts next year, possibly with a new coach and a new QB.

As for Romo, you know I think he is a pretty damned good QB. But he isn't top 5 and he hovers in that 5-10 range. He shouldn't be rewarded with a Brady, Manning, Brees, Manning, Rodgers, Flacco, Rothlisberger, etc contract.

1. I do not believe in Garrett.

2. I am concerned with Ware and his injury. That man was very hurt in the Washington game. Is this the beginning of his breakdown?

3. I don't see them replacing the right side of the offensive line. If they do it with the draft, how long until those new guys prosper. Discounting the three years to show something, I have read so many time coaches speaking about OLmen and how long it take them to develop.

Three years to understand the pro game.

Parnell is a stop gap. Bernadeau isn't any better than a bench warmer.

He is sludge. Was before and will be in the future.

Unlike most, I am not totally sold that Free doesn't still have something. But counting on he or Parnell is risky.

If you do not keep a clean pocket for Romo to throw, you will continue to have Romo Black and not Romo White. He needs some security to be what he can be

4. Murray is a stud, but he is beginning to scare me. So is Lee.

5. I do not believe in Spencer. I will not get past him stating he took plays off.

6. I do not believe the transition will take place like Sherman's waltz to the sea.

7. I do not trust Austin. He disappears from the scene or has an injury. (Please spar me his stats.)

In baseball, would you rather have a 300 hitter that gets his hits when the team is up and winning?

or...

a 250 hitter that does so when you need a run to win?

This is the Austin question for me. Occasionally he will win a game, but he disappears, gets hurt, and can be taken out of the mix.

Frankly, I would bring Robinson back in if he can pass a physical and be prepared for Austin missing time and moving Robinson in his place and leaving Harris in the slot.

But to answer your comments.

I do not see Coughlin as the type of coach that allows his team to go south two years in a row. He has shopn many times he is a pretty dang good coach.

Shanahan will get the most out of RG III. Last year wasn't a fluke.

Then Eagles may be sketchy, but since the head coach came from Oregon and played that read react offense pretty darn well, and had Marinelli's number, I suspect they will be much better.

Dallas needs to show me something here and stop being bone headed and inconsistent.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I don't think we are going to get away from being boneheaded and inconsistent until Jerry is gone. Maybe not then because the more Stephen talks the more he sounds like Jerry.

You have a lot of concerns, the problem is it's almost impossible to turn them all over in one year with the restrictions of the cap. If we were a Cincinnati and consistently were 40m under the cap every year, we could turn it over in a year. It takes time.

As far as Spencer, there isn't a football player alive that doesn't take plays off. His crime was admitting it. Linebacker on the weak side sees a play going strong side....doesn't commit to pursuit. Happens all the time.

Interesting point with Ware....if he has another season where he is injured and ineffective, his contract is such that he is one that could face the chopping block after this season because his contract is conducive to a cut.

I am going to wait until after the draft and give it a little time for budget free agent shopping before I have enough of a read to make a prediction on the season. I don't see much that has changed either way to say we are going to be three games better, or three games worse than a year ago. More status quo to be honest. I think many of the injury problems from a year ago will be gone, but there are a lot of guys that are important to this year's result that are on your list of players that scare you. I appreciate that.

 

[burmafrd]

Every time I turn on NFL radio on Sirius and that clown Schein is on I turn it off.

The biggest DB on that network.

 

[jobberone]

The NFL is all about parity. As long as your a mediocre team you still have a relatively decent shot at winning your division or getting a wildcard spot. A team you deem as 8-8 caliber is a few lucky breaks away from winning 10 games or a few bad breaks away from winning 6 games. The recent SB champs have been great pictures of that. The Ravens ended the season losing 5 of their last 6 games and went on the win the SB. The Packers were 10-6 when they won. Giants won at 9-7 and 10-6. You don't have to be a dominant team to win the SB, just need to be good enough to get a chance and then get hot at the right time. Not saying we can/will do that, but the difference between a "mediocre" team and a "SB team" isn't nearly as far as we as fans view it.

Couldn't agree more. I picked them 8-8 last year and said they could finish two games on either side of that. I'm actually picking them to go 10-6 this year.

 

[burmafrd]

to win a SB you have to be really good in at least one area and not really bad in any other area.

The Ravens had defensive problems early in the season but got better. They then reorganized their O line just in time and it played very well in the playoffs.

But there is a certain level of talent you need to have to win it all.

We are NOT at that point yet with huge weaknesses at Safety and O line.