Season comes down to Dak

Aven8

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No it doesn’t.

The season comes down to the team playing good football down the stretch. If we want to make a playoff run we also need more talented teams (Phi, SF) slipping.

My biggest concerns in the playoffs are pass protection, WR play and run defense. If we end up losing I have a strong feeling one or all of those will be the primary reason. Dak can’t win or lose in the playoffs by himself.

I use to think it was about the way you were playing but I’m not sure that’s the case. I think it’s more about matchup’s in the playoffs. We scored over 100 points in two games leading up to the playoff game and could barely move the ball against SF.
 

Hawkeye19

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Run the ball. Play great D. Don’t turn the ball over. THAT is the recipe for championship football.

Always has been. Always will be. Dak does not need to put up elite stats to lead this team to a SB. He does need to be smart with the football, and he and Kellen need to lean on the ground game.

This team absolutely can represent the NFC in the SB. They have the talent and roster to do it— the challenge they have (and always seem to struggle with) — is not beating themselves with mistakes, penalties, and slow, flat starts that get them behind the 8 ball.
 

Creeper

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No it doesn’t.

The season comes down to the team playing good football down the stretch. If we want to make a playoff run we also need more talented teams (Phi, SF) slipping.

My biggest concerns in the playoffs are pass protection, WR play and run defense. If we end up losing I have a strong feeling one or all of those will be the primary reason. Dak can’t win or lose in the playoffs by himself.

I have to agree with this in general. Football is the ultimate team sport and everyone needs to be on their game. But make no mistake, that includes the QB more than most other players. Dak cannot make bad decisions or throw INTs. When playing the best competition, giving away opportunities with poor throws and turnovers will make it very difficult to advance. But this also means he needs his OL to give him time and a clean pocket. It means his receivers need to be where they are supposed to be, and they need to catch the ball if they get their hands on it.
 

cnuball21

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You do understand WR play is 100% dependent upon qb play?

Yea, they go hand in hand.

This is like football 101 we’re talking about. Not sure why being worried about having more than one competent WR is so crazy.
 

cnuball21

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I have to agree with this in general. Football is the ultimate team sport and everyone needs to be on their game. But make no mistake, that includes the QB more than most other players. Dak cannot make bad decisions or throw INTs. When playing the best competition, giving away opportunities with poor throws and turnovers will make it very difficult to advance. But this also means he needs his OL to give him time and a clean pocket. It means his receivers need to be where they are supposed to be, and they need to catch the ball if they get their hands on it.

100%. You would think this is common sense and knowledge but for some reason some people think a QB is supposed to be a super hero and magically lift up pieces of the team if they suck.

Everyone just needs to do their job. If the team looks like they did against SF last year we’ll get smoked again. Regardless of what Dak does or doesn’t do.
 

kskboys

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I use to think it was about the way you were playing but I’m not sure that’s the case. I think it’s more about matchup’s in the playoffs. We scored over 100 points in two games leading up to the playoff game and could barely move the ball against SF.
Matchups, being able to still play when the opposing team is exploiting your weakness, disrupting the opposing team's pocket, not losing the battle at the LOS, stuff like that is what generally decides playoff games. The best WR's in the playoffs are generally the great route runners, as good D's often take away speed and jumpers.
 

Dakota

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If we have another disapointing playoff experience this year there is but one direction the finger points, the front office. Everyone on this board knows our weaknesses and so does Jerry. Our run defense is suspect, what did they do, nothing. Our top divisional opponent faced the same challenge, what did they do, went out and signed 2 former pro bowl run stoppers. Guess what, it seems to have worked. Our QB is not capable of dominating in the passing game on his own and realistically no QB really is, what does Jerry do? Let's our #1 receiver walk. What does philly do, trades for a top YOUNG receiver who can dominate. Philly was near the bottom in sacks last year, now they are at the top, they lead in take aways, they lead in takeaway differential, they lead in fewest points given up per game. They made massive upgrades. The only area they led in last year was the running game and that was because they had a running QB. I didn't say dual threat, because last year he was certainly not a dual threat. They addressed every weakness they had and it is paying dividends. What did we do? Not much. Yes, the front office is to blame. But hey, I like our guys.
 

DFWJC

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Ideally, yea. But we also need the OL to show up and WRs to actually get open.

Stafford threw 3 picks in the playoffs last year and wasn’t exactly clean during their run. Not the blueprint just saying.
Team game, for sure.

fwiw, Stafford had abot a 115 passer rating, a whopping 12 TDs, and only 3 turnovers in the 4 games of playoffs last year….and no 4th qtr turnovers.
Also 3 late 4th qtr game-winning drives…which is unheard of
He was very good
 

cnuball21

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If we have another disapointing playoff experience this year there is but one direction the finger points, the front office. Everyone on this board knows our weaknesses and so does Jerry. Our run defense is suspect, what did they do, nothing. Our top divisional opponent faced the same challenge, what did they do, went out and signed 2 former pro bowl run stoppers. Guess what, it seems to have worked. Our QB is not capable of dominating in the passing game on his own and realistically no QB really is, what does Jerry do? Let's our #1 receiver walk. What does philly do, trades for a top YOUNG receiver who can dominate. Philly was near the bottom in sacks last year, now they are at the top, they lead in take aways, they lead in takeaway differential, they lead in fewest points given up per game. They made massive upgrades. The only area they led in last year was the running game and that was because they had a running QB. I didn't say dual threat, because last year he was certainly not a dual threat. They addressed every weakness they had and it is paying dividends. What did we do? Not much. Yes, the front office is to blame. But hey, I like our guys.

Yup. Jerry has been the biggest problem with this team over the years.
 

LonnieElam

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We're not going to do anything because we won't be able to stop the run. Luckily, Jerry will draft wide receivers, so we'll be good. Problem solved.
 

Reid1boys

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Yea, they go hand in hand.

This is like football 101 we’re talking about. Not sure why being worried about having more than one competent WR is so crazy.
its the fact you said you were MORE worried about those things than qb play. We arent winning anything in the playoffs if the QB plays poorly.
 

cnuball21

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its the fact you said you were MORE worried about those things than qb play. We arent winning anything in the playoffs if the QB plays poorly.

Well yea, because the WR room is a weakness.

The QB position is not.
 

cityochamps

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Those guys all won titles led by the defense and a running game. The big thing they didn't do was commit stupid turnovers. Totally agree with that aspect re: Dak.

I don't care what he's paid. $40 million won't turn him into Mahomes. Lean on the run and the defense, but Dak absolutely has to stop with the weekly pick (or two).
Quad Likes:thumbup:
 

Cowboyny

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No it doesn’t.

The season comes down to the team playing good football down the stretch. If we want to make a playoff run we also need more talented teams (Phi, SF) slipping.

My biggest concerns in the playoffs are pass protection, WR play and run defense. If we end up losing I have a strong feeling one or all of those will be the primary reason. Dak can’t win or lose in the playoffs by himself.
For me, it's all about winning the trenches on both sides of the football. Can they stop the run, can they successfully run the football? I believe now with Hilton he potentially makes up for Gallup's production down the field and hate seeing Noah Brown trying to do it. Pass protection is still a worry, but if Tyron returns that certainly helps.
 

cnuball21

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For me, it's all about winning the trenches on both sides of the football. Can they stop the run, can they successfully run the football? I believe now with Hilton he potentially makes up for Gallup's production down the field and hate seeing Noah Brown trying to do it. Pass protection is still a worry, but if Tyron returns that certainly helps.

Absolutely. If we win in the trenches I love our chances.

That means we’re running the rock well, our pass rush is getting a chance to eat and Dak is getting time to throw.
 

cityochamps

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DAK IS READY!!!

33bb9b2c.gif
Nicely Done:clap:
 

Cowboyny

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Absolutely. If we win in the trenches I love our chances.

That means we’re running the rock well, our pass rush is getting a chance to eat and Dak is getting time to throw.
Dak becomes better and the secondary has to hold up less.
 
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