Skip, Stephen A: Cowboys to finish last in NFCE

[cowboyblue22]

some fans keep saying blow up this team and start over there are only two starters left the rest are all young players they have been rebuilding last three years.

 

[Idgit]

A lot of people are picking us to be worse this year because of all the turnover on the defensive line. I think a lot of them are overestimating what the loss of Ware means because he was such a great player for so long, but reality is he just wasn't that good last year. He still garnered additional attention from offenses but he just wasn't good enough to win those battles consistently. Remains to be seen what kind of learning curve Lawrence will have as a rookie, but he at least has a chance to fill the void of the 2013 Ware.

Hatcher was a big loss, he was a monster last season and probably one of the most productive lineman in the league. We'll see if Melton is the same guy he was pre-injury, if he is that guy then we will at least have a capable 3-tech, although it will be very tough for him to duplicate Hatchers season.

Really anyone's guess if the swap of Lawrence/Melton for ware/hatcher is an upgrade for 2014, optimists will say yes but there is a legitimate argument that it isn't. The real difference may be in the additions of better depth in the form of mincey, McClain, and possibly Gardner/bishop. But again, it's no certainty.

The rest of the defense that finished dead last remains largely in tact, this is why many pundits are not buying what we're selling. We still have a potentially fatal situation at Safety, which has killed us for years giving up the big plays, a group of linebackers with question marks, and CBs who have not lived up to their billing. Keep in mind that we are going to be running basically the same scheme with pretty much the same defensive coaches... Both of which got exposed last season and led many to question if that style of defense had become extinct due to the spread out up tempo offenses of today.

As a fan I'm remaining optimistic that somehow it will work out and we'll see improvements, but I have a hard time explaining why to the detractors other than the injury excuse...

I think this is mostly right-on. The only nit I'd pick is that the scheme we were running after the injuries last season is not the scheme we intended coming into the year, but I know what you're saying. The biggest hope we've gotten better comes from upgrading the DL snaps--as a unit--that we had last year. I think we'll have done that (don't really see how we could not have), but I still think we're trotting out middling DL snaps, on the whole. We're not going to have gotten all that much better. S might reasonably improve, but we didn't do anything there.

Good news is, we don't need a ton of improvement to win the East, because we've been so close and are relatively effective offensively and on special teams. I don't fret the schedule much, because all the NFCE teams play more or less the same schedule. We just need to outperform three teams to get into the playoffs. We need another offseason of defensive talent acquisition--and stable QB play during that time--to get to a point where I can really be excited about how much upside we really have.

 

[TheFinisher]

Really nice post man. I wanna believe in this year's team soooo bad, but every bit of what you posted here is accurate in my opinion. Keep hope alive I guess at this point...

I hear you, I want nothing more than this team to just come through and give us some real excitement for a change.

Like you said though, there's reason to be hopeful. Maybe the pieces on defense gel better than anticipated, think of the great no name defenses who as individuals didn't blow you away but as a unit, for some reason or another, had chemistry and played stout. That's the thing about football, hard to tell how the 11 man unit will play until they actually hit the field.

 

[Fredd]

Here are the players we "added" this year due to acquisition, draft or return from injury.

Almost certain help:

Sean Lee (starting MLB, huge upgrade)
Henry Melton (starting DT3)
Tyron Crawford (full rotation in oline, upgrade in depth DE and DT)
Zack Martin (starting OG, upgrade)
DeMarcus Lawrence (full rotation in RDE, start downgrade short term...though Ware was not very gd in '13, death upgrade with Selvie/)
Terrel McClain (upgrade at DT1..>>Hayden)
Jeremy Mincey (DE depth upgrade)
Ryan Williams (RB depth upgrade)
Devin Street (probable WR depth upgrade...Miles was non-existent in 2013)


possible help:

Anthony Spencer (by wk 6 or so)
A Hitchen (LB depth)
K Bishop (young depth)
Amobi Okoye (possible DT depth)
M Johnson (only possible, but if plays is depth upgrade)
B Gardner (DE depth)
T Mitchell (CB depth)
A Dixon (S depth)
W Smith (LB depth)
B Malena (possible 3rd down back upgrade)

Plus, this is one of the younger teams in the league now.
Those teams usually experience internal growth as well.
Additional players with large or small upside:

Tyron Smith (becoming elite)
Dez (becoming elite)
Frederick (only 2nd year starter)
T Williams (2nd year starter)
Mo Claiborne (big upside)
Wilcox (only 2nd year, prob starter)
Carter (much potential, won't be worse)
Escobar (very high potential)

My name is Fredd, and I approve of this message.

 

[Joe Realist]

Eagles 11-5
Skins 9-7
Giants 8-8
Boys 8-8

 

[treykin32]

7-8 wins barring injury? Last season we had soooo many injuries and finished with 8 wins. Not even mentioning how we lost 4 games by 2 pts or less that we shoulda won. If we stay healthy and have a little luck go our way at the ends of games, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to win 10-11 games.

You are so right. 5 games lost by a total of 9 points. Thats with all those injuries and the worst defense in NFL in the last 10 years. We could have easily been 13-3 with a first round bye. I really believe most people don't watch the games. SMH

 

[TheFinisher]

Here are the players we "added" this year due to acquisition, draft or return from injury.

Almost certain help:

Sean Lee (starting MLB, huge upgrade)
Henry Melton (starting DT3)
Tyron Crawford (full rotation in oline, upgrade in depth DE and DT)
Zack Martin (starting OG, upgrade)
DeMarcus Lawrence (full rotation in RDE, start downgrade short term...though Ware was not very gd in '13, death upgrade with Selvie/)
Terrel McClain (upgrade at DT1..>>Hayden)
Jeremy Mincey (DE depth upgrade)
Ryan Williams (RB depth upgrade)
Devin Street (probable WR depth upgrade...Miles was non-existent in 2013)


possible help:

Anthony Spencer (by wk 6 or so)
A Hitchen (LB depth)
K Bishop (young depth)
Amobi Okoye (possible DT depth)
M Johnson (only possible, but if plays is depth upgrade)
B Gardner (DE depth)
T Mitchell (CB depth)
A Dixon (S depth)
W Smith (LB depth)
B Malena (possible 3rd down back upgrade)

Plus, this is one of the younger teams in the league now.
Those teams usually experience internal growth as well.
Additional players with large or small upside:

Tyron Smith (becoming elite)
Dez (becoming elite)
Frederick (only 2nd year starter)
T Williams (2nd year starter)
Mo Claiborne (big upside)
Wilcox (only 2nd year, prob starter)
Carter (much potential, won't be worse)
Escobar (very high potential)

Sean Lee has missed multiple games every year, looks to be a trend rather than luck at this point.

Melton, at best, is a lateral move from Hatcher. Probably looking at the same thing with Lawrence/Ware, at least for 2014.

If you want to view The return of Crawford and additions of Mincey and McClain as clear reasoning for definite improvement on defense you're entitled to that, but it's obviously debatable... Don't be surprised when others don't share your view on that.

 

[adbutcher]

8-8 last year with the worst defense in the league and sooooooooo many injuries.

If Dallas has a middle of the pack D, we will win the east. If we are racked with injuries like last year, we could finish last.

Skip and Loudman aren't credible; all they say is for ratings for the cowboy haters and lovers. If you want eyeballs on the set just mention Da Boys...

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I half convinced myself that a 7-9 season is inevitable. I don't fool myself that we are in the upper tier or ever middle tier.
There will be some discomfort as we rebuild the defense, keeping in mind the graying of a still very good offense.
It is just not rational to belief that this sorry defensive team can compliment its great offense.
Poor, Tony Romo. If he had a decent defense he'd be super bowl bound.
Instead he will be sitting at home in the post-season, wiping away his tears with hundred dollar bills while pulling on his golfing attire.
And Jerra will be really sad, as he starts his fireplace with Benjamins while pulling on his country club attire.

We is alll fans, but, c'mon, this team is not Super Bowl or even playoff material. It's below .500 like we were last year. If we get lucky, we will return to 8-8 but any fool (even Skip and Stephen A hole) can guess we is a 7-9 or 6-10 team.
That is not a condemnation. That is just the facts as they will show themselves to be by late December, ma'am. In two years, if we half a good defense, that will be our time.

 

[jnday]

Why are they hacks? because they don't agree with the BS Jerry sell's to the fans and local media every year?everyone who think that this team is not good is not a hack.

Actually, this team proves them right time after time. More wins would solve this problem.

 

[Primetime42]

OK.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

I said this a few months ago and got ripped, but I'd prefer 2-14 to 8-8 this season. Meritocracy is mundane.

 

[the_h0wey]

Skip says the cowboys are about a 6 win team. and Stephen says they will finish in last place. and the sad part is that i can't say they are wrong. in fact i think they are right on the money.it's going to be a long year for the cowboys.6 and 10 may be being nice. time to blow up this team. the window has closed.

I've added years to my life by changing the channel when either one of these idiots is on T.V.

 

[Section446]

What do you think they have done the last 3 years?

Nothing changes until Romo and Garrett are gone.

6-10 / 8-8 is about right for us this year.

 

[Doomsday101]

Both picked the Commanders to win the NFC East. Philly 2nd and the Giants 3rd.SAS says the Giants are better than the Cowboys. in another segment Skip made fun of Jerry running around begging for more teams in the playoffs.said the standards for the cowboys are really low these days.

I think some owners to not to expand playoffs but not because Jerry wants playoffs but because of the revenue. I'm opposed to expanding post season but then I don't have any money invested in an NFL franchise either. It is stupid comments like that from Skip that makes me avoid watching his show.

 

[ShiningStar]

You are so right. 5 games lost by a total of 9 points. Thats with all those injuries and the worst defense in NFL in the last 10 years. We could have easily been 13-3 with a first round bye. I believe most people don't watch the games. SMH

its not that fans dont watch the game, its that some fans know that Dallas did not solve the correct problems. Thats why some fans thought Dallas was going to do well and some of us shook our heads saying "nope, you still have that nagging problem" The record is the only stat that matters.

 

[ShiningStar]

I think some owners to not to expand playoffs but not because Jerry wants playoffs but because of the revenue. I'm opposed to expanding post season but then I don't have any money invested in an NFL franchise either. It is stupid comments like that from Skip that makes me avoid watching his show.

Skip is right, you can even see in the fans, the bar for the Cowboys is very low and Jerry wil compensate by diluting the NFL to take the attention away from Dallas.

 

[Denim Chicken]

.

If you want to view The return of Crawford and additions of Mincey and McClain as clear reasoning for definite improvement on defense you're entitled to that, but it's obviously debatable... Don't be surprised when others don't share your view on that.

You don't buy that Mincey and McClain are upgrades over the DL pick-ups of last year, many of which will not even see the field this year?

 

[Doomsday101]

Skip is right, you can even see in the fans, the bar for the Cowboys is very low and Jerry wil compensate by diluting the NFL to take the attention away from Dallas.

I don't agree it is a petty shot at Jerry by petty people. The so called bar is what each person sets in their own fricken mind. Dallas and Jerry goal is to make post season and to win a championship. As for Jerry and other owners who want to increase post season again its because of the revenue it generates. Skip is and has been nothing but a Cowboy leech and I respect little he has to say.

 

[Direwolf63]

I don't watch the show and don't care what they have to say.

That being said, I have been saying for months now that we are looking down the barrel of a 6-10 season next year. And I haven't seen anything yet to change my mind.