Some numbers that explain a 7-10 season

[nalam]

The 2024 season is mercifully over.
Below are some of the numbers that explain what happened this year. It isn’t everything, but it does represent a lot of what happened.

• 7-10 (season record)
• 2-7 (home record- worst in NFL)
• 5-3 (road record - 6th best in the NFL)
• 31 (31st in red zone scoring)
• 3 (3rd in total penalties)
• 4 (4th straight year in top 5 of total penalties)
• 1 (1st in number of pre-snap penalties)
• -118 (point differential for 2024; 25th in NFL)
• 16 (Cowboys total offense ranking - amazed it isn’t worse)
• 27 (Cowboys total defense ranking)
• 18 (points per game at home; 31st in NFL)
• 6 (total rushing TDs in 17 games; last in NFL)
• 23 (total TD passes in 17 games; 25th in NFL)
• 33 (total team TDs for the season; 27th in NFL)
• 25 (rushing TDs allowed; worst in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th rushing yards given up)
• 37% (third down conversion rate; 11th in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th in 2024 cap spending)
• 29 (years since this team has won a divisional playoff game and appeared in an NFC championship game)

With offense and defense rankings so low and red zone issues , the 7-10 record is surprising, I think it’s offset by some road games which were surprising. The home record reflects the true state of team especially after last years record.

 

[eromeopolk]

The 2024 season is mercifully over.
Below are some of the numbers that explain what happened this year. It isn’t everything, but it does represent a lot of what happened.

• 7-10 (season record)
• 2-7 (home record- worst in NFL)
• 5-3 (road record - 6th best in the NFL)
• 31 (31st in red zone scoring)
• 3 (3rd in total penalties)
• 4 (4th straight year in top 5 of total penalties)
• 1 (1st in number of pre-snap penalties)
• -118 (point differential for 2024; 25th in NFL)
• 16 (Cowboys total offense ranking - amazed it isn’t worse)
• 27 (Cowboys total defense ranking)
• 18 (points per game at home; 31st in NFL)
• 6 (total rushing TDs in 17 games; last in NFL)
• 23 (total TD passes in 17 games; 25th in NFL)
• 33 (total team TDs for the season; 27th in NFL)
• 25 (rushing TDs allowed; worst in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th rushing yards given up)
• 37% (third down conversion rate; 11th in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th in 2024 cap spending)
• 29 (years since this team has won a divisional playoff game and appeared in an NFC championship game)

YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE!!!!!! The Front office is 7-10, Coaching staff 7-10, and players 7-10. They earned it.

Fans are fans of a 7-10 team. We got to cheer what they earned.

 

[John813]

Penalty issue predates Mac , I think it’s the culture of no accountability because of Jerry, bringing a hard coach with lot of independence is the only way to improve , but will Jerry be fine with it ?

You may be right. Just recall a huge spike in holding penalties under McCarthy, compared to Garrett's era, but possibly, the amount of penalties has always been on the high side.

IIRC the Cowboys were mid pack under Garrett towards the end of his tenure.

Under Wade/early Garrett they ranked high up in total penalties.

 

[tomokawan]

Great stuff!

The penalties are maddening. That's been a problem for years.

Dallas was horrible at both scoring rushing TD's and defending them!

31st in points per game! Wow. Unbelievable. Under Kellen Moore, Dallas was second in the entire NFL over a multi-year period! What a massive step backwards.

Whoever took over play calling must not be retained.

 

[goshann]

Let's talk more about penalties. There are always ways to slice the data and dive deeper.

If you look at penalty yards, we were middle of the pack (14th) in 2024.

=> What teams were penalized for more yards than the Cowboys in 2024? 13 teams including 5 playoff teams:

2. Ravens - 1120 yards
5. Lions - 988 yards
7. Texans - 981 yards
8. Commanders - 960 yards
10. Broncos - 941 yards
....
14. Cowboys - 922 yards

=> Why are we #4 in the NUMBER of penalties. It's essentially because we had 29 false start penalties (offensive line jumping pre snap), second to only Tennessee who had 30. Speaks to our rookie heavy oline and our TEs (Ferguson) who seem to always struggle pre-snap?

So in reality, only one position group (the oline) were poor in penalties this year and that was the oline/pre-snap. FYI - we were middle of the pack in offensive holding and given the amount of holding penalties by Guyton alone, that isn't actually that bad overall.

Data is here:
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?sort=fs

Sorry I know most of you are looking to fire McCarthy over penalties, but it isn't actually that awful if you really dive into it.

 

[SFloridaCowboy]

Imagine a home run hitting RB in the backfield, opposing teams bringing a safety in to try to stop the run, with outside LB's also creeping towards the LOS. Dak could have a field day every game with a play action pass. And if Beebe and Tyler Smith blow open a big hole, our HR-hitting RB will be off to the races. No, Tony Dorsett is not reborn as our #1 pick. No, Zeke of 2016 is not back. No, Emmitt Smith of 1990-1995 vintage is not back.

We will dancing away when Ashton Jeanty makes this offense take off. Speed and burst like L. Tomlinson, who had long runs in his 2st six years of 54, 76, 73, 42, 62, 85. Breaking tackles like Derrick Henry. Ashton will be a volcanic jolt to the Boys' offense. At no more than 5"9", he will be hard to see. For you old-timers, he will be a Robert Newhouse with a turbo engine.

But to make him most effective, the Boys need to also draft an immediate impact WR, like a Michael Gallup.

Repair the offense with the above and opposing teams will be throwing to catch up, rather than ball-control running at Mazi Smith. With Sam Williams coming back next year and hopefully DLAW resigns for one more year, the progress of M. Kneeland, all combined, the defense will have more sacks and more INT's.

Red zone offense will be light years better with Ashton Jeanty who scores like a young Emmitt Smith, but with much faster speed.

 

[CCBoy]

The penalty issue is the #1 reason not to bring back MM going off that list. Now, of course the HC will always have to deal with a meddling owner, but it doesn't excuse the penalty issues.

The head coach runs the team and is responsible for production on the carpet. Red Zone lack of production all season smells his backside up!

 

[Cmac]

The 2024 season is mercifully over.
Below are some of the numbers that explain what happened this year. It isn’t everything, but it does represent a lot of what happened.

• 7-10 (season record)
• 2-7 (home record- worst in NFL)
• 5-3 (road record - 6th best in the NFL)
• 31 (31st in red zone scoring)
• 3 (3rd in total penalties)
• 4 (4th straight year in top 5 of total penalties)
• 1 (1st in number of pre-snap penalties)
• -118 (point differential for 2024; 25th in NFL)
• 16 (Cowboys total offense ranking - amazed it isn’t worse)
• 27 (Cowboys total defense ranking)
• 18 (points per game at home; 31st in NFL)
• 6 (total rushing TDs in 17 games; last in NFL)
• 23 (total TD passes in 17 games; 25th in NFL)
• 33 (total team TDs for the season; 27th in NFL)
• 25 (rushing TDs allowed; worst in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th rushing yards given up)
• 37% (third down conversion rate; 11th in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th in 2024 cap spending)
• 29 (years since this team has won a divisional playoff game and appeared in an NFC championship game)

The numbers for the offense reflect having one of the worst WR and RB groups playing on the field, and a shaky OL. That simple. As for the defense, it appeared they got immunity despite the GB playoff game. Jerry, the GM, would be fired if he weren't the owner too. Perhaps it was arrogance and need to blame just one player......this was seen coming a mile away when you don't make changes on defense (speed & dawgs), watch depth go to Washington and not replace, have first picks as projects, address WR2 & make your RB2 as the RB1, have TE issues with blocking & penalties, reexamine player evaluation.......glaring issues. Nope.......let's just put it on our starting QB, like we've always done, but have hate on this current starting QB.

Dear Brandon Aubrey.......miss training camp if Jerry tries to hoodwink you about a team discount.
Dear Kavonte Turpin......don't listen to Micah about salary.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Unbelievably, after the Packers demolished them last year on the ground, the Cowboys did nothing other than sign Kendricks to solve the problem.

Zero excuse ........

 

[RonWashington]

The 2024 season is mercifully over.
Below are some of the numbers that explain what happened this year. It isn’t everything, but it does represent a lot of what happened.

• 7-10 (season record)
• 2-7 (home record- worst in NFL)
• 5-3 (road record - 6th best in the NFL)
• 31 (31st in red zone scoring)
• 3 (3rd in total penalties)
• 4 (4th straight year in top 5 of total penalties)
• 1 (1st in number of pre-snap penalties)
• -118 (point differential for 2024; 25th in NFL)
• 16 (Cowboys total offense ranking - amazed it isn’t worse)
• 27 (Cowboys total defense ranking)
• 18 (points per game at home; 31st in NFL)
• 6 (total rushing TDs in 17 games; last in NFL)
• 23 (total TD passes in 17 games; 25th in NFL)
• 33 (total team TDs for the season; 27th in NFL)
• 25 (rushing TDs allowed; worst in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th rushing yards given up)
• 37% (third down conversion rate; 11th in NFL)
• 28 (ranked 28th in 2024 cap spending)
• 29 (years since this team has won a divisional playoff game and appeared in an NFC championship game)

“Ranked 28th in cap spending “
“Ranked 27th in Defense”
“top 5 in penalties 4 yrs in a row”
“Worst home record in NFL”

 

[John813]

Let's talk more about penalties. There are always ways to slice the data and dive deeper.

If you look at penalty yards, we were middle of the pack (14th) in 2024.

=> What teams were penalized for more yards than the Cowboys in 2024? 13 teams including 5 playoff teams:

2. Ravens - 1120 yards
5. Lions - 988 yards
7. Texans - 981 yards
8. Commanders - 960 yards
10. Broncos - 941 yards
....
14. Cowboys - 922 yards

=> Why are we #4 in the NUMBER of penalties. It's essentially because we had 29 false start penalties (offensive line jumping pre snap), second to only Tennessee who had 30. Speaks to our rookie heavy oline and our TEs (Ferguson) who seem to always struggle pre-snap?

So in reality, only one position group (the oline) were poor in penalties this year and that was the oline/pre-snap. FYI - we were middle of the pack in offensive holding and given the amount of holding penalties by Guyton alone, that isn't actually that bad overall.

Data is here:
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?sort=fs

Sorry I know most of you are looking to fire McCarthy over penalties, but it isn't actually that awful if you really dive into it.

Dallas has been above the NFL average for holding since 2021.
In 21 they had 34 holding calls, league average was 21.
In 22 they had 23 holding calls, league average was 19
In 23 they had 26 holding calls, average was 18
In 24 they had 25 holding calls, average was 21.

In 24, Guyton accounted for 8 of them, so sure, some rookie issues.
In 23, Tyler Smith accounted for 9 as an All pro guard
In 2022, as a rookie, Tyler Smith only had 6 holding calls.

In 2024, for the false start penalties,
Steele, a vet, led the team with 6
Guyton had 5 FS penalties.

Ferguson had 5 too, on 616 snaps.
In 2023 with 880 offensive snaps he had 3 FS penalties
In 2022 with 430 snaps he had 1
So, not sure there's a basis to say Ferguson always struggled with presnap penalties.

Our other rookie starter was Beebe who had 0 false start, rare for a center, and only 2 holding calls.
Hoffman only had 1 false start, 2 holding.
Bass had two false starts, 1 holding.

Somehow CDL had 3 false start penalties.


He is an offensive minded coach, and picked his last two OL coaches. Is this some global NFL conspiracy or has the team just been unfocused/bad technique or raw under McCarthy's leadership and picks for OL coaching?
I don't hate McCarthy, but there's also a trend with penalties under McCarthy. And a lot have been offensive minded ones, an area he specializes in.

 

[RonWashington]

With your 27th ranked defense tell us how again we need another TE or WR buried in the bowels of the depth chart under this coaching staff .

Great post Bob it puts everything in front of Jerry and explains and indicts this whole organization.

 

[big dog cowboy]

• 2-7 (home record- worst in NFL)
• 5-3 (road record - 6th best in the NFL)

Neither of those will change much next year. That list of opponents is pretty telling.

 

[big dog cowboy]

We are fortunite our record was not worse based on the above stats.

I was thinking the same thing. Then the Cincy game and the game on Sunday pop into my brain as those were games the Cowboys won and gave away. Had they won and finished 9-8 it would have been even more remarkable.

 

[Sarge]

Undisciplined team. Again. Now why is that?????

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Nope.......let's just put it on our starting QB, like we've always done, but have hate on this current starting QB.

+1 ........sit out free agency, refuse to bring in repalcements for starters lost via free agency, wait a month before the season starts to extend your QB ( highest paid player in the league) and put him on the field with a lame duck coach.

The whole thing stinks to high hell........he intentionally sabatoged Dak and McCarthy to take the heat for this season.

 

[Hadenough]

The whole team just lacks discipline. And that goes back to you have to have a disciplinarian as a head coach. A hard nose guy who pays attention to detail. Sean Payton was there and Jerry could have just signed him and fired McCarthy everything was set up fine but no Jerry didn't want to relinquish control.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I was thinking the same thing. Then the Cincy game and the game on Sunday pop into my brain as those were games the Cowboys won and gave away. Had they won and finished 9-8 it would have been even more remarkable.

Exactly right ........or three wins from being in the thick of playoff race ( Cooper Rush as your QB ).
Honestly, I would argue this may have been McCarthy's best coaching season as a Cowboy. I said before the season started a success for season for him would be how the team fought and handled adversities, NOT the number of winslosses. He did an excellent job and others around the league is taking note.

BUT......I would still rather a new head coach

 

[Cmac]

+1 ........sit out free agency, refuse to bring in repalcements for starters lost via free agency, wait a month before the season starts to extend your QB ( highest paid player in the league) and put him on the field with a lame duck coach.

The whole thing stinks to high hell........he intentionally sabatoged Dak and McCarthy to take the heat for this season.

That's why I started the Annual Fall Guy list. Jerry been dirty for a while. One of the reasons I use the Dez avatar is because Jerry waited to release him (no problem), but after the FA market was almost finished......that's sabotage.

 

[CyberB0b]

Zimmer needs to go. They put up some record breaking bad numbers in games. Flush this whole turd down the toilet, and take the jones family , as well.