Some numbers that explain a 7-10 season

[morat1959]

Most of the year starting backup QBs is the most important one.

I'm no Dak fan, but the season was done for good the minute he was hurt. I'm amazed when I see people acting like the team should have made the playoffs with Cooper Rush or Trey Lance at QB.

All seasons were done once Dak was named the starting QB if SBs are the #1 goal going into the season.

 

[goshann]

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.

Yup good data.
My point was it isn’t as awful as it seems when you just look at one data point.
Is it pretty bad or at least below average in many cases? Yes

 

[Flamma]

Not that this really matters, but we don't get the title for worst home record. Giants were 1-8.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

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.

+1

 

[Chocolate Lab]

All seasons were done once Dak was named the starting QB if SBs are the #1 goal going into the season.

Well, yeah. I meant at far as even making the playoffs, challenging for the division, etc.

 

[Creeper]

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)

2-7 is not the worst home record in the NFL. The Giants went 1-8 and the Titans 1-7. But second worst is still bad. The other side of that coins though is Dallas had a winning record on the road! 5-3.

 

[Bobhaze]

2-7 is not the worst home record in the NFL. The Giants went 1-8 and the Titans 1-7. But second worst is still bad. The other side of that coins though is Dallas had a winning record on the road! 5-3.

Thanks for the update and correction. My mistake!

 

[GMO415]

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)

BULLET!!!!
Thanks for the stats.
I think that GB playoff curb stomping left a season log hangover in the locker room. That, and the fact that we lost our RB.
We can return to 12-5 if we draft a RB at #12 and return our injured guys.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Undisciplined team. Again.

Not again. Still.

 

[TwentyOne]

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 may have missed one number/reason on purpose: #1 Forbes.

 

[_sturt_]

Force any NFL team to play a huge chunk of their season starting 3rd string defensive ends, and 2 rookies on their offensive line at arguably the most important OL positions...

... any team...

And that's going to be the root cause of a lot of really bad numbers.

Then, add to that that they must play half the season starting their #2 QB?

Why do people spend endless words trying to explain what is so simple to understand? I suppose b/c people need to be able to blame someone to make themselves feel they've solved a grand mystery.

But it's not. It's insanely simple. We sucked because, in the trenches at key positions and at QB we were severely... severely... under-manned for significant swaths of the season. Insanely simple. It's actually a more cogent conversation... how did this team win as many games as they did?

 

[Chasing6]

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)

• 0 significant FA signings.

 

[ArtClink]

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)

We sucked at home this season because there’s beginning to be more fans for the visiting team than our fans. This is a trend that will only get worse.

 

[ArtClink]

Force any NFL team to play a huge chunk of their season starting 3rd string defensive ends, and 2 rookies on their offensive line at arguably the most important OL positions...

... any team...

And that's going to be the root cause of a lot of really bad numbers.

Then, add to that that they must play half the season starting their #2 QB?

Why do people spend endless words trying to explain what is so simple to understand? I suppose b/c people need to be able to blame someone to make themselves feel they've solved a grand mystery.

But it's not. It's insanely simple. We sucked because, in the trenches at key positions and at QB we were severely... severely... under-manned for significant swaths of the season. Insanely simple. It's actually a more cogent conversation... how did this team win as many games as they did?

We all know why we sucked. The FO.

 

[gimmesix]

We all know why we sucked. The FO.

Is that a new nickname for Dak? Because from what I've read, he's the only reason we sucked.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

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 ?

Sure!

 

[LACowboysFan1]

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.

All of the teams you mentioned, with the exception of the Broncos, are top teams. They can play more aggressively, take more chances and afford to have penalties because they have the talent to overcome them.

Cowboys don't have that luxury...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

• 0 significant FA signings.

Hmm, I can't totally agree. Kendricks was a solid veteran player.
I'd have him back if I could....

 

[kskboys]

Force any NFL team to play a huge chunk of their season starting 3rd string defensive ends, and 2 rookies on their offensive line at arguably the most important OL positions...

... any team...

And that's going to be the root cause of a lot of really bad numbers.

Then, add to that that they must play half the season starting their #2 QB?

Why do people spend endless words trying to explain what is so simple to understand? I suppose b/c people need to be able to blame someone to make themselves feel they've solved a grand mystery.

But it's not. It's insanely simple. We sucked because, in the trenches at key positions and at QB we were severely... severely... under-manned for significant swaths of the season. Insanely simple. It's actually a more cogent conversation... how did this team win as many games as they did?

No, it's even more simple. Force a terrible GM on a team and this is what you get.

 

[_sturt_]

We all know why we sucked. The FO.

No, it's even more simple. Force a terrible GM on a team and this is what you get.

Denial isn't an argument, it's just denial.

Look, what I said lays at the feet of the FO what can legit be laid at their feet.... they chose to go into the season with rookies at LT and C, and oh by the way, I can only speak for me, but ti was me and a very short list of folks round here who, in the preseason, was tamping down expectations about what could be rightfully expected of Guyton and Beebe. "Oh, but you drafted him in the first round, you have to throw him out there and be content with the results"... "oh, I'm sure he should be able to transition from G to C pretty well, he's just that good." That's essentially the thrust of what I/we got back from some here.

That much is accurate in your too-broad criticism.

But you simply cannot make the FO accountable for lacking 3rd string D-line players capable of holding up after the first 4 Edges go down to injury... irrational to do that... in fact, they held up remarkably well, all things considered, but not nearly well enough.

And same, but even worse given the salience of the position... you simply cannot make the FO accountable for lacking a QB2 capable of performing at a level that your QB1 was capable.

Of course, it's not popular with some to try to be fair to the FO, and yet again, for a great many here, you were totally fine with the FO's decisions during preseason... some, even, thought the Cowboys would never fail to draft a pro bowler offensive lineman ever again... you spoke glowingly about all the successes Will McClay has had, and had no interest in thinking about how math and regression to the mean figured into that equation... it was going to happen that our home run streak was going to hit a wall, sooner than later, w/ regard to drafting linemen who were good from the time they were rookies. It's just how it works.

Bottom line, yes, some of the FO's decisions made 2024 difficult, and not necessarily but quite possibly on their own kept us out of the playoffs. But no, that's only a fraction of the problem because health became so scarce at arguably the most important positions on the defensive side of the ball, as well as the offensive. No team, including the reigning champions, could have survived that (... right Carson Wentz?).