Something hit me today: After that 3-0 start last season against the league’s worst teams, the Cowboys record has been 7-12. In other words this team hasn’t been that good for a long time, with two different head coaches. And also jumping out is this- over that same period of time, the turnover differential is a whopping -13. You can’t beat anyone in this league with that kind of TO differential.
Most quality GMs/FO would have seen that this team wasn’t “a couple of players away” from contention last year. This is the second year of an obvious decline.
This front office has a bad habit of chasing the fix to problems instead of seeing problems before they happen. An effective, proactive GM looks at his team with real scrutiny and says, “Which players have the most risk for decline?” Instead, Jerry thinks, “Which players can I best market?” Our GM is a great salesman. He could sell sand in the dessert. But he wouldn’t know a declining talent if it bit him in the backside. Because we have a bunch that are biting him right now.
I don’t know if this team is done or not. Technically, there’s still time to win this pathetic division. But I’m hoping our front office can see by now that this clearly a team in a talent decline. Cowboys fans need to wake up and smell the coffee and avoid the Jerry blue Koolaide. This team needs a big infusion of young talent that can only come with great drafts.
This team needs a new infusion of talent. Whatever anyone thought about the “window” of talent from drafts the last 8-10 years, that window has closed.
Can you say rebuild?
Turnovers aside for the moment.
Since the next to last game of last season where the offensive line had starters at each position at that time, will now field only Connor Williams come Sunday. The next man up theory is now digging into the rookie stockpile, and maybe just a warm body Rolodex as this season progresses.
The starting quarterback for the last four years is out for the season. The replacement QB may fair better than what we saw Monday night, but the fact remains this team is playing rookies at several positions on the team's front line at the moment, and probably for the rest of the year. Any skills set Dalton may have has to be factored through the security and protection he enjoys on game day. He might have the mojo to lift this team, but without a clean pocket he does not possess the elusiveness to move to a delivery point that is not being harassed.
And yet until the leader of the team fell, this offense was racking up yards. Even with a sketchy offensive line. Resolve the turnover numbers to even zero and this offense - including the rookies - was one of the best in the league. The staid argument is the team was playing catch-up when the other team was too far ahead. Therefore the opponent stopped playing. But to think a team will let up enough for the Cowboys to come down to one play to take the lead, or at the very least tie the game ignores the other team was still playing hard enough to win.
This franchise has fielded teams for over a decade which have been noted as slow starters. I just don't see this offense as that far away from top of the league if you get a healthy Dak and returning players to the line, with an addition of a player through the draft or FA.
I agree the front office has made some horrendous mistakes. There is something to be learned from cap management, but my contention is the
GM and
President of Player Personnel failed in accurately assessing the players who eventually received large pay raises.
I have always thought of
Tank Lawrence to be a poor man's
Greg Ellis. Plays hard some games, takes some weekends off. I just could never figure out what Jerry saw ion this guy to reward him as he did.
Jaylon Smith came to the team with an impossible injury. His season with
LVE where they appeared to be the best LB duo in the league was too small a sample size to justify the investment Jerry made in this player.
*** This is a reoccurring nightmare for the Cowboys in that Jerry rewards players too much money when an exceptional season comers along, but the body of work does not indicate a substantial raise should be offered.
LVE had questions when he entered the draft. His first season made us all think he would be a significant part of an improving defense. Does his injury history over the last season and a half change your mind? And when he comes up for renewal, what should Jerry do? One solid season - and not a great season, mind you - Jerry will open up the checkbook for what may be a player that mimics Lee's career.
Cooper is not an albatross yet. I think he is still nursing a foot injury. Could this be another
Miles Austin? Maybe. But what I do think is
Cooper stated he wanted to be here and
Jerry paid him like he was a returning war hero. He makes a huge difference. Especially for
Lamb. The constant barrage Cooper takes from the fans here ignore that other teams respect
Cooper, which very well may be one major factor in why Lamb is doing astonishingly well.
As a side note, I think
Lamb has a shot at being the best 88 ever for this team. Temper that statement with the fact
Michael Irvin was and is my favorite player, tied with
Drew Pearson.
Bobhaze - I agree with your assessment to a degree. Certainly the defense fits your thoughts. But the ridiculous amount of injuries to the OL, and now QB this season is clearly unprecedented. Otherwise this offense with adequate protection and a healthy Dak could be championship talent.
One caveat -
Zeke needs to get his mind right. I do not believe he has lost his ability. I think he is a player that needs to stay hungry and 90 million dollars has fed
Zeke way too much. His mind is not in his game. Stats, which I discount, suggest Zeke was in the rarified air of
Emmitt. But
Zeke does not have the self discipline to stay at the cutting edge of his game, which is being exemplified in his fumble slump. While I have been a huge
Zeke fan,
Jerry should have seen the immaturity of this player who would rest on his laurels, especially after a life changing payday. The writing of this guy's character was indelibly graffitied all over the Cowboy's facilities by his petulance.
Major rebuild? No for the offense, and yes for the defense.
