News: Spagnola: Getting To The QB Must Be One Of Highest Offseason Priorities

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
47,019
Reaction score
22,611
Spagnola: Getting To The QB Must Be One Of Highest Offseason Priorities
Friday, January 29, 2016 4:05 PM CST
spagnola_50.jpg

By Mickey Spagnola
DallasCowboys.com Columnist

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...g-qb-must-be-one-highest-offseason-priorities


MOBILE, Ala
. – What we learned from the next round of NFL playoffs, Volume III, heading toward next Sunday’s 50th Super Bowl while the only bowl synonymous with the Cowboys nearly 20 years to the day since last winning a Super Bowl is their staff relegated to merely coaching here in Saturday’s Senior Bowl:

Not only do you need a franchise quarterback, generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks breaks down even the best the NFL has to offer.

Go ask Tom Brady.

Go ask Carson Palmer.

Go ask Peyton Manning.

Yep, those guys, three of the NFL’s greybeards, three of the best the league has to offer, a threesome totaling 37 years of professional experience, they’ll tell you. Not one of them in last Sunday’s two conference championship games was able to average even a paltry 6-yards per passing attempt. Not one of them was able to complete better than 57 percent of his passes, and of all things, Tom Terrific, not even 50 percent (48).

And when it came to efficiency in these conference title games, good gosh, Palmer checked in at 41.3 and the indomitable Brady – we thought – was reduced to a deplorable 56.4 passer rating.

Then there was the reinforcement of Newton’s Law, this one, though Sir Cam Newton: Every quarterback in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.

Right?

Why, the Arizona Cardinals couldn’t even knock the wide grin off his face, much less him down entirely more than once, the Carolina quarterback completing 68 percent of his passes, averaging 11.96 yards an attempt and finishing with a walloping 117.4 rating in the NFC game.

No wonder the Panthers defeated the Cardinals, 49-15.

No wonder, in reality, the only thing separating the victorious Denver Broncos in the AFC from the bewildered New England Patriots was a mystifying missed extra point by a kicker, Stephen Gostkowski’s first missed PAT in his stellar nine-year career leaving the Pats on the short end of a most modest 20-18 tally.

Newton was sacked only once in the NFC title game. He was hit just twice, enabling him to throw for 335 yards, with two touchdown passes while intercepted only once...
 

TheCount

Pixel Pusher
Messages
25,523
Reaction score
8,849
Eh, we drafted Lawrence & Randy plus went after Hardy. It's fair to say the team gets it, it just isn't as simple as it sounds.

Hell, if he wants to bring up Palmer, I'd say the Panther's linebackers are really what's most deadly about that team, not that their pass rush isn't good.

If we're bringing back Lawrence and expecting Randy to take a step forward, then maybe this article should be about how the Cowboys need to bring in playmakers at LB.
 

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
47,019
Reaction score
22,611
Eh, we drafted Lawrence & Randy plus went after Hardy. It's fair to say the team gets it, it just isn't as simple as it sounds.

Hell, if he wants to bring up Palmer, I'd say the Panther's linebackers are really what's most deadly about that team, not that their pass rush isn't good.

If we're bringing back Lawrence and expecting Randy to take a step forward, then maybe this article should be about how the Cowboys need to bring in playmakers at LB.

A strong stable of linebackers eliminates a lot of apparent problems.

Does Rolando McClain excite anyone on site?
 

DallasDomination

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,791
Reaction score
6,205
Yes Spagnola. However by getting to the quarterback I hope you, Jerry, Stephen and everyone else is talking about the interior line and secondary. Because if you think the Panthers and Broncos are getting pressure on QB's just on their superb edge rushers you haven't been paying attention one bit. Draft wisely Cowboys.
 

BAT

Mr. Fixit
Messages
19,443
Reaction score
15,607
Eh, we drafted Lawrence & Randy plus went after Hardy. It's fair to say the team gets it, it just isn't as simple as it sounds.

Hell, if he wants to bring up Palmer, I'd say the Panther's linebackers are really what's most deadly about that team, not that their pass rush isn't good.

If we're bringing back Lawrence and expecting Randy to take a step forward, then maybe this article should be about how the Cowboys need to bring in playmakers at LB.

Panthers LBs get to make plays because the DTs keep them clean. The one common denominator with all the teams in the conference championship games is that the interior DL were not only big and athletic but they generate so much pressure up the middle that their respective Ds can just fly to the ball and make plays.
 

Bullflop

Cowboys Diehard
Messages
25,721
Reaction score
30,913
CowboysZone LOYAL Fan
Apparently, we now have enough positional issues to possibly require two or three drafts to resolve.

The Cowboys' organization will be desperately challenged to have its best draft in decades in 2016.

No less than QB depth, DT, DE, MLB, OLB, CB, safety, RT, WR and RB come to mind in a hurry.

That comes to a grand total of ten (count 'em) positions that might easily require attention (sigh).
 

BARRYRAY

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,418
Reaction score
127
I guess I don't understand why Bronchos for instance can manage under the salary cap to have great rushers like Von Miller, the hall of fame qb and we get a busted up Romo and a lame pass rush and oh yeah they have a great back up qb. We got none of this yet our brilliant front office is at the senior bowl
 

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
47,019
Reaction score
22,611
Apparently, we now have enough positional issues to possibly require two or three drafts to resolve.

The Cowboys' organization will be desperately challenged to have its best draft in decades in 2016.

No less than QB depth, DT, DE, MLB, OLB, CB, safety, RT, WR and RB come to mind in a hurry.

That comes to a grand total of ten (count 'em) positions that might easily require attention (sigh).

Which means, the team will go economy class at running back. Sticking to Darren McFadden, Robert Turbin, Lance Dunbar, and a player having trouble making practice squads from another team. Week one, McFadden is has a high ankle sprain and spends the remaining of the season trying to get back to full speed. Then pulls a hamstring and is out the remainder.

The entire season, Dez Bryant is double and triple teamed because no one is afraid of Williams, Street, and our smiling 'smurf.'

In desperation, the team signs a has been journeyman to give hope...sound about right?
 

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
47,019
Reaction score
22,611
I swear that I would trade down in the first, and garner two top defensive tackles from the start. I then would target cornerback/safety. Getting at least two, solid, cornerbacks.
 

Bullflop

Cowboys Diehard
Messages
25,721
Reaction score
30,913
CowboysZone LOYAL Fan
Which means, the team will go economy class at running back. Sticking to Darren McFadden, Robert Turbin, Lance Dunbar, and a player having trouble making practice squads from another team. Week one, McFadden is has a high ankle sprain and spends the remaining of the season trying to get back to full speed. Then pulls a hamstring and is out the remainder.

The entire season, Dez Bryant is double and triple teamed because no one is afraid of Williams, Street, and our smiling 'smurf.'

In desperation, the team signs a has been journeyman to give hope...sound about right?

LOL -- as daunting as it sounds, it's not difficult at all for me to picture such a scenario as a distinct possibility.

Sigh . . . be assured I'll still be tuning in every week, just like the pigskin addict that I am, however. ;)
 
Last edited:

Bullflop

Cowboys Diehard
Messages
25,721
Reaction score
30,913
CowboysZone LOYAL Fan
I swear that I would trade down in the first, and garner two top defensive tackles from the start. I then would target cornerback/safety. Getting at least two, solid, cornerbacks.

Yep -- and that might well be just a decent starting point. Can you even imagine the kind of pressure that our scouts and personnel guys are feeling right about now? Wouldn't wanna be them.
 

superonyx

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,478
Reaction score
15,836
Which means, the team will go economy class at running back. Sticking to Darren McFadden, Robert Turbin, Lance Dunbar, and a player having trouble making practice squads from another team. Week one, McFadden is has a high ankle sprain and spends the remaining of the season trying to get back to full speed. Then pulls a hamstring and is out the remainder.

The entire season, Dez Bryant is double and triple teamed because no one is afraid of Williams, Street, and our smiling 'smurf.'

In desperation, the team signs a has been journeyman to give hope...sound about right?

I sure hope this isn't the plan again. Realistically what are the chances that Romo, Dez, and McFadden will all make it through a season without injury?
Sure we need pass rush..every team needs pass rush...but like other teams we need coaches that are smart enough to allow scheme to generate pressure. We have used enough resources on edge rushers.
 

Jerryrage

Well-Known Member
Messages
998
Reaction score
930
Eh, we drafted Lawrence & Randy plus went after Hardy. It's fair to say the team gets it, it just isn't as simple as it sounds.

Hell, if he wants to bring up Palmer, I'd say the Panther's linebackers are really what's most deadly about that team, not that their pass rush isn't good.

If we're bringing back Lawrence and expecting Randy to take a step forward, then maybe this article should be about how the Cowboys need to bring in playmakers at LB.

The Dallas Cowboys front office had a shot to draft one of them deadly LBs, however went with some dude who scored a -2 on his wonderlic score.
 

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
47,019
Reaction score
22,611
I sure hope this isn't the plan again. Realistically what are the chances that Romo, Dez, and McFadden will all make it through a season without injury?
Sure we need pass rush..every team needs pass rush...but like other teams we need coaches that are smart enough to allow scheme to generate pressure. We have used enough resources on edge rushers.

I was talking about pressure right up the middle of the pocket on my desire for defensive tackles. As to outside pressure, the book is not set on Randy Gregory yet. Recall a Dante Carter or Bobby Carpenter? As to spending enough on cornerbacks, Claiborne, Carr, and the CB let go about four seasons ago?

For running back, there is a good field in free agency and a solid chance in the 3rd round as well.
 

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
47,019
Reaction score
22,611
LOL -- as daunting as it sounds, it's not difficult at all for me to picture such a scenario as a distinct possibility.

Sigh . . . be assured I'll still be tuning in every week, just like the pigskin addict that I am, however. ;)

You go, Bull...GO COWBOYS!
 

reddyuta

Well-Known Member
Messages
22,513
Reaction score
17,235
Our DEs will continue to underperform as long as we have bad DT play.imo Marinelli is the problem here.he refuses to use the draft to draft DTs.the least they could do is go after some top DTs in FA.
 
Top