ST: Dallas Cowboys can learn some lessons from NFL’s final four

[jobberone]

Dallas Cowboys can learn some lessons from NFL’s final four
BY GIL LEBRETON glebreton@star-telegram.com

Cam Newton of the Panthers has proven a team can find a franchise quarterback in the first round, something the Cowboys don’t believe can happen. Bob Leverone AP

With trumpets and arresting fourth-quarter thunder, the NFL determined its final four teams this weekend.

But first, a necessary regional aside:

Owner Jerry Jones can’t keep his aging quarterback on the field, and Tony Romo’s twice-broken clavicle sent the Dallas Cowboys’ season into a 4-12 death spin.

And yet, there was quarterback Peyton Manning, 39 years young, who was alleged to be done after undergoing neck surgery, instead leading the Denver Broncos on Sunday into another AFC title game.

Owner Jones also has struggled futilely to restore the genie to the bottle since Jimmy Johnson left. The Cowboys haven’t been to a conference championship game in 20 years. Only two NFC teams, Washington and Detroit, have longer title-game droughts.

And yet, while the Cowboys struggle to remain relevant, here are the New England Patriots, defying the law of averages and NFL parity, headed to their 10th AFC championship game of the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.

The Cowboys’ renowned think tank doesn’t seem to believe it can find a franchise quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft. And yet, there are next week’s NFC title game hosts, Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports...l-lebreton/article55239605.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Nightman]

"The lessons, therefore, are easy ones, if Owner Jones has been paying attention.

To get to the NFL’s final four, a team had better have a defense. And it doesn’t matter if its quarterback’s name is Carson Palmer."



it be nice to see Dallas have a shutdown D. It's been awhile. Forgot how that felt.


its why i am jelly of teams like the broncos, seahawks or panthers. They each have a very significant defense and its a big part of their entire football philosophy and approach. In this day and age of the league being a QBs/passing league (and the rules favoring that) its refreshing.


also Panthers play with pizazz and JUICE! Like the seahawks used to recently. Such a stark difference between them and our team. Our Cowboys (sans sean lee, witten, romo etc) just look like they are collecting a check in comparison and the panthers bigger goal is to win it all and it shows in how they play.

Carson Palmer was a number 1 pick and led a very potent offense
So was Cam and so was Peyton
And Brady is better than them all

 

[big dog cowboy]

And yet, there was quarterback Peyton Manning, 39 years young, who was alleged to be done after undergoing neck surgery, instead leading the Denver Broncos on Sunday into another AFC title game.

LeBreton must have watched a different game than I did. The Broncos sucked terribly on offense all day only scoring 1 TD and that was with only 3 minutes left in the game.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Defense wins championships, got it. Thanks Gil,,,

 

[SportsGuru80]

All these teams left have good defenses... That's the common denominator.

 

[jobberone]

We've been thru this many times. It is not defense which generally wins in this league but offense. Plenty of people have posted all the numbers. That doesn't mean it is not important. Just look at the defensive PPG to get an idea of its importance.

You can also look at pass defense, TO diff and a lot more. The first things are an offense at 25+ PPG and a defense of 17-20 PPG. The latter can slip a bit IF the offense takes up the slack. Two teams scored right at 500 points this year with Car a bit over.

2015:

GB 15th O/12th D 23PPG/20PPG
Car 1/6 31PPG/19 huge diff of 192 which explains the 15-1 record
AZ 2/7 30PPG/20
Sea 4/1 26/17PPG

NE 29PPG/20
Pit 26/20
Den 22/18
KC 25/18

 

[Hoofbite]

Carson Palmer was a number 1 pick and led a very potent offense
So was Cam and so was Peyton
And Brady is better than them all

Carson Palmer had a damn good year. If Palmer's season in 2015 isn't good enough then the team should just pack it in because Romo isn't going to give you much more than Palmer gave the Cards this year.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Carson Palmer was a number 1 pick and led a very potent offense
So was Cam and so was Peyton
And Brady is better than them all

Don't forget Palmer and Peyton weren't even drafted by the teams that now employ them.

 

[Alexander]

Don't forget Palmer and Peyton weren't even drafted by the teams that now employ them.

So if we go get a first round choice QB who is not on the team that drafted them, we are good? Alright.

Robert and Johnny, come on down.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

So if we go get a first round choice QB who is not on the team that drafted them, we are good? Alright.

Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf and Brandon Weeden ...forget em....Robert and Johnny, come on down.

Fixed it for you.

 

[Venger]

What I noticed is that none of those teams are stuck with this guy...

 

[dfense]

All these teams left have good defenses... That's the common denominator.

As if, you had a suck defense you'd even be anywhere near a championship game. duh

 

[FLCowboyFan]

Carson Palmer was a number 1 pick and led a very potent offense
So was Cam and so was Peyton
And Brady is better than them all

You realize that he is a huge outlier....right? Brady barely even played in college. I wouldn't bet my future picking like that. When the Patriots picked him they had a franchise QB. They didn't expect him to be a starter when they picked him either.

The other 3 QB'S are #1 picks in the entire draft.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Wade Phillips and Demarcus Ware are one win away from a Superbowl appearance. WTH

 

[Oh_Canada]

So if we go get a first round choice QB who is not on the team that drafted them, we are good? Alright.

Robert and Johnny, come on down.

Not saying that exactly, but over drafting one for the sake of doung so in the first round isn't smart either.

 

[Alexander]

Not saying that exactly, but over drafting one for the sake of doung so in the first round isn't smart either.

How would taking Goff, Lynch or even Wentz in the first is doing it just the sake of doing it?

You could say that about practically any position in this draft.

Take Bosa? Taking a DE just to take one.

Take Tunsil? Taking another lineman just because you think the value is better.

Take Ramsey? Taking a player you are not sure is a good CB or S just to take someone for the secondary.

 

[mahoneybill]

We've been thru this many times. It is not defense which generally wins in this league but offense. Plenty of people have posted all the numbers. That doesn't mean it is not important. Just look at the defensive PPG to get an idea of its importance.

You can also look at pass defense, TO diff and a lot more. The first things are an offense at 25+ PPG and a defense of 17-20 PPG. The latter can slip a bit IF the offense takes up the slack. Two teams scored right at 500 points this year with Car a bit over.

2015:

GB 15th O/12th D 23PPG/20PPG
Car 1/6 31PPG/19 huge diff of 192 which explains the 15-1 record
AZ 2/7 30PPG/20
Sea 4/1 26/17PPG

NE 29PPG/20
Pit 26/20
Den 22/18
KC 25/18

Recall Landry feeling that if the D holds the opposition to 21 or less you should win the game. That was in the days of less favoritism to the O's so he was ahead of his time again looking at the stats you presented above.

Well done. thanks for sharing

 

[Oh_Canada]

How would taking Goff, Lynch or even Wentz in the first is doing it just the sake of doing it?

You could say that about practically any position in this draft.

Take Bosa? Taking a DE just to take one.

Take Tunsil? Taking another lineman just because you think the value is better.

Take Ramsey? Taking a player you are not sure is a good CB or S just to take someone for the secondary.

Again missed point-if Goff is rated 25th on your board you pass. If Goff is rated as very
Good value on your board at #4 you bet I take him.