Start drafting intelligent people.

[sureletsrace]

Look at the Indianapolis Colts.

They have maybe 3-5 "elite" players on their team.

We've got at least double that.

The rest of their team is built of players that you don't even know their name unless you're a big fan of the team.

The difference is that they draft smart people. They draft not only based on talent and production, but INTELLIGENCE.

They seemingly pass on players that are infinitely better than the one they pick, but they consistently win ~13 games a year and always look so crisp and organized on the field.

Getting smart players has way more value than I think this organization understands.

Sure we hit on lots of UDFAs and late round talent, that's great. Keep that up. But please take into heavy consideration a players grades, IQ, and study ethic before calling their name on draft day.

 

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

Peyton Manning = 8 players worth of intelligence/talent

 

[sago1]

[Peyton Manning's a great QB & I enjoy watching him play. But he's also had for most of his career a good coaching staff including an OC who knows how to take advantage of his players. Manning's also got a good OL & his GM makes sure they continue to draft/sign good OL to keep him upright/healthy. In first round they drafted Manning & in 2nd round they grabbed either best OL available or I believe it was Wr Harrison.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Very good point, I bet if you looked up our guys' Wonderlic scores they would rank very low. Especially guys like Gurode and Bigg.

 

[ZeroClub]

I'm not conviced that the Cowboys players are dumb.

Poor coaching can make players look dumb.

Teams like the Colts have an identity. Their coaches know what their philosophy is. There is a clear idea of what plays the team wants to run and also what kind of players are needed to make those plays go. Their players know what to do in part because their coaches know what (and how) to train their players.

From week to week and season to season, Garrett doesn't seem to know if his is a running team or a passing team. He's got a huge OL that appears built for physical run blocking, and yet he's often running plays that appear to call for more agile OL.

And Garrett was SO preoccupied with not showing anything to opponents this past preseason that his own players were unprepared for regular season.

So, are the players simply dumb or are they unprepared? I don't pretend to know, but it wouldn't surprise me if these players start to look a lot smarter once the wholesale coaching staff change happens (assuming it does).

 

[Gaede]

I think most of the players are smart. But they don't play smart due to poor coaching. The team is set up to fail due to Wade's lack of discipline and Garrett's inexperience as a coach. I'm no longer defending one coach and ragging on another. It's clear to me that both are a problem and the team's dysfunctional as a result

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm not conviced that the Cowboys players are dumb.

Poor coaching can make players look dumb.

Teams like the Colts have an identity. Their coaches know what their philosophy is. There is a clear idea of what plays the team wants to run and also what kind of players are needed to make those plays go. Their players know what to do in part because their coaches know what (and how) to train their players.

From week to week and season to season, Garrett doesn't seem to know if his is a running team or a passing team. He's got a huge OL that appears built for physical run blocking, and yet he's often running plays that appear to call for more agile OL.

And Garrett was SO preoccupied with not showing anything to opponents this past preseason that his own players were unprepared for regular season.

So, are the players simply dumb or are they unprepared? I don't pretend to know, but it wouldn't surprise me if these players start to look a lot smarter once the wholesale coaching staff change happens (assuming it does).

Granted that some of it is coaching, but just watch the long kickoff return the Titans had against the Cowboys, 9 out of the 11 guys were on one side of the field! The runner cut back and no one was there.

I know the coaches go over it time after time... Stay in your lanes... Maintain lane discipline.

And do these guys listen?

No.

That's not a coaching issue. At some point you have to question the player's intelligence.

Gurode and Davis act like they've never seen a "stunt" before. I'm guessing it's not because Houck doesn't go over that stuff repeatedly.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think most of the players are smart. But they don't play smart due to poor coaching. The team is set up to fail due to Wade's lack of discipline and Garrett's inexperience as a coach. I'm no longer defending one coach and ragging on another. It's clear to me that both are a problem and the team's dysfunctional as a result

My reply to the other post applies here too...

Granted that some of it is coaching, but just watch the long kickoff return the Titans had against the Cowboys, 9 out of the 11 guys were on one side of the field! The runner cut back and no one was there.

I know the coaches go over it time after time... Stay in your lanes... Maintain lane discipline.

And do these guys listen?

No.

That's not a coaching issue. At some point you have to question the player's intelligence.

Gurode and Davis act like they've never seen a "stunt" before. I'm guessing it's not because Houck doesn't go over that stuff repeatedly.

 

[Alexander]

Very good point, I bet if you looked up our guys' Wonderlic scores they would rank very low. Especially guys like Gurode and Bigg.

The Colts are one of the teams I am aware of that have prospects take intelligence tests at the Combine. I believe it allows you a little insight into whether or not the player has the right aptitude to fit your schemes. If you look at their organization, there seems to be a trend with the kind of players they pick and they seem cut from the same cloth. That's why they can have an injury turnstile at a position and simply plug in another player. Their offensive line is one of the least impressive on paper, but thanks to Manning and I believe a fit to the mold, it is hard to tell it apart year after year.

I don't think Dallas has a profile they look for nor is there an idea of what a player needs to be in order to fit playing "Dallas Cowboy football".

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

I agree for the most part with the OP. Actual intelligence seems to be undervalued by most teams in the NFL. Look at the O-Lines of teams like New England and Indianapolis. They draft bright players, and not coincidentally, their lines are routinely among the best in the league.

Of course, both teams actually draft O-Linemen high in the draft and frequently, which I'm sure has something to do with it too.

Maybe we should just use every draft pick we have next year on O-Line and just hope at least 50% of the picks are good players. :laugh2:

 

[Don Corleone]

The NFL has always valued a guys 40 time, height, and vertical leap over his wonderlic score.

I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

[Gaede]

The thing is, once Parcells took over we started going out of our way to draft team-captain, smart, reliable, unflashy type players. We still draft this way...

So how come nobody on this team is smart? Why is it when they get to the Cowboys their 'intelligence' disappears?

 

[Galian Beast]

We drafted Sean Lee, and he hasn't helped at all. He was supposed to be a genius linebacker, really intuitive with great instincts.

He can't even get on the field.

We haven't had a rookie of the year candidate in years.

 

[Galian Beast]

thats another point. Our starters don't play in preseason hardly at all, because we value them so much for the regular season.

Even choice, the 3rd string running back is saved for the regular season, even though he gets no carries.

 

[casmith07]

I'm not conviced that the Cowboys players are dumb.

Poor coaching can make players look dumb.

Teams like the Colts have an identity. Their coaches know what their philosophy is. There is a clear idea of what plays the team wants to run and also what kind of players are needed to make those plays go. Their players know what to do in part because their coaches know what (and how) to train their players.

From week to week and season to season, Garrett doesn't seem to know if his is a running team or a passing team. He's got a huge OL that appears built for physical run blocking, and yet he's often running plays that appear to call for more agile OL.

And Garrett was SO preoccupied with not showing anything to opponents this past preseason that his own players were unprepared for regular season.

So, are the players simply dumb or are they unprepared? I don't pretend to know, but it wouldn't surprise me if these players start to look a lot smarter once the wholesale coaching staff change happens (assuming it does).

ost:

 

[RS12]

A step in that direction, I believe, would be Steph Wisnewski C Penn State.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The thing is, once Parcells took over we started going out of our way to draft team-captain, smart, reliable, unflashy type players. We still draft this way...

So how come nobody on this team is smart? Why is it when they get to the Cowboys their 'intelligence' disappears?

I'm not sure Parcell's drafted for "smart" either.

I think he was looking for "tough-guys" from bigger schools.

 

[Don Corleone]

I'm not sure Parcell's drafted for "smart" either.

I think he was looking for "tough-guys" from bigger schools.

Heck, he drafted Fasano because he reminded him so much of Bavaro.

 

[ZeroClub]

I don't think Dallas has a profile they look for nor is there an idea of what a player needs to be in order to fit playing "Dallas Cowboy football".

Yeah.

The Steelers know what they want and need. The Colts know this also, as do the Patriots. Andy Reid seems to know it too.

Jerry knows he wants a "wow player." Whatever that means.

I like really Dez and several of the other players that Jerry has drafted, but on the offense, anyway, I'm not seeing much matching of players to offensive philosophy.

But then, how could there be such matching, given that the team doesn't have a coherent offensive philosophy (beyond doing the unexpected)?

 

[Hostile]

[Peyton Manning's a great QB & I enjoy watching him play. But he's also had for most of his career a good coaching staff including an OC who knows how to take advantage of his players. Manning's also got a good OL & his GM makes sure they continue to draft/sign good OL to keep him upright/healthy. In first round they drafted Manning & in 2nd round they grabbed either best OL available or I believe it was Wr Harrison.

Prior to Peyton tell me who Tom Moore exhibited this ability with and since Moore is now retired tell me who their current OC did the same.