Starting off on the right foot

[CouchCoach]

The Cowboys are probably the most run dependent team in the NFC and while not having Yosemite is a challenge that can be overcome. Elliott didn't run behind a great OL in college and is used to creating his own mismatches. He is quick to the hole and through it and has very good vision.

The good news is the Cowboys do not face a top 10 run D from 2017 until the 8th game of the season with #5 TEN, after opening with #3, CAR.

Opening on the road against the 3rd ranked CAR run D will tell us a lot about this run game but I do not look for CAR to set the template for others because they're a top run D, they do not have to stack the box to stop the run. Some other teams will have to do that.

It's no secret that the Cowboys want to establish the run and run the offense through the RB and if they can set up well in CAR, I would say this season will look a lot better regardless of whether they win or not.

Every team wants to win the opener, and only half will, and I'm sure we'll see that useless stat of how many are already out of the SB because of losing that first game, but that game is away in a tough place for us to play so a loss isn't crippling.

The team returns home to face the 27th ranked run D with the Giants, a little additional pressure to win (which I like) and can go up 1-0 in the division. With the NFC race supposed to be so tight, that 2nd level tie-breaker could be the difference between extending the season or not.

Starting off on the right foot isn't necessarily winning that game in CAR; it is demonstrating that the Cowboys can run the ball against a top run D and are dedicated to it. Like it or not, the success of our season is dependent on that very thing, the ability to move the ball on the ground. That is absolutely critical to the season and Linehan must stay dedicated to it and not get too reactive.

On the reverse side of that, the Cowboys open with the #3 run offense of 2017 and get #10 the next week with Barkley added to it. We will know quickly how our run D can keep two teams that want to run the ball from getting off on the right foot. And that run D is as critical to our season as the run offense is.

 

[glimmerman]

Elliot will get his. If anything we will be down maybe 1 player. If Fredrick isn’t able to start (and I don’t count that big man out until they say he isn’t playing) I think Looney can handle it. We will run. How well our pass is going to work is more interesting to me.

And the flip side is our own Defense. We should have a better Defense. If we can hold teams down then we won’t HAVE to score as many points.

I know you and I both would like to put up some points to see we have a good Offense and hold them to nothing. But you and I also have been around long enough to know that 3-0 is still a win. Lol.

For some reason division games give me more worry than others. Don’t seem to matter the records or how good a team either team has fielded. It’s always seems to be a dog fight and Dak has had problems with the giants for some reason. Romo was a giants killer.

 

[MCMetal69]

The Cowboys are probably the most run dependent team in the NFC and while not having Yosemite is a challenge that can be overcome. Elliott didn't run behind a great OL in college and is used to creating his own mismatches. He is quick to the hole and through it and has very good vision.

The good news is the Cowboys do not face a top 10 run D from 2017 until the 8th game of the season with #5 TEN, after opening with #3, CAR.

Opening on the road against the 3rd ranked CAR run D will tell us a lot about this run game but I do not look for CAR to set the template for others because they're a top run D, they do not have to stack the box to stop the run. Some other teams will have to do that.

It's no secret that the Cowboys want to establish the run and run the offense through the RB and if they can set up well in CAR, I would say this season will look a lot better regardless of whether they win or not.

Every team wants to win the opener, and only half will, and I'm sure we'll see that useless stat of how many are already out of the SB because of losing that first game, but that game is away in a tough place for us to play so a loss isn't crippling.

The team returns home to face the 27th ranked run D with the Giants, a little additional pressure to win (which I like) and can go up 1-0 in the division. With the NFC race supposed to be so tight, that 2nd level tie-breaker could be the difference between extending the season or not.

Starting off on the right foot isn't necessarily winning that game in CAR; it is demonstrating that the Cowboys can run the ball against a top run D and are dedicated to it. Like it or not, the success of our season is dependent on that very thing, the ability to move the ball on the ground. That is absolutely critical to the season and Linehan must stay dedicated to it and not get too reactive.

On the reverse side of that, the Cowboys open with the #3 run offense of 2017 and get #10 the next week with Barkley added to it. We will know quickly how our run D can keep two teams that want to run the ball from getting off on the right foot. And that run D is as critical to our season as the run offense is.

While Carolina was stout against the run last season , their pass defense was very leaky.................I'd pass to set up the run against them in the opener...........

 

[G2]

The problem is last years rankings aren't automatically the same.

 

[foofighters]

I would go play action against them from the start. Then kill them with Zeke later.

 

[CouchCoach]

Elliot will get his. If anything we will be down maybe 1 player. If Fredrick isn’t able to start (and I don’t count that big man out until they say he isn’t playing) I think Looney can handle it. We will run. How well our pass is going to work is more interesting to me.

And the flip side is our own Defense. We should have a better Defense. If we can hold teams down then we won’t HAVE to score as many points.

I know you and I both would like to put up some points to see we have a good Offense and hold them to nothing. But you and I also have been around long enough to know that 3-0 is still a win. Lol.

For some reason division games give me more worry than others. Don’t seem to matter the records or how good a team either team has fielded. It’s always seems to be a dog fight and Dak has had problems with the giants for some reason. Romo was a giants killer.

Division games get me jazzed and I look forward to all of those more than any of the other games, including the Skins because of history.

It will be interesting to see if the D has improved as most seem to think because that not only will help the offense but confirm we are headed in the right direction. We cannot be a team needing to score north of 28 on average.

There was a time I needed pretty wins because I was spoiled and needed my expectations met but I will take any win. The problem with an ugly win, unless that is an anomaly, is that it can be an indication that the only reason we won was the other team played worse. The future doesn't look any better.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The Cowboys are probably the most run dependent team in the NFC and while not having Yosemite is a challenge that can be overcome. Elliott didn't run behind a great OL in college and is used to creating his own mismatches. He is quick to the hole and through it and has very good vision.

The good news is the Cowboys do not face a top 10 run D from 2017 until the 8th game of the season with #5 TEN, after opening with #3, CAR.

Opening on the road against the 3rd ranked CAR run D will tell us a lot about this run game but I do not look for CAR to set the template for others because they're a top run D, they do not have to stack the box to stop the run. Some other teams will have to do that.

It's no secret that the Cowboys want to establish the run and run the offense through the RB and if they can set up well in CAR, I would say this season will look a lot better regardless of whether they win or not.

Every team wants to win the opener, and only half will, and I'm sure we'll see that useless stat of how many are already out of the SB because of losing that first game, but that game is away in a tough place for us to play so a loss isn't crippling.

The team returns home to face the 27th ranked run D with the Giants, a little additional pressure to win (which I like) and can go up 1-0 in the division. With the NFC race supposed to be so tight, that 2nd level tie-breaker could be the difference between extending the season or not.

Starting off on the right foot isn't necessarily winning that game in CAR; it is demonstrating that the Cowboys can run the ball against a top run D and are dedicated to it. Like it or not, the success of our season is dependent on that very thing, the ability to move the ball on the ground. That is absolutely critical to the season and Linehan must stay dedicated to it and not get too reactive.

On the reverse side of that, the Cowboys open with the #3 run offense of 2017 and get #10 the next week with Barkley added to it. We will know quickly how our run D can keep two teams that want to run the ball from getting off on the right foot. And that run D is as critical to our season as the run offense is.

Last year doesn't always continue, wouldn't count on either one being #3 and #27, or even close to that, that's the case a lot of the time, but not always....

 

[CouchCoach]

The problem is last years rankings aren't automatically the same.

That is true, teams made changes and we don't know the result of that. On the other side of that, teams can get worse as well. Maybe CAR's run D and O are not top 3 this season?

 

[ItzKelz]

What Carolina did last season won't tell us anything. Around week 4 we will get an idea of what we are and what the rest of the NFL is.

 

[CouchCoach]

Last year doesn't always continue, wouldn't count on either one being #3 and #27, or even close to that, that's the case a lot of the time, but not always....

True, this can change from season to season but when looking forward, I need a base to build from and only have last season. I am a stat guy, I've used them in the past for picks and fantasy once a season gets underway and have found the previous season's to be pretty good with the absence of anything else to measure.

 

[glimmerman]

Division games get me jazzed and I look forward to all of those more than any of the other games, including the Skins because of history.

It will be interesting to see if the D has improved as most seem to think because that not only will help the offense but confirm we are headed in the right direction. We cannot be a team needing to score north of 28 on average.

There was a time I needed pretty wins because I was spoiled and needed my expectations met but I will take any win. The problem with an ugly win, unless that is an anomaly, is that it can be an indication that the only reason we won was the other team played worse. The future doesn't look any better.

I don’t see our Defense coming out of the gate being a top 3 Defense. No way a offseason and these new style TC and a few preseason games are gonna bring a unit to start off being a solid Defense. But as the season progresses we will look better and better.

To be honest with you Coach. I am gonna be pumped for the start of real regular season opening day football. But I already know with the new CBA and TC that we are gonna have to look the other way. Gonna be ALOT of sloppy football being played opening day and I expect our game won’t be much better.

 

[CouchCoach]

What Carolina did last season won't tell us anything. Around week 4 we will get an idea of what we are and what the rest of the NFL is.

Agree with that, I am only addressing getting off on the right foot in these first two games and both of them will want to run and stop the run, that will give us a good look but obviously as the season wears on, we get to know more.

I think more than any team in the NFC, the Cowboys have to run and they have to establish that from the get go. And every team we'll face knows that we not only want to run the ball but need to do that.

 

[CouchCoach]

I don’t see our Defense coming out of the gate being a top 3 Defense. No way a offseason and these new style TC and a few preseason games are gonna bring a unit to start off being a solid Defense. But as the season progresses we will look better and better.

To be honest with you Coach. I am gonna be pumped for the start of real regular season opening day football. But I already know with the new CBA and TC that we are gonna have to look the other way. Gonna be ALOT of sloppy football being played opening day and I expect our game won’t be much better.

That has been the trend which is why I don't watch the pretend season, they don't prepare for the season in preseason games, they do that in practice. Many are getting seduced by pretend ball with this D.

As I thought the D would be a work in progress with the secondary last season, I do see that with the entire D this season. And I do not share the optimism about this secondary that others seem to have.

 

[jwooten15]

Good post, OP!

My feelings toward Zeke today, vs one year ago, is a 180-degree turnaround.

He's keeping his head down and focusing on football again, which is going to be scary for the rest of the NFL.

He would be the best RB in the NFL if we can somehow manage to keep our whole O-Line intact, but even if we can't, Zeke is going to be a monster.

 

[CouchCoach]

Good post, OP!

My feelings toward Zeke today, vs one year ago, is a 180-degree turnaround.

He's keeping his head down and focusing on football again, which is going to be scary for the rest of the NFL.

He would be the best RB in the NFL if we can somehow manage to keep our whole O-Line intact, but even if we can't, Zeke is going to be a monster.

I agree, he's an extraordinary talent and the opposing DC's having to game plan for a RB of his caliber favors the Cowboys.

The key to this is Linehan, he can't get played by the DC's. He needs to do what Norv did when they stacked it to stop Emmitt, run it anyway enough to show that you are in charge of your own game plan.

Ya know my least favorite saying in football? "We're taking what they're giving us". BS on that, think they're going to give you what you want? You have to take it. Force your will on the other guy.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I don’t see our Defense coming out of the gate being a top 3 Defense. No way a offseason and these new style TC and a few preseason games are gonna bring a unit to start off being a solid Defense.

It's a cumulative thing, to me I can see the defense firing out and being excellent right away. There's several reasons imho:

1. Lawrence seemed to finally "get it" as far as pass rush is concerned,and moving to LDE helped him tremendously.
2. Woods, Lewis, et al were rookies last year, it's not just the new camp and coordinator, it's an off season to study film, work out and learn from last years mistakes.
3. Haven't a lot of us complained about poor coaching on the team? And not just Garrett, why get excited about Richard if he's not going to make the defense much better? If coaching's been part of the problem, then a new coach might just be "what the doctor ordered".
4. J. Smith is out of the brace, seems to be now fully physically recovered, last year he maybe knew what to do, just wasn't able to physically "get there", now he can.
5. Defense has been lacking "beef" at MLB ever since R. McClain left, now we have a 255 lb Vander Esch to plug the middle of the defense.
6. B. Jones has moved back to cornerback, his more natural position, and has impressed in camp. Yes, pre-season and camp isn't the regular season, but it doesn't have to mean his good play won't continue, what we see may be the "real deal".

It may all be smoke and mirrors, and really is "just pre-season", we saw Landry's teams look poor in pre-season and win big, and seen Jimmy's 1989 team look great in pre-season and stink up the joint in the regular season.

But maybe, just maybe, the team has made a commitment to the defensive side of the ball and is about to pay dividends. I see evidence that's the case, hopefully I'm right...

 

[Batman1980]

The Cowboys are probably the most run dependent team in the NFC and while not having Yosemite is a challenge that can be overcome. Elliott didn't run behind a great OL in college and is used to creating his own mismatches. He is quick to the hole and through it and has very good vision.

The good news is the Cowboys do not face a top 10 run D from 2017 until the 8th game of the season with #5 TEN, after opening with #3, CAR.

Opening on the road against the 3rd ranked CAR run D will tell us a lot about this run game but I do not look for CAR to set the template for others because they're a top run D, they do not have to stack the box to stop the run. Some other teams will have to do that.

It's no secret that the Cowboys want to establish the run and run the offense through the RB and if they can set up well in CAR, I would say this season will look a lot better regardless of whether they win or not.

Every team wants to win the opener, and only half will, and I'm sure we'll see that useless stat of how many are already out of the SB because of losing that first game, but that game is away in a tough place for us to play so a loss isn't crippling.

The team returns home to face the 27th ranked run D with the Giants, a little additional pressure to win (which I like) and can go up 1-0 in the division. With the NFC race supposed to be so tight, that 2nd level tie-breaker could be the difference between extending the season or not.

Starting off on the right foot isn't necessarily winning that game in CAR; it is demonstrating that the Cowboys can run the ball against a top run D and are dedicated to it. Like it or not, the success of our season is dependent on that very thing, the ability to move the ball on the ground. That is absolutely critical to the season and Linehan must stay dedicated to it and not get too reactive.

On the reverse side of that, the Cowboys open with the #3 run offense of 2017 and get #10 the next week with Barkley added to it. We will know quickly how our run D can keep two teams that want to run the ball from getting off on the right foot. And that run D is as critical to our season as the run offense is.

Calling Antwaun Woods and Leighton Vander Esch

 

[RodeoJake]

I would go play action against them from the start. Then kill them with Zeke later.

We should open up in the wing t and come out in the second half in the wishbone.

 

[DFWJC]

 

[Sarge]

The problem is last years rankings aren't automatically the same.

Carolinas run D has been good for several years.