jterrell
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This is a scattershooting style take on hop topics and current state of the Cowboys.
Dez Bryant is the right kind of guy. The term gets debated heavily and we can all agree Jason Garrett for all his strengths tends to rely too heavily on buzzwords and coach speak. He's limited his Ivy League vocabulary to seemingly 100 words. That's intentional and annoying but it has worked. His talking points are our talking points.
And it leads me back to this. The guy we are supposed to be scared of going off the reservation may well be the biggest gym rat this team has. He truly has more passion and love for the game than perhaps anyone since Irvin. He is really and totally "about that life". When talking RKoG the biggest component is exactly that. Love the dang game. Not just the money and the fame but the game itself. Dez loves the game and when he does sign that long-term deal he will pretty much insure his legacy as one of the most beloved Cowboys of all-time.
Repeats: It is really hard to have success then maintain that success. So it is a legit fear to be concerned about trying to repeat as NFCE champs coming in as favorites. Facing a first place schedule it tough. Having so many games on national TV is tough. Being every team's showcase game is tough. BUT you combat that with a dominant factor and Dallas has that in this OL. No team they face will have an edge in the OL versus DL match up. Some teams could make it close but no one has an edge there. Dallas also has youth on it's side. The NFL is by far the most what have you done for me lately league in pro sports. Being an ascending team is very important. So while the task is tough, this team is built to repeat as NFCE champs. Anyone picking another NFCE team is looking for headlines, has eaten too many cheesesteaks or picking with something other than their brains. Any fear of being hunted is assuaged somewhat by the bitter end to last year. This team hasn't arrived but they are on the tarmac.
Strengths: As mentioned above the OL. But Tony Romo is special and is at that age where he's finally gotten his brain moving faster than his body. Dumb mistakes are wayyy down. He is past his prime physically but performing at his best because the game is still largely mental. The training staff has a solid game plan on working with Tony to get him to games 100% healthy. Lots of reasons for optimism about his play. Defensively this team brings a lot of pass rush options and it's most talented set of linebackers in the modern era. So front 7 is solid with the raw potential to be the league's best front 7. Of course that front 7 is littered with injury and issue but any NFL team would take this group and their chances. It is a strength.
Weaknesses: Dallas has three areas that are less than average IMHO. WR corps, DBs and RB.
Dez makes up for lots of things and the DAL WRs on the outside can really block. But DAL really doesn't have much behind Dez. Cole is a monster in the slot but he's still a small guy. You need to save him for 3rd downs or big plays. Terence is a talent but he's still learning to catch and run NFL caliber routes. After that you have a lot of guys that could be passing through waiver wires. TE depth helps boost this group some but after Dez it is pretty mediocre.
DBs: DAL has incredible DB talent. It has also some major flaws. Mo is small and injury prone. Carr is big but not very fast. OScan is small and can be out-sized when playing on the edges. The rookie is a physical freak but he's still a rookie in a position where learning is administered one beating at a time. The safeties are a mixed bag. Some experience and some talent but no plus players in the group. Any real safety upside probably sits with your rookie CB moving over.
RB: Dallas lost a top 5 RB and didn't bother to replace them. That has this position at the top of everyone's concern list. That makes zero sense logically but complete sense emotionally.
The Pats won the SB with an undrafted, street free agent as the starter and got there with a young nobody RB that was easily displaced by said street free agent. RB is the least important position in football. Keep the QB alive and don't fumble. That's basically the job. There are a thousand guys available who were stud rushers in college. Find one that can do the other stuff and the rushing takes care of itself.
Camp questions:
RB: someone will emerge at RB and if they do not the team will easily be able to find a replacement.
Every RB that comes available will desire to play for this team. RB agents will consider DAL call 1. Every team with a spare RB will call about a trade. DAL has no reason to fear the running game falling off much. Outside a body that can withstand 300 carries the group has zero lack of speed, vision or explosion. So you can easily see them platoon it via hot hand and succeed as a group.
Rookies: Gregory needs to get fit and get heavier which is a tough combo. He may well be limited to just 3rd down pass rushing as a rookie. Thankfully DAL needs just that.
Byron Jones is a Dez Bryant type athlete. He can flat out run and jump. So the issue for him is time. When can the team turn over a starting spot to his guy. Camp will tell us a lot. (also how they handle Carr).
LB: Ro and Sean Lee are arguably in the top 5 LBs of all-time for this team in just pure talent. But performance hasn't been consistent. Lee and Ro have flashed All Pro play from MLB but now how can they play together and stay on the field. We won't really know this in camp but seeing them get through a couple weeks of padded practices side by side would work wonders for the fans psyche.
Escobar: I'd be using him as my 4th outside WR. DAL is soft at the position and the camp reps would help this guy develop. Then you look at game match ups where he can simply out size dudes and win some plays. Dallas has to get some value of this former 2nd round pick now. Witten is a rock but even rocks suffer erosion.
Dez Bryant is the right kind of guy. The term gets debated heavily and we can all agree Jason Garrett for all his strengths tends to rely too heavily on buzzwords and coach speak. He's limited his Ivy League vocabulary to seemingly 100 words. That's intentional and annoying but it has worked. His talking points are our talking points.
And it leads me back to this. The guy we are supposed to be scared of going off the reservation may well be the biggest gym rat this team has. He truly has more passion and love for the game than perhaps anyone since Irvin. He is really and totally "about that life". When talking RKoG the biggest component is exactly that. Love the dang game. Not just the money and the fame but the game itself. Dez loves the game and when he does sign that long-term deal he will pretty much insure his legacy as one of the most beloved Cowboys of all-time.
Repeats: It is really hard to have success then maintain that success. So it is a legit fear to be concerned about trying to repeat as NFCE champs coming in as favorites. Facing a first place schedule it tough. Having so many games on national TV is tough. Being every team's showcase game is tough. BUT you combat that with a dominant factor and Dallas has that in this OL. No team they face will have an edge in the OL versus DL match up. Some teams could make it close but no one has an edge there. Dallas also has youth on it's side. The NFL is by far the most what have you done for me lately league in pro sports. Being an ascending team is very important. So while the task is tough, this team is built to repeat as NFCE champs. Anyone picking another NFCE team is looking for headlines, has eaten too many cheesesteaks or picking with something other than their brains. Any fear of being hunted is assuaged somewhat by the bitter end to last year. This team hasn't arrived but they are on the tarmac.
Strengths: As mentioned above the OL. But Tony Romo is special and is at that age where he's finally gotten his brain moving faster than his body. Dumb mistakes are wayyy down. He is past his prime physically but performing at his best because the game is still largely mental. The training staff has a solid game plan on working with Tony to get him to games 100% healthy. Lots of reasons for optimism about his play. Defensively this team brings a lot of pass rush options and it's most talented set of linebackers in the modern era. So front 7 is solid with the raw potential to be the league's best front 7. Of course that front 7 is littered with injury and issue but any NFL team would take this group and their chances. It is a strength.
Weaknesses: Dallas has three areas that are less than average IMHO. WR corps, DBs and RB.
Dez makes up for lots of things and the DAL WRs on the outside can really block. But DAL really doesn't have much behind Dez. Cole is a monster in the slot but he's still a small guy. You need to save him for 3rd downs or big plays. Terence is a talent but he's still learning to catch and run NFL caliber routes. After that you have a lot of guys that could be passing through waiver wires. TE depth helps boost this group some but after Dez it is pretty mediocre.
DBs: DAL has incredible DB talent. It has also some major flaws. Mo is small and injury prone. Carr is big but not very fast. OScan is small and can be out-sized when playing on the edges. The rookie is a physical freak but he's still a rookie in a position where learning is administered one beating at a time. The safeties are a mixed bag. Some experience and some talent but no plus players in the group. Any real safety upside probably sits with your rookie CB moving over.
RB: Dallas lost a top 5 RB and didn't bother to replace them. That has this position at the top of everyone's concern list. That makes zero sense logically but complete sense emotionally.
The Pats won the SB with an undrafted, street free agent as the starter and got there with a young nobody RB that was easily displaced by said street free agent. RB is the least important position in football. Keep the QB alive and don't fumble. That's basically the job. There are a thousand guys available who were stud rushers in college. Find one that can do the other stuff and the rushing takes care of itself.
Camp questions:
RB: someone will emerge at RB and if they do not the team will easily be able to find a replacement.
Every RB that comes available will desire to play for this team. RB agents will consider DAL call 1. Every team with a spare RB will call about a trade. DAL has no reason to fear the running game falling off much. Outside a body that can withstand 300 carries the group has zero lack of speed, vision or explosion. So you can easily see them platoon it via hot hand and succeed as a group.
Rookies: Gregory needs to get fit and get heavier which is a tough combo. He may well be limited to just 3rd down pass rushing as a rookie. Thankfully DAL needs just that.
Byron Jones is a Dez Bryant type athlete. He can flat out run and jump. So the issue for him is time. When can the team turn over a starting spot to his guy. Camp will tell us a lot. (also how they handle Carr).
LB: Ro and Sean Lee are arguably in the top 5 LBs of all-time for this team in just pure talent. But performance hasn't been consistent. Lee and Ro have flashed All Pro play from MLB but now how can they play together and stay on the field. We won't really know this in camp but seeing them get through a couple weeks of padded practices side by side would work wonders for the fans psyche.
Escobar: I'd be using him as my 4th outside WR. DAL is soft at the position and the camp reps would help this guy develop. Then you look at game match ups where he can simply out size dudes and win some plays. Dallas has to get some value of this former 2nd round pick now. Witten is a rock but even rocks suffer erosion.
