Sturm: Morning After - Weeden's Last Start

[TheDude]

The NFL is a 16 game season, everyone means something. For the front office to think after last year and this year's preseason games, that Weeden could fill in for Romo is just about one of the dumbest decisions they have ever made. Even with Dez playing, Weeden would still not be able to run an NFL offense. He doesn't have the brains or the guts to play the position at this level. I would love to know what person on this coaching staff and front office thought this was the best solution if Romo were to be injured. Witten and Romo are not getting any younger, by make such an obvious bad decision, you now put pressure on Romo to have to basically win out should Cassel stumble in the beginning. And if we fail to make the playoffs, it will be another year wasted of Witten and Romo. I don't think Witten has more than 1 or 2 productive years left. He is really lost a step with the little speed he had. Just a real shame if we miss the playoffs this year based on this backup QB decision.

This is why I really get sick of the "I'll trust the coaches/FO, we're fine" retorts. Everyone, and I mean everyone, knew Brad Johnson was completely finished in 2008. He couldnt or wouldnt throw a pass more than 5 yards. It was right there for everyone to see in camp and preseason. The team paid good money for a backup who was completely done.

Everyone got to see the garbage that was trotted out in preseason this year, the Az game last year, etc. The give up slides/sacks, the refusal to play in the 3rd preseason game, he doesnt appear to really care. He may have a decent game or numbers ever so often, but I have a hard time fathoming any player has any confidence that this guy can win. I mean its been since 2012.

I totally get the Cassel trade, but it was too little too late

 

[AbeBeta]

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I'm doubting Weeden ever starts again in this league.

Weeden called this an audition for the other 31 teams.

Ouch.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Brandon Weedens 11 losses in a row is an NFL Record.

Practice QB Jameill Showers could win a game before that.

 

[Longboysfan]

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I'm doubting Weeden ever starts again in this league.

I'm just for hoping.....

 

[ShiningStar]

Brandon Weedens 11 losses in a row is an NFL Record.

Practice QB Jameill Showers could win a game before that.

and we had the winless Saints right at the perfect time.

 

[ghosttown cowboy]

I don't disagree with anything in this article. The check downs looked like smart football the first five times vs Atlanta, then I realized that is the only pass he can complete. I think Cassell can do better, he certainly couldn't do worse...

 

[NeonNinja]

He should have never made one start for us. Huge mistake going with him as backup.

 

[speedkilz88]

I don't disagree with anything in this article. The check downs looked like smart football the first five times vs Atlanta, then I realized that is the only pass he can complete. I think Cassell can do better, he certainly couldn't do worse...

So did Atlanta.

 

[Bullflop]

Hats off to Bob Sturm, who has again hit the nail cleanly on the head. The time for change is at hand.

It's been said a sure sign of insanity is persisting to repeat the same thing and expecting it to change.

 

[Tabascocat]

This is Garrett we are talking about. He will not change QB's unless Jerry steps in. Please meddle again this time Jones, please.........................

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think it would be a mistake for Jerry to get involved. This needs to be Jason's decision.

 

[Bullflop]

He should have never made one start for us. Huge mistake going with him as backup.

Everyone and his little sister knew that but the Joneses saw a bargain basement deal and couldn't resist.
Maybe they didn't realize what the rest of the world already knew -- that Weeden was a dud who can't win.
Maybe Stephen and Jerry agreed that their best way to resolve their cap woes would be to take a chance.
Unfortunately, the truth came back to haunt them and bite them firmy on their buttocks -- serves 'em right.
For some reason, they must imagine they're immune to the world viewing them as ***clowns. Poor us.

 

[BARRYRAY]

Well there was that one play he hit the Patriot guy in the numbers, oh wait wrong guy.His time has passed.I would cut him and move on.In all fairness he has a killer arm but he cannot read the defenses and find open man..

 

[Hailmary]

If Weeden was the type of Quarterback who could first make sure in presnap that he could get a team in the right play after analyzing the defensive alignments, then comfortably survey the field and find the proper place to go with the football during the chaos of a play, and finally deliver the ball in a safe and catchable fashion, there is a very good chance he would still be in Cleveland.

This is precisely why I wanted to see Moore get an opportunity in the Saints game. Yes, Moore is limited physically and doesn't possess a strong arm, but he is the closest thing we have to Romo on our roster. He simply has a higher football I.Q. than Weeden and I would take the guy who can read defenses and go through the progressions better than the guy with a rocket arm.

 

[mugsybows]

Good read, thanks for sharing. Hard to find anything to disagree with here. I think you nailed it. In my mind, the failure is on the organization to not recognize Weeden's limitations and move in a different direction at backup QB. I know everyone says "nobody has a quality backup QB in the NFL." My response is this, and be honest. Do any of us really believe that Weeden would have a job in this league outside of Dallas?

Bingo!

 

[jobberone]

Sturm's Morning After: Why Brandon Weeden no longer fits what Cowboys need

BOB STURM

The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Matt Cassel (16) and Brandon Weeden (3) warm up during practice at Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, Friday, October 9, 2015. The Cowboys are getting ready for their game against the New England Patriots. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)

Let's be clear here; this is not the worst football the Dallas Cowboys have ever played. There has been worse. Much worse. We have all seen the team at times, over the years, appear hopeless and without a clue. We have all seen years where the team might struggle to compete in the Big 12. This isn't that.

There is hope on the radar. Maybe not the type of hope that suggested that Super Bowl 50 was a reasonable objective just a month ago, but absolutely the type of hope that says 2015 can be salvaged. Because it still can be. But, we better do something quick.

That is why I am arguing for the desperate attempt of moving things around. It isn't the fault of any one man in this mix for the way things are right now with the Cowboys offense. But, the possibility of adjusting a thing or two during this bye week simply must happen.

They can't keep going with the Brandon Weeden/Scott Linehan approach right now. Something in that mix is making the Cowboys offense too easy to defend and it is actually a bit difficult to completely sort through it.

http://beta.sportsdaydfw.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2015/10/12/sturm-morning-strong-case-qb-change

 

[jobberone]

It's perfectly normal to second guess yourself and others but it seems a bit unfair to second guess people in hindsight.

No one KNEW Weeden was going to limit the offense so much. It is more reasonable to say I had serious concerns about Weeden and I'm not entirely surprised by this outcome. Everyone reasonable knows he had limitations but we hoped there would be sufficient progress for him to be viable.

Well, so much for that.

They made a move to remedy it which is all you can do.

AFAIC, the only game we would have without question won was NO. Even with Romo the Atl and NE game may have been lost.

If Cassel can win one or two then we are still in the hunt easily. Even if not we may still win the East and that's a ticket to the show, too.

 

[mrmojo]

Brandon Weedens 11 losses in a row is an NFL Record.

Practice QB Jameill Showers could win a game before that.

Maybe the FO trying to put the record out of reach....

 

[Hoofbite]

"Here is why I hope people read this part of my conclusions carefully, rather than merely a headline. This is not about blaming Brandon Weeden for being Brandon Weeden. The Cowboys knew what he was and obviously were rationalizing to themselves the premise that if any contender loses their "QB1" for 2 months, they are going to be in big trouble, too. That might be true, but this isn't "any contender", this is your contender. The Cowboys watched Weeden in camp in 2014, again in fill-in duty in 2014, in the offseason of 2015, and in training camp in August. On each occasion, he repeatedly checks-down and doesn't show any patience to let routes develop or any comprehension on reading a defense. Yet, they didn't really seem to attempt to go in another direction because they were betting that Romo would be fine."

This is the issue.

Yep. Tried saying pretty much the same thing when Dallas traded for Cassel.

They knew Weeden couldn't get the job done and yet they kept him on the roster.

Monumental failure on behalf of the front office.

 

[wileedog]

AFAIC, the only game we would have without question won was NO. Even with Romo the Atl and NE game may have been lost..

I think both those games are completely different with Romo.

We clobbered Atlanta in the 1st half. It was only in the 2nd half when they realized they could stack everyone and their mother in the box and there wasn't a damn thing we could do about it with Weeden that the game spiraled out of hand. They couldn't do that with Romo, even without Dez.

As for NE. that first half was as good as any defense has played against Brady all year. It was the first time in his career he was sacked 5 times. But again a JG coached offense let by Captain Checkdown never had a chance against a Belicheck defense. At least with Romo we could have tried to make adjustments to them doubling Witten and Beasely. If Weeden won't throw the ball more than 5 yards, there isn't much else you can do.