Super Bowl... I don't think so.

[vicjagger]

After reading that, I'm reminded of "The Fugitive", w/ Harrison Ford v. Tommy Lee Jones.

Now that's a train wreck!

 

[dthahn]

A super bowl team?...Top 3 in the NFL?

Is it possible? yes

Is it likely? no way

I am happy with the FA moves, and I'm excited about the draft...however, as the end of the year wore on last season, we STUNK. Don't talk to me about the Carolina game...Talk to me about the NY Giants and the Commanders, followed by the Rams.

Our offense was pretty putrid, and our defense was not as stout as it was earlier.

What have we really done to go from a 9-7 team that consistantly underperformed to a team thought to be top 3 in the NFC and a SB favorite? Please...don't make me laugh. I'm not saying it can't happen, but let's be realistic.

Our OL was horrible...what did we do? Released our best lineman last year and let our depth at LT leave. We signed a OG whom many are unsure of and who wasn't supposed to start in Detroit, but did, to replace LA. We are counting on a full recovery by Adams, and hoping he isn't rusty, that he plays well enough to be a force without Allen by his side...he's really only had 1 really good year, imo. We still have the same train wreck at C with Johnson and Gurode...i guess we're all hoping they both improve dramatically. We're also hoping Rivera improves dramatically since he was not very good last year...we're blaming it on the injury and hoping for better with no backup in sight. And to fix the horror that was Pettitti at RT last season, we have brought in Fabini, who is really a LT, not known as much of a run blocker...let's face it...he's an 11 year vet who was available.

AT RB, we hope we have stars in waiting in JJ and Barber, but in reality, we're looking at a guy who can't stay healthy and a solid, but unspectacular sophomore.

At WR, we released our best blocker and a reliable receiver who moved the chains...we hope Owens is the stud we paid for and that he won't be rusty or frustrated by our OL blocking....we also hope like heck that he and Glenn stay healthy and that Crayton can at least look like a #3 receiver...again, we blame it on injury.

On defense, we released a probowl DT/NT, and we hope Ferguson plays better and stays healthy...we hope our LBs stay healthy and play well, so we're not watching Shanlee or Fowler again...oh yeah, we lost Fajita and DAT.

Don't get me wrong...I think we're headed in the right direction, and I hope Bledsoe can play as well as he did last year, though he was 2nd or 3rd from the league lead in INT's, right? (17) with an 83 QB rating...not bad, but not exactly looking like a super star to me.

I just don't believe Rome is built in a day....we may see teams go from losing records to the SB in a year every now and then, but I would argue it's much less frequent that many of you believe...I'd also argue that those teams who did it were much more talented than we were during the bad season. The Dallas Cowboys clearly had little to no talent just two seasons ago...I think we're headed in the right direction, but I also believe:

Those who think we are going to the SB are in for a huge disappointment.

I'll be happy with a long-awaited playoff appearance and possibly a first round victory. However, I don't think we are better or deeper on the DL from last year...the fact is we are currently less deep. I don't think our OL went from the botton to the top with the prospect of Adams, Kozier, Johnson, Rivera, Fabini and a train wreck for depth...slightly better, more due to the hope that Adams is okay than anything else.

We weren't a WR and a Kicker away from the SB last season, imo....but feel free to tell me how many games we'd have won with a kicker.

I won't pretend I can predict whether Parcells is really all about this year, but I certainly hope not...this team is trying to get by with the OL...what we truly need to go with the defensive draft we had last year is a young foundation on offense this April.

I know the glamourous talk is of LBs or DBs or even a backup NT, but I would never go that route. I'd spend my first pick on a WR (Jackson/Holmes) to compete for #3 this year and be a key guy in the future. I'd spend my 2nd and 3rd picks on an OT (perhaps McNeill) and an OG (I'd trade players or picks to get into round 2 and get one of the top 4 OGs).

I'd hope to trade down somewhere to get 4 picks on day 1, but even if I have to sit on the 3 I have, I've got to get out of day 1 with a top WR, an OT, and an OG...guys who can compete and be the cornerstones of our OL in a year or two when the Fabini's and Rivera's are gone. Our youth and talent on the DL changed the way we and other teams look at our defense. Now it's time to do the same thing on the Offensive side.

Just my opinion.

Man, you have got some SERIOUS issues!!

 

[Chuck 54]

TO changes the whole O. The OL will better( or should I say I have less pressure) becasue of TO. THey will see less blitzes with TO on the field. Glenn wont get doubled as well as Witten.

I don't believe that is true...If the line is that Bledsoe can get the ball to T.O. if given time, then I think there will be more blitzing of Bledsoe until we prove we can block it. The blitz is a gamble...why gamble if you think you can cover the WRs anyway...you play safely...however, if you have a guy you know can get open or get the ball, then you pressure the QB whom you know can't move around much and holds the ball too long.

I think T.O. will make the WR corps better than last year...sure...but I don't think T.O. makes the entire offense a machine...I didn't see where Philly's or SF's running games were so wonderful due to T.O.

 

[Chuck 54]

Couldn't read past that. The only reason he was the best was because Flo got hurt and Rivera got hurt. If you are the best just because others got hurt doesn't mean much.

I'll tell you exactly what it means...it means the guy who played the best for us last season and graded out the best is now gone. I'm not defending LA...I was ready for him to go and for us to get younger, but he was still the most consistent lineman we had.

I also think there are many here with short memories about Flozell...the guy had one good year and was not playing well before his injury last season...check out his sacks and penalties in very short playing time.

We may pay him like a top LT, but that doesn't mean he is one. There are no questions about Adams being the best OT on the team, but there are still plenty of questions about whether or not that's good enough.

 

[Chuck 54]

Man, you have got some SERIOUS issues!!

I have issues? Or our team has issues?

Here, you'll like this better: I see us going no worse than 12-4 and playing in the NFC championship...we are clearly one of the super bowl favorites thanks to T.O., who will make the entire city of Dallas a better place, along with Vanderjack (we'd have been in the SB hunt last season with him), and let's not forget that we have made huge strides with our OL this year...it wouldn't surprise me to see Adams, Fabini, and Rivera all in the ProBowl, though Kozier gets robbed...Go Cowboys.

Wow...I'll bet my I.Q. just went up 30 points, huh?

 

[PacoReloaded]

A super bowl team?...Top 3 in the NFL?

Is it possible? yes

Is it likely? no way

Have you so quickly forgot that we beat Carolina and would have beat Seattle had it not been for such a poor kicking performance? Last I checked those were the two teams from the NFC that played in the championship game.

Let's not forget that last year was our first year in the 3-4 and we should improve quite a bit from then and have upgraded our offense greatly by adding TO alone and then signing a real kicker who should easily make all those kicks we choked on last season.

How quickly some forget.

 

[PacoReloaded]

You think the OL is worst since BP has taken over?

Well it certainly hasn't gotten better to the point of which we were expecting. And our poor drafting of OL since BP has taken over has set that back a bit. Drafting Rogers was certainly a heavy blow that could have been easily avoided had he listened to his scouts.

 

[PacoReloaded]

#2 Do we have a pass rush? This is a big one too. I love what Ware brought to the table last year and he will only be better this year. Will he be the answer to the pass rush problem? I hope so. Last year we got to the QB 37 times and that is not good enough. We just do not pressure the QB enough.

*cough,cough* Zimmer *cough,cough*

 

[CrazyCowboy]

T.O and Popcorn = SuperBowl

 

[Route 66]

I'll tell you exactly what it means...it means the guy who played the best for us last season and graded out the best is now gone. I'm not defending LA...I was ready for him to go and for us to get younger, but he was still the most consistent lineman we had.

I also think there are many here with short memories about Flozell...the guy had one good year and was not playing well before his injury last season...check out his sacks and penalties in very short playing time.

We may pay him like a top LT, but that doesn't mean he is one. There are no questions about Adams being the best OT on the team, but there are still plenty of questions about whether or not that's good enough.

I can understand you wanting to be more realistic than what some are predicting, but your entire thread is based on the glass half empty concept. Also, our running back situation is not as bad as you portray.

 

[burmafrd]

glass half empty guys really nag me. For every one of those so called facts there are solid rebuttals.
It was time for LA to go. SIMPLE as that. GET IT DONE. Kosier/Peterman should be about as good OVERALL since they have a LOT MORE QUICKNESS.
The Hotel needs to be motivated- but from accounts about how hard he is working to rehab I think we can pencil in a better Flo this year.
Johnson/Guorde at center- with Johnson trading some quickness for bulk his biggest weakness SHOULD be reduced. Gurode is good depth at least; overall an improvement at center.
Rivera is looking very good and should be healed up well. Improvement.
Fabini is experienced and solid; Pettiti has an offseason to get stronger, heal and watch tape. Improvement. So there fore you should have improvement at 4 positions and about the same at a 5th. As the O line goes so does the offense. Prior to Adams going down Bledsoe was at a Pro Bowl level. With TO as a target, give him time and D's will be shredded. Glenn will eat well of one on one coverage also. Witten will now be able to catch instead of having to block. Hamman is better then campbell. We also have Crayton back healthy.
JJ,MB,TT give us quite a bit in the running game. Vandy- nuff said.

therefore I submit that the Offense will be 4-7 points better then last year.
24-27 pts a game; more then enough.

DEFENSE. SECOND year in the 3-4. EVERYONE knows it better- less thinking more acting. Our young guys are blooded and now have some experience.
We get Ratlief and Burnett back. We have COleman for experience at FS.
Berriault will have a shot as well. Henry is healed. Newman is a monster.
WE HAVE ROY. As regards the NT, Ferguson is healthy and we will find someone to help out. We will get a mean OLB in the draft. Our D overall WILL be better. Top 5 D at least. Top 10 O at least.

 

[lspain1]

if bledsoe would have enough time in the pocket to actually throw to T.O then you guys are a playoff caliber team. until the O-Line gets better, even with T.O, you are an average 9-7 team. and before any of you turn things around on me... yes i feel the same way about my skins. but our O-Line hopefully will be better. so if both of our QBs are healthy and can get the ball to a reciever, we both will be in the playoffs. if not. say hello to another 9-7 year.

and another thing is, you have weapons at WR... T.O, Terry Glenn, and Patrick Crayton. but again if the O-Line doesnt get any better you wont have a running game to count on. But my prediction is that both the Cowboys and the Commanders will be in the playoffs.... who will win the division??? I dont know.

You are correct in your assessment. The weapons are there and the defense is good enough. It really hinges on the O-line. Unlike some others, I don't think we'll miss LA regardless of how we do because he was so immobile last year. The O-line is a project and needs some leaders to emerge. We'll see.

 

[firehawk350]

TO changes the whole O. The OL will better( or should I say I have less pressure) becasue of TO. THey will see less blitzes with TO on the field. Glenn wont get doubled as well as Witten.

I don't think so. Simple strategy. You don't waste resources trying to completely shut down the team's strongest point (WR) because you leave yourself open to other attacks and it's still a toss-up whether you'll be successful. Instead, you try to keep it in check and attack the weak points (OL). If Bledsoe has only a second to release the ball, chances are that one CB could cover even TO for that one second. It's when you leave that CB on TO for more then 3 that you really start having problems.

 

[TheSkaven]

You're right, this team tailed off during the latter part of the year, but there was a direct correlation to Flozell Adams' injury. If he alone is healthy, this is a playoff caliber team.

 

[Zaxor]

Wayne you are not the first to bring up that a lot hinges on the o-line...But you are perhaps one of the few to see we are paper thin at WR...also The RB thing is worrisome... I am not as worried at NT as I think Pepper Johnson will do fine and I think we will probably draft somebody I would like to have another CB for piece of mind but we might be ok there and of course we need a FS and not JAG...

I of course am not a bledsoe fan and deem him more of a liability to the offensive than beneficial especially to the o-line...

Yup all are valid points if they all go right for the Cowboys I think a trip to the playoffs is pretty reasonable...and once you are in who knows...

I could see the Cowboys going anywhere from 6-10(everything seems to go wrong) to 10-6(everything seems to be going right) as it currently stands and that is a 4 game swing.


If I had to make a guess I will say about half of them will go right and the other half won't which would make us probably a 8-8 team..

If we had a more pocket savy QB that didn't make many mistakes I would up the projections by 2 games..thus worse case 8-8/middle 10-6/best case 12-4...

just my $.02

 

[Zaxor]

I don't think so. Simple strategy. You don't waste resources trying to completely shut down the team's strongest point (WR) because you leave yourself open to other attacks and it's still a toss-up whether you'll be successful. Instead, you try to keep it in check and attack the weak points (OL). If Bledsoe has only a second to release the ball, chances are that one CB could cover even TO for that one second. It's when you leave that CB on TO for more then 3 that you really start having problems.

I agree

That is the most prudent way to play defense

 

[dbair1967]

You think the OL is worst since BP has taken over?

no question about it...last yr was possibly the worst OL play I have ever seen from this team in 30 years...only thing close to how bad last yr was IMO was 1989 when we were 1-15

David

 

[big dog cowboy]

If I had to make a guess I will say about half of them will go right and the other half won't which would make us probably a 8-8 team..

WOW. Just wow.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think the Cowboys have a better chance than some and not as good as some others. If the team can make it through the season with few injuries I like our chances at competing for a title.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

your post falls apart on a few assumptions you stated as facts. there is not substantial evidence to backup any of the assumptions you made. read on....

A super bowl team?...Top 3 in the NFL?

Is it possible? yes

Is it likely? no way

I am happy with the FA moves, and I'm excited about the draft...however, as the end of the year wore on last season, we STUNK. Don't talk to me about the Carolina game...Talk to me about the NY Giants and the Commanders, followed by the Rams.

why dismiss the carolina game? didn't that game count? didn't go into the win column? in order to prove your point you dismiss the good stuff and want to just keep focus on the bad stuff. so if you consider the KC and carolina game we were about .500 at the end of the year and our record was 9-7, one game above .500.

you can't simply dismiss what happens and focus on what you WANT.

Our offense was pretty putrid, and our defense was not as stout as it was earlier.

our offense became average and that was mainly due to OL and that mainly due to loss of one player. Adams, who most people wanted to dismiss from the team before the season started. now we know.

before adams injury we average 24 points per game. after the injury less than 19.

same with defense, we lost 3 starters (dat, Singlton, Henry). any team would be effected if they lost three key starters. what hurt more was that we didn't have enough depth.

well rome wasn't built in a day.

What have we really done to go from a 9-7 team that consistantly underperformed to a team thought to be top 3 in the NFC and a SB favorite? Please...don't make me laugh. I'm not saying it can't happen, but let's be realistic.

we lost the KC game and the Seattle game because of missed field goals. so that was addresses. we had shanle and fowler two UDFA starting at ILB spot last year. we got ayodele. we get singleton back and Fujita who was a big liability in all probability will be replaced. we added LB depth with Boiman. signed a true FS with cover skills in Coleman. signed a young blocking TE.

so what's wrong with adding depth? and improving the team.

Our OL was horrible...what did we do? Released our best lineman last year and let our depth at LT leave. We signed a OG whom many are unsure of and who wasn't supposed to start in Detroit, but did, to replace LA. We are counting on a full recovery by Adams, and hoping he isn't rusty, that he plays well enough to be a force without Allen by his side...he's really only had 1 really good year, imo.

well this is were you are wrong. LA wasn't our best OL. Adams was. you say he had one good year, but then we lose him and you saw what happened.

you call losing Tucker...losing depth. did you know in 10 starts last year he gave up the highest number of sacks...of any OL in the league!!! give me a break. please don't make things up trying to spell doom and gloom. stick to facts. fact is that columbo has more potential than tucker. or did you forget he is on our roster?

LA didn't fit our offensive scheme any more and as great as you think he was. as much as I loved LA, he wasn't any good any more. if he didn't get his hands on the defensive player he was done. he whiffed on many blocks. in case you didn't watch any games and I encourage you to do, you will see most of our big runs came to the right side of the line with rivera and pettiti

watch the tapes and you will see.

We still have the same train wreck at C with Johnson and Gurode...i guess we're all hoping they both improve dramatically. We're also hoping Rivera improves dramatically since he was not very good last year...we're blaming it on the injury and hoping for better with no backup in sight. And to fix the horror that was Pettitti at RT last season, we have brought in Fabini, who is really a LT, not known as much of a run blocker...let's face it...he's an 11 year vet who was available.

I don't call Johnson and groude train wreck. besides bently and a perhaps 5 or 6 more Centers in the league who is better than johnson? I bet you we will have a long argument. Johnson was average. he wasn't great but average.

but then again I believe you want a probowler at every position on the OL and you won't be satisfied otherwise.

AT RB, we hope we have stars in waiting in JJ and Barber, but in reality, we're looking at a guy who can't stay healthy and a solid, but unspectacular sophomore.

we do have two good players. our running problems stemmed from the OL or did you forget you mentioned that earlier. so is it the RBs fault or is it the OL fault?

fact is we lost JJ and Barber stepped in and played just as well. not many teams enjoy that kind of luxuary. as bad as you think this combo was we were still 13th in the league in rushing.

At WR, we released our best blocker and a reliable receiver who moved the chains...we hope Owens is the stud we paid for and that he won't be rusty or frustrated by our OL blocking....we also hope like heck that he and Glenn stay healthy and that Crayton can at least look like a #3 receiver...again, we blame it on injury.

TO is better than Johnson. there is no way in heck you can argue from a skills perspective that we made a mistake releasing KJ. a WR job is first to catch and then to block. you don't have a WR on your team to block and that be his main job. so you are approaching this from a totally wrong angle. you should have left this alone. with this you make yourself look like a full. how can you say TO is not reliable and KJ is reliable? KJ averaged less than 12 yards a catch. that's not good. that allows a defense to jam the line. and that effected our running game.

you are really fishing with this one.

if you would have discussed TOs off field antics and issues, then you would have had an argument. TO will change how defenses play us.

On defense, we released a probowl DT/NT, and we hope Ferguson plays better and stays healthy...we hope our LBs stay healthy and play well, so we're not watching Shanlee or Fowler again...oh yeah, we lost Fajita and DAT.

if you watch some film you will see how unreliable Glover was against the run in the 3-4. he didn't fit. they gave him a chance and he just wasn't any good at it. he tried hard, but that's not good enough. I am glad he is not here any more.

so now you hope our LBs stay healthy. let me ask you a question, would pittsburgh have the same hope? wouldn't new england have the same hope? wouldn't chicago have the same hope? wouldn't carolina have the same hope? should I go on?

every team hopes on their players to stay healthy. that statement doesn't make sense.

I am glad fujita is gone. I can't tell you how many times I screamed at the screen because he was out of position and he gave up a big play. he was a liability.

Dat is replaced by Ayodele. we didn't cut dat. he retired. so what are we suppose to do? are you finding fault with that?

Don't get me wrong...I think we're headed in the right direction, and I hope Bledsoe can play as well as he did last year, though he was 2nd or 3rd from the league lead in INT's, right? (17) with an 83 QB rating...not bad, but not exactly looking like a super star to me.

I just don't believe Rome is built in a day....we may see teams go from losing records to the SB in a year every now and then, but I would argue it's much less frequent that many of you believe...I'd also argue that those teams who did it were much more talented than we were during the bad season. The Dallas Cowboys clearly had little to no talent just two seasons ago...I think we're headed in the right direction, but I also believe:

I am glad at least you are heading in the right direction. you tried to make it seem like we are the worst team in the league.

Those who think we are going to the SB are in for a huge disappointment.

we have as good a chance as any other team in the league. the contenders are Carolina, Seattle, Philly, Washington, Giants, Atlanta.

so what do they have that's so much better than us? don't they have any holes on their teams?

I'll be happy with a long-awaited playoff appearance and possibly a first round victory. However, I don't think we are better or deeper on the DL from last year...the fact is we are currently less deep. I don't think our OL went from the botton to the top with the prospect of Adams, Kozier, Johnson, Rivera, Fabini and a train wreck for depth...slightly better, more due to the hope that Adams is okay than anything else.

I am hoping adams is OK as well, but a half limping adams is better than tucker.

We weren't a WR and a Kicker away from the SB last season, imo....but feel free to tell me how many games we'd have won with a kicker.

we were a kicker away from being a 11-5 team.

we were a WR away from being a 12-4 team.

playoffs and how you do there is another story.

I won't pretend I can predict whether Parcells is really all about this year, but I certainly hope not...this team is trying to get by with the OL...what we truly need to go with the defensive draft we had last year is a young foundation on offense this April.

I know the glamourous talk is of LBs or DBs or even a backup NT, but I would never go that route. I'd spend my first pick on a WR (Jackson/Holmes) to compete for #3 this year and be a key guy in the future. I'd spend my 2nd and 3rd picks on an OT (perhaps McNeill) and an OG (I'd trade players or picks to get into round 2 and get one of the top 4 OGs).

I wouldn't draft jackson because I just think he is the product of a system. I wouldn't draft holmes because he maybe the best WR in this thin WR draft, but that doesn't mean you should reach.

we are an OLB away from being a dominant defense.

we need to add youth and depth to the NT for the future.

I don't like McNiel. I don't think we need another OT. I would rather thke College who has a bigger upside.

I would rather take a guard as you said.

I'd hope to trade down somewhere to get 4 picks on day 1, but even if I have to sit on the 3 I have, I've got to get out of day 1 with a top WR, an OT, and an OG...guys who can compete and be the cornerstones of our OL in a year or two when the Fabini's and Rivera's are gone. Our youth and talent on the DL changed the way we and other teams look at our defense. Now it's time to do the same thing on the Offensive side.

Just my opinion.

I hope we draft an OLB, perhaps a CB and a guard on first day. if we have a 4th pick on day one the best WR or TE available in the 3rd.

that's just my opinion.