The Cowboys' Problem: Super-Simplified

[Gadfly22]

You can point the finger at any number of problems faced by the Cowboys over the last decade, with Jerry at the heart of all of them.

But my view is that a whole bunch of problems start with one simple failing. Here's a list that catalogs a history of failure over the last 10 years. I bet you can find the theme (and you can skip the first 2 names if you like):

Arkin
Nagy
Sam Young
Brewster
Marten
Free
McQuistan
Whitley
Petitti
Rogers
Peterman
Al Johnson
Justin Bates
Gurode
Tyson Walter
Lehr
Char-ron Dorsey

 

[Robert_California]

We need to stop drafting the obese.

 

[cannonball44]

I dont see defensive players anywhere on this list.... ergo, its a fail.

 

[Kangaroo]

You can point the finger at any number of problems faced by the Cowboys over the last decade, with Jerry at the heart of all of them.

But my view is that a whole bunch of problems start with one simple failing. Here's a list that catalogs a history of failure over the last 10 years. I bet you can find the theme (and you can skip the first 2 names if you like):

Arkin
Nagy
Sam Young
Brewster
Marten
Free
McQuistan
Whitley
Petitti
Rogers
Peterman
Al Johnson
Justin Bates
Gurode
Tyson Walter
Lehr
Char-ron Dorsey

To be fair Peterman has been the starting RG for Detriot that was Big Bill cutting the guy a year to early. The other two at the top we have no idea about one was starting and we should give those guys the three year rule. Last I looked Free was a bust by a lot of people on this board and he has been far from a bust.

Now the rest of the list is the who's who of terrible and Al Johnson did have one solid year for us

 

[Dfense94]

We need to stop drafting the obese.

lololol

 

[visionary]

that is it if you want to COMPLICATED version

SUPER SIMPLIFIED: JJ

 

[jobberone]

Talent.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

To the OP, you are right, the OL is and has been a problem. Conventional football wisdom will tell you that a solid OL can control an entire game and maslks a TON of problems. But let me point you to one example of how unique and utterly mind numbing Dallas and the fragile mentally soft core of defensive players on this team: 2007 divisional round against the NY Giants. Dallas goes on like a 12+ play 10 minute drive. This is what I mean conventional wisdom has to be tossed out the window when it comes to this team. The offense held the ball. It kept the defense off the field. NYs offense was sitting on the sideline watching the clock in the wind down to almost half time. Essentially we were 'breaking' the Giants spirit. Or so we thought. They came back on the field...with a less than 2 mins to go in the half (the exact details are fuzzy) and Eli marched them 80 yards in like 40 seconds. This defense and its core has been together too long and experienced way too much heartbreak. The biggest competitor on this team is the QB. He has fought back from adversity. The most over analyzed position in all of sports is the QB of the Dallas Cowboys. And he has made mistakes, but shown that he has grown from them. But the core of this defense is a defeated bunch and there is no fixing it. We have hung on to it for far too long. They generally expect something to go wrong and that is why it does. The amount of leads they have given up are too many to count!

 

[Gadfly22]

Oh, I agree 100% that the defense has also been a problem for years and years. I have absolutely zero confidence that they can get the opposition off the field when they have to.

I was just pointing out the history of futility in the O-line. Basically, I think the team is wasting the prime years of a top-tier QB because of the failure to protect him and to give him a consistent running game. And this was another of those wasted years.

But the defense has stunk it up too, and you could make of the same kind of draft list for DBs or D-lineman who have been drafted and have disappeared real quickly over the last 10 years.

 

[Risen Star]

Yep. With an NFL caliber offensive line we could have competed in the playoffs this year. The quality of play is terrible anymore.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Get an offensive line and improve the defense and we can contend next season.

 

[links18]

Get an offensive line and improve the defense and we can contend next season.

Should we trade for Aaron Rodgers while we are at it?

 

[RS12]

Only way the O Line fixes enough problems to compete next year is if Ginger figures out a way to perfect the 60 minute drive.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Should we trade for Aaron Rodgers while we are at it?

Sure why not? At least people would finally see Romo is a Super Bowl caliber QB.

 

[Big Country]

Only way the O Line fixes enough problems to compete next year is if Ginger figures out a way to perfect the 60 minute drive.

So you'e saying take away all his time-outs early right??


CHAMPIONSHIIIIIP!!!!!!

 

[Risen Star]

Only way the O Line fixes enough problems to compete next year is if Ginger figures out a way to perfect the 60 minute drive.

We need one of those young guys to develop at G and find one starter in FA and one in the draft.

It's doable.

 

[RS12]

We need one of those young guys to develop at G and find one starter in FA and one in the draft.

It's doable.

Not with that defense it isnt, my point was opponent offense never gets on the field.

 

[links18]

Not with that defense it isnt, my point was opponent offense never gets on the field.

And we can't fix the offensive line and the defense in one season, so get ready for another year of suck.

 

[Risen Star]

We don't have to fix them both in one season. This is the fantasy land I'm trying to snap you out of.

New England's the #1 seed in the AFC. Green Bay's the #1 seed in the NFC. Their defenses are ranked at the very bottom of the league. 31st and 32nd.

New Orleans' defense is 24th. The Giants are 27th.

San Francisco's got a great defense. They have one of the worst offenses in the entire league.

You don't have to do both well to compete for a championship anymore.

 

[Big Country]

And we can't fix the offensive line and the defense in one season, so get ready for another year of suck.

One big bad guard (maybe replacing Kosier) and a couple of bodies in the secondary, one bad-*** safety, and a CB that can cover with Mike Jenkins and there will be no suck.