The Negative Nancy Thread

[TheCritic]

I'm on record as being super-optimistic about the 2023 Dallas Cowboys season. While I still believe the Eagles are the better overall team on paper, I also believe that this may very well be the year the Cowboys break the playoff curse and cash in at next year's Super Bowl. Back to back 12 win seasons and aggressively addressing holes has impressed me a great deal!

But I want a balanced view beyond being a typical homer. I want to know what could be the most likely reason that the Cowboys fall short. And please don't say "The Joneses" - that's being lazy.

To the skeptics out there, please give us your best arguments for why the Cowboys will not break the playoff curse or whatever doom scenario you have in mind. Curious minds want to know!

 

[ChronicCowboy]

We have the best defense in the league on paper imo. If the run defense improves and we’re lucky on the injury front, I think we’ll hold teams under 20 points a lot of weeks.

Offense is a different story and although the starters seem to be top level, depth is poor on that side of the ball. Any injuries on offense may lead to stagnant performances like we saw some last year.

Special teams are really up in the air and I’m afraid it may cost us games.

Based on the current roster I think 10-13 wins is the likely outcome but injuries on offense could see us missing the playoffs.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Are you expecting reasonable skepticism? All that's coming is "Dak sucks!"

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

OL health. Desire to run but Pollard can’t carry the load alone and the guys behind him are JAGs. Pollard loses explosiveness due to overwork, running game shuts down and complimentary football falls apart. CD remains the only dependable target and teams take him away.

Defense is still built to play with a lead. Without an effective offense they are forced to play high risk style that can be exploited with the run and short passing game. Still weak up the middle. LB is shallow. DTs don’t inspire fear. No second pass rusher emerges. Gilmore loses a step.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

The biggest concern is health, but that's true for every team.

Schematically, the only thing I really worry about is that they're still going to try to run the ball way too much.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

I'm on record as being super-optimistic about the 2023 Dallas Cowboys season. While I still believe the Eagles are the better overall team on paper, I also believe that this may very well be the year the Cowboys break the playoff curse and cash in at next year's Super Bowl. Back to back 12 win seasons and aggressively addressing holes has impressed me a great deal!

But I want a balanced view beyond being a typical homer. I want to know what could be the most likely reason that the Cowboys fall short. And please don't say "The Joneses" - that's being lazy.

To the skeptics out there, please give us your best arguments for why the Cowboys will not break the playoff curse or whatever doom scenario you have in mind. Curious minds want to know!

The most likely reason?

The most important position in all of sports is a weak link.

That’s why this team will fail and continue to fail.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I like the team a lot, but don't feel they've done enough at running back. Feels just like 2022 when everybody and their spotted dog knew our WR core sucked and yet Dallas did nothing about it. Dallas has one proven running back coming off an injury and then a bunch of question marks to still be decided. I'll be thrilled if Davis/Dowdle/Jones/Vaughn end up being "that guy", but it feels a lot like wanting Brown/Fehoko/Tolbert/Brooks to be "that guy".

 

[bpfred]

I'm on record as being super-optimistic about the 2023 Dallas Cowboys season. While I still believe the Eagles are the better overall team on paper, I also believe that this may very well be the year the Cowboys break the playoff curse and cash in at next year's Super Bowl. Back to back 12 win seasons and aggressively addressing holes has impressed me a great deal!

But I want a balanced view beyond being a typical homer. I want to know what could be the most likely reason that the Cowboys fall short. And please don't say "The Joneses" - that's being lazy.

To the skeptics out there, please give us your best arguments for why the Cowboys will not break the playoff curse or whatever doom scenario you have in mind. Curious minds want to know!

Here are a few things you might be concerned about:

Offensive Line:
Tyron Smith is over 30 and has been injury prone for years
Terrence Steele is coming off an ACL, may not be ready for the start of the season, and may not be functioning as well the entire year.
Tyler Biadasz is pretty much an average center, Pro Bowl notwithstanding.
Zack Martin has been great, but he's now over 30, and an injury to him along with other issues on the OL could be devastating to the entire offense.

Wide Receivers:
Michael Gallup did not play well last season and while there is hope he will bounce back this season, that isn't at all certain.
Brandin Cooks has a history of concussions. Another serious one could very well end his career.
Other than CeeDee Lamb, this team doesn't have another receiver they can count on, only receivers they hope will develop.

Tight Ends:
Dalton Schultz has been one of the most productive TEs in the NFL over the last couple of seasons.
There is hope that Ferguson, Hendershot, & Schoonmaker will develop, but most TEs don't deliver at the level Schultz has.

LB:
It's a bad idea to depend on linebackers with a history of serious neck injuries.
Both Vander Esch and Clark have a history of serious neck issues. Either or both could very easily relapse this year.
There isn't another LB on the roster with a history of NFL production.

PK:
Does anyone think they have an NFL quality PK on the team? Other thank Vizcaino's mother, that is?

I am a Cowboys fan, but these are potential issues, if you want a truly balanced view, to go along with the hopes and dreams.

 

[TheCritic]

The most likely reason?

The most important position in all of sports is a weak link.

That’s why this team will fail and continue to fail.

You mean Dak? I'm sure Dak is at the top of the list for many Cowboys skeptics.

 

[TheCritic]

So far, lots of skepticism about the Cowboys offense. I was expecting Dak negativity, but a lot of you are concerned about overall depth and age concerns on the OL. Good stuff keep it coming!!

 

[Tangle_Foot]

Label it what you will but I never go into a new season wondering how this team will fall short. I love cheering for this team, I hope we stay healthy and achieve the ultimate goal. I know of no other way to approach it.

Go Cowboys!

 

[CouchCoach]

OL, so goes the OL, so goes the team and the season.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You have a bunch of fans of other teams coping with a good Cowboys offseason. Mazi and the trades are particularly troubling.

It is much easier to say Dak sucks and dumb this thing down as much as possible.

 

[TheCritic]

OL, so goes the OL, so goes the team and the season.

So true. I hope this is the season that a couple of the mid-round young OL finally step up and become long-term solutions. We just can't keep spending 1st rounders on OL. That's too expensive!!

 

[TheCritic]

You have a bunch of fans of other teams coping with a good Cowboys offseason. Mazi and the trades are particularly troubling.

It is much easier to say Dak sucks and dumb this thing down as much as possible.

That's funny. The Dak haters are a loud and sometimes silly bunch.

 

[diamonddelts]

4th worst defense against the run last year.

Dak infected with Romo virus. Throwing checkdown ints in crucial moments of the biggest games.

Thin oline depth

Thin wr depth

New OC effectiveness is unknown here.

No real run stuffing LB.

Depth and effectivness at DT not proven.

TE performance questionable.

 

[G2]

OL, so goes the OL, so goes the team and the season.

This.

 

[G2]

You have a bunch of fans of other teams coping with a good Cowboys offseason. Mazi and the trades are particularly troubling.

It is much easier to say Dak sucks and dumb this thing down as much as possible.

That's exactly right. To hell with facts and the X's and O's, "Dak sucks" is the offering.

 

[ShortRound]

Being skeptical of the team, does not mean one stops rooting for the team to win.

 

[TheCritic]

4th worst run defense last year.

I feel confident that Mazi will go a long way with addressing this. But if he gets hurt or doesn't live up to expectations, then yes that weakness from last season will rear its ugly head.