jday
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Disclaimer: Obviously, the title already indicates that this is not for those who fail to see any reason for hope. However, if you would like to intelligently debate the ideas I have presented in the following, you are more than welcome. Many will read this and respond indicting me of being a homer. To me, by definition, a homer is a true fan: someone whose allegience is unwavering despite past dissappointment. The so-called realist, on this site, by my definition, are known as fair-weather fans: someone whose support is only at 100%, when the teams success is 100%, accordingly. Nevertheless, I don't write this to insult; just siting my difference from most people's definition.
Furthermore, this is not for those who routinely respond to lengthy threads with the "tl/dr," which means for those of you not in the know "Too long/didn't read!" I'm not sure why it's necessary to let me know this; perhaps they think in the future I will keep my ideas short. Of course, by now, most who are familiar with my writing know that I do this more as a forfeiture of time, than for anyone's benefit, so please know, the length of my standard thread is likely not going to change. Without further ado...
A storm is brewing. In fact, I might even call it a perfect storm. Let me quickly gauge the atmosphere and check my proverbial Dopler Radar for incoming inclement weather.
Last season was the most dissappointing season in Cowboy's history. Not too many fans, I think, will argue with me there. And I think we all know, had it not been for the combination of injuries, drama, coaching misconceptions (ala the uninventive and uncreative Jason Garrett), and slowing veterans (such as Greg Ellis, Keith Davis/Roy Williams, Anthony Henry, T.O. - yeah, I said it), the Cowboy's may have had a good chance to make that coveted push to the Super Bowl.
As a result, however, now the Cowboys are being underestimated by the media, fans, and opposing teams alike. Oddly enough, most still acknowledge that the Cowboy's are one of the more talented teams in the league; evenso, they still point to that 9 and 7 record, the loss of T.O., Romo's inability to win the big game, and Wade Phillips lack of a win in the post season despite 30+ years of coaching experience. I know, I know, my thread "my take on the state of the Cowboys" touched on much of this, but since it's the offseason and I have nothing better to do, I'm going to try and take this a step further. Beside's, underestimation is only one hurricane, meeting at the crossroads of many.
I'm also feeling some atmospheric pressure from the likes of youth and speed, created as a result of a 12 player draft and player's such as Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, and Gerald Sensabaugh taking on starting roles in the defense and Roy Williams, Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback and Sam Hurd finally receiving an extended look at receiver. It's easy to underestimate youth, considering their lack of experience, however, from the upside we have witnessed of these players, it's somewhat safe to assume that the Cowboy's have upgraded their defense significantly and created a more diverse attack situation on offense. And it's beautiful how they have done it. Because as far as the media is concerned, the Cowboy's remain largely unimproved from last season compared to their interdivisional foes. But our secondary and linebackers are significantly faster than last year. And no longer will Romo receive the in-huddle pressure to get the ball to one player. Therefore, no longer will the defense be able to single out certain players to nullify the Cowboy's overall attack.
The other natural disaster, is spear-headed by the highly-regarded and proven Special Teams coach Joe Decamallis. Following him is that influx of youth that the Cowboy's were able to garner in the draft; all player's whose resumes included positives such as "stand-out on special teams." As Parcell's use to harp, Special Teams is 1/3 of the game. With the addition of David Buehler, the Cowboy's hope to not only pin their opponents deep, but they would also like to see quite a few more touchbacks. Buehler was notorious for this in college. Here's hoping he can continue that trend in the NFL.
Punting, another aspect of Special Teams, welcomes back one of the best and strongest-legged punters in the business, Matt McBriar; a player who joined the long IR list early last season. The Cowboy's defensive side of Special Teams, should be one of the more efficient and effective units in the league as a result of the above, something they ranked close to last in last year. And were it not for our underperforming unit last year, the Cowboy's would have won, at least, 2 games, when they only needed to win one of those to make the play offs.
On the offensive side of Special Teams, one player who should contribute to the storm in a big way is Felix Jones. He has extraordinary vision and explosion to the hole, and proved in week 3 against the Eagle's that he can take it to the house given the opportunity on kick returns at any time. The punt returner position is still a question mark, however, we do have players that are, at least, solid, such as Patrick Crayton. Our field goal specialist Nick Folk can only be described as clutch. In 2008, he scored on 20 of 22 attempts, and proved to be accurate even beyond 50 yards on many occasions. With improved starting position for our offense and the continued solid play of Folk, the Cowboy's will likely rank high on this side of Special Teams, as well, at the end of 2009.
Moving on to that cone like formation that is starting to protrude from the dark greenish clouds above: Felix, Choice, Martellus Bennett, Miles Austin, in particular, should all receive extended play time as a result of what they have shown and the dismissal of T.O., who clearly, despite still being capable, had lost a step from his former Pro Bowler self. Granted, in a foot race from end zone to end zone, T.O. would likely be the winner between the five players. But what about from the end zone 10 yards into the field? That, to me, is the more pertinent question. In this game, it's not about how fast you can run, but how fast you can get to your individual top speed. Which is why Romo was routinely left waiting for plays to develop because neither Roy, who was injured, or T.O., who was typically double-coveraged anyway, could create separation in the first 5 seconds of the play. That leads to sacks, fumbles, interceptions, busted plays, 3 and outs, etc. Say what you want about the lack of experience due to youth, our offensive weapons like Miles Austin, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, Martellus Bennett(considering he'll likely be covered by a Linebacker or Safety) can move 10 yards down the field faster than the players that will be typically shadowing them come game time.
This team, in it's present form, is built for a quick-strike hybrid west coast offense, which will likely feature alot of dual TE set's to elimate the existence of a weak side. Considering our interdivisional foes are, beyond anything else, known for their blitz-happy defense, the Cowboy's offense is geared to upset and confuse like no other team the NFCE alma mater is likely to face this next year. The Cowboy's have the necessary ingredients to counter any defensive approach. If they want to stack the line to stop the run, the TE's will likely see quite a bit of space in the seem and the flats. If an opposing team set's there sights on shutting down the pass, the Cowboy's have three dynamically different, but considerbaly effective running backs that will grind any defense into the ground. If the opposing defense scheme to take the short and intermediate routes away, the Cowboy's have a QB with an arm and a few different receiver options with legs to beat them deep.
In those varied ways of attack, the Cowboy's differ significantly from last year, being a one-trick poney that was only effective, in general, if T.O. was given a free release off the line. Otherwise, the Cowboy's never seemed to find a groove to move the ball. They either scored quickly or punted quickly, which at the end of the day, meant the defense was on the field longer than the opposing teams defense. And in those many fourth quarters where a touchdown was the difference between a win and loss, the Cowboy's typically faltered and submitted as a result of being exhausted. Which also, in some ways, explains why the Cowboy's looked so horrible in the last few games to close the season.
On the other side of the ball, with the addition of a SS that can cover in Sensabaugh, and players with adequate recovery speed in Mike Jenkins and Scandrick, our defense will be able to pin their ears back and get after the QB on every snap. I'm sure we all yelled at the television, every short dink and dunk pass opposing offenses were able to be successful with as a result of the 10+ yard cushion our CB's were giving. According to Wade Phillips, the Cowboy's will be able to play more man, meaning that the dink and dunk that the NFCE, in particular, is known for, will be far less effective against the Cowboy's then it was last year. This will afford our pass rushers more time to get to the quarterback. Considering the Cowboy's led the league in sacks last year, despite their otherwise dismal showing, just imagine what making the opposing QB wait a few second's longer for their perspective plays to develop will do to the sack total. Rather than the bend, don't break strategy, this will be more of a don't bend, break-neck-blitzing strategy.
Lastly, something else to look forward to, as a Cowboy's fan, is the new home at Arlington. I'm not going to be a complete homer and assume that this new stadium will create a new identity for the Cowboy's all in itself, but I can't help but think that it can't hurt. Imagine stepping out on that state-of-the-art field, beneath the shadow of the biggest HD big screen, knowing that every achievment and every mistake will be seen in minute detail by the spectators both in the stadium and at home. Imagine the energy that will likely be flowing through our team as a whole as they take to the field and feel the buzz of that sold-out crowd. In my mind, it will be an intense experience, unrivaled by any stadium. It's a new team, with a new look, with more speed, more youth, and more focus. No more drama, no more ego's, no more me-first outlooks, and no more wannabe gangster's. All that is left are all the ingredients for the perfect storm.
Furthermore, this is not for those who routinely respond to lengthy threads with the "tl/dr," which means for those of you not in the know "Too long/didn't read!" I'm not sure why it's necessary to let me know this; perhaps they think in the future I will keep my ideas short. Of course, by now, most who are familiar with my writing know that I do this more as a forfeiture of time, than for anyone's benefit, so please know, the length of my standard thread is likely not going to change. Without further ado...
A storm is brewing. In fact, I might even call it a perfect storm. Let me quickly gauge the atmosphere and check my proverbial Dopler Radar for incoming inclement weather.
Last season was the most dissappointing season in Cowboy's history. Not too many fans, I think, will argue with me there. And I think we all know, had it not been for the combination of injuries, drama, coaching misconceptions (ala the uninventive and uncreative Jason Garrett), and slowing veterans (such as Greg Ellis, Keith Davis/Roy Williams, Anthony Henry, T.O. - yeah, I said it), the Cowboy's may have had a good chance to make that coveted push to the Super Bowl.
As a result, however, now the Cowboys are being underestimated by the media, fans, and opposing teams alike. Oddly enough, most still acknowledge that the Cowboy's are one of the more talented teams in the league; evenso, they still point to that 9 and 7 record, the loss of T.O., Romo's inability to win the big game, and Wade Phillips lack of a win in the post season despite 30+ years of coaching experience. I know, I know, my thread "my take on the state of the Cowboys" touched on much of this, but since it's the offseason and I have nothing better to do, I'm going to try and take this a step further. Beside's, underestimation is only one hurricane, meeting at the crossroads of many.
I'm also feeling some atmospheric pressure from the likes of youth and speed, created as a result of a 12 player draft and player's such as Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, and Gerald Sensabaugh taking on starting roles in the defense and Roy Williams, Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback and Sam Hurd finally receiving an extended look at receiver. It's easy to underestimate youth, considering their lack of experience, however, from the upside we have witnessed of these players, it's somewhat safe to assume that the Cowboy's have upgraded their defense significantly and created a more diverse attack situation on offense. And it's beautiful how they have done it. Because as far as the media is concerned, the Cowboy's remain largely unimproved from last season compared to their interdivisional foes. But our secondary and linebackers are significantly faster than last year. And no longer will Romo receive the in-huddle pressure to get the ball to one player. Therefore, no longer will the defense be able to single out certain players to nullify the Cowboy's overall attack.
The other natural disaster, is spear-headed by the highly-regarded and proven Special Teams coach Joe Decamallis. Following him is that influx of youth that the Cowboy's were able to garner in the draft; all player's whose resumes included positives such as "stand-out on special teams." As Parcell's use to harp, Special Teams is 1/3 of the game. With the addition of David Buehler, the Cowboy's hope to not only pin their opponents deep, but they would also like to see quite a few more touchbacks. Buehler was notorious for this in college. Here's hoping he can continue that trend in the NFL.
Punting, another aspect of Special Teams, welcomes back one of the best and strongest-legged punters in the business, Matt McBriar; a player who joined the long IR list early last season. The Cowboy's defensive side of Special Teams, should be one of the more efficient and effective units in the league as a result of the above, something they ranked close to last in last year. And were it not for our underperforming unit last year, the Cowboy's would have won, at least, 2 games, when they only needed to win one of those to make the play offs.
On the offensive side of Special Teams, one player who should contribute to the storm in a big way is Felix Jones. He has extraordinary vision and explosion to the hole, and proved in week 3 against the Eagle's that he can take it to the house given the opportunity on kick returns at any time. The punt returner position is still a question mark, however, we do have players that are, at least, solid, such as Patrick Crayton. Our field goal specialist Nick Folk can only be described as clutch. In 2008, he scored on 20 of 22 attempts, and proved to be accurate even beyond 50 yards on many occasions. With improved starting position for our offense and the continued solid play of Folk, the Cowboy's will likely rank high on this side of Special Teams, as well, at the end of 2009.
Moving on to that cone like formation that is starting to protrude from the dark greenish clouds above: Felix, Choice, Martellus Bennett, Miles Austin, in particular, should all receive extended play time as a result of what they have shown and the dismissal of T.O., who clearly, despite still being capable, had lost a step from his former Pro Bowler self. Granted, in a foot race from end zone to end zone, T.O. would likely be the winner between the five players. But what about from the end zone 10 yards into the field? That, to me, is the more pertinent question. In this game, it's not about how fast you can run, but how fast you can get to your individual top speed. Which is why Romo was routinely left waiting for plays to develop because neither Roy, who was injured, or T.O., who was typically double-coveraged anyway, could create separation in the first 5 seconds of the play. That leads to sacks, fumbles, interceptions, busted plays, 3 and outs, etc. Say what you want about the lack of experience due to youth, our offensive weapons like Miles Austin, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, Martellus Bennett(considering he'll likely be covered by a Linebacker or Safety) can move 10 yards down the field faster than the players that will be typically shadowing them come game time.
This team, in it's present form, is built for a quick-strike hybrid west coast offense, which will likely feature alot of dual TE set's to elimate the existence of a weak side. Considering our interdivisional foes are, beyond anything else, known for their blitz-happy defense, the Cowboy's offense is geared to upset and confuse like no other team the NFCE alma mater is likely to face this next year. The Cowboy's have the necessary ingredients to counter any defensive approach. If they want to stack the line to stop the run, the TE's will likely see quite a bit of space in the seem and the flats. If an opposing team set's there sights on shutting down the pass, the Cowboy's have three dynamically different, but considerbaly effective running backs that will grind any defense into the ground. If the opposing defense scheme to take the short and intermediate routes away, the Cowboy's have a QB with an arm and a few different receiver options with legs to beat them deep.
In those varied ways of attack, the Cowboy's differ significantly from last year, being a one-trick poney that was only effective, in general, if T.O. was given a free release off the line. Otherwise, the Cowboy's never seemed to find a groove to move the ball. They either scored quickly or punted quickly, which at the end of the day, meant the defense was on the field longer than the opposing teams defense. And in those many fourth quarters where a touchdown was the difference between a win and loss, the Cowboy's typically faltered and submitted as a result of being exhausted. Which also, in some ways, explains why the Cowboy's looked so horrible in the last few games to close the season.
On the other side of the ball, with the addition of a SS that can cover in Sensabaugh, and players with adequate recovery speed in Mike Jenkins and Scandrick, our defense will be able to pin their ears back and get after the QB on every snap. I'm sure we all yelled at the television, every short dink and dunk pass opposing offenses were able to be successful with as a result of the 10+ yard cushion our CB's were giving. According to Wade Phillips, the Cowboy's will be able to play more man, meaning that the dink and dunk that the NFCE, in particular, is known for, will be far less effective against the Cowboy's then it was last year. This will afford our pass rushers more time to get to the quarterback. Considering the Cowboy's led the league in sacks last year, despite their otherwise dismal showing, just imagine what making the opposing QB wait a few second's longer for their perspective plays to develop will do to the sack total. Rather than the bend, don't break strategy, this will be more of a don't bend, break-neck-blitzing strategy.
Lastly, something else to look forward to, as a Cowboy's fan, is the new home at Arlington. I'm not going to be a complete homer and assume that this new stadium will create a new identity for the Cowboy's all in itself, but I can't help but think that it can't hurt. Imagine stepping out on that state-of-the-art field, beneath the shadow of the biggest HD big screen, knowing that every achievment and every mistake will be seen in minute detail by the spectators both in the stadium and at home. Imagine the energy that will likely be flowing through our team as a whole as they take to the field and feel the buzz of that sold-out crowd. In my mind, it will be an intense experience, unrivaled by any stadium. It's a new team, with a new look, with more speed, more youth, and more focus. No more drama, no more ego's, no more me-first outlooks, and no more wannabe gangster's. All that is left are all the ingredients for the perfect storm.
