The "relevant questions"

[Verdict]

There are various threads/posts here which ask if Bledsoe can be a pro bowl quarterback, or can he be good enough to carry us, etc. These are valid questions, but I think what may be more relevant is "who was available" and how good is our "team" going to be. I'm not saying that I would not love to have a perennial pro bowler at every position, including QB, but that just isn't realistic. Bledsoe was about as good as anyone else who was available, except for possibly Jake Delhomme.

But before jumping on the Delhomme bandwagon, remember Delhomme did not carry the Panthers....but what he did do was make a few important plays when he needed to make them, and didn't lose games for the team. That is really all we really NEED from Bledsoe. Anything else is icing on the cake.

If you really analyze Troy Aikman, his numbers were pretty pedestrian, but he is considered a great QB, because his TEAM won and he made plays when he needed to. Jerry Jones was not "that" far off when he said that anyone could have coached those teams to the Super Bowl. The TEAM was loaded with talent.

Fast forward to present day. Parcells has put many of the pieces in place for this team to be GREAT. Some of the new players may not pan out (even though this is considered to be a great draft class) but it is just as likely Parcells will mine a nugget of gold from an unlikely player, possibly like a Keith Davis.

I am really pumped on this TEAM's progress and I am not going to get hung up on a perceived defieciency at a given position just yet. In hindsight it is REMARKABLE how many games we won the first two years with Parcells at the helm given so little to work with.

 

[Hoov]

There are various threads/posts here which ask if Bledsoe can be a pro bowl quarterback, or can he be good enough to carry us, etc. These are valid questions, but I think what may be more relevant is "who was available" and how good is our "team" going to be. I'm not saying that I would not love to have a perennial pro bowler at every position, including QB, but that just isn't realistic. Bledsoe was about as good as anyone else who was available, except for possibly Jake Delhomme.

But before jumping on the Delhomme bandwagon, remember Delhomme did not carry the Panthers....but what he did do was make a few important plays when he needed to make them, and didn't lose games for the team. That is really all we really NEED from Bledsoe. Anything else is icing on the cake.

If you really analyze Troy Aikman, his numbers were pretty pedestrian, but he is considered a great QB, because his TEAM won and he made plays when he needed to. Jerry Jones was not "that" far off when he said that anyone could have coached those teams to the Super Bowl. The TEAM was loaded with talent.

Fast forward to present day. Parcells has put many of the pieces in place for this team to be GREAT. Some of the new players may not pan out (even though this is considered to be a great draft class) but it is just as likely Parcells will mine a nugget of gold from an unlikely player, possibly like a Keith Davis.

I am really pumped on this TEAM's progress and I am not going to get hung up on a perceived defieciency at a given position just yet. In hindsight it is REMARKABLE how many games we won the first two years with Parcells at the helm given so little to work with.

I agree with that. Not worried about Bledsoe so much, he can still throw - will he hold onto the ball too long and make some bone-headed plays, sure will. But thats half the QB's in the NFL today. Still, i think Bledsoe understands the game better than a lot of QB's that we could have gone after, and better than Henson right now.

 

[KDWilliams85]

Be careful with the word "progress."

We have made "strides" that are geared for potential success:

1) Drew Bledsoe acquisition.
2) A defensive oriented draft with players that have had Bowl experience.
3) Veteran security at key positions. (Anthony Henry, Jason Ferguson, Marco Rivera, Aaron Glenn, Anthony Thomas)
4) Adjustment to a defense that can allow better coverage of utility personel. (3-4 Defense allows greater flexibility against a RB, FB, and TE.)
5) Julius Jones, Terry Glenn, and Keyshawn Johnson being healthy.

If these five strides can yield positive results, then you can use the term "progress."

 

[Verdict]

Be careful with the word "progress."

We have made "strides" that are geared for potential success:

1) Drew Bledsoe acquisition.
2) A defensive oriented draft with players that have had Bowl experience.
3) Veteran security at key positions. (Anthony Henry, Jason Ferguson, Marco Rivera, Aaron Glenn, Anthony Thomas)
4) Adjustment to a defense that can allow better coverage of utility personel. (3-4 Defense allows greater flexibility against a RB, FB, and TE.)
5) Julius Jones, Terry Glenn, and Keyshawn Johnson being healthy.

If these five strides can yield positive results, then you can use the term "progress."

Here are the strides I was really referring to:

Roy Williams (pre Parcells move)
Larry Allen (renewed motivation)
Witten (stud TE)
Campbell (excellent blocking TE)
Julius Jones (improvement over anything we have had the last 4 years- even as a rookie)
Adams- performing at a pro bowl level ( keel in mind pre-Parcells- he was about to be run out of town)
T Newman
Al Johnson
K. Johnson
Terry Glen

These are relatively proven solid/stud players who form an important nucleus for the future.

If any of the new draftees/UDFA work out, we are going to be remarkably better than last year.

 

[rcaldw]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Anyone who thinks Troy Aikman was simply a product of the TEAM, and doesn't see the greatness of his talent, doesn't know what I think he should know about football. His accuracy was unbelievable, his leadership was enormous, his unselfishness was at the center of that offense being able to do what it did. If you take 1989 out of the equation, along with 99-00 (when he was past his prime), his numbers were anything but pedestrian except in one category, TD passes, and that had to do with having that offensive line we had, Emmit Smith who was great around the goal line, and Michael Irvin falling down at the 1 yard line about a million times.

 

[Chuck 54]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Anyone who thinks Troy Aikman was simply a product of the TEAM, and doesn't see the greatness of his talent, doesn't know what I think he should know about football. His accuracy was unbelievable, his leadership was enormous, his unselfishness was at the center of that offense being able to do what it did. If you take 1989 out of the equation, along with 99-00 (when he was past his prime), his numbers were anything but pedestrian except in one category, TD passes, and that had to do with having that offensive line we had, Emmit Smith who was great around the goal line, and Michael Irvin falling down at the 1 yard line about a million times.

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

Troy could not carry a team on his shoulders, not even if he almost accomplished it once vs. the 49ers in the championship game...we lost, yet it may have been his best performance ever.

Troy was not over the hill when the team started to lose key players...he could not step up...worse, his sour puss attitude and beaten demeaner was painful to watch on TV...he refused to throw the ball to younger players who were unproven.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

Troy will get into the HOF, but he would not make my top 10 QB list.

 

[Doomsday101]

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

Troy could not carry a team on his shoulders, not even if he almost accomplished it once vs. the 49ers in the championship game...we lost, yet it may have been his best performance ever.

Troy was not over the hill when the team started to lose key players...he could not step up...worse, his sour puss attitude and beaten demeaner was painful to watch on TV...he refused to throw the ball to younger players who were unproven.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

Troy will get into the HOF, but he would not make my top 10 QB list.

Many of those young WR could not get off the line of scrimmage; they would get man handled and never make into the routs quick enough to become an option. Also Troy was also experiencing the problems with his back even when the big 3 were still altogether. There is no way to tell what Troy could have done in a pass oriented system

 

[SultanOfSix]

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

Troy could not carry a team on his shoulders, not even if he almost accomplished it once vs. the 49ers in the championship game...we lost, yet it may have been his best performance ever.

Troy was not over the hill when the team started to lose key players...he could not step up...worse, his sour puss attitude and beaten demeaner was painful to watch on TV...he refused to throw the ball to younger players who were unproven.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

Troy will get into the HOF, but he would not make my top 10 QB list.

This is completely contrary to what Jimmy Johnson and Norv Turner thought about Troy. Both are on record as saying if Troy had to throw for 300+ yards and four touchdowns a game, he could do it when needed. Troy was a great QB, period.

 

[Eddie]

This is completely contrary to what Jimmy Johnson and Norv Turner thought about Troy. Both are on record as saying if Troy had to throw for 300+ yards and four touchdowns a game, he could do it when needed. Troy was a great QB, period.

Not after 1996 he wasn't. Troy wasn't close to a great QB after that.

He single handedly ran Gailey out of Dallas.

Collapsed at the wiff of pressure.

Had no desire to communicate with his young WR's.

My memories of a young Troy are of a winning franchise QB. My memories of the post-1996 Troy are less favorable.

 

[KDWilliams85]

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

If you would have stuck Aikman in Green Bay, all he would have had was Sterling Sharpe. They wouldn't have had Ahman Green, Javon Walker, or Donald Driver.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

If any team suffers the loss of two excellent threats on offense, any QB driving the bus would suffer as well. That comment has no merit because it is widely accepted. Any QB would be frustrated if they had to head a rebuilding offense. Only as of now as it been able to constantly be effective.

 

[rcaldw]

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

Troy could not carry a team on his shoulders, not even if he almost accomplished it once vs. the 49ers in the championship game...we lost, yet it may have been his best performance ever.

Troy was not over the hill when the team started to lose key players...he could not step up...worse, his sour puss attitude and beaten demeaner was painful to watch on TV...he refused to throw the ball to younger players who were unproven.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

Troy will get into the HOF, but he would not make my top 10 QB list.

I will simply repeat what I said earlier. Anyone who thinks Troy Aikman was an average QB, or "just very good", doesn't watch the game enough, in my humble opinion. But I say that respectfully and I'm sure you feel like my opinion lacks merit, so we will just agree to disagree.

In terms of not being past his prime in 99 and 2000, again, I think it was Doomsday who pointed it out, the guy played with constant pain in his back.

The rest of the stuff I won't rehash and don't think much of it. Bottom line is that we had a GREAT QB in Dallas when we had Troy Aikman.

 

[DallasEast]

If you really analyze Troy Aikman, his numbers were pretty pedestrian, but he is considered a great QB, because his TEAM won and he made plays when he needed to. Jerry Jones was not "that" far off when he said that anyone could have coached those teams to the Super Bowl. The TEAM was loaded with talent.

IF his critics were to (honestly) carefully--

A. Analyze his numbers
B. Scruntize the talent which surrounded him during the first AND second halves of his career
C. Recognize that the man was a technician and not Joe *vomit* Montana
D. Factor in the very real health problems which affect his play during the later portion of his career

--the word pedestrian would never be uttered or typed. Why should the man have to put up HUGE numbers when he alone had Emmitt Smith in his offense? When Smith was being rushed down the throats of opponents and was ranked in the league during Aikman's prime years as--

[i]1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996[/i]
[b]  8	  1	  2	  6	  1	  1	  5[/b]

--in rushing attempts, did Aikman really have to pass the ball as often as Marino? When Smith was ranked in the league during those seasons as--

[i]1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996[/i]
[b]  10	  1	  1	  1	  3	  1	  8[/b]

--in total rushing yards, did Aikman have to throw as many yards as Elway? During those same seasons when Smith was ranked in the league as--

[i]1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996[/i]
[b]  5	  2	  1	  3	  1	  1	  5[/b]

--in total touchdowns, did Aikman have to scramble and improvise like Tarkenton?

No one should compare Aikman to Johnny freaking Unitas, but he was not an average quarterback. He was better than the good quarterbacks that have graced the league. Was he a 'great' quarterback? Maybe not, but he did more than enough during his career to justify the debate itself.

 

[Verdict]

Not after 1996 he wasn't. Troy wasn't close to a great QB after that.

He single handedly ran Gailey out of Dallas.

Collapsed at the wiff of pressure.

Had no desire to communicate with his young WR's.

My memories of a young Troy are of a winning franchise QB. My memories of the post-1996 Troy are less favorable.

Troy was one of my favorites for a long time, but his star got a little tarnished at the end. He was a good quarterback, but he was NEVER great. He was above average, but he could not carry a team.

 

[dbair1967]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Anyone who thinks Troy Aikman was simply a product of the TEAM, and doesn't see the greatness of his talent, doesn't know what I think he should know about football. His accuracy was unbelievable, his leadership was enormous, his unselfishness was at the center of that offense being able to do what it did. If you take 1989 out of the equation, along with 99-00 (when he was past his prime), his numbers were anything but pedestrian except in one category, TD passes, and that had to do with having that offensive line we had, Emmit Smith who was great around the goal line, and Michael Irvin falling down at the 1 yard line about a million times.

I couldnt agree more...Aikman is probably the most under appreciated great player in recent history...just because his "fantasy football" numbers werent great doesnt mean he wasnt...people have stupid misconception that all we did is run run run and nothing could be further from the truth...we threw the ball alot between the 20's...Aikman was a tremendous talent and a great passer...

from 1990-1996 almost everytime I saw some poll among football people/GM's/personnel people that asked "what player would you start your franchise with?" Aikman was almost ALWAYS the #1 choice...Jimmy and Norv have both commented on numerous occassions that had they chose to be a more aggressive offensive team (jn terms of throwing more) Aikman could have shattered alot of passing records

David

 

[dbair1967]

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

Troy could not carry a team on his shoulders, not even if he almost accomplished it once vs. the 49ers in the championship game...we lost, yet it may have been his best performance ever.

Troy was not over the hill when the team started to lose key players...he could not step up...worse, his sour puss attitude and beaten demeaner was painful to watch on TV...he refused to throw the ball to younger players who were unproven.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

Troy will get into the HOF, but he would not make my top 10 QB list.

ok, whatever



David

 

[Verdict]

The Triplets (Aikman, Irvin and Smith) were an integral part of the success of the Super Bowl teams, but were equally part of the Cowboys' decline. All three were good, but could not carry the team by themselves. All three were kept at premium salaries in relation to the total cap, but were not worth what they were paid capwise. You have to let players go before you might otherwise due to the cap. (Eagles have done a pretty good job of doing this I regret to admit).

The truth of the matter is that the other members of the team were just as important, if not more so, than the triplets. Jay Novacek, Nate Newton, Stepnoski, Darren Woodson, Deion Sanders, Haley, Tony Casillus (sp?), and the rest of the team were anything but role players. These guys were NOT average. They were studs. The triplets were surrounded by talent. The trouble was that the triplets got more than their fair share of the cap and the Team was year by year dismantled by free agency.

 

[Verdict]

He was not just a bus driver, but I don't see him as a great QB either...he was great for Dallas, but put him in GB or some other lesser team and I think he'd have been merely "very good".

Troy could not carry a team on his shoulders, not even if he almost accomplished it once vs. the 49ers in the championship game...we lost, yet it may have been his best performance ever.

Troy was not over the hill when the team started to lose key players...he could not step up...worse, his sour puss attitude and beaten demeaner was painful to watch on TV...he refused to throw the ball to younger players who were unproven.

After losing Novachek and Irvin, he was never the same QB and was always frustrated during the games...it was sad to watch.

Troy will get into the HOF, but he would not make my top 10 QB list.

Great minds think alike. LMAO.

 

[dbair1967]

Not after 1996 he wasn't. Troy wasn't close to a great QB after that.

He single handedly ran Gailey out of Dallas.

Collapsed at the wiff of pressure.

Had no desire to communicate with his young WR's.

My memories of a young Troy are of a winning franchise QB. My memories of the post-1996 Troy are less favorable.

he didnt single handedly run Gailey out of town...Gailey DESEREVED to be run...he was a bumbling fool with alot of his in game decisions...we didnt lose anything when he was ran

collapsed at the wiff of pressure? ***?

had no desire to communicate with the young WR's??? where do some of you get this garbage?

David

 

[dbair1967]

Great minds think alike. LMAO.

dont you mean SIMPLE minds?

David

 

[kapolani]

All these threads are "irrelevant."

Can he still throw? Yes... But then again so could Vinny.

If the line can block better than they did last year - Bledsoe will find the open man.

If Julius can run like he did last year they will have to stack the line to stop him.

Which in turn will give Witten gaping holes to exploit.

Key will move the chains.

TGlenn will stretch them deep.

If all these factors can come to fruition then any NFL QB worth their salt can flourish.