Things Exposed when Romo was out

[sideon]

The problem is this team can never get on the same page. In one game the offense will score 28 but the D can't stop the other team, then the D will hold a team to 1 TD but the offense can't score to take advantage. That's on the coaching staff because they can't put their team in a position to win, both sides of the ball have enough talent but they don't have good coaching.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I was wondering when someone was going to bring up that elephant in the room. Witten isn't really effective anymore

Now is the time to see what we have in the younger and faster TE's. It is time to slowly pass the torch and use Jason in certain situations. I love Witten but he is now a progress stopper at that position.

His blocking has been atrocious this year. I still think he can go and put in another 2-3 productive seasons, but that is if he doesn't get hurt. To me, he looks like he's losing leverage in blocking due to his injuries. He just doesn't look like he has the lower body strength to block like he usually does. He may not be Gronkowski, but I'll take his receiving skills when healthy combined with his great blocking (again, when he's healthy).





YR

 

[Tabascocat]

His blocking has been atrocious this year. I still think he can go and put in another 2-3 productive seasons, but that is if he doesn't get hurt. To me, he looks like he's losing leverage in blocking due to his injuries. He just doesn't look like he has the lower body strength to block like he usually does. He may not be Gronkowski, but I'll take his receiving skills when healthy combined with his great blocking (again, when he's healthy).YR

Agree, they need to lessen his snaps so he can be more effective over a game and the season. It will also be easier on his aging body.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I think we've learned how limited Williams and Beasley are. Although I'm far higher on Beasley than Williams. At least if the middle is opened up with a deep threat, Beasley is extremely effective on short and down the middle. But without Dez, Williams is limited because of his lack of a catch radius. I wonder where the staff sees Lucky as a receiver in the future or if they see him as just a ST guy. I also wonder about Brice Butler. It's one of those things that while I'm not happy with the WR play this year, a healthy Dez and Romo could make this a very good WR crew next year, especially if Lucky and Butler turn into something.

I'm actually more concerned about the running backs. I like McFadden,but we seem to insist he gets 30 carries a game instead of giving him 20 carries a game. Garrett/Linehan/Brown have no clue on how to manage a RB's carries. It burned out DeMarco and now the same thing is happening here. We also decided to start Randle over McFadden even though McFadden is a far superior tailback with more skins on the wall. We did keep Dunbar and that proved to be the right move. But since then, we've gone thru a bunch of Seattle tailbacks and Trey Williams and the only one that has remotely worked out is Turbin. That's a lot of RB's to guess wrong on.

I also think we have issues at TE. Witten has probably had his worst season as a pro. His blocking has been about as awful as I can ever remember it. I think the injuries have taken their toll on him this year. Escobar is on the back of a milk carton and Hanna has been decent in blocking, but oft-injured. I think we need to see what we can get out of Swaim.

I too have been disappointed in the pass rush. We apparently need more depth there as the pass rush has been abysmal without Terrell McClain. I will concede that Hardy and Crawford have been banged up.

With that being said, the passing game and offenses have changed. While I'm not thrilled about the pass rush, I think the cold hard facts are in this league good defenses are now more about good secondaries because too many QB's get the ball off so quickly than no pass rusher can get to them.








YR

Why write something when I can just agree with everything said here. Great summary.

 

[chicago JK]

I think the coach debate is a legit debate but I think it comes down to finding talent better. Finding good players who will work within the scheme correctly and guys who will continue to improve in your program.

Stopping anyone on defense these days is really difficult. Although when I watch other teams, it can be really depressing watching them on defense. Dallas has had some of the better coordinators this league has seen. Wade Phillips is an excellent defensive coordinator and Marinelli has been on par with him. Has old age slowed Marinelli down? I can't answer that. I can answer that no matter who we have coaching defense, that defense tends to have a few impact players and will make some really nice plays or play some really good games. But for the most part, the defenses have never been much better than average. I think this goes back to the biggest thing. Our talent evaulaters do not do a good job filling out the full roster. I thought they had improved in this the last few years but this year has really opened a lot of eyes.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Tomlin wouldn't have had that success outside of Pittsburgh. He didn't turn the team around. They were successful long before he got there. He is highly overrated.

We have a ZERO on the sidelines. More often than not...we have a NEGATIVE on the sideline. I would gladly take someone with skins on the wall. Tomlin inherited a franchise QB and has made 2 super bowl runs with him. Garrett inherited a franchise QB...and has built a giant pile of dung

 

[LucaBrasi]

I think the coach debate is a legit debate but I think it comes down to finding talent better. Finding good players who will work within the scheme correctly and guys who will continue to improve in your program.

Stopping anyone on defense these days is really difficult. Although when I watch other teams, it can be really depressing watching them on defense. Dallas has had some of the better coordinators this league has seen. Wade Phillips is an excellent defensive coordinator and Marinelli has been on par with him. Has old age slowed Marinelli down? I can't answer that. I can answer that no matter who we have coaching defense, that defense tends to have a few impact players and will make some really nice plays or play some really good games. But for the most part, the defenses have never been much better than average. I think this goes back to the biggest thing. Our talent evaulaters do not do a good job filling out the full roster. I thought they had improved in this the last few years but this year has really opened a lot of eyes.

Its amazing the number of good coaches that have walked the halls here, defensively especially. Zimmer, Wide Phillips, Marinelli. Wonder what the reason could be that they couldn't field a dominant defense here. I simply cant figure it out...

 

[chicago JK]

Its amazing the number of good coaches that have walked the halls here, defensively especially. Zimmer, Wide Phillips, Marinelli. Wonder what the reason could be that they couldn't field a dominant defense here. I simply cant figure it out...

yes, there is a legit debate if I think Garrett is good enough to lead a franchise. Right now as much as I want to believe yes, my answer would be no.

Although, the issues going back since our last super bowl is finding the right talent and building a full team imo. This team has done really nice job hitting on their first round picks (outside of a one big miss, but Dallas has done better than most in the first round). They continue to struggle building a full team though. This includes late round draft picks, value free agents and letting go of current players at the correct times. We have struggled with all of these imo.

 

[DBOY3141]

Leadership is the key to any successful organization or business. Sadly, the Cowboys have been lacking this for 20 years. With the parity of the NFL we've seen teams be successful, fall on hard times and rise up again. All the while the Cowboys whallow around the middle of the pack. The mindset they use is broken, but it's not going to change and thus we will see the same results that we've been seeing for two decades.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Linehan was exposed more than anything. He kept calling plays like we still had Romo and Murray. When Romo went down, it's like he didn't change anything for the offense to work without him. We stayed as predictable as possible, making our offense easy to defend. Of course, Garrett's offense was exposed because it obviously doesn't work without a QB that can scramble to make things happen, or change plays at the line of scrimmage.

this is very true. people pointed to Garrett play calling, but past two years its been Linehan. and he has his own plays he brought with him. he has underwhelmed. so has Marinelli. he clearly depends on having the right talent to execute. he is missing his typw of DTs and the defense just doesn't work.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I like Tomlin too.

I have to add that he has some extra help in having playmaker Ben as his QB. Kinda like Garrett and Romo.

yeah, except he went to two superbowls. he won one. and he had a good defense and changed coordinators when needed.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

yeah, except he went to two superbowls. he won one. and he had a good defense and changed coordinators when needed.

Soooooooo glad Green Bay beat them

That would have really sucked if stealers got to 7..... Yuk

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I was wondering when someone was going to bring up that elephant in the room. Witten isn't really effective anymore

Now is the time to see what we have in the younger and faster TE's. It is time to slowly pass the torch and use Jason in certain situations. I love Witten but he is now a progress stopper at that position.

yet witten still produces better than the other two. which goes back to the draft. they had wanted to find Witten's replacement. they got Escobar (did we trade up to get him?). and he just doesn't produce like a 2nd rounder. Hanna was a 4th rounder that was thought to be a pass catcher and is turned into a better blocker.

our scouting and talent evaluation sucks.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Defense has been fine, they only have had a couple of bad games ( ATL and PHI), also they are 13th in third down conversion.
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-third-down-conversion-pct

they have been bad in the 4th. when it matters the most. they failed against Seattle in the 4th when they just went through us twice like nothing. against NE. against NO in the 4th. against Atl. Against Philly. we are bad in creating turnovers. sacks. pressures. specially in the 4th.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

yes, there is a legit debate if I think Garrett is good enough to lead a franchise. Right now as much as I want to believe yes, my answer would be no.

Although, the issues going back since our last super bowl is finding the right talent and building a full team imo. This team has done really nice job hitting on their first round picks (outside of a one big miss, but Dallas has done better than most in the first round). They continue to struggle building a full team though. This includes late round draft picks, value free agents and letting go of current players at the correct times. We have struggled with all of these imo.

and that was my original point. we do good in the 1st. can't build a full team if you don't hit on a few in the 2nd-7th round. which we haven't. Crawford, Lawrence are role players. rotation guys who are key starters. that's not what you should get out of your second rounders.

 

[Risen Star]

What was exposed was our overall lack of talent. I don't care how good Romo is, a good team doesn't completely fall apart when their QB goes down. They may become average or even below average but not first pick in the draft bad.

This should be a dose of smelling salts to the semi-conscious mind of our front office. There should be changes in talent evaluation, scouting, something significant to address this issue.

 

[Wolfpack]

What was exposed was our overall lack of talent. I don't care how good Romo is, a good team doesn't completely fall apart when their QB goes down. They may become average or even below average but not first pick in the draft bad.

This should be a dose of smelling salts to the semi-conscious mind of our front office. There should be changes in talent evaluation, scouting, something significant to address this issue.

IF there were sane people running the ship. No accountability and Jerry is flat out dementia level delusional at this point in his life. The rest go along and make millions doing it.

 

[Junglist]

yet witten still produces better than the other two. which goes back to the draft. they had wanted to find Witten's replacement. they got Escobar (did we trade up to get him?). and he just doesn't produce like a 2nd rounder. Hanna was a 4th rounder that was thought to be a pass catcher and is turned into a better blocker.

our scouting and talent evaluation sucks.

He's not effective when you depend on him to get 5 or more yards for a first down. Throwing to Witten behind the sticks is just stupid.

 

[RoboQB]

Tomlin?

I actually got benched once for claiming Garrett was red-headed freckle faced version of Mike Tomlin.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Good coach. the notion that he doesn't need talent to win is silly. He's got the most dynamic offense in football this year, lets see how he does.

He's a much better coach than Jason Garrett, no question. But if Garrett had made that fake fg call on Sunday, and then not gone for it with that offense on 4th and 1 at the 3 up 18-14, and then not went AGAIN with 3:00 left in the game down 5, Garrett would be run of town on a rail. Tomlin is like teflon, covered by media that write what the Rooney's want written..

Compared to JG? Who questions him in the media? Jerry has JG coated as well. If JG had stones when no one expects much I don't care what would be written about him. You lose the pieces we have and then play it safe just shows me your to stubborn and set in your ways. A FG when your way down against Carolina from inside their ten gets you three meaningless points as well as sends your team a message.