CFZ This team has done some good things. What it should do now to take the next step

[rambo2]

yes they did, but it isn't nearly as impressive when you go to each game and look at the team they faced on that day.

13 wins is impressive.

 

[charron]

Cowboys have been and are a good team but they are not real contenders.

 

[Cowfan75]

When Jerry speaks, you can shrug off most of it, as he probably doesn't really know what he's saying half the time. When Stepehen tells you he doesn't want to get better, you can take it to the bank. We think we have it bad now? I'll die a Cowboys fan, but even I know how hard it's going to be to follow a team ran by Stephen Jones.

 

[McKDaddy]

13 wins is impressive.

Depends on context. Sure, it's a very good record but if you are looking to be a legit championship contender then season(s) just keep ending with performances that just aren't up to that level.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

If this front office feels we’re really close to a championship they should GO FOR IT!!! Why wouldn’t you?

It is as simple as this. Great post Bob. This team's unwillingness to make that final move to push this team over the top is what has caused our best teams in recent memory (2014, 2016, 2021, 2022) to fall short of the conference championship.

 

[Montanalo]

All teams occasionally lay an egg and have that unexplainable loss. Focusing just on 2022, Dallas 3 such losses: the OT losses to Green Bay and Jacksonville and the late season loss to Washington. The issue is not that they lost -- that happens to the best of teams -- it's the manner in which they lost. At times, it appeared they simply gave up or, more appropriately, simply didn't show up.

2022 isn't an exception; every year there seems to be a cluster of these types of losses. Yes, I know every team has such losses, but if Dallas is to truly compete for a playoff spot and the SB, they cannot afford these types of games. Is this culture, coaching, something? Whatever it is, it needs to be addressed.

 

[rambo2]

Depends on context. Sure, it's a very good record but if you are looking to be a legit championship contender then season(s) just keep ending with performances that just aren't up to that level.

They were a legit contender.

 

[LatinMind]

Does anyone really believe we are "close"?
I mean "close" as in we could of won it all this year but just got unlucky?
Or "close" as we are one or two players away and there is a realistic path to address?
Cause you can't blame the FO if they answer "no" to the above questions.
Our deficiencies aren't easily fixed. At least not to the level of winning a championship.

Yes, if pollard doesn't get hurt by that dirty tackle Dallas wins imo. That changed everything. Karma kicked in for sf a week later.

 

[conner01]

Going all in requires cap space. There are lots of options to get cap space. Some require cuts, other extensions or restructures
Cutting a guy like Zeke to me is a no brainer. Tyron is logical except we don’t have another quality OT and Steele is coming off an injury
Some restructures carry little risks like Armstrong, others mean the guy is here much longer or costs more if you walk away in a couple years

 

[shabazz]

Does anyone really believe we are "close"?
I mean "close" as in we could of won it all this year but just got unlucky?
Or "close" as we are one or two players away and there is a realistic path to address?
Cause you can't blame the FO if they answer "no" to the above questions.
Our deficiencies aren't easily fixed. At least not to the level of winning a championship.

Great point, the team that we couldn't beat got pounded by the Eagles and lost by 24 points

 

[JonesBoys]

Whatever any Cowboys fan may feel after another disappointing end to a season, this team has done some very good things in the last five years. Here’s a quick review of the positives:

• Making the playoffs in back to back years for the first time in 15 years
• Making the playoffs in 3 of the last 5 seasons, going 2-2.
• Won a road playoff game for the first time in 30 seasons.
• Drafts have improved the last 5 years, giving us 13 of our 22 starters from the last 5 drafts.
• We improved our defense from the worst in team history to one of the best in the NFL in 2 years.
• Hired a real NFL head coach. Whatever you think of Mike McCarthy, he’s way better than Jason Garrett who apparently can’t get a head coaching job at any level.

BUT…let’s also put this in context with some of this organization’s BAD habits and results the last three decades.

• Since our last SB appearance in the 1995 season, the Cowboys have made the playoffs only 12 of the last 27 seasons (about 40%)
• In the first 36 seasons of Cowboys football, the team won 31 playoff games. In the last 27, they have won 5.
• Two of the team’s biggest division rivals have been to 5 Super Bowls with 4 different head coaches and 4 different QBs since the Cowboys last won a divisional playoff game.
• Teams winning conference championships and SBs tend to be more aggressive these days.

So…what must this organization do NOW to take the next step to more seriously pursue a championship?

• If this organization feel like it is CLOSE to a championship, it MUST be willing to to take some risks in Free Agency, and not act like the “future cap“ is their master. The draft alone is no longer enough.
• We should pursue 2 impactful FAs at certain key positions where our weaknesses are clear. Such as interior DLinemen, OL, maybe WR.
• Be more open to making impactful trades too.
• Go for it now if you’re close. Makes zero sense not to!

Bottom Line: If this front office feels we’re really close to a championship they should GO FOR IT!!! Why wouldn’t you? If they don’t feel we are close, ok…then be conservative. If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, why are we going to get better results?

I honestly believe this off-season will determine if we make the playoffs for the third straight year or fall back to the old habits of making the playoffs 40% of the time.

Jerry is smarter than that. He's going for the long term answer.

 

[fivetwos]

They had 6 wins against playoff teams.

I’ve gotta give you that one.

This wasn’t a season where one can say all they did was beat up on bad teams.

 

[McKDaddy]

They were a legit contender.

We will have to agree to see that differently. Do I think we could have beaten SF with a third string QB (If Pollard doesn't get hurt)? Yes.
Do I think we would have beaten a relatively healthy Philthy in the NFCCG? No
KC or Cincy? No.
They could all minimize our running game and we would have trouble stopping their weapons.

 

[McKDaddy]

I’ve gotta give you that one.

This wasn’t a season where one can say all they did was beat up on bad teams.

We beat the Giants twice. The Giants overachieved to make the playoffs.
We barely beat Philthy once when Hurts didn't play.
We beat the Bengals in the second game of the season when they were playing horrible and had injuries. Nothing similar to what you would have faced later in the season or playoffs.
We beat the horns off the Vikings.

That's the 5 wins against playoff teams in the regular season. It's primarily a moral victory to have beaten Brady cause we all know the Bucs didn't deserve to be in the playoffs.

 

[McKDaddy]

Yes, if pollard doesn't get hurt by that dirty tackle Dallas wins imo. That changed everything. Karma kicked in for sf a week later.

See my post #53.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Does anyone really believe we are "close"?
I mean "close" as in we could of won it all this year but just got unlucky?
Or "close" as we are one or two players away and there is a realistic path to address?
Cause you can't blame the FO if they answer "no" to the above questions.
Our deficiencies aren't easily fixed. At least not to the level of winning a championship.

Close means a few players away.

You can fix zeke, dump him. You can sign a DT. You can continue to strengthen the oline. Get another passing weapon.

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

Certainly a team that is only 2 wins away from the Super-Bowl has to be considered a "contender". That is NOT to say they are an odd-on favorite- but are one of a group of teams that has a legitimate chance.

I'm still pessimistic about the chances of significantly improving the team for next season, and still doubt that Dak is capable of winning a championship. Is better QB play the only weakness of the team? Not by a long shot....

 

[rambo2]

We will have to agree to see that differently. Do I think we could have beaten SF with a third string QB (If Pollard doesn't get hurt)? Yes.
Do I think we would have beaten a relatively healthy Philthy in the NFCCG? No
KC or Cincy? No.
They could all minimize our running game and we would have trouble stopping their weapons.

They had a legitimate chance of getting the 1 spot instead of the 5. They just happened to lose 2 games in overtime. They still won a playoff game on the road and gave the 49ers a good battle even with having short rest and traveling from coast to coast.

 

[Diehardblues]

Great point, the team that we couldn't beat got pounded by the Eagles and lost by 24 points

Yea , when true QB was knocked out . Don’t forget all of the facts .

 

[Diehardblues]

They had a legitimate chance of getting the 1 spot instead of the 5. They just happened to lose 2 games in overtime. They still won a playoff game on the road and gave the 49ers a good battle even with having short rest and traveling from coast to coast.

Yes, but until Hurts went out for a couple games it wasn’t looking too promising. Only then did it become interesting.