Sandyf
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,495
- Reaction score
- 1,662
Often an effort in futility although every fan has an opinion and every fan has what they believe should be the pick. I am going to try it differently although probably to other dismay or anger or laughter or just plain can't be.
Have gone back and looked at all the games last year and the year before (tape them so I can rewatch which is painful a lot of the time). I wanted to see what caused us to lose so many games last year other than we know the back problem of Smith and the suspension of Elliott were two big reasons.
I understand the need for linebackers, for safeties, for defensive line, and for wide receivers but were they the reason for a 9-7 season. Starting with the offense, it is easy to see the lack of Elliott and Smith hurt and hurt a lot but it wasn't the only reason. Much had to do with not adjusting to the guys we had to play when certain guys were out. The O line did not function as well even with Smith in there as it did the year before with Collins at LG and Free at RT. Changing two positions hurt the line a lot and Green moving to LG just made him worse instead of better. Also the play calling was the same, nothing changed significantly with Elliott out. We all know more of the RPO should have been called.
The wide receivers did not separate enough or at all simply because teams were not afraid of the run as much or the threat of Dak moving out of the pocket to throw on the run. Say what you want about Dak but he is one of the most accurate passer out of the pocket and defenses kept him in the pocket. Love my Witten but it is rare when he actually gets more than 5 yards and none of the other tight ends showed up to catch the ball downfield. Dez is still Dez and can jump but to many balls thrown to him on the jump went through his hands at critical times and his antics on the sideline just caused more problems. He is still a child at heart and still a talented wide out but he would be better suited with a guy on the other side that forces a safety to stay back for a deep pass.
Now on defense if you watched the games, well they played actually pretty well especially with the rookies and seem to keep us in most games with the exception of one area, the running game. Every team ran on us and maybe not to a great number of yards but enough to make linebackers have to always put the runner down thus Lee's injury time and Hitchens mostly. We were getting good pressure on pass plays but far to many times the run kept the defense on the field or the threat of it led to short completions for first downs. Sure more turnovers would have been great but a lot more 3 and outs would have helped tremendously.
So from my point of view, to get Dallas back to the playoffs and hopefully to a title game or Super Bowl, this draft and off season needs to have a few things happen. In the draft, a dominant interior defensive line is needed whether than is Vea or Payne or Bryan or Hurst or Shepherd or a combination of two of them, it is needed. Collins is a very good 3 tech but as a 1 tech he is not a run stuffer. Irving can be a great 3 tech but he has his problems also and frankly not even sure if he will be here this year and betting if he is that it will be his last.
We do need to hit on a good SS especially with Jones moving to CB where he should have been from the beginning. James would be a good fit although there are others in the mid rounds that are just as good tacklers just not as good in coverage but a stout DL helps with that coverage. We have done a good job at DE now DL has to happen. The linebackers would be better also not having to worry about taking on a guard or tackle if the middle of the D line causes havoc. Yes we need to get two linebackers in this draft although the need at DT is definitely more pressing.
On offense, it would be nice to see a LG although if we want to be better faster then Collins back to LG and start Fleming at RT makes a far superior line to last year and then draft a guy to become that RT that could be the guy in 2019 at RT just not the first round. Do we need a WR, I would say yes although not in the first. Just not convinced any of the project first round guys are Julio Jones or AC Green or Antonio Brown or heck even Sammy Watkins. Second round or later would be fine with me, shoot maybe we can find that next Antonio Brown in the sixth round like Pittsburgh did.
Now on draft day who is going to be there we want if we do or don't move up, a mystery for all of us but the quarterbacks and trades in the early part of the round are going to push guys down. There are also guys that the media scouts have rated first round that will be in the second or third rounds. Dallas, from all that we have heard, have only identified about 12 guys that they believe are true first round picks. Who they are, none of us have any idea that counts. Dallas may have a guy rated as a first round guy that another team has rated as a second round guy and so on.
So for my part with no trades and I expect Dallas to be trade active more than a few times, here goes.
19. Vita Vea DT Washington - massive 1 tech who can play the 3 tech but can really clog the middle
50. Kolton Miller OT UCLA - young, good feet, needs a year to develop, RT in 2018
81. Anthony Miller WR Memphis - under the radar but productive and catches everything
116. Darius Leonard OLB South Carolina St - as good as most in the draft and will develop into a good one
137. Josey Jewell ILB Iowa - like Hitchens a tackling machine, not flashy but very productive
171. DeShon Elliott SS Texas - believe he will be there and is a good in the box guy that can cover the TE
192. Jamarco Jones OT/OG Ohio State - probably moves to OG in the pros and could be a good one
193. Brandon Facyson CB Virginia Tech - great length and speed and seem like a Coach Richard guy.
208. Kendall Vickers DT Tennessee - once rated far higher but fell off the map this year, good upside
236. Daurice Fountain WR Northern Iowa - coaching staff seems to be intrigued by this guy.
UDFA:
David Wells TE San DIego ST
Chase Edmonds RB Fordham
JMO
Have gone back and looked at all the games last year and the year before (tape them so I can rewatch which is painful a lot of the time). I wanted to see what caused us to lose so many games last year other than we know the back problem of Smith and the suspension of Elliott were two big reasons.
I understand the need for linebackers, for safeties, for defensive line, and for wide receivers but were they the reason for a 9-7 season. Starting with the offense, it is easy to see the lack of Elliott and Smith hurt and hurt a lot but it wasn't the only reason. Much had to do with not adjusting to the guys we had to play when certain guys were out. The O line did not function as well even with Smith in there as it did the year before with Collins at LG and Free at RT. Changing two positions hurt the line a lot and Green moving to LG just made him worse instead of better. Also the play calling was the same, nothing changed significantly with Elliott out. We all know more of the RPO should have been called.
The wide receivers did not separate enough or at all simply because teams were not afraid of the run as much or the threat of Dak moving out of the pocket to throw on the run. Say what you want about Dak but he is one of the most accurate passer out of the pocket and defenses kept him in the pocket. Love my Witten but it is rare when he actually gets more than 5 yards and none of the other tight ends showed up to catch the ball downfield. Dez is still Dez and can jump but to many balls thrown to him on the jump went through his hands at critical times and his antics on the sideline just caused more problems. He is still a child at heart and still a talented wide out but he would be better suited with a guy on the other side that forces a safety to stay back for a deep pass.
Now on defense if you watched the games, well they played actually pretty well especially with the rookies and seem to keep us in most games with the exception of one area, the running game. Every team ran on us and maybe not to a great number of yards but enough to make linebackers have to always put the runner down thus Lee's injury time and Hitchens mostly. We were getting good pressure on pass plays but far to many times the run kept the defense on the field or the threat of it led to short completions for first downs. Sure more turnovers would have been great but a lot more 3 and outs would have helped tremendously.
So from my point of view, to get Dallas back to the playoffs and hopefully to a title game or Super Bowl, this draft and off season needs to have a few things happen. In the draft, a dominant interior defensive line is needed whether than is Vea or Payne or Bryan or Hurst or Shepherd or a combination of two of them, it is needed. Collins is a very good 3 tech but as a 1 tech he is not a run stuffer. Irving can be a great 3 tech but he has his problems also and frankly not even sure if he will be here this year and betting if he is that it will be his last.
We do need to hit on a good SS especially with Jones moving to CB where he should have been from the beginning. James would be a good fit although there are others in the mid rounds that are just as good tacklers just not as good in coverage but a stout DL helps with that coverage. We have done a good job at DE now DL has to happen. The linebackers would be better also not having to worry about taking on a guard or tackle if the middle of the D line causes havoc. Yes we need to get two linebackers in this draft although the need at DT is definitely more pressing.
On offense, it would be nice to see a LG although if we want to be better faster then Collins back to LG and start Fleming at RT makes a far superior line to last year and then draft a guy to become that RT that could be the guy in 2019 at RT just not the first round. Do we need a WR, I would say yes although not in the first. Just not convinced any of the project first round guys are Julio Jones or AC Green or Antonio Brown or heck even Sammy Watkins. Second round or later would be fine with me, shoot maybe we can find that next Antonio Brown in the sixth round like Pittsburgh did.
Now on draft day who is going to be there we want if we do or don't move up, a mystery for all of us but the quarterbacks and trades in the early part of the round are going to push guys down. There are also guys that the media scouts have rated first round that will be in the second or third rounds. Dallas, from all that we have heard, have only identified about 12 guys that they believe are true first round picks. Who they are, none of us have any idea that counts. Dallas may have a guy rated as a first round guy that another team has rated as a second round guy and so on.
So for my part with no trades and I expect Dallas to be trade active more than a few times, here goes.
19. Vita Vea DT Washington - massive 1 tech who can play the 3 tech but can really clog the middle
50. Kolton Miller OT UCLA - young, good feet, needs a year to develop, RT in 2018
81. Anthony Miller WR Memphis - under the radar but productive and catches everything
116. Darius Leonard OLB South Carolina St - as good as most in the draft and will develop into a good one
137. Josey Jewell ILB Iowa - like Hitchens a tackling machine, not flashy but very productive
171. DeShon Elliott SS Texas - believe he will be there and is a good in the box guy that can cover the TE
192. Jamarco Jones OT/OG Ohio State - probably moves to OG in the pros and could be a good one
193. Brandon Facyson CB Virginia Tech - great length and speed and seem like a Coach Richard guy.
208. Kendall Vickers DT Tennessee - once rated far higher but fell off the map this year, good upside
236. Daurice Fountain WR Northern Iowa - coaching staff seems to be intrigued by this guy.
UDFA:
David Wells TE San DIego ST
Chase Edmonds RB Fordham
JMO
