Two things that still baffle me

[Creeper]

Bro, Fowler did not have 4 penalties let alone 4 offsides calls last night.

I know. But I posted he had 4 BEFORE last night, and 2 more last night. The Cowboys were called offsides 4 times last night, two were declined because Seattle chose to take the result of the pay instead. One of Fowler's was declined but he was called twice for lining up offsides.

 

[Blackspider214]

exactly, in that close, defense is bunched in. passing lanes are tight. OL and running game must be huge threats and we are not.

Yep. This is the difference in this team vs teams in the past. OL has dropped off in both run and pass protection. The holes aren't there. They aren't getting the pushes they used to. Both of these are very key in the redzone. We also don't have that back to get those tough yards like a prime Zeke did. Even later in his career here, he could grind out those tougher yards. Pollard isn't that guy and never will be. He was also the ying to Zeke's yang. His effectiveness was because Zeke could wear down the defense and he comes in and pops off longer runs. As a feature back, he isn't effective consistently.

This RB core reminds me of what we rolled out in 2015 when we let Demarco walk to the Eagles. No real consistent threat. Which is a big reason we drafted Zeke that high the next draft.

A lack of a good run game that can keep drives alive and allow the play action to be effective is very worrisome for the last stretch of the season and playoffs. When it becomes 3rd and 3 and shorter, we don't have it in us to get those yards on the ground. We become one dimensional and the defense can key on this. In the playoffs, yards become harder to get against better teams. And extending drives is even more important.

 

[Bobhaze]

I never understood going into the season w/ a spell back as the starter. I wanted Charbonnet in the draft, but SEA took him before we drafted in the 2nd. Not that we would've been smart enough to take him!!!

This. We had several chances to draft some good backs on Day 2 and 3 and didn’t.

 

[shabazz]

You mean like the playoff game against SF a couple seasons ago??

The penalties actually increasing from last season is worrisome.

If it was a "real" business , mangers or executives would lose their jobs by now.

Jerry doesn't follow the fundamentals of a normal business model, lol

 

[cristglo]

The pre-snap penalties drive me nuts. What’s maddening you can see it clearly as day when one of our defenders is lined up in the neutral zone; just mindless stuff:

Agree!

 

[HungryLion]

I think a lot has to do with our run scheme in general. We’re a heavy draw team and our alignments are stale. I have a feeling we are giving “tells” based on our formation given the amount of defensive penetration and TFL our run game racks up.

I will also be the foreteller as I’ve been with Jaylon, Zeke, Ferguson, and others….Biadasz is a middling NFL center. Yes, you can’t have a steak on every plate but we can definitely try to upgrade the position with a player that’s not so limited physically.

It’s the last year of his contract. Honestly I would much prefer they let him walk and draft the best center they can, early.

But idk if they’ll do that or not.

 

[aikemirv]

I know you dont want to admit this but the reality is that it is not baffling at all. When the defense knows you cant run it makes it easier for them to stop the pass with the compressed field

Get a real RB and passing windows will open

Its not baffling at all

We don't create holes anywhere on the field. It is just magnified in close. It is not the Rb, it is the line.

 

[kskboys]

We need a bigger back to hit those linemen for a while. Elliot was very effective at doing that. We needed a bigger back. Dowdle can do the job but MM refuses to run him early. Notice after Dowdle comes in for a few series Pollard all sudden starts getting yards. They are running Pollard 20+ times a game and it’s a mistake. I think it’s JJ making MM use him because he is paying him starter money. Mean while Luepke don’t get none..

I used to think this wasn't really possible. And then the signs became just too obvious. Didn't help when Jerry removed the fine on Barber for dress code violation.

 

[Tabascocat]

The Cowboys kryptonite is inside the ten, they should just try to score when they are around the 15yd line

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Our middle iso sucks. I think it is a personnel issue as others have written about already. The traps, stretches, pitches, and counters work much better.

They were running those middle isos on first down for 2 yards ad nauseum. 2nd 8. It was driving me nuts. They mixed it up better as the game went on.

 

[805BoysInBlue]

I know you dont want to admit this but the reality is that it is not baffling at all. When the defense knows you cant run it makes it easier for them to stop the pass with the compressed field

Get a real RB and passing windows will open

Its not baffling at all

Great Great Great point. We should run Dak a bit more in my opinion. Give defenses another aspect to guard!

 

[KJJ]

We had a TD called back because of a penalty. We barely got away with the penalties last night, but we won’t get away with them against better teams. Penalties that cost you points will cost you a game against a championship caliber team.

 

[JustChip]

If today’s NFL is about passing to open up the run, as more than a few on here have said, it ain’t working.

 

[glimmerman]

I used to think this wasn't really possible. And then the signs became just too obvious. Didn't help when Jerry removed the fine on Barber for dress code violation.

I kind of always thought the dress code thing was bad idea.

 

[kskboys]

I kind of always thought the dress code thing was bad idea.

I don't. Discipline, structure, integrity, those things can make or break a team. Dressing in a decent manner goes toward self respect which makes one a better teammate.

 

[kskboys]

How did Pollard get that touchdown?

You base your entire evaluation on one play?

 

[HungryLion]

Our middle iso sucks. I think it is a personnel issue as others have written about already. The traps, stretches, pitches, and counters work much better.

They were running those middle isos on first down for 2 yards ad nauseum. 2nd 8. It was driving me nuts. They mixed it up better as the game went on.

Agreed. Even TP’s touchdown run in the red zone was on a pitch.

They are much better running to the outside. With some of our OL’s ability to pull and with TP’s speed. It works well.

Would like to see the running game get pollard out on the edges more.

 

[visionary]

We don't create holes anywhere on the field. It is just magnified in close. It is not the Rb, it is the line.

Yeah, LOL, thats what fans like you said when Emmitt held out
And then suddenly the run blocking improved when he came back

 

[Proof]

Dude, we played bad teams. Now that we are back and playing good teams, these things are going to resurface. It never went away, the issue still exists and will be right in front of us for the remainder of the year.

41 points. cool

 

[Iago33]

C is a problem
To me the most important position on OL after LT is C
Biadasz is not the answer
Been asking for us to draft one last 2 years

If we had Kelce, we would be favorites in all our games.