We are compromised

[DandyDon52]

Dak, Garrett, and Linehan are catching a ton of flack— and a lot of it is earned. They all have their issues. But underneath all of it is a frustrating truth that is staring us in the face and has undermined this season:

The OL has failed to deliver this year.

Frederick being on IR is just a huge loss, and we have in essence replaced an elite player with an adequate player at the most critical position on OL.

Due to injuries— neither Tyron nor Zack are playing elite football. Their injuries have diminished their effectiveness over the stretch.

Connor lacks the bulk and strength at this point to be effective. Sua Filo is an above average backup that has limitations. Same with Fleming.

The bottom line is we want and expect 2016 offensive production— but we just don’t have the same horses and production from the OL that we had that year.

We are barely scraping by at this point— and Dak's inability to handle pressure well, make quick throws, or improvise and gunsling further hamstring this offense.

Throw in uncreative, predictable playcalling and you get the cluster-cuss we are witnessing at times this year.

It is frustrating but the bottom line is this: what we are trotting out at OL right now is compromising the entire offense. It hurts us the most with inefficiency in the red zone and bad penalties.

Anyway— IMO, had we had a healthy OL this year, a lot of our issues on offense would not be as pronounced as they have been.

Ok I agree, but this is where coaching comes in, and instead of just calling plays as usual or play design, a coach needs to see
the weakness and work around it.
Dak with a time limit would help on pass protection, and on run plays, what I see is bad blocking schemes.
on the 4th down play where elliot was tackled behind the los in indy game, looney blocked to his left, the way the run was going, but
that left a gap for the guy who tackled E to come in free. That is just flawed blocking scheme.
I see that on a lot of plays, and not just dallas.

 

[LovinItAll]

Rodgers would light it up behind this OL and run game support.

Aaron Rodgers? Lol...is that a joke?

 

[Diehardblues]

You seem awfully hung up on where people rank things. To answer 2 of your ranking questions. The O-line has been average at best. To many announcers talk about this line but are still giving kudos thinking about the 2016 line which it's not. Smith has started to turn into a holding machine. Was it the colts game he had THREE holding penalties and then 2 more against the bucs. Now I understand he's been playing hurt but that still doesn't erase the holding calls. We keep hearing that with the off season Williams will be able to bulk up and get some more strength which tells me that he's not gig and strong enough to be a starting lineman in the NFL. Looney has filled in pretty good most of the time but he's not Frederick. Martin also has been playing hurt which leads us to the line being average at best.

Now Prescott. He had a great rookie season that set his bar high but unfortunately for him that great line he had as a rookie was never the same which also affected the running game which that has had an impact and puts more pressure on Prescott. Yes there have been times when he's hung on to the ball to long and has taken sacks but there are 2 points to be made about that. First, rather than trying to shoot it into tight windows he has hung on to the ball waiting and hoping a receiver will uncover. I'd rather he do that then throw the ball into tight spots and run a much higher risk of it betting picked off. Second, as what was pointed out by one of the former coaches that now is on TV said that all to often there's been a big push up the middle and the defensive ends have been playing as to not be pushed past Prescott leaving no escape route to scramble from. Defenses have been doing a good job of keeping Prescott in the pocket that eventually collapses, often so quick he has little or no time to go through his reads. Do mostly because of the line I rate Prescott as average but believe he has the tools and talent to be a good QB. Here when the discussion turns to Prescott the names Brady, Rodgers and Brees come up as who Prescott is not but they also don't say that those QB's have how many years of experience and Prescott is in just his 3rd season. Yes those QB's are much more accurate than Prescott but that's something that can be worked on and getting a line like 2016's line would work wonders.
.

Do you see Dak making progress with his accuracy? And I’m not talking about the short yardage dump offs.

QB’s who “ are much more accurate” usually have it from the onset elevating those around them needing less surrounding talent.

Why are we so defensive and sensitive about credible criticism? If Dak has some weaknesses call it as we see it much like we do his strengths.

And here’s some other names for you. Do you think younger QB’s than Dak like Baker, Mahommes and Goff need more time for downfield accuracy? Lol

 

[Diehardblues]

Aaron Rodgers? Lol...is that a joke?

What do you think?

 

[Diehardblues]

And who do you blame for that? Id put no more then 10% the rest i blame that moron linehan, im pretty sure 90 % of his 5 page playbook are all pocket style passes... he is misusing Daks strengths, or plain ignoring them in an attempt to make Prescott into something we all know he is not...a pocket passer

Did you ever consider that Daks weaknesses limit the passing offense and playcalling?

I’m not sure how you compute your percentages of blame but they appear purely speculative.

 

[gjkoeppen]

Do you see Dak making progress with his accuracy? And I’m not talking about the short yardage dump offs.

QB’s who “ are much more accurate” usually have it from the onset elevating those around them needing less surrounding talent.

Why are we so defensive and sensitive about credible criticism? If Dak has some weaknesses call it as we see it much like we do his strengths.

And here’s some other names for you. Do you think younger QB’s than Dak like Baker, Mahommes and Goff need more time for downfield accuracy? Lol

You make it sound like the good QB's never had to work on some aspect of their game, when ALL QB's have something they had to work on. I've admitted that Prescott has some things to work on but I've also said that the decline from the 2016 line has also affected his progression. One of Prescott's strengths is his short memory when it comes to a bad play as was evident with what he's been doing in the 4th quarter. All to often here what you call "credible criticism" is nothing more than whining. As I've said many times now, EVERY thread sooner before later turns into lets bash or whine about Prescott. There are 2 sure things here. Every thread turns into bashing Prescott and Garrett.
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[Diehardblues]

You make it sound like the good QB's never had to work on some aspect of their game, when ALL QB's have something they had to work on. I've admitted that Prescott has some things to work on but I've also said that the decline from the 2016 line has also affected his progression. One of Prescott's strengths is his short memory when it comes to a bad play as was evident with what he's been doing in the 4th quarter. All to often here what you call "credible criticism" is nothing more than whining. As I've said many times now, EVERY thread sooner before later turns into lets bash or whine about Prescott. There are 2 sure things here. Every thread turns into bashing Prescott and Garrett.
.

I get it.

For example , who are some other young up and coming QB’s who you’d say just need more time to develop their accuracy , etc that continues being said about Dak ?

I tend to lean it’s more like Aikman says; you either have it or you don’t.

Now what we can do is surround him trying to elevate his play ( like Cooper has done)but if we’re expecting Dak to develop into some kind of prolific passer, we need to put the bong and blinders down!!

 

[gjkoeppen]

Did you ever consider that Daks weaknesses limit the passing offense and playcalling?

I’m not sure how you compute your percentages of blame but they appear purely speculative.

Gee isn't it funny, not haha funny, that the QB you get such great pleasure whining about was the NFL offensive rookie of the year. To listen to you with what you perceive to be all his weaknesses it would have been impossible for him to have won that honor. Yes Elliott helped out with that but don't you think those that voted for him also realized that too but still gave Prescott the nod?
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[gjkoeppen]

I get it.

For example , who are some other young up and coming QB’s who you’d say just need more time to develop their accuracy , etc that continues being said about Dak ?

I tend to lean it’s more like Aikman says; you either have it or you don’t.

Now what we can do is surround him trying to elevate his play ( like Cooper has done)but if we’re expecting Dak to develop into some kind of prolific passer, we need to put the bong and blinders down!!

You are so hung up on accuracy that it's all you're thinking and also misreading.. Now I know you missed it but I dd say other QB's have ASPECTS to their game. I did not say they ALL had accuracy problems. I'll give you 2 examples of QB's who had accuracy problems when they came into the league and are you ready for this, they're both in the HOF. Bradshaw has admitted several times on the pregame show how he wasn't very accurate when he came into the league but he got much better. Then our very own Aikman in his first 3 seasons has 36 TD's and THIRTY picks and we all know he turned into a very accurate passer. So get off your gee an NFL QB can't improve his accuracy BS.
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[Diehardblues]

You are so hung up on accuracy that it's all you're thinking and also misreading.. Now I know you missed it but I dd say other QB's have ASPECTS to their game. I did not say they ALL had accuracy problems. I'll give you 2 examples of QB's who had accuracy problems when they came into the league and are you ready for this, they're both in the HOF. Bradshaw has admitted several times on the pregame show how he wasn't very accurate when he came into the league but he got much better. Then our very own Aikman in his first 3 seasons has 36 TD's and THIRTY picks and we all know he turned into a very accurate passer. So get off your gee an NFL QB can't improve his accuracy BS.
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Aikman and Bradshaw didn’t have good teams around them when they first came into the league. Dak does.

Curious when you think Daks passing ability is going to improve? And how certain are you it will improve ?

 

[silvrNblue]

Did you ever consider that Daks weaknesses limit the passing offense and playcalling?

I’m not sure how you compute your percentages of blame but they appear purely speculative.

call it what you want to, didn't seem to be an issue with Dak YEAR 1 NOW DID IT?

 

[silvrNblue]

Aikman and Bradshaw didn’t have good teams around them when they first came into the league. Dak does.

Curious when you think Daks passing ability is going to improve? And how certain are you it will improve ?

Uhh he does?????? Could have fooled me what with the lack of any pass blocking for the most part, and the ENDLESS holding calls off our so called # 1 RT Smith... naw man, your wrong, he has a RUNNING game, and even THAT is questionable given the shotty half assed blocking this supposed great O-line has done.

 

[GMO415]

Damn....another Chicken Little thread.

 

[Diehardblues]

Uhh he does?????? Could have fooled me what with the lack of any pass blocking for the most part, and the ENDLESS holding calls off our so called # 1 RT Smith... naw man, your wrong, he has a RUNNING game, and even THAT is questionable given the shotty half assed blocking this supposed great O-line has done.

Whatever lol

He has an All Pro OL where 2 were voted in again, a WR1 and league leading running back. If we had QB even close to the talent of our elite RB and WR we’d be a Super Bowl contender with our top 5 defense.

If you don’t believe that then do whatever you do. Lol

 

[gjkoeppen]

Aikman and Bradshaw didn’t have good teams around them when they first came into the league. Dak does.

Curious when you think Daks passing ability is going to improve? And how certain are you it will improve ?

All you've done is show that you're just a Prescott hater. Lets look at what you claim those QB's didn't have. Bradshaw had a HOF running back Franco Harris and HOF receiver Lynn Swan. Aikman had HOF and the NFL all time leading rusher Emmitt Smith and HOF receiver Micheal Irvin and lets not forget he had Jay Novacek starting his 2nd season. Both QB's had average O-lines the first few years. But both QB's vastly improved their passing accuracy after their first few seasons.

Prescott had a great line his rookie year and was also the NFL offensive rookie of the year. He has also had Elliot since his rookie year but now lets look at what he had for receivers and O-line his 2nd and 3rd years. He had Bryant who LEAD THE LEAGUE in DROPS his 2nd year along with Beasley having more drops than he had the previous 2 season combined. His O-line had a 40% change to it and Smith missed some games so then it was a 60% change from the great 2016 line. Also don't forget Elliott was lost for 6 games. We both know that Bryant was cut after the 2017 season and wasn't signed until week 9 when the saints were hard pressed for receivers due to injuries and then Bryant got injured on his first practice and hasn't played a down this year. This year again Prescott had only 40% of the 2016 line and no real #1 receiver until late when the Cowboys got Cooper on the trading deadline. So tell us again about how Prescott had better players around him than what Aikman and Bradshaw had.

I think Prescott's accuracy can improve simply because he has hit enough of his passes to show he can do it and could do it on a more regular basis with work in the off season. Again both Aikman and Bradshaw were not accurate passers when they came into the league but with work both became very accurate passers. If you weren't such a Prescott hater you just might see that.
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[gjkoeppen]

Uhh he does?????? Could have fooled me what with the lack of any pass blocking for the most part, and the ENDLESS holding calls off our so called # 1 RT Smith... naw man, your wrong, he has a RUNNING game, and even THAT is questionable given the shotty half assed blocking this supposed great O-line has done.

I agree with what you said but Smith is #1 LT not RT.
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[JoeKing]

We are not compromised. We are blessed!

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I'm sorry but if losing your Center is the worst injury you have and you can't adjust, then your coaching staff sucks.

It's not a coincidence that the OL improved when Frederick was drafted. Other than LT, center is the most important piece on the OL. All these blitzes that we can't seem to pick up go away with Frederick playing, over 50 sacks go away with Frederick playing.

 

[Diehardblues]

All you've done is show that you're just a Prescott hater. Lets look at what you claim those QB's didn't have. Bradshaw had a HOF running back Franco Harris and HOF receiver Lynn Swan. Aikman had HOF and the NFL all time leading rusher Emmitt Smith and HOF receiver Micheal Irvin and lets not forget he had Jay Novacek starting his 2nd season. Both QB's had average O-lines the first few years. But both QB's vastly improved their passing accuracy after their first few seasons.

Prescott had a great line his rookie year and was also the NFL offensive rookie of the year. He has also had Elliot since his rookie year but now lets look at what he had for receivers and O-line his 2nd and 3rd years. He had Bryant who LEAD THE LEAGUE in DROPS his 2nd year along with Beasley having more drops than he had the previous 2 season combined. His O-line had a 40% change to it and Smith missed some games so then it was a 60% change from the great 2016 line. Also don't forget Elliott was lost for 6 games. We both know that Bryant was cut after the 2017 season and wasn't signed until week 9 when the saints were hard pressed for receivers due to injuries and then Bryant got injured on his first practice and hasn't played a down this year. This year again Prescott had only 40% of the 2016 line and no real #1 receiver until late when the Cowboys got Cooper on the trading deadline. So tell us again about how Prescott had better players around him than what Aikman and Bradshaw had.

I think Prescott's accuracy can improve simply because he has hit enough of his passes to show he can do it and could do it on a more regular basis with work in the off season. Again both Aikman and Bradshaw were not accurate passers when they came into the league but with work both became very accurate passers. If you weren't such a Prescott hater you just might see that.
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I don’t guess you recall Aikmans first couple years?

I’m a critic of Daks NFL caliber passing ability. Not sure why you kids call it a “ hater”. I critique and applaud everyone based on merit, ability and talent level.

Dak is a winner, leader and has game savy skills but he’s a below average NFL caliber passing QB needing more elite talent around him. Take off the blinders and stop slobbering over him just because he’s our QB. We’re all rooting for him but that doesn’t omit criticism.

 

[gjkoeppen]

I don’t guess you recall Aikmans first couple years?

I’m a critic of Daks NFL caliber passing ability. Not sure why you kids call it a “ hater”. I critique and applaud everyone based on merit, ability and talent level.

Dak is a winner, leader and has game savy skills but he’s a below average NFL caliber passing QB needing more elite talent around him. Take off the blinders and stop slobbering over him just because he’s our QB. We’re all rooting for him but that doesn’t omit criticism.

I'm the one that pointed out to you Aikman's first 3 years. Again both Aikman and Bradshaw were not very accurate passers when they came into the league. Both worked very hard and both became very accurate passers. Again you need to take your blinders off and see what Prescott could do with some hard off season work. I also not slobbering all over Prescott because he's the Cowboys QB. The Cowboys have had a few QB's that I thought were terrible but the huge difference is I didn't spend every day just repeating the same whine about them.
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