We are stuck in purgatory at this point with Dak

[CowboyRoy]

Dak had two more INT's dropped including a pick six.

How's it feel being a pair of brown shoes in a world of tuxedos?

Did you cry when Dak threw for 300 yards and 5 TD's against the Bucs?

Whats it like to hide under a rock until the team losses?

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

Our defense dropped 3 INT opportunities. Are we now counting INTs that never happened?

The defense played well, you can't lay any of this on them.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Disagree, as I am sure you expected.

We are not in purgatory contract wise. We will renegotiate and convert money this offseason and free up as much as they want to.

I believe they will also be aggressive this year to add a difference maker or two.

There are so many things we can do to improve our team to get us over the hump, we just have to do them. Here are a few reasons why we are not a finished product:

1. We are a young team and now that youth has a bunch of playoff experience. That matters but it also points to internal progression. This isn't the Rams who mortgaged their future to get a title. Sure they got it but at what cost? This is why we were able to jettison underperformers and actually get better last year. This is the philosophy of the team.

2. Cut Zeke. Love the guy but he is like a weight around our neck, particularly late in the season. The profound negative impact of 2 yards and a cloud of dust or fielding a pass and falling down cannot be underestimated. Put in a young stud RB with this line and we are going to be that much more dangerous and Dak that much more effective.

3. Need more playmakers on offense. This is obvious to me. Been saying it for a few years now. We don't scare anyone. Need to add playmaking threats to our offense.

4. Kellen Moore has to go. Sorry, he has had some success but this has run its course. It is time for a new offensive philosophy. My personal favorite is to have McCarthy implement his proven west coast offense and have one of his guys run the offense ala KC.

5. Finally grabbing a DT or two that can make a real difference. Heard Will McClay say on Brad Sham's show yesterday he would love to sign Daron Payne. Was surprised to hear him say that but he also couched it with "if it works financially" lol


As i said, I think this is the year we open the purse a little and try and get this team over the SF hump.

Cut Zeke - agreed. He'll be the second-highest RB cap hit in the league next year. But then what?

After we take that cap hit where's the money coming from to fill all those other needs? What about TE? How are we going to sign him if these other areas need to be addressed?

Then there's the mental aspect of the team. I think there's going to be a hangover next year and make no mistake, Dak is going to hear it early and often because the fan base has turned on him. Is he mentally strong enough to overcome that?

Finally, we are the second-best team in the Division and far behind the 49es which means we will always be going on the road for playoff games and we know how that's been going.

Making lists of things we need is fun and fine. Actually finding a way to do it is a lot harder.

 

[Sydla]

The defense played well, you can't lay any of this on them.

He's already done it, multiple times.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

He also doesn't see wide open recievers that aren't on his first read.

On that deep underthrow to CeeDee TY Hilton was wide open on the other side.

 

[CTcowboy203]

Anyone dissatisfied with Dak Prescott should begin considering the possibility of Jerry Jones retaining him AFTER his current contract expires. The hardest thing for some fans to accept is that their way of thinking is not necessary that of a team's front office. And in this case, Jerry Jones' mindset is often the polar opposite of fans'.

They should get ready for the extension coming so they can kick the can down the road and free up cap space this offseason

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

He's already done it, multiple times.

Yes, and this comes down to our QB could not take advantage of a bad pass Defense.

 

[Ken]

Cut Zeke - agreed. He'll be the second-highest RB cap hit in the league next year. But then what?

After we take that cap hit where's the money coming from to fill all those other needs? What about TE? How are we going to sign him if these other areas need to be addressed?

Then there's the mental aspect of the team. I think there's going to be a hangover next year and make no mistake, Dak is going to hear it early and often because the fan base has turned on him. Is he mentally strong enough to overcome that?

Finally, we are the second-best team in the Division which means we will always be going on the road for playoff games and we know how that's been going.

Making lists of things we need is fun and fine. Actually finding a way to do it is a lot harder.

Assuming the Eagles are going to stay 14 win good is not realistic.

They will play a first place schedule next year and have 8 of 11 defensive players as FAs.

We will stay this good. More likely we will get better.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I don't get people who say the Jones aren't committed to winning above all else. They clearly are trying to build a winner, but they keep screwing up the negotiations and we get saddled with these terrible contracts. I can't remember the last contract that I felt was a good deal for the team. Maybe Tyron?

They're committed to being competitive in the NFCE and getting into the playoffs. They don't care much about championships anymore. As long as the media talks about them good or bad they'll be fine.

 

[Ken]

On that deep underthrow to CeeDee TY Hilton was wide open on the other side.

Wasn't an underthrow....it was actually a well placed pass...LB made a hell of a play covering on that. If that was a normal LB and not an all pro it was a TD.

I am sure you will disagree.

 

[Ken]

Yes, and this comes down to our QB could not take advantage of a bad pass Defense.

What bad pass defense???

 

[Sydla]

I wasn't saying Dak was young. I was saying our team will continue to get better around him.

I also have made the case that QBs actually do get better the longer they are in the position. It is a mastery phase that they get into and not just relying on their raw ability. Dak is in that phase and we have seen it at the highest level (Tampa/Philly) and we have seen it at the lowest (SF). Unlike most on here, I don't just throw it in the "he sucks" category but say, how can we get him over this hump?

This isn't any different than Philly in the early 90s. Aikman was getting his head handed to him by that defense until they finally we (not even Aikman, Buerlein) overcame them in late in the 91 season.

This is similar. 49ers are no joke, as Hurts and Philly will find out this week. I am so impressed with that team's construction, it is how I would ideally build a team if I could. Bunch of bad a's

On the "kicking the can down the road" slant that you have on this...I view it differently and so do the Cowboys. This is the plan and has always been the plan. You can win a Super Bowl with Dak, we just haven't done it yet. Short of an injury or a Wentz like fall from grace, this is the best approach to this player and contract.

There are so many issues with this analysis though. When we broke through in the 90s, it was an uncapped league. We just loaded up a roster without worrying about the draft capital or cost involved. It's not like that anymore. You can't just pay your QB a crap ton and then turn around and sign a bunch of elite WRs and TEs to contracts to help the QB.

When you are paying a QB what we are paying Dak, the expectation is typically that kind of top level QB has to make the team better not then have to surround your top paid QB with so much talent it can overcome his flaws.

I don't deny that the plan has always been to largely keep restructuring Dak. But that plan was put in place two years ago and I bet they expected more results than they have gotten to date. The dynamics have now shifted a bit. And frankly, just saying well the Cowboys always planned for this doesn't give me a ton of faith considering they aren't the best at these things. I mean you want to send Zeke packing because of his play and contract and yet 3 years ago they used basically the same logic you are trying to praise them for now.

I don't think you can win a SB with Dak at this point. He's not shown enough consistency to think that he can win 3-4 games in a row against top level competition in January. There was a time I thought he could but now, after watching him the last couple of seasons, I just don't think he's capable.

 

[CowboyFrog]

What bad pass defense???

They look at the ESPN stats and dont really understand them, opponents had the highest pass play% against the niners D, probably because they were behind and couldnt run on them.. the 3 stats that matter they were #1 scoring Defens, #11 in YPP with the most pass plays on them, #3 in INT ratio.. so yes teams threw on them but didnt score and didnt get chunck plays and threw a lot of int's.. its all in what you understand..BUT yeah thier run defense is better than thier pass defense in yardage..lol

 

[cnuball21]

Cut Zeke - agreed. He'll be the second-highest RB cap hit in the league next year. But then what?

After we take that cap hit where's the money coming from to fill all those other needs? What about TE? How are we going to sign him if these other areas need to be addressed?

Then there's the mental aspect of the team. I think there's going to be a hangover next year and make no mistake, Dak is going to hear it early and often because the fan base has turned on him. Is he mentally strong enough to overcome that?

Finally, we are the second-best team in the Division and far behind the 49es which means we will always be going on the road for playoff games and we know how that's been going.

Making lists of things we need is fun and fine. Actually finding a way to do it is a lot harder.

You save about 20+ million in cutting Zeke and letting Schultz walk I believe. Roll with Fergy / Hendershot and add a TE in this class (which is loaded).

Dak can restructure, and potentially a few others.

I’m no expert on the cap by any means but if the FO wants to spend they can spend.

 

[G2]

The defense played well, you can't lay any of this on them.

Oh yes you can. That's a statement I've been hearing, but after watching the game again it's clear. The whiffed on opportunities.

 

[Ken]

There are so many issues with this analysis though. When we broke through in the 90s, it was an uncapped league. We just loaded up a roster without worrying about the draft capital or cost involved. It's not like that anymore. You can't just pay your QB a crap ton and then turn around and sign a bunch of elite WRs and TEs to contracts to help the QB.

When you are paying a QB what we are paying Dak, the expectation is typically that kind of top level QB has to make the team better not then have to surround your top paid QB with so much talent it can overcome his flaws.

I don't deny that the plan has always been to largely keep restructuring Dak. But that plan was put in place two years ago and I bet they expected more results than they have gotten to date. The dynamics have now shifted a bit. And frankly, just saying well the Cowboys always planned for this doesn't give me a ton of faith considering they aren't the best at these things. I mean you want to send Zeke packing because of his play and contract and yet 3 years ago they used basically the same logic you are trying to praise them for now.

I don't think you can win a SB with Dak at this point. He's not shown enough consistency to think that he can win 3-4 games in a row against top level competition in January. There was a time I thought he could but now, after watching him the last couple of seasons, I just don't think he's capable.

SF is the issue. We can blame Dak all we want but they are the problem. The game he had vs them doesn't happen against any other team in the playoffs from the NFC, IMO.

We have to figure out how to get around them. That is continuing to strengthen our defense, improving our running game/offensive line, adding another playmaker to the O and getting a new offensive system.

Those things are absolutely enough to win a super bowl with dak, IMO.

The 49ers and the Eagles do not have a stud QB, contrary to the popular opinion on Hurts all of the sudden lol. He is a good player but they surrounded him with talent. We don't need to go to that extent but we need another wr who can get open. This isn't unreasonable. We need a RB that defenses actually have to account for when Pollard isn't in the game.

 

[G2]

He's already done it, multiple times.

Because I'm correct and you take issue with everyone you consider "stupid" that doesn't align with your one-sided, lazy analysis.

Anyone who suggests that "We lost because of Dak" has a strange emotional hang up that ignores the reality of a team sport. Those are your words. "All because of Dak."
The only culprit. That's sounds awfully emotional and ignorant. Nothing personal, but you don't even try to have a decent convo.
I'll let you continue to badmouth only Dak and some fans here, because it's kind of maniacal.

 

[G2]

SF is the issue. We can blame Dak all we want but they are the problem. The game he had vs them doesn't happen against any other team in the playoffs from the NFC, IMO.

We have to figure out how to get around them. That is continuing to strengthen our defense, improving our running game/offensive line, adding another playmaker to the O and getting a new offensive system.

Those things are absolutely enough to win a super bowl with dak, IMO.

The 49ers and the Eagles do not have a stud QB, contrary to the popular opinion on Hurts all of the sudden lol. He is a good player but they surrounded him with talent. We don't need to go to that extent but we need another wr who can get open. This isn't unreasonable. We need a RB that defenses actually have to account for when Pollard isn't in the game.

Stopping the run and being able to run is something that has been grossly ignored in Dallas. On top of Daks mistakes etc.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

What bad pass defense???

Pretty sure Niner pass D is ranked like 27th.

 

[Sydla]

SF is the issue. We can blame Dak all we want but they are the problem. The game he had vs them doesn't happen against any other team in the playoffs from the NFC, IMO.

We have to figure out how to get around them. That is continuing to strengthen our defense, improving our running game/offensive line, adding another playmaker to the O and getting a new offensive system.

Those things are absolutely enough to win a super bowl with dak, IMO.

The 49ers and the Eagles do not have a stud QB, contrary to the popular opinion on Hurts all of the sudden lol. He is a good player but they surrounded him with talent. We don't need to go to that extent but we need another wr who can get open. This isn't unreasonable. We need a RB that defenses actually have to account for when Pollard isn't in the game.

Based on what? He was horrid against the Commanders. He was mediocre against the Titans. Sure he was great against the Eagles and Bucs. But that run would seem to indicate you really don't know what Dak you are getting week to week. So the only basis for you to say that he basically plays well against anyone else in the posteason seems more based on your feels than reality and actual evidence.

If Dak doesn't suck on Sunday, guess what? We probably "get around" San Fran and are focusing on Philly. QB play was the single largest and biggest factor we lost on Sunday. Trying to argue that the 49ers are some insurmountable hill to climb that we have to figure out just ignores the reality of the situation. That our QB screwed us on Sunday.