What have we learned from the 2020 season?

[Risen Star]

That we're really talented but unlucky.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

The end of any year is a good time to reflect on what has happened and more importantly, what we may have learned. This year is certainly a year we are all ready to kiss goodbye of the nearest cliff. The 2020 Cowboys season seemed to reflect what was going on everywhere else. So good riddance 2020!

So here is a list of some reminders and lessons from 2020 from my perspective on the Cowboys 2020 season as well as how we can move forward in no particular order:

• We have have been reminded for the 25th straight year that Jerry doesn’t know what he’s doing in building a championship roster. Will he get more help? Doubtful. Hopefully he will at least listen to someone other than his children. At this point we’re probably just going to have to get lucky to be playoff relevant soon.
• We need a vision of what kind of team we are trying to build. Unless I’m just blind, this team is seemingly put together by this front office like a fantasy football team rather than a real football team with a plan. Just collecting talent like a bunch of spare parts doesn’t work.
• This team is not 1-3 players away. More like 7-10 players away from being competitive. Stop drinking the blue koolaide. This team needs a big infusion of talent that aligns with whatever plan they have or hopefully get.
• We still need to draft a DT or S with premium draft capital. I know Donovan Wilson has flashed with some good play at times this year. But don’t kid yourselves into thinking we’ve solved our safety woes. Or think we can continue to have mediocre DTs and ever be able to stop the run. Talent on defense is no different than drafting offense. Most big difference makers aren’t 5th rounders. If you want a great defense, use some premium draft picks to fix it.
  
• This FO is at a dangerous crossroads with Dak. Either sign him or commit to drafting a top first round QB as a part of a massive rebuild. They cannot keep avoiding the decision by tagging Dak again. If he’s not the guy you want to build around, then he needs to be moved. Personally, I would sign him because even if you get Lawrence or Fields, there is no guarantee they will be better than Dak. It’s a dice roll. Because of Jerry’s age, I don’t think he wants a complete 1989 style rebuild.
• High paid RBs and WRs are not the centerpiece to playoff success. I was against resigning Cooper. He’s a great receiver but he hasn’t made any real difference the last two years in winning. Yes, he has great stats but often it’s when we’re behind and have to pass. Most teams winning SBs aren’t the ones with the highest paid RBs and WRs. We can have a very good running game without the top paid RB in the NFL.
• We need to need to be prepared for life without Tyron Smith. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does a T-Fred and retires soon. He’s not going to ever be what he was. I think we need to prepare now to have a new LT, a top 3 critical position on the field.
• It’s great having post game without having to listen to Jerry’s meaningless drivel. It helps the team when the Jones boys talk less. Period.

What do you think we’ve learned from 2020?

I appreciate this post brother! Not because I agree with everything...but because it's well written and you support your position.

-Regarding Jerry and roster building, remember he is only doing one part of the job needed to be successful. The coach has to take the personnel and make it happen. Leading up into this season, a lot of people felt very good about the moves he made...the only thing that we can really complain about is he never fixed DT or safety. We certainly missed what McCoy would have brought, but he wasn't going to be the run stuffer...that was supposed to be Poe, who it turns out has just given up. Hard to blame Jerry for that. I think it is safe to argue that over the past 25 years Jerry HAS built championship caliber rosters....but we haven't had championship caliber coaching since Parcells, and that failed because Parcells left. I think had he stayed Dallas would have won a Super Bowl...or at least been in one. Garrett was over his head from day one. Phillips was just what we thought he was, a good DC that couldn't handle the whole shebang. Not sure that McCarthy is the answer either. His in game decision making has been eye opening, and not in a good way. I mean, the guy won exactly won Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers. Let that sink in, because I think Rodgers is one of the top 5 QBs to ever play the game.

-You mention needing a vision, and I think that is where you are 100% right. We keep constantly changing the target and we are always a step behind because of that. The first part is we need to make Jerry focus on one thing...in this case it should just be personnel. Talk to your Head Coach, listen to what he needs, make a plan and go do it. If player A isn't available, have a plan B. I do like that we are mainly building with the draft...but we don't have to be handcuffed to paying huge deals if the player isn't a difference maker. Jaylon Smith never should have been resigned...let someone else make that mistake and get a comp pick for him. Same with Zeke...should have made him play through his contract and then let him walk. You don't even have to draft RB's high. There are lots of good ones even in the middle rounds. The main thing is we need to decide if we are going to be QB centered or not. If you are going to be QB centered, you cannot afford to pay WR's and RB's top dollar. It just doesn't work, because then you get holes in the OL and DL. On defense, we need to figure out a D and stick with it. Teams have won with a 4-3. Teams have won with a 3-4. Teams have won with bend don't break. Teams have won with pressure. Just pick one and go with it.

-We are 7-10 players away? I really don't think so. Where we stand right now, we are pretty much set on offense. While the OL right now is not a great line, they are great depth if we can get our studs back. Martin and Collins should be back 100%. Hopefully Smith has a few good years left. But I see more depth on the OL than we have had in years. Realistically a good swing T and a legit FB and the offense could be set. On defense, we need a run stuffing DT....no news there, has only been what we have needed for a long time. We need a legit safety to pair with Wilson...Xavier Woods is disgusting back there. A high pick on a CB would be nice, and some LB depth. There are always LBs available that can be successful in the right scheme. If we could get 2-3 out of the draft...a starter and a couple solid contributors, and then a couple dependable free agents I think we can compete.

Kind of touched on most of the rest at some point in the above. It really kind of does come down to Dak....are you gonna hitch your wagon to him long term or are you going to start over? I think the start over think will take 3-4 years to get to where you could compete for championships....and at that point you may be having to start from scratch. I say sign Dak to the longest deal you can to spread out the hit, make it so we can walk in 3-4 years and try to make a run at winning now.



-

 

[Bobhaze]

I appreciate this post brother! Not because I agree with everything...but because it's well written and you support your position.

-Regarding Jerry and roster building, remember he is only doing one part of the job needed to be successful. The coach has to take the personnel and make it happen. Leading up into this season, a lot of people felt very good about the moves he made...the only thing that we can really complain about is he never fixed DT or safety. We certainly missed what McCoy would have brought, but he wasn't going to be the run stuffer...that was supposed to be Poe, who it turns out has just given up. Hard to blame Jerry for that. I think it is safe to argue that over the past 25 years Jerry HAS built championship caliber rosters....but we haven't had championship caliber coaching since Parcells, and that failed because Parcells left. I think had he stayed Dallas would have won a Super Bowl...or at least been in one. Garrett was over his head from day one. Phillips was just what we thought he was, a good DC that couldn't handle the whole shebang. Not sure that McCarthy is the answer either. His in game decision making has been eye opening, and not in a good way. I mean, the guy won exactly won Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers. Let that sink in, because I think Rodgers is one of the top 5 QBs to ever play the game.

-You mention needing a vision, and I think that is where you are 100% right. We keep constantly changing the target and we are always a step behind because of that. The first part is we need to make Jerry focus on one thing...in this case it should just be personnel. Talk to your Head Coach, listen to what he needs, make a plan and go do it. If player A isn't available, have a plan B. I do like that we are mainly building with the draft...but we don't have to be handcuffed to paying huge deals if the player isn't a difference maker. Jaylon Smith never should have been resigned...let someone else make that mistake and get a comp pick for him. Same with Zeke...should have made him play through his contract and then let him walk. You don't even have to draft RB's high. There are lots of good ones even in the middle rounds. The main thing is we need to decide if we are going to be QB centered or not. If you are going to be QB centered, you cannot afford to pay WR's and RB's top dollar. It just doesn't work, because then you get holes in the OL and DL. On defense, we need to figure out a D and stick with it. Teams have won with a 4-3. Teams have won with a 3-4. Teams have won with bend don't break. Teams have won with pressure. Just pick one and go with it.

-We are 7-10 players away? I really don't think so. Where we stand right now, we are pretty much set on offense. While the OL right now is not a great line, they are great depth if we can get our studs back. Martin and Collins should be back 100%. Hopefully Smith has a few good years left. But I see more depth on the OL than we have had in years. Realistically a good swing T and a legit FB and the offense could be set. On defense, we need a run stuffing DT....no news there, has only been what we have needed for a long time. We need a legit safety to pair with Wilson...Xavier Woods is disgusting back there. A high pick on a CB would be nice, and some LB depth. There are always LBs available that can be successful in the right scheme. If we could get 2-3 out of the draft...a starter and a couple solid contributors, and then a couple dependable free agents I think we can compete.

Kind of touched on most of the rest at some point in the above. It really kind of does come down to Dak....are you gonna hitch your wagon to him long term or are you going to start over? I think the start over think will take 3-4 years to get to where you could compete for championships....and at that point you may be having to start from scratch. I say sign Dak to the longest deal you can to spread out the hit, make it so we can walk in 3-4 years and try to make a run at winning now.



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Good stuff. Well reasoned.
The 7-10 players I’m thinking of are at these positions:

• DT- we probably (1 or 2 needed here)
• LB- LVE is very good when healthy but he’s becoming more like Sean Lee- talented but unavailable. Jaylon Smith? (We need 1-2 new LBs)
• Secondary- l like Donovan Wilson but he’s a complementary player to a better player. We are kidding ourselves if we think he is the answer at S. We need 2 CBS as well. (That makes 3 for secondary)
• OL- What happens if Ty Smith retires? Are we going to be flat footed? Joe Looney isn’t the long term answer at C. Maybe Biadz is? (We need 1-2 OL)
• K- Zuerline has been better than what we had last year, but he’s getting old and starting to get inconsistent. (Need 1)

That’s how I get to 7-10. Obviously I could be wrong, but this defense is a long way from being good as currently constituted.

 

[Bobhaze]

I don't know that I learned anything as I didn't get to see enough of the real team and when all of this started going down, I immediately adjusted my thinking for any team that went through a coaching change and I don't know what the team really looks like.

This has been like watching a favorite TV show and the cast changes each week.

However, I didn't start this season with hopes much higher than an 8-8 without all of the peripheral stuff going on around the game. I do not judge the talent of the team like some do, obviously, as I didn't see this team as a contender.

I do not look at a team's talent the way the talking head spinners do. And I ignore them because of the required Cowboys talk and scripts they must follow. That's all for show.

I looked at the talent from 2019, beginning with the worst, and compare that to 20 and saw very little, if any, improvement on the D side. Over the hill and reclamation projects to replace the 2 players that played the best in 2019.

Different day, same problems and until they seriously address the middle and back of that defense, this will continue to be an 8-8 team when healthy.

I didn't think there would be a pro bowl player on the D but I didn't think there wouldn't be any on the team so that was new. What won't be new is that excuses will be made. You will hear more injury excuses from the Joneses in a week after this season than from the Niners all off season.

In the 55+ years I have been old enough to follow sports, I have never seen nor heard an organization in pro sports be so quick to embrace excuses. Sure the injuries we had this year probably knocked us out early. But because the Jones boys are never in danger of losing their FO gigs, they are completely comfortable with throwing away whole seasons and making excuses because there’s always another year next year. Most organizations have FO people whose jobs are on the line if they don’t win something within a time frame. That changes how you see things when you don’t have an eternal contract.

 

[Motorola]

I've learned that many fans have no comprehension of what injuries do to a roster - mostly out of laziness - and would rather whine about Jerry than understand that what he built for this year was never executed specifically because of injuries.

Yes, injuries are an excuse. No, no other team is competitive with the injuries Dallas has had.

Exhibit A - San Franciso 49ers. Double-digit \ double-score lead with less than 7 minutes from being NFL Champions for 2019.
This season...the defending NFC title team has the same record as the Cowboys.

 

[maryquality]

I learned that Hunter Niswander is a good punter!!

 

[Ekspozed]

This season has more to do with covid and injuries to me.

Our prized dt mccoy injured, didnt make the team.

Qb 1 out for season
Qb 2 missed games
4 qbs started this year for us.

Top 4 corners have been hurt and/or missed games
Whole ol hurt, new rotation every week

 

[Ekspozed]

I learned that Hunter Niswander is a good punter!!

Hes been a good find, a long with some of our backul ol and shultz

 

[America's Cowboy]

That Donovan Wilson can be a dawg for this defense lol. Seriously he is showing so much improvement as a safety. More improving to do but he brings an attitude and play making ability to the position we havent seen in a while.

@Bobhaze , did you see this video on Donovan Wilson?

I'm telling you, we're good with Donovan Wilson. We don't need to replace him.

 

[Colombiacowboy]

I've learned that many fans have no comprehension of what injuries do to a roster - mostly out of laziness - and would rather whine about Jerry than understand that what he built for this year was never executed specifically because of injuries.

Yes, injuries are an excuse. No, no other team is competitive with the injuries Dallas has had.

The other team that was as effected by injuries as the Cowboys is the 49ers, and to a lesser extent, the Eagles. Look at the hot mess those teams are as well.

 

[CouchCoach]

@Bobhaze , did you see this video on Donovan Wilson?

I'm telling you, we're good with Donovan Wilson. We don't need to replace him.

That's basing an opinion off a highlight reel. There were some good plays made by Diggs and the ones with him looking into the backfield and getting beat were left off the reel.

There are two kinds of DB's. Those that make a play every now and then and those that are consistent and solid and make a play every now and then. Don't know which of these Diggs and Wilson are but that former is Lewis and Awuzie. Good until they give up the big play and then not so good. The Cowboys secondary needs consistency.

 

[Kaiser]

Good stuff. Well reasoned.
The 7-10 players I’m thinking of are at these positions:

• DT- we probably (1 or 2 needed here)
• LB- LVE is very good when healthy but he’s becoming more like Sean Lee- talented but unavailable. Jaylon Smith? (We need 1-2 new LBs)
• Secondary- l like Donovan Wilson but he’s a complementary player to a better player. We are kidding ourselves if we think he is the answer at S. We need 2 CBS as well. (That makes 3 for secondary)
• OL- What happens if Ty Smith retires? Are we going to be flat footed? Joe Looney isn’t the long term answer at C. Maybe Biadz is? (We need 1-2 OL)
• K- Zuerline has been better than what we had last year, but he’s getting old and starting to get inconsistent. (Need 1)

That’s how I get to 7-10. Obviously I could be wrong, but this defense is a long way from being good as currently constituted.

I think this year is just like 2015 where injuries killed us and we had a terrible record. They had great draft picks and went 13-3 the following year when all the offseason threads here were about how we had "the worst defense of the last 30 years".

Add in a top ten pick at CB and a couple of good picks/FAs at FS and NT and you have a completely different team. I think its a reach to say we need to replace Zeurlein and with his contract, they aren't going to.

 

[Kaiser]

I learned that Hunter Niswander is a good punter!!

I want to call him Hjunter the Pjunter but I googled it and the name is actually German. Now I have to work on The Puntwaffe or some crap like that.

 

[conner01]

are you serious? Despite injuries you still have 22 players on the field. Plenty of players to evaluate, including some key young guys in diggs, gallimore, biadsz, etc.

Diggs looked good but is out so missed very valuable snaps
Same with Biadasz
Gallimore has looked solid
Football is a team sport and while seeing individuals do a good job you don’t learn much about the team with 7-8 different lineups

 

[plasticman]

Don't ever try to take Ceedee's phone away from him.

 

[plasticman]

I've learned that the primary goal of an NFL player has changed.

The #1 goal used to be championships. Now it's all about getting that huge second contract.

Truthfully, which 8 year career would you rather have?

1. You averaged 1.5 million a year for a total of 12 million. You also started in two Super Bowls during that 8 season span.

2. You averaged 15 million a year for a total of 120 million but didn't play in a single Super Bowl

I think that when a player gets that huge second contract they become satisfied. They get complacent. They don't mean to lose intensity, I don't even think they feel it but the coaches can see it. The fans can see it.

Everybody who got a huge contract has disappointed, Zeke, La'el, Jaylon, T-Law. None have played better since signing their contract despite still being young.
.
Ironically, the only one that seems to be holding his own is Amari Cooper, the most dispensable.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I learned that the OP is fixated on Jerry Jones.

All I know is that a strong coach can get accountability from Cowboys players. Bill parcells showed it as did Jimmy Johnson.

as for building the squad we have no idea what this would have looked like at our players been healthy considering that we are missing three maybe four pro bowlers on the offense in countless other games missed across the roster.

even the defense is hard to evaluate given the lack of practice due to the covid restrictions.

I know people want answers but at a certain point we just have to say we don't know and see what happens.

 

[Eanwen]

Everybody who got a huge contract has disappointed, Zeke, La'el, Jaylon, T-Law. None have played better since signing their contract despite still being young.
.
Ironically, the only one that seems to be holding his own is Amari Cooper, the most dispensable.

I don't think it's fair to lump La'el in there. IMO he was much improved in 2019 after signing his contract. His problem is that he came in overweight this offseason and got injured. Hopefully it's not something that either is career ending or diminishes his play going forward.

edit: to add to the thread I've learned that players that played dumb under Garrett continued to play dumb with a new coaching staff. It's really depressing, but hopefully moving forward the Cowboys don't just look at talent but also football IQ.

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

So here is a list of some reminders and lessons from 2020 from my perspective on the Cowboys 2020 season as well as how we can move forward in no particular order:

I like your entire list. I'll touch on a three....

• This team is not 1-3 players away. More like 7-10 players away from being competitive.

Agreed. I've felt this way for years. This is why I was never as negative about Garrett as some others. It was a flawed roster under the last coach, and is a flawed roster now.

• We still need to draft a DT or S with premium draft capital.

Defense is the biggest problem. I'm all for investing in the line & DT. I wouldn't use a premium draft pick on a safety though, not when we have big needs on the defensive line, offensive line, LB & CB.

• High paid RBs and WRs are not the centerpiece to playoff success.

This is so true. The GM has horribly allocated resources in this regard. JJ likes shiny objects though.

 

[buybuydandavis]

• We need a vision of what kind of team we are trying to build. Unless I’m just blind, this team is seemingly put together by this front office like a fantasy football team rather than a real football team with a plan. Just collecting talent like a bunch of spare parts doesn’t work.

The only guy in management who might have a football philosophy is McClay. But I'm not seeing it. So the coaches give their input as they come and go.

Diggs, Hill, LVE, Taco, Jaylon. Our top defensive picks for the last 5 years.

Diggs was ok for a rookie. Other than that, all busts going on this year. That'll gut your team.