CFZ What if the core of this team just isn't that great?

[Reverend Conehead]

One of the hard parts of losing in the manner the Cowboys did Sunday is the very real possibility that what was considered the strong core of this team is probably incapable (as currently constituted) to compete seriously for a championship. And the evidence is clear- they can’t win big playoff games against the best teams in the league. That’s not an opinion. That’s based on this team’s playoff record WITH this core.

What is the core of this team? It‘s the guys this FO believes are the best players we have. The guys we would never trade or cut because of their value to the team. Here is that core:

• Dak Prescott (8 yr vet- 2-5 playoff record)
• Micah Parsons (3 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Cedee Lamb (4 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Zack Martin (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyron Smith (14 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• DeMarcus Law (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyler Smith (2 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Trevon Diggs (5 yr vet)

So having all these talented players on this roster, some of which are very highly paid or are about to get bigger paydays, has amounted to 3 total playoff wins over the last 14 seasons? That’s it? These “must have” guys are so valuable as a core, we have won 3 wild card playoff games with them? With two different HCs and multiple different coordinators in some cases.

Many fans here won’t like this…but there’s a very good chance that the core of this roster- the centerpiece of talent for this team - is vastly overrated. OR…we have a front office that is incapable of finding a coaching staff that can motivate and shape this core into playoff winners. It actually could be both.

This organization will NOT look in the mirror and ask the tough question: What if the core of our team isn’t that great?

In the Green Bay game, they looked poorly prepared to me. No matter how talented a player is, they'll look bad if they're not well prepared. It reminds me of the 1989 team that had the worst record in team history other than the very first season in 1960. Recently, I watched a bunch of the 1989 games on Youtube, and what struck me is that they already had a lot of the talented players who would go on to win the Super Bowl. Plus they had a few holdovers from the Landry Super Bowl years. In short, the '89 team did have talent, but they hadn't gotten their system gelled together yet, and they did still have holes. They didn't have Emmitt yet, but they had Aikman, Irvin, Kelvin Martin, Ken Norton, Bill Bates and probably some others I can't think of right now.
...
Fast forward to 2023/24. Do they have talented players? Absolutely. Are they well-prepared for games? Sometimes, but other times they look clueless out there, like they did in the Green Bay game and in the Cardinals one. In the San Fran game, they simply looked outmatched. The 49ers are certainly a much more-talented team, but I don't think the same is true of the Cardinals or the Packers.

 

[kskboys]

Let's do process of elimination... can't be the quarterbacks. We've had 2 different versions. same results. Can't be the coaching. Happens no matter who coaches. Maybe as my fellow Cowboy fan would say " maybe it's who we hire"...to lead us into the playoffs. Trend here??? The bread crumbs always leads back to Jerry.

Yup. Jerry is absolutely awful at both player and team evaluation.

We went into the season w/ a guy who can't stay healthy at MLB, a backup at OLB, and no other LB's on the roster apart from Parsons who is playing out of position. Which is even more detrimental than you'd think, as he's not learning to play MLB where he should be. And no FS. We have a pile of SS's running around.

Think about this. We have 4 SS's on the field for the majority of snaps. 4. How does that even make sense?

Is that on Quinn or Jerry? Since Jerry is responsible for his hire, doesn't matter, it's on Jerry.

 

[kskboys]

In the Green Bay game, they looked poorly prepared to me. No matter how talented a player is, they'll look bad if they're not well prepared. It reminds me of the 1989 team that had the worst record in team history other than the very first season in 1960. Recently, I watched a bunch of the 1989 games on Youtube, and what struck me is that they already had a lot of the talented players who would go on to win the Super Bowl. Plus they had a few holdovers from the Landry Super Bowl years. In short, the '89 team did have talent, but they hadn't gotten their system gelled together yet, and they did still have holes. They didn't have Emmitt yet, but they had Aikman, Irvin, Kelvin Martin, Ken Norton, Bill Bates and probably some others I can't think of right now.
...
Fast forward to 2023/24. Do they have talented players? Absolutely. Are they well-prepared for games. Sometimes, but other times they look clueless out there, like they did in the Green Bay game and in the Cardinals one. In the San Fran game, they simply looked outmatched. The 49ers are certainly a much better team, but I don't think the same is true of the Cardinals or the Packers.

4 SS's on the field for most of the game, and you're thinking it's preparation issues? Nope.

 

[IceStar-D7]

Yup. Jerry is absolutely awful at both player and team evaluation.

We went into the season w/ a guy who can't stay healthy at MLB, a backup at OLB, and no other LB's on the roster apart from Parsons who is playing out of position. Which is even more detrimental than you'd think, as he's not learning to play MLB where he should be. And no FS. We have a pile of SS's running around.

Think about this. We have 4 SS's on the field for the majority of snaps. 4. How does that even make sense?

Is that on Quinn or Jerry? Since Jerry is responsible for his hire, doesn't matter, it's on Jerry.

Don't forget a LT that's old and can't stay healthy.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

4 SS's on the field for most of the game, and you're thinking it's preparation issues? Nope.

They didn't look like they had a clue on how to play a zone defense in a modern NFL game. Quinn probably should have gone with man-to-man, but any team should be skilled at playing either.

 

[Chasing6]

I think Jerry has a distorted way of thinking about building a SB team. We had lots of stars on our 90's teams. However, we were very well balanced on all 3 phases of the game.

Do we have stars yes, but we have zero balance. Can you win games with stars yes, but very difficult to win in the playoffs without balance.

A good Defense takes away an opponent's strength and forces you to beat them another way.

A good offense has the ability to take what the defense is giving them.

On defense and offense we are very predictable. So it is not hard for good teams that are well coached to create problems for us.

 

[Toro9]

One of the hard parts of losing in the manner the Cowboys did Sunday is the very real possibility that what was considered the strong core of this team is probably incapable (as currently constituted) to compete seriously for a championship. And the evidence is clear- they can’t win big playoff games against the best teams in the league. That’s not an opinion. That’s based on this team’s playoff record WITH this core.

What is the core of this team? It‘s the guys this FO believes are the best players we have. The guys we would never trade or cut because of their value to the team. Here is that core:

• Dak Prescott (8 yr vet- 2-5 playoff record)
• Micah Parsons (3 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Cedee Lamb (4 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Zack Martin (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyron Smith (14 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• DeMarcus Law (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyler Smith (2 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Trevon Diggs (5 yr vet)

So having all these talented players on this roster, some of which are very highly paid or are about to get bigger paydays, has amounted to 3 total playoff wins over the last 14 seasons? That’s it? These “must have” guys are so valuable as a core, we have won 3 wild card playoff games with them? With two different HCs and multiple different coordinators in some cases.

Many fans here won’t like this…but there’s a very good chance that the core of this roster- the centerpiece of talent for this team - is vastly overrated. OR…we have a front office that is incapable of finding a coaching staff that can motivate and shape this core into playoff winners. It actually could be both.

This organization will NOT look in the mirror and ask the tough question: What if the core of our team isn’t that great?

I know this is a new era but you still have to be able to run and stop the run.

 

[Chasing6]

One of the hard parts of losing in the manner the Cowboys did Sunday is the very real possibility that what was considered the strong core of this team is probably incapable (as currently constituted) to compete seriously for a championship. And the evidence is clear- they can’t win big playoff games against the best teams in the league. That’s not an opinion. That’s based on this team’s playoff record WITH this core.

What is the core of this team? It‘s the guys this FO believes are the best players we have. The guys we would never trade or cut because of their value to the team. Here is that core:

• Dak Prescott (8 yr vet- 2-5 playoff record)
• Micah Parsons (3 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Cedee Lamb (4 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Zack Martin (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyron Smith (14 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• DeMarcus Law (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyler Smith (2 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Trevon Diggs (5 yr vet)

So having all these talented players on this roster, some of which are very highly paid or are about to get bigger paydays, has amounted to 3 total playoff wins over the last 14 seasons? That’s it? These “must have” guys are so valuable as a core, we have won 3 wild card playoff games with them? With two different HCs and multiple different coordinators in some cases.

Many fans here won’t like this…but there’s a very good chance that the core of this roster- the centerpiece of talent for this team - is vastly overrated. OR…we have a front office that is incapable of finding a coaching staff that can motivate and shape this core into playoff winners. It actually could be both.

This organization will NOT look in the mirror and ask the tough question: What if the core of our team isn’t that great?

Resource allocation. Real GM looks at the salary cap and decides how to spend the money. Lets say just for example.

45% Defense -

45% offense -

10% Special Teams

We can go back to our 90's team and debate why they were success. Did the line make Smith or did Smith make the line. Did the running game make throwing the ball easier or did Troy/Michael make it easier to run.

Bottom line is they had balance.

If you spend all your salary cap to drive Jersey sales you have a problem.

 

[Chasing6]

My fear with Micah and you can already see it late in every season, is he starts to wear down. He is playing a position where he is undersized and is often relying on quickness. I am afraid he is going to start to miss multiple games with double and triple teams possible ending his career prematurely.

We are going to pay him a lot of money and then we will start to see a lot of injuries. Similar to a RB getting 450 carries per year for the first 5 years, then extending him with a big contract. It is not sustainable. Trade hime while you can.

 

[75boyz]

I'll shift a bit here.

I don't think the "core" is overhyped. Well maybe Dak, since he's part of the core.

But there is little doubt in my mind if that they tweaked the edges of the roster better (LB, DT) and you had a real HC (and QB), the "core" would be just fine. But, IMO, we've reached the end of this road so it's time to take it apart and start over. That means maybe moving some of the core. I'd be open to see what Parsons is worth. Hate to give him up but he's basically useless on a team that shuold be in a rebuild. Do everything to convince Dak to accept a trade. Lamb? I'd see what his value is but if you were turning it over to Lance, I think you need to keep Lamb and Ferguson to help Lance. I'd consider trading Martin. Again, you'd love to have him helping run the line in front of Lance but he's only got a couple years left, so see what he can get you.

Nice post.
Agree with how you'd change it up going forward.

 

[32BellyOption]

The core is fine. The team lacks discipline, coaching staffs fault. The team lacks focus, coaching staffs fault. The team gets out coached in big games, coaching staffs fault.

 

[CCBoy]

One of the hard parts of losing in the manner the Cowboys did Sunday is the very real possibility that what was considered the strong core of this team is probably incapable (as currently constituted) to compete seriously for a championship. And the evidence is clear- they can’t win big playoff games against the best teams in the league. That’s not an opinion. That’s based on this team’s playoff record WITH this core.

What is the core of this team? It‘s the guys this FO believes are the best players we have. The guys we would never trade or cut because of their value to the team. Here is that core:

• Dak Prescott (8 yr vet- 2-5 playoff record)
• Micah Parsons (3 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Cedee Lamb (4 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Zack Martin (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyron Smith (14 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• DeMarcus Law (11 yr vet- 3-6 in the playoffs)
• Tyler Smith (2 yr vet- 1-2 in the playoffs)
• Trevon Diggs (5 yr vet)

So having all these talented players on this roster, some of which are very highly paid or are about to get bigger paydays, has amounted to 3 total playoff wins over the last 14 seasons? That’s it? These “must have” guys are so valuable as a core, we have won 3 wild card playoff games with them? With two different HCs and multiple different coordinators in some cases.

Many fans here won’t like this…but there’s a very good chance that the core of this roster- the centerpiece of talent for this team - is vastly overrated. OR…we have a front office that is incapable of finding a coaching staff that can motivate and shape this core into playoff winners. It actually could be both.

This organization will NOT look in the mirror and ask the tough question: What if the core of our team isn’t that great?

That then makes you the fool and studying the strengths in depth and stating how good they are and now conclude talent at this point.