What makes you optimistic of the 2013 Cowboys

[CosmicCowboy]

Romo having more control/freedom....(running hurry up, calling more plays of his own, being more involved)

Dez getting better.

Defense younger, and much more of a simple defense(less thinking more of reacting), and scheme that fits our DBs better imo

or

If anything we can just sit up and panic, and scream we have not gotten better, while blaming Jerry all at the same time.

Yep but, i'll take the or....

 

[JPostSam]

health

youth

speed

talent

-- all improved over last year

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Why do you think this team will be better than lasts years?

Tony Romo. Without Romo this team is a dog.

 

[Doomsday101]

Why do you think this team will be better than lasts years?

I think the OL will come into this season with a better understanding of the system Callahan put in place and perform better than they have.

The way Dez came on in the 2nd half of the season and how he has conducted himself this off season really is encouraging for his future and that of the Cowboys.

Kiffin and Rod Marinelli being hired. Nothing against Ryan but I think they will bring a more aggressive style of defense, this is based on what I have seen from their defenses in the past.

I think this could be a big season if we can stay relatively healthy

 

[CowboyRoy]

Why do you think this team will be better than lasts years?

The fact that Howdy Doody has been kicked to the curb and is no longer in contol of the offense. We will finally have someone qualified to run an offense actually running it. That should make a difference. However, if the Oline doesnt improve over last year it wont make enough difference.

 

[Doomsday101]

The fact that Howdy Doody has been kicked to the curb and is no longer in contol of the offense. We will finally have someone qualified to run an offense actually running it. That should make a difference. However, if the Oline doesnt improve over last year it wont make enough difference.

He is still HC a position that is above OC and he will still have a say so as any HC would.

 

[VACowboy]

I agree with most of the reasons posted so far.

But I've always thought Jay Ratliff's best position would be 3-tech, and I can see him having an All-Pro year in 2013.

So...

1a. Improved OL play.
1b. Improved safety play.
2. Rat at 3-tech in Kiffen's 4-3.
3. Ware and Spencer doing what they do best, full-time.
4. Romo with more control of a 12-based offense that finally has proper personnel.
5. Rod Marinelli.

And I think it goes without mentioning, but hopefully better HEALTH.

 

[DFWJC]

• Sean Lee is back from injury
• Bruce Carter is back from injury
• Jay Ratliff is back from injury
• DeMarcus Ware's arm should be healed
• Barry Church is back from injury
• A more simplified, but aggressive defensive scheme
• Dez Bryant finally "got it" the second half of last season
• Expect less QB/WR miscommunications vs 1st half of last year
• Callahan and Romo will have much greater input to play calling
• Mo Claiborne will be better his second season
• Murray/Randle will be more reliable than Murray/Jones
• Harris came on late last year, so should help more
• We have a better 3 or 4 WR with deep threat potential in T Williams
• Frederick should upgrade us some at center
• I like our overall team depth better this year

 

[LeonDixson]

Most of you Y'all listed the reasons I'm optimistic about the new season so I won't re-hash everything. I'll just add that we're due for some good luck for a change in terms of injury as well as the general "bounce of the ball".

 

[Avenger]

Jason Garrett.

 

[Red Dragon]

Part of the optimism is that things can't get much worse.

There is one thing that concerns me though, and that's the Eagles. The Cowboys have been fortunate to have had two seasons of mediocre underachievement from the Eagles. Unfortunately, in neither instance did the Cowboys fully take advantage of that and capture the NFC East.


This upcoming season, 2013, the Eagles may finally roar back into contention - and then with four teams in the NFC East all truly and legitimately capable of contending for the division title, Dallas would be very hard pressed to win it.

 

[Rockport]

I'm optimistic about the upcoming year because I think our defense, barring injuries, is going to be significantly better. Ryan's react defense was just a joke. An attacking 4-3 with our players should be much more effective.

I'm pessimistic because we've only added 1 new face to one of the worst, if not the worst, offensive lines in the NFL for the past 3 years at least. I can only hope that Romo can stay healthy because he's such an outstanding QB who can minimize the OL deficiencies. He'll still be under durress the entire time and will make mistakes because of that, but with a stronger defense, more turnovers, it shouldn't have as much of an affect on the outcome as it has been in recent years. Of course, it will give the Romo haters something to hate on.

 

[Idgit]

Part of the optimism is that things can't get much worse...

I can say with a high degree of confidence that that's not even an iota of the optimism for most optimistic posters. That's the kind of thing a pessimist says when he's trying to pass off pessimism as if it's optimistic.

All you need to see is an injury to Romo (knock on Wood) to get an idea how much worse things could get in a hurry.

 

[CoCo]

I'm optimistic because I believe we're adding contributions via youth more than we are losing to age at this point still.

Of greatest concern re: age is probably Rat, then Ware, then Witten/Romo.

But we have many players whose arrow is still going up - Dez, Lee, Carter, Claiborne, Carr, Tyron.

On the next tier, guys again who are young that we hope/believe are going to become contributors as well - Frederick, Leary, Parnell, Johnson/Wilcox, Webb, Hanna, Escobar, Murray/Randle, Harris/Beasley, T-Will.

Still others look to be steady - not improving necessarily, but not declining - Spencer, Hatcher, Miles, Church, Scandrick.

Specialists are rock solid - LP, Bailey & Jones.

This is a big year for the coaching staff I think and I'm kind of neutral there.

Garrett - I like how the org runs with him as HC. But he needs to make a W/L record mark this year. Build clear momentum, or better.

Kiffin - I respect his record. A bit nervous about recent past. Really like his assistants - Marinelli, Eberflus, Henderson. Really like the Bears recent T/O history and the Seattle style Kiffin says we'll emulate. We do have some playmakers and I could see it all coming together.

Bosacia (sp?) - Ok with a clean start versus DeCamillis. Though to be fair we've had some nice contributions from this group of late.

Callahan - I'm ready to have a coordinator in the booth giving the playcalling total focus. Also hopeful that year two for the O-line under his guidance will bring some growth via continuity.

 

[CoCo]

I can say with a high degree of confidence that that's not even an iota of the optimism for most optimistic posters. That's the kind of thing a pessimist says when he's trying to pass off pessimism as if it's optimistic.

All you need to see is an injury to Romo (knock on Wood) to get an idea how much worse things could get in a hurry.

I sure prefer Romo as our starter. But I'm not sure I'm one of those who sees certain doom if he misses time. Orton has been quite serviceable (there's that word again) in this league at both Chicago & Denver. He apparently looked rusty in camp but he's too young to really lose it. I suspect its rust more than anything. And I recall our team being plenty effective with Kitna in 2010.

That said. I sure hope we don't have to find out.

 

[the_h0wey]

Why do you think this team will be better than lasts years?

We play the E-girls twice...

 

[Idgit]

I sure prefer Romo as our starter. But I'm not sure I'm one of those who sees certain doom if he misses time. Orton has been quite serviceable (there's that word again) in this league at both Chicago & Denver. He apparently looked rusty in camp but he's too young to really lose it. I suspect its rust more than anything. And I recall our team being plenty effective with Kitna in 2010.

That said. I sure hope we don't have to find out.

It's pretty tough to make an argument that things wouldn't look worse for the Cowboys without Romo in the lineup, but, either way, pick your disaster, things could easily look a lot worse. That was my point.

 

[Bay10]

I agree with most of the reasons posted so far.

But I've always thought Jay Ratliff's best position would be 3-tech, and I can see him having an All-Pro year in 2013.

So...

1a. Improved OL play.
1b. Improved safety play.
2. Rat at 3-tech in Kiffen's 4-3.
3. Ware and Spencer doing what they do best, full-time.
4. Romo with more control of a 12-based offense that finally has proper personnel.
5. Rod Marinelli.

And I think it goes without mentioning, but hopefully better HEALTH.

I agree with all that except 1b. I don't see how we improved at that position.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

They're a talented group of players.

The Cowboys have been the most talented team in this division since 2006.

Hopefully we won't blow it, like San Antonio Spurs did in the NBA Finals!

I'm concerned about Demarcus Ware.He seems to be in a steady decline.

Dez Bryant's good but I'm not sure he's a good as some(media included) think.

He still disapeared at times last year.And he wasn't exactly shacking DeAngelo Halls' coverage in that last game either.

Spurs didn't blow it. LeBron took it... There is a difference

 

[FiveRings]

1.) The offensive line
2.) The 4-3
3.) Romo being Romo
4.) The draft class (offensively, our defensive picks this year seem more like 2-3 year plans)
5.) Carr and Claiborne can play their game w/o first year pressure/jitters