CFZ What the 49er playoff loss should teach us about the 2022 season

[Diehardblues]

The way we we’re playing the second half of the year there were very few who felt we’d make a push in the playoffs.

Our defense couldn’t stop the run which was predicted. Our offense wouldn’t be able to run the ball on their defense as predicted. Our defense wouldn’t pressure their QB as predicted. And their defense would pressure our QB as predicted.

Id argue the game went just as predicted. The fact we were even in it in the end cause we had the better QB.

 

[Hardline]

While Bob did a great job analyzing the game , it went pretty much as expected . Not sure why so many were disappointed? Most everyone was picking 49ers.

At no point did I believe the Cowboys were winning that game.
Not even before the game started.

 

[Flamma]

While Bob did a great job analyzing the game , it went pretty much as expected . Not sure why so many were disappointed? Most everyone was picking 49ers.

I think the level of disappointment was what I found a bit odd. But even if the Cowboys were 7-10 and lost a playoff game, we'd probably still be disappointed to some extent. I just think that we don't have enough years where were good, therefore expect more when we are. The last times I was really disappointed to a high degree was 2016, 2014, and 2007. Before that you have to go back to 1994. When you expect more and get less, it hurts more.

 

[Diehardblues]

At no point did I believe the Cowboys were winning that game.
Not even before the game started.

Anyone paying attention knew it wasn’t a good match up for us. Even at home which probably made it closer than it should have been.

 

[Creeper]

I don’t need to tell any Cowboys fan around here how disappointing that wild card game loss was to the 49ers last January. It was simply awful.

But nearly 7 months later, there are some things we could learn from that game if we want to take the next step and at least make an NFC championship game for the first time in 26 years. Here is a list of what that playoff taught us- have we made the right adjustments?

FIRST- SOME GAME FACTS- NINERS 23-COWBOYS 16

• The niners told us the week before the game they were going to run the ball down our throats. And they did exactly that, rushing for 169 yards.
• The niners had 341 total yards to 307 for the cowboys.
  
• The niners had 5 sacks; we had zero.
• The niners won TOP 34 minutes to 26 for Dallas. And that’s after we had the ball for most of the 4th qtr.
• In the niners first 7 possessions of the game, they scored 5 times and on their last possession of the first half, they even took a knee, leading 16-7.
• The Cowboys did not make a sack all game, and only had 4 pressures. Micah Parsons was consistently neutralized when rushing and D-Law was too. Randy Gregory had a few pressures but he had some stupid penalties too.
• The Cowboys OL got whipped all day. Tyron Smith had his worst game of the season and Connor Williams had his usual bad holding call at the worst time.
  
• For some reason Dak (or Kellen Moore) were choosing to not get the ball in the hands of their best playmakers.

So what can we learn from this?

• The trenches is where we got whipped and the biggest reason we lost that playoff game. IMO, It remains the biggest problem this team has. Not enough in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
• FOOTBALL 101: The team who wins the trenches usually wins- especially in the playoffs. You need skill position players too, but without the big guys on the line holding their own, you can’t win playoff games.

So here are some questions going into 2022 based on what last year should have taught us:

1. Did we strengthen our OL and DL this off-season? Enough to avoid a repeat of what the niners did to us last January? Can we finally stop the run?
2. Will our offense be able to get the ball to playmakers regardless of what the defense is doing? Dumping passes to Dalton Schultz all day won’t get it done. Can Kellen Moore get better? Can Dak consistently get the ball to his playmakers?

The answers to these questions will probably determine if this team does something more than what it’s done the last qtr century. We will start seeing soon.

To answer question number 1. I think the answer is no, not really. In fact, I could argue there is a good chance both the OL and DL will be weaker this year. After all, Tyron and Zack are a year older. Steele is not as good as Collins. We have no idea how Tyler Smith will play. They are depending on Tyler Smith, a rookie, to produce at a new position right away. They are depending on Steele to improve again. They are depending on Tyron Smith to get healthy and stay healthy and at the same time turn back the clock. Could they be better in 2022? Yes, they could, but chances are they will not be.

On the DL, they have essentially the same players except Randy Gregory and his 30 QB pressures. They need veteran Donte Fowler to find himself or Dorance Armstrong to have the best year of his career. Or, the need a rookie, Sam Williams, to come in and make an instant impact. This is counting on a lot and the reality will be something less. Then, they need the young DTs to make a huge leap with one more year of experience. It could happen, but I do not expect miracles. I hear a lot about Ridgeway, a 5th round pick, but depending on him to make a big difference is desperation. Finally, we get to Lawrence. Lawrence has missed significant playing time in 3 of his 7 years as a Cowboys. Last year he missed 10 games. He did play all 16 games the prior 3 seasons but he has struggled with back problems. I would not say he is as fragile as Tyron Smith, but he has had his share of injuries. And after 7 years, what we see is what we will get from him. He is not even as good as Greg Ellis. Lawrence averages just over 6 sacks per year. Ellis averaged just over 7 in his 12 years and had over 7 sacks in 7 of his last 8 years. He played 9 games in 2006 and had 4.5 sacks.

Again, the Cowboys did nothing to bolster the DL and are depending on everyone playing better. This is a risky proposition.

Defense is a team effort. If they depend on Micah Parsons to carry the defense it will not work. He is their best player by far, but offenses can neutralize 1 player as SF did with Parsons. That's when the rest of the team has to fill the gap.

I have never felt that relying on the same players will give a better result. The Cowboys chose to sit out free agency again and I think it is going to show.

As for question #2, this offense has no playmakers and that has been their problem. I won't say Pollard is because he doesn't even start. CeeDee has to prove he is that guy, but first he has to stop dropping the football. Zeke has not been a playmaker since his rookie year. The closest thing to a playmaker on the offense is Gallup who has made some huge catches over his short career but he is not consistent enough.

 

[Diehardblues]

I think the level of disappointment was what I found a bit odd. But even if the Cowboys were 7-10 and lost a playoff game, we'd probably still be disappointed to some extent. I just think that we don't have enough years where were good, therefore expect more when we are. The last times I was really disappointed to a high degree was 2016, 2014, and 2007. Before that you have to go back to 1994. When you expect more and get less, it hurts more.

Yea , I guess so. Our history and recent trends plays into it somewhat. But fans who were paying attention knew it wasn’t a good matchup for us.

 

[Diehardblues]

The 49er loss should teach us that if we can’t stop the run and pressure the QB while rushing the ball ourselves and protecting our QB in the playoffs, it’s going to end similar

 

[Bobhaze]

To answer question number 1. I think the answer is no, not really. In fact, I could argue there is a good chance both the OL and DL will be weaker this year. After all, Tyron and Zack are a year older. Steele is not as good as Collins. We have no idea how Tyler Smith will play. They are depending on Tyler Smith, a rookie, to produce at a new position right away. They are depending on Steele to improve again. They are depending on Tyron Smith to get healthy and stay healthy and at the same time turn back the clock. Could they be better in 2022? Yes, they could, but chances are they will not be.

On the DL, they have essentially the same players except Randy Gregory and his 30 QB pressures. They need veteran Donte Fowler to find himself or Dorance Armstrong to have the best year of his career. Or, the need a rookie, Sam Williams, to come in and make an instant impact. This is counting on a lot and the reality will be something less. Then, they need the young DTs to make a huge leap with one more year of experience. It could happen, but I do not expect miracles. I hear a lot about Ridgeway, a 5th round pick, but depending on him to make a big difference is desperation. Finally, we get to Lawrence. Lawrence has missed significant playing time in 3 of his 7 years as a Cowboys. Last year he missed 10 games. He did play all 16 games the prior 3 seasons but he has struggled with back problems. I would not say he is as fragile as Tyron Smith, but he has had his share of injuries. And after 7 years, what we see is what we will get from him. He is not even as good as Greg Ellis. Lawrence averages just over 6 sacks per year. Ellis averaged just over 7 in his 12 years and had over 7 sacks in 7 of his last 8 years. He played 9 games in 2006 and had 4.5 sacks.

Again, the Cowboys did nothing to bolster the DL and are depending on everyone playing better. This is a risky proposition.

Defense is a team effort. If they depend on Micah Parsons to carry the defense it will not work. He is their best player by far, but offenses can neutralize 1 player as SF did with Parsons. That's when the rest of the team has to fill the gap.

I have never felt that relying on the same players will give a better result. The Cowboys chose to sit out free agency again and I think it is going to show.

As for question #2, this offense has no playmakers and that has been their problem. I won't say Pollard is because he doesn't even start. CeeDee has to prove he is that guy, but first he has to stop dropping the football. Zeke has not been a playmaker since his rookie year. The closest thing to a playmaker on the offense is Gallup who has made some huge catches over his short career but he is not consistent enough.

Outstanding post. I highlighted your statement, “I have never felt that relying on the same players will give a better result. The Cowboys chose to sit out free agency again and I think it is going to show.”

Somehow, even after 26 years of results, our FO believes you can use the same players the next year and somehow expect a miracle. It’s mind numbing. But it’s emblematic of their fundamental flaw. They overvalue their own work because they don’t have anyone to answer to like 30 other NFL front offices do. They don’t believe there are flaws in their thinking- they just think they’ve been “unlucky”.

 

[GoldenR]

We put up 7 points in a little over 3 quarters of football." I knew it would go this way". Just stop it with that crap. We expected this offense and DAK to put up more than that dismal number. We also expected Tank, Micah, and Gregory to get to Jimmy G. 3 or 4 times as much as they chirp about their prowess!

 

[erod]

Wow....we were totally dominated and still had a chance at the end.

That's just the NFL today. The first part of your statement is the problem.

Dallas didn't belong there. The easy division put us there, but then we got our skulls kicked in.

Imagine if the 49ers had a real quarterback. Would have been over in the second quarter.

 

[DanTanna]

Dak throwing checks downs when we are in a hurry and need 80 yards. F Dak.

 

[Ranching]

That's just the NFL today. The first part of your statement is the problem.

Dallas didn't belong there. The easy division put us there, but then we got our skulls kicked in.

Imagine if the 49ers had a real quarterback. Would have been over in the second quarter.

If you don't believe, you don't belong......many of our fans fit in this category.

 

[Reid1boys]

Well here is what I learned from that niner loss........... Roger Staubach aint coming through that door anytime soon.

 

[erod]

If you don't believe, you don't belong......many of our fans fit in this category.

Hope is not a strategy.

 

[LatinMind]

I don’t need to tell any Cowboys fan around here how disappointing that wild card game loss was to the 49ers last January. It was simply awful.

But nearly 7 months later, there are some things we could learn from that game if we want to take the next step and at least make an NFC championship game for the first time in 26 years. Here is a list of what that playoff taught us- have we made the right adjustments?

FIRST- SOME GAME FACTS- NINERS 23-COWBOYS 16

• The niners told us the week before the game they were going to run the ball down our throats. And they did exactly that, rushing for 169 yards.
• The niners had 341 total yards to 307 for the cowboys.
  
• The niners had 5 sacks; we had zero.
• The niners won TOP 34 minutes to 26 for Dallas. And that’s after we had the ball for most of the 4th qtr.
• In the niners first 7 possessions of the game, they scored 5 times and on their last possession of the first half, they even took a knee, leading 16-7.
• The Cowboys did not make a sack all game, and only had 4 pressures. Micah Parsons was consistently neutralized when rushing and D-Law was too. Randy Gregory had a few pressures but he had some stupid penalties too.
• The Cowboys OL got whipped all day. Tyron Smith had his worst game of the season and Connor Williams had his usual bad holding call at the worst time.
  
• For some reason Dak (or Kellen Moore) were choosing to not get the ball in the hands of their best playmakers.

So what can we learn from this?

• The trenches is where we got whipped and the biggest reason we lost that playoff game. IMO, It remains the biggest problem this team has. Not enough in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
• FOOTBALL 101: The team who wins the trenches usually wins- especially in the playoffs. You need skill position players too, but without the big guys on the line holding their own, you can’t win playoff games.

So here are some questions going into 2022 based on what last year should have taught us:

1. Did we strengthen our OL and DL this off-season? Enough to avoid a repeat of what the niners did to us last January? Can we finally stop the run?
2. Will our offense be able to get the ball to playmakers regardless of what the defense is doing? Dumping passes to Dalton Schultz all day won’t get it done. Can Kellen Moore get better? Can Dak consistently get the ball to his playmakers?

The answers to these questions will probably determine if this team does something more than what it’s done the last qtr century. We will start seeing soon.

Only thing I learned is Dallas needs better coaches

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

What I realized is no matter how we look during the regular season something will happen that will get us in the end. Something that is so Cowboys.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Crazy thing is, despite the stats being so bad, we were still just 1-2 plays away from winning the game.

Honest question, and I’m prepared to get hate for this….

but something occurred to me last night: if Dallas doesn’t ever get any further in the playoffs during the Dak era, do you believe the 14 second scramble will be remembered as his field goal fumble?

 

[Diehardblues]

If you don't believe, you don't belong......many of our fans fit in this category.

That philosophy may be for the players and team but not fans. Our belief shouldn’t have any impact on the game.

 

[Nexx]

Can't win when you only score 7 points in 3 Q of football at home vs a wildcard team!!

Dak is the epitome of a AAAA baseball player. Plays like a super star against AAA players (bad teams) but once he plays against Major Leaguers (good teams) he cant get a hit.

 

[Diehardblues]

Hope is not a strategy.

Since when are fans required to buy in or believe like players and the team.

That sounds like a disgruntled old coach who got thrown out of his job .