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

[Adreme]

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.

You mean averages about the same numbers and wins versus top teams as the other top 10 QBs almost as though teams win games and if you have a glaring weakness that can be exploited (in the SF case it was the OLine) you are going to have a very bad time versus a good team.

 

[Ranching]

Hope is not a strategy.

I didn't say anything about hope.....if you don't believe, you don't belong. Believing in something makes you work harder and if you want to win something that you never won, you need to work harder than you've ever worked.
Hope is different....like me hoping that the haters would disappear! Lol!

 

[DC Cowboy]

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.

it showed what all our games show and that is we should rely on Zeke and Pollard vs. Dak.

 

[Ranching]

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

It has an impact on your attitude and enjoyment of the game, instead of quitting on the team before the season even starts. It applies for all, just in different ways.

 

[erod]

I didn't say anything about hope.....if you don't believe, you don't belong. Believing in something makes you work harder and if you want to win something that you never won, you need to work harder than you've ever worked.
Hope is different....like me hoping that the haters would disappear! Lol!

You're hoping the key components of this roster will add up to something it's not.

The Cowboys are an average team in the worst division in football that routinely plays poorly down the stretch against good teams.

 

[Diehardblues]

It has an impact on your attitude and enjoyment of the game, instead of quitting on the team before the season even starts. It applies for all, just in different ways.

Why would fans care about other fans attitudes?

Sounds like you want to clone all fans into your belief and attitudes. Good luck with that.

It’s one thing trying to get 40 or 50 players in the same mind set. But tens of millions fans. I don’t think so. Like I said, it has no impact on the game how you’re conducting your fandom sitting on the couch.

 

[Diehardblues]

I didn't say anything about hope.....if you don't believe, you don't belong. Believing in something makes you work harder and if you want to win something that you never won, you need to work harder than you've ever worked.
Hope is different....like me hoping that the haters would disappear! Lol!

Fans working harder? For what, sitting on their couch.

Coach, your attitude sounds like you want to get millions of fans in the same mindset you would for your players.

 

[CouchCoach]

Only thing I learned is Dallas needs better coaches

Yeah, they committed all those penalties and missed all those tackles.

 

[CouchCoach]

I didn't say anything about hope.....if you don't believe, you don't belong. Believing in something makes you work harder and if you want to win something that you never won, you need to work harder than you've ever worked.
Hope is different....like me hoping that the haters would disappear! Lol!

What fun would you have then? Bundle up with all the happy people and make smores?

 

[CouchCoach]

It has an impact on your attitude and enjoyment of the game, instead of quitting on the team before the season even starts. It applies for all, just in different ways.

I don't see many quitting on the team, they're still here. Some prefer to use their football eyes and mind over their Cowboys heart. Doesn't mean what they see and think is what they want.

Fans aren't haters because they think this team downgraded in talent from 2021. How many have you seen say that they think the Cowboys improved on the talent level this season? I have not seen any other than some that prefer to think that here.

Personally, I love watching football and whether the Cowboys win or not does not really affect me. Wasn't always that way, I watched them to see them win because I was spoiled. Easy to get that way when you've watched your team put 20 winning seasons in a row together and only in the aftermath did I discover how truly special and difficult that was.

 

[Hawkeye19]

Excellent statement. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a pro sports organization convince themselves so easily that they have fixed things…without really fixing things.

 

[EGTuna]

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.

You should have credited Bob Sturm in this post. It’s practically lifted word for word from his recent Athletic column.

 

[817Gill]

I am really concerned they did not obtain any veteran offensive line players by trade or free agency.
We have no quality experienced back ups.
With Tyrone unable to play complete seasons this does not bode well

I think they will if they go to camp and see that their young guys can’t handle the job. The same vets we were asking for in April/May are still available.

You can bring those guys in later and they’ll be fine.

 

[john van brocklin]

I think they will if they go to camp and see that their young guys can’t handle the job. The same vets we were asking for in April/May are still available.

Hope you are right Gill.
If Tyrone goes down, we don't have any proven player to protect Dak's blindside.
Did I mention Tyrone has not started all games since 2015 ?

 

[Ranching]

Fans working harder? For what, sitting on their couch.

Coach, your attitude sounds like you want to get millions of fans in the same mindset you would for your players.

You do you, I'll do me.

 

[Ranching]

I don't see many quitting on the team, they're still here. Some prefer to use their football eyes and mind over their Cowboys heart. Doesn't mean what they see and think is what they want.

Fans aren't haters because they think this team downgraded in talent from 2021. Hpw many have you seen say that they think the Cowboys improved on the talent level this season? I have not seen any other than some that prefer to think that here.

Personally, I love watching football and whether the Cowboys win or not does not really affect me. Wasn't always that way, I watched them to see them win because I was spoiled. Easy to get that way when you've watched your team put 20 winning seasons in a row together and only in the aftermath did I discover how truly special and difficult that was.

Many have already quit on the season....same thing to me.

 

[Ranching]

Fans working harder? For what, sitting on their couch.

Coach, your attitude sounds like you want to get millions of fans in the same mindset you would for your players.

I'm talking about the team....jeez! Some just see what they wanna see.

 

[Diehardblues]

I'm talking about the team....jeez! Some just see what they wanna see.

I have no problem with your attitude for the team. They do need to believe. But not fans .

 

[AsthmaField]

Why would fans care about other fans attitudes?

Sounds like you want to clone all fans into your belief and attitudes. Good luck with that.

It’s one thing trying to get 40 or 50 players in the same mind set. But tens of millions fans. I don’t think so. Like I said, it has no impact on the game how you’re conducting your fandom sitting on the couch.

IMO @Ranching isn’t saying that all fans need to think alike, he’s saying that they shouldn’t give up on the new season before training camp has even started. I think he’s just saying give the new season a chance. Let’s see how it goes.

 

[cowboyblue22]

i think it shows what we all know there is not a lot of heart or want to on this football team when the going gets tough