What's Our Window?

[yimyammer]

Jerry's recent comments lend me to believe that he's inclined to keep Wade and will get rid of him only if something catastrophic happens. If we fall in the wild-card round in a hard-fought, 20-17 ball game where there weren't any catastrophic, horrific-coaching moments, I think Wade is safe. I really do.

I was writing my post as you posted yours so I didn't get to read your comments. I agree with what you wrote and have been wressling with the same thoughts plus I don't know if Wade has ever been truly given the chance to coach the way he would if he didn't have Jerry lingering around and tying his hands. He just may be earning Jerrys trust with his lack of ego and willingness to give Jerry and others the limelight.

Like I said in my post, this could really bode well for our future success if Wade and other coaches (& possibly Steven) are proven right by the changes they were able to convince Jerry to make last off season and I do agree with Jerry on the value of continuity (assuming you are dealing with competent coaches, which however much I can find ways to criticise, I do think we have).

I've always said I could be proud of and support a team that fought and competed in every game and this year our team has done that in every single game. They haven't been perfect, but they have had an opportunity to win every game if they could have just executed better on a few key plays in each game.

Perfection is not an option and I would be more than happy to have a similar team like we've had this year every year, so I hope they find a way to keep on doing what they're doing and continue to tweak and improve each year from "jocks to socks".

We do that and we'll get another crack at a Super Bowl sooner or later

 

[Hostile]

This is one of the best pure football discussion threads I have read in a very long time. Well thought out posts throughout.

to all.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Its pretty simple in my opinion, our window will last as long as Romo is the QB. I think Romo can play at a high level into his mid to late 30s, much like Warner in Arizona.

Romo is 30 years old, so I would say we could be a playoff caliber team for the next 6 or 7 years. So that would be my answer as to how long our window is open, 6 or 7 years.


As far as Wade, I think he has to win 1 playoff game to keep his job.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Something I wanted to touch on real quick that hasn't necessarily been addressed as of yet and that's last year's draft.

We drafted back-ups at almost every position. If we can get some good production out of Vic Butler and the other OLB we picked up, that will help out our window considerably by giving our starters 25-30 plays a game instead of 35-40 a game.

I'm really expecting that if we can get a better rotation of youth spelling our starters at key positions, i.e. positions you can realistically rotate in a game, we can improve their career longevity by possibly a full season.

Then we can also look at the hopeful potential of these now rotational players becoming starters and then extending someone like Ware for a few more seasons as an effective 3rd down pass rush specialist.

Similar for Witten. If you start to mold him later in his career from the best all around TE he is today into a 3rd down pass catching threat with limited blocking assignments throughout the game, you can extend his shelf life a few seasons.

The key to this will be as it is always, effective drafting and development of players within our system along with filling glaring immediate needs by doing what needs to be done in free agency. We simply cannot have the lack of success in drafting O linemen that we saw under the Campo and Parcells regime. Free seems to be the first we have at bucking the bad trends we had in place.

And mad props to Rainman to his original piece in this thread. Good analysis of the development of the team from Parcells to Jerry, and then Jerry to Wade's team.

 

[billknows]

I was fuming when we decided to keep Wade this offseason, but I have since come to believe that Jerry was dumb-like-a-fox smart. Barring a complete collapse over the next two games, I think Wade is back -- even if we don't win a playoff game.

Look, I think Jerry swallowed his ego and changed his approach more than we thought by what he did this offseason. He took what appeared to be a puppet in Wade and gave him Parcellsian say over personnel and the coaching staff. In come Friends of Wade in Brooking, Olshansky and DeCamillis, plus a Friends of Wade cousin in Sensabaugh. Out go the Jerry projects -- Owens, Pacman and Tank -- whom Jerry hoped would debunk the chemistry theory and work.

In doing that, Jerry fully entrenched this team in Wade's hands. This isn't, IMO, a team that necessarily be easily taken over by someone else without any hiccups. There will be a learning curve, perhaps severe.

This defense is all Wade. We saw what some of these same players looked like under Zimmer and Parcells. We see what the Giants now look like without Spags. Replacing Phillips' defensive prowess won't be easy.

And unless we promote Garrett to head coach -- which is a scenario that baffles me (if we want a change in direction, change the direction; don't hire someone off what you're calling a failed staff IMO) -- our offense could go in an entirely new direction.

Entering the season, I didn't necessarily think Wade was handed a Super Bowl team. I thought he was handed a borderline playoff contender without the explosiveness T.O. brought. Wade has delivered us that, and a little more already.

If we happen to be outplayed in the playoffs by, gulp, a better team, I don't necessarily find that to be a fireable offense. Now, if we see a repeat of 44-6, yeah, it's time for Wade to go. But if we look like we belong -- win or lose -- I think Wade has deserved another year and beyond.

Just my two cents. I've bagged on Wade all offseason and many a time throughout the year, but in the end I think he delivered a fine season. The team believes in him and, somehow, he has this franchise headed in the right direction.

Admittedly, I thought that was impossible.

Very sound post..
I want Wade to stay at least another year, it truly is his team . Here's hoping for WINS in the post season...

 

[theogt]

I think we have 5 more years of Romo playing at a high level. Other major areas, such as RB, WR, TE, DL, DBs are still very young (or have young starting quality players such as Scandrick). Witten will play at his level well past 31. Ware will not be the same player by then, but he won't be a liability either.

We now have a young LT to play for the next 8+ years as well. The rest of the line can put up another 3-5 years as well.

So, our window, is probably 5 years (6 including this year). Of course, this all assumes we are static with this core of players. I think our drafting and free agency pickups over the past 4 years has shown that we can continue to add top players on an almost yearly basis.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Our window, as some others have said, will be open as long as Romo is healthy and we keep drafting well. It's that simple.

A couple of years ago, we had questions like this, and they revolved around TO and Flo and Ellis and even guys like Anthony Henry. Then guess what, the Austins and Frees and Spencers and Jenkinses and Scandricks showed up.

But props to some of the posters like Rainman who managed to steer this disguised "We can't keep this coach" thread into some good discussion. We do have to draft some good linemen on both sides of the ball, but don't forget that we have the Mike Hamlins and Jason Williamses in the pipeline who IMO will keep things running with no dropoff. And guys like Butler and Brandon Williams will add something, not to mention the Ogletrees and Bennetts as they mature.

 

[goshan]

'how many years do we have'?

this is a dated mentality

You continually upgrade talent/replace every year and should be able to compete for playoffs and championships every season. There is no such thing as rebuilding and no such thing as 'how many years do we have'.

A QB is the only thing you can argue doesn't fit into this equation, but if you groom QBs appropriately and draft at the right times, then you can compete every season.

 

[superpunk]

Our window, as some others have said, will be open as long as Romo is healthy and we keep drafting well. It's that simple.

This.

It's all about Romo. Once he doesn't have it anymore, our window is gone, unless we've done the miraculous and drafted an adequate replacement once he's finished, a la Aaron Rodgers.

But as long as Romo is still playing at a high level, and we're at least drafting adequately every season, we'll be right in this thing.

 

[rcaldw]

Our window, as some others have said, will be open as long as Romo is healthy and we keep drafting well. It's that simple.

A couple of years ago, we had questions like this, and they revolved around TO and Flo and Ellis and even guys like Anthony Henry. Then guess what, the Austins and Frees and Spencers and Jenkinses and Scandricks showed up.

But props to some of the posters like Rainman who managed to steer this disguised "We can't keep this coach" thread into some good discussion. We do have to draft some good linemen on both sides of the ball, but don't forget that we have the Mike Hamlins and Jason Williamses in the pipeline who IMO will keep things running with no dropoff. And guys like Butler and Brandon Williams will add something, not to mention the Ogletrees and Bennetts as they mature.

Sorry Lab, but you diagnosed this one incorrectly. Honest questions meant to generate the good discussion. I don't believe Wade to be an above average head coach, but given the size of that window it might actually be better to keep him and make the most of it. I agree with Theogt and others that Romo will dictate the size of that window, and I also agree that we have shown we can add players as we move forward, so it might be much larger than any of us think. I sure hope so.

 

[rcaldw]

'how many years do we have'?

this is a dated mentality

You continually upgrade talent/replace every year and should be able to compete for playoffs and championships every season. There is no such thing as rebuilding and no such thing as 'how many years do we have'.

A QB is the only thing you can argue doesn't fit into this equation, but if you groom QBs appropriately and draft at the right times, then you can compete every season.

I don't completely agree with you here. QB is the main piece, no doubt about that, but look at the San Diego Chargers. Having Gates and Tomlinson has been a big reason why they have been competitive for a few years now. The more pieces you can keep in place the longer and more consistent your competitiveness can be.

 

[rcaldw]

Sorry Lab, but you diagnosed this one incorrectly. Honest questions meant to generate the good discussion. I don't believe Wade to be an above average head coach, but given the size of that window it might actually be better to keep him and make the most of it. I agree with Theogt and others that Romo will dictate the size of that window, and I also agree that we have shown we can add players as we move forward, so it might be much larger than any of us think. I sure hope so.

Let me expand on this real quick. One thing you guys will figure out about me is that I don't do much that is "veiled". I say what I believe and believe what I say, but I also don't believe that I will always be right. I think I am or I wouldn't argue what I do, but when someone can demonstrate I'm wrong, I'll gladly acknowledge it. You don't get to be my age (46) without being wrong a lot.

Now, to apply this to Wade Phillips for a moment. I haven't believed that Wade is more than an average HC. My belief is grounded not on regular season records but how his teams have shown up for the "biggest" games. Not only winless in the playoffs, but also leading a team that got embarrassed in some big games last season.

Now, what his team did in New Orleans, and what they did in Washington is impressive.

It may be that Wade is the best fit we could have right now in Dallas, for this team, for this time. I think Rainman made some very good points. I also agree with the poster who noted that if Jerry is going to continue to do football management the way he has done it, Wade's small ego might be the very best thing we could have.

I don't doubt that Wade knows defensive football.

So, as far as I'm concerned, the only thing I won't back off of, in this context, is that I'm a Cowboys fan. Whatever is best for the Cowboys, is best for me, and if that is Wade Phillips, then I will be a Wade Phillips fan.

 

[aikemirv]

I think we can see the defense growing under Wade's "plan". The team/family atmosphere has really flourished this year.

At times I think I see Garrett growing into a good play caller. (NO was a masterpiece/ Washington was very good except for the conversions on 3rd/4th short yardage which I don't blame on him at all) I did not like the second 4th down play but I think he was just trying something different.

That said, unless we lose big, I think Jerry will stick with these guys another year. The continuity factor is big with Jerry every time he opens his mouth. He wants to stick to the 3-4 and I am sure he does not want an upheaval of the current offensive scheme. he would have to find the perfect 3-4 coach and the perfect OC before he would do it.

 

[superpunk]

I need another good rcaldw "I'm not sure Romo is our guy / Romo has what it takes" thread. I am feenin for that like you wouldn't believe.

 

[aikemirv]

As far as our window though - football is won in the trenches - we have the defensive trenches well covered for the next few years IMO. The offensive trench needs a lot of focus for the upcoming years because if anything ever did happen to Romo, someone else is going to need a bit more time to effectively operate back there!

 

[rcaldw]

I need another good rcaldw "I'm not sure Romo is our guy / Romo has what it takes" thread. I am feenin for that like you wouldn't believe.

How long until you guys quit rubbing it in that I was wrong about that one

 

[rcaldw]

I need another good rcaldw "I'm not sure Romo is our guy / Romo has what it takes" thread. I am feenin for that like you wouldn't believe.

To follow up, though SP, I think even you would have to admit that Romo has had his best season this season, in terms of playing his best in the must win games. I've really seen a new stage in his development. No?

 

[theogt]

To follow up, though SP, I think even you would have to admit that Romo has had his best season this season, in terms of playing his best in the must win games. I've really seen a new stage in his development. No?

Romo's playing well down the stretch because he and his targets are healthy. That's it. That's the difference. This is the exact same Romo as every other year, otherwise.

The reason why you get so much grief (and will continue to) is that you were anti-Romo in the face of overwhelming evidence that he was one of the best in the league (and one of the best to ever play the game).

No one cares about people that were negative about Romo before 2006 or even 2007. But those rare few that were too stubborn/ignorant to recognize his skills in 2007, 2008, and 2009 will forever have a tainted "reputation."

 

[reddyuta]

teams can extend that window if they somehow they replace one franchise QB with another(like GB).we should do the same after Romo.

 

[Eddie]

This year, we need to replace/upgrade: LT, ILB, FS, WR

Next year, we need to replace/upgrade: LG, CB, RT

Year 3, we need to replace/upgrade: SS, ILB, C, RG

The changes won't be wholesale, but we need to start filling in the gaps and replacing aging players with younger, more productive ones.