What's the problem with the Cowboys

[Monster Heel]

Spotty OL play and overrated defense mainly.

 

[Eskimo]

Spotty OL play and overrated defense mainly.

To the first point, I don't think there can be much to debate.

On the second point, in terms of generating turnovers and short fields - yes, this played a significant role as well.

Now add in the terrible FG kicking and you have most of the problem sorted out.

 

[sonnyboy]

Interesting facts about our team.

We were #2 in scoring defense yet only middle of the pack in sacks, yards and forced TO's.

We were a top offense in yards gained yet only middle of the pack in points scored.

This tells me that both us and our opponents often played on long fields.

Our KO special teams unit was outstanding with Beuler as was our punting team. And since Romo only had 9 interceptions, our oppnents seldom worked on a short field.
That kept their point total down yet increased their yards total with a lot of opps for easier yards between the 20s.

Our KO return and punt return teams were very pedestrian. That and the relatively few forced TOs often gave Romo a long field to work with. Hence more yards gained than you'd expect for our point scored total.

So how do we best solve the issues. IE weak KO and PR units and the need for more forced TOs.

Now I'm on record with OL as our biggest need and still see it that way. If you look at our last two season ending games........Min and Phila, it was our lack of OL depth that utimately did us in.
In both losses we had multiple starters either missing or severly hindered and not enough good reserves options.

That's the #1 key to our 2010 success. We must have at least 3 viable reserve options for the OL.
I'm OK with the 5 starters returning, we just need to have the best 5 reserve options its practical and possible to accumulate.
So we need to both spend some FA $ and 3-4 picks to make it happen.

Back to the Field position issue.
#1 Draft a FS with PR skills on the first day. I know this is a hrad comodity to find, but just imagine if we could pull it off. Some tremendous FS athlete with PR skills could plug the one hole in our defense, perhaps leading to more forced TOs and help our PR game.
#2 Committ to using Felix Jones on KO return duty. I do beleive he should start at RB and lead us in touches from the LOS at that position.
But I also believe Barber and Choice need to be utlized. If they are utilized well, they should limit Jones' LOS touches to between 16-18 a game.
No reason why he shouldn't be able to give us 3-5 KO returns a game.

 

[Eskimo]

I
#2 Committ to using Felix Jones on KO return duty. I do beleive he should start at RB and lead us in touches from the LOS at that position.
But I also believe Barber and Choice need to be utlized. If they are utilized well, they should limit Jones' LOS touches to between 16-18 a game.
No reason why he shouldn't be able to give us 3-5 KO returns a game.

Felix was pretty pedestrian with the new rules limiting the use of wedges. So was everyone else more or less which makes me believe a large part of the problem was the blocking. I really think this unit needs to be coached up some more and may need some personnel tweaks. Hopefully adding back in all those injured rookies will help that unit out some.

Secondly, Felix is going to be our starting RB next year. How many starting RBs are exposed to the possible high velocity collisions that can occur on KORs? We need to find someone else who can take over these duties, but it should not be Felix.

Instead, I'd prefer to get Felix more involved in the passing offense - he's a killer on screens and we're absolutely nuts it we don't move to getting OL who are better on the move to take advantage of Felix's rare running skills in space.

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't think there is much wrong with the Cowboys. Like most teams saints included there are things we need to improve on and areas to upgrade but frankly we do have the talent to compete right now, we give ourselves a better chance by looking to upgrade along the OL or safety we also give ourselves a better chance by doing a better job of executing in the redzone or by hitting FG but overall there is not allot wrong with the Cowboys no more than what any other top team has.

 

[jobberone]

I don't agree.

Our WR's are fine. We need a defense that can cause turnovers and give our offense a shorter field to play with, a PR/KR guy that can give our offense a shorter field to play with and a kicker who can put the ball between the uprights.

Watching our offense get 3 or 4 first downs just to punt is frustrating. We lost the field position game this year. That is why we had to many yards but scored far less than we should have.

I addressed the need for more turnovers which will turn into more points. But you're not going to get 150 points off of turnovers.

And the defense did its job this year. We gave up less than 17 points per game. So while I think the defense could be better it was not the cause for us to fail. Even if we gave up too many points in the MN game, it would have been a different game if we had scored touchdowns the first two drives which isn't a big stretch.

The offense has failed this club for a decade.

 

[sonnyboy]

Felix was pretty pedestrian with the new rules limiting the use of wedges. So was everyone else more or less which makes me believe a large part of the problem was the blocking. I really think this unit needs to be coached up some more and may need some personnel tweaks. Hopefully adding back in all those injured rookies will help that unit out some.

Secondly, Felix is going to be our starting RB next year. How many starting RBs are exposed to the possible high velocity collisions that can occur on KORs? We need to find someone else who can take over these duties, but it should not be Felix.

Instead, I'd prefer to get Felix more involved in the passing offense - he's a killer on screens and we're absolutely nuts it we don't move to getting OL who are better on the move to take advantage of Felix's rare running skills in space.

You hit on my #1 concern as I made my last post. KR is risky. Far more so than PR or any run from the LOS.
That's why I never had a problem with Sanders returning punts. Fewer bodies and high speed collisions. He was so good at it and had such a high impact on field position, you just had to use him there. Especially for the coin he was making.

But back to Felix. I stll think he should do it since he's not going to carry the same load as most starting RBs. But we should be judicous with it. Perhaps he shouldn't be the full time KO returner. Certainly never in garbage time.
Maybe we spot play him there. Against higher caliber opponents and defenses, key games and post-season. Maybe in spots where the significnce of a big return is magnified.......like getting a KO at the end of a half with only a min to go.

 

[jobberone]

Jobber, it's the OL. They give up lots of stuffs (especially in short yardage, red zone), lots of sacks (despite Romo's elusiveness) and lots of penalties which can easily kill a drive.

Add in the lack of TOs due to lack of defensive aggressiveness and poor FG kicking and you have the main reason why we don't score enough points.

I think it would help to have a big play threat at WR opposite Austin but such a fellow could be hard to find unless it happens to be Ogletree.

Mostly, just fix the OL and watch the ppg drastically increase.

I agree the OL is part of the problem. I still think the MN game would have been different if Flo doesn't go down and they put Free in a RT.

And to another poster. You're right. Adding another WR this year is LIKELY to not increase production this year. Unless you get a Harvin or the like which is possible. The same applies to the OL. We don't have a high enough pick to get a starter on the OL this year. In most instances although an interior lineman might could start at LG.

 

[jobberone]

We have plenty of talent at the WR position. Show me how many teams have two great WRs which is what you are saying. Austin is the real deal and crayton does fine as the #3 guy. Roy can be the #2 guy and he gets this next season to prove it. No way does jerruh use a high pick on a WR. Not going to happen. I just hope he has gotten over his inability to pull the trigger high on O Line. strengthen the O line and get a good kicker and we will be fine. Kickoff returns are the only part of ST outside of kicking that needs any work. The D held teams to under 16 per game and in this day and age that is great.

You don't need two great ones. You just need more production from the number two WR. And having a dynamic number two is not wishful thinking. Think about the Cardinals, Packers, Saints, Vikings and Colts.

 

[sonnyboy]

I addressed the need for more turnovers which will turn into more points. But you're not going to get 150 points off of turnovers.

And the defense did its job this year. We gave up less than 17 points per game. So while I think the defense could be better it was not the cause for us to fail. Even if we gave up too many points in the MN game, it would have been a different game if we had scored touchdowns the first two drives which isn't a big stretch.

The offense has failed this club for a decade.

No. but the TOs were only part of the story. I really believe starting field position also played a significant role.

Something else to consider and that's need. Many times scoring a lot is a function of need.
When you have a defense playing as well as ours did in so many games, you end up taking fewer chances on offense.

Now I'm not saying our offense can't improve or that it doesn't need to improve. IT DOES.
We need better OL play. Better redzone play. Kicking also killed us.

But I just don't think the descrepancy of yards gained to points scored is as much a failing of the offense as it appears.

I really think the primary culprit was simply a lack of NEED to score.

You know our 90's Cowboy teams fell into that category. They never actually scored as much in a given season as you'd think thy should given all the firepower. It was all the good defense they played and leads they'd sit on. Very few shootouts to pad the offensive stats.

 

[jobberone]

No. but the TOs were only part of the story. I really believe starting field position also played a significant role.

Something else to consider and that's need. Many times scoring a lot is a function of need.
When you have a defense playing as well as ours did in so many games, you end up taking fewer chances on offense.

Now I'm not saying our offense can't improve or that it doesn't need to improve. IT DOES.
We need better OL play. Better redzone play. Kicking also killed us.

But I just don't think the descrepancy of yards gained to points scored is as much a failing of the offense as it appears.

I really think the primary culprit was simply a lack of NEED to score.

You know our 90's Cowboy teams fell into that category. They never actually scored as much in a given season as you'd think thy should given all the firepower. It was all the good defense they played and leads they'd sit on. Very few shootouts to pad the offensive stats.

That's a very interesting way to look at it. I'm not certain I buy into it though. I think we try to score every time we have the ball. At least I hope they do. I do think that if you have to score the play calling does change the game. So at least you're partially right, IMO.

 

[Eskimo]

I agree the OL is part of the problem. I still think the MN game would have been different if Flo doesn't go down and they put Free in a RT.

And to another poster. You're right. Adding another WR this year is LIKELY to not increase production this year. Unless you get a Harvin or the like which is possible. The same applies to the OL. We don't have a high enough pick to get a starter on the OL this year. In most instances although an interior lineman might could start at LG.

Yes, I do think the game could have been much different with free at RT, Flo at LT - I think maybe we score a TD in the first quarter and the game could have been followed a different path.

About the starter on the OL, we don't necessarily need a new starter on the OL this year if Flo comes back at full strength. Just removing the weakest player in Colombo will have a significant impact in and of itself. You could see the offense starting to play at a higher level towards the end of the year when we went on our roll. Many people forget how hot Philly was before we played them - some people thought they were along with the Chargers the best team in the league the second half of the season and we took them apart twice in a row (once even with Colombo out there but Philly is weak at LDE with Parker).

I do think that we spend a premium pick on interior OL and possibly one at OT (unless the staff is convinced Brewster is the future RT and Flo will be healthy for next year). The interior OL may very well beat out Kosier before the year is through. You can probably almost count on it if it is a first round pick.

The #2 WR is a hard one to get a handle on. What a colossal mistake that RW trade was. It is almost a big enough mistake to have cost us our entire chance at rings with Romo at QB except for the development of Miles. KO has decent size, speed and good cuts. He may develop into a very good WR and I think it is quite possible he is ready to take RWs snaps by the end of the year. When you combine that with the natural improvement in Miles and Felix expected with maturity and I think we could have enough talent at the skill posiitons to have a big-time 450 point type offense next year.

Unfortunately, I think the ongoing hopes that RW is going to turn it around is a pipe dream - he is just not good anymore. I even question whether he was ever any good at all (at the #1 level, that is). I think it is just another case of a lazy guy who got his big contract and mailed it in. At some level, I really just wish he was gone so Jerry could just let the coaching staff move on and find the new guy without having to worry about coddling Roy and his feelings.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

You want to find the cowboys problem you start at the top then work your way down. Jerry Jones.

 

[Eskimo]

You want to find the cowboys problem you start at the top then work your way down. Jerry Jones.

Well that's also true but what can anyone do about it? It's not going to change. It is better to talk about the players, draft, FA and possible moves because all of these things can happen. Jerry will not give up being GM - his ego could never handle it.

 

[Doomsday101]

You want to find the cowboys problem you start at the top then work your way down. Jerry Jones.

Jerry has brought in talent and retained good talent on this team. I don't think the top is doing all that bad. Yes we have some areas that need improvement then again so does the SB champ saints and Colts it was easy to see holes in those teams.

 

[Gzus]

The problem is the unrealistic Super Bowl or Bust mentality that our fanbase possesses.

Seeing as how Super Bowl XLV is in our house next season, I would say next season is Super Bowl or Bust for sure

 

[gmoney112]

Edge rushers killing the slow tackles, a #2 WR not living up to his potential, and lack of turnovers by our defense.

We had a lot of penalties and sacks given up in/near our opponents redzone, there were very few games this season that we didn't leave points on the field. Our defense was playing well enough and there's no real glaring need on that side of the ball.

We'll get 2-3 lineman in this draft, if Roy can't step it up this season he needs to be demoted, his inability to get open when Romo is under pressure is killing us in the redzone. Shoddy OL pass protection and a very average #2 wide receiver and it ruins a lot of things you could possibly do when the field gets shorter.

I firmly believe this season is wide open for us. Now if we can just sweep those pesky Giants I think a 1-2 seed will be ours.

 

[jobberone]

Edge rushers killing the slow tackles, a #2 WR not living up to his potential, and lack of turnovers by our defense.

We had a lot of penalties and sacks given up in/near our opponents redzone, there were very few games this season that we didn't leave points on the field. Our defense was playing well enough and there's no real glaring need on that side of the ball.

We'll get 2-3 lineman in this draft, if Roy can't step it up this season he needs to be demoted, his inability to get open when Romo is under pressure is killing us in the redzone. Shoddy OL pass protection and a very average #2 wide receiver and it ruins a lot of things you could possibly do when the field gets shorter.

I firmly believe this season is wide open for us. Now if we can just sweep those pesky Giants I think a 1-2 seed will be ours.

I don't think the OL is shoddy although we're speaking of degrees here. I do think it implodes at times. I think some of the sacks in the red zone are on Garrett and more on Romo/WRs for not reading the blitz properly. There are times when the blitz is going to get to you and you have to have a call to negate it. Watch Manning play. He doesn't get sacked that often and I attribute that to him a lot more than to his OL.

 

[burmafrd]

Draft a real LT prospect and a G/C guy to get rid of the proctologist. Look hard in the middle rounds for a PR, better yet if he is good at KO returns as well.

They changed the KO blocking rules and I think a lot of teams were experimenting with how to do it. So this year I do not consider the KO return area a real concern.

 

[Hoofbite]

The problem is the unrealistic Super Bowl or Bust mentality that our fanbase possesses.

You kidding me? I think most people were dying for a single playoff win more than anything.

Superbowl or bust? Hardly. I can't think of many people who were Superbowl or bust.