What's the problem with the Cowboys

[jobberone]

The goal every year is to win the SB. I think that's the goal of most teams esp those with a legitimate shot at it.

Just because you fail at your goals doesn't mean you're a failure. It would be unrealistic to think you are going to win the SB every year. The 09 Cowboys had some measure of success no matter how you slice the pie.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Janikowski made 90% of his FGs last year and is as good a KO guy as Buehler. Hes 31 and a 4 year deal would be perfect.

Barber was terrible at short yardage and while I don't advocate simply getting rid of him. McClain and White are available in FA and there is always the draft.

What happens with Brewster dictates how we draft for OL. If he stays at T then if we draft a T then you are throwing away a 3rd round pick or keeping 5 OT. If he moves to G then you can go either way as the depth in our interior line is horrible.

Unfortunately OG doesnt look good in FA with the like of Neal and Lutui being the best available.

I am fine with Adams, Free, Columbo and Brewster as our OT next year.

Patrick Crayton was a good PR last year. DeCammillis actually got him to run upfield consistently and he does not need to be replaced.

Ogletree is good in the openfield. Have him return KO.

No one is talking about it but DL needs to be addressed. Spears, Bowen and Hatcher are all FA and Siavii is oh so upgradeable.

OLB has our starters set. Butler showed something last year getting a few sacks but also showed he needs work. Brandon Williams is also coming back having not played at all. A 5th is a luxury not a need.

ILB has Carpenter probably moving on and Jason Williams coming back. Our starters are set. If Carpenter goes then the nickel spot becomes very problematic. Say what you will about him he was good in that spot in 2009.

The secondary as a whole needs a playmaker. Watkins and Ball are great backups but neither are irreplaceable. Hamlin and Sensebaugh are good in coverage but just dont make plays on the ball very often.

In fairness McNabb, Eli and even Campbell don't throw a lot of picks and that is half of our season right there.

 

[jobberone]

Janikowski made 90% of his FGs last year and is as good a KO guy as Buehler. Hes 31 and a 4 year deal would be perfect.

Barber was terrible at short yardage and while I don't advocate simply getting rid of him. McClain and White are available in FA and there is always the draft.

What happens with Brewster dictates how we draft for OL. If he stays at T then if we draft a T then you are throwing away a 3rd round pick or keeping 5 OT. If he moves to G then you can go either way as the depth in our interior line is horrible.

Unfortunately OG doesnt look good in FA with the like of Neal and Lutui being the best available.

I am fine with Adams, Free, Columbo and Brewster as our OT next year.

Patrick Crayton was a good PR last year. DeCammillis actually got him to run upfield consistently and he does not need to be replaced.

Ogletree is good in the openfield. Have him return KO.

No one is talking about it but DL needs to be addressed. Spears, Bowen and Hatcher are all FA and Siavii is oh so upgradeable.

OLB has our starters set. Butler showed something last year getting a few sacks but also showed he needs work. Brandon Williams is also coming back having not played at all. A 5th is a luxury not a need.

ILB has Carpenter probably moving on and Jason Williams coming back. Our starters are set. If Carpenter goes then the nickel spot becomes very problematic. Say what you will about him he was good in that spot in 2009.

The secondary as a whole needs a playmaker. Watkins and Ball are great backups but neither are irreplaceable. Hamlin and Sensebaugh are good in coverage but just dont make plays on the ball very often.

In fairness McNabb, Eli and even Campbell don't throw a lot of picks and that is half of our season right there.

I'd love to have Ski in here to kick. Would free up a roster spot. I don't see Jones paying for a kicker although I see no reason why not esp for Ski.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

I'd love to have Ski in here to kick. Would free up a roster spot. I don't see Jones paying for a kicker although I see no reason why not esp for Ski.

I do not get rid of Buehler. 29 Touchbacks = BUY BUY BUY. I do want Ski though, just have him do Field Goals, have the Buehler do Kick offs.

 

[jobberone]

I do not get rid of Buehler. 29 Touchbacks = BUY BUY BUY. I do want Ski though, just have him do Field Goals, have the Buehler do Kick offs.

Why? Ski has a huge leg.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Why? Ski has a huge leg.

gimme pointed something to me. he does have a big leg but take a gander at his average the previous 4 years: 80%, 72%, 72% and 67%. Now the two years before that were both 89% but that is a 4 year block where he clearly just didn't give a damn.

 

[jobberone]

gimme pointed something to me. he does have a big leg but take a gander at his average the previous 4 years: 80%, 72%, 72% and 67%. Now the two years before that were both 89% but that is a 4 year block where he clearly just didn't give a damn.

He's playing for the Raiders. No wonder he doesn't care. Actually I thought he was better than that. I'd heard he was down some but didn't know it was that bad. That's unacceptable.

Ok back to square one in my plight to hire a kicker for the Boys.

 

[nalam]

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.

It is a little bit misleading. See we moved the ball all year , even in Minnesota (atleast in 1st half) but we couldn't put points up. It is the ability to pick up third and shorts and fourth and shorts hurt us. ( check San Diego game - 4 plays from 1 yard line -0 points )Kicking game could have helped but it won't fill the points gap.

It is probably a combination of OL, FB and RB or OL,QB, possesion WR , which we are missing to get sure yards when matter most to advance to the goal line.

Hope they can address that in the draft. May be time to get rid of Hudson houck and bring in a fiery coach for the OL.

 

[Eskimo]

It is a little bit misleading. See we moved the ball all year , even in Minnesota (atleast in 1st half) but we couldn't put points up. It is the ability to pick up third and shorts and fourth and shorts hurt us. ( check San Diego game - 4 plays from 1 yard line -0 points )Kicking game could have helped but it won't fill the points gap.

It is probably a combination of OL, FB and RB or OL,QB, possesion WR , which we are missing to get sure yards when matter most to advance to the goal line.

Hope they can address that in the draft. May be time to get rid of Hudson houck and bring in a fiery coach for the OL.

I don't know the problem is Houck, though.

Bigg plays too high in short yardage. He is a great drive blocker on normal running downs and a great asset there but he is not a Larry Allen type force in short yardage despite similar power.

Gurode is good. You're not going to find too many centers much better than him.

Kosier can be overpowered.

So when you look at the interior, 2 of the 3 aren't all that effective in true short yardage situations.

 

[nalam]

I don't know the problem is Houck, though.

Bigg plays too high in short yardage. He is a great drive blocker on normal running downs and a great asset there but he is not a Larry Allen type force in short yardage despite similar power.
...
Kosier can be overpowered.
...

Very good observation. But since he has similar power as Larry , coaching can be the problem to use him properly for the situation. Kosier on the other hand technically superior bu lacks the power.

May be we can find a stud in the draft !

 

[jobberone]

I don't think its the OL as much as the playcalling. Teams are loading up for us in short yardage plays and we are too predictable. Or we call some dufus pass play that doesn't get it. And it's not just short yardage that's the problem. We make too many mistakes for one problem. Another is the play calling. At times he's genius and others too predictable and vanilla or just doesn't call a high percentage play. And as far as blitzes go the players have to read that correctly and run the right routes. That's on Romo and the WRs. It's also on Red for not calling quick developing plays when the other team gets blitz happy. Take the short stuff like Peyton does. You just can't always throw intermediate passes all the way down the field.

You just can't blame all of it on the OL. We rushed for over 2000 yds at 4.8 a clip last year. And we passed for over 4200 yds. We gained 400 yards a game. That proves the OL is basically doing its job. We only scored at roughly 56 points per 1000 yards gained though. Whatever the reason(s) that's unacceptable.