What's The Solution? (Long)

[mahoneybill]

Start investing in the trenches , earnestly , build it steadily, and don't overdo contracts for older and some skill players (typical Jerry fashion) . improve the OL enough to have decent pass and run blocking , one dimensional is not going to cut in this league. And please get some real safeties !

Brees benefits from a very solid line and quick hitting pass or even run plays.

In many cases last night the ball was gone in 2 seconds or less, and the RB's werent stringing out runs.
More like Boom and gone ......

 

[texbumthelife]

I like that. I think they've been doing the latter. I thought a number of picks in this draft were with the intent on replacing older, expensive vets over the next couple of years. As for the right hire, who would you go after?

They have dedicated far too many drafts to an ideal of what they want to become while cowering, bowing and lowering their eyes--ignoring the reflection of what they are. This team is weak of body, mind and fire at the places where that is most important. Top to bottom, this team is a false front. Pun intended.

 

[btcutter]

I don't think there is a quick fix.

We put our eggs in the basket of players like Romo, Ware, Witten and Austin. The Cowboys invested in complimentary players like Spencer, Hatcher, Ratliff, Carr and Claiborne.

We kept thinking that the investment would pay off. It paid off to the tune of 1 playoff victory.

Now we have a lot of cap costly players that we are bound to.

When I think of 'quick fixes', I think of the Niners and the Falcons.

The Falcons were in dire straits with Vick on the cap and in prison. Petrino was a joke. While Mike Smith proved to be a solid coach, their quick fix was really selecting Matt Ryan 3rd overall.

The Niners hired themselves a brilliant coach that resurrected the career of Alex Smith. Even still, he had the foresight to draft Kaepernick in the 2nd round because Smith wasn't likely to be the answer for them in the Super Bowl (even now his passing hasn't been all that great).

The 'problem contract' is Romo's. It comes with the territory of getting a franchise QB whose skills are on the decline.

I tend to lean towards us needing a sharp offensive mind at head coach. I doubt we'll get into the top-5 of the draft and get a Matt Ryan type of QB. And if we did, I doubt we'd take a QB. It's not exactly feasible to do so.

Instead, I can only hope for a different offensive philosophy and mindset. Something like Harbaugh in SF or McCoy in San Diego. And somebody smart enough to see the eroding skills of Romo and will draft a QB next year, let them develop.

Still, it's not all that easy. We'll need a HC that can handle the media. I'm not too big of a fan of changing schemes because it's a good way to stagnate player development. And we'll have to figure out what we want to do with Sean Lee. As great as he is and as much as I enjoy watching him, I have no confidence in his health.

I'm sure we'll continue to get the 'get rid of Jerry' comments here.

Hey, I'm all for it.

But, it is not going to happen anytime soon.

So instead I can only hope we find an invigorated coach that can pump some life into the offense and eventually get the defense going. We really need to be consistently trading down in each draft instead of trading up for guys like Claiborne. And we need a HC that is just flat-out ruthless. We have to put the organization in situations where we can keep the players we want, but at the same time cut ties before they decline so they don't hold us hostage.

Yes, that's a Jerry problem. But, I don't see Jerry changing anytime soon unless he's on death's door.









YR

You are right that JJ isn't going anywhere. I'm just praying that Stephen is sensible enough to hire a real GM to run the team when he eventually takes over.

 

[Sasquatch]

There is no quick fix, and Romo isnt part of the long term solution. This is tear down and rebuild job.

Agree that Romo may not be around when the turnaround is complete but we should build a solid line nonetheless before we throw his replacement out there.

 

[CooterBrown]

Good post. I believe Jerry has a very strong desire to win championships- but only within the parameters he has set. IE. Him as GM. Aside from removing himself from the GM role, I think Jerry would do just about anything to win another championship.

His actions speak loudly and clearly: Nothing is more important than him being GM and being the center of everything. Its a hobby for him.

I think this is correct. Jerry Jones desperately wants to win. He is a competitor. There is a reason he started for a National Championship NCAA team. There is a reason he has succeeded so well in business. But as a GM, it's like the first step to recovery, nothing will get better until he admits he has a problem. And the fact that he is a competitor will never let him admit that he IS the problem. He can't see the forest for the trees. He keeps running willy-nilly chopping down one tree after another hoping to let in more light with which to see the forest, when all he really needs to do is back-off and wait until the sun comes out from behind the clouds.

 

[dupree89]

Jerry lives for the day when he can say.....See, we can win a championship with a team that "I" put together and Jimmy Johnson had nothing to do with it. I really believe this is the driving force behind his madness.
And I 100% believe this Sean Lee injury will be one of the factors listed at the end of the season when he is asked why Garrett keeps his job.

 

[T-RO]

Here is the funny thing -- For the longest time I've never bought into the belief that Jerry really, truly, put his ego ahead of his will to field a winning franchise. I just didn't believe it.

The total acceptance of mediocrity thrust upon this club hiring has-been uninspiring coordinators such as Bill Callahan and Monte Kiffin has been such a terrible terrible decision that was questioned by everyone inside and outside of Dallas from the get-go that I simply don't know anymore.... maybe Jerry does put his ego and the need to have yes-men around him AHEAD of winning.

It sucks that I even feel conflicted about it.

Perry you sound like one of those good souls who want to see the best in people. And I guess that's a good thing. Meanwhile your antenna are clearly picking up a signal of something less than noble...something a bit...dark.

As someone who has had the cruel realities of the world smack him around long enough let me convey this:

Jerry views the Cowboys as his personal sports car and has spent about 4 seconds in his entire life genuinely thinking about any of us or if he might have some obligation to the common good.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Agree that Romo may not be around when the turnaround is complete but we should build a solid line nonetheless before we throw his replacement out there.

IMO, the NFL is fairly simple in its design.

If you have a good pass defense, a good running game and a good tight end, you're going to make the playoffs. You still need the other players and positions to perform well enough and a QB that is a threat to throw the ball effectively. But if you have those 3 things on your team, mediocre QB's will look pretty good. Decent Qb's will look very good. And pretty good QB's will look great.

This is exactly what Parcells attempted to do....defend the pass, establish a quality running game and have a good TE . And that's why he was able to make the playoffs with Vinny Testaverde and Quincy Carter while winning a Super Bowl with Jeff Hostetler.



YR

 

[khiladi]

So he's the constant since 2008, but not 2007, when he was the OC? An average Tony Sparano was the only difference between being a great offense and a poor one? Baloney! And you're saying my logic doesn't hold? You're twisting everything to make it look like Garrett is the only problem with this team, and he's the reason for all of our misery. I'm not saying you're wrong that Garrett is a problem. I'm saying the overall problem with this team goes much deeper than that. Although, you still haven't explained how we did so well in 2007 with a two playcallers who either sucked, or were average.

It's called talent and a guy by the name of Tony Romo.... And of course, the team has weaknesses besides Garrett, but he is the major one. This team should be in the play-offs year around.