jday
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Let’s review:
Tank Lawrence suspended for 4 games. Randall Gregory suspended for 10-14 games. Rolando McClain suspended for 10 games and is likely to be released given his lack of participation in the offseason. Kellen Moore suffered a broken ankle and is likely now out for the year. And the fourth overall pick, Ezekiel Elliott, strained a hammy. Okay, so the last one isn’t exactly damning nor should it be considered the straw that broke the camel’s back, but still…c’mon…really? What the hell is going on here? Can the Cowboys catch a break (pipe down Kellen, you know I didn’t mean that type of break!)?
It is as if fate is conditioning the Cowboys faithful for what’s to come…more misery, consternation, and disappointment. Or is it simply getting all the negative stuff out of the way to make way for a positive future…a cosmic process of separating the wheat from the chaff? I do not lean one way or another; I do not profess to know fate’s plan or motivation in this world. I am merely an eyes-wide-open observer, constantly on the hunt for rhyme and reason in the life that surrounds me…but for the most part, that attention is devoted to our beloved Cowboys….your welcome.
And the one thing that encourages me, despite the aforementioned news, is the recollection of the offseason going into 2014. Remember? Demarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher left in Free Agency. Where will our pass rush come from? Remember? Romo’s back was a viral hash tag. Remember? OTA’s opened with Sean Lee being carted off the field for what would be the entire season. Remember? I am sure there were more…negative headlines poured from every possible sports media outlet in regards to our Cowboys and their dastardly expectations following 3 straight years of 8 and 8. Garrett was on the hot seat. Romo should retire. I’m sure there were some Dez is a headcase articles, as well, though I couldn’t recite any of them.
Damning? You would think so, but not even close. In fact, the Cowboys went on to post their best regular season record since 2007 (13 & 3)…and I’d argue that defense, as a whole, was far less potent than what the Cowboys will be fielding this year. Okay, maybe not far less but still, I submit to you that the 2016 defense will be stouter than the 2014 variety, which managed to do just enough, if not more, to help the Cowboys post a 12 and 4 record. I will also state that the Cowboys offense is also better than the 2014 iteration, if for no other reason, Zeke is a much more dangerous back with the ball in his hands than Murray. Runs where Murray was caught from behind would have been touchdowns for Zeke, in my opinion. As for the other attributes he seems to excel at over Murray, such as ball security, lateral agility, acceleration and pass blocking, I will reserve my ultimate judgment for when he is able to do it in the NFL…but for the moment, I think he is better in those attributes, as well.
But this is not another Zeke-fixes-everything thread…I’ve already contributed that thread at least three times using different wording and praises for our top pick in the 2016 draft. That ground is tilled, the seeds are sown, the rain has fallen and I’m seeing leaves poke their heads out of the ground getting ready to sprout and blossom in abundance…much like the green Zeke will frequently see with the best offensive line in football clearing a path for him (sorry, couldn’t help myself).
So then, what is this all about? The point is simple. Nothing that has happened thus far comes even close to damning 2016…the story that is the upcoming season is yet not written. Everyone’s clamoring for the Cowboys to mortgage their future to go and get a name…someone, anyone that has done it before. Therein is yet another key point. All those names that have done it before had a first time they did it in the NFL. First times of that nature happen every season for every team. So it’s not a stretch of the imagination to expect someone on the defensive side of the ball to emerge in the absence of names and pedigree. Football success, at the end of the day, is a measure of collective effort, not talent and/or genetics. The collective effort I speak of is not just on the gameday football field. No, I speak of the work our Cowboys are putting in now and what they will put in preparing for Sunday each week in the regular season. If they work harder than the opposition, then regardless of who shows up in a Cowboys uniform, I like the Cowboys chances of winning.
Of course, if Romo gets hurt, you can throw that Hallmark card in the trash; the story is written, signed, sealed and delivered, see you next year, go 2017 Cowboys.
Tank Lawrence suspended for 4 games. Randall Gregory suspended for 10-14 games. Rolando McClain suspended for 10 games and is likely to be released given his lack of participation in the offseason. Kellen Moore suffered a broken ankle and is likely now out for the year. And the fourth overall pick, Ezekiel Elliott, strained a hammy. Okay, so the last one isn’t exactly damning nor should it be considered the straw that broke the camel’s back, but still…c’mon…really? What the hell is going on here? Can the Cowboys catch a break (pipe down Kellen, you know I didn’t mean that type of break!)?
It is as if fate is conditioning the Cowboys faithful for what’s to come…more misery, consternation, and disappointment. Or is it simply getting all the negative stuff out of the way to make way for a positive future…a cosmic process of separating the wheat from the chaff? I do not lean one way or another; I do not profess to know fate’s plan or motivation in this world. I am merely an eyes-wide-open observer, constantly on the hunt for rhyme and reason in the life that surrounds me…but for the most part, that attention is devoted to our beloved Cowboys….your welcome.
And the one thing that encourages me, despite the aforementioned news, is the recollection of the offseason going into 2014. Remember? Demarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher left in Free Agency. Where will our pass rush come from? Remember? Romo’s back was a viral hash tag. Remember? OTA’s opened with Sean Lee being carted off the field for what would be the entire season. Remember? I am sure there were more…negative headlines poured from every possible sports media outlet in regards to our Cowboys and their dastardly expectations following 3 straight years of 8 and 8. Garrett was on the hot seat. Romo should retire. I’m sure there were some Dez is a headcase articles, as well, though I couldn’t recite any of them.
Damning? You would think so, but not even close. In fact, the Cowboys went on to post their best regular season record since 2007 (13 & 3)…and I’d argue that defense, as a whole, was far less potent than what the Cowboys will be fielding this year. Okay, maybe not far less but still, I submit to you that the 2016 defense will be stouter than the 2014 variety, which managed to do just enough, if not more, to help the Cowboys post a 12 and 4 record. I will also state that the Cowboys offense is also better than the 2014 iteration, if for no other reason, Zeke is a much more dangerous back with the ball in his hands than Murray. Runs where Murray was caught from behind would have been touchdowns for Zeke, in my opinion. As for the other attributes he seems to excel at over Murray, such as ball security, lateral agility, acceleration and pass blocking, I will reserve my ultimate judgment for when he is able to do it in the NFL…but for the moment, I think he is better in those attributes, as well.
But this is not another Zeke-fixes-everything thread…I’ve already contributed that thread at least three times using different wording and praises for our top pick in the 2016 draft. That ground is tilled, the seeds are sown, the rain has fallen and I’m seeing leaves poke their heads out of the ground getting ready to sprout and blossom in abundance…much like the green Zeke will frequently see with the best offensive line in football clearing a path for him (sorry, couldn’t help myself).
So then, what is this all about? The point is simple. Nothing that has happened thus far comes even close to damning 2016…the story that is the upcoming season is yet not written. Everyone’s clamoring for the Cowboys to mortgage their future to go and get a name…someone, anyone that has done it before. Therein is yet another key point. All those names that have done it before had a first time they did it in the NFL. First times of that nature happen every season for every team. So it’s not a stretch of the imagination to expect someone on the defensive side of the ball to emerge in the absence of names and pedigree. Football success, at the end of the day, is a measure of collective effort, not talent and/or genetics. The collective effort I speak of is not just on the gameday football field. No, I speak of the work our Cowboys are putting in now and what they will put in preparing for Sunday each week in the regular season. If they work harder than the opposition, then regardless of who shows up in a Cowboys uniform, I like the Cowboys chances of winning.
Of course, if Romo gets hurt, you can throw that Hallmark card in the trash; the story is written, signed, sealed and delivered, see you next year, go 2017 Cowboys.
Our record without Romo since Garrett took over is pitiful. It is not all on the QBs but our backups have been terrible.
