Will 2014 be the lost season for you?

[BotchedLobotomy]

For the last several seasons, realistic or not, there has been plenty of preseason hype being thrown the Cowboys way. The media and most Cowboys fans had some pretty high expectations that this team could accomplish a lot. There have even been Super Bowl winner predictions coming from national media outlets as recent as last season.

As an average Joe Cowboys fan, I bought into the hype every year. Going into the season, I had myself convinced many times that this was the year. This "talented" team was going to make me proud.

Well, of course it really did not happen.

Now it is becoming pretty obvious that the coaching staff will be coming back mostly intact, the team is not in the best position to improve talent wise outside the draft, and Jerry will still be in charge.

For me, this may well be the first season in awhile, that my expectations for the Cowboys to do well is virtually nonexistent.

I am not really looking forward to the draft with the knowledge that there are too many holes in this team to fix in the draft unless they get really lucky.

I don't see the talent on def to make me think that they will not be a bottom feeder defense next year. I have little confidence that Garrett or Calahan can make this offense any less anemic. I worry about the health of Romo who seems to be aging very quickly.

But probably the biggest factor for me in thinking that next year is a lost season, is that certain players and the team as a whole are not nearly as talented as I really wanted to believe them to be. I always thought that the talent would overcome the poor coaching. I have finally come to the bitter realization, that the talent level of this team is average at best and that paired with bad coaching leaves little hope going into next year.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Whether or not it's a lost season depends on what happens. You can't predict very well in the NFL. I know it's all doom and gloom right now, but you just never know.

 

[Fredd]

a lost season for me is defined by the expectation that the following season is a "clean house" version of the team....jones isn't going to let that happen...he thrives on fence-riding so there is no "lost season" concept to him....thus, this isn't a lost season as I don't see the big sweeping changes needed following a collapse

IMO, I have hope for this season predicated on being healthy. the offense, at times, was pretty good and they certainly improved in the red zone (compared to 2012)...the defense was decimated by injury, especially on the DL so without any pass rush, the average joe-blow QB can look like a superstar....if healthy (big If), I think the defense can minimally be middle of the pack and the offense can do enough to win games...unfortunately, I think that is best case scenario which scares the bajeezus out of me...lost season? no, only if at the half-way point they are something like 2-6...

 

[cowboyblue22]

with the schedule this team has to play next season if the coaches and players don't figure out how to win quickly they may only win for or five games, they have really tough schedule.

 

[Vanilla2]

I don't remember seeing anyone picking the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl last season.

And to answer your question.

No it won't be a lost season for me.

Nothing has changed from the previous season and there's no sense in writing it off at this point IMO.

 

[dstovall5]

Even if we go 3-13, it still wont be a "lost season" for me.

Realistically, this team has been no where near the top teams in the NFL, especially with the way our defense has played. This is what I expect to happen next year regardless of schedule, Dallas will start 2-3/2-4/3-3/3-4, then they'll go on a winning streak to bring their record around 7-4/7-5/8-6 and come December they'll choke it away in the last 2-4 games.

Despite knowing they've choked the past 3 years in 7-4/7-5/8-6 situations, I'll still be ecstatic if they're in that situation again and I'll definitely be cheering them on.

I don't remember seeing anyone picking the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl last season.

Michael Smith from Numbers Never Lie picked them, lol.

 

[Eddie]

I would be willing to endure a losing season if we can use 2014 to clean up our salary cap. Mortgaging the future only ensures more 8-8 seasons.

 

[waving monkey]

I don't blow up with expectation every year and I dont get angry at the end of the
season.This is a game that I enjoy.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

I no longer buy the preseason hype & the players quotes "this team just feels different."

Uh ok.

There is a huge gap IMO between the cream of the NFL crop & the Cowboys. It will take several very good drafts to make up the difference.

 

[SDCowboy]

I don't know if it will be a lost season, but my excitement for it is at an all time low. I was expecting major, seemingly no-brainer moves like Garrett, Kiffin, Ware and Miles all being shown the door. Now it's looking like none of that may happen and it could be just more of the same.

 

[SWG9]

My expectation for 2014 is double digit losses and some serious changes in 2015 and beyond.

I don't know if I would call that a lost season because it would at least break the pattern of mediocrity and force the the organization to move forward.

 

[DragonCowboy]

This is the season that we should see results from Garrett if there are any to show (honestly it should've been last year, but I guess it's too late to fire the guy now). Like I thought last season, as long as it ends in Garrett's butt getting canned, it's not a lost season at this point. Last season was a lost season.

This season we need to get to the playoffs (and not get crushed in the first round), or Garrett's gotta go. Otherwise it is definitely a lost season.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Lost season?

Nah.

The offensive line is a top-10 line presently.

You've got a great talent at QB, WR and TE. Some decent talent at RB and LB (if they can remain healthy). You've got more than acceptable talent at CB. Weak links are the DL and 1 safety spot.

I can't imagine the team being worse on the DL in 2014 than they were in 2013.

 

[Risen Star]

The 2014 season will be like all the others post-Parcells for me. One where I know without a doubt the Cowboys have no chance to win a title.

This has been a lost couple of decades, for the most part.

 

[diehard2294]

Lost season?

Nah.

The offensive line is a top-10 line presently.

You've got a great talent at QB, WR and TE. Some decent talent at RB and LB (if they can remain healthy). You've got more than acceptable talent at CB. Weak links are the DL and 1 safety spot.

I can't imagine the team being worse on the DL in 2014 than they were in 2013.

I agree the OL is a strength

You have a 34 year old QB coming off of 2 back surgeries, you have a stud WR who gets lost in game plans as our brilliant offensive minds can't seem to figure out how to get him the ball enough. A TE who is slowing down but can still play. Some talent at RB yes, but (see stud receiver) The defense is a mess with many unknowns. Put that with the same coaches who underachieved and a bad salary cap situation and your left with slim hopes going into 2014.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Will 2014 be the lost season for you?

I can't imagine thinking it would be lost. There is a lot to be optimistic about. We should be even better on defense. Get healthy and add talent to the defense. No reason to believe we won't be better than last season.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Am I excited for 2014? No, not at all. Excitement stems from expectations. And I don't really have any expectations from Garrett and Romo and Ware going forward. These past three seasons have taken a toll. I guess the excitement will come back when all three of them are replaced. I will say this: draft Manziel if he is there at 17 and the excitement will come back. I think the team, the front office, the players and especially the fan base would all benefit and become refreshed and re-excited from some big changes like moving on from Garrett, Romo, and Ware. It is just time to move on. I do expect 2014 to be the beginning of something new. We will be turning over a new leaf.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I agree the OL is a strength

You have a 34 year old QB coming off of 2 back surgeries, you have a stud WR who gets lost in game plans as our brilliant offensive minds can't seem to figure out how to get him the ball enough. A TE who is slowing down but can still play. Some talent at RB yes, but (see stud receiver) The defense is a mess with many unknowns. Put that with the same coaches who underachieved and a bad salary cap situation and your left with slim hopes going into 2014.

I see a whole lotta teams around the NFL with as big if not bigger challenges... from a talent base that is even smaller than the Cowboys... to teams that have cheapskate owners... to teams that have floundered for longer and harder than this team.

On top of that experience tells us that several teams that make the playoffs one year do not make them the next... consequently there is always an opening.

 

[diehard2294]

I see a whole lotta teams around the NFL with as big if not bigger challenges... from a talent base that is even smaller than the Cowboys... to teams that have cheapskate owners... to teams that have floundered for longer and harder than this team.

On top of that experience tells us that several teams that make the playoffs one year do not make them the next... consequently there is always an opening.

we are talking about our favorite team, not the browns,Jags etc. Sure this team could turn it around next year, but we talk about the same things this time every year. We were told we had a easy schedule last year and we ended up 8-8. Next year we have a tough one with hopes that things should get better. I like many can only hope one day this organization can get over the mediocre label but chances are that won't happen anytime soon.

 

[dragon_mikal]

For the last several seasons, realistic or not, there has been plenty of preseason hype being thrown the Cowboys way. The media and most Cowboys fans had some pretty high expectations that this team could accomplish a lot. There have even been Super Bowl winner predictions coming from national media outlets as recent as last season.

As an average Joe Cowboys fan, I bought into the hype every year. Going into the season, I had myself convinced many times that this was the year. This "talented" team was going to make me proud.

Well, of course it really did not happen.

Now it is becoming pretty obvious that the coaching staff will be coming back mostly intact, the team is not in the best position to improve talent wise outside the draft, and Jerry will still be in charge.

For me, this may well be the first season in awhile, that my expectations for the Cowboys to do well is virtually nonexistent.

I am not really looking forward to the draft with the knowledge that there are too many holes in this team to fix in the draft unless they get really lucky.

I don't see the talent on def to make me think that they will not be a bottom feeder defense next year. I have little confidence that Garrett or Calahan can make this offense any less anemic. I worry about the health of Romo who seems to be aging very quickly.

But probably the biggest factor for me in thinking that next year is a lost season, is that certain players and the team as a whole are not nearly as talented as I really wanted to believe them to be. I always thought that the talent would overcome the poor coaching. I have finally come to the bitter realization, that the talent level of this team is average at best and that paired with bad coaching leaves little hope going into next year.

No. Upgrade the defensive line and develop a legit pass rush and this team has a real shot at the division. After that who knows?

Let's see how the offseason plays itself out.