Will this year be different in the first quarter?

[CooterBrown]

This team has fallen into a bad habit of being unprepared to play when the whistle blows. It is really frustrating to see the offense take the field on the first series and have a three and out, or pick up one first down, have a penalty and then stall and punt. Then the other team, whoever they might be, marches down the field on their first possession. By the middle of the first quarter the Cowboys are playing from behind. I will give them credit for waking up and playing good football the rest of the game, but by then it is sometimes too little, too late. Even in the "dress rehearsal" preseason game that everybody seemed pleased with, they started slow and had it not been for a fumble, they would have been behind in the first quarter. Will it be different this year? Or, will it be the same old, same old? And, if it is the same, how can it be corrected?

 

[Nirvana]

Another key to watch for is how they end the first half and then come out in the second half. When we went 13-3 we always did this very well, often scoring to end the half and then to start the second, taking control of the game. Miss those days.

 

[Nightman]

That was the most frustrating thing about last year. It seemed they slept walked thru the first half of most games. It's OK to get the lead early and blow some team out. Not every game has to be close.

 

[Redball Express]

This team has fallen into a bad habit of being unprepared to play when the whistle blows. It is really frustrating to see the offense take the field on the first series and have a three and out, or pick up one first down, have a penalty and then stall and punt. Then the other team, whoever they might be, marches down the field on their first possession. By the middle of the first quarter the Cowboys are playing from behind. I will give them credit for waking up and playing good football the rest of the game, but by then it is sometimes too little, too late. Even in the "dress rehearsal" preseason game that everybody seemed pleased with, they started slow and had it not been for a fumble, they would have been behind in the first quarter. Will it be different this year? Or, will it be the same old, same old? And, if it is the same, how can it be corrected?

It had better be.

Spotting other teams leads with 3 and outs and turnovers followed by quick scores for the other team was the formula for failure.

Playing from the first play offensively on with aggressive play calling and holding the ball is now required.

This new defense is going to take a bit to get rolling with all the new ness of players and coaches.

Romo and Callahan MUST dominate from the opening bell.

 

[OhSnap]

This team has fallen into a bad habit of being unprepared to play when the whistle blows. It is really frustrating to see the offense take the field on the first series and have a three and out, or pick up one first down, have a penalty and then stall and punt. Then the other team, whoever they might be, marches down the field on their first possession. By the middle of the first quarter the Cowboys are playing from behind. I will give them credit for waking up and playing good football the rest of the game, but by then it is sometimes too little, too late. Even in the "dress rehearsal" preseason game that everybody seemed pleased with, they started slow and had it not been for a fumble, they would have been behind in the first quarter. Will it be different this year? Or, will it be the same old, same old? And, if it is the same, how can it be corrected?

Some of what your talking about is due to an O-line that never got to practice together last year during training camp then switching to a center that had been on the team 6 days 3 plays into the first game.

 

[Galian Beast]

To answer your question; it has to be different this year.

I think improvements across the board on offense suggest that it will. We'll see if we have the same sort of setbacks though.

 

[cowboyskid29]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think dallas scored more than 10 pts in the first half of one game last season (14 vs saints). I will be infuriated if Dallas's offence pace of play is the same as last year in the first half.