Wrapping Up This Season

SDogo

Not as good as I once was but as good once as I ev
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I'm not even mad, not even surprised, not even is shock at the way this season ended. I predicted a 9-7 team and was just about right. I knew we would have growing pains with Garrett in charge. I knew their was some fat to trim on the roster and not enough time to do it given the state of the league and the labor agreement. I knew the coaching staff was not complete.

I'm still on board with Garrett, I think he can get this right, I think he learned a lot this season. I'm not going to sit here and tell you his stock did not take a hit in my eyes, it did. I was shocked at ill prepared and undisciplined this team was at times this year. I was shocked at out they rolled over at points in games. Garrett made me out to be fool in that aspect. One thing I promised everyone to start the season is that no matter the record we would see this team play a complete game for 60 minutes. I was wrong.

I'm not going to put all the blame on him. The defense is old and slow at key positions, thin at others and there are more then a few bad apples on this roster that need tossed in the compost.

We arguably started 3 OL who would be backup's around the league in Kosier, Costa and Holland/Dockery. We have a LT who should be playing RT and RT who should be playing LT.

Our best WR was a journeyman FA and while a pleasant surprise and IMO a priority this offseason what does it say about Austin and Bryant? Miles flashed the pre-new shiny contract version of himself, struggling to stay healthy and showing concentration issues that plagued him early on. Dez was disappointing in my eyes. The kid has unquestionable ability but will he ever get it mentally? Don't ask me why, I don't have a solid reason but I get the feeling something is going to change with this group this off season. I just get the feeling we are in for a move that will set this board on fire.

Jason Witten again put up a Jason Witten type season but his blocking has dropped off and it's a trend I fear we need to get used to. Bennett is a mess, he will never get it and it's too bad because he has amazing talent. My biggest question though is where the heck was John Phillips? In another expected and unpopular move look for the Cowboys to draft yet another TE.

Romo IMO has his best year but the clock is ticking. Sure the Detroit and Jets games stand out and with Romo that's what you get. 99% of the time he is going to be money but there are those few occasions every year he is going to make you go flat out crazy.

I'm excited about Demarco Murray, I think he takes back the starting spot next year and never looks back. I also think your going to see Felix slowly weeded out of the process. I fully expect Dallas to bring in another back this off season via FA or the draft. I know Miller was a fan favorite but he did not show enough to keep his spot as the 3rd back.

I don't even know where to begin with the defense. I'm probably most let down by the performance of this unit then any other aspect of this season.

The Cowboys are slow and old at key spots (CB and LB). Nothing can be said about Newman that has not already been said. His career is over, he did not lose a step he lost several of them. Alan Ball and Frank Walker are not quality NFL CB's. Jenkins showed some serious heart this year, not a popular opinion but I do believe Jenkins will return to Pro-Bowl form next year. Scandrick is a devil in black mini skirt. I think he has the ability but we have not gotten the best out of him. To his defense, all he has had is Campo and I'm sorry, you don't want that guy teaching your CB's anything. Why the hell he still has a job in this league is beyond me. I would not all be surprised to see Ball and Walker replaced as well as Campo.

What can be said at LB? Sean Lee is a rock in the middle and while Ware has been taking some heat who else would you want there? Now at the other starting OLB spot and ILB spot all the way down the depth chart there is nothing to speak of. Spencer has been ubber disappointing, offering nothing as a pass rusher and having multiple assignment breakdowns this year we have not seen in the past. Victor Butler all be it IMo under utilized is nothing more then a serviceable reserve. Bradie James who deserves a lot of thanks for his years of service is facing the cold hard truth that he no longer can hold up in a young mans game and Brooking despite an amazing career needs to set his focus to coaching in this league were he belongs. We have no idea what we have in Bruce Carter and I cant even begin to speculate. Even more so then CB, this LB core needs a complete overhaul.

I would talk about the Safety position but I'm sick of it. I have been doing it from the day Woodson left and for some reason despite every fan and every team around the league seeing the issue Dallas just seems to ignore it. I'm doing it anymore and I give up. I think we all know what needs done and no I don't think Jerry will do anything about it yet again this off season.

We have 21 FA's this off season that include Brooking, Bennett, Elam, Spencer, James, Kitna, Kosier, Holland, Dockery and Ball. All of which need replaced. Matter of fact out of the 21 FA's Dallas has which I know is 40% of the roster and turnover that great is unheard of the only three I feel worth bringing back is Robinson, McBriar and Fiammetta.

It's going to be a long off season, I think we are in store for some shockers and lot of activity. I'll leave the Cap situation to Adam but my understanding is it's not as bad as some are making it. Either way, I'm done discussing the season. I have tossed it aside and I'm over it. We got just about what I expected. My expectations for next season will be determined over the next 4-5 months.

Take a breath Cowboys fans, find a hobby, take up the draft, spend time with your family and enjoy the break, I think we all need it.
 
We went into the season thinking interior O-line and secondary would be issues.

You're right, no surprises. If you don't fix problems they don't fix themselves. Basically we can tie everything back to the essentially non-existent offseason we had last year. I suppose people just hoped coaching changes would just fix everything, but turns out it wasn't Wade that sucked, it was the players.
 
I agree with everything you are saying, we might as well forget the season because I believe we care more than most of the roster does. I don't think I would even bring McBriar back as that drop foot issue will at some point come back to bite us. Jones did a good job in relief and I would just keep him at this point. I will be interested to see where GM Jones takes us this off season as it will have to be the foundation of whatever future this organization has.
 
theogt;4351982 said:
but turns out it wasn't Wade that sucked, it was the players.

Ennhh...Wade did suck quite a bit too...
 
SDogo;4351862 said:
I would talk about the Safety position but I'm sick of it. I have been doing it from the day Woodson left and for some reason despite every fan and every team around the league seeing the issue Dallas just seems to ignore it. I'm doing it anymore and I give up. I think we all know what needs done and no I don't think Jerry will do anything about it yet again this off season..

Considering Sensy has already been signed to an extension and Elam is a Ryan favorite, yeah I think you are in for your annual disappointment here.
 
I said 7-9 and they finished 8-8....but yeah the lack of talent is glaring: and the effort by some of the guys coming back last night was laughable: elam QUIT when Bradshaw was rumbling loose in the secondary and that's unforgiveable.

which brings us back to ryan.....he's all bluster and hubris and bs IMO....I've soured on him as the season has spiraled down the crapper. He's just like his crybaby brother Rex....yes, he cried after yesterday's loss IN FRONT OF HIS TEAM....and his fraudulant daddy buddy that would do the same thing when things got bad. The Ryans are trash plain and simple....our team is a total MESS gents. :bang2:
 
My exact thought process.

I let my expectations get to high..

I thought Newman would be serviceable and he wasn't

I put to much stock in the replacements after the purge of the old Oline... We still need three guys there. We need a Center that Romo can depend on

Disappointed in the penalties, game management and other fundemental things I thought would be better.

I think Garret will improve

I like to think a full off season will help... then I look at San Fran and think WTH
 
Venger;4351998 said:
Ennhh...Wade did suck quite a bit too...
Amazing how he didn't suck for basically any year of his career (including 2011) except last year. This group of defensive players will embarrass any defensive coach that takes them on.
 
Wolfpack;4353574 said:
Great post! Any thoughts on the front office?

Yes and No.

If it goes good Jerry had something to do with it. If it goes bad Jerry had something to do with it.

It's a crazy concept I know but I don't believe he controls the fate of the world.

If your looking for me to say he's walking away anytime soon I wont because he's not although you can expect Stephen to start taking a more visible roll and Jerry to fade back...........a little.
 
theogt;4352250 said:
Amazing how he didn't suck for basically any year of his career (including 2011) except last year. This group of defensive players will embarrass any defensive coach that takes them on.

I agree with this but Phillips always fades quick as the HC any where he's ever been. He doesn't grab any ones attention for a long period of time.


Nice post Sdog.
 
My expectations were high......

I thought this was really a playoff team and with Murray and Robinson added to this offense and the play of Lee on defense ......I thought we had a chance.

But the players failed again....I didnt think Wade was the problem here....even tho I thought we needed a better HC. Jason didnt do anything this year for me to change my mind that it wasnt the HC thats the problem here....its the players...

We have stupid players....we have players that dont care...

I love Dez...but how do we keep him on the field if he keeps on struggling to run proper routes? Where is the accountability ?

how many times do we have to witness players confused? Romo directing players where to go......Defensive players confused before the snap? Pointing fingers after a failed play?

Something has to be done....
 
Great post. The only point I disagree with is overhauling the LB position. Dallas has done that. Ware is a mainstay, Lee is a stud and Carter was taken in the 2nd round to start next year. Can Carter do it? I don't know....but I'm not concerned about a guy not making an impact who's coming off an injury with no offseason program and a rookie to boot. I'd like for Spencer to be replaced, but upgrading the position will be a challenge given all the other holes.
 
SDogo;4351862 said:
Our best WR was a journeyman FA and while a pleasant surprise and IMO a priority this offseason what does it say about Austin and Bryant? Miles flashed the pre-new shiny contract version of himself, struggling to stay healthy and showing concentration issues that plagued him early on. Dez was disappointing in my eyes. The kid has unquestionable ability but will he ever get it mentally? Don't ask me why, I don't have a solid reason but I get the feeling something is going to change with this group this off season. I just get the feeling we are in for a move that will set this board on fire.

You think we might trade Bryant? I have the same concerns with him as you have voiced and I wonder if this is the right time to move him....possibly for draft picks.
 
Air Force One;4353761 said:
You think we might trade Bryant? I have the same concerns with him as you have voiced and I wonder if this is the right time to move him....possibly for draft picks.

Honestly, I don't think it's out of the question.
 
SDogo;4353764 said:
Honestly, I don't think it's out of the question.

I think it might be the smart move. We need all the picks we can get to address defense and OL and WR is a position we can address in other ways. IMO, we can get great value for Bryant right now and I don't think we would take a big cap hit like we might with trading Austin(not to mention we wouldn't get as much for Austin).
 
Nice OP. My feelings are pretty similar on much of what you said.

At this point the thing that seems the most disappointing to me is that we didn't seem to get better as the year wore on. Rather I thought we played some of our best football in the first part of the season.

The offseason challenge to rebuild this roster seems very, very large to me.
 
SDogo;4353764 said:
Honestly, I don't think it's out of the question.

I don't know what the much maligned Giants secondary was doing last night, or maybe what our WR's were doing last night, but there was more than one ocasion where Romo actually had time to throw and couldn't find anyone open. With our receiving talent? That seemed very odd to me. I'm not giving up on Bryant, but I don't consider him untouchable.

If Red & his WR coach are in love with his potential and confident he's worth more patience, great. If not, then lets move on. I too am tired of looking like a unit that is too often completely out of sync.
 

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