How Bout Them Cowboys!

Discussion in 'Other Sports Discussion' started by TIME, Jan 13, 2015.

  1. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    We'll see what happens. There are certaintly question marks with the Cowboys, but outside of the Patriots I don't know that any team even the supposed Super Bowl contenders are without questions.

    I expect the Dallas offense to be even better and more explosive. Dak in Year 2 should be better as should the chemistry with his receivers. Zeke will be featured more as a pass catcher. Likely get more carries as well. Switzer will add another dynamic threat to the offense. Beasley and Witten should remain steady as well.

    Just need the defense to hold their own. Seeing a lot of positive reports about Jaylon Smith. We won't really know till he gets out on the field in an actual football game, but as a Dallas fan have to be excited for what he can potentially be.

    Youth in the secondary is scary, but also exciting. A lot more speed and playmaking ability as well as versatility there. Surely there will be growing pains, but if they can continue to develop and grow as the season progresses and with how good the offense is expected to be I'm confident they can be good enough for a deep playoff run.
     
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  2. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I even have questions about the Patriots. Their defense isn't that great either. It was ranked high, but they didn't have to play all those explosive teams of the NFC. When they finally did, they got blasted in the first half by the Falcons. I just can't give credit to the Patriots and their defense for winning that last Super Bowl. Both of their last two Super Bowls have been handed to them by the opposition. I'm not a Patriots hater or anything. What they've done is remarkable, and they had to do some work even with Seattle and Atlanta doing everything in their power to give the games away. But any critically thinking football fan knows that the Patriots were finished in their last two Superbowls. It took historically awful play calling to allow them back in.
     
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  3. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Cowboys linebacker Damian Wilson, who was projected to start at LB alongside Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

    I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm not. This is happening far too often with the Dallas Cowboys.

    It's a shame because this team clearly is one of the up and coming teams and have one the best young teams in the league, but too many players keep getting in trouble off the field.

    They're just fine on the offensive side, but it's really troubling how on the defensive side how many of these players keep hurting this team with their stupidity. Not that Wilson was the second coming of Patrick Willis, but still a guy you're expecting to start for you. This comes on the heels of Randy Gregory being suspended a year as well David Irving getting suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season.

    The defensive side is without question going be the determining factor on whether this team takes the next step and makes a Super Bowl run or reverts back to what they've been the last two decades. Not giving up on the season by any means, but there is legitimate concern right now. Already plenty of questions and now a couple of starters will likely be suspended.

    Jaylon Smith, Taco Charlton, along with those kids they drafted in the secondary they better be ready to play and contribute right away. As I said about the offense they'll hold their own. I fully expect improvement from Dak Prescott. Everything I've seen and read is him just continuing to refine his game, study tape, and continuing to display his great leadership skills. I'm not as concerned as some about their OL losing two starters because you still have three elite players within that group in Frederick, Martin, and Smith. Collins coming back should be an upgrade over Free. Whoever starts at LG will be aided playing between argurably the best tackle and center in the NFL in Tyron and Frederick. Embarrassment of riches in regards to the weapons on offense with the likes of Dez Bryant, Ezekiel Elliott, Witten is still rock solid, Beasley coming off a career year, and Switzer is gonna add some more speed and big play ability to this offense.

    Still it's gonna depend on this Dallas defense. They played above expectations last year and overall were a solid unit, but in the playoffs they really let this team down. They've got to find a way to get some pass rush. I'd like to see Jaylon used in that regard. At Notre Dame he was a very effective blitzer as well as playing as a down linemen at times. Marinelli is considered very vanilla, but I've seen him dial up some good blitzes along with twists and stunts to get guys home. Need to see more of that. Excited to see Charlton. He has the tools to be really good as a pass rusher just needs to develop consistency and Rod should be able to get the most out of him and we sure as hell need it.

    Training camp is only a few weeks away. Gonna be very interesting to see if these kids on defense are able to replicate what was done last year in regards to rookies playing at a high level. That's what needs to happen. We shall see.
     
  4. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    f*** off NFL.
     
  5. pound4pound

    pound4pound - Lakers Starter -

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    6 games for Zeke
     
  6. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Suspended six games for a crime he was never charged with.

    What a load of BS.
     
  7. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    He'll appeal and it'll get knocked down to 4. They built in the "appeal" into the punishment.

    I'm less worried about Zeke's 4 games than I am about the GAUNTLET that our schedule is this season.
     
  8. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    It's a tough looking schedule of course without Zeke, but I think gauntlet is overstating it.

    Giants are a good team, but they have their own issues. Eli is 36 and looks to be declining. OL still sucks.

    Broncos don't have a QB. Cardinals have one, but he's aging.

    Packers are a one man team. 49ers and Rams are probably the two worst teams in the NFC.

    3-3 is doable.
     
  9. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Dak & Dez looked really good the other night.

    Jaylon not so much, but that's expected considering he missed 18 months. Gonna take him some time to get used to playing with that brace and regaining confidence in his knee.

    That OL is special though. Even JAG backs like McFadden and Smith were having sucsss on the ground. That offense should still be one of the best in the league even without Zeke.

    Think that young defense is coming along as well. Excited to see more of the starters next week in a potential SB preview with Oakland.
     
  10. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    This team right now looks poised for 8-8.

    Dak is really struggling with his accuracy in the pocket.

    He & Dez just can't get on the same page.

    OL isn't nearly as dominant. Suspect playcalling.

    When Sean Lee isn't on the field this is one of the worst defenses in the league.
     
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  11. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    It's starting to look like last year was more of a fluke and now we are back to the Jason Garrett 8-8 norm. Even with Sean Lee our defense is atrocious. We have way too much money wrapped up in Dez Bryant. I would not be surprised if Dez is not a Cowboy next season. For whatever reason him and Dak can't build any chemistry.
     
  12. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    I think it's time to overhaul the coaching staff if they do revert back to being 8-8.

    Marinelli, Linehan, Garrett, everyone.

    As the Rams showed a competent coaching staff makes such a huge difference for a team and young QB.
     
  13. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    Exactly. This is Garrett's 8th season and we haven't been past the second round of the playoffs. We have one playoff victory in his tenure here. And even that one win we kind of received a gift at the end of that game (that pass interference call).

    I don't want to be too hard on Marinelli. Our defensive woes are mostly due to a complete lack of personnel. We have no elite pass rushers (or even good ones) and our secondary is a bunch of kids. Last season they weren't on the field as much and he was able to use smoke and mirrors and Sean Lee playing with his hair on fire to hold teams just enough. The bones of a great team are still there, and I think we can turn it around and maybe win this division this season (no one is going to run away with it), but a new staff with some defensive upgrades and we're there.
     
  14. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    I'm just not a big fan of Marinelli's scheme. It seems all we do is sit back and take it playing soft zone coverage, rarely blitzing, playing 10 yards off receivers, rarely pressing and really challenging wide outs on the outside, and the lack of aggression is a big reason we cannot create turnovers.
     
  15. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I'm fairly certain we don't challenge the wide outs on the outside because we don't have the talent at the position to do so. I think we'd be more aggressive if we thought our DBs could play man to man for more than 1.5 second before someone gets free. Still, if Marinelli was let go, I wouldn't be terribly upset, especially if it means the Ginger is going with him. If Garrett is fired, whoever the new coach is will likely want to bring in his own guys anyway.
     
  16. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Big game for GB this week.

    Lee is likely out, but Hitchens, Irving, and Awuzie all will make their return. All quality starters IMO.

    The biggest issue with the Dallas defense is the safety position. I actually think their young corners have held up reasonably well.

    Heath is a big liability back there and while Byron Jones hasn’t been great I wonder how he’d fare with a more athletic, instinctive SS which I believe they have in Woods.

    Tank Lawrence is starting to getting a lot of attention so hopeful Irving who was their most disruptive D-Lineman last year can help with that.

    Lee being out again is a huge blow, but Hitchens is a very solid LB. Big upgrade over what Jaylon Smith is doing right now.

    Offense has to be more consistent. They were dominant in the first half vs the Rams and the 2nd half @ the Cardinals, but no consistency right now.

    They’ve gotta get back to sustaining drives, milking the clock, being a dominant running team, and that’ll lessen the load on young Dak Prescott who has far too much on his plate right now for a 2nd year QB.
     
  17. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Well so much for that.

    Defense is a joke.

    Dak played incredibly, but as we’ve seen so often with Romo it wasn’t enough because the defense just couldn’t get a stop when it mattered most.

    This looks like an 8-8 team and the defense is about as pathetic as it was in 2013.
     
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  18. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    It's the Ginger doing what he does best. Build up a lead and then fall back into a conservative mode. Maybe if we had the Chiefs defense and we weren't playing against Aaron F---ing Rodgers, it could work. Two weeks in a row now we build up a lead then stop being aggressive on offense. Maybe if we knock Garrett out and bring him on the field 30 seconds into the game, but change the scoreboard to say we're down 14, we could win these games. That way when we catch up, go up by "14", and drop in conservative mode, we actually have a 28 point cushion.
     
  19. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Yeah it was unreal man. Zeke is GASHING them and you pass on 2nd and 1. What the f***?

    I want both Linehan and Garrett gone.

    I’m just in awe of how bad the defense is. I knew there would be some struggles especially with how young they’re, but this might be the worst defense in football.

    This is like 2013 all over again. Offense has to be perfect for them to win. You just cannot beat good teams like that. You can’t play perfect football.
     
  20. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    Jourdan Lewis (last play not withstanding) seems like a decent pick though. But Awuzie and Taco have been less than impressive. And I think we went into the season thinking Jaylon was going to come in at Notre Dame form. He obviously will need a little longer.
     

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