2013 Dallas Cowboys - Expensively Mediocre

[EP Sox Fan]

For the 4 Cowboys fans on SoSH...
 
I guess we can start with the most obvious story currently occupying the Offseason Thread:
 
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/29/report-deal-done-romo-gets-more-guaranteed-money-than-flacco/
 
My longtime defense of Romo finally evaporated after his horrendous game ending pick vs. Washington and a 1 legged RGIII in the season finale.  Unfortunately, the Cowboys complete inability to draft and develop a viable alternative at QB coupled with his cap number essentially guaranteed this contract.  While this deal helps their cap, they still don't have much room.  That leaves the draft as the best place to look for impact players at offensive line, safety and defensive line.  There is no margin for error at the draft, which is terrifying based on GM Jerry's track record. A bad draft will condemn them to yet another 8-8 shitshow.
 
I guess it will be interesting to see how he responds to this contract.  If he thinks he gets a bad rap in the media now, he should wait until his first 3 INT performance making more guaranteed money that the reigning Super Bowl MVP. 

 

[Greg29fan]

if the offensive line gets him killed are they off the hook for the contract?

 

[axx]

$55 million guaranteed for a guy who turns 33 next month and has never proven himself in the playoffs? Yikes.

 
Romo's career is pretty much defined by the botched FG.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

$55 million guaranteed for a guy who turns 33 next month and has never proven himself in the playoffs? Yikes.

 
Their core group on offense is aging.  The only way they have a shot to make some noise in the post-season in the short term involves Tony Romo.  His cap number (along with the franchise tag amount for Spencer) completely hamstrung their ability to do anything this offseason.  They have no viable alternative who can produce like Romo.  To let him go at this point via trade or release essentially means you have to blow up the aging part of the roster and build around their younger players.  GM Jerry doesn't do re-building.  As someone pointed out in the other thread, Romo really had all the leverage. The contract was inevitable. 
 
Also, as a note to self, if I ever need an agent to negotiate a contract extension, I should probably hire Romo's agent.  How he got more guaranteed money than the guy who just won the Super Bowl MVP is beyond me.  While I think Flacco is overrated, he killed it in the playoffs and won the Super Bowl.  Romo has one playoff win and several prominent abject failures in win to get in games.  The mind reels.

 

[SMU_Sox]

He had 5 game winning 4th quarter drives this season alone. He's tied for 51st all time for game winning drives and only 8 active QBs have more than him. He is tied 34th of all time for comebacks. Only 5 active QB's in front of him. 
 
2012 Article on Romo's 4th Quarter QB rating:

Fact: Romo has the highest fourth-quarter passer rating among active quarterbacks. And it’s not even close. His 102.1 rating is more than five points higher than the second man on the list, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.

 
He's made some bad plays at bad times. Who hasn't? But because he helps keep his team in games in the first place whenever he screws up the spotlight is magnified on him. It's ridiculous how much crap Romo gets for being a good QB. No one plays flawlessly.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

FWIW, Kiper and McShay have the Cowboys taking DL Sylvester Wiliams and Sheldon Richardson, respectively with the #18 pick.  Both of their mocks show all of the excellent OL prospects off the board by 18.  I've seen Vacarro's name a few times at 18 on other mock drafts. 
 
Obviously some pretty significant holes along the OL and DL not to mention the vacuum at the safety position with the release of Senebaugh and Church coming back from a torn Achilles tendon.  Given their inability to find talent in the later rounds, there is no margin for error in the first two rounds of this draft, I'm more than a little nervous about their ability to draft people who will be able to contribute to the team.  Personally, I'd love to see a mauler at guard or RT drafted in the first round (e.g. Cooper, Warmack or Fluker) but it's looking like they may not make it to #18.  I wouldn't mind taking Vacarro there but Reid and Cyprien may be around in the 2nd.
 
Thoughts?

 

[SMU_Sox]

Jones said they wouldn't address thr interior oline in tje draft in February.

I'd think they would add someone to their front four like. Dt.

I could see them drafting a te or wr bebecause they have little depth there and Miles Austin is injury prone (hamstrings). Witten is getting up there as well and insiders have said that the Cowboys want to run out of two te sets.

I think they take a TE high.

Quick edit: by address it I mean spend a high pick on it.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Doug Free is one of the worst right tackles in the league. He's a sieve.

There is a good amount of tackle depth. I think they get a tackle but I am not sure when. If one of the top 4 tackles falls to them they might go there in the first round.

If so then Free can try his hand at guard.

 

[Bosoxen]

Drafting a tight end at #18 would be the single, dumbest thing you could possibly do. James Hanna looked the part in limited playing time last year and could be a decent option as the second TE. Independent of the existence of Hanna, to draft a TE that high right now would be roster suicide. Which, of course, is exactly what Jerry is prone to do.
 
Still though, I think we can all breathe a little easy knowing that it's extremely possible they will trade down. Right now what they need more than anything else is bodies. If you can snag another 3rd or 4th rounder by dropping a few spots, you have to do it. The Cowboys' biggest problem, aside from employing the worst player in the NFL in the form of Doug Free, is that their depth is wafer thin. They need bodies. And lots of them. But they only hold six draft picks, so they will need to do whatever they can to walk away from the draft with 8-10 players. As an aside, if at least half of them aren't major contributors this year, the 2013 season will be another abject disaster.

 

[SMU_Sox]

I don't disagree with anything you've said. I'm just trying to guess what Jerry will do.
 
Here's what I know:
 
1) Dude has a thing for offensive skill players.
 
2) He doesn't trade back much... just the opposite.
 
While I agree that their problem is depth and front 7's I don't honestly think Jerry drafts interior O-line or tackle high. I think the best chance is someone on the front 4. Then I would guess Tackle. Then WR or TE. Then safety. The fact is I have absolutely 0 confidence in him as a GM. Depth will always be a problem for the Cowboys.

 

[Bosoxen]

"Not so fast, my friend!" In Jerry's own, um, confusing words:
 

I’m inclined trading down, and that’s probably more likely to see something like that than you would up.

 
Also, he may be enamored with skill players, but let's not forget that the drafting of Dez Bryant was the first time the Cowboys selected an offensive skill position player in the first round since they drafted David LaFleur in the first round of the 1997 draft. I'm thinking we're more likely to see a safety or a defensive end taken in the first round. That's what he's more prone to taking in the first round.

 

[SMU_Sox]

There should be two good safeties available when they pick: Vaccaro (Local - Longhorn) and Cyprien. There are going to be multiple pass rushing D-linemen available too at this point.
 
What would be interesting to me is if Warmack or Cooper is available if Jerry would get them.

 

[Bosoxen]

As a Longhorns fan, I'd love to see Vaccaro in a Cowboys uniform but I'm not entirely sure he's what they need. He's more of an in the box safety but the Cowboys need a free safety. In my opinion, that would be getting the wrong former Horn. I know they didn't have the cap space but I would have much preferred Michael Huff.

 

[SMU_Sox]

You know... I'd be interested in organizing a Cowboys meetup for SoSH. True we have maybe 4-5 people who would be interested in joining but it could be fun.
 
The game against Denver looks promising: Sunday October 6th, 4:25 EST.
 
For the record I am a Pats fan BUT since moving to Dallas I root for the local team as well (on a secondary level though - like the Rangers).
 
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/headlines/20130424-stephen-jones-5050-chance-that-dallas-cowboys-draft-at-no.-18.ece
 
Stephen Jones:
 

"I don't think we'll know that until we see who's there," Jones told The Blitz on KZDC-AM 1250 in San Antonio. "I do think it's very possible that we could [trade] out of that pick depending on who's there.
"It's a very unique draft. In the 22 years I've been in the league, I don't think I have ever seen a draft where it lacks the high-powered guys up at the top."

 

[Bosoxen]

I think you and I would be the only ones to show up. I think I may be the only SoSHer who lives in the DFW area that's actually a Cowboys fan.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

I'd love to go...unfortunately, as Bosoxen knows, it's 650 miles away from the other side of Texas where I am located. El Paso, we're not at the end of the world, but we can see it from here.
 
At any rate, I too am curious to see what happens tomorrow night. Right now, most of the chatter has all of the highly rated O-line prospects going before the Cowboys pick at #18.  That could mean Vacarro.  Although Cyprien and Elam could be just as productive and be available in the 2nd round.  I saw or heard somewhere that they don't have Fluker rated that high. Of course, that could be misdirection.  Picking him would be logical because he's a mauler in the run game and would replace Free and his insane contract. Defensive line is a need with Ratliff aging and no real depth at tackle or end.  There are some interesting O-line prospects that will likely be available in the second round, e.g. Pugh, Terron Armstead, Larry Warford and Kyle Long.  Pass rushing defensive lineman is real need since Ware (and occasionally Spencer and Ratliff) are pretty much it. A good pass rush can mask a crappy secondary (which is certainly a problem with no safety depth and two cover corners who are now going to be playing  a lot of zone).  The more I think about it, the more it makes sense.  Whatever they do, they need someone capable of playing in week 1.
 

Spoiler

FWIW, Scouts, Inc. has a 7 round mock draft up on ESPN.com (Insider only).  Their mock has the Cowboys taking (1) Sheldon Richardson DT, (2) Kyle Long OL (3) JJ Wilcox S (Gs. Southern) (4) Sanders Commings CB (UGA) (5) Ricky Wagner OL (Wisc) and (6) Khaled Holmes OL (USC). 
 
 

 
Not terrible, but doesn't do enough to address DL depth.  Sylvester Williams and Warner were still on the board when the Cowboys picked at 18.  They seem to be rated higher than Richardson.

 

[Bosoxen]

So, that was the Cowboys' version of an M Night Shyamalan movie. Half way into the 4th quarter, we all knew what was going to happen and then the ridiculous plot twist got thrown at us (the defense with a game-clinching pick-6????). Happy with the result but still very skeptical of the team going forward. They displayed many of the same problems that have plagued the team in the recent past (untimely penalties, inconsistent blocking and the occasional bonehead moment thrown in for good measure). There was a lot to be encouraged about with the defense's ability to turn the ball over and the return of Lee and Carter. But the turnovers are unsustainable and the offensive line is still inconsistent, so what we're left with is a team that appears to have learned very little from its past mistakes. No surprise, given who runs the show.
 
Anyway, one could look at the game in a number of different ways and come to a number of different conclusions. The glass half empty crowd would say that it took a ridiculous 6 turnovers to barely overcome Eli Manning and his Cowboys, er AT&T, Stadium magic. The glass half full crowd would say that it took a fair amount of luck (hello, Victor Cruz!) for the Giants to even be in the game. I guess one could argue that some of the Giants' luck was based on the Cowboys' own incompetence. Both camps have a legitimate point, which is what made the game all the more bizarre and the team's prospects all the more difficult to put a finger on.
 
Personally, I'd lean towards the half empty point of view because, well, until they prove to me otherwise, I'll still see the Cowboys as a bumbling team barely capable of sustaining mediocrity. Prior to the season, I considered this to be an 8-8 or bust season. Despite that win, I don't see any reason to change that, unless they prove that they're able to get out of their own way.

 

[SMU_Sox]

The defense is top heavy but stacked except at Safety.
 
I am very encouraged by what I saw last night. I think they have the potential for 10-6. I expect an 8-8 or better team unless injuries kill them. You have post Aikman Cowboys syndrome Bosoxen. I recommend whiskey 200 CC's per hour when the Cowboys play. DRS will write you a script! Just head over to your local Spec's to collect your RX and try not to spend $200+

 

[Greg29fan]

I really hope Brian Waters has some gas left in the tank because getting Bernadeau and/or Doug Free (rush to the QB) off the field would be huge.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Bernadeau was god damn awful last night.
 
With Waters you'd have 3 good linemen and could hide a LG and a RT a lot better than you can with only two adequate linemen. 

 

[Bosoxen]

The defense is top heavy but stacked except at Safety.
 
I am very encouraged by what I saw last night. I think they have the potential for 10-6. I expect an 8-8 or better team unless injuries kill them. You have post Aikman Cowboys syndrome Bosoxen. I recommend whiskey 200 CC's per hour when the Cowboys play. DRS will write you a script! Just head over to your local Spec's to collect your RX and try not to spend $200+

 
Don't you mean when injuries kill them? Other than tight end, I can't think of a single position where they're equipped to handle a catastrophic injury. Granted, few teams are, but the Cowboys seemingly go out of their way to not build quality depth at any position except skill positions.
 
Don't get me wrong, I think they have a ton of talent at a lot of positions. We've heard that song and dance before, though. Hopefully them flipping the script on the Giants was a sign of things to come. But I'm going to wait and see whether or not they drop a big turd in KC before I think about getting my hopes up.

 

[SMU_Sox]

KC is like Sea last year - the general public hasn't caught on yet that they are significantly better than last year. I think at the end of the year we will see KC as a solid above average team record wise. Maybe not best DVOA like SEA but they are not a cupcake.
 
And yeah, definitely, they don't have quality depth except at skill positions. They just have to hope that they are more lucky than average when it comes to injuries. They cannot afford any O-Line injuries except maybe to G if Waters is healthy and playing.
 
I'm thinking 28-24 Dallas.  You?

 

[Bosoxen]

I don't know. It's really hard to figure that team out so early on. The conventional wisdom would be for them to grind the game by giving the Dallas defense a healthy dose of Jamaal Charles (provided he is healthy and able to play) and make it a low-scoring affair. Combining that with Alex Smith driving the bus would guard them from committing multiple turnovers and keep them in the game, Parcells-style. But that's not Andy Reid's forte. He's a sling it around the yard type and though Alex Smith would be better about protecting the ball than Vick, he's not without his own faults.
 
My guess would be that the Chiefs eek it out in a low scoring affair, probably something along the lines of 17-13. The comparison to last year's Seattle game is right along the lines of what I was thinking when I made the dropping a turd in KC comment (I actually made the exact same comment last year heading into the Seattle game). KC isn't the defensive juggernaut that Seattle is but they do have some nice pieces on that side of the ball. They pitched a shutout against Jacksonville - no offensive juggernaut, themselves - but doing that in the NFL is extremely tough, even against an offense led by Blaine Gabbert.
 
If the Cowboys pull this off, I'd be willing to bump my season prediction to 9-7. They'll need to make some hay in September and October because that November schedule is a fucking nightmare. Winning this game would go a long way towards building up a nice cushion to soften the blow.

 

[Bosoxen]

Mondays from September-January will henceforth be known as Groundhog Day. Until Jerry Jones kicks it, we'll be doomed to have variations of the same two or three conversations after every Cowboys game. It's the same shit week after week and year after year with this team. This season is shaping up to be another "8-8 or bust" season.
 
It's not just the blatant mediocrity. It's the fact that every single game is a reasonable facsimile of a handful of games from the previous season. They're the fucking Adam Dunn of the NFL, a true two-outcome team: win ugly or lose a heart-breaker (with the occasional lopsided game for posterity's sake). I've lost count how many times in the post-Parcells era the defense has hung tough only to watch the offense go to pieces late, forcing them to stay on the field too long and cough up a late lead. It's unreal how they are continually undermined by the same mistakes and shortcomings.
 
And if this isn't the dumbest team in the league, I'd hate to see the one that is.

 

[dynomite]

And if this isn't the dumbest team in the league, I'd hate to see the one that is.

The Jets extended Sanchez and traded Revis. The Jaguars drafted Gabbert instead of Dalton/Kaepernick. And 38% of the Raiders' payroll is dead money. There's plenty of stupid to go around.

EDIT: I actually think the Cowboys could win the NFC East this season. Through two weeks no one else has stood out in that Division, and the other three defensive units (Giants, Eagles, and Redskins) gave up a combined 112 points this weekend.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Now hold on. Kaepernick wasn't a sure thing at the time he was drafted. He was considered a boom/bust prospect QB and not a guy who could start right away that next year. Gabbert had good numbers and many scouts liked him. QB is not an easy position to project. I never thought much of Gabbert but people who know a lot more about football than me thought a lot of him. It's like saying that a coin that landed on heads was obviously going to be heads all along. No, you didn't know that, you have the benefit of knowing the outcome/hindsight. (And again, I never thought much of him pre-draft but that doesn't mean a whole lot).

 

[EP Sox Fan]

 
My guess would be that the Chiefs eek it out in a low scoring affair, probably something along the lines of 17-13. The comparison to last year's Seattle game is right along the lines of what I was thinking when I made the dropping a turd in KC comment (I actually made the exact same comment last year heading into the Seattle game). KC isn't the defensive juggernaut that Seattle is but they do have some nice pieces on that side of the ball. They pitched a shutout against Jacksonville - no offensive juggernaut, themselves - but doing that in the NFL is extremely tough, even against an offense led by Blaine Gabbert.

 
Nice call on the final score and probable outcome of the game.
 
I also have to agree on your broader conclusions about this year's inevitable 8-8 finish. The last two offensive possessions were inexcusably dumb.  Most important play in the game was the 3rd and 9 from the KC 40 where Romo checked down (and overthrew) to a 3 yard out to Witten. Follow that up with the unbelievable decision to call a screen pass to Murray from the 2 yard line with no timeouts. F*#KING STUPID AND INDEFENSIBLE (or in reality actually very defensible for Kansas City's defense).  This is a dumb team that cannot execute, especially when they need to.  1st down and goal inside the 5?  How about  a false start followed by a sack then chuck a WR screen to Terrence Williams instead of throwing to Dez who is being single covered by a CB that he's dominated for the entire half up to that point? COWBOYS FOOTBALL. The offense really looked dreadful in the second half. Out of synch and completely  one dimensional. 
 
This team just excels in losing winnable games against mediocre opponents then following it up with the same platitudes about how they just need to execute.  Two games into the season and I can already see us doing enough to finish just outside the playoffs then listening to GM Jerry tell us how close this team is to winning it all.  Secret sauce my ass.

 

[dynomite]

Now hold on. Kaepernick wasn't a sure thing at the time he was drafted. He was considered a boom/bust prospect QB and not a guy who could start right away that next year.

It was kind of just a throwaway line to make you feel better. Feel better!

Jeez, this thread turned Debbie Downer pretty quickly. I certainly understand why -- GM Jerry would probably drive me insane. That said, the rest of the NFC East looks pretty bad. I wouldn't write off the season after losing one road game by one point to what looks like a pretty decent Chiefs team.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

It was kind of just a throwaway line to make you feel better. Feel better!

Jeez, this thread turned Debbie Downer pretty quickly. I certainly understand why -- GM Jerry would probably drive me insane. That said, the rest of the NFC East looks pretty bad. I wouldn't write off the season after losing one road game by one point to what looks like a pretty decent Chiefs team.

 
It's not that they lost that's driving people off the ledge.  It's how they lost.  At this point the rest of the NFC East looks underwhelming, particularly on  the defensive side of the ball. I'm simply not confident that this team has the discipline or football aptitude to take advantage of the opportunity. Had a chance to pick up a game on their division rivals yesterday in a game against a beatable opponent and just couldn't get it done. Same old story, different year.

 

[Bosoxen]

The Jets extended Sanchez and traded Revis. The Jaguars drafted Gabbert instead of Dalton/Kaepernick. And 38% of the Raiders' payroll is dead money. There's plenty of stupid to go around.

EDIT: I actually think the Cowboys could win the NFC East this season. Through two weeks no one else has stood out in that Division, and the other three defensive units (Giants, Eagles, and Redskins) gave up a combined 112 points this weekend.

 
I see your examples and raise you Doug Free's $17 million guaranteed and any draft under Jerry Jones, not including Jimmy Johnson or Bill Parcells.
 
Besides that, I meant on the field. No team is less prepared to handle situations out of the ordinary than the Dallas Cowboys. They make stupid decision after stupid decision. And not just the players, either. The coaching staff is downright stupid, too. Bad clock management, horrendous play calling and nonexistent discipline are but a small list of the shit the coaching staff allows to continue. This team is beyond frustrating.
 

 
It's not that they lost that's driving people off the ledge.  It's how they lost.  At this point the rest of the NFC East looks underwhelming, particularly on  the defensive side of the ball. I'm simply not confident that this team has the discipline or football aptitude to take advantage of the opportunity. Had a chance to pick up a game on their division rivals yesterday in a game against a beatable opponent and just couldn't get it done. Same old story, different year.

 
Exactly. It's no longer about individual performances or individual games. It's about the fact that the same story gets repeated over and over again week after week. And even though it's obvious to all of those involved, they don't do a damn thing about it. It's Jerry's team and as long as he's cashing checks, he couldn't give two shits about improving the product on the field. All he cares about is the illusion that he's trying to improve it so he can keep cashing his checks.

 

[SawxSince67]

Bitchy, rambling rant:

I am not that cynical about Jerry's motives. I just firmly believe that he is inept and can't transition from the shiny baubles that are offensive skill players to constructing a team from the line and outward. After all of this time and money, he can't entrust personnel decisions to a legitimate football professional.

I am for the most part, a Romo apologist (he certainly does have WTF moments), but it is true that ,Tyron Smith aside, mediocre O linemen are in front of Romo. Even if the first string was healthy. This is not insignificant. Romo has already taken a big shot and needs a needle before kickoff-in Week 2.

And because Jerry cannot co-exist with a 'strong' head coach, this team has been run by nice guys. And, as a result, I think the players don't have the 'belly' to finish games. Yes, 'belly' is not a quantifiable metric.

Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells would strategically and publicly cut a guy, during practice and set the tone; you take a play off, you fuck up my program and you're on the street.

I don't think the team has felt that discomfort for years.

I have forever been a fan of the Big Blue Star - i agree that they will go nowhere this season.

 

[Bosoxen]

I am not that cynical about Jerry's motives. I just firmly believe that he is inept and can't transition from the shiny baubles that are offensive skill players to constructing a team from the line and outward. After all of this time and money, he can't entrust personnel decisions to a legitimate football professional.

 
The fact that he has publicly stated that he would have fired the GM years ago, yet won't step down from the position (and basically rubbed our noses in it), doesn't strike you as the least bit odd? The fact that being a Cowboys fan has sucked for the past 18 years because of what amounts to a temper tantrum hasn't led you to question his motives? If not, then you're a much more trusting and forgiving person than I could ever dream of being.
 
Your comment about the "Big Blue Star" reminds me of a thought I had while watching that debacle on Sunday. I found myself reminiscing about the days when the mere sight of their helmet got me fired up. It used to mean so much to me to see that star on Sundays. And then Parcells started his bit about having to earn the star and forcing new players to practice with a plain helmet. I freaking loved that because it meant that Jerry's country club atmosphere was gone and meant players would no longer just be given anything; they'd have to earn their place. Those days are long gone and now the only feeling I get when I see the star is the irresistible urge to drink heavily.

 

[SawxSince67]

The fact that he has publicly stated that he would have fired the GM years ago, yet won't step down from the position (and basically rubbed our noses in it), doesn't strike you as the least bit odd?

Odd? It's insane.

I don't think he's evil and calculating. I think he is incompetent.

Unfortunately, he is also committed to building a "winner" by HIS design and HE owns the team.

He could easily finish "I'd have fired the GM years ago..." with "but, I own this thing and Momma didn't raise no quitter." Or, something nutty like that. But, he isn't a football guy, he just really likes it. The money the team makes allows him to continue this poorly executed experiment.

Jerry's football experience timeline:

1960 RAZORBACKS || _____________________|| OIL ||______________________|| 1990 COWBOYS

True football lifers don't have decades long gaps, as you know.

Now, he's stuck with his prime time contracts and only the pocket change left to allot to line depth and depth, in general. I think that's why he hires Callahan and Kiffin. He can't move the contracts, so he'll change scheme and design to see if it will work. And it won't.

"Big Blue Star"

Remember George Teague.

 

[dcmissle]

Well it is striking in its honesty. Jerry has told fans that the team is his personal plaything. The only clear solution is a well places bullet or the adoption of another team.

I've seen this nearby -- Redskins and Orioles -- and although particular motivations may vary, there is a common thread: contempt for professionals borne of delusional self confidence.

When and how this ends is hard to predict. My concern would be that he is hale and hearty, which is bad enough, but that could be followed by something worse still: an Al Davis phase.

 

[Greg29fan]

so DeMarco Murray against the Rams is some kind of Jim Brown-Walter Payton-Barry Sanders-Emmitt hybrid, huh?

 

[Greg29fan]

Jerrah says Spencer's likely out for the season...needs microfracture surgery on his knee. At least they didn't sign him to that long-term contract extension first.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-NickEatman/Jones-Says-Spencer-Could-Miss-Season-Might-Need-Surgery/3ec92e5a-6e4e-4b1f-a3d0-c487056dec56

 

[Bosoxen]

It's a good thing Selvie is playing out of his mind right now. Let's hope he can keep it up because they're really going to depend on him the rest of the way. His play and the play of Hatcher on the interior have been the biggest individual surprises on defense. It's a shame to lose Spencer but maybe this will help bring his price tag down in the offseason? Assuming they're not scared away by that knee.

 

[Bosoxen]

Just when I thought this team couldn't get any dumber, they go and do something like this...and totally redeem themselves! For your consideration, I present to you Terrance Williams: Professional Jackass. In four games, he's made two ridiculous mental mistakes that led to turnovers. One could have cost them the game had DeMarco Murray not made a touchdown-saving tackle. The second ended any chance of the team mounting a comeback. He also had a pretty bad drop on a textbook looking-down-field-before-catching-the-ball play. Aside from making seven catches yesterday, has he done anything right in his young career? Seems like every time I see #83, he's doing something stupid.
 
Which brings me to my next point. What the hell was the point of drafting Gavin Escobar? If ever there was a game tailor made for him seeing more playing time, it was that one. With Miles Austin out, they were going to need someone to step up. I figured they'd go more two tight end sets with Witten and Hanna/Escobar getting the lion's share of Austin's catches. Instead, they pushed Harris and Williams up the depth chart and all they did was deliver 8 catches for 84 yards, two terrible drops and a game ending fumble at the goal line. Once again, the Cowboys wasted a pick in the first three rounds. Well, two, because I think Williams is shit.
 
Not only is this team dumb but it's also terribly stubborn (or lacks creativity). I don't think I noticed a single adjustment to what San Diego was doing. Granted, I was distracted because we're house hunting at the moment, but the defense allowed Rivers to pick them apart and the offense allowed the Chargers to pack in their defense.
 
Oh fuck it. Why do I even bother? It's going to be the same one step forward, one step back bullshit with this team until Jerry dies the horrible death he so richly deserves. Next up, Denver. Ok, maybe one step forward, two steps back.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Yeah but when you are most down on them that's when they pull a flawless victory out I f their ass against a good opponent. Then the next week they shit the bed.

I am mulling over whether or not to get tickets to this game. They are already overpriced but standing room only aren't too bad.

I have never seen Peyton Manning live... could be fun.

 

[Bosoxen]

Take it from someone who's been in standing room only, don't bother. You'll essentially be paying $50 to watch the game on a big tv. And the atmosphere isn't enough to overcome the $8-10 concessions and the likely $50-60 you'll have to spend to park your car. You wouldn't be seeing Peyton Manning live. You'd be in the same building but will never even so much as glimpse the field, unless you're willing to stand in line for hours, let alone actually watch him play directly.
 
Don't even get me started on what a monumental pain in the ass it is to actually leave once the game is over. You're seriously better off just going to a bar, dropping a $50 bar tab and taking a cab home. It'll be cheaper, quicker, less stressful and you'll have a better view of the game.
 
Edit-Oh and you wouldn't be contributing any money to Jerry's coffers. I cannot stress enough how important this is.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

I'm with Bosoxen on this one. I went to the first ever game at Cowboys Stadium, which was against the Titans In a preseason matchup. We paid the $35 or whatever it was for the standing room tickets. It was $50 to park and $8 a beer. Tough to get a place to stand with a clear line of sight so you end up just watching on the video board. In fact everyone ends up watching the game on that damn thing. It's practically impossible not to. Infrastructure around the stadium cannot handle the press of people leaving. We ended up drinking beers in the parking lot ans waiting for the traffic to die down. Finally, the crowd blows. Seattle looks like a pretty badass place to watch a game experience wise. Dallas crowd is the worst and atmosphere is blah. One of my friends ditched his longtime season tickets after one season because it was easier and cheaper to watch it at home. Texas Stadium was a dump but at least the crowd could make a difference on occasion. The sum total is that the Cowboys Stadium is simply not worth the hassle or expense. Sometimes the biggest and shiniest places are not the ones that work the best as a venue.

Speaking of things that blow, this team. Defense couldn't get off the field. Pass rush was non-existent against a patch work offensive line. Receivers made tons of mistakes and play calling was suspect. Sigh. Same thing different year. I'm frankly terrified of what manning is going to do to this secondary. Claiborne yet another example of suspect taken evaluation. They had him graded out as best corner since Dieon Sanders. Laughable. Particularly since he got owned all afternoon in San Diego. I have to think Denver is going to put some some serious points on Sunday. Just don't think our offense, particularly if we cannot run the ball consistently to keep their offense on the field, can keep up. Thank god for the mediocrity of the rest of the division.

 

[Bosoxen]

I'm with Bosoxen on this one. I went to the first ever game at Cowboys Stadium, which was against the Titans In a preseason matchup. We paid the $35 or whatever it was for the standing room tickets. It was $50 to park and $8 a beer. Tough to get a place to stand with a clear line of sight so you end up just watching on the video board. In fact everyone ends up watching the game on that damn thing. It's practically impossible not to. Infrastructure around the stadium cannot handle the press of people leaving. We ended up drinking beers in the parking lot ans waiting for the traffic to die down. Finally, the crowd blows. Seattle looks like a pretty badass place to watch a game experience wise. Dallas crowd is the worst and atmosphere is blah. One of my friends ditched his longtime season tickets after one season because it was easier and cheaper to watch it at home. Texas Stadium was a dump but at least the crowd could make a difference on occasion. The sum total is that the Cowboys Stadium is simply not worth the hassle or expense. Sometimes the biggest and shiniest places are not the ones that work the best as a venue.

 
I went to the first regular season game against the Giants. Had the same, exact experience. After the game, we actually walked the half mile to Buffalo Wild Wings to drink beer until all of the traffic died down. Fortunately, we had a designated driver, because we were there for a while.
 
I have a friend that used to buy season tickets at Texas Stadium and I would buy one game a year from her. She stopped buying them when they moved to the new stadium. Even if she hadn't stopped buying them, I would have stopped buying them from her. I will not go to another game at that place as long as Jerry is the GM.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Right now it's 250 plus for good seats. Why would I pay then when I cam watch on my big screen hd screen at home? Same for sro seats. If I can't see the field why bother?

Stub hub and ebay are ridiculous for this Sunday against Denver. I think I'll sit this out.

The alternative is I could go to Houston to see a game. That's not a bad drive. The Pats play there Sunday Dec 1st. Could be a good tjme to road trip.

 

[Bosoxen]

You don't need "good" seats to get a good view of the game. Get you something between the 30s in the upper deck and you'll see everything just fine. I was half way up the upper deck at around the 30 for the 2009 Big 12 Championship and could see perfectly clearly that Colt McCoy's pass hit the ground before time expired (Bo Pellini can eat a bag of dicks). And it was on the opposite side of the field from where I was sitting.
 
Though after looking at StubHub, it looks like those were the "good" seats you were referring to. Fuck Jerry right in his crypt keeper ear. And shame on Cowboys fans for paying that kind of dough to see the most perfectly average team in the history of professional football.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Yeah, when I said good I meant like... upper or mid to upper. Not the $500+ tickets. It's crazy right now. It didn't used to be this way. In 2007 I got upper deck tickets on the 50 yard line for something like $85 each on (IIRC) stubhub. Huge price increases for the new stadium. I don't mind paying $85-$100 for a seat. But once you start asking more than than for the upper deck - forget about it.
 
Like I said - I will explore the Houston option instead.

 

[Bosoxen]

Only the Cowboys can take a game where 95% of all rational observers expect them to lose and turn it into a nut punch. This team might be the most maddening team in the history of sports. If this were a one year phenomenon on their way to greatness, it would be much easier to stomach. You could look at it and say, "Yeah, they lost in a shitty way but look at how much they've improved over last year." But they haven't improved. It's been the same thing, year in and year out, for the better part of a decade. And you just know the offense will follow up that performance with a stinker against Washington. If the Cowboys are anything, it's consistently inconsistent.
 
This loss doesn't really change my outlook on the season. I still think they'll go 8-8. Even if they'd won that game, they would inevitably find a way to lose a game they really shouldn't lose and still finish 8-8.
 
The sucky part is that Jason Garrett's, um, management of that game will provide Jerry a perfect scapegoat at the end of the season. He'll be able to point to that as another piece of evidence that Garrett isn't up to the task of coaching a professional football team. The worst part is, he'd be right. But it wouldn't be Jerry's mistake for hiring him in the first place and running Sean Payton out of town by annointing him Parcells' successor. Inconceivable!

 

[Greg29fan]

LOL I said the same thing on Twitter...I thought they were going to lose badly and instead they manage to rip your guts out again in typical Cowboys fashion.
 
I think it's time to admit the personnel on defense isn't very good.  Wade's last year, Rob Ryan, and now Monte, they can't get stops and they give up a shit ton of points

 

[Bosoxen]

LOL I said the same thing on Twitter...I thought they were going to lose badly and instead they manage to rip your guts out again in typical Cowboys fashion.
 
I think it's time to admit the personnel on defense isn't very good.  Wade's last year, Rob Ryan, and now Monte, they can't get stops and they give up a shit ton of points

 
That's not really surprising, considering the personnel on the defensive line. If this team has a major weakness (personnel wise, anyway), it's that its offensive and defensive lines are staggeringly inconsistent - at times, downright shitty. They haven't drafted an impact player on the defensive line since 2007 when they drafted Anthony Spencer. But since he was drafted to be converted to linebacker, you have to go back further to 2006 when Jason Hatcher was drafted, which was the last time they used multiple picks on the line. Coincidentally - or not - that was Parcells' last draft.
 
It's just another example of Jerry being Jerry. He builds this awesome-looking sports car but the frame is built out of straws and the suspension is made of coiled up paperclips.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

Agreed with the sentiments stated above related to the typical Cowboys loss. I watched the last 9 minutes or so at a clubhouse bar after a poor round of golf. When the Cowboys got the ball back with 2:36 left and three timeouts, all 5 guys in the bar said "Romo's going to throw a pick."  For myself, I had that creeping feeling of uneasiness after the first sack. Was it just me or did Romo's feet look a little happy on that? Next throw, pick and game over. I had to get the hell out of there to avoid all of the jeering.  On the way out, I couldn't help but to think that the INT was the most predictable outcome in sports history. When it comes to picking outcomes to Cowboys games, you wouldn't be better off with a Grey's Sports Almanac.
 
Romo was brilliant for like 59 minutes of the game. What's so frustrating about this guy is he's hard to give up on. Like they say in the Godfather, just when you think you're out, he keeps pulling you back in. Except when you're back in, he punches you straight in the nuts and runs you over with a car. But for his performance, the Cowboys are the Ravens, Raiders, Giants, or Eagles. Completely blown out of the water.  He was simply excellent. But that f*cking throw..... I mean forcing a duck into triple coverage to a tightly covered rookie TE right after a bad sack... Jesus Tap Dancing Christ.  It's almost like an abusive relationship at this point.
 
A word on the defense....SHITTY.  For the love of God, I thought the Broncos O-line was cobbled together by duct tape and bailing wire?  They've given up 2947674 yards passing in the last three games. So much for the Tampa 2 limiting the big plays on offense. Claiborne, Carr were roasted continuously all game long. Couldn't press the QB. Couldn't come up with the big stops at the crucial times on Denver's last TD grab.  Just piss poor. 
 
All the ingredients for the special sauce are there all right. So long as you call is Mediocrity.  And can GM Jerry please STFU after games?  He's not doing Romo any favors by talking about how proud he is of Romo's play.  WTF does "tough as a boot" even mean? Or the moral victory bullshit. There is no such thing. Die in a fire Jerry.

 

[budcrew08]

I like the fact that they put up 48 against the Broncos, it was a dog fight. And then this week, with a nice win over RGIII and the Skins without Demarcus Ware and Demarco Murray in the second half.
2-0 in the NFC East and a rough looking Philly team next week -- I say bring it on, 9-7 could win the division.