Cowboys Offseason '09: What Positions Went Needy Last Year?
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 11:00 AM CST
in Dallas Cowboys News
175 comments
I spoke to a source over the summer, before camp started, and asked him what positions the Cowboys had atop their '09 wish list.
He told me two things:
A. Offensive line was top priority. Considering how poorly the backups played this year and how poorly this team has done the last six years drafting o-linemen, that's not surprising. One of the few bright spots of Jerry 1.0 was drafting Flozell Adams with a 2nd rounder in '98 and Andre Gurode with a 2nd in '02.
B. He then said, "look at the spots they didn't fill this year."
Let's go back to early April '08, when Dallas was bringing in prospective draftees. There are two unfilled positions that stand out from those Pro Days:
i.) ILB -- Jerod Mayo and Beau Bell were two players of interest. Mayo was one of the highest late risers. On April 1st a lot of mocks had him in the last dozen picks of the first round, where Dallas could consider him with the pick they used on Mike Jenkins. By draft day, he had rocketed into the top ten; New England took him 10th overall. Bell was taken in the early 4th by Cleveland.
ii.) FS -- Dallas brought Kenny Phillips and Tyrell Johnson in for looks. They might have taken Phillips at 28 but instead moved up three spots when Jenkins dropped. Jenkins had a mid-1st grade on the Cowboys' board and was considered too good to pass up.
Phillips fell to the Giants at pick 31 and Johnson was snagged by the Vikings at pick 43. Notice also that FS was the position of interest, not SS. Of course, this was before the team re-upped Ken Hamlin. Missing out on Phillips and Johnson probably moved Dallas to cut that deal with Hamlin.
Those needs have not gone anywhere. Safety is probably THE biggest defensive need, though SS may be the bigger need now. Or is it? You tell me. ILB may now be defensive need 1A, with Zach Thomas announcing after the game that he will not return in '09.
All Hail the New Fantastic Four
People who have been reading me since the old blog know I've been touting a yearly "Fantastic Four" to show how much the NFL churns in these days of parity and weighted schedules.
If you're not familiar, I've repeatedly argued out that the preseason annuals are mostly worthless because they often take last year's playoff field and perhaps promote one team who missed the playoffs into this year's field.
I went back to 2000 and found that from 2000 to 2006, 28 teams, a neat average of four per season, went from having losing records one year to the playoffs in the next. 2007 threw my formula off track, as only two sub .500 teams from 2006 made the jump.
This year, the Fantastic Four are back. All hail:
- Miami, who rocketed from 1-15 to 11-5;
- Atlanta, who jumped from 4-12 to 11-5;
- Baltimore, who slumped to 5-11 last year and finished 11-5 this time;
- Carolina, who zoomed from 7-9 to 12-4.
Take a hard look at the Packers, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Raiders, Jaguars, Bills, Browns and Bengals. As unlikely as it seems, four of these teams will be playoff bound in '09, if history repeats.
Picking Your Toys
Jimmy Johnson offered a scathing but accurate assessment of the current team on Fox's post game show, remarking the Cowboys, "have a collection of toys, but they don't have a team."
J.J. ain't coming back folks, but we can use that thought as the basis for a game. Let's assume old 'Jimmah is coming back. How would he operate? Answer these questions in the threads. I've got my own answers to these questions, but want to see your responses before I print mine.
1. If J.J. were given complete control tomorrow, who would he axe? Who would he keep?
Would he begin by cutting some players on the periphery, to get the others' attention? That was his style. Who are the Curvin Richards on this roster?
2. Who are the big names he would trade? If 2009 is an uncapped year, trades become a real possibility. Any Herschel Walker Lites on this roster? Guys you flip simply to create addition by subtraction?
3. Which big names would he keep? He held his superstars to a different standard, because they made plays. Who gets the wider berth on J.J. 2.0?
4. Which players would he motivate by tough love? Or no love? Think of how he drove Mark Stepnoski to distraction in the early '90s? Who are the players who would hate his guts, but play their guts out for him?
5. J.J. was also hard on his assistants. Who gets the quiet burn in the coaches meeting room?
The team, like it or not, isn't going to submit its roster and staff to radical surgery. But answering these questions should help identify who should be on the hot seat or trading block this spring.
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Answers
1 Who would he axe? Greg Ellis, Brad Johnson, Adam Jones, Cory Proter, Roy (thong) Williams
2 Who are the big names to trade? Flozell Adams, Marion Barber, Terrance Newman
3 Which big names would he keep? Romo, TO, Witten, Ware
4 Which player would he motivate? Canty and Spears
5 Who get the quite burn in the coaches meeting? Garrett
Why Greg Ellis?
I know his paranoia gets publicized annually, but due is a player.
i think thats pretty accurate...
i wouldn’t mind trading newman as long as we got a decent round draft pick(s)… i mean, he’s thirty something and injury prone…
as much as i love mb3, we have two solid running backs behind him, and we could get a lot for him… i say stick with the young guys…
by CowboysFan4Life on Dec 29, 2008 11:53 AM CST up reply actions
well...
I said it before Newman was resigned and I got killed for bringing it up, but Newman should NOT have been resigned so quickly. He should’ve been franchised or traded. Considering his age and injury history this may fall into one of the bad resignings like Roy Williams (SS). Well see…but we may take a bath on his contract like a few others on this team…
Why is everyone here so afraid...
of axing/trading a big name player? I love the idea of dumping a handful of the following: Newman, RW I & II, Canty, Spears, Ellis, Barber, Flo, Pac, Crayton…
The team needs a big wake up call, and there’s only so many ways you can do it.
I like Bishop’s list. I would add Rat to #3 though.
by Cosby Sweater on Dec 29, 2008 12:43 PM CST up reply actions
You need a wakeup call on capology
If you trade a player, the signing bonus doesn’t get traded. Whatever is left owed to the player gets instantly applied to next season’s cap.
That’s why I’m afraid of trading a big name player, and why it doesn’t happen more in the NFL.
I understand that
But I don’t think “capology” is why people don’t want to let big names go here.
I don’t know the numbers, who costs what, but I’m just saying as philosophy…you have to be willing to let some big guys go.
by Cosby Sweater on Dec 29, 2008 12:58 PM CST up reply actions
This isn't baseball though
You just can’t trade big guys like that. Name the last superstar for superstar trade that went down in the NFL.
Champ for Portis?
There’s a reason for it.
Don't need superstar for superstar
how about superstar for draft picks/role players.
by Cosby Sweater on Dec 29, 2008 1:01 PM CST up reply actions
So you want to give up a Pro Bowler for role players
And draft picks who could turn into Bobby Carpenter?
yea, good call…
Who cares what guys resumes are...
you don’t send a message by churning the bottom of your roster and crossing your fingers to hope for the best.
by Cosby Sweater on Dec 29, 2008 1:47 PM CST up reply actions
Capology - Baloney
It is true if you trade a player, the signing bonus doesn’t get traded. Whatever is left owed to the player gets instantly applied to next season’s cap. BFD. This team is a collection of misfits and losers. It is time to rebuild and retool. We need a three year play; cut the old guys. Cut the malcontents. Cut the worthless players Start with the malcontents: TO, Roy Receiver; Ellis, Pacman, Tank to name a few. Then move on to the old geezers: Henry, Flo, Zach (he is going anyway smart man) As for worthless: both backup quarerbacks, we need a young stud to groom and a veteran to back up Romo; many young guys are no good like Courtney Brown, Allan Ball, Curtis, Carpenter . . . Dallas needs an infusion of new talent and we can flush the cap problems with a three year plan. Making changes at the margin will not turn a rotten football team around.
answers
Axe-Brad, pac-man, proctor, and Roy
Trade will not happen, all those players either old or coming off injuries. When is the last time you saw a team trade for a RB? Always one you can sign or draft
I love what TO brings, but tired of the media scrunity. I would take TO if took the Moss approach, don’t even look at the media.
Defintely look to replace spears or Canty.. Neither one can be a double team on passing downs.
Jason Garrett- needs to get with advisor/ ex-team-mate/ former coach someone and figure out where he went wrong, and his tendencies are because our offense is see through.
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
Gonna be tought to trade Barber with that contract.
Cris Carter....you're dead to me.
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Dec 29, 2008 5:27 PM CST up reply actions
Rafa..which coaches and players do you expect to be cut???
Rafa: which coaches and players do you expect to be cut for 2009??
I at least expect Stewart and Read will be gone…maybe Campo and Houck.
Players, I do not expect see again: PacMan Jones, Tank Johnson, Carpenter, Spears, Crayton, Proctor, Mcquistan, Watkins, Spears…and I would like Terrell Owens (but he is going to stay)
my take..
Carpenter, Crayton are both under contract and will be here. No way Carpenter is traded. Not with Zach not coming back and more than likely Burnett not resigned.
Gone…Pacman, Tank….I think Spears is traded and Rat moves to DE…Henry gone……..or moved to FS….Canty gone, not resigned…Ellis traded or released….
Our D-line is going to look alot different next season.
OLB-Spencer/Ware
DE-Rat/ ??
NT- ?
ILB-James/Carpenter or a FA
Our O-line better look different next year.
But given the big contracts there and the absolute lack of backups, it’s going to take some draft luck and creativity to make it happen.
I’m still doing some research, but the early evidence points to this unit as the major reason this team has been 9-7 three of the last four years.
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 11:35 AM CST up reply actions
Agreed
I’d love for Jerry to bring in Mike Solari, as he probably should have done last Spring. Wade wanted him, with reason. I’m sure he based the recommendation on the fact that Solari’s Chiefs lines were the hardest he faced when he DCed at San Diego.
The guy started his coaching career with the Cowboys. Seattle would probably give permission, with the post-Holmgren shake up.
Sadly, I doubt it happens.
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 11:40 AM CST up reply actions
Couldn't Agree More
The o-line is the single biggest issue. If you can’t keep simple blitzes off of Romo, or basically run the ball consistently, it doesn’t really matter what we do on D. Sure, I think we can all agree that injuries and bad coaching from the top down played a role, but they still had to live with the guys we have – and the guys we have pretty much across the board – are average to just plain bad.
Just an omission on my part.
every losing team, even Detroit, is in that category.
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 12:10 PM CST up reply actions
you're absolutely right Raf
Our OL has been our achilles heel for a long time. They are mammoth and talented but very slow and dumb.
If they don’t improve, we’re in big trouble.
In Romo we Trust
Has anyone talked about the loss of Tony Sparano?
I said it when he left last year that we were going to miss the guy. He was not only an excellent oline coach but he was also there for Garrett to lean on while they were game planning. Sparano not being there was huge.
by TARHEEL PAUL on Dec 29, 2008 10:26 PM CST up reply actions
+1
Excellent point. Sparano’s season at Miami shows just what we lost in terms of offensive smarts.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
+1
"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."
by aussie_cowboy on Jan 1, 2009 3:58 AM CST up reply actions
O-line Moves
Start with moving second round draft pick Gurode to guard. Gurode can’t snap the ball and his problems in this area are getting worse, not better. After this move, we are now stocked at guard having depth galore. We will need a center. I am thinking there might be someone available in free agency and maybe we can draft a backup. We need to find Flo’s replacement. Time to find out if he is on the roster. Free needs to play at Left Tackle, and if it doesn’t work, we can have Flo around to try and patch the problem. Or, we might simply cut Flo and let Bigg be the backup at left tackle, since we are gong to have plenty of guards if Gurode is mvoed from center.
Coaches?
Read is as good as gone. That’s the worst kept secret in the organization.
I would like a new OL coach, but Jerry has spent a ton of money on Houck. Stewart? As long as Wade is around, he’s an appendix.
Campo was the team’s best assistant. His CBs were great. Brett Maxie? I don’t know. The guy had almost no talent to coach.
I forgot Campo was a factor
in the young DBs playing so well. Neither are noticable when they are in.
And that is a good thing. Think of all the big plays the D gave up this season, and how many had the young’uns fingerprints on them.
So Wade stays so Jerry can groom Garrett
as the next HC.
Even if you want Garrett as your HC of the future (are any of us so sure about that now?) I think if there is an upgrade out there (there are many) Jerry should go for it. If Gruden is available I say go for it and bring in Capers or Crennel as DC.
Wade obviously lost the team at some point this season and with this group of know-it-alls, he’s not going to get their respect back by training camp.
by Cosby Sweater on Dec 29, 2008 12:49 PM CST up reply actions
The scary thing is Jerry grooming Jason to be HC. I am starting to think Jerry doesn't know jack about coaching
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
Jerry Doesn't Know Jack
How true this is; he thinks he is Landry or Jimmy or Tuna; when it comes to football, Jerry knows nothing by comparison. Jerry is the new Al Davis. Even his butt ugly skin graft can’t cover that fact.
Iowa Coach Ferentz
This guy is an offensive line superstar coach. He brings in routine big guys and coaches them up to great talent on the o-line. Note Shaun Green having all 100 yard games; this is the product of good oline play. Ferentz wants to go to the NFL; he is getting a good look at the head position by a couple of teams; my guess is he will be a bridesmaid. Jerry should bring him here as an assistant coach and put him in charge of the oline. He might even be the answer to the replacement for the Winnie the Pooh.
Answers
1) Cuts: Ellis, Adam Jones, Proctor, McQuistan, B. Johnson, Stanback, Bollinger, Hurd, Watkins, Spears, Tank, Carpenter,
2) Trades: Both Roy Williams’, Flozell, A Henry, possibly Gurode
3) Keeps: Romo, Ware, Witten, Owens, Newman, Spencer, Scandrick, Ratliff, B. James
4) Motivated: M. Jenkins, K. Burnett, C. Canty
5) Coaches: Fire Read, Houck, Wilson, Sherman, Stewart – motivate Garrett
sure...
trade RW when he just signed a huge contract….there is a cap hit….That won’t happen. Same goes for Gurode. The cap hit trading those players would be huge. Were locked into the OL. Maybe Flozell could be moved, but I don’t think so.
They're coming up on an uncapped year soon
What the hell difference does it make now? Really going 9-7 every year to get knocked out of the playoffs (or not go at all) is worse for overall draft position than our string of 5-11’s. Would I rather be 5-11? No, but this team is not going to get better without major changes.
I would agree with you 100% that it’s doubtful Jerry would do it or Flo, but remember the question was if Jimmy John could come in here with the authority.
We need Jerry to realize he’s doing the same crap that led the Vikings to believe that Walker was the guy they needed as the last piece. We don’t need one guy to turn this around. We have to cut the dead weight now, even if it hurts.
the uncapped year
makes a difference because it lets them dump or trade veteran salaries they otherwise would
not consider moving because of the accelerated cap hits.
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 12:16 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah I meant for Boyzfan
That’s why I was thinking we should use that as an excuse to dump some of the mistakes like Hamlin, RW2.
It is
"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."
by aussie_cowboy on Jan 1, 2009 3:59 AM CST up reply actions
Tweaking at the margin is meaningless
I agree this team is not going to get better without major changes.
Thomas
said he’s not coming back, or retiring?
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
yes...
Zach:
Probably not. Im a free agent. I wanted to come back to Texas. Its a little out of my comfort zone playing a different position. But when you have Bradie James, there is no switching him out. I dont regret any of it. I just feel like I have to be fair to myself. Im going to weigh my options.
Change
Dom Capers… there’s a Defensive Coordinator opening in Dallas. Brain Stewart needs to be demoted to his proper role as male hostess of the cafeteria, as Tex detailed back in the ‘Nard. If for no other reason, Wade Phillips should be fired for promoting a bad secondary coach with 2 years of experience to defensive coordinator of America’s Team. Read is an easy scapegoat as well.
Most importantly, the quarterback position needs to be addressed. When the face of the franchise would rather watch an episode of the Hills with a divorced “actress” than compete in December, that’s a problem. Football is a tertiary endeavor for this poor-man’s Matt Leinart. Leftwich should be priority number one, and that second-round pick needs to be spent on a developmental quarterback who can challenge Bill Buckner – see the Eagles benching of McNabb.
The gutless, and winless post-season combination of Romo/ Phillips needs to be changed. Mr. Fix it, didn’t fix it and the team is heading in the wrong direction. Romo is a turnover machine who folds under pressure. Romo has reached his ceiling at 29 and the Seattle Slip was a perfect foreshadowing to his highly disappointing career, which went afoul in Cancun.
Suddenly
I find myself very interested in the Cowboys trading Newman.
Against trading:
- fast
- has shutdown games
For trading:
- depth at position (assuming we keep Pacman)
- age
- long injury history
- inconsistency
- still has trade value
In-YOUR-endo
by accidental innuendo on Dec 29, 2008 11:58 AM CST reply actions
I can definitely see the appeal
But I have a hard time handing the secondary over to Scandrick/Jenkins/Pacman. Make no mistake, it’s the secondary’s resurgence this year that helped our D-line + Ware lead the league in sacks.
Still, the group above is probably good enough to shoulder the load, if we add some quality depth in the off-season to replace Newman/probably Henry.
by MeanMr.Mustard on Dec 29, 2008 12:09 PM CST up reply actions
You can't trade newman easily...
unless it goes uncapped. He was just signed to a monster deal.
by AirforceBat on Dec 29, 2008 12:34 PM CST up reply actions
I would prefer to keep him too
I was big on resigning him but I have to admit that I’m starting to get worried about the injuries. This guy was injury free for the first few years of his career and then WHAMMO!!!!
We can't trade Newman now....but Anthony Henry still has some value, and wouldn't hurt our cap at all.
Spears
Carpenter
Crayton
Kosier
Watkins
None of these guys would hurt our cap if traded.
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
The Jets axed Mangini?
Don’t agree with that one… Romeo definitely needed to go though.
Jets played above their potential for much of the year. I have a hard time blaming Mangini that it came crashing down to earth at the end of the season.
by MeanMr.Mustard on Dec 29, 2008 12:12 PM CST up reply actions
over $140 million in bonuses for players
The expectations were the playoffs, and the way the Jets collapsed after starting 8-3 leading the division with a weak schedule after beating the titans on the road, they were gutless and Mangini was going no matter what they did Sunday against the Dolphins
and so is Marnelli in detroit
along with the Browns GM, Savage. The house cleanings begin through out the league. I’m sure it’s just the tip of the iceberg
The Jets have tunnel vision
they’re in a death match with the Patriots.
They’re rumored to be looking at bringing Parcells back, if he walks on his Miami deal.
I also wonder, given their Patriots feud, if they are considering clearing the decks to make a run at Scott Pioli. That team does have some talent.
I think the Jets are going to make a big run at Cowher or Gruden if he's let go
I believe Pioli might end up in cleveland
Pioli could end up there and the Browns would certainly pursue him
but who’s closer to the playoffs, talent wise?
Put Pioli in New York, let him bring in his own coach, McDaniel? and snag Cassell to replace Favre and that team is rocking fast. They’ve got young o-line talent and a fair amount of young talent on D.
And I’ll repeat, look at the personnel wars the Jets and Pats have had going back to ’97, when Parcells agreed to jump to New York the week he was prepping the Pats for the Super Bowl. Those teams are like to nasty college rivals — Auburn vs. Alabama or the like. They hate each other.
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 12:24 PM CST up reply actions
Are you really sold on Cassell?
I just don’t know. But then again you did say McDaniel as coach, so it would be the same system….minus Randy Moss and Wes Welker.
Not only that, but I saw something that said Brady has scar tissue in his knee where the first surgery was jacked up. And to clean it up may cost him the 2009 season.
If he travels with his OC, yes
Look, he’s no worse than Favre, who was just another year down his devolution road.
by Rafael Vela on Dec 29, 2008 12:53 PM CST up reply actions
Yea with McDaniel, I guess so
But he’s a system QB. I think anyone who spends top dollar on him this year might get buyer’s remorse.
Also, I really think New England franchises him if Brady isn’t ready for next season.
Is New England gonna pay Cassel more money than they gave Brady?
DON’T THINK SO
Cowboys fan since 1978.. I was 3 years old
Stop it please...Franchising Cassel at over 12 million is NOT an option...
New England just drafted a promising QB in the 3rd round last year..
Kevin O’Connell-San Diego St. 6’5" 225lbs
and YES, He’s a better talent than Cassels, and I’m sure he would be just as ready to step in next season if called upon…
IF new England slaps the franchise tag on him, IT WILL be purely to get compensation for him, and that’s it…
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
He has said he is ready to move on from NE
"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."
by aussie_cowboy on Jan 1, 2009 4:00 AM CST up reply actions
The jets didn't fire Tannenbaum
He’s their GM, so that’s why I don’t see Pioli ending up there. I think Cleveland hires Pioli as the GM and Mcdanial as the Headcoach..That makes more sense to me. I think Detroit would be smart ot make a run at Pioli and Mcdanial, but hey, it’s Detroit, they never seem to do things right..
Also because he didnt want to coach Favre
"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."
by aussie_cowboy on Jan 1, 2009 4:00 AM CST up reply actions
Detroit ALSO promoted a new GM and VP.....Cleveland and Kansas City are Pioli's best bets...
If he was smart, Pioli would go to Kansas City and take both McDaniels and Cassels with him.,……KC is the next dynasty of the future…loaded…simply loaded with young talent….had a great ‘08 draft, and have the 2nd pick in the draft this year…..That’s where i’d go…
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
People are going to call me crazy, but our #1 offseason FA signing should be
Ray Lewis.
We will need an ILB, and he would instantly give us the credible leader we have supposedly been lacking. Draft an ILB to take over for Ray afer a few years when he retires.
I couldn't agree more. He not only looked like he was playing with the legs of a youngster but the brain of a consumate veteran.
He is a student of the game and the epitome of a leader on the field. He was calling out our plays as we were lining up. This defensive awareness could at the very least inform red jesus as to our blatant tells and the predictablity of our offense. Besides a solid backup qb this would be the only Vet FA pickup i’d spend any money on unless a top tier safety or haynesworth falls in our lap.
Don't believe everything you think.
Your causes are cute!!!
IF we lose Canty, Ratliff will NOT be going to DE..
Jason Hatcher would take Canty’s spot.
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
Agreed.
I think Lewis definitly brings more guts and toughness too.
by AirforceBat on Dec 29, 2008 12:35 PM CST up reply actions
I would love to see that
He’s played and thrived in the 3-4 and brings the leadership this team lacks.
He does. The only thing I would worry about him is whether or not we get a big, fat NT
I seem to remember him bit**ing about that before they got Ngata. We need a big guy to keep him clean so he can make plays
Ray Lewis vs. Jason Garrett
Now, that would be interesting. I really don’t want to lose Burnett tho.
~Texas Massacre 08~
I'm all aboard signing Ray Lewis, as he is the single most impressive leader out there
and would command immediate respect in the locker room…..from both sides of the ball.
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
I'm listening to Wade right now
……..why even bother..
He said he has to be more demanding…. whatever….
Embarrassing
Havent listened to the presser, so I might be missing context, but based on how Boyzfan94 puts it, I’m picturing Jones chewing Wade’s ear out on the plane home last night, telling him he has to be more demanding of his players, and then Wade walking up to the podium, and saying, aw shoot, I need to be more demanding, while he kicks at the floor …
Wade said penalties are not a big deal.....
Wade said the Giants and Titans create alot of turnovers and look at them……LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is great……lol
Wade didn't say
penalties are no big deal. He said teams with a lot of penalties can still manage to advance, but teams with lots of turnovers watch the tournament on tv.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
He specifically mentioned the Giants as being a team with alot of penalties
If he is comparing them to us then he thinks it’s not a big deal……because they are winning…
i liked
wade’s presser today
im still mad but it was one of his better ones
atleast he is saying he is going to do something
we just have to see if it will actually happen or not
Superbowl or Bust?
hahahaha
Do you mean one of the funniest?
He’s got no plan, won’t have a plan and he’ll never have control of this team again. That’s what I saw at the press conference today.
by Cosby Sweater on Dec 29, 2008 2:24 PM CST up reply actions
Albert Haynesworth
Haynesworth will be an unrestricted free agent. He could be the nose tackle we’re looking for.
Teams are going to get into a biddng war over him and we can't afford him
He is also a 4-3 DT and I’m not sure he we can afford that experiment….
He is a DT that commands double and triple teams, yet still stuffs the run and collapes the pocket..
EXACTLY what we need at NT …sure it’s wishful thinking to get him here as he’ll command and get about 11 million per season…..but if we were to cut Roy Williams-SS, Henry-CB, Thomas-LB, Carpenter-LB, Watkins-S, Ellis-LB, Kosier-OG, Crayton-WR and not resign FA’s Canty, Johnson, Burnett, Bowen, Davis, Hurd, Proctor, Berger, and Curtis…….we’d be well over 20 million below the cap, and not only be able to afford Haynesworth, but sign D Ware to a long term similiar contract……I wouldn’t count us out of anything come free agency…….
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
Steve Spagnuolo will be somebody's new HC..
He’s done a good job over the last two years..somebody will want to see him try the next level.
Grizz, as far as Joey2zzs, what if we got him a body guard to shadow his every keyboard move? It’s a tried and true method used in the NFL…oh..wait a sec..maybe not so tried and true. Anyways, I hope you let the guy back in.
Raf-
1. If J.J. were given complete control tomorrow, who would he axe? Who would he keep?
Read and Stewart are goners as assistants. He would fire Crayton on O and Hamlin on D.
Would he begin by cutting some players on the periphery, to get the others’ attention? That was his style. Who are the Curvin Richards on this roster? Periphery players arn’t enough. This team needs a good ceremonial execution to jar their sense of stability, see above..Crayton & Hamlin.
2. Who are the big names he would trade? T.O. He still has some value to other teams but is in the twilight of his career. Besides, Jimmy wouldn’t like his mouth.
If 2009 is an uncapped year, trades become a real possibility. Any Herschel Walker Lites on this roster? Guys you flip simply to create addition by subtraction? Newman, Henry, Thong
3. Which big names would he keep? Romo, Witten, Ware
He held his superstars to a different standard, because they made plays. Who gets the wider berth on J.J. 2.0?
4. Which players would he motivate by tough love? Or no love? Think of how he drove Mark Stepnoski to distraction in the early ’90s? Who are the players who would hate his guts, but play their guts out for him?
Everyone except the stars.
5. J.J. was also hard on his assistants. Who gets the quiet burn in the coaches meeting room?
Garrett and Houck (assuming he’s still there)
In general, unload name players for as many draft picks as you can get and build from the ground up.
"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams
my question
Are the Bellicheck tree of any good, 2 of them just got the axe, and Weis deserved the axe too.. Have any them been succesful? Don’t trust it.
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
they excelled under Bellicheck
Or should I say started to get major attention.
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
Can we please...
…get a real 3-4 nose tackle? I know they’re not growing on trees but, man, Rat would be a real beast if he didn’t have to play out of position as he did this year.
Tank, you and your weapons cache aren’t the answer, either.
Also, we have to have a legit backup QB next season. No more Brad Johnson fiascoes. The Gints have David Carr (not that he’s a world-beater or anything), the Steelers Leftwich, etc. We need to upgrade this slot ASAP.
by PaulFVillarreal on Dec 29, 2008 1:16 PM CST reply actions
The team is fine
We already have the players……what we need is debth at Inside LBer and offensive line….what we need the most is leadership from our coaching staff……these guys need to be worked hard in training camp, we need a OC who can either replace Garrett or help bring him to the next level. He needs help in gameplanning and adjustments…….I would hire a Ast HC who would work with Garrett then I would bring in Crennal as DC if he would except the position…..if not you have to find a D coordinator…….next let TO and Pacman and Zac go……..do not over pay for any UFA we have, let them walk if they want a big payday……the only person I will pay is Ware ( i think he is signed) we have to get away from bringing in all superstars we need guys to come in here and do the dirty work. We need guys who fear the waiver wire and respect there coaches, enough of the fantasy player pick ups.
The team is not fine.....
We need guys who fear the waiver wire
That’s the problem. Alot of these players are locked up so there is no fear. 4 out of the 5 players on the OL are untouchable.
JJ's moves
1) Axes Proctor and Roy Williams (safety). Proctor is now shown to be a bust. Roy Williams will continue to be a liability in coverage when he comes back next year. Teams always exploited him when he was on the fiield. He is only getting older and slower. It would more beneficial to make an example of him rather than keep him.
2) Big name Trade: As much as it hurts me to suggest this, Marion Barber will bring the most in trade value. He is still in his prime. He has two quality backups in Felix Jones and Tarshard Choice who can step up to the plate and take over his carries. Marion has the respect of many coaches in the league such as Bill Bellicheck, who personally went accross the field to shake his hand after last years Patriots game. And one more thing, Running Backs are the easiest position to draft and have immediate impact in the NFL. We can always draft another late rounder and try to develop him.
3) Superstars to give latitude: Thats easy, Romo, Witten, Felix, Ware, Ratliff, Newman. TO, Folk (kickoffs ain’t great, but the dude is clutch on FG’s)
4) Tough love: Flozell (no more false starts or you are on the ashma field), Pac Man, Gurode (get those shotgun snaps down), Roy Williams (reciever), Canty, Spears, Davis and Holland
5) Coaches gone: Read is replaced by Dat Ngyuen. Hock is retired.
Finally one more thing ala Parcells, when HBO comes knocking, time to say no Jerry. We need less cheese to eat and more time woking on football. We also should require players to view the film of this game once a week minimum all next year.
What Would Jimmy Do
1) Jimmy would ax: Tank, Pac, Spears, and Roy Williams (safety).
2) The Herschel trade worked because he was coming off a fabulous, healthy season and was traded to a team that thought itself “a player away.” We have no one who is the performance equivalent of Herschel Walker in 1988 (a 1500 yd. back on a 3 win team) and NFL teams are more sophisticated about the interchangeability of running backs. T.O. probably wouldn’t even fetch a first round pick, let alone multiple picks. So there’s no Herschel trade out there, and we’re not in rebuilding mode, so draft picks don’t help as much.
3) Latitude: Jimmy gave this to Irvin despite his off the field activities, and Haley despite his locker room weirdness. I don’t think we have anyone who is as libertine as Irvin or as creepy as Haley, so I don’t think there’s a comp here.
4) Tough Love: Romo (the way he rode Aikman before he won a Super Bowl), the whole O-Line, and Chris Canty.
5) Coaches. Jimmy fires Garrett in favor of Norv (after SD fires him), and brings in hard ass Dom Capers to coach the Defense.
What would Jimmy do?
WHO THE HELL CARES. JIMMY JOHNSON IS NOT HERE ANYMORE.
You want the answer to who would lose a more game in a worse way than Wade? Ask Jimmy Johnson what the score of the last game he coached was, which was a playoff game.
What was the score of the last playoff game that Wade won?
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
I don't give a crap about Wade, I'm not saying to keep him
I’m just sick of hearing about a coach that hasn’t been here in 15 years
+1000000000000 MHuff....just like i'm sick of hearing about some fat slob that left us 2 years ago !!!
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
Fire the Bum... Wade Phillips Must Go
Wade Phillips has lost this team. Players don’t fear him, nor do they respect the Bum. Phillips lacks creativity, his teams are undisciplined, and mediocre play is accepted by the coach. Bum’s “Family Friendly” style is suited for a vacation in Cancun, not a must win in Philly.
Need
… a young backup QB who can push Romo.
… safeties.
… OL reinforcements.
… ILBs.
… new coaches for ST, OL
… less melodrama (adios Pacboy, TO, HardKnocks)
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
Oh, and
… closest thing to Jerry turning lose of the GM chores is handing them over to Stephen.
Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.
listen to the lunch break on dallascowboys.com....
players are laughing, dancing around on the plane home…they don’t give a rip. we’re taking this loss worse than anyone on the team. HEADS NEED TO ROLL!
as much as I would'nt like the idea
sometimes you need to take a step back before going foward…….
Trade or cut TO……Too much BS surrounding him and it’s affecting the team, maybe Romo more than anyone.
Go with RW and Austin as the starters with Crayton as the #3. Draft a speed Wr or acquire a veteran backup.
broken record
do you really believe what you are saying about TO ? Don’t you think that the Jessica factor can be a lot more distracting for Romo than the allegedly B… surrounding TO? Is he such an easy target that people keep saying that ? Name one thing (not created by ESPN or Ed something) that TO did to distract his teammates ?
not the fact that he has a hot girlfriend
i am just thinking that being followed by paparazzi every times he gets out in public, mostly due to the fact he is dating Simpson, can be a lot more difficult to deal with, than, once again the “TO distractions”. And by paparazzi I don’t mean reporters from SI or any others sports magazine who would be interested in him because he is the DC QB.
Grizz is going to have a field day with Wades presser......
It was laughable to say the least…..Grizz must be popping M&M’s like tic tacs right now….some of the crap that came out of his mouth was frightening….lol
Without the key injuries, we don't need much.
I think the Felix Jones injury was the worst of the bunch. Romo has struggled completing passes with any kind of 3 step or less drop, so Felix was needed to make teams fear blitzing. As great as Choice was, he didn’t have the quickness or speed to explode past the blitzer and take it 50 yards or more like Felix did. Without a guy that could take it to the house, teams had no problem just sending guys up the middle whenever they wanted. They knew Romo wasn’t going to burn them, and they knew that they could catch Choice if he managed to make it out of the backfield.
We definitely need an ILB, because I don’t want to go into next year with Carpenter starting. I guess some type of young safety is needed, but not sure if FS or SS, as Hamlin is probably better suited to SS. I’d like to see a solid NT that allows them to move Ratliff around and take advantage of mismatches.
by Baked Potato Soup on Dec 29, 2008 1:53 PM CST reply actions
Here is my take on the questions:
1. If J.J. were given complete control tomorrow, who would he axe? Who would he keep?
Axe: Bruce Read, Hudson Houck, Brian Stewart.
Axed Players: Patrick Crayton, Pacman Jones, Roy WIlliams(S), and anyone who is a free agent this offseason.
Read and Houck are removed for obvious reasons. Stewart is just dead weight if not given the secondary coaches or DC job.
As for the players Pacman gets the axe because his play has been mediocre at best in coverage and the man just is not a very dynamic punt or kick returner. He can’t field the ball cleanly and unecessarily put the already beleagured special teams squad in more jeopardy by trying to take the ball backwards and across field. The young guys in Scandrick and Jenkins have moved ahead of him in terms of ability. He’s just not smart on or off the field. Crayton on the other hand is one of the only guys on the roster not earning an exorbitant amount of money on offense. He’s a good player who occasionally shoots off his mouth and he ultimately pays the price for his drops. Austin could take his place on the roster. I’m throwing him in the scapegoat category, mainly because of his salary and I think he’s a guy that can be the wake up call axe that some of these players need to see. He’s been on this team long enough to have gotten too cushy with his role. Roy Williams is self explanatory.
The free agents go because none of them deserve to come back and are part of the roster churning process because they are the only ones on this team who can easily be gotten rid of, unless there are free agents I forgot who deserve to be resigned.
2. Who are the big names he would trade?
Big Names: Flozell Adams, Ken Hamlin
Ultimately I think this is a pipe dream, but if a team was in drastic need of a quality LT who really needs a fresh start, even at his age, I jump at the opportunity. I think his talent is marred by his lack of consistency from year to year and his droves of penalties, especially false starts are maddening. Ken Hamlin is traded merely because of his recent gaffes and I believe the safety position needs a complete overhaul.
3. Which big names would he keep?
Keepers: Demarcus Ware, Jason Witten, Jay Ratliff, Marion Barber III, Terrell Owens, Tony Romo, Terence Newman, and Nick Folk.
Ware, Witten, Ratliff, Barber, and Folk have played to their potential and then some and are confident leaders. Tony Romo needs some harnessing but is a very talented player and is your QB whether you like it or not. Terrell Owens has one more year on his contract and is your best receiver aside from Witten. Teams that lose him generally don’t get better. Terence Newman has battled injuries but is the team’s best corner. The defense needs him whether you like him or not.
4. Which players would he motivate by tough love? Or no love?
Tough Love: Marcus Spears, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis, Anthony Spencer, Roy Williams (WR), Tony Romo
All these players showed talent, but were inconsistent and need to be proded repeatedly to play to their true potential, unless we’ve already seen their potential.
Roy Williams needs to have the Detroit beaten out of him and Anthony Spencer needs some tough love to push Greg Ellis into the backup role. Tony Romo, while talented, still needs some reigning in and needs to be pushed to play at a higher level.
5. J.J. was also hard on his assistants. Who gets the quiet burn in the coaches meeting room? Jason Garrett, Brett Maxie
Both units were terrible for a majority of the season. These two should and would fear J.J.’s wrath unceasingly until their units play to their potential.
What would Jimmy Do?
He would hold training camp somewhere HOT in south Texas- with 5 straight weeks of 2-a-days, with full contact every practice. RW would run routes 5 hours per day. If he rounded off a route, he would run that route 100 more times. Jimmy tolerated the off-the-field stuff. But players never slacked on the field or in practice. I don’t care who is on our roster next year, as long as they work hard and execute. Hard practices will improve our execution, regardless of who plays what position.
Physical camps also help defensive players create turnovers and offensive players hold onto the ball. Is it any coincidence that MBIII never fumbled until his skills were diminished by 2 years of camp cupcake? This season, he has been fumbling like it was the first time anybody hit him… because it IS the first time anybody hit him.
Everyone take a deep breath and repeat after me
“It’s been 15 years since Jimmy Johnson was our coach, I need to get over him”
this team needs so much ido not even have the time to list them lol
Just look how the eagles hung in there this season and won a big game when they needed it…however dallas has no “team” just a bunch of individuals…the eagles players did not talk much just stuck together and got the job done…There owner did not go out desperartly and give up the house for a good wr not a great one…Dallas is acircus with a few criminals mixed in…great way to build a club…what a joke and if nothing changes like cutting pac man..tank to name a few , we will not win another playoff game for another 13 years
Don't gotta worry about cutting Tank
He made it pretty clear in the locker room last night, from what I heard, that he’s a free agent.
The way he played this year
I don’t know why he’s so excited. Maybe the gun laws are too restrictive in Texas?
Romo
I think this year just like last year, the O-line broke down. Eventually Romo stopped concentrating on going through his reads and started to concentrate on his protection. Not sure if he thought he was doing it, but he started to rush his throws. Getting blind sided and having free rushers come after you will do that. I noticed several times were D. McNabb had all day to throw even with blitz, the same can not be said for Romo. Romo went in to the game with little confidence in the line, the scheme, and it showed. He just hasn’t been confident and we found out the truth in the after the game.
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
I love Romo
I think him and Jason Garrett really need to have a meeting of the minds. JG is smart man he needs to work on his in game adjustments and Romo is too good to not get it done more often. The guy has the right attuitude, but he still needs to be lead. Leadership is being missed on this team.
We play against a ultra agressive/ ultra blitzing teams 4 times a year, plenty of film. Back to the drawing board..
I think we will see less gunslinger next year and more timing routes.
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
we just need to protect him..bottom line
and the WRs need to learn how to run routes.
In Romo we Trust
I've seen
TO and Roy open several times this year. Roy not us much after the injury. You have to protect Romo, keep him healthy, and upright. That guy took a beating this year.. Beating..
More 3 step drops and less 7 step drops. You don’t have to protect as long when it is 1,2,3 release.
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
I didn't realize another thread started...but for HOPE
QB: in 2/12 years of starting, Romo has amassed 10,500 yards, 81 TD’s to 46 INT’s. He’s a top 10 QB in this league. Get a capable back-up and we’ve got another year of experiece with Tony.
RB: Marion Barber has been playing injured, but Felix Jones looks to be a stud from what we saw, and you can’t be down on Choice. Those 3, if healthy, can take a lot of pressure off of Romo, the receivers, and Jason Garrett. We will have the same 3 RB’s and I’m okay with that.
WR: TO is good. Not the best in the league, but top tier for sure. Roy Williams has been hurt with the same plantar fas(sp?) injury that kept Newman out half last season. Miles Austin looks better than he has his entire career, and hopefully continues to improve. Crayton as a #4 receiver or Stanback isn’t that bad.
TE: Bennett is going to be a player. Witten is the best in the league, and a tough, tough individual.
OL: We need depth, but each of these players have shown that they can take any DE out of a game. I think Houck was supposed to be an upgrade to the unit, but ended up being a downgrade. With the size and now another year played together, coupled with some luck with injuries could help this group look more like the 07 group than the 08 group.
DL: Sign Spears or Canty, but not both. Get a 3-4 NT and put Ratliff at his true DE position. Get some depth here through FA and draft, and this could be the foundation for our defense.
LB: We have the best LB in the game in DeMarcus Ware. Anthony Spencer needs to show more, but he has potential. Ellis dropped off a bit, but he’s getting old. We need some depth here as well. Bradie James just had his best year as a Cowboy, and now we must decide what to do with players like Kevin Burnett and Bobby Carpenter (keep Burnett, cut Barbie by the way).
CB: Newman has shown he can be great, but injuries have hurt him the past two years. He didn’t have the best of years even when he was on the team, but I have seen this player numerous times in his career take out the likes of a Santana Moss, Plaxico Burress, and Steve Smith. He’s not shark bait. Henry should be gone, or moved to safety. Scandrick and Jenkins are both going to be around for a while, and both showed that they can play at this level. Pacman is added secondary juice if he hands around and reaches his potential, and Dallas loses next to nothing if he acts like an *ss.
S: Hamlin did NOT have a good year, but I can’t give up on him yet. He’s a leader back there, and I don’t think it helped he was banged up and had next to no SS with him. I’ve seen him play good, but wouldn’t mind seeing more out of him. We NEED a SS in the draft. I repeat we NEED a SS in the draft. Roy could be done in Dallas. KD is a glorified special teams player at the SS position. Him running around in coverage is laughable.
KICKER AND PUNTER: When not on IR, I wouldn’t trade either of them.
Jason Garrett was not known in his first year as an OC and caught people off guard. This year he was, as someone said earlier, as predictable as "yesterday’s newspaper." Year three will go one of two directions, and as a die-hard fan, I’m forced to hope the optomistic direction b/c I have no other choice. Wade had this D playing like the best in the league at times, and at times they looked lost and confused like he does. Jerry is Jerry. He’s the czar of Dallas World, nothing will change that. Go root for someone else if you hate the Cowboys so much. Optomistic: yes Possible: yes
April 09 can’t come sooner.
in no rush for april 09 to come
I endured enough pain for awhile…unless i see some big changes to the coaching staff and the roster….If no or little changes are made i will be back for more pain but at least give me some time to heal from this…
08's Thank you's
I live in Miami and I’ve heard just about enough BS about how stupid we are because of Parcells and Sparano and Fasano, etc etc. The greatest thing is, these are my nephews and cousins giving me crap and guess what??….they’re right….so I have to lower my head and say congrats, hope the fins win a few more because I would much rather see Miami in the playoffs than Bill Beliechick and the Patsies…..but anyways. After such a wonderful day I am having thanks to my beloved cowboys, here are my 2008 thank you awards:
1. Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode: Thank you for the penalties and missed snap counts. Thanks for getting our QB sacked or hit so many times he had broken fingers, back and ribs during the season. It has been a pleasure watching you all year and knowing you guys make millions. You make me sick.
2. Terence Newman: Thank you for such wonderful games against Washington, Pittsburgh and Philly……just about the ones that counted the most. Make sure you work on that golf swing all offseason and don’t worry about the fact that every QB in the league knows they can throw at you because you NEVER EVER will turn for the ball. You’re another overpaid idiot with a big mouth.
3. Jason Garret and Hudson Houck: Make sure you pay for Romo’s hospital bills and thank him everyday for taking all those questions after every embarrasing game and NEVER calling you out the way he should’ve. The guys was knocked out 3 thousand times during the season and still made some plays and you 2 couldn’t figure out a way to protect him, call short routes, get RW2 nd T.O. more involved. Do you really have the balls to collect another check? Really?
4. Brian Stewart and Bruce Read: You should never be allowed to touch the state of Texas again. No more words needed for you fools. Leave….wherever, I don’t care….hopefully Philly or Washington…just leave.
5: Chris Canty and Marcus Spears: Where’s your hearts? effort? Hatcher and Rattlif should be playing your positions if we only had anoter NT. To hell with both you….
The real heroes of our organization that really show passion and love for the star and do not deserve to be in the middle of this BS:
1. Tony Romo: If the O-line gives him time and he still throws the picks I would be dissapointed on his season, but we had no o-line this season and this guy takes the blame all the time. It’s just sad.
2. Jason Witten: A bit more leadership would help but he leads by example. He played hurt all year and didnt miss anytime. A true warrior.
3. Terrell Owens: He’s missunderstood, but he gives it all every game. Everytime we have a turnover pls make sure you watch him chase the ball, this guy cares. He’s human and he’s a competitor and opens his mouth to the wrong people but I can live with that with his effort on the field and off the field.
4. Jay Rattlif: if halfthe team had half his heart we would be the 1st seed in the NFC no doubt.
5. Demarcus Ware: can’t ask for much more from this guy….maybe to be a bit nastier on the QB’s.
6. Nick Folk: Another great season for this guy. Work on your leg or quit the kickoff duties but he’s the man when it comes to FG’s. .
7. The rookies who made signifiant efforts…Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, Orlando Scandrick, Martellus Bennet and Mike Jenkins. If we could only draft O-line men and D-linemen like we drafted CB and RB this year.
you asked, i answer
1. If J.J. were given complete control tomorrow, who would he axe? Who would he keep?
AXE: Johnson, Bollinger, Henry??
KEEP: surprises: Pac Man, Roy the Safety (if only b/c the D needs some meanness)
Would he begin by cutting some players on the periphery, to get the others’ attention? That was his style. Who are the Curvin Richards on this roster? Stanback, Proctor, McQuistan, Berger, Curtis, Octavien, Rogers
2. Who are the big names he would trade? If 2009 is an uncapped year, trades become a real possibility. Any Herschel Walker Lites on this roster? Guys you flip simply to create addition by subtraction? New Cap blocks a lot of this…
3. Which big names would he keep? He held his superstars to a different standard, because they made plays. Who gets the wider berth on J.J. 2.0?
OK… He would be pals w/TO to get him under control
4. Which players would he motivate by tough love? Or no love? Think of how he drove Mark Stepnoski to distraction in the early ’90s? Who are the players who would hate his guts, but play their guts out for him?
ABUSE FOR: Romo (he has been too loved by mgmt and would do better with some tough love), Martellus, Spencer, Spears,Crayton, PacMan, Jenkins
5. J.J. was also hard on his assistants. Who gets the quiet burn in the coaches meeting room?
Stewart, Houck, Garrett
As Jimmy I would...
1. Axe Flozell, Proctor, Watkins, RW1, and Henry
2. Barber or TO both for trade bait.
3. Ware, TR, Witten, James, TNew, Burnett keep and cultivate
4. Romo and TO (if no takers on a trade)
5. All of them, if he kept any at all. Remember though, Garrett is JJ’s pet. Oh and fire
Stewart immediately, right Tex?
Good luck axing Flozell
We would have to eat 10 million + in cap space next year.
Come on people think this stuff through before you post it. The cap implications would be too much to handle.
Think before posting?
Come on, the internet is made for mindless speculation
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
Yeah, what he said!
Besides axing doesn’t mean outright release, someone out there is probably desperate for a LT.
Jimmy 2.0
Raf,
Here’s my guess:
Axe: Owens, Brad Johnson, Roy WIlliams (SS), Zach Thomas, Spears, Canty, Tank, Pacman, Burnett, Ellis and the entire bottom of this roster.
Trade: Gurode, Crayton, Newman, Barber
Keep: James, Witten, Ware, Ratliff, Spencer, Romo, Felix, Scanrick, Jenkins, Bennett
Motivate: Romo, Hatcher, L. Davis, Flo, Roy Williams (WR)
Quite Burn: Garrett.
Axe Coaches: Read, Houck, Stewart and Sherman
1. Fire Wade. He is a great coordinator, but he’s not a head coach.
2. Shake up the offensive line. Flozell has to go.
3. Keep Barber, Choice, and F Jones. RUN, RUN, RUN. Our run/pass ratio next year should be 55/45.
4. Get rid of TO. Other teams seem to get by without pro bowlers at every position. So can we.
5. Romo has to work all offseason on ball security: Hold the ball with two hands until he is actually throwing the ball. When he starts scrambling, unless someone is obviously open just tuck it and run. I don’t mind his interceptions so much, but he’s venturing into Dave Krieg territory with his fumbles.
6. Get a capable back up at qb. Please
calm the hell down
I think that about half of the people on this thread need to put the season into perspective and not relive the destructive December.
Talking about trading the nucleus of this team is nonsense. We for sure keep Newman and Barber.
We have to remember that this season had some of the worst, if not the worst, IR and games missed by injury list in recent Cowboy memory. The fact that we were mildly successful with a street-punter, 4th string SS, an inconsistent CB lineup including 2 rookies and someone who hasn’t played in a year, 3rd string RB, back-up RG, backup and 3rd string QB, helps to ameliorate some of the bitterness of the season-ending loss. I am not saying that change is not needed, however, change may mean for a lot of the lineup, getting healthy. Also, the reaction to the fact that the Cowboys need to coalesce as a team cannot be cured by signing more high dollar, big-name free agents; this is part of the problem.
What we really need is depth and to see past the names on jerseys to not be afraid to pull a player for bad behavior. Perhaps the reason that the ‘softy’ coach couldn’t do it is because there has not been adequate back-ups to throw in. I know you can’t have great players everywhere, but Wade can only do so much about what he has been given, especially on the O-line.
To change the energy on the thread, I am excited to see the D come on, and am hopeful that the last half of the season was the D of a team that finally has more than a training camp of running it under it’s belt.
I am excited to see Bennett get better. (bc it annoys me to see Fassano catching TD’s)
I am excited to see our RB core for next year (and for them to get healthy)
I am excited to see the upside of RW the WR.
I am excited to see our rookie CB’s keep playing.
Here is my parting question, the thing that really irks me: what did Garrett do this year that he did not do last year? Are his schemes overly simplistic? Will someone hold him to a higher standard? ie. will he be fired if he doesn’t improve? (assuming he doesn’t take a better job)
This Team Is A Mess...
Not once when this team was getting humiliated did I see anyone get into a scuffle take a late hit on anybody, not that I condone that but at least I would had a feeling that somebody gave a damn.
I don’t blame Wade Phillips for this loss but how can he become the bad cop this team needs, none of the players will take him seriously. When organizations are a mess they typically bring in an ass kicker to right the ship even if there not around for the long term just to right the ship.
Jerry has to make a change, I know he’s says that he’s standing pat but how much excitement can you build in your fan base and how many PSL’s can you sell if you say we’re just going to pick up where we left off on Sun.
I mentioned on this blog Xmas eve that I would trade Romo if you could get a deal done with Matt Cassel. Some of the responses, which were valid, was that you can get rid of Romo for a mostly unproven Cassel.
The point is not whether or not Cassel is better than Romo it’s that I believe Romo has entered or is close to entering David Carr territory. His confidence appears to be shot, he’s not nearly as elusive or as sharp and as crisp as he was for a season and a half. In addition his accuracy and decision making is in serious decline. Tony Romo still has a chance to be a good QB but unfortunately I don’t think that will happen in Dallas he needs and this team needs a fresh start.
Buck Harvey, who I consider to be one of the best sports columnist country had an insightful column about Romo Sat. prior to the game:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Romo_faces_impulse_without_a_strong_voice.html
I think another change that needs to be made is the offensive coordinator, this offense has looked very Chan Gailey like for most of the season, simple an ineffective.
Unless some substantial changes are made even a die hard fan like myself will have a difficult time getting excited about the season once training camp comes around.
Romo hasn't lost his confidence
he’ll improve and come back stronger and better and he’ll win multiple championships with this team before he plays his last pro game.
In Romo we Trust
And thats a fact huh?
"Ask Philly was it hard tryin' a stop TO, he da main reason that the fans would come fo'."
by aussie_cowboy on Jan 1, 2009 4:02 AM CST up reply actions
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