Focusing on the 2008 Dallas Cowboys
by Brandon Worley on Jul 20, 2008 10:55 PM CDT
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PrintThe time has finally come. A long and eventful offseason is coming to an end and training camp will begin on Friday. Maybe I'm crazy but it seems as if the past months have flown by and I can't believe the season is just around the corner. It seems like yesterday we were all wondering if Jerry Jones would be able to sign Flozell Adams before free agency began. We are lucky as Cowboys fans; not every team has an offseason that is almost as exciting as the season itself. Sure some teams have been in the spotlight lately but for all the wrong reasons. While other organizations have been trying to figure out what to do with multiple players being arrested, the Cowboys have been busy putting together the best offseason this franchise has seen in years.
I put together the best moments of 2007 for one main reason. I wanted us to take one last look back at what was a very memorable season for the Dallas Cowboys. It ended in extreme disappointment but too often fans and the media alike focus on the negative and forget all of the positive that was there as well. Before last season started did anyone here have even an inkling of a notion that the Cowboys would go 13-3, win the division and secure the top seed in the conference? No one did. We knew that the team had the makings of doing something special but there were just too many variables headed into the season to think we would enjoy such success. Unfortunately while a lot of questions were answered, ultimately more important and nagging questions came up following the playoff letdown against the Giants.
One thing needs to be pointed out here. I have watched that game against New York a couple of times now trying to dissect just what exactly went wrong. It was painfully obvious that injuries affected the gameplan of the Cowboys and it them too long to try and get aggressive against a defense they outright destroyed in the regular season. But besides the disappointing play of the Cowboys, one must give credit to the Giants defense as well. The Cowboys scored 17 points against the Giants in the 2008 playoffs; the New England Patriots scored 14. The circumstances were slightly different but the fact remains that the Giants did something right in the playoffs that stymied the three most powerful offenses in the NFL.
I am not trying to deflect blame away from the Cowboys, though. The playoff game, as well as the last month of the season, allowed Dallas to see all of its little flaws. All of the little things that don't seem like much but in the end are what holds the team back from taking that next step. You have to remember that this was the first full offseason Wade Phillips and his coaching staff have had with the Cowboys. They now have had the oppurtunity to get a full season's worth of game film on the team and have molded the team to their standards. Players that just weren't cutting it are gone and the Cowboys have done all they could to fill the holes that were so painfully obvious last season.
There is a great thing about making mistakes; you can learn from them. Last season was great but it wasn't good enough in the end. Jerry Jones has done all he can to improve upon a team that was one of the most talented in the league in 2007. But can the Cowboys overcome the monkey that has been on it's back since 1996? Who can say for sure? All we can do is the same thing we do every year, and that is approach the new season with a clean slate and a heart full of optimism. Enjoy the ride folks, because I can gaurantee it is going to get interesting.
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Great Post
You make some good points. We should remember that while last season ended in a dissappointing fashion, that season is what allows us to have optimism.
Last year changed the expectations from “maybe we can make the playoffs” to expecting to go far in the playoffs.
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jul 21, 2008 4:17 AM CDT reply actions
true
Last year we turned the corner, with Romo back there, and his three best options locked up for years to come we going to be a consistent contender..
Indy right now is most consistent in the regular season and New England is the most consistent in the playoffs.
"You can't win until you're not afraid to lose"
Yes, we turned the corner.
Most people forget that it was a new coaching regime last year. The transition from Parcells was a media frenzy as was the ignorant question of whether Romo could rebound from that stupid Seattle play.
That #38 sure can hit!
by Aaron Novinger on Jul 21, 2008 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions
If teams build rosters to combat key rivals
Then our draft is making more sense to me. NY beat those 3 top offenses by bringing the house down on the QB. I guess Spagnola figured it was all or nothing for them – nothing to lose. He brought the heat just like the Eagles did a few years back. The best way to beat that is with a quicker passing game – ala RB’s and TE’s who can stay in to block or catch a pass.
The weak link in our team is now gone
I watched the T.O. 4 TD game against the Redskins a few weeks back. It was so painfully obvious that Campbell, in his ‘career game’, completely picked on Jacques Reeves all night long. I watched 1 drive where Reeves gave up 3 3rd down conversions.
I haven’t seen the Giants playoff game again, but if I remember correctly…Reeves is the one that was picked on during that end of the half drive that I think was the backbreaker for us.
Now I’m not saying the game was entirely on his shoulders, far from it. But with the talent we have at CB this year, and especially if Henry stays healthy, that late half drive doesn’t happen.
And that is the difference between a W and a L.
They sure did pick on that poor guy.
It was emphasized too because that’s usually Roy’s side of coverage. So teams just attacked the right. When Newman was over there, he saved the game for us.
I’m looking forward to more man-to-man this year.
That #38 sure can hit!
by Aaron Novinger on Jul 21, 2008 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions
I know Peyton is smiling
Prediction—Peyton is the #1 Fantasy Qb every week they play Houston..
"You can't win until you're not afraid to lose"
Damn straight
Reeves had a big red target on him when he was on the field. How crappy do you have to be when teams announce beforehand that the game plan is to throw to whoever Reeves is covering. And that was not an idle threat.
I don’t know WTF the Texans were thinking signing him to that contract. Houston, you have a problem.
T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003
by APerfectStar on Jul 21, 2008 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions
He's young
He may improve. But certainly you couldn’t afford a wounded Henry, a plantar-slowed T-New and Reeves to be your CBs, backed by Roy or P-Wat.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
It would be a minor miracle
Reeves has 4 years under his belt, last season with a lot of starts, and I still wouldn’t want him even as a 3rd CB. Houston is crazy. Of course, it’s the same franchise that signed Ahman Green to a fat contract last season to be the starting RB. He lasted 5 games.
T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003
by APerfectStar on Jul 21, 2008 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Well I didn't predict Pro Bowls for him
but he may do better in a cover two system for example. And he may benefit from the pass pressure Houston has been building on for the past four years. Reeves has all the physical skills and there’s always a chance he’ll get the mental part of the game down as well.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
Oh I hear you.
Even if he get burnt in Houston it won’t be a big deal. Everything gets magnifed when you play for the cowboys..
"You can't win until you're not afraid to lose"
I like to think we had pretty good pass pressure here last year.
by Mandmeisterx on Jul 22, 2008 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions
It was improved
but when I review games later in the season, they were a step away from sacks and that’s not good enough to win. A second more of coverage will help, but so will a fuill season of Ellis, Ware and Spencer, and occasional S and CB blitzes which they haven’t run as much of.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
But down the stretch
Eli completed way too many passes. I know the Giants have a solid O-line, but you have to replicate their pass rush if you want to beat high-powered offenses, And they did it to Dallas, GB and NE, three of the best. That’s what the Cowboys have to do as well. Relying on outscoring opponents in the playoffs is risky bidness.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
Correct
Everyone picked on him and it worked like a champ. It wasn’t his fault. The pass rush was always a step late and the coaching staff seemed incapable of getting the whole secondary on the same sheet. All that said, you at least know that this is now a formidable secondary and should be well-coached.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
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