This all starts at the Top.
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 8:48 AM CST
33 comments
From an Eagle fan, I would love for you to keep Tony Romo, sure he has had some great performances against us including the whoopin' from the beginning of the season last year, but the Romo experiment I think should be abandoned. I read some of your "post mortem" reports (excellent writing by the way) and there are some flaws with certain parts of your game including special teams and occasionally with your secondary, but I think that has more to do with injury over the course of the season then anything really endemic. Romo is the problem. He will always be the problem, and let me tell you breifly why that is.
WRs - It makes me want to vomit to admit it but you have one of the best receiving corps I have ever seen and the depth of it makes me queesy.
TE - Witten is really good. I hate you.
RB - MBIII has had a few issues (probably injury related) but is a solid power running back. Tashard Choice is a guy with a future and will be a winning component where ever he is on the field.
OLine - "Seems" to do a fine job providing time, and run blocking, but while it is big seems to have trouble defending DB blitzes and fast DE's coming off the edge.
Defense - has shown flashes of brilliance but the secondary needs to get buttoned up. D Ware. Nuff said.
So where do we lay blame on this team with exceptional potential. The blame lies at the QB position. The Sacks he takes and the fumbles are not indicative of a poor OLine but rather his inability to get the ball out on time and his "willy nilly" protection of the ball in mid-level passes. He sometimes puts the ball up where the receiver should be and not always where the receiver is. Bust on Mcnabb all you want about throwing bounce passes to receivers, but he rarely throws interceptions because of that propensity to try and protect the football...maybe not the receiver...but usually the football.
You need a young QB from the draft who you can turn into Franchise QB. Romo didn't get it done as a holder in '06, he didn't get it done against the Giants in '07, and you saw what happened last sunday.
Change should come from the top of the roster and you definitely need a guy with icewater in his veins who can protect the football and get it out in 3 or 5 steps. You need an answer and Romo ain't it.
Go Eagles!
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moron...
just like any team, problems start with the guys who put there hands in the dirt… our lineman just didn’t come together, and all (or almost ALL) of his errors came when he was trying to do too much because our O line didn’t give him any time in the pocket… Romo isn’t the problem…
by CowboysFan4Life on Jan 2, 2009 9:07 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Sure...drink the coolaid
The OLine ranked 13th overall and 13th in pass protection which is better than 4 other teams who are in the playoffs (5 if you count NE which should be in the playoffs). So when protection broke down, he couldn’t have just thrown it at the feet of a receiver to avoid a turnover? You mean to tell me that lofting the ball up to get picked is the right decision by a franchise QB or that he didn’t hold onto the football too long? What is your obsession with Romo? How many more “clutch” games does he have to lose before you’ll say, maybe we should look to someone else?
I was trying to put together a post that was at least somewhat objective, and I do not believe that warranted a personal attack by calling me a moron.
Furthermore, while your OL ranks 13th and your Total Offense ranks 20th (pass: 17th, rush: 6th). But in terms of INTs and Fumbles per drive, you rank 29th and 19th respectively. Lets call a spade a spade, Romo turns the ball over a lot, and QB’s that turn the ball over a lot lose games. That’s all I’m saying.
Go Eagles!
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 9:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i will drink my coolaid
yeah the eagles game was bad… i wish he would have thrown the ball away in stead of that pick ( which wasn’t even contested by rw11) or taken the sack for the couple times he fumbled… but he was being pressured all day… either way we lose the game the way our line played… our stats are half decent because for every time romo scrambles and throw a pick, he throws 2 td’s… obv it didn’t happen in the eagles game, but to put the blame squarely on romo’s shoulders for our recent losses in the playoffs is absurd… (hmm lets see, first year starter still taking snaps for x points, give me a break, plus the ball was slick whethr you want to admit that or not)… (like we’ve posted a million dam times, against nyg last year it was 4th and 25, there was no one open, he threw it in the end zone, no other choice… what should he have taken a sack or thrown the ball away ther too?) i will admit he played poorly against the eagles this year but i won’t put the weight of the TEAMS failure on him… give him time in the pocket, and he’ll tear the shit out of your eagles secondary all day (see the beginning of the season)
by CowboysFan4Life on Jan 2, 2009 9:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
and don't ever say go eagles on this blog again
by CowboysFan4Life on Jan 2, 2009 9:07 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
you're a freakin moron and have no clue
but then again what would expect from an Eagles fan, brainless as they are.
In Romo we Trust
by Terry on Jan 2, 2009 9:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
So now I’m a “freakin moron”, rather than just a plain moron. Can’t we have a discussion about this, one fan to another? I’ll freely admit that McNabb has problems that need to be fixed – I do think that the best chance for us to win games is with him though.
But as for Romo, I think that you may need to explore other options, and the draft may be the key. And hey, I thought that I was complimenting the rest of your team quite nicely. Do you think that your WRs, TEs, RBs, and Defense are garbage? I think your Offense line is top notch – I really do, and you if you don’t want Adams or Gurode, send them our way and we’ll add them to the roster.
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 9:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I won't call you a moron...
I’ll just disagree. I like Romo and there are certainly some flaws in his game, but like McNabb, he gives US the best chance to win right now. Maybe we could bring in a young guy in the draft to build as a backup and who knows, maybe down the line, Romo gets hurt again (knock on wood) and he’s a suitable replacement. But RIGHT NOW, Romo gives our team the best chance at succeeding.
As far as our o-line goes, they CAN BE top notch. This season, they certainly aren’t. I don’t know how much exposure you have to our team, by that I mean most of us watched every second of every game. Our line is a great run blocking team most of the time. Other times, MB3 was getting hit before the LOS, and limited to short gains. They were also beat up most of the season and rarely had games where they “put it all together.”
Finally, thanks for the props on the rest of our team. I’ll knock you for forgetting to mention Felix Jones who not only adds the big play dimension to our running game, but also adds a HUGE scare to all kickoff coverage teams, as shown by his 100 yard return in his second or third return of the season. We’re still a little bitter about our season so pardon the moron comments. As much as it pains ME to say it, thanks for not coming on here and chirping like you very well could be. Don’t take it personally, but Go Vikings!
and more importantly, GO COWBOYS!!!
by AikmanNailedMySis on Jan 2, 2009 9:53 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry about that.
Felix Jones who not only adds the big play dimension to our running game
Damn straight. I kills me that we passed over him in the draft. But maybe then again I don’t think Reid will ever pick up an RB to threaten Westbrooks job, and Jones definitely would have.
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 10:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
When healthy next season
you guys will have one of the top, if not the top Run O in the NFL with MBIII, Jones and Choice
Who wants to play Leapfrog with Trent?
by anuj on Jan 2, 2009 2:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
our line is top notch
they just didn’t play together this year (esp without kosier)… and say that 1 player shouldn’t decimate an offense line… WELL IT DID… what we should do is send all of our lineman (or our whole team) to a branch of the armed forces and teach them how to work together and how to keep ther head in the game
by CowboysFan4Life on Jan 2, 2009 9:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
no because you make no sense
Our OL is garbage and you know it. Our receivers are talented but run sloppy routes.
Romo is our franchise qb and will be for a long time. Me thinks you don’t want him on our team because deep down you really fear him….thats whats really going on here.
In Romo we Trust
by Terry on Jan 2, 2009 9:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
you don’t want him on our team because deep down you really fear him….thats whats really going on here
I will call that and raise you,
I would love for you to keep Tony Romo
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 10:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
dude....this has become "junior highish" already....
liar liar pants on fire crapola……While I don’t agree our O Line is great, I do think , when all 5 are healthy they are above average…and YES, for some odd reason, missing just one average OG changed the whole dynamics of line play……..
A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.
President - Garrett MUST GO campaign -
by BoyzRback on Jan 2, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You Make Some Sense.
I will admit that Romo’s window is closing. That is unless, Shanahan comes to Dallas and helps Romo with his mechanics.
~Texas Massacre 08~
by TheHeat on Jan 2, 2009 10:21 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Do you think the release of Shanahan has seriously put Wades job in jeopardy at all? I not that Jerry seemed to like Wade for next year at the outset, but I think Shanahan would be a good fit, especially since he’s an old school guy.
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 10:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i think
he’d be a good fit…
as long as we could find a d cordinator who has prev worked with wade before maybe, or just knows how to run the defense, bc it was def clicking at the end of the year…
shanahan will get the most out of our offense…
by CowboysFan4Life on Jan 2, 2009 10:31 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I doubt he'd leave his cushy SoCal job...
But how long has Ken Norton been coaching USC’s defense? …before you all jump down my throat, IT’S JUST A THOUGHT AND DAMN IT, IT’S THE OFFSEASON I CAN SPECULATE ALL I WANT!!!
by AikmanNailedMySis on Jan 2, 2009 10:34 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Zero...
That’s how many super bowls the Eagles have and/or Donovan McNabb have won. After this season is through it will still be zero.
As much as Eagles fans may boast they will still remain the only team in the division without a single Super Bowl title. In fact they will remain 3 titles behind both the Skins and G-men and 5 behind Dallas.
It’s just not a franchise to look to when modeling a champion. McNabb has just as many horrific games a Romo has. The truth is that they are both good QBs who have not always had the best cast around them. The Eagles insist on running the west coast offense and throwing the ball 60% of the time but have refused to give Donavan a solid wide out for most of his career. How stupid is that?
Dallas has done a terrible job in recent times with selecting coaches. The game plans this team comes up with are just a joke. Romo has to have more than 1 second to throw the ball and his O-line cannot even give him that. While it is true that he needs to learn to protect the ball better he can still carve any defense apart if given time to throw the ball. Just look at week 2’s win over the Eagles when Dallas put up 41 points as a good example.
0 = The number of Super Bowls the Eagles have won.
by gee-roj on Jan 2, 2009 11:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Digression.
Woah there, I wasn’t trying to make a team comparison in any way, and yes you have 5 Super bowl titles. Yet, that wasn’t the point of my commentary at all. This,
That’s how many super bowls the Eagles have and/or Donovan McNabb have won. After this season is through it will still be zero.
As much as Eagles fans may boast they will still remain the only team in the division without a single Super Bowl title. In fact they will remain 3 titles behind both the Skins and G-men and 5 behind Dallas.
is akin to me saying that the Indy Colts have made the Playoffs 8 times since 2000 but have only won a superbowl once.
But you’re right, when Romo has no pressure he is excellent. But if the opposing team sends more blitzers than the Oline can block he throws interceptions and is careless with the football. The eagles did not do that in said game – much to the chagrin of the fans.
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 2:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Also, since you decided to go there, how many playoff games have the Cowboys won since their last super bowl appearance? Zero. The Colts have proven that if you consistently knock on the door, you’ll eventually get in. I’ll take consistent improvement with an eventual win.
by thwalls on Jan 2, 2009 2:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Wow, Imagine us....
Making Romo a piece of trash because an eagle fan said so. How low have we stooped? How low can you go?
If fools on this blog think that Romo is the problem, so be it. I know it’s different.
If you think for one moment that a more experienced offensive coordinator won’t cure our problems, guess again. Start asking these question about the offensive playcalling:
1. what offensive coordinator wouldn’t allow Felix Jones to not play in the first game against the Redskins?
2. do you know any other offensive coordinator that would call a pass when a run should have been the call, and call a run when a pass should be the call, more than Garrett did this year?
3. When was I going to see screen passes to Deon Anderson?
4. When was I going to see Romo just run the ball?
5. How come no Bunch formations from the recievers?
6. Why not more 3 step drops?
7. Why no sticking with the running game, especially after a long gain running the ball, just an immediate reaction to go to shotgun?
An experienced OC would make an offense efficient, and take what the defense gives them. The more I see, the more I believe that the running game needs to be featured. Not using Tashard Choice alot next year would be a big mistake.
"Amongst the enemy's Lair, there will always be a DallasPalace!"
by DallasPalace on Jan 2, 2009 1:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
next year
jason will be an experienced OC, he played 4 of the top 5 D’s in Dec. he will be better because of it..
If you lose Jason G. who do you replace him with?
"Protect the Romo, Save the Cowboys!!"
by Wmillion on Jan 2, 2009 2:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I finally figured it out...
I’ll replace him. With all my BTB knowledge, I’ll take the lead in bringing this team back to prominence. I’ve played enough Madden and my experience as a high school wide receiver qualifies me…Jerry, give me a call. And I’m willing to do this for less than JG. We’ll say a million and I’m all yours…
by AikmanNailedMySis on Jan 2, 2009 2:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I would like to add another
8. Why consistently run the shotgun draw play to Choice, when I can tell it’s coming from my recliner at my house? Surely the opposing D coordinator sees it coming.
"So you can’t stiff arm at all? What about the throat?"- Marion "Barbarian" Barber
by DC_fan on Jan 2, 2009 10:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
How dare an Iggles fan make a good argument against Romo.
Good job, even though I still think he’s the future of the franchise.
T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003
by APerfectStar on Jan 3, 2009 6:01 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Great post
I will always welcome reasoned analysis from a rival fan – they have a different and sometimes more objective point of view.
I am not saying I agree with the entire post, but I am not going to rebut his effort and opinion with ad hominem attacks on his team and his fans.
Thanks thwalls – very civil, and a very welcome perspective.
I wonder if the book on Romo is blitz the living daylights out of him and you will burn him more than he burns you?
by I_miss_Switzer on Jan 4, 2009 12:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
with our pourous OL...absolutely
In Romo we Trust
by Terry on Jan 4, 2009 1:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You know
It’s not like our line is the worst in the league. They are around average. That doesn’t give your boy free reign to carry the ball down on his hip and hold it forever in the face of a blitz. If seven rush on five, someone is open, and the QBs job is to find that open man quickly. No QB gets perfect protection all the time, but you seem to think Romo deserves it. You are going to face good teams in the playoffs, and they are going to bring pressure regardless. That does not give the QB license to not protect the ball.
I rewatched the 1993 NFC championship game at SF recently. Aikman took lots of heat, but knew how to protect the ball and live to fight another day. Romo was embarassing in Philly.
I’m not sure why Romo’s progress has stopped, and why he even appears to be regressing, but it isn’t the O line’s fault that he won’t change his ways. They could both be better, and they need to be better.
by I_miss_Switzer on Jan 4, 2009 1:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
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