Divisional Round Playoff Chatter | Cowboys vs Packers | 1/11/2015

[Cowboysrock55]

I'm not optimistic for next year. I thought this was the year we caught lightning in a bottle and as it turns out, it wasn't. Romo, while more than capable as a QB is clearly on the downside physically. If Marinelli leaves, it's basically back to square one on defense. We had our shot this year and while officiating played a role in this game, mistakes and the failure to execute have plagued this team.

He just had one of the best seasons of his career. I'm not sure why people think his career is over.

 

[data]

Phil, the difference is that Kam jumped OVER the lines. He didn't land on them.

wut?

 

[L.T. Fan]

It absolutely contributed. Hold on there and he scores making it a two possession game. Unlike what we saw where they score and force us to score a TD to regain the lead we once had.

All the misakes contributed. The debacle toward the end of the firzt half was probably a 10 point swing.

 

[GForce78NJ]

He just had one of the best seasons of his career. I'm not sure why people think his career is over.

exactly. I think he's got 3-4 more years in him. Draft a QB either this year or next

 

[data]

exactly. I think he's got 3-4 more years in him. Draft a QB either this year or next

3-4 is stretching it.

Two seasons as a Top 10 QB, at most. Probably play a third season which'll rival Aikman's last "season", ended by Lavar Arrington.

 

[L.T. Fan]

To me the biggest contributor to the loss today was Marinelli's refusal to press Rodgers harder. He pretty much stayed in the pocket all day.

 

[Deuce]

Reaction after catch overturned:

Looks like Charlotte taught Spaulding a thing or two about how to get a head in life.

 

[data]

To me the biggest contributor to the loss today was Marinelli's refusal to press Rodgers harder. He pretty much stayed in the pocket all day.

That was significant and a repeated theme for me. I think Rodgers ended the game healthier than he started it. No way that should be possible.

 

[VA Cowboy]

For me, it's an intangible that's missing. We've gotten better at it, but we still leave way too much on the field with mistakes that add up. We're good enough to go far if we play mistake-free, but we don't.

This missing intangible is the reason why we didn't get the extra wins to prevent a Week 17 showdown the last couple years and the reason why we're not advancing to the NFCC this year.

Yep. We were better this year and were able to overcome many of the mistakes against lesser teams. But to advance deep in the playoffs you can't leave that many yards/points on the field.

 

[data]

The other factor...not a single Lily AT&T commercial during the entire game.

 

[Texas Ace]

For me, it's an intangible that's missing. We've gotten better at it, but we still leave way too much on the field with mistakes that add up. We're good enough to go far if we play mistake-free, but we don't.

This missing intangible is the reason why we didn't get the extra wins to prevent a Week 17 showdown the last couple years and the reason why we're not advancing to the NFCC this year.

You're right.

We made strides in that area, but we still have to improve there.

 

[Texas Ace]

He just had one of the best seasons of his career. I'm not sure why people think his career is over.

Because at his age, he can lose it in just one offseason.

It's happened many times before to other great players so you have to at least consider that it could happen at any moment.

 

[DLK150]

He just had one of the best seasons of his career. I'm not sure why people think his career is over.

Sorry, I'm not buying it. Besides, I didn't say his career was over I said it was clearly on the downside, at least physically. Many fans knew Aikman's time was numbered well before he checked out for the last time. I see Romo in the same light: His clock has been ticking faster the last couple of years as his body deteriorates from all the punishment he has withstood. If contact was kept to an absolute minimum the next few years, he might have a shot in the long term but he simply cannot take too many more hits. It isn't about talent/ability, it's about his body's ability to withstand the punishment inherent to the game.

 

[VA Cowboy]

He just had one of the best seasons of his career. I'm not sure why people think his career is over.

It's more to do with doubting he can both stay healthy again and duplicate his success, especially the TD/INT ratio.

 

[Texas Ace]

To me the biggest contributor to the loss today was Marinelli's refusal to press Rodgers harder. He pretty much stayed in the pocket all day.

No way.

There is absolutely no way that not blitzing was more impactful than the 3rd and 1 shotgun decision at the end of the half or the Murray fumble.

This is not debateable.

 

[lostxn]

No way.

There is absolutely no way that not blitzing was more impactful than the 3rd and 1 shotgun decision at the end of the half or the Murray fumble.

This is not debateable.

Jumping up and down saying something isn't debatable doesn't make it so. That being said, I don't give a shit about what you are talking about. We lost the game to probably a better team on their field. I hate to say that but it's probably true. Just hurts that we made the play to put us in position to win - probably but not definitely - but we got cheated. Sucks.

 

[VA Cowboy]

I thought the call against Dez was BS. But even if the play stood and we scored we probably would've gone for 2 and it would've been 29-26 or 27-26 Dallas with over 3:30 left. What's the odds we kept the Packers from scoring with our defense? I would've liked to seen us have that chance but the way they marched up and down the field the 2nd half I think we still would've lost.

 

[kidd]

No way.

There is absolutely no way that not blitzing was more impactful than the 3rd and 1 shotgun decision at the end of the half or the Murray fumble.

This is not debateable.

Exactly.

They took Murray's fumble and got points out of it IIRC. The same didn't happen on the 3rd and 1 decision.

 

[Tony D]

No. Megatron made the same play for a TD the first time and it was overturned.

No. If you're reaching for the end zone and the ball crosses the plane it's a TD. Even if the ball comes out after. Happens all the time with RB's. Calvin Johnson was a different scenario.

 

[Clay_Allison]

To me the biggest contributor to the loss today was Marinelli's refusal to press Rodgers harder. He pretty much stayed in the pocket all day.

I agree. He didn't have to blitz on every play or anything, but he needed to mix something in so the Packers wouldn't be able to have success with the same plays over and over. Maybe they went in thinking they could get consistent pressure with the front 4 and wouldn't need to blitz, but he should have had something prepared to throw at them to try to stop them on a crucial 3rd down somewhere in that game.