Point/Counterpoint: Who should start at QB for the remainder of the season?

Point: Kellen Moore Deserves Chance To Answer Questions About QB Spot
Monday, November 30, 2015 12:33 PM CST

By David Helman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

Here’s the conventional wisdom you’re bound to hear in the coming days, as the Cowboys begin their preparations for Washington.

Inexplicably, the 3-8 Cowboys are technically still alive in the NFC East – largely thanks to the mediocrity of the division as a whole. The Redskins currently lead the division standings at just 5-6, having defeated the Giants – now also 5-6. The Eagles, now 4-7 after getting thrashed by Detroit, are in a freefall almost as bad as the Cowboys.

Taking all of this into account, the common logic says the Cowboys need to play their experienced starting quarterback, Matt Cassel, to hold the reins in place of Tony Romo. Cassel has 11 years of NFL experience, he led this Dallas offense for a month during Romo’s first injury and he has been a part of playoff races before.
I hear all of this, and it makes sense – but that doesn’t necessarily make it right.

Regardless of whether Cassel is a veteran starter in this league, he’s currently boasting an 0-4 record as the Cowboys’ starter this season. As I’m sure I don’t need to remind anyone, it’s the Cowboys’ seven-game losing streak during Romo’s first broken collarbone that put them in this seemingly insurmountable deficit in the first place.

Cassel put together one truly solid performance, his 25-of-38, 299-yard, three-touchdown performance in the overtime loss to the Eagles. The rest of his tenure wasn’t as impressive, though. He tossed three interceptions in the loss to New York, and he failed to crack 100 yards passing against Seattle. The Cowboys failed to score a touchdown in two of his four starts.

I’m not trying to rip Cassel, I’m just trying to point out the flaws in the argument that he gives the Cowboys the best chance to win. In a sample size that equates to 25 percent of the season, that hasn’t been the case.

So what’s my solution? You probably already know, assuming you’ve been paying attention this season.

In Kellen Moore, the Cowboys have an intriguing young prospect without an NFL start to his name. I already wrote a column suggesting the Cowboys give him a chance. You can read it here if you want to hear about his 50-3 college record or his history with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.

I honestly have no idea how good Moore is, and I’m certainly dubious that he can lead the Cowboys to the playoffs. Frankly, I don’t think any of the Cowboys’ realistic options at quarterback are going to lead this team to the 5-0 record that’d likely be required to reach the postseason.

That’s immaterial to me at this point, though. The Cowboys have a young quarterback with an unknown potential. Linehan likes him enough to keep him nearby – at two different stops, no less. I take it as a pretty big vote of confidence when the guy calling the offense feels that strongly about any player, let alone the quarterback.

Regardless of how this next month goes, it’s safe to assume Matt Cassel doesn’t have a long-term future with the Cowboys. Perhaps he signs on as Romo’s backup in 2016, but at 33 he doesn’t provide any type of promise or stability for the years to come.

At 26, Moore brings a bit more upside. Perhaps he surprises everyone and wins some games – which would give this team hope for both the postseason and future seasons to come.

Perhaps he doesn’t. But even if he’s awful, the Cowboys are in a similar situation – several games under .500 and facing tough questions about the future of their quarterback position.

It’s not something I expect to happen, but I think it’d be a smart decision. Kellen Moore could help this team handle several important questions about the quarterback spot – both for this coming month, and the seasons beyond.

Counterpoint: Despite Winless Record, Playing Cassel Still Best Chance To Win
Monday, November 30, 2015 12:28 PM CST

By Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

Let me preface this by saying this isn’t a piece on how the Cowboys can still save the season and find a way to get into the playoffs.

Yes, I’m fully aware the Cowboys remain two games behind first place in the NFC East, but to get there, it’s going to take a miracle, and I just don’t see this team catching even small breaks, much less some miraculous ones.

But that being said, I’m going with Matt Cassel right now and sticking with him for the rest of the season.

I get it. People want to see wholesale changes after Romo’s latest injury. Let’s just blow it up and go with all young players.

I somewhat see the logic in certain areas, but I’m not ever one to play for draft picks. And basically, that’s what you’re doing when you’re not giving yourself the best chance to win.

Personally, I think Jason Witten deserves better. I think Sean Lee, Brandon Carr and Tyron Smith … anyone else you throw out there, they deserve better. These guys are playing banged up and out there fighting. So I’m not going to pull the plug on this season until the plug pulls itself after the Washington game on Jan. 3.

And that’s why I don’t go with Kellen Moore, a guy that has never started a game in this league. If he’s the best option, then play him. But there’s no way a guy that has never taken a meaningful NFL snap in his career is going to be the best option.

Cassel is 0-4 as a starter with the Cowboys. Yes, I know this. But he also at least gives them a “chance” to win. You can’t argue the fact that in all four of Cassel’s starts, the Cowboys have either been ahead in the fourth quarter or tied.

If the Dallas defense makes a stop against Seattle, Cassel’s next snap is a kneel-down and he wins.

If the Cowboys get that turnover against the Buccaneers, his next snap is a kneel-down and he wins.

If the Cowboys simply stop a kickoff return against the Giants, Cassel likely gets the ball in position to get a field goal and win.

And if the Cowboys can find a way to stop the Eagles’ last drive, he also has a chance to go win the game with a field goal.

Lots of “ifs” there, and I’m really not trying to be apologetic for this quarterback, who I think is completely average at best. But he’s put this team in positon to win. You could argue that he’s also put them in position to lose, which they did.

However, with five games to go, I don’t think the Cowboys should alter their approach. Play the best players and try to win the game. Right now, Cassel is still a better option than Moore, and that’s reason enough to stick to the plan.

I see dc.com is already laying the seeds for inserting Moore as the starter and losing out. Good.

Whatever ensures us losing out.

Simpleton said:

Whatever ensures us losing out.

Click to expand...

I see no reason not to play Moore. He either loses out or he proves to be a surprise and we have a legit backup for next year. It's a win/win situation in my opinion.

Stopped reading when he mentioned Brandon Carr among a list of players that deserve better.

Roll with Cassel, roll with Moore, does it really matter at this point? Cassel isn't a long term solution and it's highly likely Moore isn't either. I actually lean towards Moore because literally no one has any idea if he can even play competently at this level but there's probably little chance of that happening, if at all, until we're mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Considering the crappy division we play in, that could be the last week of the season. Again.

With no pressure on them to win, Dallas goes 3-2 the rest of the way.

It's preseason, lets see what Moore has. We already know what we have in Cassel.

If Cassel was the starter on any other team he would probably be benched. Better to evaluate what we possibly have versus continuing with what we already know is not the solution. But they are stuck on the NFCE mediocrity pipe drime. That was the worst part of Washington beating NY.

shoop said:

If Cassel was the starter on any other team he would probably be benched. Better to evaluate what we possibly have versus continuing with what we already know is not the solution. But they are stuck on the NFCE mediocrity pipe drime. That was the worst part of Washington beating NY.

Click to expand...

I'm not going to complain if Dallas ends up in the playoffs by some one-in-a-generational fluke.

No amount of rhetoric will change anything. They tried Garrett's best "one game at a time" bullshit and lost seven in a fricking row.

I know one thing, no one on this roster is going to be Dallas' long term starter except Tony Romo.

Matt Cassel's a fine backup and certainly gives us the best chance to beat Washington Monday.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I see no reason not to play Moore. He either loses out or he proves to be a surprise and we have a legit backup for next year. It's a win/win situation in my opinion.

Click to expand...

Or he sucks out loud so quick that we get even more petrified about this organization's ability to evaluate QBs.

Remember, this is a guy we personally went after due to Linehan's experience with him and Robot Garrett was going all doe eyed over him too raving how smart he was and how he's a winner.

If I remember correctly...Moore can throw the ball only about 10 yards down the field. Anything beyond that and he will need a Juggs machine.

Carp said:

If I remember correctly...Moore can throw the ball only about 10 yards down the field. Anything beyond that and he will need a Juggs machine.

Click to expand...

What if he throws underhand?

I remember Moore from his Boise State days and his arms wasn't the strongest but he was accurate. He was pretty deadly on anything within the 20 yard range but the out routes are a little iffy on speed. If Dallas plays in the rain, which is forecast, he would probably be okay. The running game should probably be the preferred approach and Turpin (sp?) would be better because he is a stronger straight runner than McFadden. Saying all that my feel is that Cassel and McFadden will get the nod.

L.T. Fan said:

I remember Moore from his Boise State days and his arms wasn't the strongest but he was accurate. He was pretty deadly on anything within the 20 yard range but the out routes are a little iffy on speed. If Dallas plays in the rain, which is forecast, he would probably be okay. The running game should probably be the preferred approach and Turpin (sp?) would be better because he is a stronger straight runner than McFadden. Saying all that my feel is that Cassel and McFadden will get the nod.

Click to expand...

Really, you think so?

Jiggyfly said:

Really, you think so?

Click to expand...

I said so didn't I? Why do you feel the need to be obnoxious?

I'm all in favor of seeing what we have in Moore and starting to prepare for improving next year.

It's unfortunate that given the expectations going into this season and all the talks of a possible Super Bowl run that it would amount to this, but winning just enough to screw up our draft position while still missing the playoffs makes for that much more painful of a season especially come April.

The last thing that I want to see is this team continue to go for the moral victories like we did during all of those 5-11 seasons with Campo and accomplish absolutely nothing from them other than a Jason Garrett slow clap.