So-Called "Needs"

Simpleton

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
17,414
After posting on boards like this one for over a decade there is always a common theme heading into an off-season where the team under performed or disappointed, and that is the laundry list of "needs" that the team must address before we can apparently have any hope of competing at a high level. Usually following a season like this one the list consists of about half the starting spots on the roster and people insist that we have no hope unless every single one of them are addressed to one extent or another.

Most of the lists I've seen generally consist of RB, about 3-4 DB's, an LB or two, WR2/3, a couple of DL, maybe RT, and then of course QB for long-term reasons. My point is not that we don't need upgrades at several spots, some more so than others, but it's that I think people over exaggerate how dire the need is and/or what level of player we need to fill that spot (i.e. people thinking we need an elite CB when an average to above average player will do) based on the disappointment/anger of a losing season. My other point is that Garrett doesn't do the talent we do have any favors because we seemingly can't work around being talent deficient in areas like other teams can.

Look at a team like Carolina. 7-8-1 last year, not an overly talented team, what did they come into the year with?

Journeyman Kurt Coleman and 50 year old Roman Harper at safety? Jonathan Stewart at RB, 28 years old, a guy who has never had 1,000 yards and is always injured? Turnstile Michael Oher at LT with some guy named Mike Remmers at RT? A WR corps consisting of Kelvin Benjamin, a rookie in Funchess, Ted Ginn who has never done anything, Jericho Cotchery and some guy named Corey Brown? 50 year old, injury prone Charles Tillman as their 2nd/3rd CB? No real DE's opposite Charles Johnson aside from Kony Ealy?

If we were coming off a year like that and went into the next season with perceived holes like that all over the roster nobody would think we had a chance at anything, yet somehow Carolina is 14-0. Why?

Because they play to the strengths of their team, their coaching staff knows what they are, the style of play they need to execute to win, and they execute it. Coming into the year their plan was generally to rely on their stout front 7, run the ball and have Cam make enough plays through the air or on the ground to win, they won a bunch of close games early on, gained confidence in what they were doing and then they started to dominate.

Arizona is similar in that they came into the season relying on guys like Chris Johnson and rookie David Johnson at RB, nobody TE's like Daniel Fells and Jermaine Gresham, a WR corps with no dominant lead WR's, an injury prone 36 year old QB coming off an ACL, a bunch of journeymen DL (outside of Calais Campbell of course) like Red Bryant, Frostee Rucker, and Corey Peters, and no real edge rushers with rookie Markus Golden, 50 year old Dwight Freeney and Alex Okafor who had one good season.

My point here is that these teams are not just overflowing with talent yet they are 14-0 and 12-2 because they have a coaching staff that has a philosophy and puts together cohesive game plans that play to the strengths of their personnel. Stylistically we are a healthy Romo, Dez and a half decent RB away from having what should be one of the most dominant offenses in the league by leaning on our OL (an OL that pushed around the number 1 ranked Jets run defense with Kellen Moore at QB and Darren McFadden at RB). Defensively we have some good young talent in Lawrence, Jones and Crawford (overpaid as he may be), Scandrick's return will help and you have to hope that Lee can stay healthy and Gregory can meet his potential. Maybe we re-sign Hardy, maybe we don't, but with the assumption being that the offense is dominant, the front office should be able to put a defense together that is good enough to win by leaning on the offense (which they did this year in my opinion). All of this is reliant to an extent on a coaching staff that can be creative, innovative and pragmatic when necessary, something we obviously don't have.

I guess my overall point is that our talent is not far off, which is what we saw last year (Romo health assumed here, but wasn't assuming Palmer would be healthy this season at his age a leap of faith too?), and that in this league you have to roll with question marks throughout your roster. You just need to have a coaching staff who can work around those question marks and accentuate the strengths. Does anybody here doubt that if we had a coach/staff the caliber of Bruce Arians and his staff going into next season that we would be a strong SB contender (if not favorite) with a healthy Romo and a few strategic personnel decisions at RB and on defense?
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,746
If your point is that it doesn't matter what we get because we have a shitty coaching staff, I agree.
 

townsend

Banned
Joined
Apr 11, 2013
Messages
5,377
If your point is that it doesn't matter what we get because we have a shitty coaching staff, I agree.
Yes, yes and yes. For 3 God damned years we kept hearing that the reason our talented skill position players weren't doing well enough was because of the offensive line. Then after we get a top talent line, it works for one damn year. Then our skill position players aren't good enough. Garrett/Linehan can only coach an offense with 11 above average starters.
Meanwhile, The Pats are getting it done with Tom Brady and a practice squad.
 

Simpleton

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
17,414
If your point is that it doesn't matter what we get because we have a shitty coaching staff, I agree.
Somewhat, I guess "what matters" is what's up for debate here.

Are we talking winning the division? A playoff game or two?

Obviously we can do that since we had a relatively dominant team last year with the same coaching staff and you can see some remnants of that team poking through this season, namely how we ran all over the Jets elite run defense.

Is "what matters" winning it all?

Then yes, I'd say it doesn't matter because I don't think this coaching staff, Garrett in particular, is good enough to win 3-4 playoff games in a row without getting out-coached.

My point is that we shouldn't constantly fret about upgrading this position, that position, and another 5 positions that everybody bitches about being the reason we won't ever win it all. I believe with a healthy roster we weren't far off this year, clearly we were a contender to some extent last year, and I think with a smart offseason we have a roster capable of winning it all next year.

Garrett and the coaching staff won't maximize the talent though.
 

Rev

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
19,333
We have seen the pattern for years. Have a real good year followed up by shit years. I really don't think it matters until they get football minds in charge. Otherwise it leaves us fans hoping beyond hope that everything lines up for that one year.
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,709
If your point is that it doesn't matter what we get because we have a shitty coaching staff, I agree.
Unfortunately, this is correct. It makes things seem hopeless when you really think about it.
 

Joe Fan

Brand New Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
1,647
I still find it quite hilarious, yet truly sad for our organization, that the Seahawks managed to essentially steal a draft pick from us for Michael who ended up resigning with them after we cut them.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,746
I still find it quite hilarious, yet truly sad for our organization, that the Seahawks managed to essentially steal a draft pick from us for Michael who ended up resigning with them after we cut them.
Eh. Just shows you how inept our coaching staff is.
 

junk

Not So New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
580
There will always be "needs" where a team can get better. I think this team has decent top of the roster talent, but not much depth. Coaching is the biggest issue, but right behind that is the horrible culture created by the owner.

Having said that, the two areas I'd like to see this team really improve is safety play (maybe Jones can help here) and just adding some sort of dynamic offensive weapon that can stretch the field and loosen things up.

Garrett would have no idea how to use a player like that, but that goes back to one of the original problems.
 

bbgun

please don't "dur" me
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
23,229
Coaching has been sub-par, but the talent gap is bigger than you imagine.
 

VA Cowboy

Brand New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
4,710
Yes, yes and yes. For 3 God damned years we kept hearing that the reason our talented skill position players weren't doing well enough was because of the offensive line. Then after we get a top talent line, it works for one damn year. Then our skill position players aren't good enough. Garrett/Linehan can only coach an offense with 11 above average starters.
Meanwhile, The Pats are getting it done with Tom Brady and a practice squad.
Yes, we need quality coaches. I don't care if it's coaches that can coach to players strength and adapt their system accordingly or if it's coaches that have a system that works, like the Pats, and who has a front office that can find the proper players that can play, develop them and have them excel in the system.
 

ravidubey

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
20,162
Coaching has been sub-par, but the talent gap is bigger than you imagine.
There's some truth to this.

Carolina is built the right way-- Inside to outside, lines to flankers. Defense and the running game first. Incubate the QB, and WR is the cherry on top.

Dallas does the opposite-- outside in, flankers to lines, throw the QB to the wolves and pray.

But Garrett has been unable to make lemonade from lemons like a lot of other coaches do.
 

fortsbest

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
3,733
Garrett as a motivator may be ok, but Garrett as a gaming, planning adjusting coach sucks and needs to be fired.
 
Top Bottom