Week 15 Gameday Chatter | Buccaneers vs Cowboys | 12/18/2016

ravidubey

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No, he does not have to risk shit. This is dumb. Protect the ball and win the game. Do NOT go over the top just to throw it down field. That would be stupid.
Stop being Dak's guardian for a minute.

We lose this game if not for that key early turnover. Digest that.

Those 280 yards on 36 attempts are good enough to win against most average teams. Zeke ran for 159!! We should be throwing daggers into hearts, not dinking and trudging up the field.

Some of the throws Dak made were outstanding, but as a team we lack the deep killer instinct that scares and pressures defenses. You can play bend/don't break defense vs Dallas and win.

Tampa was above average, and every team except Philly we play going forward is going to be as good or better.
 

Simpleton

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Prescott played a good but not great game in my opinion, everything was short for the most part, but what impressed me most was that he didn't even get close to throwing an INT against a secondary that had been piling them up lately. Part of that was him throwing short so often, but still.

All in all, my expectations are starting to plummet after seeing the offense sputter along the last two weeks and now this week while they were moving, they killed themselves repeatedly with penalties.

At this point I think we're 50/50 at best to even win a playoff game.
 

Simpleton

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Stop being Dak's guardian for a minute.

We lose this game if not for that key early turnover. Digest that.

Those 280 yards on 36 attempts are good enough to win against most average teams. Zeke ran for 159!! We should be throwing daggers into hearts, not dinking and trudging up the field.

Some of the throws Dak made were outstanding, but as a team we lack the deep killer instinct that scares and pressures defenses. You can play bend/don't break defense vs Dallas and win.

Tampa was above average, and every team except Philly we play going forward is going to be as good or better.
Tampa's defense has been one of the best in the league over the last month or so, I wouldn't say everyone else except Philly will be as good or better going forward.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Those 280 yards on 36 attempts are good enough to win against most average teams.
:lol

Those numbers are great in any game. Our offense was basically unstoppable most of the game. You're wrong on this one. The sad thing is, Dak had a couple of great throws called back due to penalties that had nothing to do with him or what he did on those plays. His numbers could have been even that much better.
 

Texas Ace

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Stop being Dak's guardian for a minute.

We lose this game if not for that key early turnover. Digest that.

Those 280 yards on 36 attempts are good enough to win against most average teams. Zeke ran for 159!! We should be throwing daggers into hearts, not dinking and trudging up the field.

Some of the throws Dak made were outstanding, but as a team we lack the deep killer instinct that scares and pressures defenses. You can play bend/don't break defense vs Dallas and win.

Tampa was above average, and every team except Philly we play going forward is going to be as good or better.
Exactly.

It's not about risking stuff just to do so, it's about being able to open up the offense and take, and complete, a shot down the field at various points in the game in order to keep the defense honest.

You can't just wait until the defense has stifled you in order to start slinging the intermediate stuff or you end up with a game like we had vs the Giants last week.

In the middle of a good drive, we need to take a shot here and there with a little more frequency just to keep the defense honest.
 

Joe Fan

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Dak was efficient today, and it's not fair but he needs to be more than efficient as the competition gets tougher.

The penalties fucked us but we have to make some big plays. Did we even take one deep shot? How is it we had a billion FG tries?

Three field goals in the second half with the way Zeke ran it today is a big waste of production.

We can keep blaming the coaches, but at some point Dak is going to have to not take the safe shot and risk the big shot.

My biggest takeaways from this game were the great games from Lee and of course Irving. With our offense stalling we need a defense that can stop the Falcons, red-hot Steelers, or Patriots.
You do realize this is the same defense that shut down Wilson, Brees, Rivers and Smith, right?

So I'd say he didn't pretty damn good.
 

1bigfan13

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Prescott played a good but not great game in my opinion, everything was short for the most part, but what impressed me most was that he didn't even get close to throwing an INT against a secondary that had been piling them up lately. Part of that was him throwing short so often, but still.

All in all, my expectations are starting to plummet after seeing the offense sputter along the last two weeks and now this week while they were moving, they killed themselves repeatedly with penalties.

At this point I think we're 50/50 at best to even win a playoff game.
Luckily that 50/50 might be good enough this year as every team looks a bit ragged in certain areas.
 

Texas Ace

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Prescott played a good but not great game in my opinion, everything was short for the most part, but what impressed me most was that he didn't even get close to throwing an INT against a secondary that had been piling them up lately. Part of that was him throwing short so often, but still.

All in all, my expectations are starting to plummet after seeing the offense sputter along the last two weeks and now this week while they were moving, they killed themselves repeatedly with penalties.

At this point I think we're 50/50 at best to even win a playoff game.
50/50 sounds right.

I don't have the same faith I had a few weeks ago.

We could cover up for the lack of down the field stuff if we could establish a dominant run game, but for some mind-boggling reason, this staff doesn't seem interested in doing that anymore.

I just can't understand what's happened to them in recent weeks.

It feels like pre-2014 when it felt like running game was a nuisance to the staff and they just called runs so they could get to the next pass play. We are no longer trying to set a physical tone early on or dedicate a drive where establish the run. A good 1st down gain is immediately followed by a pass play.

We seem to run the ball on 1st in hopes that it sets us up for an 6 to 10 yard pass play that they can't wait to call.

I don't know why this is happening, but whatever chance we have of making a run in the playoffs with a rookie QB depends on our ability to establish and then stick with a solid running game. If this offensive philosophy that has reared its ugly heads continues on into January, then we'll be one and done.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Prescott played a good but not great game in my opinion, everything was short for the most part, but what impressed me most was that he didn't even get close to throwing an INT against a secondary that had been piling them up lately. Part of that was him throwing short so often, but still.
His accuracy was flawless today after not being accurate at all last week. We didn't throw deep much but it didn't matter and frankly I didn't see any missed opportunities by Dak deep.

On a bright side, this defense is starting to make plays. Something we didn't do most of the year and it's something you need to win in the playoffs. This time of year you just need to continue to win, which is what Dallas is doing. The playoffs are like starting fresh though. Great teams shit the bed all the time in the playoffs and wildcards make the Superbowl. I take nothing for granted once the playoffs hit. This team is built for the long haul now. It's not just abut 2016.
 

Texas Ace

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You do realize this is the same defense that shut down Wilson, Brees, Rivers and Smith, right?

So I'd say he didn't pretty damn good.
He played very well and I'm glad he had a good game.

He needed that not just for this season, but for moving forward. It's a big time confidence booster and it says a lot about his character.

But while we did face a quality opponent with a good defense, we can't depend on having the luxury of picking and choosing our spots in the playoffs especially if we're gonna be pass happy as we were tonight.

That is the part I am in agreement with Ravi on. We can't just depend on or hope that we can get by playing this type of game on offense again.
 

townsend

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They didn't ask his cracked ass to nail 50 yarders.

Did it last week too.
I was just commenting on the "no great team depended on its kicker." I agree with what you were saying mostly, just the pats specifically depended on Vinatieri to win the game in two SBs and an AFC championship.
 
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Just have to beat down those overrated Lions on Monday night and HFA is secured.

I think that game will play out similarly to this one. I think we can move the ball on them. Just have to clean up the penalties and limit the gadget plays.
Except the fact that this team has struggled with the Lions the last few years for whatever reason.
 
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Despite our self induced struggles, I would say I'm really rooting for Tampa Bay to overtake Washington for the last playoff spot and also then upset whoever in the first round. Then come to Dallas again for the divisional round.

I didnt see anything that makes me think they can stop our running attack.
They never stopped Zeke, the coaches did.
 

Simpleton

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50/50 sounds right.

I don't have the same faith I had a few weeks ago.

We could cover up for the lack of down the field stuff if we could establish a dominant run game, but for some mind-boggling reason, this staff doesn't seem interested in doing that anymore.

I just can't understand what's happened to them in recent weeks.

It feels like pre-2014 when it felt like running game was a nuisance to the staff and they just called runs so they could get to the next pass play. We are no longer trying to set a physical tone early on or dedicate a drive where establish the run. A good 1st down gain is immediately followed by a pass play.

We seem to run the ball on 1st in hopes that it sets us up for an 6 to 10 yard pass play that they can't wait to call.

I don't know why this is happening, but whatever chance we have of making a run in the playoffs with a rookie QB depends on our ability to establish and then stick with a solid running game. If this offensive philosophy that has reared its ugly heads continues on into January, then we'll be one and done.
To be honest, I think the coaching staff is making a conscious effort to limit Elliott's touches after we jumped out so far ahead of the rest of the NFC, especially early in the game. He only had 10 carries in the first half tonight for example.

Once the playoffs start I think they ride him like a horse, giving him 25-30 carries a game.
 

Texas Ace

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To be honest, I think the coaching staff is making a conscious effort to limit Elliott's touches after we jumped out so far ahead of the rest of the NFC, especially early in the game. He only had 10 carries in the first half tonight for example.

Once the playoffs start I think they ride him like a horse, giving him 25-30 carries a game.
If that's the case, we're idiots.

We could've lost that game tonight not to mention we haven't even clinched the division yet much less homefield. We have to win these games right now so we are in no position to be limiting Zeke.

If things work out our way and we don't need that Philly game, then rest Zeke then. But for now, we need to be treating these games like playoff games before we hurt ourselves in an effort to prepare for said playoffs.
 

Cowboysrock55

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To be honest, I think the coaching staff is making a conscious effort to limit Elliott's touches after we jumped out so far ahead of the rest of the NFC, especially early in the game. He only had 10 carries in the first half tonight for example.

Once the playoffs start I think they ride him like a horse, giving him 25-30 carries a game.
And I'm ok with that. I actually liked seeing some McFadden out there today. I think he could be a nice tool for the next couple of games. I don't want a tired Zeke when it counts the most. And I'll even go as far as to say, this was the first week I saw us get some good plays from Dunbar. The TD catch that called back was stellar by him. There was also another play where he motioned out to WR and made a clutch catch. That use of Dunbar actually seemed to work well. Still hate screens and running plays with him though.
 

Texas Ace

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And I'm ok with that. I actually liked seeing some McFadden out there today. I think he could be a nice tool for the next couple of games. I don't want a tired Zeke when it counts the most. And I'll even go as far as to say, this was the first week I saw us get some good plays from Dunbar. The TD catch that called back was stellar by him. There was also another play where he motioned out to WR and made a clutch catch. That use of Dunbar actually seemed to work well. Still hate screens and running plays with him though.
But even if we were limiting Zeke, it isn't like we tried to establish a running game even with McFadden, and that's my point.

There does not seem to be an intent to get the running game going right now regardless of who is in there.

That absolutely cannot continue to happen if we want to go anywhere in January.
 

Simpleton

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Prescott and the offense aside, the defense was amazing tonight. Winston is inconsistent but he has generally played well over the last month or so, and against very good defenses too, including Kansas City on the road. Tonight the guy was 17/35, but aside from the two TD drives, which of course included a fluke touchdown that had a better chance of ending up as an INT than a TD, he was probably something like 10/25 for 150 yards over about three quarters.

Four sacks, two big time turnovers (I'm not going to give them too much credit for an INT on a end of half hail mary or the Scandrick INT), and they consistently shut down their offense after giving up the two TD's in the third quarter.

Very impressive to see them do this against an offense that is definitely better than Minnesota and New York.

Now let's just get Claiborne and Wilcox back.
 
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