2023 Season | Week 16 | Gameday Chatter Thread | Cowboys @ Dolphins | 12/24/2023

[p1_]

There ain’t no way we succumb to Baker Mania, right? Right?

I wouldnt sleep on them. Us on the road.

 

[data]

There ain’t no way we succumb to Baker Mania, right? Right?

That would be the ultimate kick in the teeth. Iamtdg’s mancrush outplays Prescott.

 

[kidd]

I am still pissed about last night.

Although it means "nothing", it was still a loss that impacts things.

Who knew losing to Joshua Dobbs in Phoenix would matter this much, but it does.

Not sure why but of all the losses I watched, this one has been the biggest gut punch.

I’m usually over these losses by the next day but this one has lingered..

I think it’s because after the D forced a punt and we drove to take the lead, I was pretty confident we had the game won. I thought surely we would get a stop or at the very least hold them to a FG with time left for Dak to take us down and let Aubrey win it for us.

Then none of that shit happened and here we are. It’s been the worst gut punch of a loss for me this season.

 

[kidd]

My wife is Ghanaian asshole.

Your wife is a Ghanaian asshole?

My wife calls me an asshole but not a Ghanaian asshole. I bet it has to do with my punctuation.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

That would be the ultimate kick in the teeth. Iamtdg’s mancrush outplays Prescott.

I think we'd beat them, but I really hope the draw isn't exactly like last year (Tampa/SF). That would suck to have the same outcome vs the exact same teams.

 

[ravidubey]

I take physical defenses 10 times out of 10 over fast defenses. The depth that allows fast defenses to continue to take punishment no longer exists like it could have in pre-FA 1992.

That Miami/Baltimore matchup looks really interesting now. Reek's speed vs Baltimore's physicality

 

[p1_]

I take physical defenses 10 times out of 10 over fast defenses. The depth that allows fast defenses to continue to take punishment no longer exists like it could have in pre-FA 1992.

That Miami/Baltimore matchup looks really interesting now. Reek's speed vs Baltimore's physicality

I would take Bal'mer in that contest.

 

[kidd]

How many times do you have to see Prescott freeze up and fail to have an opinion about his abilities under fire?

Brother I’m usually with you but Dak has improved immensely. It seems that since the 49ers game, the light has as come on and he’s been clicking ever since. He had a bad game like the Buffalo game but every QB is going to have those. I was impressed with how he lead us to a lead changing TD against Miami. You could see the determination there. No “deer in the headlights” look was to be found. It’s just too bad our defense didn’t step it up one more time.

 

[p1_]

 

[p1_]

 

[kidd]

Someone is going to hell for this.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

So the QB had nothing to do with it? K.

 

[ravidubey]

So the QB had nothing to do with it? K.

Yeah, I don't think McCarthy actually tells Dak whom to throw to

 

[Texas Ace]

Yeah, I can't say any of the veteran safeties have been particularly great this year. Kearse has not been the same. Wilson hasn't been the impact guy that he has been in the past. Hooker has been solid but hasn't really come up with the big plays either.

Yup, you beat me to it.

Look, it would be silly for us to start shitting on Dan Quinn all of a sudden as if he didn't produce the best defenses we've seen around here in a really long time.

There's too many people who already have short memories with Mike McCarthy so I don't want to see the same thing happen with Dan Quinn.

It wasn't that long ago that we were begging for a defense that could get after the quarterback and produce turnovers and we've done both at an astonishing rate ever since he took over.

That is not going to be easy to replace and he deserves the chance to be able to right some of the wrongs. And where I've seen that he's gotten it wrong at are at LB and Safety.

He's done a remarkable job the last couple years getting the most out of the talent that we've had at those positions but it's very clear now that we need a S with real talent and we need to stop the hybrid LB experiment.

I get that he has his preferences, but the truly great coaches are able to adapt and grow over time so Dan Quinn needs to realize that he's going to have to make some adjustments to his system and his philosophy and make this defense more physical and the only way to do that is with size.

LB is our top defensive priority as far as I'm concerned but both Safety and another pass rusher aren't that far behind.

 

[ravidubey]

I wouldnt sleep on them. Us on the road.

Ironic repeat of last year

 

[Chocolate Lab]

LB is our top defensive priority as far as I'm concerned but both Safety and another pass rusher aren't that far behind.

I hope Mazi doesn't scare us off from another DT relatively high, too.

Plus the OL is getting old, and if they insist on keeping Tyler at G, we need a LT stat.

 

[Texas Ace]

I hope Mazi doesn't scare us off from another DT relatively high, too.

Plus the OL is getting old, and if they insist on keeping Tyler at G, we need a LT stat.

Yeah, if there is a guy in FA or the draft that can help at NT, we absolutely should be looking to bring them in.

And yes, we need another O-lineman.

 

[Texas Ace]

Brother I’m usually with you but Dak has improved immensely. It seems that since the 49ers game, the light has as come on and he’s been clicking ever since. He had a bad game like the Buffalo game but every QB is going to have those. I was impressed with how he lead us to a lead changing TD against Miami. You could see the determination there. No “deer in the headlights” look was to be found. It’s just too bad our defense didn’t step it up one more time.

I wouldn't go that far with the praise but I do think he has improved.

Look, he's never going to be great in those types of games. That Miami game proved once and for all that he's always going to struggle in those sorts of games and situations.

With that being said, while he didn't play well the other night, it was an improvement from how he typically plays in those sorts of situations.

Like usual, he struggled to scan the field and make good decisions for the better part of two quarters as he was flustered and rattled. However, unlike before, he protected the football and didn't do anything to hurt us and most importantly, when he absolutely had to put a drive together he was able to do so and give us the lead and put us in a position to win the game.

On a scale of 1-10, I give that performance a 7, but that would have been more than good enough to win at San Francisco last January.

I've said this repeatedly but we outplayed the 49ers that day and the only reason why we didn't beat them was because Dak was TERRIBLE. If he had just played decently, we win that game by 10 points.

Well, the Dak we got vs Miami was definitely good enough. So why he may not ever play great in those types of games, Sunday did give me hope that he can at least be functional enough to win a big game like that on the road.

The problem is, we now have the defense to worry about in those games too.

 

[Plan9Misfit]

I hope Mazi doesn't scare us off from another DT relatively high, too.

Plus the OL is getting old, and if they insist on keeping Tyler at G, we need a LT stat.

He's been nothing short of terrible. We all knew that he was a work in progress, but his play has been incredibly poor. If there's a better DT prospect available when we pick, take him and don't look back.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Brother I’m usually with you but Dak has improved immensely. It seems that since the 49ers game, the light has as come on and he’s been clicking ever since. He had a bad game like the Buffalo game but every QB is going to have those. I was impressed with how he lead us to a lead changing TD against Miami. You could see the determination there. No “deer in the headlights” look was to be found. It’s just too bad our defense didn’t step it up one more time.

You don't think he had deer in the headlights for the middle 2.5 quarters of that game?

Sure, he was pressured some later, but after the beginning couple of drives, when Fangio changed up coverages (or whatever it was that happened), he had time but got hesitant and held the ball too long.

I think he's improved, too, and this coaching and system has made him better than he has been. But I'm afraid he's never going to fully get over that hump.