2025 Random Cowboys Stuff Thread

[boozeman]

Everything is almost exactly the same between them in terms of accomplishments, stats, how far they've went in the playoffs, having superstar skill position talent at various times, up and down defenses, so on and so forth.

We can quibble about this defense vs. that defense or 2014 Murray vs. 2016 Elliott, but at a macro-level there's very little difference between the two.

It is sad, but true.

Same thing. More romance with Romo.

 

[ravidubey]

I think Romo would have excelled with Cooper, Lamb, and Gallup.

Dak hits the open guy, Romo did that and led people open more often. Romo’s problem was his brittle genes and Jason Garrett. Dak’s grown brittle too.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Jason Garrett

Important point.

 

[Simpleton]

Important point.

Dak basically only had 3 years with a non-Garrett coach, so far at least.

2020 and 2024 he missed significant time with injuries, so that leaves 2021-23. The defense completely shit the bed in both 2021 and 2023, Dak didn't help, but he was put in the same position that Romo was many times where the defense would fold early and he'd have to play from behind.

I'd even argue that the defensive performances Dak has had to deal with in playoff losses (2016 Packers, 2021 49ers, 2023 Packers, even 2018 Rams) are worse than anything Romo had to deal with in the playoffs outside of the 2009 Vikings game. Other than that the defensive performances were at least reasonable even in losses with Romo (2006 Seahawks, 2007 Giants, 2014 Packers).

The big thing is that the defense played really well in 2022 against SF and Dak playing like shit is what kept us from making the NFCC.

 

[ravidubey]

That 2007 game was a rough watch. We have the lead, have been dominant at times but give up big plays on defense and the Giants keep it close. Then magically players start dropping passes and committing penalties each time Romo would have otherwise converted downs and kept driving.

He even throws a perfect deep winning shot that would have been a career signature play and the WR gives up on his pattern and misses the pass by a yard.

Romo could make an average receiver into a 1000+ guy, but even he had limits. A 7th round pick should not have been the target on the field, but we didn’t believe in drafting WRs.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

While I'd give Romo the slight edge, I think they were roughly equivalent also... though of course Dak's story isn't over. He could get better (I doubt it, but maybe) or he could fall off. So far it doesn't look like Dak is going to be like Romo and just get better and better until his body gives out.

I will say I don't remember Romo crapping the bed as much as Dak at the start of big games. Some of those games where we got behind fast were not just on the defense but on Dak, too, for throwing picks or just going three and out several times in a row until we were in a big hole and the other defense started playing softer.

Also, it's interesting to me how much the game has changed just in that time. It wasn't the 90s or earlier, but go watch an old Romo game and things are so much more old school and physical. It was harder to play offense back then when they let you play defense. Back then if you had a ten point lead late the game was pretty much over, unlike now when these late comebacks seem to happen every week.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Also, it's interesting to me how much the game has changed just in that time. It wasn't the 90s or earlier, but go watch an old Romo game and things are so much more old school and physical. It was harder to play offense back then when they let you play defense. Back then if you had a ten point lead late the game was pretty much over, unlike now when these late comebacks seem to happen every week.

Also a very important point, which is why it's important to compare players adjusted for their era rather than raw stats.

 

[Genghis Khan]

That 2007 game was a rough watch. We have the lead, have been dominant at times but give up big plays on defense and the Giants keep it close. Then magically players start dropping passes and committing penalties each time Romo would have otherwise converted downs and kept driving.

He even throws a perfect deep winning shot that would have been a career signature play and the WR gives up on his pattern and misses the pass by a yard.

Romo could make an average receiver into a 1000+ guy, but even he had limits. A 7th round pick should not have been the target on the field, but we didn’t believe in drafting WRs.

Fat Wade was another significant Romo handicap. Romo played almost his entire career saddled with either Wade or Garrett or both.

I'd have loved to have seen what Romo could have accomplished under someone like McCarthy during his prime years like Dak had.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Romo could make an average receiver into a 1000+ guy, but even he had limits. A 7th round pick should not have been the target on the field, but we didn’t believe in drafting WRs.

Not that this is breaking news, but it really sucked that TO got that high ankle sprain the last week or two of the regular season, whenever it was. He definitely wasn't right after that.

 

[Simpleton]

Romo could make an average receiver into a 1000+ guy, but even he had limits. A 7th round pick should not have been the target on the field, but we didn’t believe in drafting WRs.

I think this is what separates Romo from Dak and it's why I give him the slight edge.

 

[SaveAHorseRideACowboy]

The defense completely shit the bed in both 2021 and 2023, Dak didn't help, but he was put in the same position that Romo was many times where the defense would fold early and he'd have to play from behind

The cowboys defense in 2021 and 2023 was ranked 7th and 5th respectively in overall in total defensive

 

[Simpleton]

The cowboys defense in 2021 and 2023 was ranked 7th and 5th respectively in overall in total defensive

Yea, great during the regular season and went to shit immediately in the playoffs. I think everybody knows our defenses those years were not quite as good as their statistical rankings, primarily because they feasted on average and worse offenses while being hit or miss with good and better offenses.

You see a similar pattern playing out with his defenses in Washington too.

 

[SaveAHorseRideACowboy]

Yea, great during the regular season and went to shit immediately in the playoffs. I think everybody knows our defenses those years were not quite as good as their statistical rankings, primarily because they feasted on average and worse offenses while being hit or miss with good and better offenses.

You see a similar pattern playing out with his defenses in Washington too.

Can’t use the playoffs as an example they only played 1 of those in a particular year

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Can’t use the playoffs as an example they only played 1 of those in a particular year

Different QBs and yet nearly identical results. Kind of tells you that is more of an organizational problem...

 

[Genghis Khan]

Kind of tells you that is more of an organizational problem...

That's definitely the bottom line.

 

[boozeman]

This is not the contract I would have done right now.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Wait, what?

Adding... they must be really sure last year was an injury/fluke year.

 

[bbgun]

One good year, like Steele. This is Stephen trying to look clever than be clever.

 

[Bipo]

This is not the contract I would have done right now.

I like the player, but damn. This is a guy that seems to get those nagging injuries that linger.

 

[Simpleton]

This is not the contract I would have done right now.

Strange one to me, primarily because we have depth at the position and other guys who are expiring who should be bigger priorities in Pickens and Bland.

In a vacuum I don't think it's a bad deal given what comparable guys like Schultz and Kmet got recently, and the general inflation in salaries, but this feels like the FO is just trying to prove a point about their nonsense with extensions.