GameDay Chatter Thread | Week 1 | Cowboys @ Rams | 9/13/2020

[Chocolate Lab]

If this performance happened in January it's inexcusable.

Game 1 of a new season and new coaching regime. Eh. It's ok.

Agree. Especially in a crazy Covid year with no real offseason or preseason.

 

[Smitty]

It's not time to panic. The biggest issues are the injuries, which seemed to happen to positions where we can least afford it (LB, OT, TE).

Otherwise, we played a decent team, played poorly in general, and yet had plenty of chances to win. Nothing happened that can't be fixed.

Dak looked good.
Zeke looked good.
Aldon Smith looked good.
The secondary mostly held up.

The most disappointing aspects of the game were probably the offensive and defensive lines, and the WRs. These are probably the areas most of us had the most confidence in. We'll likely be fine long term in those areas.

There isn't much that I looked at last night and thought, oh shit what are we going to do? Even TE, probably our biggest hole, isn't likely to cripple us as long as we bring in a guy that can correctly run his assignments and block.

We knew a new regime with no off-season was going to be a work in progress. It's not time to panic.

I dunno, I kinda feel the opposite.

The OL and DL looked overmatched. What are you gonna do about that? Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esche looked bad. What are we gonna do about that?

I'm very concerned.

 

[Smitty]

I thought Diggs looked like a player. Our corners were decent. We're soft up the middle and it killed us always giving them 3rd and short. Hard to stop. We killed them on 3rd and long and got consistent pressure. Get me Snacks Harrison. Big fat fuck in the middle should help us.

I highly doubt we are bringing in a body at DT or on the DL, where we have too many names to begin with. Poe is the big fat fuck - where was he?

The push that the Rams got on us was highly, highly concerning. Every handoff was an easy 4 yards and then some.

I'm "hoping" (is hoping the right word, that I want this to be a scenario that is simply a repeat of us getting trounced in the divisional round in 2018?) that this is the Rams getting back to their 2018 levels and that against most teams we will be much better up front.

 

[Smitty]

I will say this -- the type of beating the Rams put on us, same as the 2018 playoff loss -- is just about the worst type to watch. It's easily the most frustrating and helpless feeling.

That type of game where they hold the ball the whole game, where every play is another easy 4-6 yards, where they never drop it or make a crippling mistake, every third down is a third and short which invites them to go for it even if you stop them on third down.... they just dink and dunk you into oblivion.... it's fucking infuriating.

But that's their system and they run it well.

They are the type of team we have to hope we do not see again in the playoffs, because we do not match up well with that team when they are executing that shit.

Also fuck the no huddle, it should be illegal outside of two minutes left in a half.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I will say this -- the type of beating the Rams put on us, same as the 2018 playoff loss -- is just about the worst type to watch. It's easily the most frustrating and helpless feeling.

Agree that the run defense is frustrating, but it was a three point game. They were one very iffy call from winning or at least going to OT. That wasn't a beating.

 

[Simpleton]

I thought Diggs looked like a player. Our corners were decent. We're soft up the middle and it killed us always giving them 3rd and short. Hard to stop. We killed them on 3rd and long and got consistent pressure. Get me Snacks Harrison. Big fat fuck in the middle should help us.

He's an 8-10 year starter, I thought he was going to take time to develop but he looked awesome last night for a rookie. He gave up 2 big completions but he was literally inches away from the PD each time, as time goes on and he gets more acclimated to the NFL those are breakups, if not possible INT's. Then he made the big tackle on 3rd down to get the ball back with 3 minutes left.

He was probably one of our best 3 or 4 defensive players last night.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I dunno, I kinda feel the opposite.

The OL and DL looked overmatched. What are you gonna do about that? Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esche looked bad. What are we gonna do about that?

I'm very concerned.

The OL looked overmatched against Aaron Donald. Nothing to do there, except be happy there's only one Aaron Donald out there. Steele looked overmatched but I think we can live with that with smart coaching and some help. Collins will hopefully be back in 2 weeks and we should be fine there. There are enough options in the interior that we feel good about if Williams struggles.

The front 7 looked bad but this misdirection shit always seems to get us. Luckily most teams don't run this stuff like the rams.

The linebackers have talent, part of the problem is keeping them on the field. Getting the defensive line in order will go a long way towards helping the linebackers. Specifically defensive tackle. I thought our ends were decent.

But I think game planning and preparing will fix most of the issues enough that we can get by if our offense puts up the points it is capable of.

What I'm saying is, I don't see any reason why we can't work with what we have other than at TE. There were a lot of issues last night but I don't think they were talent issues for the most part.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Probably missed it in the game thread, but were you guys surprised when Michaels and Collinsworth said McCarthy told them that early on he saw something special in Steele? I know I was. But that gives me hope he might really have something. If he does, he's only going to improve with experience and physical maturity.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I look at it like this. We had a lot of problems show up last night. We played poorly overall.

Yet we had the lead at halftime and were in a position with the ball to tie or win with 2 minutes left. If that bogus PI isn't called on Gallup we may very well have won.

If our HC takes the chip shot field goal earlier in the 4th we're probably tied at that point and may very well have won.

Despite all the problems.

Those problems can be and will be addressed (I'm not saying solved but I'm sure they'll be addressed). We'll be better than we were last night.

 

[lostxn]

Probably missed it in the game thread, but were you guys surprised when Michaels and Collinsworth said McCarthy told them that early on he saw something special in Steele? I know I was. But that gives me hope he might really have something. If he does, he's only going to improve with experience and physical maturity.

I hear that. He wasn't Chaz Green but he was pretty bad. The Rams worked him over pretty good. Think he needs more experience before he could be a serviceable backup.

 

[Smitty]

I look at it like this. We had a lot of problems show up last night. We played poorly overall.

Yet we had the lead at halftime and were in a position with the ball to tie or win with 2 minutes left. If that bogus PI isn't called on Gallup we may very well have won.

If our HC takes the chip shot field goal earlier in the 4th we're probably tied at that point and may very well have won.

Despite all the problems.

Those problems can be and will be addressed (I'm not saying solved but I'm sure they'll be addressed). We'll be better than we were last night.

I hear you but my problem goes back to, that's how it's been here for years.

It's always been "Well if we could just have called the game differently here, managed the clock differently there, avoided this matchup problem, we'd be in the playoffs/in the championship game."

We have always felt we were a hair away.

Tonite felt like more of the same. McCarthy was supposed to leave no doubt.

I know - it's early. There's plenty of time.

I'm just saying if this continues it's very bad. Other than the un-doable (removing the Joneses) I do not know what else the franchise can do.

 

[p1_]

Not a word about Aldon Smith. The single best defender on the team last night . Out of football 5 MF ing years too

 

[Stasheroo]

I thought Diggs looked like a player. Our corners were decent. We're soft up the middle and it killed us always giving them 3rd and short. Hard to stop. We killed them on 3rd and long and got consistent pressure. Get me Snacks Harrison. Big fat fuck in the middle should help us.

Diggs looked active, and better than most of our recent corners, but even he was just a tick late on two or three key plays. One being that perfect pass from Goff to the rookie (Jefferson I think?)

 

[Rev]

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I dunno, I kinda feel the opposite.

The OL and DL looked overmatched. What are you gonna do about that? Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esche looked bad. What are we gonna do about that?

I'm very concerned.

Same ar least on defense. It just seems that we need to replace every piece on defense. That's frustrating. I think the McCoy injury hurt us more than we know and wasnt as hyped up with the Poe addition as most. Preferred Snacks.

As far as the OL I hope that Badass hurries along. I love that pick and should go along way in returning to form. I think we will be fine in 2 weeks when Collins comes back. Martin wont be so taxed then.

 

[data]

Also fuck the no huddle, it should be illegal outside of two minutes left in a half.

Interesting take. Why?

 

[p1_]

Aldon Smith looked good.

I stand corrupted

 

[data]

Had four or five pre-snap penalties in first half...I think zero in second half.

Hope to chalk that one up to rust and that's the end of that.

 

[Stasheroo]

Probably missed it in the game thread, but were you guys surprised when Michaels and Collinsworth said McCarthy told them that early on he saw something special in Steele? I know I was. But that gives me hope he might really have something. If he does, he's only going to improve with experience and physical maturity.

I was surprised to hear those comments on Steele, and questioned them at the end of the game when he got focused on and struggled.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I hear you but my problem goes back to, that's how it's been here for years.

It's always been "Well if we could just have called the game differently here, managed the clock differently there, avoided this matchup problem, we'd be in the playoffs/in the championship game."

We have always felt we were a hair away.

Tonite felt like more of the same. McCarthy was supposed to leave no doubt.

I know - it's early. There's plenty of time.

I'm just saying if this continues it's very bad. Other than the un-doable (removing the Joneses) I do not know what else the franchise can do.

You're not wrong, but I suppose I'm just expressing more confidence that this coaching staff will improve these issues. We'll see.

 

[lostxn]

I hear you but my problem goes back to, that's how it's been here for years.

It's always been "Well if we could just have called the game differently here, managed the clock differently there, avoided this matchup problem, we'd be in the playoffs/in the championship game."

We have always felt we were a hair away.

Tonite felt like more of the same. McCarthy was supposed to leave no doubt.

I know - it's early. There's plenty of time.

I'm just saying if this continues it's very bad. Other than the un-doable (removing the Joneses) I do not know what else the franchise can do.

Well, Aikman had some pretty pointed comments that the issue is, basically, Jerry and nothing will change while he continues to run the show. The players often lack attention to detail because of all the distractions which he is a big part of. Now I'm not really talking about Dak but certainly other players who simply blow assignments or are generally unprepared.

I'm gonna give the new coach benefit of the doubt for now before freaking out. However, there is blood in the water.