Week 15 Game Day Chatter | Cowboys at Raiders | 12-17-2017

[Chocolate Lab]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do even better. But this team has a lot of talent compared to the average NFL team and it's a result of drafting.

Totally agree. Whether because of "less Jerry" or simple dumb luck (very possible), this team has drafted just fine the last several years. Other teams that have similar or better records don't have as much talent as we do.

We just never get the most out of it, which is what makes this frachise so frustrating.

 

[Texas Ace]

I have to be honest.... I take zero enjoyment out of tonight’s win.

I’m not even sure I’m a cowboys fan anymore. I really don’t give much shits about the nfl in general I don’t think.

Garrett got lucky here. How do you go for it twice on fourth down just to kick a fg on 4th and centimeters at the goal line?

It bothers me that jerrrys idiot family celebrating tonight like this was a quality team and were a real football team.

3 straight wins against the 6-8 Redskins, 2-12 Giants, and 6-8 Raiders.

Yea, you'll have to forgive me to if I don't view this shity three-game winning straight as any sort of sign of progress.

I just think it's us getting the better of three really bad teams.

There is nothing about the way the quarterback is playing, the type of offense that we run, or the underwhelming coaching that we see every week that suggests that this team is good enough to be a playoff team or even deserve to be a playoff team.

I honestly do not care what they do over the next two weeks because I already know Jason Garrett's coming back so everything else is just irrelevant to me.

But if we're removing our bias as fans from the equation, I would like to think that most members of this form are far too smart think that this team legitimately could pose any problems against a quality team in the playoffs.

We are not a good team....at all.

 

[DLK150]

3 straight wins against the 6-8 Redskins, 2-12 Giants, and 6-8 Raiders.

Yea, you'll have to forgive me to if I don't view this shity three-game winning straight as any sort of sign of progress.

I just think it's us getting the better of three really bad teams.

There is nothing about the way the quarterback is playing, the type of offense that we run, or the underwhelming coaching that we see every week that suggests that this team is good enough to be a playoff team or even deserve to be a playoff team.

I honestly do not care what they do over the next two weeks because I already know Jason Garrett's coming back so everything else is just irrelevant to me.

But if we're removing our bias as fans from the equation, I would like to think that most members of this form are far too smart think that this team legitimately could pose any problems against a quality team in the playoffs.

We are not a good team....at all.

You'll get no argument from me, this team is average at best. It certainly isn't SB caliber, not even the caliber to make a conference title game unless they get every conceivable break possible. I'll take Ws over Ls any time even though I can't stand the current regime. It would suck to be a player on a team with enough talent to at least be competitive but coaching and management keep on screwing the pooch.

Of course, I lowered my expectations over five years ago. Any season that actually exceeds those expectations at least in terms of wins is a bonus.

 

[DLK150]

[MENTION=188]DLK150[/MENTION]

Missed this one. I muddled through in the end.

 

[lostxn]

But if we're removing our bias as fans from the equation, I would like to think that most members of this form are far too smart think that this team legitimately could pose any problems against a quality team in the playoffs.

We are not a good team....at all.

No we're average, maybe slightly above average. However, the defense is rounding into shape. If we could get Irving healthy, I think it could be a top 10 defense. The offense is the issue right now. No playmakers and a QB not playing his best. But we're about to get a big shot in the arm. Keep in mind when Zeke was last on the field we were 5-3, on a convincing 3 game winning streak, and rarely punting. We had long, back breaking drives. We nearly beat the Rams if not for a Switzer fumble.

So there's a chance we could return to what we were and finish strong against 2 teams limping towards the end of the season. We'll see. Probably a fairy tale, but it keeps me watching the games.

 

[1bigfan13]

You have to admit that winning 5 straight to end the season would tell you a little something about the guys on this team though. Not collapsing would tell me a lot going forward. And it tells me nothing about this coaching staff.

That's kind of my thought on it as well. I know it drops us in the draft but I'm a firm believer that there is value in learning how to win and handle adversity/pressure. I think these last two games offer tremendous value to our younger players. Plus winning is contagious. If you go into games expecting to win you play with more confidence and good things tend to happen. I think that's part of the Browns' problem. It's not just a talent issue with Cleveland. Losing has been so embedded into their DNA that everyone expects to lose so they always come apart late in games.

So I'm fine with our guys learning how to win at the expense of our draft position. Besides we're going to be drafting in the late-teens to early-twenties. So it's not like we're pissing away a chance at an elite top 5 draft pick.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

3 straight wins against the 6-8 Redskins, 2-12 Giants, and 6-8 Raiders.

Yea, you'll have to forgive me to if I don't view this shity three-game winning straight as any sort of sign of progress.

It must really suck not being able to enjoy watching your football team win games. You talk like we beat the fucking Cleveland Browns the last 3 weeks. And keep in mind we blew out the Skins and Giants. I mean shit no one is screaming Superbowl after winning 3 straight but if you can't see progress than the bias is with you my friend.

Anyway next up are the Seahawks. And I'm sure if we are able to beat them you'll tell me how much they are an awful team, Dak sucks and blah blah blah.

 

[GShock]

Any word on Smith and Hitchens?

 

[Rev]

Any word on Smith and Hitchens?

Archer tweeted that Smith has a MRI today. Knee wasn't wrapped and he wasn't on crutches after the game.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Archer tweeted that Smith has a MRI today. Knee wasn't wrapped and he wasn't on crutches after the game.

Swollen pussy.

 

[Simpleton]

Dak wasn't terrible last night, I'd say average mostly, but he also made enough plays to win the game. The 1st and 20 pass for 19 to Dez after the fake punt was huge, so was the big shot to Dez, not to mention his TD scramble, etc. If the coaches weren't such dimwits he would've had 2 rushing TD's because the 3rd and goal at the end should've been another QB sneak.

As for the INT's, the 2nd one clearly wasn't on him as Smith simply got beat around the edge and the ball simply flew away at random. I'd say the first one was shared blame between him and Dez, he tried to fit the slant into tight quarters, probably too tight, but Dez also didn't even bother going up for it because he didn't want to get lit up by Bowman. You could also partially blame the coaches on that one too since it seems we have Dez running slants or digs about 80% of the time on 3rd down passes.

His worst throw of the night was the one to Beasley that should've been picked but other than that I can't complain much about how he played.

 

[ravidubey]

The Cowboys have improved for sure, and that’s usually the sign of good coaching.

I know shitty competition and a young secondary learning as they go has been a bigger part of it.

But there’s been some good coaching in there too. Huh.

 

[Simpleton]

It also looks like Taco is steadily improving. He nearly got home on a spin move, that's improved immensely since the preseason, he basically had Carr for a sack until he flipped it away to Lynch as he was going down for like a 2 yard gain, and he pushed the RT into Carr's lap on several occasions.

It's not great obviously but it's definitely progress, I still say he'll be a solid 6-8 sack LDE who is good in the run game. I'm sure many will always bitch about not taking Watt because he'll definitely put up a few double digit sack years, but his role would be quite different if he was here in Dallas.

I would've been happy taking Watt and using him like the Vikings use Anthony Barr but I have no idea if that would've been the plan or not and there's no way you could've just thrown him out on an island vs. LT's for 50 snaps a game as a 4-3 DE.

 

[1bigfan13]

3 straight wins against the 6-8 Redskins, 2-12 Giants, and 6-8 Raiders.

Yea, you'll have to forgive me to if I don't view this shity three-game winning straight as any sort of sign of progress.

I just think it's us getting the better of three really bad teams.

There is nothing about the way the quarterback is playing, the type of offense that we run, or the underwhelming coaching that we see every week that suggests that this team is good enough to be a playoff team or even deserve to be a playoff team.

I honestly do not care what they do over the next two weeks because I already know Jason Garrett's coming back so everything else is just irrelevant to me.

But if we're removing our bias as fans from the equation, I would like to think that most members of this form are far too smart think that this team legitimately could pose any problems against a quality team in the playoffs.

We are not a good team....at all.

I will say this. I will give the Cowboys a few bonus points for putting up impressive wins against NY & Washington. They didn't just skate by.

Also, what the Cowboys have done the past few weeks is what the Eagles, Saints, Rams and others have done all season.....beat subpar teams. So it's a bit disingenuous to poo-poo the Cowboys for winning 3 straight against sub .500 teams when other teams in the playoff hunt have padded their resume by doing the exact same thing.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

So I rewatched the Lewis PI and I'm not sure I get it. Sure Crabtree tried to run through him and flopped down but Lewis played the ball the whole way. He wasn't mugging the receiver he was catching the ball. (He dropped the pick) I know the announcers made it sound blatant but watching it again I have no idea what Lewis was supposed to do?

 

[1bigfan13]

So I rewatched the Lewis PI and I'm not sure I get it. Sure Crabtree tried to run through him and flopped down but Lewis played the ball the whole way. He wasn't mugging the receiver he was catching the ball. (He dropped the pick) I know the announcers made it sound blatant but watching it again I have no idea what Lewis was supposed to do?

I pointed out last night that it looked like Crabtree lost balance on his own and was rewarded because of it.

 

[p1_]

I don't disagree with that at all, I just don't think it's quite the same as going through offseason training and conditioning, training camp, etc.

On the flip side, he should have fresh legs and be hungry to get back into action.

agreed. Im just hoping for a chip on the shoulder , something to prove attitude once he's back. His absence clearly tanked our playoff eligibility.

 

[Simpleton]

So I rewatched the Lewis PI and I'm not sure I get it. Sure Crabtree tried to run through him and flopped down but Lewis played the ball the whole way. He wasn't mugging the receiver he was catching the ball. (He dropped the pick) I know the announcers made it sound blatant but watching it again I have no idea what Lewis was supposed to do?

Crabtree flopped without really going for the ball, it was clear he was just going for the PI.

At the end of the day it's a complete judgment call but I feel like the league needs to institute a 15 yard PI and a spot-foul PI, the interpretation will still be up to the refs but it should be like the old facemask, 5 yard incidental, 15 yard blatant. In a case like last night where the DB kind of has his hands on the WR but is still mostly playing the ball you can call the less severe 15 yarder, if Lewis just blatantly tackled Crabtree or pulled him forcefully by the arms/shoulder pad because he's clearly beaten and out of control, you give the spot foul. You don't want to incentivize PI by making them all 15 yarders but there needs to be something in place to mitigate the damage on a competitive play like last night.

There is no way on God's green earth that play last night should've given the Raiders 55 yards and nearly gifted them the game. Crabtree was slightly behind Lewis and maybe Lewis had his hands placed on Crabtree but he was still mostly playing the ball and Crabtree just crumpled to the ground, you can't give a team 55 yards in a case like that.

 

[data]

The looks on their faces at 00:32 and 1:05

 

[Cotton]

Some of you people will never be happy, I swear to god. All teams sneak by with wins. We absolutely outplayed the Raiders last night. Sure we had a couple of lucky bounces go our way, but so did they. Dak did not play like shit no matter how many paragraphs you write about him. He played well enough to win. At least one of those INTs was one of their lucky bounces.

We won. Just let yourself be happy for 1 damn day. Reading this thread you would think we sucked monkey nuts last night. Good lord.