Gameday Chatter Thread | Cowboys at Redskins | Week 2 | 09-18-16

[Cowboysrock55]

If he's still playing like this in November, then I agree.

Right now, QB has to be at or near the top of the list for the scouts, IMO.

It's possible Dak isn't even playing in November at no fault of his own.

 

[Texas Ace]

I think this years D is going to be in the very lower ranking in the NFL. Run D looks bad, there is little to no pass rush (yes, I know we have people coming back) and Jones has looked really good at times, and really bad at times.

Lets not rejoice at the Washington "stop" yesterday...the Redskins are not a very good team. Cousins had guys running wide open all over the field and simply threw shitty passes. Plus, they committed a lot of mistakes that cost them time off the clock and yardage on that last drive.

The biggest issue with this defense right now is that we have some holes where we didn't expect to have them, and that makes an already bad defense even worse.

We knew the line would suck and we know what our secondary is, but we thought we could at least count on Lee to be Lee. We're only two weeks in so he could recover, but through 2 games the guy has looked totally lost.

Let's go best case scenario and say Lawrence and Gregory come back, and both guys get after the Qb and greatly improve our pass rush. This will in turn improve the defense overall, but we're still going to have issues at LB for the season, even if Lee ends up ok, and there's no real way to compensate for that.

We need a lot of help on that side of the ball and LB along with a plugger at NT are huge needs for us right now. And we still need a truly elite player in the secondary.

 

[NoDak]

Of course. All that he has done so far at least to me makes the need to draft a QB in April a little less pressing.

Sure. I would absolutely love it if we didn't have to use a high draft pick in the next few drafts for a QB. I freely admit I didn't want him during the draft. But mostly that had to do with the rumors of us taking him in the second round. A comp pick at the end of the 4th? Ok. I can deal with that.

So far this preseason and regular season, he has shown he might be worth a hell of a lot more than a late 4th. I hope like hell we did luck into finding Romo's successor. I don't know if I can handle another stretch like the post-Aikman QB search.

But there are people already claiming he's the next in line behind Staubach and Aikman. That's some pretty lofty goals to put on him this early in his career. And if (when) he struggles, I'm sure those same people will be lighting the torches.

 

[Texas Ace]

It's possible Dak isn't even playing in November at no fault of his own.

Very true, but I hope that's not the case.

For me, personally, I don't have any real hopes for this season. Even with Romo, I thought 8-8 was likely with 10-6 being possible if the ball bounced our way a game or two. But SB? No chance.

So since I didn't have high expectations, the best thing I can hope for in 2016 is that our rookie RB, and especially our rookie QB, both prove to be the real deal and it results in us not having much downtime from the Romo era to the next one.

I love Romo. I've come to really appreciate him over the last few seasons and I really wish he and Witten could go out like champions, but it isn't going to happen. So the next best thing is watching the young guys play and hopefully flourish.

This season is about Dak, Zeke, and even Byron Jones and Lawrence for that matter. If those 4 guys blossom, then we have a chance to build something good here for a long time.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

The biggest issue with this defense right now is that we have some holes where we didn't expect to have them, and that makes an already bad defense even worse.

We knew the line would suck and we know what our secondary is, but we thought we could at least count on Lee to be Lee. We're only two weeks in so he could recover, but through 2 games the guy has looked totally lost.

Let's go best case scenario and say Lawrence and Gregory come back, and both guys get after the Qb and greatly improve our pass rush. This will in turn improve the defense overall, but we're still going to have issues at LB for the season, even if Lee ends up ok, and there's no real way to compensate for that.

We need a lot of help on that side of the ball and LB along with a plugger at NT are huge needs for us right now. And we still need a truly elite player in the secondary.

I think people have pretty high standards when it comes to the defense. Sometimes I think as fans we look at it and when our defense is average, we think it's total garbage. This defense has been rock solid in coverage all year. Our run defense has been suspect. Overall pretty average.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Very true, but I hope that's not the case.

My honest opinion has always been, Dak takes us to 3-3 and then Romo plays. Romo won't make it more then a game or two before getting hurt again and Dak finishes out the season. That's my gut intuition on the situation anyway. No matter what Dak does though I think Romo is the starter coming out of the bye week. I just have no faith that he won't get hurt again. That guys bones are glass at this point.

 

[Texas Ace]

I think people have pretty high standards when it comes to the defense. Sometimes I think as fans we look at it and when our defense is average, we think it's total garbage. This defense has been rock solid in coverage all year. Our run defense has been suspect. Overall pretty average.

I'm honestly not looking to be the DFDC, but I don't think our coverage has been all that good.

The Giants made a lot of plays on us and if not for all of the T.O.P. we had, I think they could've easily scored more points.

And yesterday? If Cousins had played well, the Skins put up 40. He missed two open deep ball TD's and another long pass to Jackson when he threw to the wrong shoulder.

I see a very deadly combination right now with our defense -- an awful pass rush that often times gives the QB all day to throw coupled with an average-at-best secondary. Kirk Cousins, Jay Cutler, and Blaine Gabbert may not be able to expose it, but Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger will.

I don't think you can really grade this defense just yet because we haven't played any really skilled offenses yet. But if I had to bet, I'd say they're not going to perform all that well.

There just isn't much talent to work with.

 

[Texas Ace]

My honest opinion has always been, Dak takes us to 3-3 and then Romo plays. Romo won't make it more then a game or two before getting hurt again and Dak finishes out the season. That's my gut intuition on the situation anyway. No matter what Dak does though I think Romo is the starter coming out of the bye week. I just have no faith that he won't get hurt again. That guys bones are glass at this point.

That's pretty much where I stand on it too, and I think most others feel the same.

I just don't see the point in having Romo play out a possible 8 win season if he does stay healthy. I'd rather ride it out with Dak the rest of the way so we can see what we have.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I see a very deadly combination right now with our defense -- an awful pass rush that often times gives the QB all day to throw coupled with an average-at-best secondary. Kirk Cousins, Jay Cutler, and Blaine Gabbert may not be able to expose it, but Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger will.

This is what I'm talking about. People hold our defense to a ridiculously high standard and if we don't meet it they are trash. Of course Rodgers and Roethlisberger will do good against our defense. They do good against nearly every defense (Except Aaron's occasional bad game). It's the way of the NFL, elite QBs are rarely shut down unless you have a top 5 defense. Right now we are 12th in the NFL in points per game given up. I expect us to stay in that 10-15 range the entire season. If that's a shit defense to you then so be it. But just keep in mind the other half of NFL teams have it just as bad if not worse.

 

[Texas Ace]

This is what I'm talking about. People hold our defense to a ridiculously high standard and if we don't meet it they are trash. Of course Rodgers and Roethlisberger will do good against our defense. They do good against nearly every defense (Except Aaron's occasional bad game). It's the way of the NFL, elite QBs are rarely shut down unless you have a top 5 defense. Right now we are 12th in the NFL in points per game given up. I expect us to stay in that 10-15 range the entire season. If that's a shit defense to you then so be it. But just keep in mind the other half of NFL teams have it just as bad if not worse.

If we stay in 10-15 all season, I'll do cartwheels.

I just think it'll be more like 20-25....if not worse.

 

[NoDak]

By the same token, I was very impressed with what I saw yesterday and it's the type of performance that gives you hope that you may just have a future QB on your hands. Still, it's way too early to determine what he is or isn't and if you're a smart franchise, you continue to do the work on other QB's until you're 100% sure you have the guy.

I thought his performance yesterday was very promising. Imo, his best play was the 3rd and long when we were trying to run out the clock. Play action naked bootleg where he could either pass to a wide open receiver or run it. When the skins had two blitzers crashing that side, instead of panicking, he made a savvy veteran decision. I expected him to throw up a prayer which more than likely would have fell incomplete stopping the clock and saving their last time out. Or worse, be intercepted. Instead, he juked the blitzers and got a couple yards before sliding, forcing them to use their last time out. That play was beautiful, and showed that he has a firm grasp on game situations and what needs to be done.

 

[Hoffa]

If I just woke up from a five-year coma and watched Cowboys football this year, and someone told me Dak Prescott was the first overall pick in the draft, I would easily believe it without blinking an eye. That's how impressive he's been.

In reality, the only apprehension I have with him is the subconscious argument that based on where he was drafted, he's not supposed to be this good (at least not this soon). I'm sure there will be hiccups along the way, but provided he can stay healthy and stay off the sauce, I've seen nothing to lead me to believe he can't potentially be a franchise player.

 

[Texas Ace]

I thought his performance yesterday was very promising. Imo, his best play was the 3rd and long when we were trying to run out the clock. Play action naked bootleg where he could either pass to a wide open receiver or run it. When the skins had two blitzers crashing that side, instead of panicking, he made a savvy veteran decision. I expected him to throw up a prayer which more than likely would have fell incomplete stopping the clock and saving their last time out. Or worse, be intercepted. Instead, he juked the blitzers and got a couple yards before sliding, forcing them to use their last time out. That play was beautiful, and showed that he has a firm grasp on game situations and what needs to be done.

I agree.

That play was just as impressive as any throw he made. We've seen veterans, including Romo, either try to make or play or try to get a throw off even if just to throw it away because in that instance, their instinct was to avoid a sack even if it's ok to take one. That either results in a turnover or as you said, a stoppage on the clock -- neither of which you need at that point in the game.

His presence of mind to not force anything and to go down and make them waste that time out was as important as any play we saw yesterday and getting us a win.

 

[Jiggyfly]

I thought only women exaggerated and stretched the truth to hold something you said against you.....but obviously, I was wrong.

I still stand by what I said last week, but I don't know why some of you keep acting as if I said he wasn't impressive yesterday or as if I pronounced him a failure or whatever when I never said any such thing.

I said that he didn't do anything last week that I thought could be considered all that promising. I never said that the guy's career was defined and complete after just one game.

You disagree with me, fine....I get it. But get over it already, and don't be dramatic and imply that I said something I never said.

Sheesh, it's like talking to my wife with some of you guys.

No you said exactly " He did nothing promising".

It is being ridiculed for the hot take garbage it was.

 

[Texas Ace]

In reality, the only apprehension I have with him is the subconscious argument that based on where he was drafted, he's not supposed to be this good (at least not this soon).

That's a great point and that's kind of been my apprehension with him too.

I'll admit I wanted nothing to do with him in the draft, but after the way he played in the preseason, I had to readjust my thinking and admit that I could be wrong about him. With that said, I still can't help but shake the thought of him being a 4th rounder with a number of flaws. As Booze says, you keep waiting for that other shoe to drop and it really hasn't yet.

The most encouraging thing out of all the positive things he's done is the poise and accuracy, because you can't teach the former, and there's really not a lot that can be done for the latter either. IMO, he's ahead of schedule in arguably the two hardest things a QB has to acclimate himself to at the NFL level, so he's got a real chance to be something for us.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[UncleMilti]

2 games and now Prescott is THE guy to lead the Cowboys for the next ten or so years...

What happens if he comes out and stinks up the joint in the next 2 games? Is he still THE guy?

He's looked pretty good so far, but God damn. Might want to tap the brakes a little.

Reading comprehension is your friend.

 

[Texas Ace]

No you said exactly " He did nothing promising".

It is being ridiculed for the hot take garbage it was.

Which is fine, but I don't know why you made the smart ass remark of him "Not showing promise" in regards to yesterday's performance as if I had said he'll NEVER be good.

You were being a drama queen about it because I criticized his performance last week and chose to exaggerate my comments about him.

Just admit it and move on.

 

[UncleMilti]

I'm honestly not looking to be the DFDC, but I don't think our coverage has been all that good.

The Giants made a lot of plays on us and if not for all of the T.O.P. we had, I think they could've easily scored more points.

And yesterday? If Cousins had played well, the Skins put up 40. He missed two open deep ball TD's and another long pass to Jackson when he threw to the wrong shoulder.

I see a very deadly combination right now with our defense -- an awful pass rush that often times gives the QB all day to throw coupled with an average-at-best secondary. Kirk Cousins, Jay Cutler, and Blaine Gabbert may not be able to expose it, but Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger will.

I don't think you can really grade this defense just yet because we haven't played any really skilled offenses yet. But if I had to bet, I'd say they're not going to perform all that well.

There just isn't much talent to work with.

The commentators were giving Jones shit yesterday, basically saying that Marinelli is making chicken salad with chicken shit and Jones thinks its tasty. Bottom line is they feel sorry for Marinelli not having any true skill on the D side of the ball along the DL that he can work with.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Which is fine, but I don't know why you made the smart ass remark of him "Not showing promise" in regards to yesterday's performance as if I had said he'll NEVER be good.

You were being a drama queen about it because I criticized his performance last week and chose to exaggerate my comments about him.

Just admit it and move on.

I was just poking a little fun, you know the stuff we do regularly around here.

You were a bit over the top last week and you know it.

 

[L.T. Fan]

If this team is above .500 when Romo is ready to go I think people will freak if they sit Dak.

Not only would it be asinine, but it would be an injustice to Dak.

Honestly, I'm pretty much over the Romo era. The future is on the field right now, and Jones needs to see if Dak is THE guy who is going to run this team the next 10 years or so. One thing is certain...Romo is past his prime and doesn't have 3-5 years left as the great PT Barnum screeched out for all to believe.

If its not Dak, then next year they have to draft another QB. Romo is done for all practical purposes.

Do you think the Patriot fans would go bonkers if their backup did well(not withstanding his injury) and Brady was installed after his suspension?