2021 NFL Week 17: Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys

[dbair1967]

Now with last nights loss we have lost 3 games by one score or less this year….. those losses have been by a combined 8 points…
In those games Greg Zuerlein has missed 14 points worth of kicks.

He's a problem but the rest of the team has so many issues its hard for me to single him out.

The defense was on the field with a chance to win vs Tampa, and on the field with a chance to get the ball back for the offense vs AZ (granted, it appears they did force a fumble they should have been granted but it was missed) and failed both times.

Against the Raiders, we won the toss in OT and promptly went 3 and out.

The OL is a fucking joke and the offensive playcaller has periods where he is just braindead. Lastly, the 40 million per yr QB has had basically 2 or maybe 3 good games the entire second half of the season and he was pretty awful again yesterday.

That said, Zuerlien basically has three jobs. Make FG's, make PATS and kickoff out of the end zone. He is adequate with #3 but sux at PATS and can now add another gimmee FG miss to his resume. It doesnt show the rest of the team the coaches or front office demand or really expct accountability when the guy fails like this multiple times and is not benched or released.

 

[Scot]

He's a problem but the rest of the team has so many issues its hard for me to single him out.

The defense was on the field with a chance to win vs Tampa, and on the field with a chance to get the ball back for the offense vs AZ (granted, it appears they did force a fumble they should have been granted but it was missed) and failed both times.

Against the Raiders, we won the toss in OT and promptly went 3 and out.

The OL is a fucking joke and the offensive playcaller has periods where he is just braindead. Lastly, the 40 million per yr QB has had basically 2 or maybe 3 good games the entire second half of the season and he was pretty awful again yesterday.

That said, Zuerlien basically has three jobs. Make FG's, make PATS and kickoff out of the end zone. He is adequate with #3 but sux at PATS and can now add another gimmee FG miss to his resume. It doesnt show the rest of the team the coaches or front office demand or really expct accountability when the guy fails like this multiple times and is not benched or released.

I agree, he is not our only problem, hell, he’s not even our biggest problem!

But with that said….

The problem with benching him is who the hell would replace him? Especially at this point in the season. Any kicker worth a shit is already on a team. And the ones that aren’t on a team aren’t on a team for a reason.

This is something that should have been addressed right after week 1 when he missed 3 kicks in our first fucking game!

His connection to Bones is the only reason he is still here. If he wasn’t Bones pet he would have been gone a long time ago.

If I remember right he was injured in the preseason and didn’t even attempt one single kick until week 1, where he promptly shit the bed.

This has been a problem from the get go and we let it ride

That’s on upper management

 

[dbair1967]

I agree, he is not our only problem, hell, he’s not even our biggest problem!

But with that said….

The problem with benching him is who the hell would replace him? Especially at this point in the season. Any kicker worth a shit is already on a team. And the ones that aren’t on a team aren’t on a team for a reason.

This is something that should have been addressed right after week 1 when he missed 3 kicks in our first fucking game!

His connection to Bones is the only reason he is still here. If he wasn’t Bones pet he would have been gone a long time ago.

If I remember right he was injured in the preseason and didn’t even attempt one single kick until week 1, where he promptly shit the bed.

This has been a problem from the get go and we let it ride

That’s on upper management

You are not wrong.

And the problem of benching/cut him is as you mention, who can they get?

I honestly liked what I saw from Lirim Hajrullahu in that Atlanta game. He nailed all 5 of his PATs right down the middle and had touchbacks on every kickoff. Unfortunately we cut him after Zuerlien came off the COVID list and he was promptly signed to the Foreskin practice squad. I just googled him and it appears Carolina signed him two weeks ago and he has kicked in the last two games, going 3/4 on FG's and 1/1 on PAT's

Kai Forbath was great at the end of 2019 (didnt miss a FG or PAT) but he never got a chance to win the job the next offseason after we signed Zuerlien. He's only kicked in a couple games since we released him, read somewhere in CZ a few weeks ago that apparently he is injured or something.

It's probably something we can't solve till after the season now unfortunately.

 

[icup]

 

[Dodger12]

Yeah I agree Dodger. I said it a few weeks ago (and a few times in recent seasons). I think they try to run too much from the shotgun.

And Dak was definitely confused repeatedly, especially on 3rd downs.

In regards to point #1, you are spot on with that too. We had four series that ended in 3 and out (4th one was the play Dak fumbled) but the defense deserves considerable blame too. They had a nearly 10 minute advantage in TOP. They scored on 5 of their first 6 offensive possessions. They ran 72 plays to our 57. They converted four 3rd and long yardage situations against us despite us coming into the game with the best 3rd down conversion % allowed in the league.

Just a butt ugly fucking loss.

Running from the shotgun is kind of a pet peeve of mine and I have no idea why teams get away from taking snaps under center. I know the game has changed and offenses are up-tempo but we were playing from under center much more frequently earlier in the year and were effective doing it. It was one of the little things I noticed. I also think this helps Dak because it keeps the defenses guessing a bit more. Maybe I'm wrong but I just seem to think we were more effective.

I also agree the D could have played better. But the offensive tempo and play calling of the Cards is dictated by our ineffectiveness on offense. We didn't keep up the pressure on offense which really allows a team to play a different game. They didn't have to force throws or take chances. Murray got a chunk of his passing yards on a few passes. They played it safe and when the game was on the line, they just ran Murray to keep the chains and clock moving.

At the end of the day, the Cards were short handed and very beatable. They were down to their back up CB's and we just didn't stretch the field. I mean, I'm not even sure we tried. And Cooper was pretty much taken out of the offense early and I just don't understand that. It's like we use a #1 WR as a decoy. The offense ran through Cooper last week and we got him involved early. It was a successful formula. This week? Crickets.

 

[Dodger12]

I'm over yesterday's game. It is what it is. Some of the things I've been vocal about have reared their ugly head(s) but it is what it is. Dak is the best QB on the team. He's the best QB in the division although Hurts is developing. Is Hurts a franchise QB? I can't say. But their running game can cause fits.

I think Dak benefits from a bunch of talented receivers and the D, for the most part, has been stellar. The issue is when the D is not at it's best, Dak has a hard time consistently carrying the load. I say consistently because he's had games where he carries this team. I also believe Dak has improved and the team really views him as a leader. And his return from a devastating injury has been remarkable. Although I'd bet Coop is probably a bit frustrated with Dak.

We benefit from playing in a weak division....no doubt. But we're in the playoffs and get to see another week of football. The road to the SB goes through GB and Rodgers is playing some incredible football. In addition, we'll have to beat multiple franchise QB's to get to the NFC Championship Game and the SB.

My feelings are that this year is a year to make a run. We have the D and the O has shown flashes of brilliance, as well as some warts. Next year we start losing players to FA and teams in the East will start to improve with higher draft picks. The only positive is that this doesn't seem to be a QB rich draft class. We'll also lose assistant coaches and while Kellen Moore can take a hike because I think he's too young, inexperienced and flawed to be a HC, I don't want to lose Quinn.

Today's NFL is about parity and it's cyclical. We may not get another shot like this for a while......

 

[touchdown]

RE: Ref Whining:

"It's like what they're really saying is "We played sh***y for most of the game, and just when we had a chance, to have a chance, to maybe get back in the game, which we probably would have lost anyway, the refs called/didn't call something."

 

[yimyammer]

My feelings are that this year is a year to make a run.

I agree but they wont, their entitled attitude tells me everything I need to know about where their going. Even if you believe the league is conspiring against you to call penalties to make you lose (& your owner with massive influence is sitting idly by to let it happen) the response isnt to bitch about it publicly but to double down privately and do what Jimmy advocated years ago by not playing in such a way that gives the refs a chance to screw you, win it on the field so a few bad calls never make a difference

IIRC, the Cardinals took the lead early and never relinquished it despite being down several players and on the road but these yahoos (& management who is probably singing the same tune) are going to excuse the fact they've proven to be inferior consistently when they play good teams and blame it on the refs as if thats the only reason they ever lose.

Pathetic!

This team is one and done!

 

[Dodger12]

I agree but they wont, their entitled attitude tells me everything I need to know about where their going. Even if you believe the league is conspiring against you to call penalties to make you lose (& your owner with massive influence is sitting idly by to let it happen) the response isnt to bitch about it publicly but to double down privately and do what Jimmy advocated years ago by not playing in such a way that gives the refs a chance to screw you, win it on the field so a few bad calls never make a difference

IIRC, the Cardinals took the lead early and never relinquished it despite being down several players and on the road but these yahoos (& management who is probably singing the same tune) are going to excuse the fact they've proven to be inferior consistently when they play good teams and blame it on the refs as if thats the only reason they ever lose.

Pathetic!

This team is one and done!

I can't disagree with anything but the end of your post. I knew from early on in the game that the refs were going to play a roll in the outcome of this game. I posted as much. You can not call holds after big plays and put the team in a long yardage situation while ignoring obvious hold on the Cards. Lawrence was held on numerous occasions with no calls.

The team overcame poor officiating this season, especially in New England. It was absolutely atrocious.

 

[icup]

DAL leads the league in penalties this year and they're committing way more penalties this year then in year's past. in context, DAL has not been top 10 in penalties since 2012.

the biggest problems have been on the OL and defense. 1st in holding penalties and 2nd in unnecessary roughness.

 

[dbair1967]

I agree but they wont, their entitled attitude tells me everything I need to know about where their going. Even if you believe the league is conspiring against you to call penalties to make you lose (& your owner with massive influence is sitting idly by to let it happen) the response isnt to bitch about it publicly but to double down privately and do what Jimmy advocated years ago by not playing in such a way that gives the refs a chance to screw you, win it on the field so a few bad calls never make a difference

IIRC, the Cardinals took the lead early and never relinquished it despite being down several players and on the road but these yahoos (& management who is probably singing the same tune) are going to excuse the fact they've proven to be inferior consistently when they play good teams and blame it on the refs as if thats the only reason they ever lose.

Pathetic!

This team is one and done!

I don't think most rational people believe the league is "conspiring against the Cowboys"

But there is a tremendous inconsistency in the way our games are officiated and my personal opinion is it has more to do with gambling than anything else. Human error cannot account for some of the truly mind boggling calls/non-calls we see on a week to week basis.

And that said, it happens in other games too.

I think the owners and Goodell are part of the problem, because they run a league that makes billions and pay the refs very little, nor are they considered fulltime employees. I don't think all the refs are doing it, but I do believe a significant number are actively gambling on games and if they are the officials in said game, they are going to do what they an to influence the outcome. And by outcome I don't necessarily mean "win or loss", its all about covering point spread and over/unders.

 

[dbair1967]

DAL leads the league in penalties this year and they're committing way more penalties this year then in year's past. in context, DAL has not been top 10 in penalties since 2012.

the biggest problems have been on the OL and defense. 1st in holding penalties and 2nd in unnecessary roughness.

Know what this is?

2006- 12th
2007- 29th
2008- 30th
2009- 32nd
2010- 5th
2011- 1st
2012- 10th
2013- 7th
2014- 8th
2015- 11th
2016- 6th
2017- 9th
2018- 14th

 

[dbair1967]

I ca Lawrence was held on numerous occasions with no calls.

Someone in CZ pointed out Lawrence was actually held in the endzone on the play I was referring to yesterday in which both Lawrence and Gregory were held on the same play. It was a huge 3rd down conversion to start their initial TD drive.

The Gregory hold maybe they didnt have a great angle on or something, but the Lawrence hold was out in the open for all to see and very obvious.

Of course had it been called and he was held in the endzone (as it appears), we'd have been awarded a safety and 2pts. That's a 9 point swing, plus we would have had the ball after the free kick.

 

[yimyammer]

conspiracy or not, penalties wont change, they'll have to overcome whatever the actual reasons for them and thats my point because bitching about it aint changing nothing so they better focus on what they can control

and fans have a way of overlooking calls that go their way so I suspect a deep dive would reveal many bad calls that went Dallas's way but were hand waived away by fans because they see it as a form of long overdue payback, in the end I suspect they net difference of all bad calls both ways doesnt amount to much of a difference in the overall record

 

[dbair1967]

RE: Ref Whining:

"It's like what they're really saying is "We played sh***y for most of the game, and just when we had a chance, to have a chance, to maybe get back in the game, which we probably would have lost anyway, the refs called/didn't call something."

Pointing out obvious errors/gaffes by the officials is not "ref whining"

And for the record, no I don't believe we lost the game because of the refs. The entire team played like shit for the most part and they deserved to lose. But the officiating was incredibly bad again.

 

[dbair1967]

and fans have a way of overlooking calls that go their way so I suspect a deep dive would reveal many bad calls that went Dallas's way but were hand waived away by fans because they see it as a form of long overdue payback, in the end I suspect they net difference of all bad calls both ways doesnt amount to much of a difference in the overall record

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it, but I strongly doubt its true

 

[dbair1967]

Indeed.

That and although it's a very small chance, there is still the possibility of us getting the 2nd seed. We have no way of knowing on Saturday so there's really no choice but to put in every effort to win the game whether Philly does the same or not.

But man, if they blow this game. The shit is really gonna hit the fan, especially if they get their asses kicked in the first playoff game.

 

[bbgun]

Know what this is?

2006- 12th
2007- 29th
2008- 30th
2009- 32nd
2010- 5th
2011- 1st
2012- 10th
2013- 7th
2014- 8th
2015- 11th
2016- 6th
2017- 9th
2018- 14th

How I did in the "most hated poster @ the Zone" rankings. I was very proud of 2011.

 

[dbair1967]

 

[dbair1967]

Not a big surprise but its' official, Gallup done.

He'll be missed going forward. Really hope we can find a way to keep him as I think he is a really quality player, maybe the injuries stop someone from giving him a huge deal in offseason and hopefully he'll stay another year.

Source: Tests show torn ACL for Cowboys' Gallup

Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup, who injured his left knee after catching a 21-yard TD vs. Arizona on Sunday, has a torn ACL, a source told ESPN. He had 35 catches for 445 yards this season.

www.espn.com