Cowboys should not overpay to keep their free-agent defensive backs

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Newy Scruggs, sports anchor at NBC5 in Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS-TV) and radio host weekly from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NBC Sports Radio Sirius XM 213/202 and NBCSportsRadio.com, recently held a chat to discuss D-FW sports. Here are some highlights.

With the 28th pick in the 2017 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select _____. Why?

Scruggs: "Taco Charlton from Michigan. He's a defensive end. He racked up ten sacks for Jim Harbaugh last season."

Should Sunday's loss spell the end of the #DezCaughtIt meme?

Scruggs: "Things live on the internet forever. It won't go away but I suspect it won't be used as much. Dez Bryant played one heck of a game in that playoff loss to the Packers. Next year should be a better one with Bryant and Dak Prescott having all offseason to work with each other."

How would you grade the game Scott Linehan had on Sunday and why?

Scruggs: "I give it a B. I wish Zeke Elliott had more touches. Overall they scored 31 points. Zeke had over 100 yards, Dez Bryant caught two scores, Jason Witten snagged a touchdown and Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns and over 300 yards. The slow start hurt but overall the numbers Dallas put up were enough to win. They won the time of possession battle and ran more plays than the Packers."

What's going to happen to our secondary next year? I hear everybody is a free agent.

Scruggs: "The Cowboys will lose players. Some club will overpay defensive backs and I expect the team will hold the line on what they consider the "right price" for a player."

Jason Witten really sounded shook up... How much longer do you think he has in the NFL?

Scruggs: " I believe Jason Witten can play in 2017 at a high level. His blocking isn't great but he brings other traits to the table that more him darn good. At this stage in Witten's career, management would be wise to just take it year by year. The scary part is they have never hit on a replacement for him. Anthony Fasano, Martellus Bennett and Gavin Escobar never became difference-makers as high draft picks at tight end."

Are you in Brice Butler's camp in thinking that the Cowboys just couldn't overcome the refs against the Packers?

Scruggs: "There is an old saying, "Winner tell jokes. Losers cry foul." Brice Butler was hurting and emotional after the loss. I'm not making a big deal of the refs. It's a waste of time now."

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

How would you grade the game Scott Linehan had on Sunday and why?

Scruggs: "I give it a B. I wish Zeke Elliott had more touches. Overall they scored 31 points. Zeke had over 100 yards, Dez Bryant caught two scores, Jason Witten snagged a touchdown and Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns and over 300 yards. The slow start hurt but overall the numbers Dallas put up were enough to win. They won the time of possession battle and ran more plays than the Packers."

Not going to convince me that Zeke not getting more touches was Linehan's design. That is vintage Garrett.

 

[dbair1967]

Not going to convince me that Zeke not getting more touches was Linehan's design. That is vintage Garrett.

Eh. Getting down 21-3 had a lot to do with it. Zeke probably has another 5-6 carries at least if we arnt playing catch up the entire game.

But all the folks crying about the offense really don't have much of a case. 31 pts and 429 yds of offense is a good day, and should be more than enough to win a home playoff game when you are favored.

We have a great run game and the Packers struggled to slow it down, but the Packers biggest weakness Sunday was having no quality DB's on the field at all (especially after their other starting safety went down early in the game). They were loading the box to try and help stop the run and that created a lot of opportunities in the passing game. That's what good coordinators do, they take advantage of other teams obvious weaknesses.

 

[English Cowboy]

Eh. Getting down 21-3 had a lot to do with it. Zeke probably has another 5-6 carries at least if we arnt playing catch up the entire game.

But all the folks crying about the offense really don't have much of a case. 31 pts and 429 yds of offense is a good day, and should be more than enough to win a home playoff game when you are favored.

We have a great run game and the Packers struggled to slow it down, but the Packers biggest weakness Sunday was having no quality DB's on the field at all (especially after their other starting safety went down early in the game). They were loading the box to try and help stop the run and that created a lot of opportunities in the passing game. That's what good coordinators do, they take advantage of other teams obvious weaknesses.

Yes, but we fell behind partly because we didn't run enough. Take that 3rd and 2 on the first drive. Let's say we run (on 4th down as well if need be) instead of throwing into double coverage, and pick up the first down. Then we probably go on to score a TD for a 7-0 lead. Now it's Green Bay who are under pressure and playing catch up. Maybe they start forcing it and make mistakes. That first drive set the tone for the first half, giving Green Bay the initiative, and it probably goes back to us not running it on 3rd and 2.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Yes, but we fell behind partly because we didn't run enough. Take that 3rd and 2 on the first drive. Let's say we run (on 4th down as well if need be) instead of throwing into double coverage, and pick up the first down. Then we probably go on to score a TD for a 7-0 lead. Now it's Green Bay who are under pressure and playing catch up. Maybe they start forcing it and make mistakes. That first drive set the tone for the first half, giving Green Bay the initiative, and it probably goes back to us not running it on 3rd and 2.

Let's not forget the last possession of the first half, when we were down 21-10. Kept Zeke on the sidelines for all three downs while ion the Packers' 15 yard line with 10 yards for a first, and also threw into double coverage and even triple coverage, and eventually had to settle for a FG. Garrett wasn't even trying to get the first, which 1.) got us a new set of downs, and 2.) all the closer to the goal line. And there was plenty of time. Right there is half of your 5-6 carries that could have been used.

 

[English Cowboy]

Let's not forget the last possession of the first half, when we were down 21-10. Kept Zeke on the sidelines for all three downs while ion the Packers' 15 yard line with 10 yards for a first, and also threw into double coverage and even triple coverage, and eventually had to settle for a FG. Garrett wasn't even trying to get the first, which 1.) got us a new set of downs, and 2.) all the closer to the goal line. And there was plenty of time. Right there is half of your 5-6 carries that could have been used.

And it gave Rodgers over a minute for the last drive of the half. They didn't score fortunately, but it could easily have been 28-13 at the half (and GB had the ball to start the 2nd half). So dumb by the coaches.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Garrett's an offensive-minded coach. Like everyone else, he knows that this team's offense is superior to this team's defense, yet he chose to leave the game in the hand of the defense... against Aaron Rodgers.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I hate the excuses that they had to overcome being down big or overcome bad penalties when it's not like those things fell from the sky. They happened because the team did it to themselves.

And I don't care what the score is, you have to get the ball in the hands of your best player. Zeke ripping off a 15 yard run is no different than a 15 yard pass to Dez.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

It was just vintage Garrett. Find a way to lose rather than finding a way to win. Scratch and claw your way to a loss.