Is there any reason for hope in 2013?

[GloryDaysRBack]

I mean shit, does anyone have a legitimate argument for why this team could be significantly better next year?

 

[peplaw06]

If you're looking at it glass-half-full and shit, yeah.

We will have our budding star LBs back. Williams, Escobar, and Randle will at least give us fresh legs on offense, and could provide significant help. Claiborne has his rookie year out of the way and pray Church is full speed.

Ware should be healthy. I think Spencer is going to be better as a DE than he was as a SOLB, seems to fit that position better. The OLBs were the strength of our defense, and we've moved them to one of our weak spots, DL.

Kiffin is likely to be more technically sound than Ryan was. At least he should be more organized.

 

[ZeroClub]

Well, it isn't like they will go 0-16. There will be some entertaining wins along the way. The win vs. Pittsburgh was fun to watch last season. There is hope for some more of those.

Significantly better? Anything is possible, but it isn't so likely in my opinion.

 

[dbair1967]

I mean shit, does anyone have a legitimate argument for why this team could be significantly better next year?

Maybe not be as injury plagued as the past couple seasons. Better interior OL. Better defensive coordinator and ST coach.

 

[Midswat]

We're going to be a better team, and by the 8-10th week or so, a lot of us will be filled with likely false hope.

I expect our offense to be dynamic. We're going to put up a lot of points.

Our defense won't be horrible. Won't be as bad as last year. We're still questionable up the middle there (interior DL, safety)... that can be exploited. I can't wait to see Lee and Carter on the field together and I think Claiborn steps it up this year.

I think Frederick will do wonders for this line. The number of free rushers up the middle will diminish significantly.

Dez is going to make defensive coordinators wish their parents had aborted them.

 

[yimyammer]

Barring a miracle (like Jerry abdicating the throne or some strange confluence of health & events), I wont be surprised if the 2020 season is the soonest we could begin to have hope again and that's if they get lucky and find a franchise QB to replace Romo after he hangs em up. I don't believe the Cowboys will be in the Super Bowl this decade.

 

[jnday]

I mean shit, does anyone have a legitimate argument for why this team could be significantly better next year?

No. The only hope that I have is that Garrett's job is on the line and he may get fired.

 

[Midswat]

Barring a miracle (like Jerry abdicating the throne or some strange confluence of health & events), I wont be surprised if the 2020 season is the soonest we could begin to have hope again and that's if they get lucky and find a franchise QB to replace Romo after he hangs em up. I don't believe the Cowboys will be in the Super Bowl this decade.

Yeah... it's kind of depressing. There are fans of teams who have never seen there team win a Super Bowl. Traditionally poorly managed teams. Cardinals. Bengals. Even some moderately well run franchises have never won one.

Are history is our history, but doesn't help us going forward. We now are one of those horridly run franchises. I think theres an outside chance we go on a run while Romo is the QB. He is literally our best/only chance in seeing another Cowboys SB any time soon. But sadly... I could see it where 15-20 years from now we still haven't won one.

 

[junk]

We're going to be a better team, and by the 8-10th week or so, a lot of us will be filled with likely false hope.

I expect our offense to be dynamic. We're going to put up a lot of points.

Our defense won't be horrible. Won't be as bad as last year. We're still questionable up the middle there (interior DL, safety)... that can be exploited. I can't wait to see Lee and Carter on the field together and I think Claiborn steps it up this year.

I think Frederick will do wonders for this line. The number of free rushers up the middle will diminish significantly.

Dez is going to make defensive coordinators wish their parents had aborted them.

Garrett has never put up a ton of points or even really had a good offense except when Sparano held his hand.

However, I'll play along.

1. Full season of OL working together through TC without injuries (hopefully)
2. Defense isn't a MASH unit
3. Frederick solidifies the middle of the line
4. Dez takes another big step
5. The team is able to win a couple more of those close games

I cannot get on board that the 4-3 is suddenly going to be this huge success or improvement.

 

[boozeman]

I mean shit, does anyone have a legitimate argument for why this team could be significantly better next year?

If the contract Jerry signed with the Devil to allow him to win SB XXX has run out, maybe.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

Garrett has never put up a ton of points or even really had a good offense except when Sparano held his hand.

However, I'll play along.

1. Full season of OL working together through TC without injuries (hopefully)
2. Defense isn't a MASH unit
3. Frederick solidifies the middle of the line
4. Dez takes another big step
5. The team is able to win a couple more of those close games

I cannot get on board that the 4-3 is suddenly going to be this huge success or improvement.

A lot of teams could make similar claims. Out luck Has been bad though true .


Can dez really improve? Maybe just stay healthy and focused. But his last 8 games were about as productive as it gets

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

No. The only hope that I have is that Garrett's job is on the line and he may get fired.

Good man.


Really though, sure there's reason for hope. We should've won the division the last couple of years. Granted, it's been a sucky division, but we do have that much talent. If we get the offense out of Garrett's hands and make him a glorified PR man, and we don't have any bad injuries, we could easily make the playoffs.

 

[yimyammer]

Yeah... it's kind of depressing. There are fans of teams who have never seen there team win a Super Bowl. Traditionally poorly managed teams. Cardinals. Bengals. Even some moderately well run franchises have never won one.

Are history is our history, but doesn't help us going forward. We now are one of those horridly run franchises. I think theres an outside chance we go on a run while Romo is the QB. He is literally our best/only chance in seeing another Cowboys SB any time soon. But sadly... I could see it where 15-20 years from now we still haven't won one.

I know I sound like a doomsayer with my post but I really think its a logical take, not merely negativity for the sake of being negative.

The reason I feel this way is because the organization has hitched its wagon to Romo who is already 33. I think its expecting a lot to see him continue to perform at a high level after 4 seasons when he will be turning 37, so I think its reasonable to conclude Romo will be gone in 4 years.

Witten and Ware have to be coming to the ends of their careers as well.

So the window is a very tight 4 years maximum (IMO) with Romo, Ware & witten but they are smack dab against the cap, way over for next year and will experience injuries each season (as all teams do) to a team that financially can't build depth unless they have figured out how to draft quality young players in the later rounds that are ready to step in and up when these inevitable injuries occur. These are just a few things that are going to make it difficult for the core of this team to put together a run good enough to land them in the Super Bowl.

I believe Jerry and Steven will milk these guys for all their worth and most likely hang onto them longer than they should, if they haven't done so already. So don't expect to get anything in return but salary cap relief when these players leave. Unfortunately what will come with that is a substantial drop off in talent which will make getting to the Super Bowl all the more difficult.

So the best shot, IMO, is within the short window of the next 3 to 4 years.

Once Romo is gone, regardless of what you think of him, he will leave very big shoes to fill. Even if they are able to draft his replacement that turns out to be as good or even better, one would expect the maturation process of an NFL QB to be at least 2-3 years and thats if everything goes perfect---->they immediately draft a QB that can step in as a rookie and replace Romo and then go on a steady upward trajectory for his first 3 seasons and end up in a Super Bowl in his 3rd season, that's pretty ambitious don't you think?

So add the 4 year window they have with Romo and the at least 3 years it will take to find and develop his replacement and you've got a minimum of 7 years. I think one could easily make a case for longer, but I can't stand the thought of going there so I'll stop.

Best thing you can do to take the edge off is find the most devoted Cowboy fans and bet against them every game, I suspect you'll always land a nice profit each season because people love to bet on their own teams regardless of whether the line or matchup makes sense

 

[Iamtdg]

When Romo goes down, if we haven't done major OL improvement, we are fucked.

So, as far as hope goes, pray Romo keeps his legs under him.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I mean shit, does anyone have a legitimate argument for why this team could be significantly better next year?

Well if Garrett will not be doing the playcalling... then that alone should make us better, not sure significantly. I think going back to the 4-3 should make us better, since we weren't going to run the 3-4 correctly.

 

[Omegasupreme]

Garrett has never put up a ton of points.

There's really not much more to say here. It's the offense that got Norv, Cam, and Tice fired, and Jason refuses to change or allow change. Romo, or Callahan, or Wade Wilson might get to call plays, but the plays will be scripted within the game plan and the designs and audibles will be Garrett's limited menu.

Nothing will change in point totals unless Jason is gone or Murray/Randle use their limited chances to have a 253 Rams game that cannot be ignored.

 

[jnday]

Good man.


Really though, sure there's reason for hope. We should've won the division the last couple of years. Granted, it's been a sucky division, but we do have that much talent. If we get the offense out of Garrett's hands and make him a glorified PR man, and we
don't have any bad injuries, we could easily make the playoffs.

When I take a serious look at what the Cowboys can do this year, I always come back to the same problems. The trenches are still a big problem, but the biggest problem is something else. This team has done less with more talent. They can't even make the playoffs when they have as much, if not more talent than most of the playoff teams. For some reason, they don't play up to their talent level on offense, defense or special teams. Garret can't get the effort out of his players. They don't fear him. What is he going to do? He is not the boss, Jerry is. I keep going back to Jimmy's comments about Dallas being a country club. I think it is the problem this season and it has been in the past and will be in the future.

 

[Iamtdg]

When I take a serious look at what the Cowboys can do this year, I always come back to
the same problems. The trenches are still a big problem, but the biggest problem is something else. This team has done less with more talent. They can't even make the
playoffs when they have as much, if not more talent than most of the playoff teams. For some reason, they don't play up to their talent level on offense, defense or special
teams. Garret can't get the effort out of his players. They don't fear him. What is he
going to do? He is not the boss, Jerry is. I keep going back to Jimmy's comments about
Dallas being a country club. I think it is the problem this season and it has been in the past and will be in the future.

Thank you for making your post ridiculously hard to read.

 

[jnday]

Thank you for making your post ridiculously hard to read.

Damn. I didn't even notice it. This piece of shit phone has gotta go. Every since the screen got busted, this thing has a mind of it's own.

 

[Midswat]

Garrett has never put up a ton of points or even really had a good offense except when Sparano held his hand.

I'm hoping Callahan and Romo will have a big hand in how things are done offensively. We're dangerous on offense when Romo plays streetball.

Aside from that... we have the potential.... the potential to creat a lot of difficult matchups for opponents.

Miles is best in the slot. We now have two legit outside receivers where Miles can go inside.

Witten is Witten. Hannah has rare size/speed combo. I was disappointed in the Pablo pick because it's going to cut into Hannahs playing time, who I had pegged as our latest late round/udfa developed stud player. Might be overkill, but the whole three TE's on the field at the same time idea intrigues me as well.

Murray is solid for his 6 games a year. Now with Randle we have a legitimate #2 guy turned #1 for the other 12 games of the year.

And I think a stud center will do wonders for the line.

I think this is Romo's best year, statistically.