3 Part Series... Our Rivals' Biggest Strengths & Weaknesses. First Up - Dallas Cowboys

another really good post man

Wade Phillips is such a joke

Except Jason Garrett loves to pass the ball… Man, Garrett’s a joke. As least Wade Phillips is a good defensive coach. Jason Garrett just sucks.
Go Jason Garrett!

the guy genuinely terrifies me…but then I remember that old-ass offensive line, and I smile…

On this otherwise outstanding post (REC’D), you did forget Brady James, who is a solid inside linebacker, and could start on most teams.

I can’t handle these high standards now expected from posts

not new to BGN, but new to actually posting on BGN. Bye Dawk, I love your posts, please keep em comin.

my question, who’s the 1 asshole that voted ‘Yes’ in the poll?

damn those bastards for voting yes

Great post, no question we are going to own them with our speed this year, but I would consider Brooking a nice upgrade to ZT.

one could argue that right now he’s the best backup QB in the division.

You could argue this but I’d vote for David Carr with the Giants running game David Carr could be really dangerous.

the Cowboys’ 2 starting DEs average 1.37 and 2.2 sacks respectively per season

Just to be fair in a 3-4 it’s the OLBs job to get sacks so the low sack numbers for the Cowboys DEs isn’t really that big of a deal.

The Cowboys are very interesting to me this year because they seem to have some very bright spots but also some glaring issues. This year could consist of many different scenarios for them.

I can’t wait to read your right up on the Giants.

And I mean shocked. This team has 5-11 written all over it.

Oh man I just love Flozell Adams. He actually makes it into the Pro Bowl while being one of the worst lineman in the East. This team really has no shot this year (not like they really had one for a while now, even though the “experts” like Kornheiser always picks them to win the SB). They have a few good areas, but when I look at the whole picture it doesn’t scare me at all. Next please…

why can’t cowboys fans admit the weaknesses of their team? I think Bye Dawk actually did a good breakdown of strengths and weaknesses. I haven’t read one comment from a cowboys fan that says “oh, that is a weakness, you’re right” (i apologize if i missed it), but I have read tons where you argue that your mediocre players are just as good as our all pros. It makes you all seem kind of ridiculous. I mean, us eagles fans get a bad rap for booing our players, but at least we don’t make excuses for them when they suck. It’s ok to say one of your positions is weak. I personally think that RB for the eagles is somewhat weak right now, or at the very least questionable (we don’t know what McCoy can do or westy’s response to surgery) and if someone says that, I’m not going to argue with them. So why can’t you guys just accept your team isn’t perfect…he said what were legitimate strengths and what appear to be legitimate weaknesses. Why are you getting so offended?

I can see the Cowboys winning 12 games if:

1) The Eagles or Giants stumble hard.
2) Jason Garrett gets his head of his ass and uses his RBs and Witten ahead of Roy Williams.
3) Their defense is better than advertised. Sure, they can rack up the sacks, but if they can’t get to the QB, their coverage has holes in it that can be picked apart. Their run stopping is above average but not stellar.

The problem is, I don’t see the Eagles or Giants stumbling hard, so I don’t see the Cowboys making the playoffs unless they lock up the second wildcard spot. I see the Eagles and Giants going neck and neck for the division and the other getting the first wildcard.

It’s entirely possible for them to do better than this, but I think the Cowboys finish up with 8 wins.

First, I wouldn’t list our secondary as a real weakness… At least not any more.

#1: Scandrick and Jenkins have played well and are a nice upgrade over Henry and whoever was in the rotation at the time. Based on last year’s play the two are talented.

1. Sensei may not seem like a big deal, but to a team that has been dealing with ole ‘thong’ Williams for the past few years he is a god-send.

Second… I would not say the defensive line is all that bad either.

1. Both Spears and Olshanski are fairly good in run support. Canty played quite well in spurts but I think Olshanski’s ability to move people will set up Ware for more sacks.
2. Additionally Hatcher has played well in limited minutes.

I am not sure Brooking is a bad signing. Zach had playing weight issues. He was simply too light to take on guards without having the wear and tear he experienced last year. Brooking is a bit heavier and seems to take more of a leadership role. We are relying on Carpenter or Spencer to step it up though. That left outside linebacker slot could prove a problem.

I do think you hit the nail on the head with the offensive line. They are old and underperformed last season. At the same time, offensive line seems to be a position with longevity and they did play very well the year before.

An honest evaluation. Rec’d.

Jerry Jones not on the list of weaknesses?

seriously. Good stuff man.

However, it looks as if all you do is look up numbers & statistics & post em for the Eagles fans to see.

How about the fact that Westbrook cant stay healthy if his life depended on it.

McNabb is also very injury prone
.
You just lost your heart & soul of that defense

Your best WR is 170 lbs soaking wet

Eagles probably have The WORST backup QB situation in our division

Say want you want about Roy, You just gave up a first rounder for an offensive lineman that gave up 10, YES 10 sacks for Buffalo just a season ago.

YES, Jason Witten is the best TE in the league

Felix would scare me too

Who’s gonna motivate & fire up the team like Dawkins did?

Chris Gocong?

witten is not better than tony g . tony g is one of the best of all time .. i think hes better than sharpe

Regardless of what I think of Philly, I can appreciate a proper breakdown of positions, which I do think is what Bye, Dawk has done here. I’ll go piece by piece here:

Weakness:

1. WR

I do feel that this is a place of need for Dallas. Who knows how this will work out for them. Thankfully, after Crayton, it doesn’t become that big of a deal. Everyone who follows Dallas knows that Witten is the number one opition anyway, then probably followed by Roy. After that, any mix of Crayton/Miles/Bennett/Felix/Barber(Who is a fairly good receiver out of the backfield. Not Westy like, but then again, West is top 3 in that concern). I have concerns, mostly riding on Austin. Austin, who is just as much of a question mark as any draft pick(Maclin) to recently drafted but not much shown yet(Devin Thomas). If Miles can simply put up around 500-600 yards, and with Crayton grabbing another 500, we should be fine.

Speaking of Patrick, I can’t help but feel he is one of the more underrated wide outs in the league. He is not going to ever be a number 1 wide out, and probably not many teams number 2, but the man can play. He, barring Giants loss, has great hands and has put up great production before when he has talent around him(07 season). Aside from the obvious drop off of Owens to Roy, the team has far more talent at the skill positions than it did in that season.

2. OL

You have to remember that our starting LG went out in the beginning of the season, letting the awful and severely undersized Cory Proctor play, and then even when Dallas went out and got another midseason LG to replace him with, and not even that great of one in Hollard, he got hurt as well and Proctor was forced to start. That, mixed with Flos injury since the Arizona game, this team in general should be better than it was in 07 in terms of protection, barring age. I don’t suspect them to remain healthy the entire year, as no one ever does(and I have a bad feeling about Flo going down this year, which if so, would destroy the line), but they aren’t up there with leagues worst. They would be about middle of the pack.

3. DL

I agree with you here about the talent level. Spears, for where he was picked and what was expected of him, has not nearly lived up to potential. Hell, thank god Jerry put the fist down on Parcells and told him to take Ware with the first pick in that year instead of Spears, who we got later anyway. Regardless, Spears to me is an average to above average run stuffer and a mediocre pass rusher. Definite room for improvement there. Ratliff is one of the best NT’s, despite being undersized, in the league. In reality, Rat should probably be playing a 3-4 DE considering his size and that’s what he was drafted as. And depth behind Rat is a BAD issue. Igor and Canty is a push in every sense of the word, except Igor is a lot cheaper.

Concerns:

1. Other LBs

Carp has been an awful bust, and I have hated this pick since Parcells did it(THANKS BILL, YOU DRAFT EXPERT YOU!). Spencer still has the verdict out about him, as he has a ton of potential, but needs to stay healthy. Bradie James is one of the best 3-4 ILBs in the league, and led all of them with tackles last year. Brookings is up in the air on how he will transfer, but probably is more of a stop gap until Williams is ready to take it over on the inside.

2. Secondary

This group is far better than it has been in the last 3 years, in all honesty. Newman/Jenkins/Scandrick/Cincy CB duo is a far better combo than Newman/Injury prone Henry/Reeves/Nathan Jones or Newman/Henry/Pacrat/Alan Ball. Roy “THONG” Williams was awful in coverage, and has been a liability for years back there. Sensa is a gamble, and we will see how he does. Definite weakness in general. And Hamlin can certainly tackle, his issue has always been his coverage. There is still a glaring hole at the safety position, but to be honest, I’m so happy Roy is gone from there, and it has been a long time coming.

3. Wade

Wade is just Wade, and everyone knows his story. He will never be a pure HC, but he is a great 3-4 DC, and being that Stewart was finally given the axe after this season(have fun with him by the way…), and since Wade took over the defense since midseason last year, it looked a lot better(barring again, that 44-6 debacle which ended the season). Truth be told, I wish Wade was just our DC, and it is obvious to me that after this year he is probably gone, but hey, you must make work with what you have.

Realistically, I see Dallas anywhere from 7-9 to 11-5 next year, depending on injuries and if people play up to potential. We probably will finish about .500, maybe a game or two up. Still better than the LOLSKINS though.