Wild Card GDT: Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys

[MaddHatter]

53 minutes ago, cromagnum said:

 

Great is a stretch for his career. He has been good not great. Dak had his best season of his career that is true. Probably second in the mvp race but so was Romo once. Dak for me whatever the reason gets off to real slow starts in  most playoff games that to me says the pressure might be getting to him. 

Dak has 3 fully healthy seasons in the last 5 years and all 3 were nearly identical to the “MVP Caliber” season he had in 2023. I’m not saying he’s elite, ie Mahomes or Rodgers, but he’s definitely been better than “good” IMO.  
 

too each their own when it comes to terminology and rankings though

[D82]

 

#1 and #2 were defenses led by Dan Quinn...

[D82]

 

 

[elevators_rule]

2 hours ago, AZ_Eaglesfan said:

My only thing is if you are ready to run back the offensive staff why would you not run back Quinn as well? Remember what the Dallas D looked like before Quinn got there and how he turned that unit around? It's not like statistically the D was bad this year and both the offense and defense completely collapsed yesterday.

But ya the Cowboys aren't moving on from Dak. Who knows if he ever wins the big game, but he clearly is at level where you have to keep him and see where it takes you. The grass isn't always greener.

Quinn is likely leaving to head coach somewhere.

[MaddHatter]

3 hours ago, AZ_Eaglesfan said:

My only thing is if you are ready to run back the offensive staff why would you not run back Quinn as well? Remember what the Dallas D looked like before Quinn got there and how he turned that unit around? It's not like statistically the D was bad this year and both the offense and defense completely collapsed yesterday.

But ya the Cowboys aren't moving on from Dak. Who knows if he ever wins the big game, but he clearly is at level where you have to keep him and see where it takes you. The grass isn't always greener.

Most of Big D is calling for a full house cleaning of the FO - hire McClay as GM, Harbaugh as HC and let him bring in a whole new staff

[Rtnldave]

33 minutes ago, MaddHatter said:

Most of Big D is calling for a full house cleaning of the FO - hire McClay as GM, Harbaugh as HC and let him bring in a whole new staff

Im on board.

[Rtnldave]

Im not one for moral victories but this is worth a mention. Pitts looks like a team that could be on its way up. They've weathered 21-0 to 24-17 with 10 minutes to go. Not saying they're going to win, but they at least put themselves in a position to win if things go their way, possible turn over, turn over on downs, etc.

If they go on to lose, they showed some grit, gumption, desire to win and good coaching.

Our loss feels more like we severely underachieved, like we expected so much better from our team, and like we got our assess good and thouroghly kicked.

I really don't want to see this again next year.

 

[Dallas94Ware]

Oh hey, silver lining. I won $700 on my parlay - Lamb 99+, cooks 40+, Ferguson 42+, and Gallup 11+.

I'd return the 700 for a playoff win, though.

[plan9misfit]

3 hours ago, MaddHatter said:

Most of Big D is calling for a full house cleaning of the FO - hire McClay as GM, Harbaugh as HC and let him bring in a whole new staff

If I have to lose Harbaugh at Michigan, I’ll happily take him in Dallas.

[Dallas94Ware]

2 hours ago, Rtnldave said:

Im not one for moral victories but this is worth a mention. Pitts looks like a team that could be on its way up. They've weathered 21-0 to 24-17 with 10 minutes to go. Not saying they're going to win, but they at least put themselves in a position to win if things go their way, possible turn over, turn over on downs, etc.

If they go on to lose, they showed some grit, gumption, desire to win and good coaching.

Our loss feels more like we severely underachieved, like we expected so much better from our team, and like we got our assess good and thouroghly kicked.

I really don't want to see this again next year.

 

If you can dig that far back, I was pretty high on Mason Rudolph and thought he could even sneak into round 1 if someone thought the extra contract year was worth it, given he would need a lot of development time. He showed a lot of poise under pressure. His mechanics were mediocre, as was all of his physical gifts. But you can train mechanics. You can tweak motions and movements to increase velocity and accuracy. You can protect a less mobile passer, and scheme for swift reads and prompt releases.

But you can't teach poise. You either have it or you don't. And Rudolphs ability under pressure. To weather a storm, to take a wallop and still deliver a catchable ball, made him well worth a late first or second round pick IMO back then. I compared him quite a bit to someone who had a very lengthy and solid career in the NFL, albeit not quite a hall of Fame one, in Matt Ryan. Ryan had more accolades at Boston College, a "bigger arm", etc. but his ice cold glare under pressure is what really made him a high pick. And I saw that same thing in Rudolph 

Pittsburgh definitely is on the way up. Maybe Pickett is the answer. Maybe it's Rudolph. But the team they have around those guys is solid, the coaching is quietly top tier with Tomlin hands down my favorite coach of this era. And the front office is consistently good at finding players who can develop and take on large roles for the team. 

In short I highly agree with you on that

Edited January 16 by Dallas94Ware

[Dallas94Ware]

4 minutes ago, plan9misfit said:

If I have to lose Harbaugh at Michigan, I’ll happily take him in Dallas.

That's right I forgot that you're a Michigan guy. I have to ask. What is your opinion on Harbaughs ability to truly manage a team and a staff? In SF his management skills were pretty much what made him lose favor with his staff and the front office, not his ability to coach, teach, lead and acout/develop talent because those were all quality traits of his.

But I'd be afraid to bring him to Dallas without knowing the culture and leadership and management he brings with him aren't going to backfire in 2 or 3 years. As a Notre Dame guy personally, as that's where I played and began my coaching affair, I don't typically keep up to speed with things at Michigan (think I read their next scheduled meeting is in 2033 lol). 

I don't often agree with you but I do respect your view points, so I'd love to hear(read) your thoughts on this.

[D82]

 

 

 

[Rtnldave]

Watching the Bucs game. The Bucs have been handling things fairly well so far, but you get the feeling that if they don't go up 2 or more scores, they're going to lose.

If they find themselves in a tie or behind, they don't have the guns to come back.

[HDsportsfan]

15 minutes ago, D82 said:

 

 

 

This is what I referenced in the MM watch thread. Dak can win a SB, it's just not going to happen in big D.

[Dallas94Ware]

5 minutes ago, D82 said:

 

 

 

I think this is an accurate assessment.

People seem to think "system QB" is an insult. But all QBs in some fashion or another, are products of their system. A good coach is going to put their QB in the best position to succeed that they can! Mask what they don't do so well, maximize what they indeed do well. 

That is why Shannahan has had success with so many different styles of QB. He creates a gameplan, playbook and philosophy around what his QB can do. You can see the underlaying concepts that he prefers, and it's likely why they selected Lance at #3 overall - because that would be the ideal fit for what Shannahan wants to execute. If you put Dak with a coach who creates a system for his passer, who's base concepts really do make use of mobility behind the LoS and throwing on the move, allowing the QB to beat man coverage by threatening them with both his legs and his arm, the story of Dak Prescott could be a very different narrative than what is spoken of him currently.

Every system he has been in, has been more a installation of "this is what we are doing." And not so much of "this is what we can do to let you be your best." And none of those systems, even this tailored Texas Coast nonsense that at least attempted to make use of Dak's best skills, was still not an ideal fit or a sculpting of something designed just for him.

But the fact he still led the league in TD throws this year, and put up the wins and numbers he has throughout his career, shows he is very much a good QB. I'll forever defend him and how good he actually is or was, just as I've done for Romo. But I also won't be unrealistic either. Being very good doesn't mean he's on the level of some of those true all time talents, like your Marinos, and Elways and Peytons of the world. 

Problem is, he's being paid like he is. And that therein, the problem lay. When the cap hit is on the level of a guy who can hold up the weight of the entire offense on his own, but in reality he is more on the level of a guy who needs a few extra backs to help shoulder that weight...it becomes difficult to not at least contemplate how to move forward without him.