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Sullivan: Some Think Sky is Falling, But Cowboys Are Going To Be Just Fine

Tuesday, October 06, 2015 10:57 AM CDT
By Jeff Sullivan


Some of the thoughts that run through an oversized, bald head:

This team is going to be just fine. Whether or not they lose to the Patriots this Sunday, and that’s hardly a given, it doesn’t matter. The bye is coming along at the perfect time, and better to deal with the injuries now than later. Of course, if Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and Greg Hardy are sidelined in December, then yeah, we have some real issues. For now, though, we’re good. We really are. No, really, stop yelling at me, we’re fine.

People wait for football season, seemingly every day, each and every nanosecond, for eight months, and when the ball is finally kicked off, they have just invested so much into the team, the hopes and dreams of a championship season, that they more or less lose the ability to rationally think. Thus, we have the last 36 hours or so. The sky is falling, oh no. Atlas and Hercules have violently body-slammed the football heavens at our collective feet. Least that’s how some are reacting.

There was another team left for the football glue factory following a Week 4 loss a year ago, and that was the New England Patriots, who after being demolished by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, were 2-2. A reporter asked Bill Belichick if the quarterback situation would be addressed. He chuckled. And, of course, later won another Super Bowl.

The Cowboys are tied for first place. Barring a setback, Dez is going to return after the bye week against the Giants. More than likely, Randy Gregory as well. The only players lost for the season are Orlando Scandrick, Lance Dunbar and Terrell McClain. Everyone else is returning. Everyone else is improving health-wise by the day. Hardy and Rolando McClain are back. Sean Lee is expected to play Sunday.

So after the bye week, outside of those done for the year, Romo could be the only player sidelined. That’s a lot different than these last two weeks when, what, 10 crucial players missed significant time. This season is just getting started. Repeat. This season is just getting started. The team everyone was excited and optimistic about, they are still here. Just going to take a bit to come together.

They are going to win football games. They are going to be competitive each and every week. How many times have the Cowboys been blown out under Jason Garrett? Maybe a handful, and that number might be high. Am so sick and tired of hearing about the schedule. Doesn’t matter who the Cowboys play, they are going to play them tough. Pats, Seahawks, Giants, whoever, line them up, and let this team compete. They are going to win some games.

Also, was just looking at the schedule, the five opponents after the Pats are a combined 7-13. So there’s that.

The loss of Dez was more meaningful than what I originally thought just because of how defenses scheme for a non-Dez offense. And honestly, it’s probably more of a non-Dez/non-Romo offense, but still. When he comes back, they can’t leave him alone in single coverage. The safeties have basically become extra linebackers, which has limited the running game. There were a few snaps when Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan put 10 in the box Sunday night. That’s not happening with Dez on the field, and Brandon Weeden can throw those fades all day. I’d rather he didn’t, but at least Dez has a chance to catch them.

With Dunbar out for the year, the following scenario isn’t happening, but what a statement it would have been if Garrett released Joseph Randle Monday morning. I still can’t fathom, after being screamed at by the coaching staff on the sideline, that he answered reporters after the game with, “Six points,” when asked about his 1-yard plunge/fumble/fortunate touchdown. Cannot wrap my head around that.

Also, while we’re here, been saying this for weeks and certainly think the time has come – Darren McFadden is this team’s best all-around tailback. Give him the reps, let him pick up the blitz and catch the passes. He’s hungry, too, he wants this chance so ridiculously much. Randle was given four games and showed some moments, but he’s hardly entrenched himself. McFadden hasn’t been given that chance yet as the featured back, at least for more than a drive.

Know what’s amazing about a defensive tackle in terms of knowing how they played? The Cowboys had 17 players credited with at least a tackle against the Saints and Tyrone Crawford was not among them. Wasn’t credited with a quarterback hit, either, so thus, he was missing from the official statistical sheet. So, the immediate assumption is he didn’t play well, right? Instead, he tallied five quarterback hurries (possibly six, depends how generous one is) and drew a holding penalty.

The offensive line simply has to play better. It’s the same five guys who were the league’s best a season ago, so not sure what has changed outside of Bill Callahan leaving. The eight sacks allowed isn’t excessive by any means, especially with Weeden not having Romo’s ability to escape. It’s more in the run game. This group was just manhandling defensive fronts last season.

Weeden was impressive on that final drive, and honestly, one turnover in nearly 10 quarters this season is difficult to complain about with a starter, never mind a backup quarterback. He’s actually leading the NFL with his 76.3 completion percentage and he’s sixth in passer rating (108.8).

The unsung player on the defense so far is cornerback Morris Claiborne, who really shut down Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks. This wasn’t a one-game thing, either. He’s been playing easily at the highest level of his career this season. Really aggressive and physical in coverage, and his tackling has been solid. Could turn out to be a great story.

What’s amazing about Claiborne’s draft class is three (quarterback Robert Griffin III, running back Trent Richardson and wide receiver Justin Blackmon) of the five players taken before him in 2012 haven’t played a snap this season, and it’s possible none of them will, although Richardson, currently unemployed, worked out with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.


Follow Jeff Sullivan on Twitter, @SullyBaldHead, or email him at jsullivan@dallascowboys.net.
 

Doomsday

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Homer Sullivan said:
When he (Dez) comes back, they can’t leave him alone in single coverage.
Sure they can. Happens all the time. Green Bay stolen catch game is a good example.
Homer Sullivan said:
The unsung player on the defense so far is cornerback Morris Claiborne, who really shut down Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks. This wasn’t a one-game thing, either. He’s been playing easily at the highest level of his career this season. Really aggressive and physical in coverage, and his tackling has been solid.
What the fuck, are you smoking while watching our Legion of Boobs? Claiborne's a liability now more than ever!
Homer Sullivan said:
(People) have just invested so much into the team, the hopes and dreams of a championship season, that they more or less lose the ability to rationally think.
No, they have completely IGNORED rational thought if they at any time, believed the bolded. LOL Yer killin' me ova hea.
Homer Sullivan said:
They are going to win football games.
Probably right at 6 more.
 

Dodger12

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They are going to win football games. They are going to be competitive each and every week. How many times have the Cowboys been blown out under Jason Garrett? Maybe a handful, and that number might be high. Am so sick and tired of hearing about the schedule. Doesn’t matter who the Cowboys play, they are going to play them tough.

The real question is how many games have the Cowboys lost because of Jason Garrett? The only reason we "play teams tough" is because of Romo. I've never seen so many people ride someone's jock who has been nothing short of a disappointment and was neutered and basically "demoted" by the owner/GM. You'd think this slug earned this faith because he led us to a SB or something.
 

LAZARUS_LOGAN

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The real question is how many games have the Cowboys lost because of Jason Garrett? The only reason we "play teams tough" is because of Romo. I've never seen so many people ride someone's jock who has been nothing short of a disappointment and was neutered and basically "demoted" by the owner/GM. You'd think this slug earned this faith because he led us to a SB or something.

This asshole sabotage the previous coach that led to him being fired, and ices his own kicker. And in truth is as bad as Campo, but to Campo's credit... he had bad players, nowhere near the talent the Garrett has.
 

ThoughtExperiment

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Oversized bald head who gets a paycheck from Jerry Jones. Mickey would be proud of this article.

I do think he's mostly right this particular time, though. When Romo comes back we should be a force. Just depends how many we lose before then.

I do think the Giants going full Jason Garrett on clock management and botching that first week is going to turn out to be huge, though. Huge difference between 2-2 and 1-3.
 
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People wait for football season, seemingly every day, each and every nanosecond, for eight months, and when the ball is finally kicked off, they have just invested so much into the team, the hopes and dreams of a championship season, that they more or less lose the ability to rationally think. Thus, we have the last 36 hours or so. The sky is falling, oh no. Atlas and Hercules have violently body-slammed the football heavens at our collective feet. Least that’s how some are reacting.

Exactly. I’m not throwing in the towel yet. Still a lot of football to go. Some of our dogs are coming back.
 
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We compete because of Romo.

We got beat like dogs second half of the Falcons game. Barely beat a bad Eagles team who couldn't stop shooting themselves in the foot. We lost to a putrid Saints team. And had the Giants and Eli not had one of the most boneheaded sequence of decision making in NFL history (telling RB not to score, then throwing ball away and stopping clock on 3rd dwn) then we lose that game also.

We are not a good football team.

We are not well coached.

We will win games because this is a parity driven league.

But we are a bad team and this is (another) wasted season.
 
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Every NFL team needs their starting QB to compete.

Cowboys are an inconsistent football team. They can kick your ass on one play, then fall apart on the next. Injuries to key players hasn’t helped either.

Linehan and Marinelli are good coaches. Not perfect but they dealing with inexperienced players being thrusted into games.

I believe the Cowboys would be 4-0 if Romo and Bryant had played. I think the fact that they have competed without their two best players shows that they are a good team. Hopefully things turn around on Sunday.
 
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I think the fact that they have competed without their two best players shows that they are a good team.

Every team in the league "competes" every game.

There isn't a single team that lays down to the opponent. Outside of our 2010 Green Bay game, what recent team has?

Homers who can't point to tangible results instead cite how "hard we fight" in every game. Give me a fucking break.
 
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There is a decent chance that 9-7 will get this team into the playoffs. If Romo and company are reasonably healthy and have some momentum going into the playoffs, they certainly could make some noise.

(Of course, farting is a noise, so maybe noise shouldn't be the goal.)
 
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Every team in the league "competes" every game.

There isn't a single team that lays down to the opponent. Outside of our 2010 Green Bay game, what recent team has?

Homers who can't point to tangible results instead cite how "hard we fight" in every game. Give me a fucking break.

49ers and Dolphins have looked like they have mailed it in, although i don’t follow those teams so i can’t say for sure, but they have looked like shit. The Cowboys are a depleted team. The key for them is to keep the games close enough so that you have a chance to win at the end. If they have enough of those opportunities, wins are going to come. I’ll take that situation over the 42-0 beating that Atlanta was giving to Houston last week. The Cowboys are not going to be blowing teams out, that’s unrealistic.

Negative people can always find negative things to complain about. I don’t think it’s a special talent. I know because i do it all the time myself. A rational person would understand that there’s a lot of football left to play.
 
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Doomsday

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Negative people can always find negative things to complain about.
Realistic people see this team is just mediocre NFL parity crap with NO depth and that last year was the magic, fluke year. That's not negativity.
A rational person would understand that there’s a lot of football left to play.
Everyone understands that - even the irrational people. It's Captain Obvious shit.

I give 'em 6 or 7 more wins at the outside.
 
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49ers and Dolphins have looked like they have mailed it in,

49'ers had one of the worst offseasons in NFL history with stud players in their prime retiring unexpectedly. Plus they have a new coach. Kaepernick is playing poor as well. They're just not a good team, but they're not mailing it in. If they were, Green Bay would've rolled them.

The two Miami games I watched part of, they played well and competed. But with them they have a dead beat coach and had to travel to London. I don't think they "mailed it in" however.

The whole "we fight in every game" is, as a said, just something homer fans cite when they have nothing else to point to.
 
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What’s amazing about Claiborne’s draft class is three (quarterback Robert Griffin III, running back Trent Richardson and wide receiver Justin Blackmon) of the five players taken before him in 2012 haven’t played a snap this season, and it’s possible none of them will, although Richardson, currently unemployed, worked out with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.

Most of that first round was shit.

Fuggin Eagles got the best player in that round, FFS.
 

cmd34

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Because other players suck does not let us off the hook for that horrible decision.

We'd be a MUCH better team with Michael Brockers and Bobby Wagner.
 

Doomsday

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Homer Sullivan said:
Some Think Sky is Falling,
Only morons think 12-4 last year after three 8-8 outings in a row represents "sky."
 
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49'ers had one of the worst offseasons in NFL history with stud players in their prime retiring unexpectedly. Plus they have a new coach. Kaepernick is playing poor as well. They're just not a good team, but they're not mailing it in. If they were, Green Bay would've rolled them.

The two Miami games I watched part of, they played well and competed. But with them they have a dead beat coach and had to travel to London. I don't think they "mailed it in" however.

Not surprising you have no problems providing excuses for these teams, yet allow none for a depleted Cowboys team. Niners and Dolphins have a combined -98 net points vs Cowboys -6. Yet you believe those two teams have been competitive.

The whole "we fight in every game" is, as a said, just something homer fans cite when they have nothing else to point to.

Being a competitive team is a valid point. Cowboys dominated the Eagles and Giants. Just not on the score board. They dominated the Falcons for the first half before everything went to shit. They went back and forth with the Saints and had a chance to win at the end.

Your logic is very inconsistent. You minimize every Cowboy win, yet maximize every loss. Provide excuses for other teams, yet accept none for the Cowboys. Blame Garrett when things go wrong, credit others when things go right. Claim to have apathy for the team, while wishing a players family could be murdered.

Instead of being a bandwagon fan. Jumping off at the first sign of trouble. Stick with your team, believe in your team.
 

ThoughtExperiment

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Instead of being a bandwagon fan. Jumping off at the first sign of trouble. Stick with your team, believe in your team.

I'm not going all zkill and searching your old posts, but I could swear that prior to last year you were talking about following the Texans more, plus of course the Browns for Manziel...
 
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