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Teams almost never get to the SB with lousy defenses, which is why I'm enjoying this ride as far as it can go. The defense is also why it's imperative to trade/cut Romo and pour those savings into that side of the ball, on top of a defense-heavy draft. I don't anticipate a $200M NYG spending spree, but the front seven needs heavy reinforcements. was also very unimpressed with Byron Jones in that game, who couldn't cover a banged up Reed to save his life.

Warner Rams did not have a great defense at all. They did force a lot of teams to play error-prone low percentage/high gain football. Andre Carter was the big name sack artist I think and they had a few names on defense who may not have been household but maybe made it to the back porch.

10) Many seem to fret Scott Linehan's future here and maybe he does get another head coaching opportunity (good for him if he does). That said, this offense is so loaded with bigtime young talent that any potential OC would pretty much kill to come here. And while Johnny Walker GM is ignorant, he does have a history of paying top notch assistants top notch $$$. We'll be fine. (On another note, those doing most of the "fretting" were also some of the most vocal AGAINST the Linehan hire in the first place). I think there'd be many candidates but I do wonder if Marvin Lewis and his staff gets whacked in Cinci if Ken Zampese (son of Ernie Zampese) gets major consideration here as OC. Daddy Zampese spent several years here in the 90's and Garrett played for him. Norv might be another, although his comments after he stepped down in Minnesota seemed to indicate to me that if the job wasn't on the west coast he probably wouldn't be interested now.

Yup. Not only was I against Linehan because I had read the usual red flags about his Coryell tendencies: reduced down to "same plays over and over", ineffective red zone, and seemingly illogical playcalling (sideline arguments with Torrie Holt). Also in 2014, didn't seem to do much more than ride the Murray wave and let Romo go. Last year was also not my favorite endorsement of Linehan either.

But what I didnt realize until I saw what he could do this year was that he knows some things and he is not stuck in the Coryell theory. He moves talent around, forces the defense to cover the whole field sideline to sideline until the deep third opens. Linehan has made Beasley into a primary WR just simply because Beasley is open for Dak. Not sure why the Garrett/Romo combo restricted Beasley (check out how many years it took for Dooley to "expand Beasley's route tree") but you want the ball in Beasleys hands because he makes first downs.
 

Bob Sacamano

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Agreed, he still let Norman get in his head when I think he should ignore the trash talk.

However, I understand him getting pissed about having is ankle twisted on purpose after he was down and the refs should have given Norman a PI at least. I think shit like that deserves to be kicked out of the game and maybe another game penalty. You cant have guys jeopardizing players careers with cheap shots

Now there's video surfacing of Norman trying to step on Dez's hand after a reception early in the game, as he's lying down after the catch.

I can see why Dez finally started to snap. Makes his self-control even more praise-worthy. Norman should have gotten his ass beat for physically trying to harm him twice.

And don't forget Norman pushing Dez while he's celebrating the Dak scramble for TD.
 

dbair1967

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From Peter King MMQB:

2. I think, after 12 weeks, my MVP ballot, one through five, would go this way: 1. Ezekiel Elliott; 2, Derek Carr; 3, Russell Wilson; 4, Dak Prescott; 5, Matthew Stafford. Any ordering of the top four right now wouldn’t get much of an argument from me, even after Wilson got pillaged by the marauding Buccaneers. It's about a season, not a Sunday.

3. I think I’m respectful of the Dallas-offensive-line-as-collective-MVP candidate, and it’s not a thoughtless alternative. But tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and guard Zack Martin are deserving all-pro candidates, while the other two starters—guard Ronald Leary and tackle Doug Free—are not. In the same way you honor the best line in football by naming them co-MVPs (or however you’d word it), you’d also dilute the award by including two men who, while good players, are not on the level of their all-pro peers.


4. I think the most amazing inactive of this season happened Sunday in New Orleans: The Rams benched and made inactive the second pick in the 2014 draft, left tackle Greg Robinson. He was awful against the Dolphins last week, and he’s been a prime culprit in the poor season of franchise back Todd Gurley. Stunning stat from Pro Football Focus: Of the 77 tackles who have played enough to earn grades this season, Robinson’s run-blocking grade is dead last.

9. I think this is not a stat anyone who loves the Browns will like reading: Cleveland used three draft choices while passing on Russell Wilson (75th pick overall) in 2012, three draft choices while passing on Derek Carr (36th) in 2014, and eight draft choices while passing on Dak Prescott in 2016. The Browns weren’t alone. The Bears passed on Prescott six times, the Jets four times (while picking the inactive Christian Hackenberg), and the 49ers four times.
 

yimyammer

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eight draft choices while passing on Dak Prescott in 2016. The Browns weren’t alone. The Bears passed on Prescott six times, the Jets four times (while picking the inactive Christian Hackenberg), and the 49ers four times.

THANK GOD!
 

English Cowboy

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Now there's video surfacing of Norman trying to step on Dez's hand after a reception early in the game, as he's lying down after the catch.

I can see why Dez finally started to snap. Makes his self-control even more praise-worthy. Norman should have gotten his ass beat for physically trying to harm him twice.

And don't forget Norman pushing Dez while he's celebrating the Dak scramble for TD.
Norman: Dez never said “Where I come from we unload the clip”

By Josh Alper | Nov 28, 2016, 21:33 GMT+00:00

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and Redskins cornerback Josh Norman went at it on the field during the Thanksgiving meeting between the two teams and then continued their battle during a postgame meeting that might have resembled what happened at a few dinner tables after a few bottles of wine.

The pushing and shoving gave way to sniping from both locker rooms with Bryant saying that Washington should get its money back from Norman and Norman alleging that Bryant said “Where I come from we unload the clip” when the two came together after the final whistle. Monday found both players in a less contentious mood.

Norman confirmed Bryant’s quote twice last Thursday but said on Monday, via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post, that Bryant didn’t actually say that. Per Tesfatsion, Norman intended the phrase as a metaphor for leaving everything out on the field. If true, there’s a lot of less loaded ways to make that point given the obvious allusion to a threat of violence via the use of a gun.

He also said he’s done with the entire situation.

“Nothing,” Norman said. “It really wasn't a situation. It was a game. We lost. They won. That was it.”

Bryant expressed regret on Twitter for how he handled things and did so again on Monday.

“I wish I never did what I did, but that’s OK because it’s over with now,” Bryant said, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m not even focused on that. I’m not even fitting to open up another can. It’s all said and done. I wish I never done it. It happened. It’s over with. … I have nothing against that guy, I’m pretty sure he’s got nothing against me. This thing is much more bigger than me. I’m here to do my job. That’s what I’m going to continue to keep doing. I addressed that and that’s so far behind me right now.”

Unless the two teams meet in the playoffs, Norman and Bryant won’t be on opposite sides of the field again until next season. We’ll have to wait to see if their detente makes it all the way through that matchup.
 
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