DMN Gosselin: Win or lose tomorrow, Cowboys will be popular pick in 2015

[dbair1967]

Not usually a fan of anything Gosselin writes (other than when he did the draft stuff) but this is pretty good. Provides some solid details (unusual for him)

Gosselin: Why win or lose vs. Lions, Cowboys will be popular Super Bowl pick in 2015

Rick Gosselin Follow @RickGosselinDMN rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Published: 02 January 2015 05:53 PM
Updated: 02 January 2015 11:19 PM

The last time the Cowboys felt this strongly about their grasp on a potential Lombardi Trophy was 2007.

Those Cowboys shared the best record in the NFC at 13-3. These Cowboys share the best record in the NFC at 12-4. Those Cowboys were the top seed. These Cowboys played down to the final day of the season for a top seed before conceding them to Seattle and Green Bay on a tiebreaker.

But those Cowboys had a past and present. These Cowboys have a present and future.

So win or lose Sunday in the NFC semifinals against Detroit, better days are ahead for these Cowboys.

The 2007 Cowboys were an older team. The average age of the starting lineup was 27.4 years. There were seven players in the lineup 29 or older, including three in their 30s. All three of those 30-year-olds — Terrell Owens (34), Flozell Adams (32) and Greg Ellis (32) — went to the Pro Bowl that season.

A strength of that team was the offensive line, where Adams, guard Leonard Davis and center Andre Gurode were all Pro Bowlers. But right tackle Marc Colombo was the youngster of that group at 28. The average age of the blocking front was 29.4 years.

Even though the 2007 Cowboys lost at home to the New York Giants in the NFC semifinals, owner Jerry Jones trusted his general manager’s decision to play out his hand with veteran players.

So the Cowboys grew older in 2008 and still older in 2009. The Cowboys fielded the fourth-oldest starting lineup in the NFL in 2008 and the second-oldest in 2009.

The Cowboys were jogging toward a crash, and it occurred in 2010. The 2008 and ’09 drafts were disasters, and a 1-7 start cost Wade Phillips his job as head coach. That left interim coach Jason Garrett with an old, underachieving team on his hands. The average age of that lineup was 28.1.

Now flash forward four years. The average age of this lineup is 26.2 — the second youngest in the NFL. Garrett started pruning age from his roster in 2011, letting go of his aging blockers, and the Cowboys started drafting well. Nine players selected from 2011-14 are now starting for the NFC East champions.

The offensive line is once again the strength of this team, where the Cowboys have three Pro Bowlers. But tackle Tyron Smith, guard Zack Martin and center Travis Frederick are all 25 or younger. The average age of this blocking front is only 25.2.

The only age the Cowboys have on this team is at quarterback and tight end — and the Cowboys believe they have the heir apparent to the 32-year-old Jason Witten in place in Gavin Escobar.

Not so the quarterback, though. Tony Romo is 34 and the Cowboys need him to take the snaps for at least three more years for this team to reach its maximum potential.

The one area the 2007 Cowboys were decidedly better was on defense. Those Cowboys finished in the top 10 that season and had a terrific pass rush with 46 sacks.

This team is lacking on defense and, in particular, the pass rush. The 2014 defense finished 19th in the NFL and managed only 28 sacks, fifth fewest in the league.

But the Cowboys have seven chances to make this unit better in 2015 — their seven draft picks in April. The Cowboys also will be looking for an impact from two recent second-rounders who were essentially nonfactors this season because of injuries, pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and linebacker Sean Lee.

Win or lose Sunday, the Cowboys will be a popular choice for the Super Bowl in 2015. This is a good football team that is young enough to get better — much better.

Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges.

 

[Doomsday]

The last time the Cowboys felt this strongly about their grasp on a potential Lombardi Trophy was 2007.

And they promptly shit the bed. So what.

 

[dbair1967]

And they promptly shit the bed. So what.

They lost the game, but that yr they went into the playoffs with their two best (and most important) offensive players hurt (Romo and TO)

That isn't the case this time around.

 

[Doomsday]

They lost the game, but that yr they went into the playoffs with their two best (and most important) offensive players hurt (Romo and TO)

They had the bye week and homefield advantage throughout.

 

[dbair1967]

They had the bye week and homefield advantage throughout.

Yeah, and Romo had an injured throwing hand and TO had a major high ankle sprain

 

[Doomsday]

Yeah, and Romo had an injured throwing hand and TO had a major high ankle sprain

We're talking 2007 right? When they went 13-3 and had a whole bye week to heal up. Then shit the bed, one and done.

 

[dbair1967]

We're talking 2007 right? When they went 13-3 and had a whole bye week to heal up. Then shit the bed, one and done.

dude....seriously man

Owens played at what looked like 2/3 speed at best...they ran the ball what seemed like 30 times in the first half alone because Romo wasn't able to throw the way he had all yr. They both had significant injuries and both guys had ripped the Giants apart in both previous games that yr. They were shells of themselves in that game.

 

[Doomsday]

dude....seriously man

You're telling me they were hurt after the starters were rested in the week 17 loss to Washington, then had a bye week.

C'mon now. They just got cold and shit the bed against a hardened Giants team that had kept playing.

 

[dbair1967]

You're telling me they were hurt after the starters were rested in the week 17 loss to Washington, then had a bye week.

C'mon now. They just got cold and shit the bed against a hardened Giants team that had kept playing.

Do you not even remember what happened?

Apparently not.

 

[Doomsday]

There's no mention of anyone playing hurt here, just shitting the bed with stupid penalties and turnovers.

Watch New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys [01/13/2008] - NFL.com

 

[Doomsday]

Do you not even remember what happened?

Yeah I remember the pick in the end zone, and all the stupid penalties, and everyone flat as fuck from having two weeks off.

 

[dbair1967]

That's what I thought

 

[Doomsday]

That's what I thought

Show me a injury report otherwise you're just making homer excuses for a team that just tried to phone one in and shit the bed.

 

[dbair1967]

and since you don't remember...Romo injured his throwing hand (maybe thumb) in the late season loss to Philly. He looked awful that game, then played the next week (Carolina). They won the game but he hardly threw the ball downfield and most of his throws looked awful coming out. In that Carolina game Owens suffered the high ankle sprain and went through the countless of hours of therapy to get himself ready for the playoff game vs NYG. He never looked right on the field. Most severe high ankle sprains are 4 week or more injuries (especially for players like WR's, RB's and CB's) and he came back after missing the week 17 game vs Washington and the bye week.

 

[dbair1967]

Show me a injury report otherwise you're just making homer excuses for a team that just tried to phone one in and shit the bed.

dude, I honestly cant believe you act like you have no idea what I am talking about...your either trolling or don't remember shit about the end of that season...maybe you weren't a fan then or something?

 

[Doomsday]

dude, I honestly cant believe you act like you have no idea what I am talking about...your either trolling or don't remember shit about the end of that season...maybe you weren't a fan then or something?

I don't remember the injuries, I DO remember the whole team looked like warmed over shit vs. the Giants.

 

[dbair1967]

From the Eagles loss write up:

Dallas had its fewest yards of the season (240) and didn't score a touchdown for the first time since November 2004. It was the Cowboys' second straight lousy outing and they came away with a bunch of injuries, starting with the thumb area on Romo's throwing hand.
X-rays showed no break, but a Cowboys medical source told ESPN that Romo sustained a sprained right thumb. Romo had it wrapped and iced during his postgame news conference and insisted, "I'll be fine."

From Carolina game the following week:

In the second half, with Terrell Owens out with a high ankle sprain, Carolina tightened its secondary.

Romo played the entire game vs Carolina but threw the ball mainly short, and most of his throws looked bad. Ditto the season finale cs Washington. Owens DNP vs Washignton.

 

[Doomsday]

So, it was just good ole bad luck.

That was the reason for all the penalties, missed tackles and otherwise poor play. Got'cha.

 

[dbair1967]

So, it was just good ole bad luck.

That was the reason for all the penalties, missed tackles and otherwise poor play. Got'cha.

JFC

 

[Sheik]

Wasn't the 07' Giants game the Patrick Crayton debacle?

Stopping on a fly pattern where he had several steps on the corner?