Run/pass split

[Earl Stevens]

In an offense-driven league, we have one of the worst redzone offenses in the league. That is not good, but I expect us to get better offensively. The thing is though, when the offense does eventually play well, you know the defense will start playing like complete shit or get killed with injuries. Same shit, different season. I've seriously just about given up. No, not giving up on being a fan, but giving up on stressing myself out over this team. The KC game really hurt which is why it's been hard for me to post much. In the grand scheme of things, the loss really doesn't hurt the team because it's early in the season. It just hurts me deeply because that loss was a microcosm of all the bullshit I've seen in the Romo era:

Defense sets the tone by giving up points on the opponent's first drive of the game? Check.

Abandon the run when there is absolutely no need to? Check.

Redzone offense is complete shit? Check.

Failure to complete potential turnovers when the opportunity is there (Bruce Carter dropped a potential pick-six)? Check.

Be in full control over a game yet are barely winning only to eventually make critical mistakes to lose the lead? Check.

Romo makes critical mistakes, or misses on throws that a franchise quarterback is supposed to make? Check.

One of our WRs makes a critical drop? Check.

Seeing a positive play like Dunbar's turn to bad after picking up a first down? Check.

Lose the turnover battle while not forcing a single turnover? Check.

Committing penalties at the worst fucking time? Check.

Haven't we all seen this movie like 50 fucking times?

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

I totally understand your disappointment in the team Earl, but I think if you watch all games of even the winning teams , those errors happen too. Most of the errors you mentioned anyway. Its not like the Packers, NE, SF, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, Denver are free from all of those things. The defense gave up a 1st drive for 7 points. What kind of tone did it set? Our offense came right back and scored 3 and eventually took the lead. All of those teams had some sort of turnover Sunday except for the Packers maybe. Its not like our turnovers were a stupid throw by our QB. They both occured on players trying to make a play. All QBs make a throw or decision they would like to take back each game I would imagine. Every defense has a ball they may have should have picked during a game in which they dropped. The bottom line is mistakes are going to happen. Now the teams mentioned may make less of these than our team because maybe we just are not as good as they are.

 

[Earl Stevens]

I totally understand your disappointment in the team Earl, but I think if you watch all games of even the winning teams , those errors happen too. Most of the errors you mentioned anyway. Its not like the Packers, NE, SF, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, Denver are free from all of those things. The defense gave up a 1st drive for 7 points. What kind of tone did it set? Our offense came right back and scored 3 and eventually took the lead. All of those teams had some sort of turnover Sunday except for the Packers maybe. Its not like our turnovers were a stupid throw by our QB. They both occured on players trying to make a play. All QBs make a throw or decision they would like to take back each game I would imagine. Every defense has a ball they may have should have picked during a game in which they dropped. The bottom line is mistakes are going to happen. Now the teams mentioned may make less of these than our team because maybe we just are not as good as they are.

Please don't compare the Cowboys to teams who have won their divisions recently or won playoff games. Just please don't. Every team makes errors. I already know this. But the Cowboys do it at a ridiculous rate and often have cost themselves wins because of it. They also don't make enough plays to win games. They only seemingly make plays to lose them. You don't win as many games as those teams you mentioned do if you constantly beat yourself and never make big plays when it's needed like the Cowboys. All you get is a .500 product. That's what the Cowboys have been the last two seasons and that's what they are to start this season, a .500 product.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

I didnt compare them- I said we werent as good as they are. I guess you could call that a comparison. But I think you take those 6 or 7 teams and look for common denominators that make them so successful. From all the mistakes you listed, the only thing I see as a big difference is red zone offense. The rest of that stuff is like that for all of them. Until we get a running game, we will be a bad red zone team.

 

[Clayton]

I don't know why they think Play Action will work when we never run the ball anyway. If Play Action is going to be effective the defense has to at least think will might be running.

We've literally had the same discussion over on the Rams board about our team. We're running play action all of the time as if the other team will be scared of Daryl Richardson without ever actually running the ball enough to prove that they should be scared.

Both games we've been involved in have been pass happy on both sides. Honestly...I don't expect Rams/Cowboys to be any different

 

[jarntt]

In an offense-driven league, we have one of the worst redzone offenses in the league. That is not good, but I expect us to get better offensively. The thing is though, when the offense does eventually play well, you know the defense will start playing like complete shit or get killed with injuries. Same shit, different season. I've seriously just about given up. No, not giving up on being a fan, but giving up on stressing myself out over this team. The KC game really hurt which is why it's been hard for me to post much. In the grand scheme of things, the loss really doesn't hurt the team because it's early in the season. It just hurts me deeply because that loss was a microcosm of all the bullshit I've seen in the Romo era:

Defense sets the tone by giving up points on the opponent's first drive of the game? Check.

Abandon the run when there is absolutely no need to? Check.

Redzone offense is complete shit? Check.

Failure to complete potential turnovers when the opportunity is there (Bruce Carter dropped a potential pick-six)? Check.

Be in full control over a game yet are barely winning only to eventually make critical mistakes to lose the lead? Check.

Romo makes critical mistakes, or misses on throws that a franchise quarterback is supposed to make? Check.

One of our WRs makes a critical drop? Check.

Seeing a positive play like Dunbar's turn to bad after picking up a first down? Check.

Lose the turnover battle while not forcing a single turnover? Check.

Committing penalties at the worst fucking time? Check.

Haven't we all seen this movie like 50 fucking times?

I think you nailed a lot do the issues Earl, but here's the deal. We aren't a great team. We are an average to slightly above average team right now with the potential to be good. So that is pretty much how it's going to be many days. If we get better throughout the season maybe we see less and less of those things. There is no doubt Romo needs to play better and especially at the end of games. Obviously the OL and play callers need to get the running game going too, but I hope with our OL now together, Dunbar back and a clear message that abandoning the run is bad (who would have thought life long Football guys would need to learn this) the running game gets better starting this week. Defense? I think we will be good, but not great. Secondary still seems to need another player. Line has been good and should get better with health. LBs are as solid as can be hoped for.

 

[Manster7588]

I think you nailed a lot do the issues Earl, but here's the deal. We aren't a great team. We are an average to slightly above average team right now with the potential to be good. So that is pretty much how it's going to be many days. If we get better throughout the season maybe we see less and less of those things. There is no doubt Romo needs to play better and especially at the end of games. Obviously the OL and play callers need to get the running game going too, but I hope with our OL now together, Dunbar back and a clear message that abandoning the run is bad (who would have thought life long Football guys would need to learn this) the running game gets better starting this week. Defense? I think we will be good, but not great. Secondary still seems to need another player. Line has been good and should get better with health. LBs are as solid as can be hoped for.

Agree we are an average to slightly above average, but I believe we are not far from a real SB contending team. We need the OL tp play better in both the passing and running game. Even if they play just a lilttle better we will improve our RZ offense.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

I dont get the Romo playing better thing . He was off the last three passes of the game which were all 3 yard outs. I know Im his number 1 apologist but really , he made a bad decision on the screen to Williams it seems. He made a a few bad throws. If you throw it 42 times you are bound to be off a couple. Anyone see Brady last week? How many wide open WRs did he miss.? Go ahead with the excuses for him. Wilson was 8 for 19 the other night for Seattle. 5/16 on 3rd downs. Romo cant do it all, nor can the so called elite. This may ruffle some feathers because he is a lot of peoples favorite , but this Urlacher , Briggs combo at LB for us - Im seeing a lot of Briggs but not much Urlacher. Where did he dissappear too in the second half the other day, not to mention the first drive of the game or the TD pass to Bowe.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

Ouch that probably stung a little

 

[jarntt]

I'm confused because I would think Urlacher would be Lee in your scenario. But, Carter was the one that I thought gave up the TD. Anyway...a LB covering Bowe is asking a lot. Imagine if Dez had a LB on him?

I read that Carter is one of the lowest ranked OLBs in the entire league on PFF. I just don't see that.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

All I know is Alex Smith tore the defense up the first drive with his legs. Actually converting a 3rd and 14 on one of them. The pass to Bowe happened in the middle of the field . Carter and Lee play basically every snap. Im not even sure Lee made a tackle in the second half the other day. I havent heard his name called very much at all in either game.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

The thing is we as fans should be careful what we wish for. All I have heard for the past 5 yrs is gunslinger, bone headed mentality out of our QB. Now he is taking better care of the ball, not taking high risks and he is getting blamed for throwing short and taking what the defense gives him. IMO, we arent good enough for him to be that way. We need him taking risks and making big plays. This is not a 12 play drive team that scores TDs. We are too error prone for that. He needs to find a happy medium between the two.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

And this week, he will be told to stick with run 25 times or more- with Dez in one on one coverage. Fans are upset because we arent running enough. Is it possible that the opponents defense is dictating that. I mean 8 in the box pretty much guarantees Dez is singled up. I like our WRs in single coverage over our our line blocking an extra guy or 2 in the run game

 

[Manster7588]

And this week, he will be told to stick with run 25 times or more- with Dez in one on one coverage. Fans are upset because we arent running enough. Is it possible that the opponents defense is dictating that. I mean 8 in the box pretty much guarantees Dez is singled up. I like our WRs in single coverage over our our line blocking an extra guy or 2 in the run game

I'm not sure how they can have 8 in the box when they are double, sometimes triple teaming DEZ. Besides team stick 8 in the box when they are being slashed by the running game. Now tell me why a DC would call for 8 in the box vs. Dallas? It makes ZERO sense to even mention 8 in the box.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

The Chiefs singled up Dez basically all day with a single high safety in the middle of the field. From watching our running game- I was really hoping they had 8 in the box if not more.

 

[Manster7588]

The Chiefs singled up Dez basically all day with a single high safety in the middle of the field. From watching our running game- I was really hoping they had 8 in the box if not more.

Granted I didn't get to see the 1st 3 qtrs, but they had a CB on him, a S rolled over deep, and a LB step in between him and romo for much of the 4th qtr. As I said I didn't get the see the early part of the game so maybe the did try to play Dez honest in the 1st qtr, but it seems to me that after dez put 100 yards and a TD early something changed.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

They have an excellent safety in Berry who pretty much put Witten on lock down. Flowers is actually a really good CB. Smith there other CB is better than average. Robinson didnt even play. They probably just had 7 in the box to stop the run. Barring injuries, the Chiefs should have a top 5 defense. I just hope they show up tomorrow night.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

Truthfully I got a little ticked and shouldnt have called out Lee because he is an outstanding player. He will probably have 15 tackles this weekend.

 

[Earl Stevens]

The thing is we as fans should be careful what we wish for. All I have heard for the past 5 yrs is gunslinger, bone headed mentality out of our QB. Now he is taking better care of the ball, not taking high risks and he is getting blamed for throwing short and taking what the defense gives him. IMO, we arent good enough for him to be that way. We need him taking risks and making big plays. This is not a 12 play drive team that scores TDs. We are too error prone for that. He needs to find a happy medium between the two.

Romo is lucky not to have 5 interceptions already. Romo has just not been sharp at all this football season, and I'm talking about preseason too. Maybe it's the injury he had, but one thing is for certain, Romo is missing on passes that he normally doesn't miss on.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

what is he 66 of 91 about 73 percent. damn.