Some interesting little stats/points/comments

[jarntt]

Sullivan: Cowboys Changing the Rules We’re Programmed To Believe


Sullivan: Cowboys Changing the Rules We’re Programmed To Believe
Wednesday, November 30, 2016 10:37 AM CST

By Jeff Sullivan

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

• Here’s what is truly absurd: The Cowboys are 10-1 as the calendar turns to December and they haven’t forced a turnover since before Halloween. This doesn’t happen. This team, at least to this point, has been changing all those rules, those commandments, that we’ve been programed to believe. Defense wins championships, turnovers are the difference-maker, rookie quarterbacks – never mind those drafted in the fourth round – need to be development. Heck, the Los Angeles Rams gave the No. 1 overall pick 10 weeks of the regular season before letting him start.
• There’s no way the Rams or the Philadelphia Eagles would say so even if it were the truth, but I wonder if either or both would take Dak Prescott given the chance to re-draft here and now. And if so, what does that say about the draft process?
• The Cowboys have won their last four games by a combined score of 128-83. Without a defensive turnover. That’s mind-boggling. That has to be an NFL first. Washington’s Kurt Cousins threw for 400-plus yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and didn’t take a sack. The previous 15 occasions a quarterback has done that in the NFL they have won the game.
• The defense’s MVP over that stretch is probably J.J. Wilcox, who everyone outside of the coaching staff and front office wanted to cut at the conclusion of the preseason. And truth be told, probably a few of them were on board for an exit as well. The Cowboys are fortunate that Barry Church is playing at Minnesota or Jeff Heath and Kavon Frazier would have been playing a ton of snaps. Wilcox and that duo played a combined 103 snaps against Washington, meaning at least two of them were on the field for 28 snaps. Byron Jones played all 75.
• The last time the Cowboys lost a regular-season road game with either Tony Romo or Prescott starting at quarterback was nearly three years ago, on Dec. 9 at Chicago. That’s a pretty crazy run of 16 straight. Over that same stretch, with Romo or Prescott, the Cowboys are 10-7 at home during the regular season. Obviously every team wants home-field advantage, and I’m not saying otherwise, just think that with this group, for whatever reason, it’s not as big of deal as, say, Seattle or New England, who both rarely lose at home.
• The greatest single-season turnaround in terms of wins in NFL history are the 2008 Miami Dolphins and 1999 Indianapolis Colts, both of whom won 10 more games than the year before. However, if we’re talking success, the honor probably falls to the 2000 St. Louis Rams, who only improved nine games, from 4-12 to 13-3, but behind Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk, won the Super Bowl. Certainly, with the mini-bye week coming up and the Cowboys expected to be favored in each remaining game, no reason Dallas can’t match that record and finish 14-2.
• Really amazing how much freedom offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and head coach Jason Garrett are giving Prescott at the line of scrimmage. Think he called seven audibles against Washington, which is about average for a veteran quarterback. Also like that he’s running a bit more, posting a career-high 39 yards and his fifth scoring dash in the win over the Redskins, which ties Don Meredith for the most in a season by a Dallas quarterback. Prescott doesn’t run as much as a lot of folks think, though. There have been five games this season when he ran for six or fewer yards.
• This is way, way, way off in another galaxy, but it will be interesting to see how the offense is tweaked, altered in the offseason, to make it more Prescott-friendly. Remember, this is an offense that has been schemed and structured for Romo. It’s not like Linehan and Garrett changed the offensive foundation in the fourth week of the preseason, especially since everyone in the world figured Romo would be returning under center.
• Real quickly, Prescott’s numbers in November: 87-of-119 (73.1 percent), 1,137 yards of total offense, 10 total touchdowns, zero turnovers, 125.4 passer rating. There are multiple Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks who have never produced a month like that.
• Loved the Linehan quote about Dan Bailey earlier this week, saying he doesn’t even watch the field goals because he figures they are going to be good. Bailey has made an NFL record 91 percent of his career field-goal attempts. There has been real support the last few go-arounds for Morten Anderson to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He made less than 80 percent of his chances. The last four seasons, Bailey is 19-of-23 on kicks of 50 yards or longer. Anderson converted fewer than 50 percent of his career attempts from that distance. And I’m not disagreeing that Anderson belongs in Canton, either.
• The Cowboys are the lone NFL team with a three-digit point differential at plus-103. Further evidence that there’s nothing fluky about this historic start. The Patriots are second at plus-96 and then there’s a huge dropoff to third, the Falcons at plus-56. Stunningly, the Buffalo Bills are fifth at plus-45.
• Definitely need and expected more from defensive end David Irving. Since winning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors against Green Bay, which certainly felt like the breakout performance toward stardom, he has two tackles and two hurries in 149 snaps over six games.
• So far I’ve been wrong about the influence and effect DeMarcus Lawrence would have on this defense. Plenty of time left to change that, though, and even going back to his days at Boise State, he’s always been at his best in the second half of the season. Of his 19 sacks at Boise, 13.5 came in the latter half and seven of his eight last year did. Not to mention his two sacks in the playoffs as a rookie.
• Think we’ll see a lot of rookie cornerback Anthony Brown against the Vikings. Like, I’m not sure he leaves the field. Loved his attitude, his approach about allowing DeSean Jackson to beat him deep on Thanksgiving, saying, “Everyone is going to get beat. … It’s how you bounce back.” Not including kicker Nick Folk, when was the last time a sixth-round pick made this much of an impact as a rookie for the Cowboys? Looking through the media guide, my guess is linebacker Eugene Lockhart in 1984, before that George Andrie in 1962.
• If the Giants beat the Steelers Sunday – they are touchdown underdogs on the road – and the Cowboys lose at Minnesota, they would be leading the division with a series sweep of Dallas next Sunday. Not saying that’s going to happen, think the Cowboys win both those games. Just that no one seems overly concerned with Eli Manning and company just two games behind.
• Give me the Cowboys, 22-17, in what should be another ugly Thursday night game. The league really needs to eliminate these. The ratings are way down and the quality of play is too. Thanksgiving is fine, even the three games when everyone’s adrenalin is beyond the clouds. It works once a year. Otherwise, let’s end this. Will make the NFL a better league and at the end of the day, that should be the objective.

 

[UK Cowboy]

This is a special team. Whether they are ready to be Champions this year, or they are a year or two away, who knows, but Dak and Zeke will bring Jerry that elusive 4th ring(6 total) at some point, I'd bet the farm on it

 

[jarntt]

This is a special team. Whether they are ready to be Champions this year, or they are a year or two away, who knows, but Dak and Zeke will bring Jerry that elusive 4th ring(6 total) at some point, I'd bet the farm on it

It's just so hard to win a championship that I can't ever feel it WILL happen, but this team certainly looks to be heading in that direction

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

As long as Bama doesn't show up, I think we have a chance.

 

[DALLAScornhusker]

Gotta get it this year. I hate talking about 'the window'. We have a great team, good enough to get to the SB. Let's hope for luck being on our side. As much as I want to believe we will be a constant postseason presence in years to come, there is no guarantee. Good young talent will get more expensive each year. Its hard to keep the same team together long. Win Now. Go Cowboys!

 

[UK Cowboy]

Gotta get it this year. I hate talking about 'the window'. We have a great team, good enough to get to the SB. Let's hope for luck being on our side. As much as I want to believe we will be a constant postseason presence in years to come, there is no guarantee. Good young talent will get more expensive each year. Its hard to keep the same team together long. Win Now. Go Cowboys!

It's critical we finish with homefield. I'd put us even money if that's the case. Seattle looked good last night, playing them at our place might make all the difference

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves but .....

We could find ourselves with a meaningless game at the end of the season.

Would you put in Romo to make sure he's dialed in for the playoff's in case he is needed or is that too
much of a risk as well and you put in Moore instead? ( I assume his foot is not broken any more.)

And for the record, I'm not considering what is probably going to happen and that is Dak will play till there is 4 minutes left in the last game of the season ..meaningless or not.




.

 

[DALLAScornhusker]

If that case presents itself, and we are steamrolling a team in the 4th, I put in whomever is the third string QB. If Romo feels like he wants some work, I let him play a handful of snaps too. Mind you, at that point there is no checking out of the run. Plan may go out the window if we clinch top seed with a game to play. That game, I might feel compelled to let Romo take a quarter and hope he makes it through unscathed. After halftime, key pieces of the entire starting O and D are off the field and only come back on as an injury replacement.

 

[jarntt]

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves but .....

We could find ourselves with a meaningless game at the end of the season.

Would you put in Romo to make sure he's dialed in for the playoff's in case he is needed or is that too
much of a risk as well and you put in Moore instead? ( I assume his foot is not broken any more.)

And for the record, I'm not considering what is probably going to happen and that is Dak will play till there is 4 minutes left in the last game of the season ..meaningless or not.
.

Absolutely. It would be asinine to not get Romo some snaps unless we don't think he is the second best QB on this team. Whomever will come in if Dak gets hurt in the playoffs needs to play a little if the situation presents itself. I guarantee you that Romo is chomping at the bit to get on the field, whenever and however...and selfishly, don't we all want to see him play again even if in the first half of a game that winning doesn't really matter? Of cuorse it is against Philly and that hasn't gone so well for Romo lately...but he needs snaps if he is going to play when it matters

 

[UK Cowboy]

Absolutely. It would be asinine to not get Romo some snaps unless we don't think he is the second best QB on this team. Whomever will come in if Dak gets hurt in the playoffs needs to play a little if the situation presents itself. I guarantee you that Romo is chomping at the bit to get on the field, whenever and however...and selfishly, don't we all want to see him play again even if in the first half of a game that winning doesn't really matter? Of cuorse it is against Philly and that hasn't gone so well for Romo lately...but he needs snaps if he is going to play when it matters

I agree 100%. Once home field is wrapped up, the Cowboys need to get Romo some playing time. There is the possibility that Dak gets hurt in the playoffs, and there is also the possibility that we play someone in the playoffs with an explosive passing game, we end up behind by a lot at halftime, and you might want to put Romo in. It's very very possible that neither of those scenarios play out and Romo never sees the field in the postseason, but why not have him ready? Not to mention, if he lights it up in a meaningless game, it might add a round or two to the pick the Cowboys get for him this offseason. There's just not a lot of downside

 

[jarntt]

Yes, could help his trade value for a team to see him looking like "The Old Romo" instead of just old Romo...

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

I agree 100%. Once home field is wrapped up, the Cowboys need to get Romo some playing time. There is the possibility that Dak gets hurt in the playoffs, and there is also the possibility that we play someone in the playoffs with an explosive passing game, we end up behind by a lot at halftime, and you might want to put Romo in. It's very very possible that neither of those scenarios play out and Romo never sees the field in the postseason, but why not have him ready? Not to mention, if he lights it up in a meaningless game, it might add a round or two to the pick the Cowboys get for him this offseason. There's just not a lot of downside

Everything I read keeps saying he has his eyes on Denver. I'm not into contracts so I don't know how it works, but if they have him under contract wouldn't they have to cut him in order for him to choose his destination. I know it would be nice to treat him right but if Denver is offering a 4rth round and Houston is offering a 1st or Clowney, Houston would have to be the choice. Maybe they ask him 5 places he would like to go and they see where they get the best deal

 

[UK Cowboy]

Everything I read keeps saying he has his eyes on Denver. I'm not into contracts so I don't know how it works, but if they have him under contract wouldn't they have to cut him in order for him to choose his destination. I know it would be nice to treat him right but if Denver is offering a 4rth round and Houston is offering a 1st or Clowney, Houston would have to be the choice. Maybe they ask him 5 places he would like to go and they see where they get the best deal

I think it is likely that Jerry will make every effort to put Romo in the best situation, but I am also sure that he isn't gonna give Romo away for a 4th rounder if someone is offering a 1st. If that leverage means he gets a late 2nd from Denver instead of a 4th, I think Jerry would take a little loss there, and pass on a 1st from a team Romo doesn't want to play for, but I wouldn't count on Jerry just giving him away either

 

[es4m11]

Everything I read keeps saying he has his eyes on Denver. I'm not into contracts so I don't know how it works, but if they have him under contract wouldn't they have to cut him in order for him to choose his destination. I know it would be nice to treat him right but if Denver is offering a 4rth round and Houston is offering a 1st or Clowney, Houston would have to be the choice. Maybe they ask him 5 places he would like to go and they see where they get the best deal

Whether a trade or an outright release, Dallas is going to accumulate $19,600,000 in dead money going against the 2017 cap from Romo moving on. With that in mind, I imagine Dallas is going to make every attempt to land Romo in a good home, but will maximize whatever return it can get for Tony Romo.

If a team believes Romo is healthy and can still play for a little while, he has manageable base salaries for a QB of his caliber (if healthy) the next 3 seasons. So the contract itself shouldn't be an obstacle to trading him. Some teams may consider the contract an asset if they believe Tony is healthy.

If two seasons of a reasonably priced Sam Bradford was worth a 1st and a 4th, then three seasons of a reasonably priced Romo should fetch something decent. Both QBs carry considerable injury risk. I think it's possible Dallas could land a conditional 1st round pick for Romo.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Absolutely. It would be asinine to not get Romo some snaps unless we don't think he is the second best QB on this team. Whomever will come in if Dak gets hurt in the playoffs needs to play a little if the situation presents itself. I guarantee you that Romo is chomping at the bit to get on the field, whenever and however...and selfishly, don't we all want to see him play again even if in the first half of a game that winning doesn't really matter? Of cuorse it is against Philly and that hasn't gone so well for Romo lately...but he needs snaps if he is going to play when it matters

...yea no question Romo is chomping at the bit.

I do see that as the best option. I sure as hell would like to see him start a game.



.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Dallas is going to accumulate $19,600,000 in dead money going against the 2017 cap from Romo moving on

Wow, that is a monster number.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

...yea no question Romo is chomping at the bit.

I do see that as the best option. I sure as hell would like to see him start a game.



.

What if he were to go out there and dominate even with the second teamers

 

[fordman84]

Whether a trade or an outright release, Dallas is going to accumulate $19,600,000 in dead money going against the 2017 cap from Romo moving on. With that in mind, I imagine Dallas is going to make every attempt to land Romo in a good home, but will maximize whatever return it can get for Tony Romo.

If a team believes Romo is healthy and can still play for a little while, he has manageable base salaries for a QB of his caliber (if healthy) the next 3 seasons. So the contract itself shouldn't be an obstacle to trading him. Some teams may consider the contract an asset if they believe Tony is healthy.

If two seasons of a reasonably priced Sam Bradford was worth a 1st and a 4th, then three seasons of a reasonably priced Romo should fetch something decent. Both QBs carry considerable injury risk. I think it's possible Dallas could land a conditional 1st round pick for Romo.

I sure hope we take that hit next year, better than spreading $10M over two years. Take the hit next year, draft defense heavy, then in the offseason after 2017 go shopping for the best impact DL on the market. The offense will still be here, we will have the Romo cap hell over, we will hopefully have a full season of Jaylon plus whomever we draft after this year, and will know what we need to address in FA. I have no problems going and getting the next "Deion" that could make this team a legit SB threat.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

What if he were to go out there and dominate even with the second teamers

You start Dak and sleep like a baby knowing you have a great insurance policy.


.

 

[es4m11]

I sure hope we take that hit next year, better than spreading $10M over two years. Take the hit next year, draft defense heavy, then in the offseason after 2017 go shopping for the best impact DL on the market. The offense will still be here, we will have the Romo cap hell over, we will hopefully have a full season of Jaylon plus whomever we draft after this year, and will know what we need to address in FA. I have no problems going and getting the next "Deion" that could make this team a legit SB threat.

Well yeah, Dallas could post-June 1 cut Romo and split the cap hit between 2017 and '18.. I don't know that the same rules apply for trades. I would have to look it up.

I think they trade him, just to recoup some value for their money. I like the idea of just taking all the medicine at once and getting it over with, while we still have a lot of young cheap talent to absorb the hit - and if we can land a high draft pick for our troubles, then even better.