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Wow, not much activity here. I'm cautiously optimistic about this season, I think we're finally starting to see JG's "process" take over fully, and I'm excited about where we're heading. Offensive and defensive lines are probably our two biggest questions, but we have talent in both areas. If Leary can stay healthy, I think Tron - Leary - Fredbeard - Mack - Free looks awfully good compared to what we've been trotting out there lately. With Leary's emergence and a return to form for Free, we've upgraded three positions along the line. If Tron continues to make improvements, as you'd expect him to do, that's four spots improved over last year. Bernadeau is a wild card, but he's not quite the dumpster fire some think he is. Parnell, Arkin and Costa are solid backups and all of them could start and at least not get embarrassed in a pinch.
On the D-Line, Ratliff to the PUP hurts a bit. Ware, Spencer and Hatcher are going to be dominant, I have no question there. If Hayden can continue building on his preseason, he ought to be more than adequate until Rat returns, hopefully displaying at least some of the ability we know he has when healthy. Selvie is gonna be a fantastic rotation guy and Bass will be solid as well. Maybe not the ideal group, but IMO not as big a problem as you'd think initially.
The offense is going to be outstanding as long as the line performs adequately well and we can get some degree of consistency with the running game. Contrary to the popular wisdom, I don't think we have to have a dominant run game to win. We just need a functional one, enough that opponents have to respect it. Our stable of backs ought to be able to do that, even if Murray misses time again. Receiver is a huge position of strength and I think Dez is gonna be nearly unstoppable this year. If Miles can be Miles again, look out. And of course Witten's gonna be consistently great. I'm not so sure about Escobar, but I'm hoping he can flash the ability that had the staff excited to draft him. If nothing else, he's another great red zone target. We all know about our problems there in years past, so that'll definitely help.
Defensively, I think we're gonna surprise some people. Our LB corps looks like it may be the strongest unit on the entire team, and Lee/Carter are gonna be a monster duo. I'm also not worried about our secondary, which feels great to say after all those years of terrible pass defense. I was hoping we'd keep Sterling Moore, but we're still more than solid there. Interesting to see if we do go into the season with four CBs though. Good to see Pellerin get to the PS. Of course Kiffin/Marinelli and the scheme change alone ought to be a big boost, even without the improving roster. And special teams ought to (hopefully) be much improved with the addition of several ST studs the last two days. Chiefs and Giants both seemed disappointed to lose their guys, so that's a good sign for us. Jones and Boz sound like they could serve as emergency backups at DE/LB respectively as well, so that's nice.
I try not to drink the Kool-Aid too much, but I haven't been this hopeful in a while. Can't wait for next Sunday!
You have to be cautious with this team. They can turn out a performance that wows you in both a positive and negative way in two straight weeks. It all starts up front. I think the safety play will be better. I think the LB play with Carter and Lee will be better. They need to stay healthy though. Same with offense. We have the receivers and tight ends. The backs still need to prove themselves. But it all starts with the oline and dline. The depth concerns me. I see we signed Water. I usually do not like stop gaps but I did not want to go into the season with Arkin. Hopefully Leary plays.
This week's result: Cowboys BEAT the Giants: 36-31
2013 Regular Season Record: (1-0)
The Gnats' hold on Cowboys Stadium comes to an end. Anyone watching this game knows that the 'Boys should have won by MUCH more than this. That New York luck is coming to an end... GO COWBOYS!
Cowboys got 2 defensive TDs and 10 pts. on possessions when they got the ball in the red zone. That's 23 pts. gift wrapped. Throw in the defense holding the Giants to a field goal when they got the ball at the 2 yard line.
This game says very little about the Cowboys at this point.
Cowboys got 2 defensive TDs and 10 pts. on possessions when they got the ball in the red zone. That's 23 pts. gift wrapped. Throw in the defense holding the Giants to a field goal when they got the ball at the 2 yard line.
This game says very little about the Cowboys at this point.
Last year, they would have LOST a game like this... Just sayin'.
Last year, they would have LOST a game like this... Just sayin'.
That's what I'm thinking as well. Yeah, the Giants gave them some gifts but the Cowboys seemed to be playing with a little more intensity last night. I hope that continues. The defense looked good overall IMO.
The Cowboys have gift wrapped a few games for the Giants at home over the past years so I will make no apologies for this win! Besides, its not like the Giants were handing the Cowboys defense the ball, they had to go get it and they did. Kudos to the Cowboys defense for making plays all night long.
With that said, I wont make too much of a week 1 win over the Giants. Heck, they beat the Giants last season in week 1 in NY no less and still finished 8-8. Looking at the upcoming schedule, if this team is for real, they should 4-0 before entering October... otherwise, it might be another 8-8 season!
Cowboys got 2 defensive TDs and 10 pts. on possessions when they got the ball in the red zone. That's 23 pts. gift wrapped. Throw in the defense holding the Giants to a field goal when they got the ball at the 2 yard line.
This game says very little about the Cowboys at this point.
You did say the defense held the Giants to a FG when they got the ball on the 2 yard line.
You did say they got 2 Defensive Touchdowns..
Sounds like your saying the Cowboys defense was pretty good against the Giants.. that's what it sounds like anyway..
Perhaps, but it says even less about the Giants.
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Week 1
