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Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 16, 2012 14:56:31 GMT -6
Yeah sometime wish there was one really good source but there are literally 9 different sites I look at for free agency and drafting. Now a 10th for contracts. CBSsportline is great for a list of prospects coming out of college. Their ranks aren't the best in the world can be wrong by 30 picks or so but gives you a complete stat break down of yearly accomplishments and scouting comments. I like Walters just to look over several different mock drafts combine them all on a spread sheet and then compare the results of the knuckle heads out there.
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Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 16, 2012 15:21:20 GMT -6
sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2012/01/what-was-the-cowboys-biggest-disappointment-in-2011-you-decide.htmlThe Cowboys didn't make the playoffs -- again -- and now face an off-season of questions. But before we look ahead, let's look back at 2011. This week we pose the question:
What was the Cowboys' biggest disappointment in 2011?
Clarence Hill, Cowboys beat writer: The biggest disappointment was coach Jason Garrett. He was supposed to be detail oriented, prepared, in charge and the leader of men -- the antithesis of the supposed mealy mouth and slouthful Wade Phillips. Well, the Cowboys failed in crucial final game situations starting in the sesason opener and continued throughout much of the season, which is why they blew five fourth-quarter leads. The kicker was the unforgiveable breakdown in game management in the criminal loss to the Cardinals that turned the season.
First, it was the decision not to call a timeout and settling for a 49-yard field-goal attempt at the end of the game. Then, it was the decision to unwittingly ice their kicker. Finally, the Cowboys lost four of their final five games, including a first-half no-show by falling behind 21-0 in the winner-take-all season finale against the Giants. This team worked on getting better every day, but it didn't play inspired football when it mattered most. In the end, what we saw in 2010 when the Cowboys went 5-3 under Garrett after he took over for Phillips was rendered obsolete by the 2011 finish, likely putting his job on notice in 2012.
Carlos Mendez, Cowboys beat writer: The zero impact the defense had on games when the games started to matter. They couldn't get a handle on Rex Grossman. Gimpy Kevin Kolb was making plays on them. There was never any doubt Eli Manning was going to move the ball in the Cowboys Stadium game. And in Week 17, when the Cowboys had to keep the Giants to 21, they couldn't. For all the confidence he expressed in his players and how much he sold himself selling, Rob Ryan never got a statement game from his defense.
Charean Williams, Cowboys beat writer: Miles Austin losing the pass in the lights against the Giants. It was the play that cost the Cowboys a playoff berth. Austin ran by cornerback Aaron Ross and was wide open up the seam on a third-and-five play with 2:25 remaining in the Cowboys' loss to the Giants at Cowboys Stadium. But Austin lost Tony Romo's throw in the lights. The Cowboys punted and the Giants scored to come back from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit. Dallas would have buried the Giants with a victory, and things would be very, very different this week. Whether the Cowboys could have done what the Giants have done in reaching the title game is questionable, but at least they would have had a chance. (DeMarco Murray getting hurt would be my No. 2 disappointment. They were a different offense with him than without him.)
David Humphrey, assignment editor: Special teams return game. I can't recall anytime in modern-day franchise history that the Cowboys posed no consistent threat in the return game like this season. Only in brief appearances by Dez Bryant on punt returns and Felix Jones on kickoff returns was there any hope for success. While touchdowns obviously were not expected on each return, at least the threat of the big play should be present. It wasn't. The rankings (20th on kickoff returns and 27th on punt returns) don't accurately reflex how weak the units were for the Cowboys.
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Post by Terd Ferguson on Jan 16, 2012 15:37:20 GMT -6
Yeah sometime wish there was one really good source but there are literally 9 different sites I look at for free agency and drafting. Now a 10th for contracts. CBSsportline is great for a list of prospects coming out of college. Their ranks aren't the best in the world can be wrong by 30 picks or so but gives you a complete stat break down of yearly accomplishments and scouting comments. I like Walters just to look over several different mock drafts combine them all on a spread sheet and then compare the results of the knuckle heads out there. This site obviously sucks, but it is the best compilation of mock drafts I've seen. hailredskins.com/MockDraft.htm |
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Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 16, 2012 15:41:16 GMT -6
That links off of Walters
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Post by Terd Ferguson on Jan 16, 2012 15:49:55 GMT -6
Walters is one of about 50 links on there to mocks.
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Post by matt51180 on Jan 16, 2012 22:11:15 GMT -6
Chase Minnifield, CB Virginia Travis Lewis, OLB Oklahoma FUNNY Jeff Demps RB Florida Brett Roy, DE Nevada STRONG Thor has arrived indeed I really like Demps. Maybe not a world beater, but he's similar to Percy Harvin. |
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Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 16, 2012 22:26:39 GMT -6
He'd give you a great replacement for Felix in 2013.
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Post by Terd Ferguson on Jan 16, 2012 22:53:37 GMT -6
Yeah, Demps has BIG TIME speed....just sick to watch him run away from guys that have the angle.
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Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 17, 2012 0:03:21 GMT -6
I think his draft value will settle around late 3rd which is still a good pickup. I just think of punt and kick returns at first. Then progressing into speciality packages as the season unfolds. What could someone do with a guy with Hester like speed. Would end up being a 1300-1400 total all purpose yards guy pretty quickly.
All the guys I listed are true athletes with freakish qualities in some facet of the game be it speed, motor, strength, leadership, or beast like body.
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Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 17, 2012 10:48:40 GMT -6
espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4689592/fixing-the-cowboys-draft-a-qb-and-find-playmaking-dbsFixing the Cowboys: Draft a QB and find playmaking DBs
by Calvin Watkins
This is the second installment of fixing the Cowboys.
1. One of the main things the Cowboys front office will do when it looks at draft picks is find players who force turnovers in the secondary. The problem with veteran cornerback Terence Newman is that he doesn't make enough plays on the ball. And while he was tied for the team-lead with four interceptions, he didn't have one the last seven weeks of the season and was credited with only one pass breakup the last five weeks of the year.
Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, who battled injuries along with Newman, combined for just two picks. Inside linebacker Sean Lee was tied with Newman for the team lead.
That's fine, but in a pass-happy NFL, the corners and safeties need to not only knock passes down, but pick them off to take some pressure off the offense. It's easy to say the Cowboys need a shutdown corner, everybody in the NFL does, but they're not growing on trees. So the Cowboys have to find secondary players who make plays on the ball. Playmakers.
2. Beef up the offensive line. It doesn't matter if you do it in the draft or free agency, the Cowboys have to get stronger here. The tackles are fine with Doug Free and Tyron Smith, but the interior of the offensive line struggled with health and play.
The Cowboys started three different left guards, Derrick Dockery, Bill Nagy and Montrae Holland, and if they had made the playoffs would have missed Kyle Kosier, who suffered a torn MCL in the last regular-season game.
Center Phil Costa started every game, but Kevin Kowalski earned praise from the coaching staff when he came in for a nicked up Costa. Kosier's age, 33, and health, he also had a foot problem, leads you to believe he might not be with the Cowboys in 2012.
It's time for the Cowboys to get younger at the guard positions and they've done that with Nagy and Kowalski, but drafting another guard in the second or third rounds won't hurt. New offensive line coach Bill Callahan is good with younger players and if that's the case, the Cowboys should improve in this area.
3. If the Cowboys don't re-sign Laurent Robinson, there is trouble at the wide receiver position. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, when healthy, are major threats in the passing game. After that, there is concern.
The Cowboys might not use a first-round pick on a wide receiver, but at some point they need to get another one. Dwayne Harris, Andre Holmes and Raymond Radway are the returning receivers and all need more playing time.
Jesse Holley and Kevin Ogletree have reached their ceiling with the Cowboys and most likely won't return.The Cowboys value receivers coach Jimmy Robinson and his work with young players, much like they did with former receivers coach Ray Sherman. Robinson has done a good job with Holmes, who the Cowboys wanted to promote to the active roster in early December, but a hamstring injury prevented it from happening sooner. Holmes has good speed and gave the defense a good look on the scout team.
But the Cowboys need Robinson. What to pay him is a question that must be answered in March. If the Cowboys don't have Robinson, depth at wide receiver is lacking. One receiver to watch out for is California's (Pa.) Thomas Mayo, who is working out at the East-West Shrine game this week.
4. Draft a quarterback. This is nothing against Tony Romo, but he has two-years left on his contract and Stephen McGee is the backup and doesn't appear ready to become a No. 1 quarterback in this league.
The Cowboys window to win a title with Romo is growing short, so drafting a quarterback in the second round not only raises the competition level at the position, it also sends a message to the rest of the team. Nobody is expendable.
The Cowboys won't have a shot at Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and Brandon Weeden are projected as late first-round to middle second-round selections. The Cowboys do have plenty of holes on the roster, but they've done a poor job in taking care of their depth. Getting a young quarterback with potential adds to the roster.
5. Anthony Spencer might leave the Cowboys this spring with a new contract from a different team. If that's the case, the Cowboys shouldn't get too worried, there are plenty of outside linebackers in the draft and that pool might get bolstered if some underclassmen come out.
But Kyle Wilber (Wake Forest), Brandon Lindsey (Pittsburgh), Andre Branch (Clemson) and Ronnell Lewis (Oklahoma) are some names to look out for. If DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff are going to survive the season without getting worn down, adding to the pass rush only helps.
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Post by Terd Ferguson on Jan 17, 2012 11:41:22 GMT -6
espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4689592/fixing-the-cowboys-draft-a-qb-and-find-playmaking-dbsFixing the Cowboys: Draft a QB and find playmaking DBs
by Calvin Watkins
This is the second installment of fixing the Cowboys.
4. Draft a quarterback. This is nothing against Tony Romo, but he has two-years left on his contract and Stephen McGee is the backup and doesn't appear ready to become a No. 1 quarterback in this league.
The Cowboys window to win a title with Romo is growing short, so drafting a quarterback in the second round not only raises the competition level at the position, it also sends a message to the rest of the team. Nobody is expendable.
The Cowboys won't have a shot at Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and Brandon Weeden are projected as late first-round to middle second-round selections. The Cowboys do have plenty of holes on the roster, but they've done a poor job in taking care of their depth. Getting a young quarterback with potential adds to the roster.
Nobody is expendable huh? This guy gets PAID TO WRITE. That is just embarrassing. |
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Post by matt51180 on Jan 17, 2012 12:27:14 GMT -6
I can't stand him. Veeeeery spare.
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Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 17, 2012 13:26:42 GMT -6
espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4689592/fixing-the-cowboys-draft-a-qb-and-find-playmaking-dbsFixing the Cowboys: Draft a QB and find playmaking DBs
by Calvin Watkins
This is the second installment of fixing the Cowboys.
4. Draft a quarterback. This is nothing against Tony Romo, but he has two-years left on his contract and Stephen McGee is the backup and doesn't appear ready to become a No. 1 quarterback in this league.
The Cowboys window to win a title with Romo is growing short, so drafting a quarterback in the second round not only raises the competition level at the position, it also sends a message to the rest of the team. Nobody is expendable.
The Cowboys won't have a shot at Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and Brandon Weeden are projected as late first-round to middle second-round selections. The Cowboys do have plenty of holes on the roster, but they've done a poor job in taking care of their depth. Getting a young quarterback with potential adds to the roster.
Nobody is expendable huh? This guy gets PAID TO WRITE. That is just embarrassing. It's like he doesn't even understand the correct meaning of that word. |
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Post by Terd Ferguson on Jan 17, 2012 14:15:54 GMT -6
Or he meant EVERYONE is expendable (including himself). Either way, he is an idiot.
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Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 17, 2012 14:20:43 GMT -6
Or he meant EVERYONE is expendable (including himself). Either way, he is an idiot. He's the guy who got into that locker room altercation with Jay Ratliff a few weeks ago, right? |
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