what would you do as GM if your NFL team was...

[Gargamel]

I'm not sure what you can do except play with what you have. For all the dislike I store internally regarding Jason Garrett, I was impressed with how he was able to take that banged-up team to a possible wild card spot. But reality involving defense shows a stupidly long list of starting players with season-ending injuries:

NT Jay Ratliff - Groin tear
DE Kenyon Coleman - Torn triceps
ILB Sean Lee - Right Toe
SS Barry Church - Achilles tear
CB Orlando Scandrick - Hand
LB Orie Lemon - Torn hamstring
LB Bruce Carter - elbow
P Chris Jones - Knee

Tough to play hard ball with damn near all your Aces out.

Every team in the league has to deal with injuries.

The NFC East champs (cough)Redskins(cough) also have an absurdly long list of injuries, many season ending, to the first string player list, including a heavily hit defense and non-existent secondary. It is a factor... but no excuse.... especially with the "talent" that the Cowboys supposedly have...

The Cowboys only have one major problem... Jerry Jones.... (Have fun with that)

Maybe, just maybe, Dan Snyder has seen the light and will leave the real work to the GM and coaches... as for the Skins, we will see....

[Lone Sailor]

5 starters out for half the season or more on defense. Almost every defensive player missed 1+ games. The problems were certainly defensive this year but, unfortunately, the stats don't tell any stories about playing half the season with multiple 2nd/3rd/4th string players in key secondary positions.

Are you seriously not even going to address the rushing failure that was the Dallas Cowboys this season? I doubt any of the team supporters around here want "it's only the defensive injuries that caused this crisis" shoved down their throats. Cowboys ranked 31st in rushing this year, but yeah, it's all on the back of the defense for sucking hind tit. Cowboys only ran the ball 271 times between Murray and Jones. Take Washington, for example, Morris had 335 carries alone, plus another 120 from RGIII. Get real, it's not just the defense that needs work on your team.

[mschmoyer]

Large part of rushing is your offensive line...

Basically all around the board the Cowboys are picking brittle flops for players and if they do have some skills not coaching them up right. Keep going and you get to a GM that isn't doing something right to get coaches that take care of business.

[Silverback]

here's my answer

First we hope that we have a healthy defense next year

second we fill some obvious holes we have on both offense and defense
- we need another outside pass rusher to take the heat off of Ware
- we try to pick up 1 or 2 offensive linemen that are seasoned free agents
- we look to draft an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman and a backup QB early, as well as make some other pickups in free agency.

third, I hope that DiCamillis gets another job, so I don't have to keep paying him because the practice facility fell on him, because the special teams has sucked year after year since then.

fourth, I hire a big named OC, to take play calling responsibility away from Garrett.

fifth, I send Garrett to some sort of coaches training camp to learn clock management :P

sixth, get rid of some dead weight on the team, like Free, Livings, McCray, Sensabaugh, and our punter Moore.

[mstng86]

here's my answer

First we hope that we have a healthy defense next year There are always injuries. They need to work on depth at the defensive line positions

second we fill some obvious holes we have on both offense and defense
- we need another outside pass rusher to take the heat off of Ware spencer stepped up. we need better pressure up the middle. Ratliff being healthy can help that.
- we try to pick up 1 or 2 offensive linemen that are seasoned free agents yup, too bad they whiffed on the 2 offensive linemen they got in the last offseason
- we look to draft an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman and a backup QB early, as well as make some other pickups in free agency.totally agree

third, I hope that DiCamillis gets another job, so I don't have to keep paying him because the practice facility fell on him, because the special teams has sucked year after year since then. But but, a building fell on him. I hate his cover teams. Harris saved his ass probably

fourth, I hire a big named OC, to take play calling responsibility away from Garrett. Norv needs to show up.

fifth, I send Garrett to some sort of coaches training camp to learn clock management :PDitka should be the instructor. I would love to catch that on film

sixth, get rid of some dead weight on the team, like Free, Livings, McCray, Sensabaugh, and our punter Moore.I thought Sensabaugh did a descent job this year. The others, meh, cut em.

I would add needing another safety.

[Rick Modena]

Are you seriously not even going to address the rushing failure that was the Dallas Cowboys this season?

Whats to address, our star RB was out most of the season with a foot injury. And when he did come back he wasn't at full speed. We all know that Felix is a solid back up but not a stud like Murray. The O-line, how many AP's or pro bowlers? The defenses on other teams double teamed 88 and Austin has been dropping balls from all that cheddar in his pockets.

[DON SVO]

Are you seriously not even going to address the rushing failure that was the Dallas Cowboys this season? I doubt any of the team supporters around here want "it's only the defensive injuries that caused this crisis" shoved down their throats. Cowboys ranked 31st in rushing this year, but yeah, it's all on the back of the defense for sucking hind tit. Cowboys only ran the ball 271 times between Murray and Jones. Take Washington, for example, Morris had 335 carries alone, plus another 120 from RGIII. Get real, it's not just the defense that needs work on your team.

That's a given on the rushing thing, but since DeMarco Murray was out 6 games (arguably 7 since he tried playing on the hurt foot) and Felix Jones was flat-out rusty, it's more of a personnel issue. To clarify that so it makes sense, Felix was a starter and wanted to continue the starting role... but proceeded to play weak football because he was being lackadaisical in his training. That's a whole other story. But to get on with why I said that the defense was the biggest issue this season, I'll give you a few stats first:

2011:
23rd in Passing Yards
7th in Rushing Yards
17th in Interceptions
14th in Sacks
21.7 Points per game allowed

2012:
19th in Passing Yards
22nd in Rushing Yards
31st in Interceptions
20th in Sacks
25.0 Points per game allowed

The only thing we were able to do marginally better on this year was stopping the pass game... but at what cost? We finished the 2011 season with (arguably) a shittier secondary and 2 less bad ass linemen. The defense that we all complained about last year averaged 3.3 PPG better as well.

I'll offer this as a statistical hypothesis: these 2 games, simply on stats, we would have won based upon last year's PPG allowed. Our 2012 record would have been 10-6, and we would have been in the playoffs...

Baltimore Ravens
@ Baltimore Ravens
Sun, 10/14 at 12:00 PM CDT
Away:
M&T Bank Stadium
Loss: 31 - 29

New Orleans Saints
Sun, 12/23 at 12:00 PM CST
Home:
Cowboys Stadium
Loss: 34 - 31

These next 3 games were a touchdown away from being in our win category. They are notable because of the gross amount of passing yardage put on our defense in both losses:

New York Giants
Sun, 10/28 at 3:25 PM CDT
Home:
Cowboys Stadium
Loss: 29 - 24


@ Atlanta Falcons
Sun, 11/04 at 7:20 PM CST
Away:
Georgia Dome
Loss: 19 - 13

This one sucked because the Skins just killed us in the air. Romo threw for a Cowboy Thanksgiving Day record 441 yards with 3 touchdowns. Unfortunately, RGIII threw for 331 yards and 4 touchdowns. A single swing the other way in stopping drives would have netted us a chance in OT.

Washington Redskins
Thu, 11/22 at 3:25 PM CST
Home:
Cowboys Stadium
Loss: 38 - 31

Anyways, all of this is purely subjective and hypothetical. I put it out there to simply show that our defense was beat to hell and the stats/scores/record reflect it. I hope next year we don't have all of the injuries and MAYBE HOPEFULLY PLEASE DEAR GOD get an Offensive Coordinator .

[Rick Modena]

Yes, we need a OC, bad!

[Lone Sailor]

Whats to address, our star RB was out most of the season with a foot injury. And when he did come back he wasn't at full speed. We all know that Felix is a solid back up but not a stud like Murray. The O-line, how many AP's or pro bowlers? The defenses on other teams double teamed 88 and Austin has been dropping balls from all that cheddar in his pockets.

Lets not get it twisted, Murray was only out 6 games, that is far from "most of the season" during the current 16 game schedule. So you're using Murray being out as an excuse, but then you're also saying it's your offensive line not having any pro bowlers or all pros that's keeping your running game from being more effective. You can't tweak it to however it fits your side of the discussion. If Murray can run behind that line then Jones should be able to as well. Or if the line is bad then they're bad regardless of who the h-back is. According to ESPN, Jones rushed 111 times for 402 yards the entire season, with a 3.6 average (Murray only has 4.1 average). During the span that Murray was out, Jones was only handed the ball 73 times over those 6 games. To me, 12 carries per game just screams to other teams that the Cowboys are not even remotely committed to running the ball and will attempt to rely on the passing game to win.

[Lone Sailor]

That's a given on the rushing thing, but since DeMarco Murray was out 6 games (arguably 7 since he tried playing on the hurt foot) and Felix Jones was flat-out rusty, it's more of a personnel issue. To clarify that so it makes sense, Felix was a starter and wanted to continue the starting role... but proceeded to play weak football because he was being lackadaisical in his training. That's a whole other story. But to get on with why I said that the defense was the biggest issue this season, I'll give you a few stats first:

2011:
23rd in Passing Yards
7th in Rushing Yards
17th in Interceptions
14th in Sacks
21.7 Points per game allowed

2012:
19th in Passing Yards
22nd in Rushing Yards
31st in Interceptions
20th in Sacks
25.0 Points per game allowed

The only thing we were able to do marginally better on this year was stopping the pass game... but at what cost? We finished the 2011 season with (arguably) a shittier secondary and 2 less bad ass linemen. The defense that we all complained about last year averaged 3.3 PPG better as well.

I'll offer this as a statistical hypothesis: these 2 games, simply on stats, we would have won based upon last year's PPG allowed. Our 2012 record would have been 10-6, and we would have been in the playoffs...

Baltimore Ravens
@ Baltimore Ravens
Sun, 10/14 at 12:00 PM CDT
Away:
M&T Bank Stadium
Loss: 31 - 29

New Orleans Saints
Sun, 12/23 at 12:00 PM CST
Home:
Cowboys Stadium
Loss: 34 - 31

These next 3 games were a touchdown away from being in our win category. They are notable because of the gross amount of passing yardage put on our defense in both losses:

New York Giants
Sun, 10/28 at 3:25 PM CDT
Home:
Cowboys Stadium
Loss: 29 - 24


@ Atlanta Falcons
Sun, 11/04 at 7:20 PM CST
Away:
Georgia Dome
Loss: 19 - 13

This one sucked because the Skins just killed us in the air. Romo threw for a Cowboy Thanksgiving Day record 441 yards with 3 touchdowns. Unfortunately, RGIII threw for 331 yards and 4 touchdowns. A single swing the other way in stopping drives would have netted us a chance in OT.

Washington Redskins
Thu, 11/22 at 3:25 PM CST
Home:
Cowboys Stadium
Loss: 38 - 31

Anyways, all of this is purely subjective and hypothetical. I put it out there to simply show that our defense was beat to hell and the stats/scores/record reflect it. I hope next year we don't have all of the injuries and MAYBE HOPEFULLY PLEASE DEAR GOD get an Offensive Coordinator .

I completely understand your points on defense, I was just making sure you weren't trying to sweep the non existent running game under the rug. A lot of that falls on the awesome play calling from the HC, which you've already made a point that an OC really should be hired before another losing season goes by.

[Rick Modena]

Lets not get it twisted.

You've already told me in person that you are not a Cowboys fan, remember?
So I'm not going to get into a debate about the Cowboys with a true hater.










You seem like a pretty cool guy in person and I'd rather keep that opinion of you.

[bcoop]

Are you seriously not even going to address the rushing failure that was the Dallas Cowboys this season? I doubt any of the team supporters around here want "it's only the defensive injuries that caused this crisis" shoved down their throats. Cowboys ranked 31st in rushing this year, but yeah, it's all on the back of the defense for sucking hind tit. Cowboys only ran the ball 271 times between Murray and Jones. Take Washington, for example, Morris had 335 carries alone, plus another 120 from RGIII. Get real, it's not just the defense that needs work on your team.

That's a coaching problem. Nobody put that on the Defense. They rushed the ball FOUR FUCKING times in the first half a couple weeks ago. I believe it was Murray's first game back. How can that be put on anyone but Garrett?

[Lone Sailor]

You've already told me in person that you are not a Cowboys fan, remember?
So I'm not going to get into a debate about the Cowboys with a true hater.










You seem like a pretty cool guy in person and I'd rather keep that opinion of you.

I don't know what me not being a fan of the Cowboys has to do with not wanting to have a discussion about them. Unless I missed the memo that I needed to be a fan of the team in order to speak of them, or their problems, or their strengths, etc. That said, when they play on Sunday's they're the only game on when playing at noon or 3, so I'm forced to watch the game or not watch football at all, so I usually watch their games. So if that makes me a hater, along with them not being the team I root for, then I guess so be it.

[Lone Sailor]

That's a coaching problem. Nobody put that on the Defense. They rushed the ball FOUR FUCKING times in the first half a couple weeks ago. I believe it was Murray's first game back. How can that be put on anyone but Garrett?

Well it certainly isn't the fault of the defense.

With Romo being the quarterback on the field he has the ability to change the plays at the line, and at his discretion. Just one game I'd like to see him grow some bullocks and start managing the game with some play changes at the line other than just going from under center to shotgun formation, in particular changing to a run when a pass play is called and the defensive scheme looks favorable for it. Bubble screens to the HB and quick slants to Witten have been run, in, to, the, ground.

[pHILSANITY07]

your NFL team is ranked:
19th in Total Defense
19th in Passing Defense
22nd in Rushing Defense
31st in Rushing Yards
31st in Interceptions
20th in Sacks
10th in First Downs
6th in Total Offense
3rd in Passing Yards
10th in QB rating
6th in First Down Conversions

what moves do you make in the off season? I know there is more to consider than just these ranks, but as a GM what would your goals be based on those numbers?

Defense / Offensive Line / Running Game

Those are the three things I would improve. Now Dallas did have several season ending injuries early with Sean Lee and Barry Church, so those numbers could've been better. I think you've seen the last of Jay Ratliff in a Cowboy uniform, if I heard it right they can buyout his contract for like 3 mil or something like that.