The Cowboys definitely had a chance — which is the key to ultimately getting there

 I had some other ideas today, but after witnessing the most incredible weekend of playoff football I could remember, it definitely seemed an audible was in order. We have plenty of things to get to in the weeks and months to come before April 28 brings the 2022 NFL Draft, but I will continue to look for relevant moments to discuss what we have just seen.

And we have just seen something worth discussing.

https://theathletic.com/3088619/2022/01/24/the-cowboys-definitely-had-a-chance-which-is-the-key-to-ultimately-getting-there/

The Cowboys come out flat and fall short again in familiar plot line: The Morning After

 He doesn’t always make sense when he’s talking in various pitches of excitement, but there was definitely a moment when Tony Romo said something that hit everything precisely right on the head of the nail.

He said, “Wow! That was actually a brilliant play (idea), but you kind of look silly now.”

Now, tell me, what do you think he was talking about?

Because in Sunday’s end to the Cowboys season, we could put that in so many places in the script.

https://theathletic.com/3074975/2022/01/17/the-cowboys-come-out-flat-and-fall-short-again-in-familiar-plot-line-the-morning-after/

Cowboys saved their worst offensive performance for Week 17: Decoding Kellen Moore

 We certainly hoped that the undefeated month of December and the laugher vs. Washington for Christmas dinner was a sign that the Cowboys were emerging from their prolonged offensive slump. They have (had) almost all of their pieces in place and now the simple hopes of taking a beat-up Arizona defense to task on Sunday seemed a reasonable goal.

But, now we know better.

Their first offensive performance of 2022 was putrid. There is simply no other nice way to say it.

https://theathletic.com/3050552/2022/01/04/cowboys-saved-their-worst-offensive-performance-for-week-17-decoding-kellen-moore/

The Cowboys get right on offense by strong strategic mauling of Washington: Decoding Kellen Moore

 Since the start of November, the journey for this Cowboys offense has been a bit of a struggle. We have evaluated a number of elements that range from the health of a calf muscle, the relative blocking prowess of a tight end who doesn’t really ever block, a debate whether a marginal roster player is actually better than a $50 million right tackle, thoughts that the TCU job might be distracting the offensive coordinator and about a thousand other half-baked premises.

https://theathletic.com/3039020/2021/12/29/the-cowboys-get-right-on-offense-by-strong-strategic-mauling-of-washington-decoding-kellen-moore/

Cowboys’ win in New York is nice, but the offense needs to be much better: Decoding Kellen Moore

 The object of this Tuesday series which we have been doing for more than a decade is to break down the offense in such a way where we can define what the Cowboys are trying to accomplish and evaluate how well they are doing that. Basically to establish what the offense alone is doing to help or hurt the team.

Often, we can go in different directions each week and break things down from a 30,000-foot view of it all.

https://theathletic.com/3029230/2021/12/21/cowboys-win-in-new-york-is-nice-but-the-offense-needs-to-be-much-better-decoding-kellen-moore/

What on earth happened to the Cowboys offense and Dak Prescott? Decoding Kellen Moore

 Family meeting time. We need to have a dialogue about Dak Prescott.

This isn’t about fueling the haters and the folks who love nothing more than Dallas in a funk. It is about acknowledging an issue and then trying to trace back to the source of it so we can gain an understanding.

https://theathletic.com/3015559/2021/12/14/what-on-earth-happened-to-the-cowboys-offense-and-dak-prescott-decoding-kellen-moore/

Huge test against Mike Zimmer’s defense awaits on Sunday Night and two big storylines: Cowboys pregame riffing

 There are two stories this morning that shape how we prepare for the showdown in Minnesota with a Vikings’ side that is also coming off a bye week and more than capable of causing all manner of issues for this Cowboys’ train on Sunday night.

https://theathletic.com/2920766/2021/10/29/huge-test-against-mike-zimmers-defense-awaits-on-sunday-night-and-two-big-storylines-cowboys-pregame-riffing/

Decoding Dak Prescott and Tony Pollard: Development of key Cowboys’ offensive pieces in real time

 There was one major reason the Cowboys offense needed a directional change a few years back, and it centered mostly on maximizing the potential of its pieces. The Cowboys had just found a rookie class of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, and the hope was they could populate every offensive huddle between 2016 and 2025 if things went well. They were young and talented and could maybe be the core of a successful offense.

https://theathletic.com/2839275/2021/09/21/decoding-dak-prescott-and-tony-pollard-development-of-key-cowboys-offensive-pieces-in-real-time/

10 Cowboys predictions: They are winning the NFC East and Dak Prescott will lead them

 The Cowboys help raise the curtains on NFL 2021 in incredibly short order in Tampa Bay on Thursday night. That will be the scene where the Buccaneers became the first team to win the Super Bowl on their home field and have since become the only team since the salary cap was instituted to return all 22 Super Bowl starters.

https://theathletic.com/2811411/2021/09/07/10-cowboys-predictions-they-are-winning-the-nfc-east-and-dak-prescott-will-lead-them/

Riffing about what we should look for when evaluating the QB position

 No sport is followed more than football in this country. More people love it and more people think about it daily, and yet if you turn on the radio or even overhear a conversation, it seems most people aren't sure how to fully understand the finer points that make all the difference in the world. Nowhere is this more true than the position of quarterback. We want to be able to measure why this quarterback is better or worse than that guy - but how?

https://theathletic.com/2802282/2021/09/01/the-cowboys-quarterbacks-riffing-about-what-we-should-look-for-when-evaluating-the-position/

20 questions, from Dak Prescott's return to Jaylon Smith's future and reasons to be positive

 We are going to try to get these done more often. You send me your feelings and concerns and I respond with some thoughts and words. Twenty questions can happen as often as you guys like during the season, but let's test drive this car with an Aug. 17 version and see how it goes.

https://theathletic.com/2774559/2021/08/17/cowboys-mailbag-why-be-positive-dak-prescott-randy-gregory-jaylon-smith-and-more-20-questions/

Cowboys conversation: Dak Prescott expectations, impactful rookies and position groups you should be watching

 Since reporters were allowed to attend rookie minicamp practices last week and will be soon attending organized team activities, it seems like a good time to have a Cowboys conversation.

The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Bob Sturm chatted for about 20 minutes Thursday about several Cowboys-related topics from rookie standouts to most interesting position group battles to expectations for Dak Prescott as he works his way back from his significant ankle injury. Here is a transcript of their conversation.

https://theathletic.com/2603856/2021/05/21/cowboys-conversation-dak-prescott-expectations-impactful-rookies-and-position-groups-you-should-be-watching/

Dak Prescott, Cowboys agree on contract at deadline as Jerry Jones finally relents

 Twenty-six months later and with tens of millions more dollars tacked on, we have a deal.

The Cowboys finally realized this situation was not going to fix itself and that the man across the table was not going to fall for this particular mind-trick.

If you wanted the signature, you would simply have to play ball like everyone else.

And Monday night, they did. Dak Prescott is signed to a deal that appears to be roughly four years at $160 million.

https://theathletic.com/2436610/2021/03/08/dak-prescott-cowboys-agree-on-contract-at-deadline-as-jerry-jones-finally-relents/

The Cowboys should pay Dak Prescott because paying QBs the going rate is a necessary part of winning

 It nearly happened this season. The top-paid quarterback in the NFL almost won the Super Bowl. But, maybe it didn’t happen because he made too much money. If only he would have been a poorly paid quarterback like the guy who won it all the year before.

https://theathletic.com/2419336/2021/03/03/the-cowboys-should-pay-dak-prescott-because-paying-qbs-the-going-rate-is-necessary-part-of-winning/

Cowboys conversation: Where things stand with Dak Prescott’s future in Dallas

 There is no bigger Cowboys topic at the moment than Dak Prescott’s contract. Dallas’ starting quarterback is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he played under the franchise tag following the two sides’ failure to get a long-term deal done. If Prescott and the Cowboys can’t work out an agreement this offseason, a second consecutive franchise tag is expected to be used. While that would keep Prescott in Dallas for 2021, it would greatly reduce the chances of him being back in 2022 and beyond.

https://theathletic.com/2353851/2021/01/29/dallas-cowboys-dak-prescott-qb-nfl/

Dak Prescott’s Cowboys future remains uncertain. And it’s entirely Dallas’ fault

 Thanks to the ongoing contract stalemate between Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, no discussion topic is lobbed in my direction more often than the future of the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback position.

https://theathletic.com/2346511/2021/01/26/dak-prescott-dallas-cowboys-nfl-franchise/

Cowboys place several on the NFL’s Top 100 list, but how much does it matter?

 https://theathletic.com/1961804/2020/07/30/cowboys-place-several-on-the-nfls-top-100-list-but-how-much-does-it-matter/

Friday Cowboys Riffing: Dak’s no-deal & Brad Sham evaluates our all-time rosters

 https://theathletic.com/1934436/2020/07/17/friday-cowboys-riffing-daks-no-deal-brad-sham-evaluates-our-all-time-rosters/

With the deadline looming, will Dak Prescott finally escape the franchise tag?

 https://theathletic.com/1925326/2020/07/13/with-the-deadline-looming-will-dak-prescott-finally-escape-the-franchise-tag/

Analyzing Lawrence’s production & potential Dak Deal with PFF’s Steve Palazzolo

 https://theathletic.com/1844452/2020/05/29/analyzing-lawrences-production-potential-dak-deal-with-pffs-steve-palazzolo/