Then I remembered all the issues that are staring my team in the face, and it made me realize how dreadfully long this season will likely be for a hardcore Cowboy fan. Eager for free agency to begin and see if we can’t stop the bleeding a little bit.

You are right on target about Wade Phillips performance.

He had some two good years in Dallas (2007 & 2009) but two bad years also (2008 & 2010). His teams typically finished the season poorly and had little momentum if they made the playoffs.

Surprisingly for a defensive specialist, in the bad seasons the defenses were more disappointing than the offenses. He coached the team to a pair of embarrassing losses at the end of 2008 in which they gave up 78 points, including a pathetic performance versus Baltimore in the last game at Texas Stadium.

Finally, the team finished strong in 2009, had a winning December record to seize the division title, and followed that up with a playoff win for the first time since 1996.

Then, the 2010 debacle began. In the end, Phillips’ lack of strategic vision, poor game management, reactive rather than proactive approach, and lackadaisical leadership style caught up with him. It seemed to me that he let the game happen without taking decisive action to influence the outcome in his team’s favor.

His position is a shut down corner cuts a third of the field off the QBs list.

My position is, that does nothing to keep the QB from having all day to go to his second, third and fourth reads. It also doesn’t force INTs or fumbles. An improved pass rush does all those things. Get a top pass rusher opposite Ware (or someone kick Spencer in the ‘nads to get him going) and get some speed in the secondary (safety). That’s much better than just taking ONE guy out of the picture.

Wait a minute, but don’t you root for one of the Ohio teams? The room you have to talk wouldn’t amount to a small closet.

Asomugha is not going to be the highest defensive player in the league. Stop it.

For the 2010 disaster of a defensive meltdown, consider there was only 1 new starter on the field – S Alan Ball.

So……it seems clear to many observers the problem with the team was that of COACHING, not personnel. He may have thought he still had control of this team and was getting it ready to play, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but the results showed Wade really wasn’t getting it done.

Halfway through the season at 1-7, Jason Garrett took over as Head Coach with Paul Pasqueloni taking over as DC and Dallas went 5-3 over the second half, with each of the 3 losses coming by 3, 3, and 1 points – a total of 7 points combined.

No, the problem was NOT personnel. Wade simply wasn’t doing enough with what he had on defense. This is why the Cowboys front office puts a lot of stock in the idea that Rob Ryan coming in with a new attitude and a new scheme for that defense will get it back to playing like it did in 2009.

For this reason Garrett decided to go mostly offense with this draft and begin fixing the Oline, taking 3 OLinemen, a RB and a FB.

If Ryan has the impact that is expected, Garrett’s gamble will pay off.

While I agree with some of your points, you completely butchered his name. “Ashumoga”, really? It’s clearly spelled Ashumahogony!

Last year proved that without a sound secondary, won’t compete in our pass-happy league.

Whether you like the Cowboys or not, adding just a couple pieces to the puzzle may get them over the top.

Doesn’t make much sense. He counts @ $12.9 million against the cap, whether he is on the team or not.

Yeah, that’s a lot for a 3rd receiver, but paying him that much to sit home and play Xbox is too stupid for even Jerry Jones.

They had a chance to cut him without any cap hits in 2010 and kept him.

Plus with the injury to Dez, Roy is at least a good insurance policy.

Roy will be a Cowboy in 2011. After that, who knows.

Has anyone heard from Vox, he must of went the banned route or someone finally put him out of his misery.

Where do you get that they traded their whole draft for him?

They traded a first, a third, and a sixth. They still took 5 players in the first 120 picks that year. Hyperbole much?

The problem with that draft is that Dallas picked a bunch of duds.

A wiser course would be to take the 18-20 mil/yr it will take to sign Ashumoga and use it to acquire at least three good FAs at real need positions, resigning Free, DE (Cullen Jenkins?), safety (Abram Elam, Michael Huff), OG (Gallery, Nicks, Joesph). I think that $ for $ Dallas would be a much better team spending the money on several rather than one.

Seriously, Detroit needs a third wide out, and Williams played very well when he was there. Pulling Jerrah’s chain only makes it sweeter.

Trading away their entire draft for Roy Williams (#11) set the team back in a bad way.

They’re still reeling from that ill fated choice.

It may take another two decent drafts to rebound from it.

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Wow, amazing. I had no idea that the NFL changed the rules and there are only two rounds to the draft anymore, a 1st and a 3rd round.

cut/trade list:

Cut Marc Colombo
Cut Terrance Newman – and sign Asomugha
Cut Roy Williams…dead weight

They’re still reeling from that ill fated choice.

It may take another two decent drafts to rebound from it.