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By Lucas Kochevar The NFL new year is upon us, which means teams can officially announce their signings. A number of the signings being announced will be running backs. Some of the league's most prominent backs are finding new homes and it might seem like an overpay, but I’m not so sure. The salary cap is seeing a $31 million spike and that big of a jump is something that many general managers are taking advantage of. Essentially, the running backs will take up the same percentage of cap space, but it'll look like more with the increase. The running backs moving around include Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler. Those are just the big names too, not mentioning guys like Aaron Jones, D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard or Gus Edwards. Barkley is the biggest winner of the guys as he secured a 3-year, $37 million deal with the Eagles. It’s a huge upgrade for Barkley as he goes from the Giants subpar offensive line to the Eagles line, which could be considered the best. Barkley should continue the Eagles trend of having one of the best rushing attacks in the league. Although I think the price is a bit steep for a guy that's had multiple ACL injuries, he should be a fun weapon for the Eagles. Jacobs heading to Green Bay was a surprise to me. With Aaron Jones, the Packers didn’t have a need for running back, but saw Jacobs as a clear upgrade. I like Jacobs as a player, but this move has me scratching my head. Jordan Love seems like the real deal and the Packers can lean on him. So why pay a running back on his second contract? Still, the Packers could be a contender in the NFC North alongside the Lions. Derrick Henry was the next big domino to fall as he signed on with the Ravens. This move should be terrifying for opposing linebackers as Henry is one of the most violent runners in the sport. He won’t be at his MVP level, but Henry will still be a handful to bring down. He still managed to run for over 1,000 yards and double digit touchdowns. Henry and Lamar combine for one of the best rushing attacks in the league. Now, here’s my one sentence thoughts on many other running backs signing around the league. Aaron Jones being released was shocking, but Minnesota definitely improves their running game with him. I don’t know how much Austin Ekeler has left in the tank but the combination of him and Brian Robinson could provide some relief to whoever plays quarterback there. I liked what the Bears had internally, but Swift could help their offense in his prime. Gus Edwards and Jim Harbaugh are a match made in heaven. Tony Pollard is a weird replacement in Tennessee, but he could play the Joe Mixon role for Brian Callahan’s offense. Speaking of Joe Mixon, he’s a solid replacement for Devin Singletary in Houston. Most of the main guys have signed already, but guys like Ezekiel Elliot, Kareem Hunt and JK Dobbins remain in free agency. In a relatively weak running back draft, teams will look more at the remaining scraps.
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By Lucas Kochevar The Atlanta Falcons made the biggest move of the day as they signed the best quarterback on the market. Kirk Cousins is an Atlanta Falcon. It’s shocking as a fan of the team. The rumors were swirling around the combine, but it still seemed far-fetched. As an Atlanta sports fan, I never celebrate until the clock hits zero. The Falcons haven’t officially announced the signing, so I’ll keep the champagne on ice for a little bit longer. Still, the Falcons have sent the message. They’re in win-now mode. The Falcons were, somehow, in position to win the NFC South by the end of the season, but they clearly weren’t going to. The quarterback play was the reason. There were other smaller variables that contributed to losing, but the erratic quarterback play is the biggest reason. Cousins is coming to Atlanta to be a steady player at the most important position. He’s coming off an achilles injury at age 35, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the dark ages and modern medicine does wonders. The Falcons still have some moves to make, but getting the quarterback out of the way is a major step forward. The other interesting quarterback domino to fall was Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh. I’m as skeptical as they come with Wilson. People have been asking “Why don’t people like Russ? He had productive stats!” My gut tells me the actions that others have taken with Wilson tell the story. The Seahawks never wanted to give Wilson free reign over the entire offense. They sold him off to Denver and made the playoffs with Wilson’s backup. Denver got him and flamed out horribly, Nathaniel Hackett shares the blame too. Lastly, there was the fiasco to end this last season with Sean Payton. Top decision makers in the NFL act on their egos a lot and it wouldn’t shock me if the politics and egos were the reason Wilson had a turbulent couple of years. That doesn’t absolve Wilson of being guilty. I say all that to highlight the downfall of Wilson and why he’s earning the veteran minimum in Pittsburgh. I think he’ll be fine in Pittsburgh, but fine doesn’t add Super Bowls to one of the most historically relevant franchises in history. If Wilson is the reason that Mike Tomlin has his first under-.500 season, I think he’ll be on the fast track to retirement. These are only a few of the moves that I found interesting at the beginning of free agency. There’s many more guys to highlight and teams that know a better path heading into the draft. Image via Steph Chambers/Getty Images
By Lucas Kochevar The NFL season came to a conclusion this past week with the Chiefs winning their third Super Bowl in five years. The Chiefs dynasty will be looked back on and recollected as Patrick Mahomes’ dominance. Each year isn’t that simple. It took a hell of an effort for the Chiefs to power through this season. The worldwide distraction of Taylor Swift loomed large, but they didn’t let it shine too bright. The questions about the Chiefs receivers were asked every week, but they figured it out. The beginning of the season was even questionable as Chris Jones was a DNP-Contract Disputes in the first week. He came back on a one-year deal and had the biggest play on defense in the Super Bowl. The resilience of this Chiefs team should be studied by organizations for years to come, although no organization has number 15 at quarterback. That was an issue that came up week after week in the NFL. It wasn’t just the fact that no one had Mahomes, but even the guys they had at the helm, they lost due to injuries. Aaron Rodgers, Anthony Richardson, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins all got severely injured. That’s how we got the return of Joe Flacco, Deshaun Watson went down and somehow Flacco had a little bit of juice left in that arm. Flacco led one of the biggest losers in NFL history to the playoffs and we don’t have to talk about what followed that playoff berth. Speaking of losers, the Detroit Lions proved they weren’t the Lions that we’ve known for decades. Dan Campbell ended last season strong and the hype was enormous for this sleeping giant. They were even the opening night team that beat the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Their story from plucky underdog to being up 17 points in the NFC championship is a beacon of hope for any team. It’s a beacon that says “If you get the right head coach and build a culture, you can turn it around,” and you can point to Ben Johnson as the reason for their on-the-field success, but a football team spends way more time off the field than on. Speaking of head coaching changes, Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll are no longer leading their Super Bowl winning franchises so that’ll be a big change on the sidelines next season. That’s just a fraction of what happened during the season, but where do we go from here? We go to the one place that gives us fans all the hope in the world: The NFL draft. The NFL combine starts in late Feb. and the league year officially starts Mar. 13, but many fans have been looking forward to April for months. Mainly, the Chicago Bears, who hold the No. 1 and No. 9 pick. The Bears will likely move on with Caleb Williams, but they have to mull that decision for weeks and weeks. Williams is the most talked about prospect since Trevor Lawrence, but will he even be good? Who knows. It’ll likely be a question we can answer in the next couple “NFL Year In-Review” posts. By Lucas Kochevar
The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are back in the big game and people are not happy. There are countless people that have expressed their displeasure with this year's Super Bowl and I have to ask, why? Separate everything off the field with these teams, you know that person I’m talking about, and this is an awesome matchup. You get to watch the best quarterback, best coaches, best tight ends, best defensive lineman and countless other All-Pro caliber players. The Chiefs and 49ers have both gone down different roads and they’re sporting very different looking teams, but they remain the same at their cores. The 49ers have been built with talented weapons and a defense that starts in the trenches. The Chiefs are a Mahomes-led machine that also works with a defense that has playmakers. Still, the teams look very different. The 49ers had Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. They also had guys like Emmanuel Sanders, Raheem Mostert and the corpse of Richard Sherman. The Chiefs had a cast of characters too like Tyreek Hill, Tyrann Mathieu and the corpse of Terrell Suggs. Now we get to add in names like Christian McCaffrey, L’Jarius Sneed and Brandon Aiyuk. The 2020 Super Bowl was a fun game, but the 2024 Super Bowl should be even better. The 49ers are looking at the biggest change since that last Super Bowl by adding in Brock Purdy at quarterback. Although Purdy hasn’t looked the best this postseason, he’s still an upgrade over Garoppolo and Garoppolo was a few inches short on winning that Super Bowl over the Chiefs. Purdy has a big challenge ahead of him with a great Chiefs defense, but in his second year as the starter, Purdy has faced many obstacles and the Chiefs will just be the next speed bump. Many people will be very mad if Purdy wins this Super Bowl. People love to have the scalding hot take about a quarterback that’s surrounded by an amazing team. It’s okay to say Purdy is good, while being next to the best players in the league. Purdy can be good and the 49ers can be amazing. They’re not mutually exclusive. Appreciate what this young quarterback is doing because there’s been a ton of super talented teams with young guys that never made the jump. I touched on the Chiefs dominance and how it’s been incredible to watch, but it should be reiterated that they’re run is up there amongst the best runs in the past twenty years. If there weren’t so many antics off the field with this team, the public would likely be more open to how amazing this run has been since Mahomes took over. The Chiefs are in a mode right now that’s hard to beat with a defense that’s held their opponents to 13.7 points per game in the playoffs. On top of that, the Chiefs are getting Travis Kelce’s best performance in the postseason. The Chiefs and 49ers are two of the league’s best over the past couple seasons and this meeting should be a fun one. Like most games in the NFL, it’ll likely come down to the two guys under center. Mahomes has been strong in these playoffs and it’s hard to see anyone stopping him. Purdy ended his last game on fire as he torched the Lions defense in the second half. I love the story of Purdy, but I have to go with Mahomes and the Chiefs. I’ll touch on this more on Koch’s Corner on Friday. See you guys there! Image via Cooper Neill/Getty Images
By Lucas Kochevar The Lions travel to San Francisco for a chance to clinch their first ever Super Bowl berth. It’ll be the biggest game in Lions history. They take on the 49ers, who squeaked by the Packers last week. San Francisco’s defense is very talented, but it’ll be the Lions defense that has to step up and slow down Brock Purdy and co. The Lions defense has been privy to collapsing this season, but now is the time they need to step up. They face one of the hardest tests of their season in facing the 49ers, but is this the same 49ers team that’s been surging all season long? It’s up in the air with Deebo Samuel’s status for Sunday. He’s likely going to play through injury, but it’s clear that he's a key cog in the 49ers offense. The 49ers are uber talented across the board with Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and, of course, Christian McCaffery. There’s still a difference in this team without Samuel. He’s a human joystick and plays the role of both wide receiver and running back as good as anyone in the league. If he’s compromised in any way, the Lions will be thankful. The Lions defense is a team that lives and dies with Aidan Hutchinson. The former second overall pick has been a culture changer for the defense with his attitude and play style. Although he’s the star, the rest of the defensive line will be key in slowing down the 49ers front. John Cominsky and Benito Jones will have to do their job in run support to force Purdy to throw the ball. Purdy is a good quarterback, but he’s far from perfect. It makes sense given he’s a second year starter still, but people have the expectation for him to be the perfect distributor in the Shannahan system. If you watched his last game, it’s clear he’s not at the level he needs to be. The Lions can take advantage of this inexperience and force him to beat them. Now fired-DC Joe Barry mixed up looks against the 49ers and it forced Purdy to make his best throws at the end. He made those throws and the 49ers won the game, but there could be a blueprint. The bend-don’t break attitude of this Lions defense will be key on third down. The 49ers rank third in third down offense (48.72% conversion rate) while the Lions rank 12th in third down defense (37.1%). The Lions biggest struggles will be holding the 49ers in the red zone as they allow over 60% success rate. The Lions will need everyone rowing the boat in the same direction in order to win on the road. The NFC title is a win away from the underdog Lions, but they'll get the 49ers best shot as the 49ers are looking to prove they should've made it last season, before they lost all their quarterbacks due to injury. This will be a battle of wills between two teams with a lot to prove. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
The Packers have been spoiled throughout their storied franchise when it comes to quarterbacks. They had the first super star quarterback in the Super Bowl era with Bart Starr. After Starr there was a drought of winning, but they still had a long-term starter in Lynn Dickey. Around a decade later they traded for a kid from Mississippi named Brett Favre. They won a couple more Super Bowls and a lot of games, but they were progressive and drafted a kid in 2005 to sit a couple years from Cal named Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers took over and had his success that included a Super Bowl in 2010, but the Packers were progressive again in 2019 when they drafted a kid from Utah State named Jordan Love. Love was undoubtedly a raw prospect coming from a Mountain West school in Utah State, but he ran a pro style scheme and showed mobility with an arm that fits in the modern day NFL. Fans criticized the move as Rodgers needed help badly at receiver. Those same fans are rejoicing as the Packers look to have their franchise guy once again. Love had a rocky start to the season as he led the Packers to a 3-6 record that included a four game skid. He threw bad interceptions and couldn’t lead the young Packers to wins. Something snapped in the young quarterback after a 23-19 loss to Pittsburgh. Love would go on to beat the Lions and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks, two teams that are playing conference championship weekend. He finished the season throwing 18 touchdowns to one interception. After this hot finish to the season, Love had the task of taking on a Cowboys team that had dominated the regular season. He answered the call and ripped the Cowboys heart out. Nearly a perfect game with 272 yards and three touchdowns, but the biggest number is zero interceptions. A stat line that reads zero interceptions is something Rodgers mastered in Green Bay as he threw single-digit interceptions over a ten-year span. Love could be the next Rodgers that famously takes care of the ball, but he reminded us against the 49ers that he’s not quite there yet. He threw two interceptions in the loss to San Francisco, including the back breaking interception on his final drive. That interception was one of the worst throws ever as he broke the cardinal rule of not throwing across your body while scrambling to the left. It’s funny that was also the throw that Favre made in his final season as a member of the Vikings in the NFC championship game against the Saints. The difference between these two: Favre was in his forties and Love has an entire career ahead of him. Love is very young in his playing experience, but he’s already showing the promise that the Packers saw in him during the draft. He’s showing the skills that he picked up from the future hall of famer he sat behind. He has immense talent and could be a nightmare for the NFC North for years to come, similar to his predecessors. Image via Matt Durisko, Associated Press
By Lucas Kochevar The scene in Kansas City on Jan. 20, 2019 was a somber one as the Patriots celebrated at Arrowhead Stadium in front of the Chiefs faithful. Patrick Mahomes and co. suffered a 37-31 defeat in the AFC championship after Mahomes’ magical first season as the starting quarterback. As Tom Brady would go on to win his sixth Super Bowl over the Rams, the Chiefs went home and wondered if they would ever get this opportunity again. Six straight AFC championship appearances later, the Chiefs are on the brink of their fourth Super Bowl berth with Mahomes at the helm. The term dynasty is thrown around very loosely after a team wins a championship. The Patriots are the modern age dynasty in football and there hasn’t been a team in the history of the sports that’s had the success New England saw throughout the 2000s, but there’s a chance we’re in the middle of witnessing a team reach those heights. The Chiefs have been the definition of greatness since Mahomes took over the starting position. With their dramatic win at Buffalo, there’s no denying that the Chiefs at this point. Every time someone tries to knock them and claim that their run is over, they answer and win. Even with a roster that could be Mahomes’ worst, the Chiefs handled business on the road in Buffalo. Now, Kansas City travels to Baltimore to take on the MVP favorite and best team in the league. The Ravens should have every advantage in this matchup. They’ve steamrolled teams with Jackson’s heroics and suffocated teams with their boa constrictor defense. Although Mahomes faced one of his biggest tests on Sunday, he’ll face an even harder test in this road game. The Chiefs have taken the old New England Patriots role in the AFC as they’ve undergone metamorphosis in each of their last couple playoff runs. With Tyreek Hill, they were this fast-paced, run-and-shoot type offense. After Tyreek, they found help through more possession receivers and relied on Travis Kelce. With Kelce getting older, the Chiefs are in their current form. They’re still Mahomes centric, but he’s surrounded by violent runner Isiah Pacheco and a defense that features legitimate Pro Bowl talent on all three levels. The ability to maintain this level of dominance and adapt is what great teams do and no team has done it like the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, it all leads back to their two leaders: Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. These two are already heading to Canton with their resumes, but it’s what they do to achieve these accomplishments that make them special. The way this current form of the Chiefs play football could play to the Ravens weaknesses and make a competitive game on Sunday in Baltimore. The Chiefs rank in the top ten in yards per rush with 4.4 yards and that’s the one place the Ravens defense isn’t great at as they allow that exact number. Pacheco’s impact on this offense has been huge as he adds a level of toughness and, as I said, he’s a violent runner. It’s an edge I haven’t seen this Kansas City team have under Mahomes. Pacheco could be the deciding factor in the game against Baltimore. The collisions between Pacheco and Baltimore All-Pro Roquan Smith could shake the stadium. This chapter in Mahomes' and Jackson's career could be a great one as we look forward to this game on Sunday. Image via Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports
By Lucas Kochevar The Buffalo Bills offense has been among the league’s most threatening with Josh Allen at the helm. Dating back to Brian Daboll leaving, the Bills have had a bumpy road in creating consistent production on a down-to-down basis. They hired former quarterback Ken Dorsey to run the offense and he did so with limited success. The success was few and far between this season as he was fired after week 10 when the Bills fell to 5-5. Notable coordinator Joe Brady took over the offense and hasn’t looked back. Josh Allen shares part of the blame with his blatant turnover problems in the early part of the season, but since Brady took over, He’s scaled back his turnover-worthy plays. He’s still chaotic and out of control, but this controlled chaos is what makes Josh Allen, Josh Allen. Another key piece of the Bills rejuvenation is the involvement of running back James Cook. Cook is being used exactly as I thought he should coming out of Georgia. He can handle the workload running the ball and he’s a weapon in the passing game. He’s been paramount in changing how the Bills call an offense. The Bills offense has been known for their lack of run game in the past. They’ve had an unwillingness to run the ball for years and they would fall into a pass-happy attack that would put so much pressure on Allen and the passing attack. The Bills rank fifth in rushing yards and it’s been a product of their willingness to run that ball, even when it isn’t super successful. The Bills have incorporated more under center plays and different looks other than just shotgun runs. I was watching the film when Buffalo played the Chiefs, where Buffalo won after the crazy offsides lateral play. Something I noticed was Buffalo’s ability to draw the eyes of the Kansas City linebackers. The Bills ran the ball into multiple big boxes for a couple yards, but each time was to keep the Chiefs honest. The Bills draw these looks from Kansas City and this is when Cook will leak out of the backfield and either catch the ball or throw off the linebackers for an open tight end over the middle. The Bills ability to really throw different looks at the defense really adds the dimension that has held back the team. Although they’ll always be pass-first with Allen, the run game is critical to their success heading into the playoff matchup against the Chiefs. These two teams have met so many times already over the years. It feels like the new era Brady-Manning rivalry between Mahomes-Allen. The unique part about this meeting is it’s the first time Mahomes has traveled to Buffalo with fans in the stands and it's also his first road playoff game. Mahomes played at Buffalo during the pandemic season and it’ll be interesting to see how the crowd plays a factor. The offense is the focus in the game, but the defenses are more than likely the key to winning. The Chiefs defense won the game last week by shutting down the Dolphins. The Buffalo defense has been great in their own right as the defensive line and secondary have been great. The Bills linebacker group will have to pull together as they keep losing players due to injury. They’ll be key in slowing down Isiah Pacheco, who didn’t play in their first matchup. The deciding factor of this game will be whether or not Josh Allen turns the ball over. The Bills can’t afford to give Mahomes easy opportunities to score as he’s started to find that chemistry with Rashee Rice. Buffalo has been the better team since these two teams last met and if they maintain this style of football on offense, I think they can keep pressure on Mahomes to keep up with them. I really like this version of Buffalo and they have a chance at the Super Bowl if they overcome their biggest obstacle, Mahomes. Image via NBC Sports
By Lucas Kochevar The NFL draft is still months away, but the buzz will continue in a draft that sees multiple intriguing quarterbacks. The draft runs through Chicago, who also has a quarterback situation on their own roster. The big question will come back to whether or not two years of Fields and an extension looming is better than a fresh slate with star USC QB Caleb Williams. If they trade out, who will jump up? There’s countless questions with the teams that are searching for the guy, but who are the guys? The first one is the name I mentioned already, Caleb Williams. The Heisman winner from two years ago is finally making his way to the NFL and he’s quickly becoming a polarizing prospect. People have labeled him the best prospect since Andrew Luck and I’m not sure I’m there with him. In his defense, I think any of the rumors that he wants ownership in a team or that he’ll pull an Eli Manning are complete BS. He’s still a really great prospect that holds everything you need in a guy. He’s a mobile, improviser that can make magic happen. He’s got a great arm and his ability to keep his eyes down field at all times is special. With that being said, I think we could see him slow down at the next level in a similar way that Bryce Young slowed down. The game speeds up for young quarterbacks and guys that hold the ball forever end up paying the price in the NFL. That’s my only real concern for Caleb at the next level. The guy after Williams is someone that I’ve been looking forward to seeing at the next level. North Carolina’s Drake Maye is another strong candidate for a top five pick and although people have reservations about him. He’s statistically not the best, but his anticipation and timing in spots is spot on. If he can put it together consistently, he can ascend to one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Throws like this at unique angles are a big reason I think he has serious potential. After Williams and Maye, there’s this season's Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels. Daniels is a little older at 23, but he’s still younger than the quarterbacks I’ll mention after him. It’s funny he played Justin Herbert in college. Daniels is a unique prospect with a quick release that goes 60-plus yards and the legs to make defenders look silly. My fear for him is durability because he’s got a smaller frame than typical quarterbacks. He’ll still find his place in the league because of his unique skill set and where the league is heading. I think he’ll be a top ten pick, but not one of the top two guys. I have no idea where the next couple of older guys will go in the draft. Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix have been in college for a long time. Penix Jr. had injury issues that held him back early, but an incredible last season has put him in position to get drafted in the first couple rounds of the draft. Although he was subpar in the national championship, Penix has shown his unique ball placement and ability to evade sacks throughout this season. He’ll also have the chance to show off for scouts at the Senior Bowl. Another guy that could raise his status at the Senior Bowl is Oregon’s Bo Nix. Nix is an interesting prospect with the fact he’s accumulated so many stats at Oregon over his last couple seasons and there have been a lot of great flashes, but can he put it together at the next level? I’m not so sure. I definitely see the appeal in Nix with his arm talent, but I think he projects more as a Sam Howell type. Good player at times looks like the best quarterback on the field, but week-to-week you never know. The last notable prospect that could be taken in the draft is the recent national champion, J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan QB scares me more than any other prospect. McCarthy’s numbers aren’t flashy, his arm isn’t otherworldly and his athleticism is just solid. McCarthy’s status stands with his potential and record in college. He holds one of the best records all-time as a starter in college with 27-1. McCarthy is a true project for any coach that takes him on and there’s a good chance whoever drafts him as a GM could get fired if he's not good. That's true for most GMs that draft quarterbacks, but McCarthy is so shaky to me. I’m open to McCarthy, but I would approach him with extreme caution. Other guys that’ll be notable in this draft are Spencer Rattler, Sam Hartman and Michael Pratt. The NFL draft is the most important part of most team’s offseason and this crop of quarterbacks feels like the most volatile group in years. The 2020 NFL draft is probably the most similar draft to this year’s group, except I don’t think five guys will go in the first round. As the draft process goes on and I watch more film, I’ll have more thoughts on where these players might go. Image via Julio Cortez, Associated Press
By Lucas Kochevar The Cowboys are one of the few disappointing teams walking away from wild card weekend with a foul taste in their mouths, however, they have to be the most disappointed out of the losing teams. To clean that nasty taste out of their mouth they’ll be having their fair share of blame pie. The question I want to look at is, who is getting the biggest slice? The Cowboys have won double digit games for the last three seasons, they haven’t advanced to conference championship weekend in any of those playoff runs. The common denominators for each of these runs comes down to three guys: Dak Prescott, Mike McCarthy and Stephen Jones. There are other players that have stayed with the team, obviously, but none of them hold the same status as the franchise quarterback. Prescott has to be mentioned as a key player in the losses because he’s thrown picks during every playoff run he’s been a part of. He holds a 2-5 record in the playoffs. Prescott has fought through his fair share of criticisms through the years, but with another contract year approaching, Prescott’s playoff performances will be held against him. The Cowboys weren’t able to make plays when they needed to and a pick six in the first half essentially ended the season for Dallas as they were down 27-0. The Cowboys signal caller was in a nightmare as Dallas’ high-scoring offense couldn’t do anything against the Green Bay defense until the game was already over. While Prescott struggled on the field, head coach Mike McCarthy looked dumbfounded on the sideline. His rear end is feeling the heat as any day now, McCarthy could find himself out of a job. The head coach for the Cowboys has won countless regular season games, but when the lights are the brightest, his team looks unprepared. It’s a common indictment on the longtime head coach, who has had great playoff rosters but little success. Even with this reputation McCarthy has built up, I’m not sure he deserves most of the blame. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was dreadful. The last guy I want to mention is the architect of this Cowboys team, Stephen Jones. Jerry Jones’ son has built a hell of a team. The offensive line is terrific, the defense has serious talent at each level and there are weapons on offense. The issues come from a couple moves that look rough in hindsight. Trading away Amari Cooper years back, while turning around and paying Michael Gallup looks like a clear error. Cooper has been arguably a top ten receiver for the Browns and his presence would’ve made this Cowboys offense even more dangerous. There’s the discussion that he could have set back CeeDee Lamb’s development as a WR1, but I doubt that would’ve mattered because Lamb already had more targets and yards in Cooper’s last year in Dallas. Another key issue was cutting franchise running back, Ezekiel Elliot, this past offseason. I understood this at the time and I thought Tony Pollard would come back and become the workhorse back. Pollard had a fine year, but it was clear that he was more of a change of pace guy and complemented Elliot well. On top of that, Elliot went on to have a very solid season. His numbers aren’t that far off from his last season in Dallas and he had less touches in New England. These two moves aren’t the reason the Cowboys got blown out by the Packers, but I think these two decisions are minor pieces in what could have made the Cowboys a more well-rounded team and bigger threat. Jones has the smallest share in the blame pie, but he has a slice still. The Cowboys have a lot of soul-searching to do, but ultimately, I don’t know what they can do to make this team any better. There aren’t any quarterbacks that are better than Dak on the market and the options outside of McCarthy are big risks. Bill Belichick likely doesn’t want Jerry Jones over his shoulder and any other option would be a first year head coach. There will be tough discussions in big D for Jerry Jones. |
Lucas KochevarI love sports and I'm a local fan of the Falcons, Hawks, and Braves. You can find my quick thoughts and more on my twitter @lucaswkochevar |