The Ultimate Homer Is Having a Weak Moment

I am a “homer”.  I always think the team I support is going to win.  This makes me a terrible gambler because I tend to bet with my heart and not my head.

Usually when the first game of the season rolls around I am overflowing with confidence and hoping for a home playoff game.

Not so much this year.  It’s killing me to write that down but I am trying to be honest.

A 6-10 team from last year, no BIG name players acquired in the off season, the LACK of an off season, injuries to players, these are all reasons to waver a bit.

There have been changes. Veterans have been replaced with young guys, non productive players replaced with new players who have their chance to show if they will BE productive.  Those are good things, BUT they may not show immediate results.  I understand it, I have seen it before.  I remember people wanting Landry fired until he got his system and his players in place,  the same with Jimmy Johnson and the disastrous 1-15 season.

An offensive line with 2, possibly 3 rookies playing,  a wide receiver corp with 2 stars and then who knows,  a defensive line that hasn’t shown me they have learned the new defense, a linebacking crew that may or may not have the physical ability to do what Rob Ryan intends for them to do, and then of course our defensive backfield.  The often burned, finger pointing bunch who haven’t inspired confidence since 2009.

Rob Ryan, sure he has a good resume, has posted some good results, says a lot of confident sound bites.  Gonna have to wait before I decide on him.  I am afraid I have a tendency to NOT like him but most of that comes from not liking his Daddy, so I will wait and see what he puts out there before I judge him too harshly.

Oh yeah, did I mention our kicker(S) ?  Notice how that’s plural.  As in , if you have 2 kickers you don’t really have 1 good one .  I love Buehler, going down and tackling, hitting people and all that good stuff.  Can this team really afford to use a roster spot to keep another guy around to kick field goals because they don’t have confidence in Buehler to do it ?  Plus the second kicker hit a rough patch during preseason and couldn’t hit the side of a barn.

So there you have it, plenty of reasons to worry.  Legitimate reasons I think, not gloom and doom stuff. 

So where does that leave me ?  Predicting season records before the first game has been played is not something I put much stock in but a lot of people ask so here goes nothing.

9-7.  I expect the Good Guys to play hard and do much better on penalties than in the past.  I expect them to be IN every game and not show us any more efforts like the one in Green Bay last year.

I also expect some growing pains as they get a handle on what kind of team they are going to be.  It won’t always be pretty, or give us the immediate desired result.  It should be fun though.

I could be wrong.  Every year a team rises from the ashes and makes a stronger showing than anybody expected.  Games can be decided by the smallest changes.  Good luck usually follows good preparation and Jason Garrett will hopefully have them prepared.

Hang on tight cuz it’s gonna be a wild ride this year !

later,Poke