POLL: Who/What is Biggest Reason for Loss to Cowboys?

[Cdn Bolt]

When you give up ~200 yds rushing and 6.4 ypr you aren't going to win many football games.They never get enough depth in the offseason and expect a different result every year.

[FarAwayBoltFan]

Tackling and lack of a run defense stood out noticeably.

Though the penalties earned and not earned surely contributed, I agree with Boltx and point my blame finger directly at our poor tackling (which indirectly points to our coaching). There were plays where a single marginal juke resulted in a defender bouncing off the ball carrier or several over-pursuing would-be tacklers taking themselves out of the play. I even saw Derwin fail to wrap up a runner. Missed tackles lead to undeserved 1st downs, extended drives, a tired defense, and points against on the scoreboard. More importantly, it leaves our offense observing from the sidelines.

There is a ton of blame to go around: interception in the end zone, missed FG, fielding a punt on the 2 yard line, illegal man down field on a passing play, blatant taunting penalty by our veteran all-world wide-out, etc.

We were the best team on the field but lost. The coaches need to clean up some of those errors so it doesn't happen again

[UglyTruth]

When you give up ~200 yds rushing and 6.4 ypr you aren't going to win many football games.They never get enough depth in the offseason and expect a different result every year.

It’s because the GM can’t draft for shit in the trenches. He’s like 1 for 20 drafting DL and OL respectively. The one hits being Bosa and now potentially Slater. Every other DL and OL picks have been busts.

He’s better off asking random fans on Twitter who to draft when making selections in the trenches than listening to his own judgement.

[Hadl2Alworth]

Offensive penalties, both real and not. No rhythm. Gotta score more than 17.

When a team can run as well as the Cowboys did today doesn't that tend to put a crimp in the opposing team's offensive rhythm? Especially the passing game?

[equivocation]

When a team can run as well as the Cowboys did today doesn't that tend to put a crimp in the opposing team's offensive rhythm? Especially the passing game?

Not like 10+ penalties can.

TOP was even. Yards were even (though they had 51 on the hail mary). First downs were even. They weren't keeping the ball away from us.

[Boltgang74]

Two big things caused the loss.
2 interceptions by Herbert
12 penalties for 99 penalty yards.

Either one of those don't happen, and the Chargers win easy.

If you had been told on Saturday, that the Chargers would hold the Cowboys to 20 points, you would have been happy.

But Charger offense could not over come 2 interceptions and massive penalties.

P.S.
Don't blame the refs, the Chargers were sloppy and made penalties when it hurt them a LOT.

Blame the refs lol.

[Berserker76]

Lots of misses at the 2nd level.

But Tillery was just straight up bad. He was going backward almost every snap. Banks was bad too. Losing Jones from a shallow position group was rough.

Probably should have activayed Merrill or Fehoko over Gaziano.

Would love to see them give Merrill a chance, it wasn't just Tillery going backwards, he had lot's of company.

[equivocation]

Would love to see them give Merrill a chance, it wasn't just Tillery going backwards, he had lot's of company.

He was the most obvious. On every snap. Banks wasn't good either. Covington wasn't on skates that I saw. Nor was Joseph. They probably blew some assignments too though.

We also had a whole lot of blown assignments at the second level that we didn't have in the WFT game. 5 yard runs are tolerable. 20+ yard runs are not. The 20+ yard runs are because of blown assignments or missed tackles.

[21&500]

I don't think the cowboys are getting enough credit, they played their asses off and fought for 4 quarters as did we imho
could have easily gone our way with 1 ref call, narrative is suddenly us over coming adversity yada yada yada

this loss will be a blessing in disguise.
as others have mentioned, it's against an NFC team
it exposed our weaknesses
This will force us to work harder, coach better and actually overcome adversity, what a concept?!

Staley, you wanted the challenge of changing the Charger culture/mojo, here it is, do work coach.

[gzubeck]

A) Referees being ultra creative
B) Our defensive line playing soft
C) Lombardi waiting until second half to get Storm Norton Help against Micah

[equivocation]

I do think the Cowboys scouted Norton well for the first half. His jump sets worked week 1 but Parsons was waiting on them with time to prepare. He was less aggressive in his sets in the second half.

He still needs better strength to anchor. He had his left hand right on Parsons' chest plate a bunch of times. An NFL OT should be able to stand him up or at least redirect with one hand.

[like54ninjas]

I noticed one or two whiffs by Davis...and by others...

Wasn’t whiffs but getting sucked inside and not holding contain with his outside force/leverage. Let guys break big, 10+ yards, runs 2-3 times.