Guess Where the Woeful Cowboys Sit in Gosselin's 2019 NFL Special Teams Rankings?
FRISCO - We said throughout the past Dallas Cowboys season that we really didn’t need stats to demonstrate how lousy this club’s special-teams performance was; all we needed was “The Eye Test.”
But now we have at our disposal Rick Gosselin’s highly-respected NFL Special Teams Rankings. And among the values of Goose’s detailed work: it confirms “The Eye Test.”
Somewhat stunningly, Dallas ended up in slot No. 31 ... meaning there was actually a team even worse than the woeful Cowboys, who likely could’ve finished better than 8-8 but for the struggles of head coach Jason Garrett and special teams boss Keith O’Quinn - neither of whom are in charge in 2020 under new boss Mike McCarthy.
That No. 32 slot owner is the Tampa Bay Bucs. And No. 1? The New Orleans Saints.
The Dallas hope, of course, is that McCarthy’s work is superior to the work of Garrett, who has moved on to become the Giants offensive coordinator. It seems an even smarter bet that O'Quinns replacement, John "Bones'' Fassel, represents a major upgrade, given his resume.
Said McCarthy to us last week, noting that "The offense (system) was the one I wanted to build off what’s been established. ... (But) the defensive system is going to change, some of the terminology, so there’s gonna be a big change there. And the special teams is another change.''
Click here for Rick Gosselin’s complete 32-categories analysis in his special teams rankings. ... and if you're a Cowboys fan who recognizes the importance of special teams, breathe a sign of relief at McCarthy's promise.
