The Best Playoff Choke Theory Yet

TheCritic

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,590
Reaction score
2,651
It seems that every Cowboys playoff choke theory centers around the idea that the Cowboys are doing something wrong. But don't other teams have something to do with it?

I mean if you were the other team's HC, I would be preaching all week to the team "The Cowboys are going to choke. Everybody knows that. So let's go hit them in the mouth as hard and fast as possible so they can start doubting themselves right away"

Wouldn't you do the same?
 
It seems that every Cowboys playoff choke theory centers around the idea that the Cowboys are doing something wrong. But don't other teams have something to do with it?

I mean if you were the other team's HC, I would be preaching all week to the team "The Cowboys are going to choke. Everybody knows that. So let's go hit them in the mouth as hard and fast as possible so they can start doubting themselves right away"

Wouldn't you do the same?
I would surely do it, but I'd start with listening to Stephen A Smith, then I'd look at the Cowboys previous seasons, I would call up a few cowboys players on the current roster, and ask where the party is going to be before the big game!!
 
I think every team is always going to go out and attempt to dominate and demoralize the opposing team. It has nothing to do with choking. Any body can beat any body any given Sunday but there are times when one team is just better than the other and usually that team will win. The Cowboys are not the best team in the league. Sometimes they will get dominated.
 
It seems that every Cowboys playoff choke theory centers around the idea that the Cowboys are doing something wrong. But don't other teams have something to do with it?

I mean if you were the other team's HC, I would be preaching all week to the team "The Cowboys are going to choke. Everybody knows that. So let's go hit them in the mouth as hard and fast as possible so they can start doubting themselves right away"

Wouldn't you do the same?
Any coach that preaches that is a fool. Fosters over confidence and arrogance. Better cover all your bases, be prepared and focused on your responsibilities.
 
I think every team is always going to go out and attempt to dominate and demoralize the opposing team. It has nothing to do with choking. Any body can beat any body any given Sunday but there are times when one team is just better than the other and usually that team will win. The Cowboys are not the best team in the league. Sometimes they will get dominated.
Well it seems like it happens too often. It's not our fault they pump us up so bad, but deep down inside, we're not able to handle our opponents, they're hungrier than us
 
....I think they get full of themselves. Pushed by media and the pundits.

That's why they stand like a kid, who's lunch money was just taken from him.

.....only way I can explain it.
 
The pressure that would be on Prescott in any future playoff games is only increasing and making success that much more difficult, but there’s only one way to fix that.
 
I don't think the team has "choked" that often, at least lately. The last two SF games were close games and I think they had the better team despite the records. Now the last GB game can count, and I don't know what that was. I'll always think there was some inner team turmoil going on that we don't know about, especially on defense, but to me that isn't exactly choking.

Now the QB is another story. He's come out very slow, to put it kindly, in too many playoff games. But that's not the entire team.
 
This was the Jimmy J philosoph, the other team will put the ball on the ground.
 
To be fair, several teams "do something wrong" in the playoffs every year and miss out on the Super Bowl.

Some just get noticed less than others and others actually break through every so often which lowers the focus and attention on them during those failed post-seasons.
 
It seems that every Cowboys playoff choke theory centers around the idea that the Cowboys are doing something wrong. But don't other teams have something to do with it?

I mean if you were the other team's HC, I would be preaching all week to the team "The Cowboys are going to choke. Everybody knows that. So let's go hit them in the mouth as hard and fast as possible so they can start doubting themselves right away"

Wouldn't you do the same?
That's the attitude every team should take into every game.

I think the real source of the issue, besides the JonesBoys way of management, is that the choker thing has taken on a life of it's own. It is now part of the identity of this team, and that has gotten into the psyches of the players.

Deep down inside they expect to have let downs in the playoffs. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
 
I don't think the team has "choked" that often, at least lately. The last two SF games were close games and I think they had the better team despite the records. Now the last GB game can count, and I don't know what that was. I'll always think there was some inner team turmoil going on that we don't know about, especially on defense, but to me that isn't exactly choking.

Now the QB is another story. He's come out very slow, to put it kindly, in too many playoff games. But that's not the entire team.
There's always some excuse. The list is pretty darn long now, and I don't want to entertain any of it. It is the fault of this franchise and its owner.
 
I think every team is always going to go out and attempt to dominate and demoralize the opposing team. It has nothing to do with choking. Any body can beat any body any given Sunday but there are times when one team is just better than the other and usually that team will win. The Cowboys are not the best team in the league. Sometimes they will get dominated.
"Any Given Sunday" would mean the Cowboys wouldn't hold all these NFL records for playoff futility. If anything, the Cowboys are doing a heck of a job at destroying the "Any Given Sunday" myth in the playoffs.
 
Any coach that preaches that is a fool. Fosters over confidence and arrogance. Better cover all your bases, be prepared and focused on your responsibilities.
Baloney! It all has to do with getting your team ready to play in an important game. Getting your team ready to play to win or wait another year. They simply aren't getting the job done. And yet, for the last 28 years, the GM doesn't take any responsibility.
 
Last edited:
Not sure if it is even necessary for opposing coaches to employ that tactic. Opposing players have been more regularly making post-game comments, saying along the lines, "We knew exactly what Dallas would throw at us." That confidence is inspired by good coaching and preparation.

Dallas' long-running problem may be multi-faceted but one main ingredient continues to be lack of grit. It does not matter if the team enters the game uber-hyped up. Or they stroll out onto the field ultra-focused. Cowboys' teams have repeated shown they cannot maintain the necessary level of desire for four quarters on a consistent basis. Unfortunately, sometimes they cannot make to halftime before their entire group will unravels.

There was a slow erosion of dominant will as the 90's team grew older and finally collapse into itself by the Dave Campo years. In my opinion, Bill Parcells had instilled a great infusion back into the team's mentality but never topped it off. The Jason Garrett years highlighted a facade of team determination season-after-season. Mike McCarthy? His teams' willpower has been akin to a box of chocolates. You never know for certain what you going to see week-to-week. And the surprises have been largely duds.
 
Baloney! It all has to do with getting your team ready to play in an important game. Getting your team ready to play to win or wait another year. They simply aren't getting the job done.
LOL! Go play your madden game! LOL!
 
When you're entrenched in a mentally soft environment, you eventually adapt and become mentally soft.
A very underrated and under mentioned problem in Dallas.

That’s the environment Jerry wanted and created though. Try convincing him that the friends and family culture affects winning football.
 
It seems that every Cowboys playoff choke theory centers around the idea that the Cowboys are doing something wrong. But don't other teams have something to do with it?

I mean if you were the other team's HC, I would be preaching all week to the team "The Cowboys are going to choke. Everybody knows that. So let's go hit them in the mouth as hard and fast as possible so they can start doubting themselves right away"

Wouldn't you do the same?
What’s the theory? Isn’t this advice you’d give to any team?? Who goes into a game and says don’t punch them in the mouth they are too good lll.
 
Of course you would as the cowboys opponents. The cowboys can not control what opponents do what they can control is how prepared a d ready the cowboys are. And that's my issue, the cowboys seem ill prepared for playoff football more often than not.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
464,596
Messages
13,820,881
Members
23,781
Latest member
Vloh10
Back
Top