plasticman
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No NFL team has ever played in a Super Bowl after going 2-4 to start the season. Seven teams have played in Super Bowls after starting the season 3-3 with three winning the championship.
As critical as that seems, this game has even further ramifications. The outcome of the game tomorrow will effect legacy. It could be the nail in the coffin for any notion that Jerry Jones ever had the ability, skill, talent, call it what you will, to build a legitimate NFL contender as a GM. It could confirm the popular notion that the only great decision he ever made as an owner was his first, the hiring of Jimmy Johnson.
Fans have been more than patient over the past 20 years.They have been patient enough with Head Coach Jason Garrett.
By now, the Cowboys should have been built and established as perennial contenders, built with "the right kind of guys" and deep enough to sustain injury to even key positions. The competitive environment subscribed by Garrett as well as maintaining value of draft picks by not trading away the future should have insured that this day, which was that future,would see a Cowboy team confidently playing through their schedule while compiling impressive victories with few hard fought defeats.
Instead, we see the same broken record. We see a season derailed by injury, suspension, lack of depth, poor game planning, poor decision making during games, poor free agency recruitment, poor contract structuring, a confusing management structure, poor interaction between the coaching and the scouting, and poor communication in expressing a singular, unified plan to success.
We are told that the majority of decisions are group decisions involving many voices. Everyone in charge means no one in charge.
Who is in charge? We were lead to believe that Jerry had taken at least a few steps back and allowed those with more credibility to make key decisions. Granted, those of us with longer familiarity to this issue had grave doubts and viewed Jerry as a ticking time bomb, but lately, Stephen doesn't even seem interested in holding the leash.
When has a Head Coach ever been given this much opportunity in recent times? This time, we were given reassurance that there would be no shortcuts, It would take a little longer but the team would be built the right way, built to compete for a decade, built to create continuous opportunities to get back to the Super Bowl.
The average NFL team over the course of 8 seasons will reach the playoffs three times, win a divisional playoff game once, play in a conference championship once with a 50-50 probability of playing in a Super Bowl. As far as the playoff are concerned, the Cowboys under Garrett have not even attained the heights of mediocrity.
Understand,this is coming from a staunch Garrett supporter, which I still am. I still hold on to the idea that the Cowboys can turn this around but I am beginning to lose my grip. A loss tomorrow and I can no longer defend him and his future as a HC for the Cowboys.
As for Jerry Jones, not only will a defeat end any presumption of competence for him, it will extend to other Cowboy executives with the same last name.Stephen was also given a position of authority. With that position also comes accountability.
As it was with the Packer game of 2010 when the eventual champions undressed, embarrassed and completely exposed the entire Cowboys franchise for the frauds they were, you can expect frequent camera shots of Jerry and his family reacting to whatever happens on the field tomorrow.
If there is to be another memorable defining moment in Cowboy history where we can all look back and say, "It started here ", it must begin 24 hours from now.
The Dallas Cowboys are at the crossroads.
As critical as that seems, this game has even further ramifications. The outcome of the game tomorrow will effect legacy. It could be the nail in the coffin for any notion that Jerry Jones ever had the ability, skill, talent, call it what you will, to build a legitimate NFL contender as a GM. It could confirm the popular notion that the only great decision he ever made as an owner was his first, the hiring of Jimmy Johnson.
Fans have been more than patient over the past 20 years.They have been patient enough with Head Coach Jason Garrett.
By now, the Cowboys should have been built and established as perennial contenders, built with "the right kind of guys" and deep enough to sustain injury to even key positions. The competitive environment subscribed by Garrett as well as maintaining value of draft picks by not trading away the future should have insured that this day, which was that future,would see a Cowboy team confidently playing through their schedule while compiling impressive victories with few hard fought defeats.
Instead, we see the same broken record. We see a season derailed by injury, suspension, lack of depth, poor game planning, poor decision making during games, poor free agency recruitment, poor contract structuring, a confusing management structure, poor interaction between the coaching and the scouting, and poor communication in expressing a singular, unified plan to success.
We are told that the majority of decisions are group decisions involving many voices. Everyone in charge means no one in charge.
Who is in charge? We were lead to believe that Jerry had taken at least a few steps back and allowed those with more credibility to make key decisions. Granted, those of us with longer familiarity to this issue had grave doubts and viewed Jerry as a ticking time bomb, but lately, Stephen doesn't even seem interested in holding the leash.
When has a Head Coach ever been given this much opportunity in recent times? This time, we were given reassurance that there would be no shortcuts, It would take a little longer but the team would be built the right way, built to compete for a decade, built to create continuous opportunities to get back to the Super Bowl.
The average NFL team over the course of 8 seasons will reach the playoffs three times, win a divisional playoff game once, play in a conference championship once with a 50-50 probability of playing in a Super Bowl. As far as the playoff are concerned, the Cowboys under Garrett have not even attained the heights of mediocrity.
Understand,this is coming from a staunch Garrett supporter, which I still am. I still hold on to the idea that the Cowboys can turn this around but I am beginning to lose my grip. A loss tomorrow and I can no longer defend him and his future as a HC for the Cowboys.
As for Jerry Jones, not only will a defeat end any presumption of competence for him, it will extend to other Cowboy executives with the same last name.Stephen was also given a position of authority. With that position also comes accountability.
As it was with the Packer game of 2010 when the eventual champions undressed, embarrassed and completely exposed the entire Cowboys franchise for the frauds they were, you can expect frequent camera shots of Jerry and his family reacting to whatever happens on the field tomorrow.
If there is to be another memorable defining moment in Cowboy history where we can all look back and say, "It started here ", it must begin 24 hours from now.
The Dallas Cowboys are at the crossroads.