Simple Lessons from the playoffs

[Bobhaze]

Football is actually a pretty simple game. The 4 teams in the two championship games this weekend gave us a consistent reminder about the simplicity of the game- the teams that win are the ones that have these consistent qualities game in, game out:

1. They can block well.
2. They can tackle well.
3. They are physically and mentally tough.

Obviously you have to have some talent. So add talent to the three qualities above and you have a chance to be a team that wins in the playoffs.

Look at what the Niners have done so far in the playoffs- in the divisional win against the Vikes and the blowout of the pack in the NFC championship yesterday, they ran the ball 89 times for 471 yards. They only threw the ball 27 times! Defensively they made crisp open field tackles consistently. They look physically tough as nails.

And the chiefs surprised me twice with their mental toughness. Down 24 points in the divisional round then down 10 in championship game...no big deal. They were mentally tough as nails.

So my fellow Cowboys fans...ask yourself honestly...when was the last time our Dallas Cowboys could block well, tackle well, and show mental and physical toughness when the chips are down? Maybe 2014? But that team never got out of the divisional round. (When our fans scream about screwed in the Dez call, which we were, they fail to realize there were sill 4 min left in that game. But our defense couldn’t stop the pack from running out the clock.) I know this- those 70s and 90s teams were as tough as boot leather. I’m tired of looking at soft Cowboys teams.

This offseason as we look at who draft, who to keep and who to let go or cut, and who to sign as a FA- just remember that yeah, all that stuff is important. But the first thing this team needs is some football fundamentals. Blocking, tackling and toughness.

The teams that are winning these days have it. And we need start getting some more of that if we are ever going to get back to being playoff relevant again.

 

[Tangle_Foot]

Now the only question is will Jerry graduate and get his diploma.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Mike calls them alpha dogs.......huge during his Packer tenure. But I agree 100%......., especially on the D.

 

[Bobhaze]

Watching the niners yesterday, it was obvious they just physically whipped the packers. The looks on the faces of the GB players at the end of the first half was total defeat. They got physically manhandled. This was a niners team that won 5 games last year.

But man can they block and tackle.

 

[GoCowboysGo]

4. They have excellent leadership from the top down.

 

[Bobhaze]

4. They have excellent leadership from the top down.

Great point. The owners only show up and talk when the trophies are presented.

 

[Aven8]

We saw a glimpse last year when we beat NO’s.

 

[DallasEast]

Football is actually a pretty simple game. The 4 teams in the two championship games this weekend gave us a consistent reminder about the simplicity of the game- the teams that win are the ones that have these consistent qualities game in, game out:

1. They can block well.
2. They can tackle well.
3. They are physically and mentally tough.

Obviously you have to have some talent. So add talent to the three qualities above and you have a chance to be a team that wins in the playoffs.

Look at what the Niners have done so far in the playoffs- in the divisional win against the Vikes and the blowout of the pack in the NFC championship yesterday, they ran the ball 89 times for 471 yards. They only threw the ball 27 times! Defensively they made crisp open field tackles consistently. They look physically tough as nails.

And the chiefs surprised me twice with their mental toughness. Down 24 points in the divisional round then down 10 in championship game...no big deal. They were mentally tough as nails.

So my fellow Cowboys fans...ask yourself honestly...when was the last time our Dallas Cowboys could block well, tackle well, and show mental and physical toughness when the chips are down? Maybe 2014? But that team never got out of the divisional round. (When our fans scream about screwed in the Dez call, which we were, they fail to realize there were sill 4 min left in that game. But our defense couldn’t stop the pack from running out the clock.) I know this- those 70s and 90s teams were as tough as boot leather. I’m tired of looking at soft Cowboys teams.

This offseason as we look at who draft, who to keep and who to let go or cut, and who to sign as a FA- just remember that yeah, all that stuff is important. But the first thing this team needs is some football fundamentals. Blocking, tackling and toughness.

The teams that are winning these days have it. And we need start getting some more of that if we are ever going to get back to being playoff relevant again.

Excellent thread topic.

 

[Bobhaze]

We saw a glimpse last year when we beat NO’s.

Yes we did. The key is to play 16 games like that. You won’t win them all. But when you’re a tough team, you don’t have games like the jets and packer games this year. Truly soft as a roll of charmin.

 

[IceStar-D7]

Dallas has a lot of choirboys. What we need are a few THUGS!

 

[conner01]

Watching the niners yesterday, it was obvious they just physically whipped the packers. The looks on the faces of the GB players at the end of the first half was total defeat. They got physically manhandled. This was a niners team that won 5 games last year.

But man can they block and tackle.

Loved the look on Rodgers face

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Great point. The owners only show up and talk when the trophies are presented.

The way it should be except Dallas.

 

[Bobhaze]

Loved the look on Rodgers face

Would like it way better if we were the ones putting it there for a change.

 

[Risen Star]

I'm not worried about it. I saw nothing in these championship games that the Cowboys can't handle.

 

[Diehardblues]

I'm not worried about it. I saw nothing in these championship games that the Cowboys can't handle.

Yea. We’re just a HC away. Lol

 

[Risen Star]

Yea. We’re just a HC away. Lol

The franchise is fixed. We just needed a fatter head coach.

 

[AsthmaField]

Football is actually a pretty simple game. The 4 teams in the two championship games this weekend gave us a consistent reminder about the simplicity of the game- the teams that win are the ones that have these consistent qualities game in, game out:

1. They can block well.
2. They can tackle well.
3. They are physically and mentally tough.

Obviously you have to have some talent. So add talent to the three qualities above and you have a chance to be a team that wins in the playoffs.

Look at what the Niners have done so far in the playoffs- in the divisional win against the Vikes and the blowout of the pack in the NFC championship yesterday, they ran the ball 89 times for 471 yards. They only threw the ball 27 times! Defensively they made crisp open field tackles consistently. They look physically tough as nails.

And the chiefs surprised me twice with their mental toughness. Down 24 points in the divisional round then down 10 in championship game...no big deal. They were mentally tough as nails.

So my fellow Cowboys fans...ask yourself honestly...when was the last time our Dallas Cowboys could block well, tackle well, and show mental and physical toughness when the chips are down? Maybe 2014? But that team never got out of the divisional round. (When our fans scream about screwed in the Dez call, which we were, they fail to realize there were sill 4 min left in that game. But our defense couldn’t stop the pack from running out the clock.) I know this- those 70s and 90s teams were as tough as boot leather. I’m tired of looking at soft Cowboys teams.

This offseason as we look at who draft, who to keep and who to let go or cut, and who to sign as a FA- just remember that yeah, all that stuff is important. But the first thing this team needs is some football fundamentals. Blocking, tackling and toughness.

The teams that are winning these days have it. And we need start getting some more of that if we are ever going to get back to being playoff relevant again.

Good point on the toughness, both mental and physical. It is almost always a common trait on very good teams.

As a draftnik, I always like guys who have either exhibited toughness or had a coach or team mate talk about their toughness. When it is listed in their positives, they always move up my wish list.

I very much hope the team starts focusing on that trait both in the draft and in free agency.

Nice post man.

 

[ThatJerryKid]

Mike calls them alpha dogs.......huge during his Packer tenure. But I agree 100%......., especially on the D.

3 of our top alpha dogs are Dak, Zeke,and DLaw and yet these are the guys everybody on here *****es about....

 

[LocimusPrime]

Their guys look like they got bigger muscles than our guys

 

[RS12]

I saw two simple lessons. First of all the 49ers might be the best in the trenches both sides of the ball. This of course is where the vast majority of games are decided. Lesson two is Tennessee like many teams out there is not built to play from behind. And like many teams out there should not pay big money to a middling QB. Sound familiar?