Most important thing we need to take it to the next level

[Bobhaze]

If I could select one quality I believe this team needs to take it to the next level it is this: TOUGHNESS. Physical and mental.

Sure talent, speed, scheme, coaching and some others are all good answers. We need those too. But it takes a long time to think of a Cowboys team in recent memory that was tough both physically AND mentally on a consistent basis. I have followed this team since I was a little kid in the 60s. Those teams in the 70s and 90s were tough as boot leather. Which is why our 5 SB wins happened with them. Haven’t seen much of that lately.

So why is this an ongoing problem? Why the lack of mental and physical toughness? Here’s some theories:

• As the clear “face of the franchise”, Jerry Jones is more like a combo doting daddy and used car salesman. Most men in charge of a football organization don’t wear rose colored glasses. This leadership style at the top is too easy on the troops.

• The stars on this team are almost all high paid now and yet they have collectively won one playoff game. Many teams don’t pay guys that kind of money if they haven’t proven anything beyond stats.
  
  
• The previous HC was soft on discipline. Garrett talked a good game, but if you see some of the quotes that came out after his firing, it was obvious few if any players feared Garrett’s authority.

So how can Mike McCarthy address this ongoing problem?

1. OTAs and TC should have a “boot camp” feel. I believe the message needs to be sent that this team has been soft and needs to get tougher. Maybe a couple of “asthma field” moments would help. When was the last time this team wasn’t coddled?
2. Coach Mac should publicly and privately say to this team, coaches and staff, “We never make excuses- period.”
3. Return to the Parcells days of “no tap outs”. Instill a message that toughness and resiliency is expected, especially of the team’s leaders.
4. Be willing to bench a guy- even a star- for loafing or showboating.
5. Make drafting players with mental and physical toughness a priority.

I don’t know if MM will do any of these things or not. And I know this team needs to upgrade its talent at several positions. But adding toughness to this team gives it a much better chance to compete for a championship!

 

[CowboyRoy]

If I could select one quality I believe this team needs to take it to the next level it is this: TOUGHNESS. Physical and mental.

Sure talent, speed, scheme, coaching and some others are all good answers. We need those too. But it takes a long time to think of a Cowboys team in recent memory that was tough both physically AND mentally on a consistent basis. I have followed this team since I was a little kid in the 60s. Those teams in the 70s and 90s were toughest boot leather. Which is why our 5 SB wins happened with them. Haven’t seen much of that lately.

So why is this an ongoing problem? Why the lack of mental and physical toughness? Here’s some theories:

• As the clear “face of the franchise”, Jerry Jones is more like a combo doting daddy and used car salesman. Most men in charge of a football organization don’t wear rose colored glasses. This leadership style at the top is too easy on the troops.

• The stars on this team are almost all high paid now and yet they have collectively won one playoff game. Many teams don’t pay guys that kind of money if they haven’t proven anything beyond stats.
  
  
• The previous HC was soft on discipline. Garrett talked a good game, but if you see some of the quotes that came out after his firing, it was obvious few if any players feared Garrett’s authority.

So how can Mike McCarthy address this ongoing problem?

1. OTAs and TC should have a “boot camp” feel. I believe the message needs to be sent that this team has been soft and needs to get tougher. Maybe a couple of “asthma field” moments would help. When was the last time this team wasn’t coddled?
2. Coach Mac should publicly and privately say to this team, coaches and staff, “We never make excuses- period.”
3. Return to the Parcells days of “no tap outs”. Instill a message that toughness and resiliency is expected, especially of the team’s leaders.
4. Be willing to bench a guy- even a star- for loafing or showboating.
5. Make drafting players with mental and physical toughness a priority.

I don’t know if MM will do any of these things or not. And I know this team needs to upgrade its talent at several positions. But adding toughness to this team gives it a much better chance to compete for a championship!

 

[CowboyRoy]

top 5 defense

 

[Bobhaze]

top 5 defense

I assume you mean top 5 D happens when this team gets tougher. Agreed.

 

[Runwildboys]

If I could select one quality I believe this team needs to take it to the next level it is this: TOUGHNESS. Physical and mental.

Sure talent, speed, scheme, coaching and some others are all good answers. We need those too. But it takes a long time to think of a Cowboys team in recent memory that was tough both physically AND mentally on a consistent basis. I have followed this team since I was a little kid in the 60s. Those teams in the 70s and 90s were toughest boot leather. Which is why our 5 SB wins happened with them. Haven’t seen much of that lately.

So why is this an ongoing problem? Why the lack of mental and physical toughness? Here’s some theories:

• As the clear “face of the franchise”, Jerry Jones is more like a combo doting daddy and used car salesman. Most men in charge of a football organization don’t wear rose colored glasses. This leadership style at the top is too easy on the troops.

• The stars on this team are almost all high paid now and yet they have collectively won one playoff game. Many teams don’t pay guys that kind of money if they haven’t proven anything beyond stats.
  
  
• The previous HC was soft on discipline. Garrett talked a good game, but if you see some of the quotes that came out after his firing, it was obvious few if any players feared Garrett’s authority.

So how can Mike McCarthy address this ongoing problem?

1. OTAs and TC should have a “boot camp” feel. I believe the message needs to be sent that this team has been soft and needs to get tougher. Maybe a couple of “asthma field” moments would help. When was the last time this team wasn’t coddled?
2. Coach Mac should publicly and privately say to this team, coaches and staff, “We never make excuses- period.”
3. Return to the Parcells days of “no tap outs”. Instill a message that toughness and resiliency is expected, especially of the team’s leaders.
4. Be willing to bench a guy- even a star- for loafing or showboating.
5. Make drafting players with mental and physical toughness a priority.

I don’t know if MM will do any of these things or not. And I know this team needs to upgrade its talent at several positions. But adding toughness to this team gives it a much better chance to compete for a championship!

While I agree with you in total here, I also think it's a generational thing. I really don't see much toughness on many teams around the league. There are a few that have it, to a degree, but I don't think there's a team in the league right now that compares to any of the teams in the previous century, as far as toughness goes.

I can't say if it's because of the wussification of America, or the wussification of the league, but they've all been wussified nonetheless.

 

[Ranching]

They are plenty tough, they wouldn't be at this level of they weren't. What they need is discipline.

 

[Bobhaze]

While I agree with you in total here, I also think it's a generational thing. I really don't see much toughness on many teams around the league. There are a few that have it, to a degree, but I don't think there's a team in the league right now that compares to any of the teams in the previous century, as far as toughness goes.
I can't say if it's because of the wussification of America, or the wussification of the league, but they've all been wussified nonetheless.

That’s a fair point. I would say though that I have certainly seen some mental toughness with teams lately. Like the chiefs showing being down 3 scores was a challenge they accepted and overcame.

 

[JoeKing]

If I could select one quality I believe this team needs to take it to the next level it is this: TOUGHNESS. Physical and mental.

Sure talent, speed, scheme, coaching and some others are all good answers. We need those too. But it takes a long time to think of a Cowboys team in recent memory that was tough both physically AND mentally on a consistent basis. I have followed this team since I was a little kid in the 60s. Those teams in the 70s and 90s were tough as boot leather. Which is why our 5 SB wins happened with them. Haven’t seen much of that lately.

So why is this an ongoing problem? Why the lack of mental and physical toughness? Here’s some theories:

• As the clear “face of the franchise”, Jerry Jones is more like a combo doting daddy and used car salesman. Most men in charge of a football organization don’t wear rose colored glasses. This leadership style at the top is too easy on the troops.

• The stars on this team are almost all high paid now and yet they have collectively won one playoff game. Many teams don’t pay guys that kind of money if they haven’t proven anything beyond stats.
  
  
• The previous HC was soft on discipline. Garrett talked a good game, but if you see some of the quotes that came out after his firing, it was obvious few if any players feared Garrett’s authority.

So how can Mike McCarthy address this ongoing problem?

1. OTAs and TC should have a “boot camp” feel. I believe the message needs to be sent that this team has been soft and needs to get tougher. Maybe a couple of “asthma field” moments would help. When was the last time this team wasn’t coddled?
2. Coach Mac should publicly and privately say to this team, coaches and staff, “We never make excuses- period.”
3. Return to the Parcells days of “no tap outs”. Instill a message that toughness and resiliency is expected, especially of the team’s leaders.
4. Be willing to bench a guy- even a star- for loafing or showboating.
5. Make drafting players with mental and physical toughness a priority.

I don’t know if MM will do any of these things or not. And I know this team needs to upgrade its talent at several positions. But adding toughness to this team gives it a much better chance to compete for a championship!

Meh! to your idea of taking it to the next toughness level. I don't care if this team tip toes through the tulips as long as it gets to the NFC title game or better. That is the next level in my book. Results is what matters, not how they got there.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I assume you mean top 5 D happens when this team gets tougher. Agreed.

The #1 thing this teams needs to get to the next level is a top 5 defense. This is going to require better players and a better scheme.

 

[Runwildboys]

That’s a fair point. I would say though that I have certainly seen some mental toughness with teams lately. Like the chiefs showing being down 3 scores was a challenge they accepted and overcame.

One of the few, yes.

 

[Typhus]

While I agree with you in total here, I also think it's a generational thing. I really don't see much toughness on many teams around the league. There are a few that have it, to a degree, but I don't think there's a team in the league right now that compares to any of the teams in the previous century, as far as toughness goes.

I can't say if it's because of the wussification of America, or the wussification of the league, but they've all been wussified nonetheless.

You can blame the "wussification" on the Players and the league.
The players are responsible for the sissy CBA
and Goodell is responsible for endorsing it.

 

[CATCH17]

Our offense needs to score meaningful TDs early in games against good opponents.

I’ll start from there.

The offense was a huge problem this year and a bunch of stats against garbage teams creates the illusion that they were good.

Whatever you get from the defense is a bonus in today’s NFL.. The rules are against defenders. Especially in the pass game.

 

[Tangle_Foot]

They are plenty tough, they wouldn't be at this level of they weren't. What they need is discipline.

A tough disciplined SOB is hard to beat.

 

[fivetwos]

Agreed 100%

But understand that a coach coming in and yelling doesnt make guys suddenly tough.

I'm aware that Cooper and Jones are among the teams best players, but I'm very against signing guys that marinated in this culture for too long to big money deals.

 

[fivetwos]

They are plenty tough, they wouldn't be at this level of they weren't. What they need is discipline.

Fine line between desire and discipline.

 

[GenoT]

IMHO, what’s needed — throughout the entire organization — is individual accountability.

Since Jimmy Johnson left, the Cowboys have been obviously lacking in this area.

Jerry calls the giving of second chances “loyalty”...I call it mollycoddling BS.

 

[Runwildboys]

Agreed 100%

But understand that a coach coming in and yelling doesnt make guys suddenly tough.

I'm aware that Cooper and Jones are among the teams best players, but I'm very against signing guys that marinated in this culture for too long to big money deals.

We've seen that Jones is physically tough. Didn't his knee dislocate or something, and he popped it back himself and went back out there? That takes a degree of mental toughness too, IMO.

 

[Ranching]

Fine line between desire and discipline.

Not really. Wanting something and having the disciple to achieve it are two different things in my book.

 

[Whyjerry]

100 pct agree. This team is mentally and physically soft. It is a major issue. That’s on of the reasons I wanted Meyer who is by all accounts a fearsome leader.

I like McCarthy and I have no doubt the team will be better prepared. I am just not sure he will make the team tough. I could be wrong but never knew him to be a taskmaster.

 

[Dak_Attack_09]

I assume you mean top 5 D happens when this team gets tougher. Agreed.

We need some nasty DTs in the inside and resign Xavier who would give the OL a dominant interior that can road grade for the running game.

Also wouldn’t mind bringing in Klein to run Nolan’s defense he learned how to play LB with Luke Kuechly.