A Touch OF Juke-ility... ;)

[chinch]

I'm not saying every game has to be a 44-0 blow out. I am saying that sloppy play that is tolerated because the team wins, sows the seeds for disaster in bigger games.

coaches, jerry & most fans don't mind sloppy play.

just read the replies here week after week, year after year.

sucks for many cowboy fans not with the group above.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

I'm not saying every game has to be a 44-0 blow out. I am saying that sloppy play that is tolerated because the team wins, sows the seeds for disaster in bigger games.

Focus must be practiced like anything else in life. The brain must be trained, just like the body. If you don't practice playing a focused 60 minutes in the lesser games, you're not going to be able to play a focused game when it counts because you're brain hasn't been trained.

No team plays a perfectly focused game for 60 minutes...but clearly some do a better job of that than others...because they PRACTICE it....those are the teams that don't have continual breakdowns in big games.

It sounds good in theory, and you're getting a lot of , so maybe you're right.

But I'm not really buying it.

I think our talent level is over rated, and we as fans expect too much.

IMO, we have very few sound, decisive victories because, as a whole, we're not that talented of a team.

Only in todays NFL can you see teams go 13-3 one year, 7-9 the next, then 11-5 the third.

 

[TheCount]

Some of you are missing the point of the post completely. Nice post Juke.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

I'm not saying every game has to be a 44-0 blow out. I am saying that sloppy play that is tolerated because the team wins, sows the seeds for disaster in bigger games.

Focus must be practiced like anything else in life. The brain must be trained, just like the body. If you don't practice playing a focused 60 minutes in the lesser games, you're not going to be able to play a focused game when it counts because you're brain hasn't been trained.

No team plays a perfectly focused game for 60 minutes...but clearly some do a better job of that than others...because they PRACTICE it....those are the teams that don't have continual breakdowns in big games.

You make good points, Juke.

In my opinion, the Cowboys' problems with focus and accountability are symptoms of the manner in which the team is managed and operated. They start at the top and trickle down.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Some of you are missing the point of the post completely. Nice post Juke.

I'm sure you're referring to me.

I understand his premise to be that we sometimes allow scores late, or make mental errors because we don't "practice" "focus".

First, I'm not even sure how you would practice "focusing", but thats besides the point.

We do those things, just as all teams do, because the league is parity driven.

All teams make those mistakes.

I think we're all gnashing our teeth and wanting to put the blame somewhere, and this is where it conveniently fits.

 

[Juke99]

I'm sure you're referring to me.

I understand his premise to be that we sometimes allow scores late, or make mental errors because we don't "practice" "focus".

First, I'm not even sure how you would practice "focusing", but thats besides the point.

We do those things, just as all teams do, because the league is parity driven.

All teams make those mistakes.

I think we're all gnashing our teeth and wanting to put the blame somewhere, and this is where it conveniently fits.

Ya think Bobby Fisher knew how to practice focus?

Do you want a surgeon operating on you who let's his mind drift?

You most certainly can practice focus.

Again, yes, all teams makes mistakes, those who make less, win the big games. I never said we can expect a perfect perfomance...I said excusing is because we won the game leads to these breakdowns we see year after year.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Ya think Bobby Fisher knew how to practice focus?

Do you want a surgeon operating on you who let's his mind drift?

You most certainly can practice focus.

To me, you're either born with a higher mental capacity or you're not. Just as some are born with stronger physical attributes than others.

Why is Notre Dame struggling? Because ever since they tightened their academic restrictions, they're unable to get the talent to compete for a National Championship.

For the record, I wouldn't want Bobby Fisher or a surgeon playing on my football team.... just like I wouldn't want Bradie James cutting me open on the operating table.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I think our problems are clearly mental. We don't seem to have that killer instinct that we need down the stretch and for whatever reason we never seem to be able to match the intensity of teams who are playing against us full of hate or desperation. We always seem to fall short of matching teams in those areas.

If we ever figure that part out then this will be one very special team.

 

[Zman5]

I might agree with you if not for the fact that we had a HOF coach who was all about what you are talking about and he still couldn't win in December as well as this December thing goes back to Troy/Emmit days.

 

[odog422]

I might agree with you if not for the fact that we had a HOF coach who was all about what you are talking about and he still couldn't win in December as well as this December thing goes back to Troy/Emmit days.

That HOF coach was past his coaching prime IMO. 5 years earlier and we would have had success. IMO. Parcells brought everything except the "kick" he was known for.

 

[RainMan]

During the first three months of the season, when the Cowboys win a game in somewhat less than perfection fashion and we hear the coach say "It's tough to win in the NFL, we'll take it"...when some fans here get blasted for complaining about the way the team won...maybe you can take a look at yesterday and see things from a different perspective regarding those early season wins.

When a team has superior talent, like this one does, those games that are less important than the all important December games are dress rehearsals for practicing perfect execution...developing a killer instinct...keeping pressure on an opponent for a full 60 minutes. A team cannot practice that stuff during they week on their own practive field. It must be done against an opponent.

THAT is why December happens to this team. They don't practice playing a FULL focused game during the earlier part of the season.

As an example, if, early in the season, they're winning 31-10 and give up a sloppy late TD that makes the final score 31-17 some of us will complain and hear "What more do you want? Now a win isn't good enough for you?" What I want is a focused effort for a full 60 minutes so we don't have to see the breakdowns we do, time after time, in games like yesterday. If you don't practice playing a full 60 minutes during EVERY game, you'll never be able to do it down the stretch run...and that is why this team loses every big game by giving up big plays or not stepping up to make big plays 4-5 times a game. They get away with it against lesser opponents...but not against the elite or when the games are more important.

The fact that the head coach embraces the "A win is a win. It's tough to win in the NFL" philosophy, has this team doomed.

Ya can't just throw a switch in the big games if you haven't practiced your focus in all the games leading up to the more important games.

If you can beat Oakland by a score of 44 to 7 rather than 24-7, THAT is what you do. You don't win the game by a 17 point margin, when it should have been far greater and say "A win is a win"

Many people pick apart a loss like yesterday...it's the special teams...it was this play...it was that play...But if you notice, it's always a TEAM effort...yep, the special teams blew it yesterday...so did the defense when we needed them to step up...so did the offense, Barber's fumble...and as good as he was yesterday, Romo can't miss that pass to a wide open Roy Williams and Romo has to get the ball snapped before the final two minute warning.

The team is not mentally prepared to play an intense full 60 minutes because they don't do so against lesser opponents....and within that approach, the seeds for every December failing are planted.

I agree with your overall sentiment, that the team doesn't practice toward playing a 60-minute game. I think it can also be translated into: We don't sweat the small stuff. Phillips glosses over all the problems so long as the end justifies the means, and the reality is that's a terrible approach in the NFL. From what I've seen, most of the great coaches stress every small detail. Publicly, at least, Phillips doesn't.

I don't know though if I necessarily agree that that means we should have beaten Oakland 44-7 instead of 24-7. Is Philly doomed for not getting the shtutout yesterday and allowing that sloppy TD as time expired? Maybe that's a bad example, but still: How many teams regularly win in dominant, awe-inspiring fashion? Certainly not the unbeaten Saints, or even the Colts for that matter. Across the league, teams regularly play closer games than expected against bad teams.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs, as I do emphatically agree with your overall point.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

That HOF coach was past his coaching prime IMO. 5 years earlier and we would have had success. IMO. Parcells brought everything except the "kick" he was known for.

By "kick", you must mean Bill Belichick.

Because, you know, Parcells had a career losing record without Belichick on his staff.

 

[baj1dallas]

When a team has superior talent, like this one does, those games that are less important than the all important December games are dress rehearsals for practicing perfect execution...developing a killer instinct...keeping pressure on an opponent for a full 60 minutes. A team cannot practice that stuff during they week on their own practive field. It must be done against an opponent.

This team does not have superior talent. They are good, above average, but not superior. No more talented than NY or Philthy, less so than Minnesota and New Orleans. Which is why they'll be scrapping with divisional foes for playoff berths.

 

[Juke99]

I agree with your overall sentiment, that the team doesn't practice toward playing a 60-minute game. I think it can also be translated into: We don't sweat the small stuff. Phillips glosses over all the problems so long as the end justifies the means, and the reality is that's a terrible approach in the NFL. From what I've seen, most of the great coaches stress every small detail. Publicly, at least, Phillips doesn't.

I don't know though if I necessarily agree that that means we should have beaten Oakland 44-7 instead of 24-7. Is Philly doomed for not getting the shtutout yesterday and allowing that sloppy TD as time expired? Maybe that's a bad example, but still: How many teams regularly win in dominant, awe-inspiring fashion? Certainly not the unbeaten Saints, or even the Colts for that matter. Across the league, teams regularly play closer games than expected against bad teams.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs, as I do emphatically agree with your overall point.

Thanks.
Maybe I didn't make it clear...we don't have to win 44-7 over Oakland but we can't be OK with the mistakes or sloppy unfocused play simply be we beat them....that's the point I'm trying to make.

And I agree that teams regularly play closer games than expected against bad teams...It just seems to me that this team is a lot more ok with that than others.

Something's wrong. And it's not the talent.

For some reason, when a big play has to be made, we don't do it.

If it was about talent, we wouldn't have put up the yards we did yesterday.

Something's wrong and I think it's focus and lack of killer instinct. And those are attributes that CAN be practiced. Just one guy's opinion.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Something's wrong. And it's not the talent.

I think you're overrating the talent.

I'm not suggesting we've got scrubs... we just don't have catalyst, dynamic, home run players.

Ware, Witten, & Ratliff are dynamic.

Romo, Davis, & Jenkins are top 10-15 at their position accross the league.

The rest, for the most part, are decent but nothing exceptional.

We're not overflowing with talent is my point. And that is why we struggle from game to game like everyone else (for the most part).

Parity.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Preach it Brother Juke. At 10-0 the giants were ready to surrender. Instead of burying them we allow a quick drive and lose the momentum. Zero killer instinct has plagued this team for a long time, that's why I wasn't suprised at the outcome yesterday. There comes a point in everygame when you have to seize it. We had 2 chances yesterday. 10-0, and 17-14 were chances to take the game, we failed miserably both times.

So true.

I think this team will never have a killer instinct because Phillips is the most passive, anti-killer of any coach in the league.

Parcells in his days here was one of the more passive coaches as well in his style. Gone were the days of angry fiery Bill...Bill was more of a grandfather while he was here. Remember the quote of, "Bills bark is worse than his bite?" Do you think anyone on the Giants would have said that back in the 80s?

This is the main reason I want a young, feiry coach.

 

[tyke1doe]

Good post.

I would add to that the people who say after yesterday, "Where are all those people who wanted to run the ball?", my response to them applies your same logic.

When during the season you show no committment to the run game, at the end when you need to run it, you can't. When you need to run it straight-up the gut, play smash mouth, drive sustaining, penalty-free football, you can't. The wildcat, the misdirection tosses, all that works against lesser opponents. But in December, no deal.

So yes, the seeds are planted. Players will do what you ask and train them to do. The HC, the coaching staff, their job is to never allow complacency, satisfaction. Miserable fail, here in Dallas.

These fans that cry "That's why we don't run" after our running game gets stuffed, don't understand that running the ball is a mentality.

You can't develop it just in one game. You have to develop it through the course of a season. Yes, your running game may get stuffed. But unless you practice it consistently and make it a mentality, it's not going to work when you need it the most. You need to be able to run the ball in December and in the playoffs.

Oh, and :laugh2: on a Touch of "Juke-lity."
Nice, er, touch.

 

[NextGenBoys]

I think you're overrating the talent.

I'm not suggesting we've got scrubs... we just don't have catalyst, dynamic, home run players.

Ware, Witten, & Ratliff are dynamic.

Romo, Davis, & Jenkins are top 10-15 at their position accross the league.

The rest, for the most part, are decent but nothing exceptional.

We're not overflowing with talent is my point. And that is why we struggle from game to game like everyone else (for the most part).

Parity.

If we go 9-7 I hope there are some big changes to our core roster.

 

[Zman5]

That HOF coach was past his coaching prime IMO. 5 years earlier and we would have had success. IMO. Parcells brought everything except the "kick" he was known for.

That maybe true but he was still big on "mistake free", "playing smart", "playing the whole 60 minutes", "don't eat the cheese" football when he was here. It still didn't help.

 

[RS12]

When a team has superior talent, like this one does, those games that are less important than the all important December games are dress rehearsals for practicing perfect execution...developing a killer instinct...keeping pressure on an opponent for a full 60 minutes. A team cannot practice that stuff during they week on their own practive field. It must be done against an opponent.

Superior talent? Its an 8-8 league.