Analyzing the Post November Swoon Syndrome

[Rack]

I don't agree with this. Every year we talk about the Cardinals as being perenial losers. Why? Because teams fall into habits. Clearly our team has.

How do we break this habit? I wish I knew.

Anyone that thinks that our record in december (post november) in previous seasons doesn't mean anything isn't thinking hard enough.


Every year it keeps happening, it makes it harder to break out of. Our team will be thinking of it next year just like they thought of it this year.


I know exactly what it takes to get out of that "funk".

Leadership. And the cowboys don't have enough of it (that's counting the players and coaches).

 

[SultanOfSix]

Believing you can't win in a particular month is just stupid.

I don't care who you are. If any of the players take that viewpoint, they're stupid. December is a month, just like another month in the year where a victory counts the same on the record as in September.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Meh, what happened ten or even a few years ago has zero bearing on today. How could it?

Unless people remind the team of it so much that it gets in their heads... That's the only way possible.

Thats one way of looking at it. OTOH the fact that its amazimngly consistent from year to year is alarming. Where there is smoke there is fire if you will.

 

[Boysboy]

Believing you can't win in a particular month is just stupid.

I don't care who you are. If any of the players take that viewpoint, they're stupid. December is a month, just like another month in the year where a victory counts the same on the record as in September.

Dec is where you really want to put it in high gear heading into the playoffs. Also, this is the same month where the MENTAL aspect of the game really takes over.

Blame Wade, Bill, or even Campo all you want for installing a lack of discipline, b/c I'm starting to question the MENTALITY of these players. Really, when was the last time we won a BIG NFCE matchup in Dec/Jan? In both the '05 Skins game and the '06 Eagles game, the players just looked LOST.

 

[chinch]

this year it was all about post-GB

that game was our Superbowl.

the team started eating the cheese then and, as you all know, cheese isn't good for your heart

absolutely.

past years are irrelevant, especially years without overpaid loudmouths like Roy Williams & Ellis to compare.

this year GB+ was all about poor coaching, poor OC, immaturity and a complete and utter lack of leadership (romo is not yet a real leader, not when jessica and carrie are overtaking his press).

 

[Hostile]

Believing you can't win in a particular month is just stupid.

I don't care who you are. If any of the players take that viewpoint, they're stupid. December is a month, just like another month in the year where a victory counts the same on the record as in September.

I don't believe in jinxes or curses. I do however believe in trends and cycles and we're in one we have got to pull out of.

 

[Chief]

What I do not understand is why so many people refused to believe Dallas was struggling down the stretch. All the constant whining about the media having NY as favorites in the game.

I am very dissapointed, but not the least bit surprised by our meltdown in the playoffs.

My thoughts exactly.

Even with the great record, a lot of things about this team bothered me -- the penalties every game, the dropped passes, the missed tackles.

I wasn't surprised at all that they lost Sunday.

And I agree that there is a real problem here and this isn't just coincidence. Like Inman said, veterans need to be brought in that know how to be professional and know how to ball up.

 

[ddh33]

I'm with IR. I want some leaders. I want some of those junkyard dogs. I want some guys who will tear off your limbs to win and will try to win even after you tear off theirs.

I put it in another thread, but when I really think about the number of guys on this team who I believe would scratch, fight, claw, and do everything in their ability to win a game, the list isn't very long...

I've got Romo, Barber, TO, Witten, Ratliff, Ware, Newman,and probably Hamlin. You might be able to make a solid case for a few more players, but that's a list I would like to see grow.

 

[Big Dakota]

I don't agree with this. Every year we talk about the Cardinals as being perenial losers. Why? Because teams fall into habits. Clearly our team has.

How do we break this habit? I wish I knew.

The ONLY answer is to win a PO game or two. Manning and the Colts had a huge monkey on their back after losing three consecutive first round games before winning two PO games in 2004. We have got to win a PO game next season.

 

[NextGenBoys]

What I do not understand is why so many people refused to believe Dallas was struggling down the stretch. All the constant whining about the media having NY as favorites in the game.

I have been tremendously worried about the Cowboys since the Detroit game.

I posted this before, but here it is again:

Detroit - Should have lost the game. If not for a freak bounce of the ball, Dallas offense only scores 7 points the second half.

Philly - Dallas lost. 3 points scored the entire second half.

Carolina - 3 points scored the entire second half. With as much talent Dallas has on offense losing TO should not have prevented the Cowboys from scoring more than a field goal.

Washington - Blown out in a game that did not mattered. 3 points scored in the second half. I think this was a coaching error. Dallas to this point had been clearly struggling. Dallas should have played this game like it mattered and tried to get back in sync.

New York - Lost the game and again only 3 points scored the second half.

I am very dissapointed, but not the least bit surprised by our meltdown in the playoffs.

Exactly. People like you and I took a lot of heat from other posters on this board for showing concern over our play. I think a lot of it was out of disbelief. No one wanted to believe that our play was slipping and we were struggling. Everyone kept regurgitating our record and how good we are. Yeah we won 13 games, but we were not the same team as the first 11 of those wins.

My god this loss hurts. This offseason is going to be even longer than the last one. For the love of God can we just win a ******** playoff game?

 

[Nors]

It's really simple - HEART

Great post about another teams leadership and Vets carrying a team into postseason and beyond. December is gut check time, it's when all teams are beat up and hurting. We lack true leadership accross the board and have for awhile.

Roy, Ellis, Newman, Flo, I just don't see leadership. TO is unstable and Romo is a pup deer in the headlights some with the rock star angle/distracted.

I think it's heart and lack of leadership that is killing us in December. Why parcells quit and this team has quit on BP and mailed it in some on Wade. We need to be drafting next wave of Leaders and signing a few Vets with right traits.

 

[Boysboy]

It's really simple - HEART

Great post about another teams leadership and Vets carrying a team into postseason and beyond. December is gut check time, it's when all teams are beat up and hurting. We lack true leadership accross the board and have for awhile.

Roy, Ellis, Newman, Flo, I just don't see leadership. TO is unstable and Romo is a pup deer in the headlights some with the rock star angle/distracted.

I think it's heart and lack of leadership that is killing us in December. Why parcells quit and this team has quit on BP and mailed it in some on Wade. We need to be drafting next wave of Leaders and signing a few Vets with right traits.

You know? With all the FLACK Michael Strahan and Antonio Pierce get on this board for being trash talkers et al, they give the Giants' D(as well as the entire team) JUST that-fire and leadership. Ditto Marcus Washington with the Skins-when he's out of the lineup, they rarely win.

No-I'm not trying to imply we should go after them(my opinions on Pierce haven't changed), but having a guy like Michael or Antonio, I wouldn't mind.

 

[Bach]

This team is soft and dumb. At least some people are finally realizing there really was a "swoon", for whatever that matters now.

 

[Bach]

"I think we clinched [the NFC East title] so early, we got a little complacent," receiver Patrick Crayton said.

Some suggest that because the Cowboys are one of the NFL's youngest teams, some of the problem will cure itself with another year of experience.

Cornerback Terence Newman said after Sunday's game, the team was flat the entire afternoon. It might be a sign of an immature team, or one that took for granted that something good eventually would come around.

This is unbelievable. It's the playoffs. Do or die, and we have guys who apparently felt complacent and thought they could just show up and we'd win.

Did I mention it was the playoffs? How in the world do you come out flat in a game of this magnitude?

This team has major problems and it's mostly from the neck up.

 

[Boysboy]

This is unbelievable. It's the playoffs. Do or die, and we have guys who apparently felt complacent and thought they could just show up and we'd win.

Did I mention it was the playoffs? How in the world do you come out flat in a game of this magnitude?

This team has major problems and it's mostly from the neck up.

It was no different from '06-the week after we beat the Giants in The Meadowlands, we looked to have the NFCE locked up, and were in the driver's seat to lock up the #2 seed as well(even pundits were saying we would beat the Bears in Soldier Field).

After going up 7-0 on the Saints after a quick score by Julius...of course we knew what happened afterwards. But here's what Jason Ferguson said at this point, "We got OVER-confident when we went up early".

Folks-this seems to be a lingering issue with these players for quite some time now. Blame Wade, but this "complacent" mentality seems to be the mojo for the players.

 

[Jarv]

I don't believe in coincidences either, there is only once constant I see from 1998. I told my friends that with 5 minutes left in the game and I saw him 3 feet from our coach.

How many other owners are on the field next to the coach in a tight playoff game with 5 minutes left ? Maybe its me, but I can't name any ?

Can you ?

 

[gbrittain]

Exactly. People like you and I took a lot of heat from other posters on this board for showing concern over our play. I think a lot of it was out of disbelief. No one wanted to believe that our play was slipping and we were struggling. Everyone kept regurgitating our record and how good we are. Yeah we won 13 games, but we were not the same team as the first 11 of those wins.

My god this loss hurts. This offseason is going to be even longer than the last one. For the love of God can we just win a ******** playoff game?

Yes, I remember that.

How unfortunate that Dallas could not get things turned around.

There are no promises in the NFL. Who knows if Dallas will have another opportunity like they did this year for a long time. Hopefully they do, but who knows.

Wasted opportunity.

 

[Bach]

It was no different from '06-the week after we beat the Giants in The Meadowlands, we looked to have the NFCE locked up, and were in the driver's seat to lock up the #2 seed as well(even pundits were saying we would beat the Bears in Soldier Field).

After going up 7-0 on the Saints after a quick score by Julius...of course we knew what happened afterwards. But here's what Jason Ferguson said at this point, "We got OVER-confident when we went up early".

Folks-this seems to be a lingering issue with these players for quite some time now. Blame Wade, but this "complacent" mentality seems to be the mojo for the players.

It's really puzzling. I don't blame Wade because it's obviously been going on for some time. But at the same time, I don't have faith that Wade's laidback approach is what's going to turn it around. It seems to me it would only make it worse.

 

[BALKIS]

Anybody remember who the offensive co-ord. was in that 1999 season?

 

[CM Duck]

Paging Mr. Ray Lewis. when was the last time we had a winning Dec ?

When Micheal Irvin was on the active roster....?

this team has been missing that inspirational player....the proverbial "heart and soul" of the team...

just my 2 cents