Deja' vus all over again, fans...

[Redball Express]

Been reading most of the posts and thought I'd mention several issues that were not dissected worth mentioning..

Overall, despite all the new pieces in place in players and new coaches, I saw disturbing trends repeated against the Jags that haunted us last year and ended our season early in 2005.

They immediately showed up again and if they collectively continue and are not eliminated..this team will be by mid-season due to our rough schedule early on with so many away games..

1-Failing to win our Away Games-Under Parcells, other than the first year, this team does not win on the road well. Regardless of the quality of the opposition, we struggle. This is not unique in the NFL.

But teams that are labeled for greatness MUST win on the road at least 60% of the time. We haven't ever been able to do this under Parcells over the time he's been here. Whether it's talent, preparation, playcalling or shear desire..we still lack it.

We just don't win consistantly on the road.

I don't have any answers here. Obviously, the home team always has the advantage playing at home with the fans, often the refs and the weather conditions often playing into their favor.

In Jacksonville yesterday, they had all the above going for them, especially the refs, IMO.

But regardless, a quality team takes those factors, feeds off them and uses it to their advantage with focused play for 60 minutes.

We don't do that well.

Big problem.

2-Failing to make 2nd Half adjustments-I have never seen this team at anytime make good second half adjustments that resulted in winning games in the second half for us. And this goes back to the first year, the 10-6 year.

In the second half of that season and from that time on until today, we just don't make enough adjustments coming out of the tunnel that change what we are doing wrong and propel the team to a strong second half.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who notices this.

And consistantly, the opposing team gets us figured out by the second quarter and usually creaps back into the game and in the second half, takes the lead while we continue to try to do the same things we were doing in the first half that were defensed already.

Then we seem to fall behind more, abandon things and start desparately trying to get into the game with some big plays.

This says several things to me but with no one single answer.

Either our coaches are being told to stick with the gameplan at all costs by somebody (BP?) until things start getting out of control..

..or our coaches are not able to make changes at halftime that are effective..due to lack of preparation or lack of talent to do so..?

When we had a young, inexperienced team with marginal talent or young players at key positions such as Quincy Carter or at our CB positions on defense, making changes on the fly or at halftime might have caused too many problems and further breakdowns.

But we now are beng told we have an experinced team on offense and a vastly improved team on defense, with both squads full of veteran players who should be able to adapt throughout the game with any coaching scheme or play selection needed to adjust to what the opposing team is doing.

Is this an issue of the coaches feeling it's just an execution problem and just insisting that the team get back out there and 'do it right' and all will correct itself..?

Which leaves us to ponder: is this problem coach related, player related or philosophy related..?

If we don't get this sorted out and improve on this team's ability to make the necessary adjustments to counteract what the other team throws at us..

..we aren't going anywhere, folks.

3-Always playing from behind-this is another disturbing trend that has been our bain for the last 2 1/2 seasons. We either start out making mistakes early in games that cause us to fall behind and have to catchup..

..or we fall behind (see reason #2 above) later in the game and have to play catchup and that causes enormous pressure, on both offense and defense to execute and win the game.

But what happens more often than not, we get interceptions, missed tackles, blitzes that don't work leaving WR's prancing down the field wide open, whatever.

My point is, this team does not play well with a lead due to whatever reason. Yesterday was a prime example. We stood to go up 17-0 at one point and seize control of the game but failed and kicked the field goal for 10-0 instead and from that point on, we imploded.

So what this says to me is this team doesn't have the maturity or the leadership to go out and take care of business on a consistant basis, getting leads and holding them..

and instead plays an up and down game usually resulting in failing behind and therefore..

..placing enormous pressure on the players and coaches to not make anymore mistakes that will get magnified and lose the game.

You guys tell me..what are some of the answers to these questions and what can be fixed and what is just going to be the characteristic of this team that won't change and must be overcome each week in order to win..?

I'm not just saying this all happened yesterdayagainst the Jags. It happened a ton last year, too and eventually ended our run.

So until better answers are found to these 3 questions, I don't think this team is going to seriously compete for the NFC East much less any playoff run or SB appearance.

As much as a fan I'd like to see the team win of course, I'm afraid that it's deja' vous all over again from last year and similar results for the season lay ahead as 2005.

Somebody give me some insight here..huh..?

Over to you guys.

parcellswaterboy

 

[Pukindog]

It would alleviate some of the problems if Dallas wasn't so damned conservative on both sides of the ball. BP just needs to open it up a bit.

 

[Ashwynn]

Well just think, if we'd have won yesterday. all the unemployed whinners we would have today.

Its a freaking game guys. You win some, you lose some. Some do get rained out.

I would be willing to bet you can take a loss to start the season and still have a good year. But you cant fall apart after the first loss. By the fans reaction, we are falling apart. Good thing the players and coaches will hold this thing together. (we hope).

 

[dr_hefley]

I hated the same things about yesterdays game that I've hated about games the past three years.

Parcells gets a 10 point lead in the first quarter and then shuts everything down and plays not to lose.

Bledsoe throws a pick, the other team gains momentum, and the Cowboys wind up trying to drive 90 yards in the 4th quarter in hopes of miraculously forcing overtime. Funny thing is, they still don't have akicker.

He's right. De' javu all over again.

 

[JPM]

You forgot stupid penalties....
False starts by WR is inexcusable.

 

[wileedog]

It would alleviate some of the problems if Dallas wasn't so damned conservative on both sides of the ball. BP just needs to open it up a bit.

35 pass attempts. 20 running plays. And yes, a lot of those pass plays Bledsoe looked downfield first before checking down, they weren't designed dump offs.

Can we stop this now?

 

[Boyzmamacita]

As fas as the conservative play argument, we actually had a chance to go up 17-0 relatively early in the game. Bledsoe missed a wide open Owens that would have been an easy score. Factor in the that the FG should have been a TD and we should have been up 21-0 at that point. Execution is a problem with this team. If they execute these plays, it won't appear that they are being conservative or playing not to lose.

The example everybody uses is the first Philly game last year. We were aggressive and took it to them. But consider if the offense had not executed those plays. Our lead would not have been so big and it would have appeared that we were being conservative and playing not to lose. Execution is the key.

 

[Redball Express]

Well just think, if we'd have won yesterday. all the unemployed whinners we would have today.

Its a freaking game guys. You win some, you lose some. Some do get rained out.

I would be willing to bet you can take a loss to start the season and still have a good year. But you cant fall apart after the first loss. By the fans reaction, we are falling apart. Good thing the players and coaches will hold this thing together. (we hope).

My point is that this team seems to revert to it's inherent tendencies and it's not a 'one game' appearance of the things I'm pointing out.

My questions are valid and not knee-jerk reactions to the game yesterday. It's been fundamental issues going on for years now.

All the talent, schemes and coaching won't make any difference if the tendencies I'm mentioning aren't recognized by the team and corrected..

..either with personel, coaching, preparation, game-planning and sideline/field leadership improvements.

There is just a chemistry factor that would sort of blanket most of these issues of concern that seems to not be there.

The losing away games clearly smacks of on-the-field leadership and probably play calling.

The lack of second half adjustments that work clearly points at the coaching not being able to recognize the changes needed or willingness to change.

And the playing from behind to me is an overall lack of urgency this team lacks and it's unwillingness to play 60 minutes of consistant football. Heck, let's just settle for 40 minutes. That wins most games.

But because this team generally only focuses with about 30 minutes of solid football, we always seems to fall behind.

Those would be some of my points I'd make.

That's not whining.

It's sort of clear.

parcellswaterboy

 

[Richmond Cowboy]

As fas as the conservative play argument, we actually had a chance to go up 17-0 relatively early in the game. Bledsoe missed a wide open Owens that would have been an easy score. Factor in the that the FG should have been a TD and we should have been up 21-0 at that point. Execution is a problem with this team. If they execute these plays, it won't appear that they are being conservative or playing not to lose.

The example everybody uses is the first Philly game last year. We were aggressive and took it to them. But consider if the offense had not executed those plays. Our lead would not have been so big and it would have appeared that we were being conservative and playing not to lose. Execution is the key.

Thank you for typing what I have been thinking all along.

 

[tyke1doe]

As fas as the conservative play argument, we actually had a chance to go up 17-0 relatively early in the game. Bledsoe missed a wide open Owens that would have been an easy score. Factor in the that the FG should have been a TD and we should have been up 21-0 at that point. Execution is a problem with this team. If they execute these plays, it won't appear that they are being conservative or playing not to lose.

The example everybody uses is the first Philly game last year. We were aggressive and took it to them. But consider if the offense had not executed those plays. Our lead would not have been so big and it would have appeared that we were being conservative and playing not to lose. Execution is the key.

 

[braw]

Been reading most of the posts and thought I'd mention several issues that were not dissected worth mentioning..

Overall, despite all the new pieces in place in players and new coaches, I saw disturbing trends repeated against the Jags that haunted us last year and ended our season early in 2005.

They immediately showed up again and if they collectively continue and are not eliminated..this team will be by mid-season due to our rough schedule early on with so many away games..

1-Failing to win our Away Games-Under Parcells, other than the first year, this team does not win on the road well. Regardless of the quality of the opposition, we struggle. This is not unique in the NFL.

But teams that are labeled for greatness MUST win on the road at least 60% of the time. We haven't ever been able to do this under Parcells over the time he's been here. Whether it's talent, preparation, playcalling or shear desire..we still lack it.

We just don't win consistantly on the road.

I don't have any answers here. Obviously, the home team always has the advantage playing at home with the fans, often the refs and the weather conditions often playing into their favor.

In Jacksonville yesterday, they had all the above going for them, especially the refs, IMO.

But regardless, a quality team takes those factors, feeds off them and uses it to their advantage with focused play for 60 minutes.

We don't do that well.

Big problem.

2-Failing to make 2nd Half adjustments-I have never seen this team at anytime make good second half adjustments that resulted in winning games in the second half for us. And this goes back to the first year, the 10-6 year.

In the second half of that season and from that time on until today, we just don't make enough adjustments coming out of the tunnel that change what we are doing wrong and propel the team to a strong second half.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who notices this.

And consistantly, the opposing team gets us figured out by the second quarter and usually creaps back into the game and in the second half, takes the lead while we continue to try to do the same things we were doing in the first half that were defensed already.

Then we seem to fall behind more, abandon things and start desparately trying to get into the game with some big plays.

This says several things to me but with no one single answer.

Either our coaches are being told to stick with the gameplan at all costs by somebody (BP?) until things start getting out of control..

..or our coaches are not able to make changes at halftime that are effective..due to lack of preparation or lack of talent to do so..?

When we had a young, inexperienced team with marginal talent or young players at key positions such as Quincy Carter or at our CB positions on defense, making changes on the fly or at halftime might have caused too many problems and further breakdowns.

But we now are beng told we have an experinced team on offense and a vastly improved team on defense, with both squads full of veteran players who should be able to adapt throughout the game with any coaching scheme or play selection needed to adjust to what the opposing team is doing.

Is this an issue of the coaches feeling it's just an execution problem and just insisting that the team get back out there and 'do it right' and all will correct itself..?

Which leaves us to ponder: is this problem coach related, player related or philosophy related..?

If we don't get this sorted out and improve on this team's ability to make the necessary adjustments to counteract what the other team throws at us..

..we aren't going anywhere, folks.

3-Always playing from behind-this is another disturbing trend that has been our bain for the last 2 1/2 seasons. We either start out making mistakes early in games that cause us to fall behind and have to catchup..

..or we fall behind (see reason #2 above) later in the game and have to play catchup and that causes enormous pressure, on both offense and defense to execute and win the game.

But what happens more often than not, we get interceptions, missed tackles, blitzes that don't work leaving WR's prancing down the field wide open, whatever.

My point is, this team does not play well with a lead due to whatever reason. Yesterday was a prime example. We stood to go up 17-0 at one point and seize control of the game but failed and kicked the field goal for 10-0 instead and from that point on, we imploded.

So what this says to me is this team doesn't have the maturity or the leadership to go out and take care of business on a consistant basis, getting leads and holding them..

and instead plays an up and down game usually resulting in failing behind and therefore..

..placing enormous pressure on the players and coaches to not make anymore mistakes that will get magnified and lose the game.

You guys tell me..what are some of the answers to these questions and what can be fixed and what is just going to be the characteristic of this team that won't change and must be overcome each week in order to win..?

I'm not just saying this all happened yesterdayagainst the Jags. It happened a ton last year, too and eventually ended our run.

So until better answers are found to these 3 questions, I don't think this team is going to seriously compete for the NFC East much less any playoff run or SB appearance.

As much as a fan I'd like to see the team win of course, I'm afraid that it's deja' vous all over again from last year and similar results for the season lay ahead as 2005.

Somebody give me some insight here..huh..?

Over to you guys.

parcellswaterboy

Great post and I agree 100%.

The old saying their is no I in team is sometimes used wrong, because I have never seen a team that won it all that didn't get great indiviual play from their playmakers.