Did the Cowboys tank yesterday?

[noshame]

My fear is Tampa comes out punches us in the mouth and we fold the tent. Especially if Dak continues to play poo poo the bed

 

[JW82]

You spelled suck wrong.

 

[Doomsday101]

..they played down to competition. Wash came out guns blazing, like kids in kandy store. Nothing to play for.

Dallas knowing the odds were largely in favor of ending at 5th seed. Regardless what happened.

I kinda felt this would be awkward game.

Nothing to play for? nothing to lose.

 

[nate dizzle]

The mental gymnastics fans go through to convince themselves that things are not as bad as their eyes are telling them.

 

[LysleE]

The Cowboys lackluster, pathetic effort last night is the result of a soft, entitled culture, which starts at the top with Jerry Jones. Jerry’s tireless work to keep the Cowboys prominent in the NFL landscape despite 26 or so years of mediocrity have somehow given the Cowboys an over-inflated impression of themselves.

I think the team thinks they can turn it on and turn it off at will. I don’t think they understand the meaning of being a professional. It was embarrassing to be a Cowboy fan last night. And at no point in time did I see any emotion from the team…the most distressing thing is that there appears to be no accountability to one another, which is the essence of a team…holding each other to a standard of play.

There were just a bunch of individuals going through the motions last night. The Cowboys are a prime example of how talent alone doesn’t make you a winner; one needs commitment and sacrificing personal glory for the good of the team…something they don’t possess.

 

[CATCH17]

It’s obvious they were not mentally into that game.

 

[Romo_To_Dez]

So if this is the case, then what was the point in playing the starters for most of the game?

 

[Surfguy]

My fear is Tampa comes out punches us in the mouth and we fold the tent. Especially if Dak continues to play poo poo the bed

Realistically, all TB has to do is stop the run and, with Zeke spearheading the attack, that shouldn't be that difficult. Put the game on Dak to beat them through the air.

 

[rocknrobcowboy]

As I watched (disgusted) yesterday's game and saw just how pervasive the lethargy and half-assed efforts were across the board on this team I found myself wondering? Was this done on purpose? Could Mike McCarthy be like me in that he doesn't trust this team when it's riding high and the media is all caressing their ..er.. private parts. Could he had instructed both coordinators to present a preseason level game plan and really never put much into the game? If it had been one side of the ball I might feel differently.. but the defensive effort was sporadic, the special teams were horrible.. the receivers dropped balls, the QB was off, the backs looked like they were running in quicksand and my lord, the offensive line looked like they would struggle to block Baylor.

Everybody stunk.. If it wasn't an outright tank then they need to get the name of whoever catered the pregame meal and never use them again and never stay at whatever hotel they stayed at again either. If it wasn't taking, food poisoning or somebody pulling the fire alarm at 3 am, then this team will have a short visit to the playoffs if it can't play about 20,000 miles above what they showed us yesterday.

Done on purpose<-------

 

[atlantacowboy]

As I watched (disgusted) yesterday's game and saw just how pervasive the lethargy and half-assed efforts were across the board on this team I found myself wondering? Was this done on purpose? Could Mike McCarthy be like me in that he doesn't trust this team when it's riding high and the media is all caressing their ..er.. private parts. Could he had instructed both coordinators to present a preseason level game plan and really never put much into the game? If it had been one side of the ball I might feel differently.. but the defensive effort was sporadic, the special teams were horrible.. the receivers dropped balls, the QB was off, the backs looked like they were running in quicksand and my lord, the offensive line looked like they would struggle to block Baylor.

Everybody stunk.. If it wasn't an outright tank then they need to get the name of whoever catered the pregame meal and never use them again and never stay at whatever hotel they stayed at again either. If it wasn't taking, food poisoning or somebody pulling the fire alarm at 3 am, then this team will have a short visit to the playoffs if it can't play about 20,000 miles above what they showed us yesterday.

If they did tank, their strategy makes no sense. Why put Dak and Micah and Zeke at risk if the plan was to roll over in a meaningless game?

What happened yesterday is not excusable. The only thing that will make that performance a non-issue is a win next week. Otherwise, some heads need to roll this offseason.

 

[rocknrobcowboy]

So if this is the case, then what was the point in playing the starters for most of the game?

During the Game, I saw that as well.. They didn't show anything on offence.. It was probably a plan not to show
Tampa Bay .. Just my hunch

 

[bottleKids]

You do know that Dak had two of the best games of his career last year on grass right? He put up over 400 yards and 3 TDs on grass at Tampa and 450 yards and 3 TDs against the Pats on grass. Other theories certainly welcome.

Thank god for those two games!!!!

 

[bottleKids]

And vice versa. We are guilty of extremes on this forum. Both ways.

You know what, I am man enough to admit that 100%, and agree with you.

27 years is a long time....

 

[RonnieT24]

If they did tank, their strategy makes no sense. Why put Dak and Micah and Zeke at risk if the plan was to roll over in a meaningless game?

What happened yesterday is not excusable. The only thing that will make that performance a non-issue is a win next week. Otherwise, some heads need to roll this offseason.

You're not wrong. They need to come out and kick some serious tail next week or blowing the whole thing up needs to be looked at. There was absolutely no excuse for how flat and lethargic they were yesterday. Like I said the only thing that could excuse it would be mass food poisoning from a tainted pregame meal. Which by the way HAS happened in sports on more than one occasion. They had no energy. We've all had those days so we know what it feels like.. What makes no sense is that pretty much the entire team looked that way. How does that happen? This team needs a Dez or a Michael Irvin so bad it's not even funny. They need somebody who will get in everybody's face .. cuss them out loudly while spraying spit all over them. As I said earlier this year.. this team needs more ***-holes.

 

[atlantacowboy]

You're not wrong. They need to come out and kick some serious tail next week or blowing the whole thing up needs to be looked at. There was absolutely no excuse for how flat and lethargic they were yesterday. Like I said the only thing that could excuse it would be mass food poisoning from a tainted pregame meal. Which by the way HAS happened in sports on more than one occasion. They had no energy. We've all had those days so we know what it feels like.. What makes no sense is that pretty much the entire team looked that way. How does that happen? This team needs a Dez or a Michael Irvin so bad it's not even funny. They need somebody who will get in everybody's face .. cuss them out loudly while spraying spit all over them. As I said earlier this year.. this team needs more ***-holes.

I also think this team has a problem playing on grass. We are 1-4 this year on grass.

 

[RonnieT24]

I also think this team has a problem playing on grass. We are 1-4 this year on grass.

I think it really comes down to when McCarthy let it be known that he might pull the starters "after a while" he planted the "why are we playing?" bug in the minds of his players. I didn't like hearing that coming into the game. It's the NFL and we all know the margin of talent between teams is razor thin so the slightest easing off the gas pedal gets you embarrassed because the guy on the other side is still an NFL player.. In some cases a really GOOD NFL player. We will have to wait until Monday to find out if letting his team take the week off mentally was the right move by the coaching staff.

 

[Cmac]

As I watched (disgusted) yesterday's game and saw just how pervasive the lethargy and half-assed efforts were across the board on this team I found myself wondering? Was this done on purpose? Could Mike McCarthy be like me in that he doesn't trust this team when it's riding high and the media is all caressing their ..er.. private parts. Could he had instructed both coordinators to present a preseason level game plan and really never put much into the game? If it had been one side of the ball I might feel differently.. but the defensive effort was sporadic, the special teams were horrible.. the receivers dropped balls, the QB was off, the backs looked like they were running in quicksand and my lord, the offensive line looked like they would struggle to block Baylor.

Everybody stunk.. If it wasn't an outright tank then they need to get the name of whoever catered the pregame meal and never use them again and never stay at whatever hotel they stayed at again either. If it wasn't taking, food poisoning or somebody pulling the fire alarm at 3 am, then this team will have a short visit to the playoffs if it can't play about 20,000 miles above what they showed us yesterday.

RonnieT24......you couldn't have been more frustrated than I. Living in the DMV, and amongst Commander Nation.....I endured ridicule for 2+ hours while enjoying good food and game fellowship. I've never seen an outright pathetic performance of all phases in one game, from the beginning, and for the duration of the game. Look at the game numbers.......no where is there anything positive. This was some "horse frakanicky".

 

[TequilaCowboy]

They did not tank.

They were just pathetic. That's it.

Exactly, why anyone would make up excuses for this team and their pathetic effort yesterday is beyond me. Leave that to Jerry and company.

 

[MarcusRock]

RonnieT24......you couldn't have been more frustrated than I. Living in the DMV, and amongst Commander Nation.....I endured ridicule for 2+ hours while enjoying good food and game fellowship. I've never seen an outright pathetic performance of all phases in one game, from the beginning, and for the duration of the game. Look at the game numbers.......no where is there anything positive. This was some "horse frakanicky".

And in all that time, you couldn't come up with a better excuse for their play than this tanking nonsense? Just think about how telling those Commanders fans, "It's a conspiracy against Dallas!" would have saved you the ridicule you endured. They would have let up after that.

 

[atlantacowboy]

I think it really comes down to when McCarthy let it be known that he might pull the starters "after a while" he planted the "why are we playing?" bug in the minds of his players. I didn't like hearing that coming into the game. It's the NFL and we all know the margin of talent between teams is razor thin so the slightest easing off the gas pedal gets you embarrassed because the guy on the other side is still an NFL player.. In some cases a really GOOD NFL player. We will have to wait until Monday to find out if letting his team take the week off mentally was the right move by the coaching staff.

I think the players are smarter than that. There is a big difference between going in as the #1 or #2 seed with home playoff games and having to start off in Tampa against Brady. So, there was a lot to play for at the start of the game. Around halftime, it became apparent the Eagles were not going to lose and maybe that's when you start resting guys. But there is no excuse for a 6 point half while the game had significance. They came out like they knew the Eagles had already won.