DMN Blog: LB Brooking says 'the expectations are very unrealistic' here

[Maikeru-sama]

The perception fans have is the "if only we stopped (insert form of bad football play here) we would be contenders" Its as if they see the mistakes, turnover, penalties, blown assignments, general carelessness and cluelessness as foreign to an otherwise healthy organism, without recognizing that these things are exactly what defines a bad team.

Our coaching really stinks, but some of these players have been making the same mistakes for years under several different coaching regimes (Flozell, Gurode) and others have just packed it in (Hamlin). We are what we are and that is a 3-2 team that has only beaten teams with a combined one win.

Part of this probably comes from the experience of 2006 where we looked anemic, lost and hopeless with Bledsoe until Parcells showed the ultimate stones and put in Romo, who ignited the team to success for a few weeks. But even at the end of 2006, the same old tendencies came out and we ended up on the losing end of the games that counted.

Agreed.

I personally believe the 2009 Cowboys will be similar to the 2005 Club. We will be in every game but I think we will eventually fall short.

We will be in the Playoff hunt all through the Season but I suspect we may not get in.

I think Wade Phillips came very close to being the first Head Coach in Cowboys history to be fired during the Season.

 

[28 Joker]

I agree with Keith Brooking. Plus, he's kicking butt on the field.

 

[kramskoi]

I love Brooking, I do, he's a breath of fresh air. But the question has to be asked why do the Giants, Vikings, Saints and Eagles enjoy blowouts over teams they are supposed to blow out and we don't?

...because they are better...and not just because of talent... NYG, MIN and NO are already in midseason form...and McNabb has returned to the fray in Philly with good results...even Hasselbeck made some noise this past weekend...the worst offensive line they will face on the road is Green Bay...they must win that game, go 6-2 at home [like last year] and hope 10-6 is good enough to get in OR sweep Washington for 11-5...

...i think this is something reasonable but very challenging nonetheless...it'll be extremely tough to beat NYG, PHI, NO on the road...that's 3 more road losses...i think Dallas needs to somehow sweep Washington for the buffer it gives them...2-3 in the five road games that remain...that's 5-5 then 5-1/6-0 at home the rest of the way...so 10-6 or the less likely 11-5...low seed, no bye and road wildcard game...

...the NFC North could be the monkey in the wrench this year with Minnesota playing so well and CHI looking above average...GB may succumb to offensive line issues once again...NFC West looks like a one-trick pony show again this year...NFC South may produce two depending on how Atlanta does...Carolina is "probably" done with a 1-3 start...

...Dallas needs to be at least 7-4 [preferably 8-3 which includes a loss to PHI on the road] when they head to the Meadowlands on 12/6 or they most likely won't see postseason play for consecutive seasons...losses to both NYG and NO would leave them 7-6, assuming they only lose one more at home...they'd have to run off SD, PHI and @ WASH for 10-6 and hope it's good enough...3-2 over the last five...a 3-1 December incidentally...so if you're one who's hoping that Dallas flips the script this year take heart...if they do, they'll probably get in...

...so it looks like 4-2 over the next six games then 3-2 over the last five...7-4 the rest of the way...lucky number seven

...given what i've seen so far, Dallas will fall somewhere between 8-8 and 10-6 and that's being cautiously optimistic...

 

[RoadRunner]

I wonder if Brookings personally realizes how long Cowboys fans have been waiting for a playoff win? Expectations are most certainly not too high around here, especially when this team clearly has the talent, just not the brains for it.

 

[Idgit]

I wonder if Brookings personally realizes how long Cowboys fans have been waiting for a playoff win? Expectations are most certainly not too high around here, especially when this team clearly has the talent, just not the brains for it.

Exactly. The only reason we're irrational is because we're impatient. I bet the team doesn't even take that into consideration when they say it helps to create an unhealthy atmosphere.

 

[Clove]

Loving me some Brooking.

 

[BourbonBalz]

The bottom line is this. When a team outplays you and beats you, you tip your hat to them and prepare for the next opponent. I can live with that. However, when we lose due to our own unforced mistakes resultiing from a lack of discipline and preparation, I just want to strangle someone. That I can't live with as a fan. I know it happens to every team every now and then, but it happens way too often with this team.

 

[Doomsday101]

At some point Dallas Cowboys fans are going to have to realize that so called "self-inflicted wounds" and "giving" games away are problems most poor to medicore football clubs face on a weekly basis.

Being careless with the ball, penalties, turnovers and mental mistakes are as much of a sign of a bad football team as being devoid of talent is.

Bad teams get pushed around, KC is a bad team no one denies that in this game they avoided making unforced errors did not have many penalties but they were unable to do much since they could not match up. Only thing that was killing drives for Dallas was their own mistakes not the play of KC. Dallas can clean up the unforced mistakes KC can't do much right now about not having the players to compete at a higher level.

 

[CowboyWay]

Nobody was more down on this signing than me when he came here. I couldn't have been more wrong though.

 

[BAT]

I think Brooking brings a much needed perspective, for those on the outside (media, fans) as well as for those on the inside (players, coaches). Each game is a brawl, the toughest team, physically and mentally, usually wins.

Expectations are ridiculously high, true, but his words intentionally cut both ways, players cannot buy into that unrealistic expectation either. In the past, the Cowboys have approached games like they had already won it, before even taking the field.

Brooking keeps it real, for the fans, media, and most importantly, his teammates.

 

[Disturbed]

...because they are better...and not just because of talent... NYG, MIN and NO are already in midseason form...and McNabb has returned to the fray in Philly with good results...even Hasselbeck made some noise this past weekend...the worst offensive line they will face on the road is Green Bay...they must win that game, go 6-2 at home [like last year] and hope 10-6 is good enough to get in OR sweep Washington for 11-5...

...i think this is something reasonable but very challenging nonetheless...it'll be extremely tough to beat NYG, PHI, NO on the road...that's 3 more road losses...i think Dallas needs to somehow sweep Washington for the buffer it gives them...2-3 in the five road games that remain...that's 5-5 then 5-1/6-0 at home the rest of the way...so 10-6 or the less likely 11-5...low seed, no bye and road wildcard game...

...the NFC North could be the monkey in the wrench this year with Minnesota playing so well and CHI looking above average...GB may succumb to offensive line issues once again...NFC West looks like a one-trick pony show again this year...NFC South may produce two depending on how Atlanta does...Carolina is "probably" done with a 1-3 start...

...Dallas needs to be at least 7-4 [preferably 8-3 which includes a loss to PHI on the road] when they head to the Meadowlands on 12/6 or they most likely won't see postseason play for consecutive seasons...losses to both NYG and NO would leave them 7-6, assuming they only lose one more at home...they'd have to run off SD, PHI and @ WASH for 10-6 and hope it's good enough...3-2 over the last five...a 3-1 December incidentally...so if you're one who's hoping that Dallas flips the script this year take heart...if they do, they'll probably get in...

...so it looks like 4-2 over the next six games then 3-2 over the last five...7-4 the rest of the way...lucky number seven

...given what i've seen so far, Dallas will fall somewhere between 8-8 and 10-6 and that's being cautiously optimistic...

Interesting perspective...

I would look at the records, 5 winners, 2 even, and 4 losers. So that looks like 7 - 7 with the two even teams not counted -- GB and SD are 2 - 2...I think that they both beat us the way we are currently playing, so that looks like 7 - 9 for the year (if no bad team beats us which is possible since KC took us to overtime).

Saying this team is average is a compliment to the team and the coaching. It is below average at present.

 

[T-RO]

Right on.

1/3 of the fanbase has gone completely mental. Including many on this site. Expectations are forged in the fantasy world of video games.

 

[Sarge]

We need a lot more players like this guy on the team.

 

[MachPilot]

The best thing to happen to this team in a long time was Brooking. A team full of Brookings would be frightening to the opposition.

Doc