The teacher/student analogy is an interesting one. Of course, the truth is that guilt for the mistakes belongs on both sides of that equation. Still, I feel that the teachers can only do so much and that it is up to the student (grown men in this case) to implement what they've been taught.
I'm sure that the coaches, when they teach a certain technique, have said, "You got that? If you have any questions about what we're doing, ask me now." And I'm sure that all the players said that they do understand. Heck, I'm pretty sure that the coaches have made the players demonstrate their understanding by running the play using that technique.
Once they've told a coach they understand and shown that they do by performing it... I'm not sure how the blame for a mistake running that technique could be on the coach.
One could say that the coach should replace that player once they've proven that they'll screw up even though they know and understand the correct way to do it... but that goes back to what WG was saying about pulling Romo, Witten, Gurode, et al. You certainly don't want those guys watching Brad Johnson, Procter and Tony Curtis lose the game with the correct techniques but little talent.
The answer, if there is one, isn't easy, and anyone can tell you that lost mojo is difficult to re-acquire.
In my mind, this plethora of bobbles, drops and errors is a result of an overall picture that starts with losing Tony Romo, although that certainly isn't everything. Before he went out, we weren't playing that great but we still only had 2 losses by 2 points and one in overtime. While that might not be what we all expected... it still is a far cry from the bad team that so many make them out to be.
Romo will move this offense and Williams opposite TO will give our QB something he didn't have in those first two losses.
The rest of the problem, I think, is that the team hasn't been playing as a team. They've been skating along waiting for opponents to bow to their great talent. Well, we all know that isn't happening and until they play as a team with a sense of urgency and purpose, we're still going to see the comedy of errors that we've been witnessing.
Perhaps this mid-season crisis is exactly what they need to focus the team and get them to play with emotion. I hope so. They seem to understand, but we've all heard it before.
The last few times we've played Washington, it was easy to tell that the Commanders hated us and that we barely even took notice they were coming. Like we were so much more talented than them. Well, intensity beat out everything else, like it usually does. This Sunday should be the first game in several years where the Commanders really have the Cowboys attention. It shouldn't be one side hating the other and the other side merely showing up. This should be intensity matched with intensity... and when you have that, then and only then will talent level come into play.
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