DMN Blog: Wade Phillips needs to raise the ante

[WoodysGirl]

9:56 AM Tue, Dec 08, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

Wade Phillips hates the December thing. We get that. But when he answers the questions about the Cowboys' lack of success in December he comes across as being in denial.

Meanwhile some of his players, like Bradie James, have taken the December thing head on. James' comments last week were the strongest by a Cowboy. He admits there's an issue and it's time to do something about it. Jason Witten did the same. So did Terence Newman.

Looking at the numbers it's hard to argue that something happens to this team when it matters most.

Instead, Phillips says it's something the media has made up. OK.

Well, maybe we should be used to this from Phillips, but this is what I would want to hear: "I am raising the stakes right now ... If this is a poker game, I am shoving my chips right in the middle of the table. I am raising the ante. Anybody who wants out can get out. This team is going to the playoffs, OK? This team is going to the playoffs."

That was Jim Fassel when he was with the New York Giants. His team started out the year 7-2 but lost back to back games, including a 31-21 loss to Detroit, prompting his guarantee.

The Giants won five straight and then went to Super Bowl XXXV.

Fassel really had nothing to lose. He was coming off back to back playoff-less seasons and if the Giants didn't make the playoffs he was going to be fired. Instead he lit a fire under his team and they responded. And he got a contract extension.

Maybe Phillips should pull that trick out of the bag. What does he have to lose?



Comments (11) Leave comment | E-mail entry

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Fair or unfair, Wade needs to win Sunday. A win may give them the confidence they need to make a serious run at the SB. A loss just might finish them.

Lose and Wade's fate is sealed.

 

[Rampage]

the players need to rise up. why are people expecting a 60 year old stubborn coach to all of a sudden change? If he hasn't by now he never will.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Dear Gawd. The last thing Wade needs to do is emulate Jim Freaking Fassel.

You're better than this, Archer.

 

[speedkilz88]

What is said in the press doesn't win games. It's what is done with the team.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

the players need to rise up. why are people expecting a 60 year old stubborn coach to all of a sudden change? If he hasn't by now he never will.

The outrage that is going down is surprising to me. We already know Wade Phillips. We already seen this. I wouldn’t expect anything else from this guy. He is not going to change in these final 4 games. Like you said, it is on the players.

 

[rcaldw]

Fact is, we had some players talking big before the Giants game. Talk doesn't win football games, especially when you are a team that has already demonstrated, to this point, you can't back up your talk.

 

[CF74]

Wade doesn't talk tough because he was castrated by Jerry when he was given half the team...

 

[CoCo]

Fair or unfair, Wade needs to win Sunday. A win may give them the confidence they need to make a serious run at the SB. A loss just might finish them.

Lose and Wade's fate is sealed.

What this team needs to do is win enough games to get in the playoffs. It doesn't matter which ones.

People want to assume the NO game is a loss. I understand why. But there are no guaranteed losses in the same way that there are no guanteed wins.

Now I want us to win 12 and be seeded as high as possible but the reality is that we have some very difficult games and that losing a ouple of them doesn't make us a horrible team except in the eyes of some over-reactors.

I'm not trying to excuse mistakes that contribute to losses but some act like we should never lose. News flash folks. Get real! We're not that good. We're not. This isn't the early 90's Cowboys that Wade & Garrett are just forcing to underachieve.

2-2 the rest of the way will get us in. There isn't a team remaining on our schedule that we SHOULD handle with ease. Even the Skins are giving every opponent fits now.

That said, I do think this weekend is very important. And I hope we find a way to win the game against a VERY good team. But I'm not going to say its a MUST win, that dooms us if we lose because its not. Its going to be a tough road anyway you slice it.

 

[Alexander]

the players need to rise up. why are people expecting a 60 year old stubborn coach to all of a sudden change? If he hasn't by now he never will.

Nor should he be expected to. We went through all of this in the offseason. He's not going to change and honestly if he tried to fake it would not be that impressive.

The players would see right through it even if he "changed". This fate was written when he was allowed to coach out the final year of his contract.

 

[stilltheguru]

There is nothing to worry about guys. This team is UNITED NOW!

 

[utrunner07]

You're better than this, Archer.

Not much.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Dear Gawd. The last thing Wade needs to do is emulate Jim Freaking Fassel.

You're better than this, Archer.

Jim freaking fassell has won a playoff game.

 

[TheCount]

This would be the perfect time for Wade to make that gurantee and actually follow through. If he doesn't make it, he's fired anyway. If he makes the gurantee and makes it, everyone will finally respect him and he'll most likely keep his job.

 

[jman]

This would be the perfect time for Wade to make that gurantee and actually follow through. If he doesn't make it, he's fired anyway. If he makes the gurantee and makes it, everyone will finally respect him and he'll most likely keep his job.

No, the media here Dallas have now decided it is time to go for the throat on Wade.

The Cowboys can win each of the rest of the games this year by 21 points and it still wouldn't be enough...Super Bowl or not. Wade will never have the respect of the Dallas media.

With Wade unsuccessfully trying to defend himself, he has made it clear that the media as he see's it is the root of all the problems here in Dallas. The media will be sure and make him pay for it. They are now on the attack.

And Wade pretty much has himself to blame.

It will not be pretty for the rest of the year.

 

[kmd24]

I do agree that he needs to face the December stuff head on.

There's nothing about the date that makes the games hard, but the league manipulates the schedule in the hopes that there will be games with important playoff implications in December. It's no coincidence that Dallas is playing Philadelphia in the season finale in back-to-back seasons.

If the tough meaningful games are in December, then the rest of the season will feature easier, less important games. Sure, they all count like Wade says, but the fact that if you could trade, say, a win against the Raiders for a win against the Giants and have it make a huge difference in your playoff fate makes his apologetics ring hollow.

Someway, somehow, these guys have to get more focused in these big games. That's primarily up to each individual player, but the coach bears some responsibility too. Wade sets the tone, and the tone he's setting lacks some urgency in my opinion.

 

[Alexander]

Dear Gawd. The last thing Wade needs to do is emulate Jim Freaking Fassel.

You're better than this, Archer.

Jim Fassel was a more effective head coach, with playoff wins and a Super Bowl appearance.

Wade Phillips? Oh well. There will always be 13-3.

 

[Alexander]

This would be the perfect time for Wade to make that gurantee and actually follow through. If he doesn't make it, he's fired anyway. If he makes the gurantee and makes it, everyone will finally respect him and he'll most likely keep his job.

I'd actually like to see him put his head out there.

I think the team would respond, honestly. It certainly wouldn't be SOS and the typical "look at my empty stats" answer he normally throws out there when confronted.

 

[Cover 2]

There is nothing to worry about guys. This team is UNITED NOW!

Being united is a step in the right direction. Get over your man crush for TO. You seriously come across as being obsessed with him. Do you have his poster on your ceiling so you can stare up at it at night, or something?