Hidden stats that will likely decide our improvement in 2026

[john van brocklin]

Wow, what a great explanation of the fundamental flaw that the FO tries to build on every season. You made so many great points about how this defines our culture (a hc with no power to hire and fire players & staff) and as you said, this might just be the biggest issue with the Jones model of management.

Every NFL franchise but Dallas operates as a top-down hierarchy where the owner delegates authority to the GM, who hires a head coach and empowers him with the power to hire his own staff and with the authority to fire or release players who are not a good fit. By empowering the head coach with full authority, these other organizations create a healthy atmosphere of fear of the head coach (remember Jimmy and his total authority?), so naturally the players and staff all report to the head coach.

But here in Dallas, we are not allowed to have a top-down hierarchy. Instead we have a “hub & wheel” model where all power (Jerry/Stephen) is centralized in the center (ie, the hub) and players, coaches, and staff comprise the wheel. In this model, everyone reports to Jerry/Stephen instead of a top-down delegation of authority. So for example, as long as a player is cool with Jerry (ie, Jerry likes the player), then it doesn’t really matter much to the player what the head coach thinks because he lacks the power to fire.

A great example was Greg Hardy knocking the clipboard out of the hands of the defensive coordinators during a game. There were zero consequences for Hardy. Zero. He knew he answered directly to Jerry, not the head coach.

Organizational excellence is modeled after the top-down hierarchy, and only a fool would try to be successful with the “hub & wheel” model, especially after the playoff results the past three decades. But no, Jerry continues to double down this failed model.

I’m excited with our draft but these players will have to contend with reporting and answering to the owner & son, not a real head coach with full authority. This severely handicaps our players and coaches and continues to be the number one reason why it’s been 30 years since we won consecutive playoff games.

Until Jerry stops the insanity of the “hub and wheel” hierarchy, we’re doomed to more of the same and only an ownership change will remedy this sickness.

I would add that the team takes on the quality of the leader
Our leader seems to be all about the brand sponsorships and making money.
Should it be any surprise that the players here have taken on the same business model?

 

[kskboys]

Bob, you have a great grasp of the obvious. Love your threads but come on man, come up with something original. Everything you’ve stated is “duh”.

And you post nothing but misery and platitudes. Everything you say is horrific.

 

[kskboys]

Wow, what a great explanation of the fundamental flaw that the FO tries to build on every season. You made so many great points about how this defines our culture (a hc with no power to hire and fire players & staff) and as you said, this might just be the biggest issue with the Jones model of management.

Every NFL franchise but Dallas operates as a top-down hierarchy where the owner delegates authority to the GM, who hires a head coach and empowers him with the power to hire his own staff and with the authority to fire or release players who are not a good fit. By empowering the head coach with full authority, these other organizations create a healthy atmosphere of fear of the head coach (remember Jimmy and his total authority?), so naturally the players and staff all report to the head coach.

But here in Dallas, we are not allowed to have a top-down hierarchy. Instead we have a “hub & wheel” model where all power (Jerry/Stephen) is centralized in the center (ie, the hub) and players, coaches, and staff comprise the wheel. In this model, everyone reports to Jerry/Stephen instead of a top-down delegation of authority. So for example, as long as a player is cool with Jerry (ie, Jerry likes the player), then it doesn’t really matter much to the player what the head coach thinks because he lacks the power to fire.

A great example was Greg Hardy knocking the clipboard out of the hands of the defensive coordinators during a game. There were zero consequences for Hardy. Zero. He knew he answered directly to Jerry, not the head coach.

Organizational excellence is modeled after the top-down hierarchy, and only a fool would try to be successful with the “hub & wheel” model, especially after the playoff results the past three decades. But no, Jerry continues to double down this failed model.

I’m excited with our draft but these players will have to contend with reporting and answering to the owner & son, not a real head coach with full authority. This severely handicaps our players and coaches and continues to be the number one reason why it’s been 30 years since we won consecutive playoff games.

Until Jerry stops the insanity of the “hub and wheel” hierarchy, we’re doomed to more of the same and only an ownership change will remedy this sickness.

And to add, the guys in charge are absolutely horrific at judging talent.

 

[ChuckA1]

And to add, the guys in charge are absolutely horrific at judging talent.

Judging talent or understanding where it's most important to have it.

 

[ArtClink]

Great Post Art, I have thought many times that something was wrong inside the running of this team, the very chemistry looked suspect. I just couldn't quite figure what the problem actually was. Now I understand that it is pretty simple, it is the massive ego in the front office that has no clue what he is doing. But he won't change because he refuses to be told he has been doing it all wrong. The problem is one little three letter word. EGO. In closing I will say that was a great explanation from you as well sir. True Dallas fan since 1973 GO COWBOYS.

Thank you @deerhunter11. Like you, I am a longtime fan and my first game was the 4th quarter of Super Bowl V. I have loved the Cowboys since I was a little kid and my grandad, dad, and older brother were all die hard fans.

I never could have imagined the nightmare scenario that we have experienced the past three decades. And for longtime fans like us, it is even more cruel to suffer through the Jones ownership era.

I have adjusted my expectations to a wild card win every 7 to 10 years, and I’m just numb. The same old, failed methods are forever entrenched with Jerry, and Stephen is just as full of hubris as his dad.

I’ll always be a fan and I refuse to let the antics of our idiot owner change that, but it’s beyond broken beyond repair with no end in sight. Jerry can never take away my memories of those great Cowboy teams, and that’s all I have left with this team. It was a glorious ride while it lasted.

 

[ArtClink]

And to add, the guys in charge are absolutely horrific at judging talent.

Exactly, because Jerry is not a football guy and Stephen has never earned anything in his life, so his only “skills” are overeating, being a drunk, and sipping the sweet ale of being a nepo baby. Steven has done nothing and has no skills whatsoever, football or otherwise. Glad to see the franchise will be in good hands once Jerry passes …

 

[75boyz]

Thank you @deerhunter11. Like you, I am a longtime fan and my first game was the 4th quarter of Super Bowl V. I have loved the Cowboys since I was a little kid and my grandad, dad, and older brother were all die hard fans.

I never could have imagined the nightmare scenario that we have experienced the past three decades. And for longtime fans like us, it is even more cruel to suffer through the Jones ownership era.

I have adjusted my expectations to a wild card win every 7 to 10 years, and I’m just numb. The same old, failed methods are forever entrenched with Jerry, and Stephen is just as full of hubris as his dad.

I’ll always be a fan and I refuse to let the antics of our idiot owner change that, but it’s beyond broken beyond repair with no end in sight. Jerry can never take away my memories of those great Cowboy teams, and that’s all I have left with this team. It was a glorious ride while it lasted.

Wow.
I share your pain with my fan history dating a little after yours with SuperBowl X.

I can't really add anything else to how well you summed things up here.

It's a sad reality but your post is the actual reality and it ain't changing as long as it's a Jones family led organization unfortunately.

 

[kskboys]

Thank you @deerhunter11. Like you, I am a longtime fan and my first game was the 4th quarter of Super Bowl V. I have loved the Cowboys since I was a little kid and my grandad, dad, and older brother were all die hard fans.

I never could have imagined the nightmare scenario that we have experienced the past three decades. And for longtime fans like us, it is even more cruel to suffer through the Jones ownership era.

I have adjusted my expectations to a wild card win every 7 to 10 years, and I’m just numb. The same old, failed methods are forever entrenched with Jerry, and Stephen is just as full of hubris as his dad.

I’ll always be a fan and I refuse to let the antics of our idiot owner change that, but it’s beyond broken beyond repair with no end in sight. Jerry can never take away my memories of those great Cowboy teams, and that’s all I have left with this team. It was a glorious ride while it lasted.

Ditto.

For the last several years, I've been forced to remove my emotions. I watch numbly now a lot, and laugh at the stupid crapp that happens on the field due to our extreme mismanagement. Lately it's been an inability to stop the run, which Jerry just now addressed after watching it for several years. Jerry generally takes 6-10 years to see something as a problem. Look at how he let the OL rot into nothing, and that after watching an old OL completely fall apart in 09. So, how long did he take to address it after it fell apart? Wasn't truly addressed until the 2013 draft when Romo forced Jerry to take a Center high in the draft. Refused to do a necessary renegotiation unless Jerry got him a C that wasn't a swinging door. 4 frickin years of misery while Jerry traded up for CBs and WRs. You can't make this crapp up.

 

[ChuckA1]

My father was stationed in Athens Greece as an Air Force pilot from 1959-'61. I started following the Cowboys in 1962 when we returned to the States. I remember the time between '62 to '72 seemed like forever. Boy was I wrong!

 

[Hardline]

It’s no secret that the 2026 season will hinge in large part on the expected improvement of our historically bad defense the last two seasons. For the second year in a row and for the 16th time in the last 26 seasons, the Cowboys did not make the playoffs.

We obviously have a lot of areas for improvement. Besides the glaringly obvious key stat improvements needed this year (like yards per play, points per game, turnovers per game, etc) we have some lesser known but equally critical improvements needed to make the playoffs in 2026.

So what are those hidden stats?

• Be the team who scores first - WHY? In the NFL, teams who score first win 64% of the time. In 2024 and ‘25, the Cowboys had a collective record of 14-19-1. We scored first in only 16 of those 34 games. That MUST improve.
• Be the team ahead at halftime - WHY? Teams leading at the half win 75% of the time. In 2024, we trailed at the half 10 times, losing 9 of those games. In 2025, we also trailed at the half 10 times, losing 8, winning 1 (in OT) and tying the other.
• Have the lead going into the 4th qtr - WHY? Teams leading at the end of 3 qtrs win 90% of the time! In 2024 the Cowboys trailed at the end of the 3rd qtr 11 times, losing 10 of those games, and got outscored 82-28 in 3rd qtrs. In 2025 we also trailed 10 games after 3 qtrs, going 1-8-1 in those games.
• Based on the above stats, we MUST improve scoring on offense in the 1st and 3rd qtrs. Our scoring by qtr numbers - our worst scoring qtr was the first quarter (avg only 4.5 pts) and the best was the 2nd qtr (avg 10.5 pts) We sucked to start games and also sucked immediately after halftime. This is where we must improve.
• We must improve defensively by not allowing the opponent to score on their first possessions at the beginning of the game and after halftime. Our defense allowed the opponent to score on their opening drive of the game and the first drive of the 2nd half nearly 60% of the time. Cut that down to about 20-25% and we are vastly improved.

From a big picture standpoint, the first thing that jumps out to me is how we start games on both sides of the ball. Falling behind early puts instant pressure on the offense but conversely, getting a lead early gives us a very realistic chance to win games.

If the defense can just stop giving up opening drive TDs and a scoring drive TDs right after halftime, we will have an immediate chance to turn this around.

You should be getting paid for your post. You could easily be a Cowboys beat writer.

 

[Runwildboys]

Haze you're a legend, if they had a lounge wall of Fame you'd be in it hands down

There is one. It's called being a mod.

 

[Diehardblues]

Exactly, because Jerry is not a football guy and Stephen has never earned anything in his life, so his only “skills” are overeating, being a drunk, and sipping the sweet ale of being a nepo baby. Steven has done nothing and has no skills whatsoever, football or otherwise. Glad to see the franchise will be in good hands once Jerry passes …

Jethro is going to continue to be the oldest GM in NFL history. No one will ever break his record. I expect him to reach 100.

There’s been no other human in my lifetime I’ve hated more. He’s ruined my most cherished pastime.

 

[lostinspace]

It’s no secret that the 2026 season will hinge in large part on the expected improvement of our historically bad defense the last two seasons. For the second year in a row and for the 16th time in the last 26 seasons, the Cowboys did not make the playoffs.

We obviously have a lot of areas for improvement. Besides the glaringly obvious key stat improvements needed this year (like yards per play, points per game, turnovers per game, etc) we have some lesser known but equally critical improvements needed to make the playoffs in 2026.

So what are those hidden stats?

• Be the team who scores first - WHY? In the NFL, teams who score first win 64% of the time. In 2024 and ‘25, the Cowboys had a collective record of 14-19-1. We scored first in only 16 of those 34 games. That MUST improve.
• Be the team ahead at halftime - WHY? Teams leading at the half win 75% of the time. In 2024, we trailed at the half 10 times, losing 9 of those games. In 2025, we also trailed at the half 10 times, losing 8, winning 1 (in OT) and tying the other.
• Have the lead going into the 4th qtr - WHY? Teams leading at the end of 3 qtrs win 90% of the time! In 2024 the Cowboys trailed at the end of the 3rd qtr 11 times, losing 10 of those games, and got outscored 82-28 in 3rd qtrs. In 2025 we also trailed 10 games after 3 qtrs, going 1-8-1 in those games.
• Based on the above stats, we MUST improve scoring on offense in the 1st and 3rd qtrs. Our scoring by qtr numbers - our worst scoring qtr was the first quarter (avg only 4.5 pts) and the best was the 2nd qtr (avg 10.5 pts) We sucked to start games and also sucked immediately after halftime. This is where we must improve.
• We must improve defensively by not allowing the opponent to score on their first possessions at the beginning of the game and after halftime. Our defense allowed the opponent to score on their opening drive of the game and the first drive of the 2nd half nearly 60% of the time. Cut that down to about 20-25% and we are vastly improved.

From a big picture standpoint, the first thing that jumps out to me is how we start games on both sides of the ball. Falling behind early puts instant pressure on the offense but conversely, getting a lead early gives us a very realistic chance to win games.

If the defense can just stop giving up opening drive TDs and a scoring drive TDs right after halftime, we will have an immediate chance to turn this around.

That took a lot of research very good job Sir

 

[75boyz]

It’s no secret that the 2026 season will hinge in large part on the expected improvement of our historically bad defense the last two seasons. For the second year in a row and for the 16th time in the last 26 seasons, the Cowboys did not make the playoffs.

We obviously have a lot of areas for improvement. Besides the glaringly obvious key stat improvements needed this year (like yards per play, points per game, turnovers per game, etc) we have some lesser known but equally critical improvements needed to make the playoffs in 2026.

So what are those hidden stats?

• Be the team who scores first - WHY? In the NFL, teams who score first win 64% of the time. In 2024 and ‘25, the Cowboys had a collective record of 14-19-1. We scored first in only 16 of those 34 games. That MUST improve.
• Be the team ahead at halftime - WHY? Teams leading at the half win 75% of the time. In 2024, we trailed at the half 10 times, losing 9 of those games. In 2025, we also trailed at the half 10 times, losing 8, winning 1 (in OT) and tying the other.
• Have the lead going into the 4th qtr - WHY? Teams leading at the end of 3 qtrs win 90% of the time! In 2024 the Cowboys trailed at the end of the 3rd qtr 11 times, losing 10 of those games, and got outscored 82-28 in 3rd qtrs. In 2025 we also trailed 10 games after 3 qtrs, going 1-8-1 in those games.
• Based on the above stats, we MUST improve scoring on offense in the 1st and 3rd qtrs. Our scoring by qtr numbers - our worst scoring qtr was the first quarter (avg only 4.5 pts) and the best was the 2nd qtr (avg 10.5 pts) We sucked to start games and also sucked immediately after halftime. This is where we must improve.
• We must improve defensively by not allowing the opponent to score on their first possessions at the beginning of the game and after halftime. Our defense allowed the opponent to score on their opening drive of the game and the first drive of the 2nd half nearly 60% of the time. Cut that down to about 20-25% and we are vastly improved.

From a big picture standpoint, the first thing that jumps out to me is how we start games on both sides of the ball. Falling behind early puts instant pressure on the offense but conversely, getting a lead early gives us a very realistic chance to win games.

If the defense can just stop giving up opening drive TDs and a scoring drive TDs right after halftime, we will have an immediate chance to turn this around.

But everybody in here says the offense has NOT been a problem whatsoever...
Stats, rankings and anything else remotely connected to the offense being a failure?
What gives?
You mean 2nd half scoring in general and red zone touchdown percentage are kinda important?

I don't understand.
Please explain.

 

[deerhunter11]

Thank you @deerhunter11. Like you, I am a longtime fan and my first game was the 4th quarter of Super Bowl V. I have loved the Cowboys since I was a little kid and my grandad, dad, and older brother were all die hard fans.

I never could have imagined the nightmare scenario that we have experienced the past three decades. And for longtime fans like us, it is even more cruel to suffer through the Jones ownership era.

I have adjusted my expectations to a wild card win every 7 to 10 years, and I’m just numb. The same old, failed methods are forever entrenched with Jerry, and Stephen is just as full of hubris as his dad.

I’ll always be a fan and I refuse to let the antics of our idiot owner change that, but it’s beyond broken beyond repair with no end in sight. Jerry can never take away my memories of those great Cowboy teams, and that’s all I have left with this team. It was a glorious ride while it lasted.

Thank You Art, As Cowboys fans you and I are very much alike, your post here is as if I wrote it from my early childhood fandom of our beloved Dallas Cowboys. My Dad and my uncles were all die hard Dallas fans, but interestingly enough that is not the reason I am a lifelong fan. When I was 5 years old way back in 1973, I saw Tom Laundry in his fedora hat on the sidelines on my 13-inch black and white tv. Tom Laundry had an aura around him that I noticed as a young child. This is when I started watching the Cowboys, and all the great players who wore the star. I can't explain it really, but it was like I was born to be a Dallas Cowboys fan. Players that I idolized back then were; Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Harvey Martin, Ed Too Tall Jones, Robert Newhouse, Hollywood Henderson, Drew Pearson, Billy Joe Dupree, Tony Hill, to name a few. I will be a fan until death, here is hoping to win in spite of Ol Jerry and son. I am excited about this season, can't wait to see Caleb Downs play the nickel spot as well as deep safety. I am also excited to watch new linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who has become my favorite draft pick from the draft.

 

[deerhunter11]

Ditto.

For the last several years, I've been forced to remove my emotions. I watch numbly now a lot, and laugh at the stupid crapp that happens on the field due to our extreme mismanagement. Lately it's been an inability to stop the run, which Jerry just now addressed after watching it for several years. Jerry generally takes 6-10 years to see something as a problem. Look at how he let the OL rot into nothing, and that after watching an old OL completely fall apart in 09. So, how long did he take to address it after it fell apart? Wasn't truly addressed until the 2013 draft when Romo forced Jerry to take a Center high in the draft. Refused to do a necessary renegotiation unless Jerry got him a C that wasn't a swinging door. 4 frickin years of misery while Jerry traded up for CBs and WRs. You can't make this crapp up.

You nailed it, we all share this same pain. I am embarrassed having watched Ol Jerry and son's miserable performance over the years. But I am still a Dallas Cowboys fan to the bone and the soul, and I am hoping that these new coaches and players can create the kind of team chemistry that even dumb and dumber can't mess up.

 

[DallasEast]

You nailed it, we all share this same pain. I am embarrassed having watched Ol Jerry and son's miserable performance over the years. But I am still a Dallas Cowboys fan to the bone and the soul, and I am hoping that these new coaches and players can create the kind of team chemistry that even dumb and dumber can't mess up.

Well said.

 

[Havic]

Great post.

I'll add beat teams with a winning record. It was late October last season and we were still looking to beat our first team with an over .500 record.

 

[ArtClink]

Thank You Art, As Cowboys fans you and I are very much alike, your post here is as if I wrote it from my early childhood fandom of our beloved Dallas Cowboys. My Dad and my uncles were all die hard Dallas fans, but interestingly enough that is not the reason I am a lifelong fan. When I was 5 years old way back in 1973, I saw Tom Laundry in his fedora hat on the sidelines on my 13-inch black and white tv. Tom Laundry had an aura around him that I noticed as a young child. This is when I started watching the Cowboys, and all the great players who wore the star. I can't explain it really, but it was like I was born to be a Dallas Cowboys fan. Players that I idolized back then were; Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Harvey Martin, Ed Too Tall Jones, Robert Newhouse, Hollywood Henderson, Drew Pearson, Billy Joe Dupree, Tony Hill, to name a few. I will be a fan until death, here is hoping to win in spite of Ol Jerry and son. I am excited about this season, can't wait to see Caleb Downs play the nickel spot as well as deep safety. I am also excited to watch new linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who has become my favorite draft pick from the draft.

I love your Landry story. There’s so much that can be said about Landry, but I’ll just say he fought in WW2, the greatest generation and he was a man of integrity, a rare trait in NFL head coaches.

As you surmised, we have the same heroes and my list starts with Staubach & Drew Pearson then all the ones you mentioned. I actually met and shake hands w Jethro Pugh as a kid at our pee wee football banquet. Pugh was kind, professional, and a man of class.

I’m glad to read about your experiences and I really understand longtime fans.

Hoping for a decent season too!

 

[ArtClink]

Ditto.

For the last several years, I've been forced to remove my emotions. I watch numbly now a lot, and laugh at the stupid crapp that happens on the field due to our extreme mismanagement. Lately it's been an inability to stop the run, which Jerry just now addressed after watching it for several years. Jerry generally takes 6-10 years to see something as a problem. Look at how he let the OL rot into nothing, and that after watching an old OL completely fall apart in 09. So, how long did he take to address it after it fell apart? Wasn't truly addressed until the 2013 draft when Romo forced Jerry to take a Center high in the draft. Refused to do a necessary renegotiation unless Jerry got him a C that wasn't a swinging door. 4 frickin years of misery while Jerry traded up for CBs and WRs. You can't make this crapp up.

Great points about Jerry being 6 years too late to react to glaring needs. When everyone answers to one or two guys, those two guys are spread way too thin, the Jones boys don’t know anything g about football, and it’s no wonder Jerry is appropriated dubbed a “part-time” GM. I totally get your viewpoint and it’s simply Groundhog Day every season with the only variable being when will the bottom fall out.

Numb, disgusted w the Jones boys, and yet we are called “haters” because we still love our team. Oh well, there’s no rehabbing stupid.