Historical Great Turnarounds

[SFloridaCowboy]

Let's face the truth. 99% of us gave up on this team with its early Mickey Mouse defense, minus Micah, minus Jordan Lewis, M. Kendricks and knowing Mazi Smth was another Michigan lineman bust. We also believed Eberflus was the worst defensive coach in Cowboys' history. Losing decisively to Chicago and Denver, we looked like we could not compete. Losing to Arizona was a super indictment this would be the worst team since the 1989 1-15 team.

Out of the ashes, the Boys have risen. They have risen mightily. The juice and magic is back. Injured players have come back. EZ is growing. Clowney has rounded into playing shape. Even Sam Williams is making some impact plays. Revel has been a great revelation.

For those who believe this is the greatest Cowboys turnaround in history, let's see what happens next game. Let's see if they can roll all the way and lay waste to their opponents and win every single game left, like in the historic and legendary great and glorious team of yesteryear, the 1971 Cowboys...

That team that floundered around with a 4-3 record, with Tom Landry foolishly shuttling in QB's Craig Morton and unproven Roger Staubach. They looked like a fragmented team collapsing big time. Finally, Landry decided to go with Roger the Dodger, a legend to this day, the Captain of America.

Roger reeled off 10 consecutive wins. The original Doomsday Defense gave up only 95 points in those 10 games. The Boys led the NFL with scoring, 406 in a 14 game schedule, while giving up only 226, a huge point differential. They did not win games down to the wire, they destroyed their opponents and finally gave rise to the great winning image of the Cowboys.

This turnaround, culminating in a crushing defeat of the Dolphins in the Super Bowl, included a 29 yard sack by the legendary Bob Lilly, which capped his larger than life career.

54 years later, the memory of this ultimate turnaround still gives me goosebumps.

May the 2025 team continue in its meteoric rise!!

 

[MonkeymanWoes]

1990 team started off real bad and somewhere around midseason, they found their footing and closed strong, ended up at 7-9. The following years were history.

 

[Fmart322]

1990 team started off real bad and somewhere around midseason, they found their footing and closed strong, ended up at 7-9. The following years were history.

They were 7-7 and played the eagles at veterans stadium. I was at that game sitting in the 700 level. Went to get a beer and came back and Troy Aikman was injured. We lost that game, plus the next 2 to finish 7-9. If the Cowboys had any type of average QB play in those 3 game we would have made the playoffs. Babe lauftenburge was the worst QB I've ever seen play for the Cowboys.
In fact, even losing those 3 games we still could have made the playoffs. It came down to a last second fg made by Morton Anderson to lift the 8-8 saints over the Rams.
Had Jimmy Johnson not traded Steve Walsh to the saints for a 1st, 2nd and 3rd rd picks we would have made the playoffs.

 

[maryquality]

They were 7-7 and played the eagles at veterans stadium. I was at that game sitting in the 700 level. Went to get a beer and came back and Troy Aikman was injured. We lost that game, plus the next 2 to finish 7-9. If the Cowboys had any type of average QB play in those 3 game we would have made the playoffs. Babe lauftenburge was the worst QB I've ever seen play for the Cowboys.
In fact, even losing those 3 games we still could have made the playoffs. It came down to a last second fg made by Morton Anderson to lift the 8-8 saints over the Rams.
Had Jimmy Johnson not traded Steve Walsh to the saints for a 1st, 2nd and 3rd rd picks we would have made the playoffs.

Yeah. Babe was horrible. Bless his heart.

 

[JustChip]

Almost the same situation in 1970. The team had just been embarassed by the St. Louis Cardinals 38-0 at the Cotton Bowl on MNF. That was a sweep by the Cardinals at that point and were 3 games up after that game. The Cards stumbled after that and Dallas didn’t lose again until the SB.

 

[plasticman]

Let's face the truth. 99% of us gave up on this team with its early Mickey Mouse defense, minus Micah, minus Jordan Lewis, M. Kendricks and knowing Mazi Smth was another Michigan lineman bust. We also believed Eberflus was the worst defensive coach in Cowboys' history. Losing decisively to Chicago and Denver, we looked like we could not compete. Losing to Arizona was a super indictment this would be the worst team since the 1989 1-15 team.

Out of the ashes, the Boys have risen. They have risen mightily. The juice and magic is back. Injured players have come back. EZ is growing. Clowney has rounded into playing shape. Even Sam Williams is making some impact plays. Revel has been a great revelation.

For those who believe this is the greatest Cowboys turnaround in history, let's see what happens next game. Let's see if they can roll all the way and lay waste to their opponents and win every single game left, like in the historic and legendary great and glorious team of yesteryear, the 1971 Cowboys...

That team that floundered around with a 4-3 record, with Tom Landry foolishly shuttling in QB's Craig Morton and unproven Roger Staubach. They looked like a fragmented team collapsing big time. Finally, Landry decided to go with Roger the Dodger, a legend to this day, the Captain of America.

Roger reeled off 10 consecutive wins. The original Doomsday Defense gave up only 95 points in those 10 games. The Boys led the NFL with scoring, 406 in a 14 game schedule, while giving up only 226, a huge point differential. They did not win games down to the wire, they destroyed their opponents and finally gave rise to the great winning image of the Cowboys.

This turnaround, culminating in a crushing defeat of the Dolphins in the Super Bowl, included a 29 yard sack by the legendary Bob Lilly, which capped his larger than life career.

54 years later, the memory of this ultimate turnaround still gives me goosebumps.

May the 2025 team continue in its meteoric rise!!

Yes, 1971, that's a good one. However, it was mostly self-induced. Rotating QB's isn't a good idea and it certainly wasn't back then.

If Tom Landry had a fault as a HC it was that he sometimes showed too much loyalty to his starters. he was always very hesitant to change. In addition, he didn't like the unpredictability of a running QB. Personally, he favored Craig Morton.

However, after the Cowboys were defeated buy two QBs that could run, Bobby Douglas and Saints rookie Archie Manning, I think he saw the light. He made Staubach the starter

That was the catalyst for an undefeated run the rest of the way.

However, Roger wasn't the only reason.

For the first time in about two seasons, all three RBs were healthy, including their back-to-back rookies of the Year, Calvin Hill and Duane Thomas.

The Cowboys didn't just win, they absolutely dominated. The running game devastated opponents.

What could they do? Both Cowboys receivers and their TE were future Hall of Famers. Were they not going to double team Bob Hayes?

In addition to the offense, the Cowboys defense was always the same, a brick wall.

During the Cowboys ten game winning streak, 7 regular season games and 3 playoffs including the SB, only one team scored more than 14 points. The Rams scored 21. Five scored 10 or less.

With all that said, I have a better example.....the 1970 season.

The 1970 season was far more dire, more challenging. The difference between the first half of the season and the second half was far more profound.

In 1970, the Cowboys stood 5-4 with only 5 games remaining in a 14-game season. They were a game behind the Giants and two games behind the Cardinals, who were part of the NFC East at the time.

There were three divisions in each conference and only one wildcard team. there was no wildcard round in the playoffs, the single wildcard team would play the #1 seeded division champion and the remaining two would play each other.

The Cowboys didn't just lose 4 of their first 9 games, they were humiliated. They lost to the Vikings 54-13.

Their 9th game was against the division leading Cardinals on Monday Night Football and they lost 38-0 as Howard Cosell mercilessly picked on Don Meredith in the booth.

At 5-4 the team held a player's only meeting. Nobody knows exactly what was said but it seemed that Leroy Jordan, their MLB was the most vocal. He wasn't eloquent.

It must have worked because they won every game leading up to their first Super Bowl.

From Thanksgiving to the NFC championship game, their six opponents scored a combined 25 points.

The Doomsday defense shut out two teams. Another team managed to get two points off a safety, while still another managed a field goal.

Both the Cardinals and Giants faltered. the Cardinals lost their last three games. the Giants folded in their last game and the Dallas Cowboys won their division and the NFC.

 

[rambo2]

Yeah. Babe was horrible. Bless his heart.

One of the worst players in NFL history.

 

[Robbieac]

Can we finish the season before claiming victory and a historic rebirth?

For all we know…..they fall on their face in the next few weeks. It has been, after all, the “Cowboys Way” over the past 30 years.

 

[cowboyec]

i keep thinking about the 2018 cowboys...my favorite of the dak era.
we make the trade for wr amari cooper and the whole season turned.
i'm hopeful....after trading for another alabama star...history repeats.
go☆cowboys.

 

[rambo2]

Can we finish the season before claiming victory and a historic rebirth?

For all we know…..they fall on their face in the next few weeks. It has been, after all, the “Cowboys Way” over the past 30 years.

They haven't had dtackles like this in 30 years.

 

[gtb1943]

They haven't had dtackles like this in 30 years.

we have not had a DT like Q since MAYBE Leon Lett at his best; if not him then you are going back to Manster.

One must remember that a great DLine does not always win championships: The Fearsome Foursome of the LA Rams, The Vikings Purple People Eaters; neither of them got a championship. Look at our D line of the late 70's and early 80's that only got one Championship. Too Mean Too Tall and Manster and Dutton were as good a four as any that has ever played together but it was not enough.

 

[CWR]

Its not a turn around unless and until we make the playoffs.

Like someone else posted weeks ago, we had a very similar record the year we traded for Cooper as well.

 

[CWR]

we have not had a DT like Q since MAYBE Leon Lett at his best; if not him then you are going back to Manster.

One must remember that a great DLine does not always win championships: The Fearsome Foursome of the LA Rams, The Vikings Purple People Eaters; neither of them got a championship. Look at our D line of the late 70's and early 80's that only got one Championship. Too Mean Too Tall and Manster and Dutton were as good a four as any that has ever played together but it was not enough.

I want to give Laroi Glover some props too, but he was surrounded by a trash team.

 

[shabazz]

Yeah. Babe was horrible. Bless his heart.

One of the worst players in NFL history.

I dont know......I think Chad Hutchinson and Drew Henson could have given him a run for his money.

Those were two nice Qb projects by Jerrah.

 

[gtb1943]

I want to give Laroi Glover some props too, but he was surrounded by a trash team.

He and Ratliff were the best we had since Lett but neither of them were as good as Q.

You have to have more than just one top guy on the DL; you need multiple people that will get it done. Like the Giants Ds that had platoons.

 

[gimmesix]

Can we finish the season before claiming victory and a historic rebirth?

For all we know…..they fall on their face in the next few weeks. It has been, after all, the “Cowboys Way” over the past 30 years.

I'm just looking for competitive efforts. Even some of our best teams haven't swept the back half of their seasons, but if we can win most of them and go down-to-the-wire in the others, I'll feel pretty good about this team heading into next year.

Now, a lot can change next year, but it will be a good start if the front office builds on it.

 

[gtb1943]

Clark has shown up since Q appeared; that is vital, one guy can be contained if the others do not step up
we saw that with DeWare year after year
which is why Parsons was not as important as some think; as long as he was our only really disruptive player things were not going to change

 

[gtb1943]

I'm just looking for competitive efforts. Even some of our best teams haven't swept the back half of their seasons, but if we can win most of them and go down-to-the-wire in the others, I'll feel pretty good about this team heading into next year.

Now, a lot can change next year, but it will be a good start if the front office builds on it.

This has to be a foundation to take the next step; if we can maintain and then build in the offseason we could be a real championship contender

 

[gimmesix]

This has to be a foundation to take the next step; if we can maintain and then build in the offseason we could be a real championship contender

Yes. It would be absolutely fantastic if this is one of those teams that goes on a historic run, but those runs are rare and I'm afraid a lot of fans are going to be disappointed if it fails. Unless we collapse, though, we should be excited if this team finishes the second "half" of this season 6-2 or 7-1. Jerry may deflate us by making some nonsensical moves in the offseason, but a strong finish should give us hope.

 

[JoeKing]

Let's face the truth. 99% of us gave up on this team with its early Mickey Mouse defense, minus Micah, minus Jordan Lewis, M. Kendricks and knowing Mazi Smth was another Michigan lineman bust. We also believed Eberflus was the worst defensive coach in Cowboys' history. Losing decisively to Chicago and Denver, we looked like we could not compete. Losing to Arizona was a super indictment this would be the worst team since the 1989 1-15 team.

Out of the ashes, the Boys have risen. They have risen mightily. The juice and magic is back. Injured players have come back. EZ is growing. Clowney has rounded into playing shape. Even Sam Williams is making some impact plays. Revel has been a great revelation.

For those who believe this is the greatest Cowboys turnaround in history, let's see what happens next game. Let's see if they can roll all the way and lay waste to their opponents and win every single game left, like in the historic and legendary great and glorious team of yesteryear, the 1971 Cowboys...

That team that floundered around with a 4-3 record, with Tom Landry foolishly shuttling in QB's Craig Morton and unproven Roger Staubach. They looked like a fragmented team collapsing big time. Finally, Landry decided to go with Roger the Dodger, a legend to this day, the Captain of America.

Roger reeled off 10 consecutive wins. The original Doomsday Defense gave up only 95 points in those 10 games. The Boys led the NFL with scoring, 406 in a 14 game schedule, while giving up only 226, a huge point differential. They did not win games down to the wire, they destroyed their opponents and finally gave rise to the great winning image of the Cowboys.

This turnaround, culminating in a crushing defeat of the Dolphins in the Super Bowl, included a 29 yard sack by the legendary Bob Lilly, which capped his larger than life career.

54 years later, the memory of this ultimate turnaround still gives me goosebumps.

May the 2025 team continue in its meteoric rise!!

It's a different era from those old times you are so nostalgic about. Those old times have nothing to do with how the game is today. The comparison is frivolous at best.

As for the current team, those of us that didn't think highly of the team when the season started did so for good reason. The active roster was a mess. That's putting it politely. The losses were no surprise. The FO got to work to get us the pieces we were missing. So, we now have an improved roster, that's all. The so called "great turnaround" is prematurely being praised. Sure, it's great to string together a few wins but we are in a deeper hole than what three wins will get us out of. The Lions are next in Detroit. Good luck.