I agree with Leeblair on a couple of these issues, but I also agree with the main post, the refs were horrible. However, most of you guys are overlooking the main thing about the refs. Who do we have to blame about the refs, Commissioner Goodell.
If you guys remember, Goodell first time in the NFL on playoffs, Goodell didnt let the best refs with their crews officiate, like generally in the past, this time Goodell had a main ref work with another crew ref staff that the head ref had never worked with. Then, on top of that, Goodell picked the head ref that generally was for the home team, but the crew refs were totally against home teams.
That to me, speaks volumes there.
Next, we have to thank the Commissioner for allowing first time in the NFl for assistant coaches to be allowed to visit and be looked at opposing teams that were looking for head coaches. Before in the past, teams that were in the playoffs, losing teams could not contact any assistant coaches on playoff teams till they were out of the playoffs. If you guys remeber, Sparano visited the Dolphins, and Garrett best I remember visited Baltimore and Atlanta I think. To my mind, no team should be alowed to talk to assistant coaches while that team is still in the playoffs, it breaks continiuty and rhythm.
We were not the better team when we played the Giants in the playoffs. I still think talent wise we were better, but not heart wise, and passion wise.
Sure, we were more talented, but being better includes the whole picture- discipline, coordination, intensity, and planning- on top of having talent.
I agree we didnt have discipline, intensity and planning, how can you plan like your suppose to game planning when your assistant coaches are being interviewed for head coaching jobs? Thats not right!!!!!!!
They were better that day in every category but talent. Way better.
Yes, we had more talent, but not heart, passion, desire.
That's on the coaching staff.
Again, how can you blame the coaching staff to a point, when they are allowed to be interviewed for head coaching jobs, and when wade phillps lets the players get off for the bye week. That i blame on Wade Phillips, I still think like some buffalo fans said, when it gets down to the nitty grity, wade phillips is off with his wife and not coaching like he should. Sure, family in football is important, but only to a degree, the head coach has to step up and put his foot down and have players ready to play and in shape.
But, you have got to hand it to the Giants. They beat the New England Patriots, and didn't cave in during the late parts of the game when New England always seemed to pull away somehow.
The Giants earned their world championship; they wanted it more than the Cowboys did- plain and simple.
I agree with that, i think that is part of the problem, we dont have the real leaders that really want to win, be champions, pay the price, when you leader the Quarterback goes off and spends time in Mexico when he should have been in Dallas, looking at game film, keeping the offensve players alert, etc, then that sets a bad example for the whole team. Then when one of your leaders on defense Terrance Newman says we werent really ready to play, we took the game for granted, that speaks volumes, again some so called leaders on this team, dont really understand what it is to be a leader and really really want to win a super bowl.
The real question is, will Phillips and Garret work to correct their own shortcomings that led to the collapse last year?
AGain, when the NFL sets a new precendent to allow assistant coaches to be allowed to be interviewed for head coaching jobs, along with the Commissioner Goodells approval, then something is wrong. We all saw how the offensive line played terribly in the 2nd half, and we all heard how Nate Newton said the offenisve linemen were arrogant, puffed up, and not in shape, football shape since the detroit game, that you could look at their faces when they lost a game, and not see no pain, no anguish, no hurt, then that is the problem. The heart of the team, intensity, and really wanting to win. But it seems like the players, were content with their pro bowl honors, and a couple players were content to go to Mexico and party, not getting ready for that big game, that to me is why Wade Phillips teams lose in the playoffs, he doesnt prepare them correctly and make them work and stay in shape. Mind I remind you, in December, Wade Philiips didnt have the Cowboys prepare in pads at all in December. Now that isnt football and staying in shape. That I put on the refs that Goodell allowed, Wade Phillips and some of the players on the Dallas Cowboys team that doesnt have heart and desire and intensity.
