Keeping It Simple

[Chuck 54]

1. Those calling for the firing of Wade Phillips are way off base. If you want to fire him for not winning a playoff game at the end of this season (assuming he still gets there and fails again), that's fine. But Wade has proven himself over time as a coordinator and as a head coach that he can coach, that he can work with players, and that he can win, at least in the regular season. This team went 13-3 last season and arguably could have done even better...the team floundered in Dec. and failed in the playoffs, but the same coach who took the team to 13-3 isn't suddenly unable to coach the same team to winning games over bottom feeders.

The problem, in my opinion, exists with the players themselves, and that's a much more difficult problem to fix because the coach isn't going to fix it by doing a few things differently over a period of weeks...the players have to make this change, and it begins in the locker room. However, who can put his mouth where his game is? Our typical vocal leaders are not guys playing good ball. DeMarcus Ware and Tony Romo and Jason Witten are probably the most respected players in the locker room, but not one of them has ever been a vocal leader who would take over the locker room at this point...it's a problem.

2. Keeping it simple:

Dallas has scored 189 points through 7 games, a 27 point average despite only scoring 14 on Sunday. The only teams in the entire NFL (32 teams) to outscore the Cowboys are Bears (196), Packers (194), and Chargers (192)...their records respectively are 4-3, 4-3, 3-4 (that 3-4 by the Chargers is another team favored by many to reach the SB, and scoring points is not the problem for these 4 teams. Dallas is the #4 scoring team in the NFL.

Defense: Dallas has given up 175 points. Of 32 NFL teams, that makes us the 27th best team regarding points against. The only teams who have given up more points than Dallas are: Rams 178 (thanks to that garbage time Bennett TD), Texans 179, Bengals 182, Lions 187, and 49ers 196...their respective records...2-4, 2-4, 0-7, 0-6, 2-5.

Of the Four highest scoring teams, including Dallas, no one is more than one game above .500.

Of the Six teams giving up the most points, including Dallas, not a single team is even close to .500 except Dallas at 4-3.

Interesting things to look at no matter how you want to spin them.

I just don't believe coaching is the problem. I think we have a very poor, underachieving and over-rated front 7 (Ware being the only player of that 7 who would surely start for other teams around the NFL. There are no real studs among the many players who line up in the front 3, though Ratliff has his moments and gives his all. Besides Ware, our LBs are especially poor and have played poorly, and while everyone wants to dump on Brady James, every big play I watch seems to have Zach Thomas missing a tackle, getting blown out, or chasing. To this point, I think he's been a downgrade from Adele.

Our front seven needs to motivate themselves and play like wildmen because they really aren't very talented, and you can't have a coach give a rah rah speech every week, especially not for teams like the Rams, Bengals, etc. These are professional players who are supposed to get themselves ready to play. I do not believe Wade Phillips is responsible for what we're seeing on the field...we have a lot of average players who came into this season thinking they were much better than they are, and now it's time for the players to regroup in the locker room and begin a resurgance by giving 100% effort in the classroom, filmroom, practice field, and on Sunday for every freakin' play, no matter what the score is.

That would be a start.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

MAYbe simple will be a good thing for us.......we need to try something.

 

[Chuck 54]

I posted this in response to another thread, but it sort of fits one of my points here, too.

"When fans think the problem is that we need a coach who can motivate the players, then the problem isn't the coach....it's the players. Look around at the successful teams around the NFL. How many emotional rah rah coaches are there...Tom Landry was successful. The coach's job is to put the team together and prepare them for the opponent. The players still have to play.

The coach doesn't have to motivate his players every week. Do you think Lombardi or Rockney used those same speeches every week? Those speeches are famous because they were used before a huge game.

If our players truly can't get themselves ready for Sunday and play well without a coach motivating them or scaring them, then we have weak players who will never win no matter who the coach is."

 

[TellerMorrow34]

We'll see how it goes over the next month and a half. Where we're at when we start our December schedule will tell us plenty of what we need to know.

 

[Chuck 54]

We'll see how it goes over the next month and a half. Where we're at when we start our December schedule will tell us plenty of what we need to know.

I agree 100% with that...but I think this defense needs more than just better coaching.

I don't think we have very good personel for the 3-4, where the LBs are supposed to be your star playmakers.

 

[braw]

I posted this in response to another thread, but it sort of fits one of my points here, too.

"When fans think the problem is that we need a coach who can motivate the players, then the problem isn't the coach....it's the players. Look around at the successful teams around the NFL. How many emotional rah rah coaches are there...Tom Landry was successful. The coach's job is to put the team together and prepare them for the opponent. The players still have to play.

The coach doesn't have to motivate his players every week. Do you think Lombardi or Rockney used those same speeches every week? Those speeches are famous because they were used before a huge game.

If our players truly can't get themselves ready for Sunday and play well without a coach motivating them or scaring them, then we have weak players who will never win no matter who the coach is."

I agree with your previous post but not this one. Because you are correct about the players but not in the no blame for the coach. The coaches job is to put his players in position to make plays.

That defense secondary is lost most of the time. The Holt deep dig route( Hamlin is behind him but does not react till the ball is halfway there).

The worst thing this team has are fundamentals Blocking and Tackling. The defense and ST are always missing tackles and taking bad angles.This team grabs not tackle.

 

[MONT17]

Its the Head coachs job to set the standard when the coach doesn't expect much the players will not preform much! Every great coach has high expectations for their team! I'm not sure Wade demands his players to play up to high standards! Where Wade goes wrong is that he doesn't expect more from his players than what the expect from themselves! This is the problem.

 

[Chuck 54]

I agree with your previous post but not this one. Because you are correct about the players but not in the no blame for the coach. The coaches job is to put his players in position to make plays.

That defense secondary is lost most of the time. The Holt deep dig route( Hamlin is behind him but does not react till the ball is halfway there).

The worst thing this team has are fundamentals Blocking and Tackling. The defense and ST are always missing tackles and taking bad angles.This team grabs not tackle.

I think any legit call for firing the coach would be one like yours, where it's about x's and o's and the game plan. I may not agree over a 16 game schedule, but your argument is cause for blaming the coach.

My post was directed more towards the guys who think it's the coach's fault that the players have no heart and don't seem to get ready to play emotionally. At the NFL level, I don't think the coach is responsible for motivating the players; I do agree with your premise that he is responsible for giving them a game plan that gives them a chance to succeed.

 

[braw]

I think any legit call for firing the coach would be one like yours, where it's about x's and o's and the game plan. I may not agree over a 16 game schedule, but your argument is cause for blaming the coach.

My post was directed more towards the guys who think it's the coach's fault that the players have no heart and don't seem to get ready to play emotionally. At the NFL level, I don't think the coach is responsible for motivating the players; I do agree with your premise that he is responsible for giving them a game plan that gives them a chance to succeed.

Yes Wayne, but if the team does not tackle well, who else can change that.That is a problem, the team does not look fundamentally sound. The coach has the power to change that. On defense, the player is usually in place to make the play but somehow looks like he does not have a clue how to tackle.

About the Oline play on blocking, the coach has the power to change the QB drop steps.

 

[windward]

As far as keeping things simple, I hope we can have a gameplan more tailored to Brad's strengths as well.

Of course, not being down 21-7 in the first would help.

 

[Chuck 54]

Yes Wayne, but if the team does not tackle well, who else can change that.That is a problem, the team does not look fundamentally sound. The coach has the power to change that. On defense, the player is usually in place to make the play but somehow looks like he does not have a clue how to tackle.

About the Oline play on blocking, the coach has the power to change the QB drop steps.

I agree with you 100% on offense...but that's Garrett's deal. Wade isn't going to tell him what to run or avoid...I don't think so anyway...I could be wrong.

As for defense, I find it a little ridiculous that a coach in the NFL would have to teach NFL players, especially veterans who played on our defense last year, how to tackle. But I have to laugh and say you may be right because they sure as heck ain't doing it, and Zach Thomas is one of the worst.

 

[arglebargle]

Good thread. Level headed too....

Not knowing the game planning and the coaching calls, it is hard to say for sure which section of the game is the most screwed up. But it is pretty obviously a mess.

If it's players, shouldn't someone's butt be on the pine til they can perform up to their talent level? We are pretty injured right now, which probably makes that a tough call, but....

I don't know if adapting the game plan down to underachievers is the way to go. If it is broke, you best try and fix it though, before the ship goes down. Bet there will be a lot of bailing at the Valley Ranch this week. Because teams with less talent have come out with better intensity and handed us our parts on a platter.